Chapter 7: Class Assignment Evaluation (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 7: Class Assignment Evaluation (2)
The class assignment evaluation.
At Märchen Academy, students were divided into four classes: A, B, C, and D. The top achievers were assigned to Class A, while those with the lowest scores were relegated to Class D.
The final placement depended on the results of both the mana evaluation and this specific class assignment test. Since these results determined a student’s peer group for the entire semester, the stakes were incredibly high.
However, my top priority wasn't my ranking—it was defeating the demons.
Currently, every first-year student in the Magic Department had been deployed into Delphine Forest. This meant the risk of running into other students was high, and the probability of an immediate battle was even higher.
This was the ripple effect of the word "survival" mentioned by the professor. Most students understood the subtext: if you see someone, you fight them.
Bang—!!
Roar—!!
Crash—!!
The sounds of spells detonating and mana clashing echoed from every direction. The Battle Royale had officially begun.
In a situation like this, it was only natural for students to form groups. Teaming up provided a numerical advantage and made it easier to locate mana particles, which was the primary objective of the evaluation.
Unfortunately, no one was merciful enough to team up with a Grade E mana loser like me. If anything, I’d be lucky if they didn't try to hunt me down for an easy point.
Can I rely on Kaya, since she’s under the delusion that I’m powerful?
...No. There were too many variables. There was no guarantee Kaya would help me, and a high risk that my true nature would be exposed. Worse, she might decide to stab me in the back simply because she perceived me as a "dangerous" variable.
If that was the case, I had only one choice.
I think...
I’ll just hide.
I spotted a tree with dense, thick foliage that looked perfect for an ambush or a hideout. It was a spot I had scouted in advance while exploring Delphine Forest.
I pulled a magic pouch from my pocket.
[Magic Pouch]
A small pouch that uses spatial magic to store numerous items. Highly portable.
Rank: Tier 6
Tier 6. In this world, "Tier" was the unit of measurement for an item's rarity; the lower the number, the rarer the item.
I took a water bottle from the pouch and sprayed the tree trunk. Then, I activated the [Ice Generation] skill to create a crude set of ice stairs.
My [Elemental Synergy] was actually quite high compared to my other stats. The higher the synergy, the greater the effect when elemental magics overlapped or interacted. Thanks to this, I was able to manifest a much larger block of ice than if I had used [Ice Generation] on its own.
I climbed the frozen staircase and finally reached the upper branches.
It’s actually pretty comfy.
Nestled on a thick branch surrounded by a curtain of leaves, I leaned back and used [Defrost] on the ice stairs below.
“...”
This was the only strategy available to the "Academy’s Weakest"—the "Hunker Down" strategy. But a worry gnawed at me: what if the other students vacuumed up all the mana particles while I was playing squirrel in a tree?
Wait, I overlooked something.
Mana particles are luminescent. Once it gets dark, they’ll be much easier to spot with the naked eye.
As someone with abysmal mana perception, it would actually be more efficient to go hunting for them later anyway.
I stayed perfectly still, focusing all my senses on the surrounding forest. I needed to know the moment anyone approached.
Twenty minutes later, I felt a presence. Someone was coming.
I reached for a frozen slingshot I had hidden out of sight within the branches.
[Slingshot]
An ordinary slingshot made of wood and a rubber band. Low durability.
Rank: Tier 9
I had prepared ten of these. Each one was "pre-loaded"—I had pulled the rubber bands back to their limit with stones notched, then used ice magic to freeze them in that high-tension state. I had them mounted at specific angles and memorized every location.
Defrost.
As I released the ice holding the first slingshot’s band, the ice shattered into pale blue powder. The tension snapped forward, launching the stone.
Whish—!
The stone sliced through the air, rustling the grass as it struck the ground some distance away.
“Huh?!”
I heard a girl’s startled exclamation. She snapped her gaze toward the sound in the grass, immediately dropping into a combat stance. She seemed confident in her abilities.
Nine slingshots left.
Just hold on...
The constant tension kept the boredom at bay.
Please, let me just hold out until the timing is right.
*
The sky was eventually dyed in the deep hues of sunset.
The sounds of students casting magic had long since faded, and a heavy silence descended upon the forest. It was 6:30 PM. I was still alive, and I was still in my tree.
Time to sneak down.
Fortunately, the "Hunker Down" strategy had worked. I’d ended up using all ten slingshots as distractions, but it wasn't a waste; each one had successfully diverted a potential threat away from my hiding spot.
I pulled out the water bottle, poured the remaining liquid over the trunk, and used [Ice Generation] to create a cascading, albeit sloppy, staircase.
I carefully climbed down.
“Oh god.”
My legs were trembling. Sitting cramped in a tree for four hours—combined with the muscle aches from yesterday’s gym session—had turned my lower body into jelly.
After a quick leg massage, I defrosted the stairs. Now, I had to move.
Where are they?
I didn't know exactly where Ian and Luce would encounter the demon. In the game, a cutscene would trigger after surviving the evaluation, automatically transitioning the player to the encounter. I had to find that location manually, and fast.
The sky above the barrier was darkening. I moved forward with caution, trying to be as silent as a ghost.
I should at least try to find some mana particles.
I had spent my entire fortune preparing for this evaluation. If I didn't earn enough Gel here, I’d be forced to choose between starving or becoming a debtor to the bank.
...Did I mess up?
Damn it. Not a single particle.
My hope of easily finding leftovers in the dark was shattered. I had underestimated the students of the prestigious Märchen Academy; their mana perception was top-tier. It was only natural they’d cleared the area.
Please, just one...
I became so focused on scanning the ground for a faint glow that I failed to notice the sound of approaching footsteps.
“Huh?”
A girl’s voice rang out right in front of me. My heart plummeted.
I froze in a half-bent position, a bead of cold sweat rolling down my cheek.
What do I do? What do I do...?
Think.
I still had some magic tools I’d purchased. If I used them perfectly, I might be able to bridge a small level gap. If the person in front of me was around Level 30 or 40, I might have a chance.
I slowly raised my head to look at the student.
[Kaya Astrea]
Lv: 90
Race: Human
Elements: Wind, Ice
Danger: X
“...”
“...”
What am I supposed to say?
Wait. Kaya?
“Ah... hello?”
“...”
Kaya looked terrified. Her voice was trembling, and her shoulders were shaking.
She was the first-year second seat. It was impossible for me to defeat her, even if I used every trick in the book. However, she currently viewed me as a "mighty Archwizard concealing his true power."
Stay calm. Act. If I play this right, I can walk away.
“Move.”
I had always been confident in my acting. I narrowed my eyes and spoke in a cold, authoritative tone, as if I were a predator annoyed by a pebble in his path. I acted like I wasn't nervous at all.
“Ah...! Yes! My apologies...!”
Kaya trembled and scrambled out of my way.
Good. Just keep walking.
I started moving slowly, a wave of relief washing over me.
Thank god, it worked—
“Ah, Sir Isaac...!”
Kaya called out suddenly.
Sir Isaac?
The honorific was embarrassing, but it made sense given her delusion. I quickly composed my features, stopping and looking back at her with a frigid expression.
“Well... this is still an evaluation, so... why don't we fight...?”
“...”
How about absolutely not.
“Of course, to someone like Sir Isaac, who has reached the level of an Archwizard, someone like me is probably just an ant... but even so, I still wish to challenge you!”
No, don't do that. Relax your face. Stop looking so determined.
“Please, do me this favor, Sir Isaac!”
No! Don't deploy your magic circle! We didn't agree to this! Put it away!
...Please.
The demon was scheduled to appear in twenty minutes. My watch read 6:40 PM. I needed to find the spawn point immediately.
Despite my internal screaming, Kaya’s light-green magic circle manifested in the air, spinning slowly toward me. Even though she was afraid, the second seat’s pride was burning; she wanted to test herself against the "gigantic existence" she thought I was.
“...”
I am weak! I have Grade E mana! I am the literal bottom of the barrel! I can't win!
Calm down. Think. How do I get out of this? What lie will make her stand down?
I couldn't tell her I was hunting demons. That would cause a massive headache later.
What can I use... what leverage do I have...
...An idea struck.
I don't know if this will work, but here goes nothing.
“Sigh.”
“...?”
I started with a heavy, disappointed sigh.
That magic circle looked lethal, but I stared at Kaya with the most amused, condescending expression I could muster. Kaya looked back, her resolve wavering into confusion.
It was all or nothing. I crossed my arms and looked at her magic circle as if it were a pathetic toy.
“With only that level of magic?”
“...!!”
Kaya’s eyes widened in shock. The words clearly stung.
“Only... that level...?”
“You’re wasting my time.”
I turned my back on her. A terrifying, murderous aura flared up behind me.
Please don't kill me, please don't kill me...
“I know you are a great mage. But... what you just said ignores all the blood, sweat, and tears I’ve put in—!”
“I mean ‘for now.’”
“Huh?”
The killing intent vanished instantly. Kaya was likely trying to process my words.
“You’re close with ‘Sylphia,’ aren't you?”
Sylphia, the Emerald Fairy. A spirit who specialized in plant magic.
“H-how did you know that...?”
“Because I can sense the aura of [Yggdrasil] on you.”
“...!!”
Even without looking, I could feel her shock. The aura of [Yggdrasil]? I had no idea what that felt like. I couldn't even sense basic mana particles. I was bluffing through my teeth.
However, it was a fact that Kaya was on good terms with Sylphia. It was a secret only she knew. She also wore the "Yggdrasil’s Seed" as a necklace—a gift from the fairy. She needed it to access plant-based mana.
To a normal observer, it looked like a regular seed. It condensed mana rather than emitting it, making it nearly impossible to detect. Only in her second year would she fully attune to it, eventually using it to cast the 8-star spell [Yggdrasil], a spell capable of leveling a nation.
Only I, with my knowledge of the "future," could know this.
“It’s quite distinct,” I added.
“Did you know Sylphia?!”
Of course not.
I didn't answer. I kept my eyes closed, pretending to be lost in some grand, ancient memory.
“...Your true value has yet to be revealed. When that time comes—when you become someone worth my time—I will face you.”
“...”
I started walking again. I didn't look back to see her expression. It didn't matter. What mattered was that the hum of the magic circle died out. She had dispersed it.
A small, shaky smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. I was alive. I had bluffed like a middle-schooler with a terminal case of chuunibyou, but it worked.
“Sir Isaac.”
Oh, for the love of—not again! Why?!
I tried to ignore her, but she called out again, forcing me to stop.
“Why are you here ‘pretending to be weak’?”
It was a fair question. To her, I was a god playing in the mud. To me, I was just mud.
There was only one cool-guy response I could give.
“...You don't need to know.”
That was it. The classic mysterious protagonist line. I started walking again, and this time, she didn't stop me. Once I was sure she was out of sight, I let out a massive, lung-emptying sigh.
I’m alive! I’m actually alive!
But the joy was short-lived. I had to find the demon.
Where is it? Where?
...Oh, a mana particle!
I moved my watchband near a stone, and the glowing particle drifted toward it like a firefly, clicking into the tally.
Ten minutes left.
It was 6:50 PM. I retraced my steps. My only clue was that the demon appeared in a clearing near a low cliff. I had scouted yesterday, but the forest was so vast I hadn't found a perfect match.
I won't find it by searching. If that’s the case...
I reached a stream I’d noted earlier. From here, the canopy was thinner, offering a clear view of the sky. I checked my watch.
7:00 PM...
The sky was a deep, dark blue. By now, the demon should have appeared before Ian and Luce.
I have to stop looking for particles. Priority one: prevent the Bad Ending.
I stood still. If Ian and Luce were fighting a demon, they’d be using high-level magic. I just had to wait for the fireworks.
“...”
I held my breath in the darkening woods.
KUUUUUUUUUUUU—!!!
“...!!”
A roar tore through the silence. I snapped my head toward the sound. Because I was by the stream, I had a clear line of sight.
A jagged pillar of ice erupted in the distance. But it wasn't the pale blue of normal ice—it was pitch black.
Others might not have realized it, but I knew. That was dark-element ice magic. The signature of a demon. The pillar crumbled into black ash almost instantly.
I sprinted toward the site.
Please hold on, Ian! Or better yet, just win!
“Whoa there. Where are you going in such a rush?”
No. Not now.
“...Well, well. If it isn't the lowly commoner with Grade E mana?”
[Tristan Humphrey]
Lv: 71
Race: Human
Elements: Wind
Danger: Medium
Blocking my path was Tristan Humphrey—a high-ranking first-year and an insufferable, vain noble.
“...”
I shook my head. I knew every character in ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ by heart. I was Level 26. He was Level 71. A 45-level gap.
But... if I went all out, I thought I could take him.
I’m going through. Right now.
I accelerated the flow of mana in my circuits, rapidly dropping my internal temperature.