Even My Spirit Won't Let Me Fail
After Lumian’s lengthy speech at the entrance exam ended and he left the room, a heavy silence fell over the principal’s office.
“Hah…”
Erderon’s sigh pierced through that silence.
“What do all of you think?”
“There is nothing to think about.”
Aurora immediately countered Erderon.
“Of course I am opposed. An academy admitting someone with such rotten mentality? Do you truly believe a person like that can endure it?”
“I am in favor.”
“Ha?”
When Aurora opposed Lumian’s admission, Sonia, the alchemy professor who had been staring out the window, tilted her head.
Bang!
“What are you trying to achieve by dragging in someone who has no intention of enrolling?”
“You’re still getting worked up over nothing, I see.”
“Sonia!”
“Everyone, calm yourselves.”
As the atmosphere grew heated, Principal Erderon massaged their shoulders to soothe them.
“He is certainly a unique student.”
In the special admission interview, claiming that this opportunity was not meant for him was practically the same as protesting to be failed on the spot. Any other student sitting there would have done everything possible to showcase their greatness and appeal to the interviewers. But he had done the opposite. He explained his own shortcomings and praised everyone else.
“Lord Erderon.”
“What is it?”
Sonia, who had been gazing outside, turned to look at Erderon.
“Lumian is an adult.”
An adult. He was an anomalous being who fit neither the role of student nor professor.
“Do you know this year’s incoming students?”
“I do.”
“And do you also know how many incidents and accidents have occurred at our academy so far?”
“I know that as well.”
Countless incidents and accidents happened at the academy every year. Minor quarrels were the baseline, but bullying, extortion, threats, and assault were common. These things occurred frequently wherever children gathered. The nobles, accustomed to power structures, were especially skilled at concealing them. They appeared friendly on the surface, but everything took place where adults couldn’t see. There were probably innumerable events that even the professors here knew nothing about.
“So you think bringing that guy will solve everything?”
“At the very least, he might accomplish what we cannot.”
“Even so, I am against it. I’ve heard the rumors about him.”
Talentless Lumian. It was a rumor that had circulated quite widely in noble society. The talentless child of the Cardion family.
“No matter if he has contracted with Lady Anemoi, do you really believe an empty shell like him could suddenly transform into a genius?”
“Take that back.”
Ophelia stood with her back pressed against the door Lumian had just walked through.
“Aurora. I understand that you are a genius, but retract that statement. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to live in the shadow of a genius?”
“I wouldn’t know anything about that.”
“Do you know the kind of heart Lumian has lived with?”
Ophelia walked slowly forward and stood before them.
“That child has yielded everything since the moment he was born. All because his younger sibling is a genius.”
“So what? Do you think there’s only one or two people like that? Do you think I’m not one? How would you explain someone like me?”
Aurora kicked her chair back and stood up. She was slightly shorter than Ophelia, but her presence was every bit as imposing.
“That is exactly why Lumian is different.”
Ophelia squeezed her eyes shut for a moment before opening them again to meet Aurora’s gaze.
“Even in that situation, he never lost his warm heart. Unlike you, Aurora.”
“…Are you trying to fight me right now?”
“I only spoke the truth.”
The moment Aurora’s hand moved toward her sword—
“That is enough.”
“Hmph…”
At Erderon’s command, Aurora returned to her seat.
“I apologize, Principal Erderon. But allow me to say one more thing.”
“What is it?”
“Please ensure the academy’s students come to know that child’s warmth. And please grant a single chance to a boy who has carried that heart for so very long.”
Ophelia bowed deeply toward Erderon. The gesture looked less like a teacher regarding her pupil and more like a parent worrying for her child.
“Sonia may have been right. There are no adults here either.”
At Erderon’s words, even Aurora seemed uncomfortable as she abruptly turned her head away.
“Ophelia.”
“Yes, Principal.”
“We will pass Lumian’s interview.”
“Then…!”
“It is not finished yet.”
He shrugged and pointed at Aurora.
“We have seen his qualities as an adult, but we have not yet seen his qualities as a student. We shall confirm those as well.”
“Do not worry, Lord Erderon.”
Ophelia held not a shred of doubt. She firmly believed Lumian could handle it. She could only hope this opportunity would quietly reach the heart he had kept so tightly closed.
Yeah, I did my best. I explained with everything I had why I shouldn’t be here. Passing me anyway? Don’t you people have a conscience? Can’t you see these pitiful commoners and the other races? Shouldn’t you set aside this noble trash and turn your eyes toward those who never got a chance? Not that there’s anything I can actually do about it.
I was lying in the park again like the useless person I was. How much time had passed? The entrance exam must have ended, because several people who looked like students began walking by. They glanced at me, but what did they expect me to do? Lie down yourselves if you want. It wasn’t bad. Once the interview results were out, I could just go home.
Just as I closed my eyes to wait for Ophelia—
“Brother!”
The shield I thought would protect me. Instead, it was the shield that struck me. Serian came running toward me in a hurry. I wanted to grab her by the neck and shake her right then and there, but I held back with every ounce of willpower I possessed. I had spent all this time building a certain image; I couldn’t revert to the Lumian from the novel now. Even if the shield hit me once, I had to hold on tight. Throwing it away because it hurt would only hurt me in the end.
“How did it go?! Can you get into the academy?”
So that’s what you wanted to know. There was still some dirt on Serian’s clothes from the exam she had just finished. I brushed it off as I answered.
“I’m not sure yet. Lady Ophelia will tell me when she arrives.”
“Aah~ When is Master coming!”
“I’m right here, you little brat.”
“Ow!”
Ophelia had arrived at some point and delivered a firm knuckle to Serian’s head. The smile on her face didn’t bode well.
“Serian. Did your test go well?”
“Of course. Who do you think I am?”
She would obviously be first. In the magic department, it was guaranteed. Probably even overall, though the academy didn’t combine the rankings across departments.
“Well done, Serian.”
“Hehe.”
When I stroked her head, Serian rubbed her cheek against my hand with a satisfied expression. Hmm. Yeah. It seemed my training skills hadn’t died after all.
“Right. Lumian.”
“Yes?”
“The entrance exam appears to be over.”
“Is that so?”
So what? When I tilted my head in confusion, she looked at me and smiled brightly.
“It means it’s your turn now, doesn’t it?”
Huh? Me?
If. Really, if the academy professors were all eccentrics and I somehow passed the interview, I had assumed there would be a next step. It turned out the professors were even more eccentric than I expected. Yeah. There was a next stage for me. But not like this. There had never been a scenario where I had to fight a professor in front of all the new students.
“What’s wrong? Are you nervous?”
“No.”
“Good. It would be embarrassing for someone your age to be nervous in front of children, wouldn’t it?”
Please stop bringing up my age already. The swordsmanship professor Aurora stood before me. I couldn’t tell whether she was trying to provoke me or simply venting her anger. She seemed pretty twisted inside. That side of her had appeared a little in the novel too.
“Hurry up and draw your sword. I understand swordsmanship is your specialty? The eldest son of a magician family, no less.”
With those words, Aurora raised her sword and pointed it at me.
“Fight alongside Lady Anemoi. Only then will this exam hold any meaning.”
I wanted to clash swords immediately and shout that I surrendered, but that obviously wouldn’t work. With a heart full of tears, I called out to Anemoi.
“Lady Anemoi.”
“It seems my turn has come.”
Anemoi spoke in an excited tone, as if she were thrilled. What exactly are you so happy about? We’re supposed to step down from this stage now.
Quite a few incoming students had gathered to watch. With the entrance exam finished, many were curiously peering into the testing ground to see what was happening.
“What’s going on?”
“I don’t know either?”
“Isn’t that Professor Aurora? The person across from her…”
“Who is that?”
Sorry. Some nobody you’ve never heard of is drawing attention. I’ll get out of the way soon, so just wait a little. It’s going to be embarrassing, but there’s nothing I can do about it.
And there was a big problem.
“I’m sorry, Professor.”
“What is it?”
“I don’t have a sword.”
Aurora frowned with a dumbfounded expression.
“Ha? Weren’t you applying for the swordsmanship division?”
“I didn’t apply anywhere.”
“Hah…”
She tossed me one of the swords left over from the entrance exam. Thud—
“That should be enough, right?”
She jerked her chin as if to say, no more complaints now?
It was an ordinary longsword. I hadn’t held one recently. But back when I played the part of the kind, diligent, yet talentless young master, I had wielded a sword quite often. Of course, the lack of talent hadn’t been an act.
I picked up the sword from the ground. It felt slightly awkward, but the moment I gripped it, memories from that time came flooding back. How should I lose in a somewhat believable way? It was pretty annoying. Should I lose spectacularly? Or hold back a little before falling? If it looked like I was relying on her power and still lost, it would disappoint her greatly. The best scenario was to actively use Anemoi’s power and lose.
“Then shall we begin?”
Seeing me hold the sword, Aurora adjusted her stance and glared at me. She looked as if she wanted to kill me right then and there. She wouldn’t actually kill me, right? Even if it was special admission, it was still part of the entrance exam. It was scary, but what choice did I have? I had to lose so I could go home.
“Lumian. Do not worry.”
“I will grant you special meaning in your life.”
“You need only savor it fully.”
“Feel it once—what it means to be exceptional.”
⟨ Anemoi's Decree ⟩
At that moment, Anemoi’s voice rang out loudly across the entire testing ground. A storm-like wind swirled violently with it.
“Kyaa! What is this wind!”
“This voice…”
“This is… a spirit?”
The students’ whispering voices were gradually swept away by the gale.
The longsword I had been holding began to float into the air. I tried to hold onto it, but the wind gently pushed my hand away like a mother pulling a child’s hand from something dangerous. The sword now floating in midair turned its point toward Aurora.
“And you possess more than enough talent for spirit arts.”
No, what the hell is this?