Chapter 234
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 234
Chapter Title: The New Cadets' Assessment
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Even though he was a brand-new cadet, the failing cadets gathered around Lydia as they watched his back, already becoming the center of attention in an instant due to his overwhelming presence.
It had clearly ended without any issues, but none of their expressions looked good.
It was because they had just seen the sneer he directed at Lydia.
Contempt was something they were used to receiving.
Contempt for being commoners was one thing, and contempt for their lack of skill was another.
But the sneer Basara had shown just moments ago stirred up an especially hard-to-bear resentment.
"I... I'm going to go train."
Lydia gritted her teeth, her face drained of color.
"Me too."
"If you're done eating, you should get back to what you were doing."
Without anyone telling them to, the failing cadets—all without a single slacker—returned to the training ground where I was.
"Professor, please resume training."
"Why not rest a bit more?"
"We want to get stronger."
"Do you really think what you're doing right now is helping?"
They couldn't say a word in response to my question.
Of course not. They still lacked conviction.
"With less than a month left, if you're wasting time on this nonsense, anyone who believes otherwise would be an idiot."
"That's not true."
"Really?"
Unable to lie, they clamped their mouths shut.
"But... you're all we have left now, Professor."
Resentment and desperation gleamed in their eyes.
"Please."
"Then what are you waiting for? Get back to it."
I said calmly.
"Beating that brute who sneered at you in a month might be impossible, but I can at least make him shiver in his boots."
That was answer enough for them.
"If you believe me, keep going. If you can't bring yourself to trust it, leave now. I'll talk to Professor Rommel and get you into classes with some competent instructors."
Not a single one turned back.
The cadets under my charge—excluding the ten huddled in the open field doing their bizarre training—included Melissa as well.
Melissa wouldn't normally be placed in the failing cadets' class, but after Professor Rommel learned I'd been teaching her, he assigned her here for my convenience.
Of course, what she needed wasn't practical swordsmanship but solid theory, so the moment she arrived through the gate I'd made with command magic, she left for her theory class.
That made me curious.
"Hey, don't you all have separate classes?"
"Our classes are on hold right now. Until the placement exam in a month, we're only doing this one."
I nodded indifferently at that.
At first, they stumbled endlessly at the initial stage, but through relentless repetition, they were gradually getting used to this eccentricity.
Did they even realize that the gaps in their foundations—their biggest weakness—were being filled without them knowing?
Probably not.
Even so, the reason they stuck with this bizarre lesson in silence was likely my words.
They might not win, but I'd make sure they could land one solid hit.
For mere failing cadets to smack the heir of one of the thirteen great houses? It was a tall order.
These guys had built up power before even enrolling, to the point no other cadet could beat them. How were academy failures supposed to handle that?
In the past, all ten would have charged and been subdued in seconds.
The skill gap was just that vast.
From birth, they had elite bloodlines, genes, countless elixirs, aids, and overwhelming mentors. No ordinary person could catch up easily.
And from what I'd seen through the shadows, the Spear Saint's grandson didn't slack on effort either.
The world might seem unfairly stacked, but there's always some causal logic to it.
Speaking of which, before the placement exam, today's the new cadets' sparring test, right? I think they called it the first exam.
It didn't apply to Melissa or these failing cadets, but the fresh recruits had to pass the first test, then the second—the placement exam—to get ranked.
As I stood up, Luna followed.
"Professor, where are you going?"
"To check the level of those new chicks that just arrived. Keep at it while I'm gone. By the time I get back, break through at least stage four."
"What does that...?"
"You'll figure it out. Oh, and just in case—no one's likely to pick a fight, but if some lunatic shows up, don't get cocky. Just break this."
I handed them a tool that would make a sound when snapped.
"Break this, and you'll come?"
"Not me coming. Just know it. At your level, do you really need to worry about that now?"
They said nothing and focused on their tasks.
"Still, they're competitors. Wouldn't it be good to check them out?"
"Watching them now would crush your motivation entirely. Better off not knowing."
The placement exam wasn't just about one-on-one fights. That was only one part.
Individual combat, group combat, adaptability, battlefield awareness, miscellaneous knowledge—everything.
It tested non-combat fields too.
This academy wasn't purely a sword or magic school; combat wasn't everything.
Though excluding theory, practical courses prioritized sword or magic skill regardless.
The new cadets' sparring area wasn't far from the failing cadets' training ground.
But it wasn't a brawl; the noise was different.
"Oh, Young Master Leon. Long time no see."
As I entered, several professors greeted me warmly.
They were the ones I'd met face-to-face during the Black Forest incident.
"Good to see you again, Professors."
"Didn't expect Young Master Leon to show up. We heard you took on Professor Rommel's request. Glad you made it."
They laughed heartily, a far cry from my first visit.
"But you're here for the new cadets' test too?"
"Yes. Curiosity got the better of me."
"Heh, perfect timing. We're about to start measurements. This way—best view in the house."
Following the other professors to the second floor, I saw about a hundred cadets gathered in a vast indoor space.
"Usually around twenty recruits this time of year, but this batch is huge."
"Tell me about it. Two heirs from the thirteen great houses, a candidate for Great Forest proxy, and that rumored archmage—Luteon Abelgard's hidden disciple enrolled too."
Listening to the professors, I picked up plenty of info.
Four in particular caught their attention.
First, the youngest son of the Hontail family—a magic powerhouse among the thirteen great houses.
Second, Basara Crevad—grandson and disciple of the Spear Saint—from the spear-focused Crevad family, another of the thirteen.
Rubas Hontail, the family head's youngest—apparently a 4th-circle mage on the cusp of 5th.
Third, Lisia Hevillion, granddaughter of the Galion Alchemist Order's grand master. A skilled golemancer, her creations ranked top-tier in strength and durability even within her school.
And finally, Ashuria Abelgard—hidden disciple of the continent-renowned archmage Luteon Abelgard.
Not from a great house, but anyone who's cracked a history book knows Luteon Abelgard.
Even the magic towers hail him as an archmage.
He's disinterested in worldly affairs and ignores anything outside his interests.
He hadn't taken disciples for over a decade in seclusion—then suddenly, his apprentice enrolls in the Imperial Academy. No wonder the professors were curious.
Triana, the so-called Great Forest heir, was there too, but her talents weren't proven, and she'd join late due to forest matters, so she was sidelined.
Honestly...
Compared to those three, Triana lacked anything standout.
Her specialty was resonance and communion with the World Tree.
Not a combat prodigy, which explained why slave traders chased her.
Her status drew connections regardless, but that wasn't my concern.
"By the way, Young Master, I heard Melissa made huge strides lately."
"Yeah. My little sister's got talent."
Saying it like that still felt oddly good.
She was the sister I'd nagged endlessly, but praise from others warmed me strangely.
"You'll be surprised. I drilled her pretty hard."
Me—a boy not yet twenty—talking like this must look ridiculous.
"Honestly, though... those three geniuses over there aren't drawing as many eyes as expected."
"Well... with a freak genius like you here..."
Many professors had seen my feats via body-worn recording artifacts.
That explained it.
They were curious about my true potential beyond the footage.
And soon, their gazes shifted to Luna, stuck to my side.
Crowds were a hassle for her; she wore a robe with the hood pulled low.
Parading her usual self here would draw unwanted eyes.
Unlike me, she'd personally blocked professors from entering the forest before.
"Speaking of which, Luna's here too. Heh... the continent's future looks bright."
The chuckling professors seemed utterly at ease.
Soon, academy admin staff brought a large table and odd machinery.
A device with a groove perfectly sized for a hand.
"What's that?"
"Ah, new from the magic tower. Measures aura, mana, or other energies and quantifies them. Mana isn't everything, but it's key for wielding power, right?"
True. More aura meant stronger body enhancement; more mana, bigger spells.
Other factors mattered, but no one denied energy as the foundation.
Admin called names one by one; cadets placed hands on the device and channeled mana.
Rankings appeared based on mana output.
I'd half-hoped a mana overload might blow it up, but the design prevented that.