Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Rivalry Ignited
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"With this, the exam is concluded."
Professor Kyle smiled faintly, and the assistant standing beside him projected the rankings into thin air using a magic device.
1. Logan & Rain Ludwig: 00:59.
2. Christa Warden & Rumlow Besley: 04:13.
……
……
……
Most teams that passed clocked times in the mid-20s to early 30s.
The two teams that failed had either depleted their mana, lost control of their spell's power and gotten caught in the backlash, or taken three or more hits from the summoned beasts and now had to retake the exam.
Not just the F-grade cadets forced into retakes, but even the E-grade ones granted retest eligibility let out despairing sighs.
"It's over......"
"No way......"
In contrast, the D-grade and higher passers breathed sighs of relief and exchanged congratulations. Rumlow said,
"Thanks to you, miss, we got a good grade...... Thank you......"
But what was etched in Christa’s eyes was something like rage born from fiery frustration and bewilderment.
‘Lost again?’
To that carefree bastard who just spouts nonsense about enjoying magic—I lost again? They'd said only first place gets an S, so she figured she'd snag an A.
‘Why didn’t I think to collapse the labyrinth? No, even if I had......’
Professor Kyle let out a quiet sigh as he caught Christa’s burning gaze.
‘Still that competitive fire burning, huh...... A fine attitude. The path chasing him from behind will be a brutal thorny road, though.’
It’s common wisdom that a chick following a stork gets its legs torn, but who knows—she might fly like that stork someday. For now, a little comfort wouldn’t hurt.
"Originally, I planned to award S-grade to just one team, but given the unique nature of this exam, I’ll give it to two."
"!!!"
"Rain Ludwig and Logan paired up based on entrance exam scores—it strikes me as unfair in terms of equity."
The other cadets nodded in agreement, murmuring that yeah, it wasn’t right. No one had beef with Rain or Logan specifically.
"Therefore, to Team 12, who collapsed the labyrinth with an idea and decisive action no one else conceived."
Not a single cadet whispered, "What, we could’ve just collapsed the labyrinth?" It wasn’t that simple a problem.
Sure, collapsing the labyrinth was great, but what if even one summoned beast survived inside?
You’d have to magically clear every last piece of rubble to hunt it down—and there’s no way that’d happen in time.
"And to Team 2, who handled the standard options with the most flawless judgment and magical prowess of all. Both teams receive an S-grade."
Rain grinned and clapped Logan’s hand with a crisp smack. Logan’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
"You’re truly amazing, young master!"
"Couldn’t have done it without you."
They’d earned the same S-grade, but Christa couldn’t muster a smile in this moment. She couldn’t smile, so all she could do was clench her fists until blood welled up.
It was infuriating—being overwhelmingly crushed in a fight she’d been dead certain she’d win.
And infuriating—her own failure to protest this pity-driven verdict.
......
Rain glanced at her, let out a low sigh like he was pondering something, and walked over.
"So the first assignment ends in a draw? You’re a real tough one."
It was like he’d touched her reverse scale. Christa’s eyes brimmed with teary fury as her body shuddered, fists still clenched.
"Don’t come near me!"
"......?"
"You think—you think I’ll accept a win or loss like this?"
"What, you hate S-grades?"
"Don’t mock me! The nobles of magic houses—mages! We can’t accept pity! We must earn respect bordering on awe! But—but......!"
Infuriating, infuriating, so infuriating that her fragile spirit couldn’t hold it back, tears finally spilled from her eyes.
Christa whipped around away from Rain and hastily wiped the tears streaming freely down her face.
"Damn it, getting pity from the professor on the first exam...... Worst. Absolutely the worst, the kind that makes you want to die!"
Christa, age sixteen.
Her life, barely shedding its girlish innocence, had been stained with hardship and toil since she was six.
No carefree daily joys—just a lifetime devoted entirely to study.
To her, losing a contest meant losing everything.
She couldn’t rely on her family. She had to become the one they could rely on. Because only she could pull it off.
That’s the life she’d lived since age six. No friends to share joys or pains with. Her life left no room for such intrusions.
Maybe that’s why she’d lost herself in novels—only through their worlds, their protagonists, could she feel human connection.
She’d sacrificed everything, suppressed every emotion and desire, to claw her way to this point.
To the stage where they called her a once-in-a-century genius.
Unyielding, undefeated, overwhelming—a tower built by devoting her heart solely to magic, now crumbling in a single blow.
"You like magic?"
The boy’s voice sliced through her reverie. A chuckling voice, laced with the weight of long-buried memories.
"Me? I’ve loved magic from the start. Still do. Of course, memorizing theory and solving problems wasn’t fun at first."
"Why the hell are you telling me this!"
"But you know, even when it was tough and miserable, studying gave me something of value. I was a total nobody before."
The boy stared at his palm, his expression distant, on the verge of shattering. A spring breeze rustled the new green of the mountains.
"It felt so good. So at some point, studying magic became enjoyable. You’ve never had that?"
Christa clamped her mouth shut.
The joy of magical achievement...... Denying it would be a lie. But she’d always whipped herself not to indulge, lest she grow numb or complacent.
She had no room for such luxuries.
"Were you mad when I said to enjoy magic earlier? Sorry if so. But I don’t toss out reckless advice like that to just anyone."
Is he mocking me......? Christa whipped around with a scowl, but the red eyes meeting hers were utterly pure.
"You’re at a level where you could enjoy it and still have plenty left over, right?"
No pretense in his words so far—just pure sincerity. A bright smile bloomed over that expression.
"Thanks to you, the first exam was a blast. Let’s see who comes out on top next time."
That was it. Like the conversation was over and done, Rain turned away without a shred of lingering.
Why?
How come?
Staring at his back, Christa felt her face burning beet red.
Shame from rival pity? Or...... But it didn’t feel like resentment building inside.
"Hey! I said I don’t accept it! Results like this!"
That’s why she yelled desperately at the back of his head, making Rain jolt to a startled halt.
"Don’t get all cocky off one win! Next exam, I’ll smash that smug nose of yours flatter than clayyy!"
She bellowed a lion’s roar of a shout, snorted derisively, and spun on her heel.
The commotion was so massive that Logan and the other cadets blinked in stunned silence, watching the scene unfold.
Even Professor Kyle was no exception.
‘Overwhelming talent is truly wondrous.’
Unintentionally, it drags other gifted kids forward.
As a stimulant.
As a wall to surpass.
And as a friend.
‘Best decision ever taking the Delaiten professorship.’
Watching Rain cock his head at Christa’s outburst, Professor Kyle smiled faintly.
‘I’ll get to witness these kids’ growth closer than anyone over the next three years.’
Yeah—the youth of these geniuses who’ll shape magic’s future.
Things are about to get busy.
It’s our job to give them every chance to make that youth as fulfilling and rewarding as possible. Kyle smiled as he organized his file folder.
"Retest candidates, stay behind. Everyone else, board the school carriage and head back."
* * *
"Exams usually wrap up morning classes early, right?"
"Yeah? Exercise after?"
"Kukuku, sounds good."
So they’d figured riding the carriage back meant straight dismissal, but......
In the Cheonggang Classroom, Professor Owen awaited them, a thick stack of papers piled on the lectern, grinning wickedly.
"Here’s a math-and-magic exam compiling 150 questions total. Only those who finish it all get to go back to the dorms."
"No way!"
"Eyes screaming ‘why this bullshit’! I get off on your shit-eating faces that much! What’re you waiting for? Line up and grab your papers!"
Cadets too shocked to even gasp staggered to the podium, taking their sheets with teary eyes.
"No half-assing it, you monkey shits. This counts straight to your written exam grade!"
"!!!"
"And one more thing—ninety minutes from now, I collect them. Any unsolved problems get zeroed out!"
Cadets who’d been listlessly fetching sheets suddenly moved at least five times faster.
"My brain...... It won’t turn......"
"How many lifetimes to finish this......!"
"Chatting again? Expulsion on the spot!"
Rain raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
‘Practical and written on the same day?’
A test format with real talent for torment piqued his curiosity. But eyeing the sheer volume, the whole world suddenly felt like a hassle.
1. Factor the following expressions.
(1) x⁴ - y⁴
(2) 9x³ + 38y³
(3) x²y + xy² + x⁴y + xy⁴
2. When the polynomial x³ + ax - 16 in x is divided by x² + 8x + b, what are the values of a and b (where a and b are constants)?
3. Simplify P = |a + 3| + |a - 2| when -4 ≤ a < 6.
4. Assume granting 'Binding' and 'Explosive' properties to Earth-element magic. State the runes required and find the greatest common divisor of the polynomials applied to those two runes.
Problems he didn’t just know—he’d solved them thousands, millions of times. And he had to do them? This wasn’t studying; it was manual labor.
"Bell Sidias."
Time for a shortcut. Or was it? Just tapping one of his talents. Besides, his head was a tad too tired for full earnest effort.
"Professor, can I submit if I’m done?"
About ten minutes in, Rain raised his hand, and Professor Owen twitched an eyebrow.
"Finished that fast with your monkey-shit brain? Sure, hand it over—if you’re confident in that crap answer sheet."
Rain stood with utter confidence, prompting a sneer from Christa next to him, who was clutching her head and scribbling furiously at question 128 with her fountain pen.
"Hmph, really that confident?! Really? Think you’ll beat Christa Warden’s accuracy after rushing through like that?!"
"Quiet during exams, you little shit!"
"S-Sorry!"
He submitted and slipped out of the classroom. No one else had finished yet; the usually bustling hallway was eerily silent.
‘Hit the gym first, then shower? Hmm, Logan said he’s weak on theory......’
Creak.
As he headed down the hall, a door opened at the far end. He glanced back, wondering if it was someone he knew.
"......?"
He met a gaze sharp with alarm—bordering on wariness. Fiery red hair framed eyes glaring piercingly at him, hotter than flames.
Her expression cracked with the shock that someone had beaten her to finishing this exam first.
It was his first encounter with Lilian Carline—the girl hailed as the top postgrad among the Eight Great Academies’ finest.