Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Final Exam Preliminaries
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The gathering time for the final exam preliminary test was exactly 10:00 a.m. The reason for granting such a long grace period was nothing special.
“Excuse me, I’m looking for Cadet Bernard. Where should I go?”
Due to the nature of the final exams, which operated much like the festival, relatives of cadets from across the Empire were flocking in.
It was simply time to let them greet their families.
Thanks to that, from 6:00 a.m. when the city gates opened, the Delaiten grounds were teeming with so many people there was barely room to set foot.
“Bernard, Bernard… Since it’s Group C, you’ll want to head that way.”
And the sole reason I was holding the student roster and fielding this tedious back-and-forth for the thirtieth time already?
[In Progress.]
It was this purple silk armband draped over the shoulder of my uniform.
Student council cadets had to serve as ushers during events like this—seriously, why was there so much to do? I couldn’t for the life of me understand why anyone would be desperate to join an organization like this.
If I’d known it’d be like this, I should’ve just aced every exam from my first year, first semester.
“You seem to have more of a knack for crowd control than it looks, Rain Ludwig.”
And to top it off, the student council president Valensidis was smirking at me, which only made the whole situation grate even more.
“I’m taking the exam today too, you know. Do I really have to be doing this? The third-years aren’t until next week, right?”
“A truly exceptional person knows how to help others as well. That’s the first virtue demanded of those born superior.”
For a black mage, he sure talked like some visiting sage. As I shot him a glare, the president jerked his chin toward various spots across the campus.
“My master taught me to observe people closely. This is the perfect time for it.”
It wasn’t as if there weren’t any intriguing sights. Influential figures from the Eight Great Academies were starting to show up one by one to observe the exams.
“The vice-chancellor is entering. All cadets, attention!”
The Chaihak Academy vice-chancellor was a man in his seventies, yet his body was every bit as muscled as Professor Owen’s. Logan could be seen snapping to attention with a tense posture in front of him.
“……”
In contrast, Lilian Karain from Rivendel Academy just clicked her tongue, clearly displeased by the arrival of her own academy’s people—not a hint of welcome on her face.
“Why?”
“Because observing people lets you grasp their weaknesses and strengths. And that becomes a tool you can always exploit.”
“That sounds more like assassin training than something for mages, doesn’t it?”
I was starting to get curious about what sort of person his master was, judging by that mug. Valensidis flashed a wry smile at my frank response.
“It has to be that way. That’s how he was raised.”
There was no time to marvel or react to the remark Valensidis had tossed out so abruptly—whether it was sincere or just a joke.
Because at that exact moment, a strange figure caught my eye amid the flowing crowd, and my entire body went rigid.
Nothing particularly distinctive about him: plain features framed by earthy, curly hair. His only standout trait was the freckles scattered around his nose.
“No……”
An utterly ordinary face that wouldn’t draw a second glance anywhere—but in that brief instant, Rain couldn’t tear his eyes away.
And he had every reason not to.
That was Lin’s face.
No time to panic; I made a snap judgment. The black mages are after me. They might already know everything about me…
Just then, the guy swiveled his head this way and that, scanning the surroundings. I averted my gaze immediately, but my new line of sight brought an even bigger problem.
Valensidis.
His deep, dark eyes—bottomless pits—were staring right at me, drawing me in like they’d swallow me whole. As if time itself had frozen. Unblinking.
‘Have they been waiting for this moment all along, the two of them plotting to take me out for sure?’
Cold sweat beaded on my forehead as the mana surging through my body detected the threat and shifted into combat readiness.
‘Take out this one first. With help from the people around, I might just manage.’
Today was the day all the bigwigs of the magic world were swarming the place. Hard to believe it was part of Valensidis’s scheme, but he’d left himself wide open.
“Hey, you little rat.”
That’s when the weirdo yelled in my direction.
About to lunge right at me?
I moved to erect a 3-star magic barrier on instinct, but Valensidis’s odd reaction gave me pause.
“?”
The instant Valensidis turned toward the voice, his expression turned so frigid it sent a chill straight down my spine.
His eyes were screaming one thing.
Why the hell are you here?
Valensidis shoved the student roster into my hands like it burned him, then strode off wordlessly toward the man.
“Haa, haa……”
Only after their presences vanished into the crowd did the ragged breaths finally burst from my throat.
‘What the hell was that?’
Not in on it together after all? But there was one thing I could be certain of in that split second.
Valensidis knows him.
Which meant my worst fear was confirmed: Valensidis had been in league with the black mages from the Leda Cable incident…
‘Damn……’
My poisoning injury still hadn’t fully healed. Could I even take on those two? But what if the guy wasn’t here for me?
‘What if he just came to make contact amid the crowd?’
That’d be ideal, but Lin’s life had drilled one bitter lesson into me: wishful thinking gets you killed.
“Final exams—thought I’d die of boredom, but this works out nicely. Perfect.”
“This isn’t a vacation.”
One small comfort, though: the special task force mages who’d been hanging around last time I spoke with Doran Slade.
They were still pretending to ignore me, but definitely keeping tabs. Still, could they really handle Valensidis or that freak…?
If shit hit the fan, better to handle it solo. No point in anyone nearby getting killed and haunting my dreams.
“What! What’re you thinking about so intently? I’ve been calling you!”
A voice loud enough to rattle my eardrums rang out. By now, I knew it well. Kasena Page.
“Can’t you see this?”
I flashed the armband on my shoulder. Along with the roster clutched in my hand.
Hoping she’d get the hint that I had no bandwidth for her…
But unfortunately, Kasena wasn’t the only unwanted visitor.
“Rain oppa!”
A shadowy creature abruptly popped up from the edge of my vision. Ebony-black hair, crimson eyes—my little sister, whom I hadn’t seen in nearly half a year.
“Seri.”
Rain’s hand shot out faster than she could leap into my arms, grabbing her head and holding her at bay.
“Wh-what, let go!”
“You look like trouble. No dice.”
“O-oppa……!”
Then, from the other side, a pint-sized black-haired, red-eyed boy toddled over—only to trip on a pebble.
Of course, Rain’s instantaneous telekinesis caught him mid-fall, suspending him in midair…
With a deep sigh, Rain scooped up this baby brother and lifted him into his arms. Bran Ludwig suckled his thumb and beamed.
Seri’s jaw dropped in jealous outrage. She suddenly threw a full-on tantrum.
“Seri! Seri wants a hug too!”
“You’re too heavy.”
“Am not!”
Another sigh escaped as I dealt with Seri yanking at my clothes and wailing, and Bran smearing saliva-slick fingers across my face.
‘Why do little siblings have to be this exhausting?’
Maybe being an orphan had its perks. No siblings to wrangle.
“Rain.”
A warm voice brushed my ear. Turning toward it, Rain felt the clash between his body’s ingrained emotions and Lin’s true nature.
“Mother.”
Was it normal to feel this happy reuniting with one’s parents after so long? Lin’s personality clamped down on the smile tugging at his lips.
Brim Ludwig wasn’t a beauty.
But her tidy bearing and radiant smile had a way of drawing people in with gentle warmth.
“Yawwwn……”
And there was Elin Ludwig, yawning and stretching as she ambled up beside her.
Both wore Ludwig family robes, but while my aunt’s self-altered version screamed delinquency, Mother exuded serene grace.
‘Rain’s family…’
Smack in the middle of the chaos, Kasena felt her mind go blank for a moment.
The crutches made a quick exit impossible. That’d just draw even more eyes.
So she had to greet them—but what should she say? What form of address? Ugh, no clue!
“Hm?”
Elin’s gaze landed on Kasena, frozen awkwardly beside Rain. A sly grin spread across her face.
“Wow, figures it’d be someone else’s kid—already out charming girls… Ow! Sis! Why’d you pinch me? I didn’t say anything wrong!”
Brim pinched Elin’s arm again, then stepped forward with a polite bow.
“Greetings, Miss Kasena. I’m Brim Ludwig. I’ve heard my son has been in your debt quite a bit.”
“Ah, no! Not at all!”
It was a rare sight, watching that headstrong girl fluster and wave her hands frantically.
“Oh my, using honorifics despite the status gap… You live up to the rumors as a fine lady. Come now, you children—pay your respects too.”
Seri glared at Kasena for some reason before bowing stiffly.
“I’m Seri Ludwig. If I may ask, what’s your relationship with my big brother?”
Naturally, Brim immediately pinched her cheek and hauled her back… Bran, nestled in Rain’s arms, managed a clumsy nod.
“Bwan Ludwig.”
Kasena, still on crutches, couldn’t manage a proper noble curtsey. As she fumbled to show respect anyway, the campus clock tower began to chime.
“Already 9:50.”
Elin said it casually, but the cadets couldn’t brush it off so lightly. Time to head to the assembly area.
“Guess I’d better go.”
I set Bran down to leave when Brim suddenly pulled Rain into a soft, tight embrace and whispered.
“I heard all about what happened with Miss Kasena—from Chancellor Madelia’s letter.”
She’d sworn me to secrecy, so why blab to them? Brim smiled gently.
“Your father was so proud of you, Rain. Couldn’t sleep a wink that whole day. I just had to tell you myself.”
Family love remained an alien warmth, a sensation no equation could unravel.
Unsure what to say, I just awkwardly scratched the back of my head.
“It was just a transaction. Nothing that grand.”
“I’m sure it was.”
Brim smiled as if she saw right through even that casual gesture, then gave my back an encouraging shove.
“Now, off you go! Mom and your siblings will be cheering you on with all we’ve got.”