Troublemaker
There was some commotion for a moment, but the exam ended safely. Renya thought she had done well on the exam. She hadn't had any trouble solving the problems. She probably got most of them right.
Her older brother Haren, how had he done? She was about to stand up to ask him but sat back down instead.
Haren sat on his chair, frozen like a statue. She could tell from his expression how he had done on the exam without asking. He was probably worrying about what would happen if he couldn't enter the academy like her.
Well, if it was Haren, he could probably get into the top ranks in other areas and enter the academy.
Her throat was dry from tension. To moisten her dry throat, she stood up from her seat to find a vending machine. The vending machine was in a corner of the hallway where people didn't pass by much.
When she got there, there was already a customer. It was the woman with brown hair tied back, the one who had asked Aaron Patrick a question today. She was undeniably beautiful to look at, but the dark circles under her eyes made her look like she had forgotten half her attractiveness. On top of that, she had a petite build.
Her name was probably Hillary. Anyway, the petite girl was putting her hands under the vending machine and grumbling.
"What are you doing?"
"...Um, the coin for the drink just fell under here."
If Renya had been a kind citizen, she would have picked up the coin that fell under the vending machine. With her arm length, it would be easy to reach it.
"Hey."
"Yes?"
Renya's eyes sparkled with anticipation. She thought he would help her. Xka.
"Get out, I'm going to get the drink."
The words were filtered, but the person who heard them looked like they were wondering what kind of crazy woman this was.
"What are you staring at? I said get out."
Of course, Renya, a back-alley thug, didn't hesitate.
Renya's words were vulgar, but the meaning was clear. It was a nuisance for Hillary to be unable to get her drink because of her, so Renya was right to say it.
Even so, Hillary backed away quietly despite the harsh words. No, perhaps she couldn't back away quietly even if she wanted to.
"How difficult it is, you fucking—"
It was a mumble that Renya could hear, but she held it in.
She had been told not to cause trouble in front of her superior and master. Her personality had died quite a bit, she thought, and she inserted a gold coin into the vending machine.
The sight of the gold coin being sucked into the vending machine made Hillary's pupils shake like an earthquake. It was money that a commoner would save for a year or live on for half a year.
Wasn't it? She thought she was just trying to get change, but Renya's finger pointed at her, denying that thought.
The drink with the ridiculous price of one gold coin. She would have agonized over tens, hundreds, or thousands of coins. But that back-alley woman pulled it out without hesitation.
She didn't know the exact name. It was probably a high-end premium mashine. She had heard it would wake up a foggy mind and increase concentration when drunk. There were good reviews because it used high-quality materials.
But if asked if it was worth a gold coin, Hillary could swear it was not.
─Chik!
A clear sound rang out that could no longer be refunded. And she watched in real time as the one gold coin entered a woman's stomach.
"Heh, as expected, it's good no matter when you drink it."
At that sight, Hillary's eyes lost focus.
"Even if you live so hard, your life's a mess... Just looking at her, she's a back-alley bitch who lives better than me..."
"You keep muttering like that, you bastard."
She had held it in enough once.
"Stop muttering beside me like a fool and say it if you're going to. Do you think you're scaring me?"
She thought she would back off quietly if she got scared, but the reaction was interesting.
"Really? Then I'll tell you nicely. You really eat something so expensive without thinking. Don't all rich people do that?"
She flashed a refreshing smile and threw out insults. What was more, the heat was rising.
"I spend my own money as I please. Why are you so interested? Do you want to know?"
"I want to know, you fucking bastard."
It was barely a middle-schooler's retort, full of impudence. A vein bulged on Renya's forehead.
"Ah~ Is that so? Well, you would want to know~ You don't even have a few coins, so you dig under the vending machine. If it were me, I would have thrown away that little coin."
"If you spend it like that, you'll become poor quickly."
─Pish.
Renya smiled as impudently as possible.
"What a shame. Even if you spend money like this, you're richer and doing better than you right now. In time. Every day you wake up, money piles up, and you don't know when you'll run out~ Want me to give you some advice? I have that much gold."
"Keep your dignity in line with your means, okay? What kind of clothes are you wearing like a back-alley thug. Is it because your personality is like a back-alley thug?"
"What's wrong with a back-alley thug wearing it like one? If you're poor like me, dress like a poor person in rags?"
"This bastard..."
Hillary was about to throw out a curse.
[Rest time is over. Everyone, gather in the auditorium.]
Aaron Patrick's voice, calm and indifferent, did not allow any further war. Renya's expression was triumphant, while Hillary glared at her with teeth gritted.
What could she do about it?
Renya had stolen seven percent of her earnings for Aaron, but she still had money that a normal person couldn't earn. The petite girl in front of her was still a poor person, that fact didn't change.
Hillary spat out one word in anger.
"Back-alley bitch."
"Bastard."
Of course, Renya wasn't the type to just take a beating. The two didn't stop insulting each other until they reached the auditorium. Even after sitting in their respective seats, their gazes didn't leave each other.
A pleasant voice echoed in the auditorium.
"Are you all here?"
Aaron Patrick scanned once and nodded.
"I will announce the ranking of the first exam. I'll start from first place without skipping."
Renya prepared a victorious smile for Hillary, thinking it was her own name. But the names called were not hers.
"Hillary. Congratulations. Perfect score."
─Uduk.
Renya's lips, which were about to smile, stopped. When she glanced sideways, she saw Hillary smiling. It wasn't a happy smile for being first, but a mocking smile clearly aimed at her opponent.
Meanwhile, she smiled gently at Aaron Patrick and said politely. A disgusting woman.
"Thank you, Professor."
"No need to thank me. It's all your own ability."
Even after the small talk ended, Hillary mocked Renya again. When Renya tried to stand up in response to the provocation, Haren sitting beside her stopped her.
"What's going on, Renya student."
Renya bit her lip at Aaron's question. Her eyes still glared at Hillary.
"...I... I... I..."
"...It would be better if you spoke clearly. Second place is Renya student. You. It's a shame. Only one problem difference from first place. Next."
Aaron's words were no longer heard. Her gaze was fixed only on Hillary. Hillary, in her own way, raised both middle fingers at Renya.
Aaron Patrick, watching this pathetic act, eventually let out a sigh.
"...Hah."
[Isa]
A block of ice fell above Hillary and Renya's heads. It was a shock large enough to cause pain. Both groaned and rubbed their heads in pain.
"This place is not just for the two of you. If you act like beasts following your instincts, get out immediately. The academy is a place to raise humans, not to train animals."
"""Sorry."""
"I hope you are careful."
After announcing all the scores, Aaron closed his book.
"This time, it's a mana measurement. Look around and you'll see what's different from when you first came."
As Aaron said, when she looked around, there was an artifact.
"The measurement will consist of mana control, total mana amount, and sparring. For sparring, after this measurement ends, you will spar on the training ground."
Renya's fighting spirit burned.
"First, measure the total mana amount. If you touch the bead, it will appear red, blue, green, or white. White is the highest rank, and it gets lower as it goes to red."
Aaron added explanation.
"The measurement can be done without pressure. The important thing is how you use this mana and control ability in sparring."
Most students nodded, but only Renya and Hillary burned with rivalry toward each other. Haren sighed and shook his head at his sister's appearance.
The first was Hillary. When she touched the artifact, the black bead turned green.
"Advanced. Next."
Since it was just touching the artifact, the measurement went quickly. When another student finished, it was finally Renya's turn. When she touched the artifact, the color that came out was blue.
"Puh."
With a mocking voice, Renya's head immediately turned to Hillary. Hillary's mocking smile remained. She added one more, opening her mouth.
[What are you staring at, you bastard.]
"I'll make your face the floor."
"Renya student. This is a warning. If it accumulates four times, I will revoke your qualification for the transfer exam regardless of your score. Please maintain at least basic manners."
At Aaron's warning, Renya gnashed her teeth with a sound like grinding. Next, she did the mana control measurement, but Hillary won that too. Even Aaron was at a level where she was amazed by her ability.
"The level of mana control is enough to jump into active duty without any problems. Excellent."
Despite all the humiliation and disgrace, Renya hadn't given up yet.
She wasn't a mage who handled mana in the first place. Combat and assassination were her specialties. There was still a chance left.
At that moment, Aaron Patrick gave her the words she had been waiting for.
"Now, let's start the sparring evaluation. Come to the training ground."
Winning the last one makes you the winner.