Chapter 7
Exam Day.
From early morning, the area in front of the Imperial Academy was bustling with people.
Naturally, they were all examinees.
"As expected of a prestigious academy, the number of applicants is ridiculously high."
Among them, there was one particularly strange maid with dark circles under her eyes.
“I received education from the elite instructor, Raniel! That means I am invincible! I will absolutely crush this exam! Loyalty! Loyalty!”
“Well… everything you’re saying is true, but… hmm.”
“Yes! Loyalty! Loyalty!”
It seems I trained her a bit too hard. She might have gone slightly off the rails, but considering how she can still recite theories unconsciously (?), she should be fine for the written exam.
[So this is the endless malice of humanity, Master.]
‘You want me to dismantle you? Want to see what real human malice looks like?’
[Nooo! Such malice is too harmful for a delicate, baby-like existence such as myself!]
The AI’s tone was still enough to drive me insane just by listening to it.
But after hearing it for so long, I had started to get a little used to it.
Of course, that didn’t mean I liked it.
“…Sigh.”
I should go take my own written exam.
After sending Linia to the martial arts department’s exam hall, I headed toward the magical engineering department’s test center.
Since there was still plenty of time, I walked at a leisurely pace, almost as if taking a stroll.
The grand academy buildings felt distinctly different from the city. A fusion of modern and medieval architecture gave it a unique atmosphere, while the overall setting exuded the essence of a university.
The presence of countless (soon-to-be) academy students overflowing with youthful energy made me feel younger just by being here.
[But you are young, aren’t you?]
‘I meant mentally, not physically!’
I refocused on the scene before me.
The number of examinees was staggering—so many that it was impossible to take in at a glance.
Their eyes were pure and innocent, completely untainted by the world.
[They'll make excellent graduate students!]
‘Where the hell did you learn to say something so horrifying?!’
[Then… does that mean you won’t be recruiting any graduate student-slaves?]
‘Of course, I will.’
While exchanging pointless banter with this damn AI, I finally arrived at the exam hall.
[Test Hall No. 3]
Creak.
As I stepped inside the assigned room, I was met with a spacious interior that could easily accommodate over a hundred people.
Unlike the outside, the atmosphere inside was heavy and serious.
Even though there was still plenty of time before the exam began, the room was already packed with examinees, each engrossed in reviewing their handwritten notes or tablets.
Feeling the weight of the atmosphere, I instinctively became more focused and started organizing my knowledge.
Not that I doubted my own level, but I had only ever studied and worked in a small, rural town called Leventesia.
If this world’s prestigious academy turned out to have an unexpectedly high standard…
It might be higher than I thought.
As I was focusing on my final check, the door of the exam room opened, and someone walked in.
"It's okay, Charon. You can do this. First, get into the Department of Magical Engineering, get good grades, then transfer to the Autonomous Department. If that doesn't work, take it as a minor. That way, I can survive."
I had no idea what they were talking about, but their trembling voice and the way they were biting their fingers drew everyone's attention.
The overall atmosphere seemed to signal them to be quiet, but the real highlight was the three people who entered right after.
"Wow! So many people! We’re not late, right? We’re not late?"
"I don’t think we’re late! Hanea!"
"I told you we wouldn’t be late, Inea."
"You're right! As expected, Senea! You’re so smart!"
Three girls, who appeared to be triplets, entered the exam hall, chattering noisily.
They had a puppy-like impression and similar body types.
Aside from them, there were others as well.
"Tsk! What a bunch of misfits."
There was a guy who had the typical engineering student vibe, reminding me of a teaching assistant back on Earth.
A burly man who looked so muscular that I wondered if he was in the wrong department.
An elderly man who seemed old enough to be a professor rather than a student.
As these lively individuals poured into the exam room, the atmosphere quickly became noisy.
As I scanned the room, my eyes met those of a relatively normal-looking girl.
She had long, dark hair with a hint of purple and dreamy eyes, fitting the image of a classic East Asian beauty.
Noticing my gaze, the girl slowly lifted her head and met my eyes.
Cough.
Then, she coughed up blood and collapsed.
"Kyaaa! Someone just collapsed!"
"Just how much did she study to cough up blood?!"
The already noisy exam room turned even more chaotic, and the girl was quickly carried out on a stretcher.
'What the hell was that? If she's sick, she should’ve gone to a hospital instead of coming to the exam.'
[Perhaps she recognized Master’s genius at a glance and despaired, causing her to cough up blood?!]
"……."
If I ever become a professor, the first thing I need to fix is this.
There was a brief commotion, but aside from checking the health of a few unwell-looking candidates, the situation quickly settled down.
"Everyone, please remain silent. The exam will begin shortly."
And finally, the written exam began.
---
"Please remain silent. We will now distribute the exam papers. If anyone opens their paper or starts marking answers before the signal, they will receive a score of zero."
As the exam papers were handed out, assistants and professors glared at the candidates, creating a tense atmosphere.
"Has everyone received their exam papers? If so, you may now begin."
Rustle.
At the assistant’s signal, I unfolded the exam paper, and the first question immediately caught my eye.
1. Describe the process of mana toolization, the foundation of magical engineering.
The moment I saw the first question, I frowned.
"Turning mana into a tool? Mana itself is already a perfect tool!"
Of course, I knew the theoretical answer.
But as an engineer, I couldn’t accept it.
So my answer was:
- Inefficient.
Fortunately, aside from the first question, nothing else was particularly bothersome.
I had been a bit concerned about the difficulty of the Imperial Academy’s exam, but since it was aimed at new students, most of the questions were simple enough to solve mentally.
After writing down all my answers, I looked at the clock on the front podium.
Only five minutes had passed since the test started.
"I have way too much time left."
However, I wasn’t sure if I could just get up and leave now that I was done.
If this somehow led to my admission being revoked, that would be a huge problem.
"In that case… maybe I should write a rebuttal to question one?"
If I simply wrote "inefficient," it was highly likely that it would be marked incorrect.
But I had left it that way because I was certain I would pass, given how easy the rest of the test was.
"Still, since I have time to spare…."
I diligently wrote about how inefficient the process of turning mana into a tool was, and how mana itself was already the perfect instrument.
Even after that, I still had time left, so I spent the remaining minutes thinking about the theories I wanted to research.
After what felt like a long while—
"The test is over. Everyone, hands off your desks. The test papers will be collected by the assistants."
The assistants moved swiftly, gathering the students' test papers.
"Ah, wait! I just need to check my answers—"
"Any further movement will be considered cheating, and you will receive a score of zero."
Amidst the small commotion, sighs and groans filled the room as the last test papers were collected.
"Ugh! That was way too hard!"
"I never should have applied to the Department of Magical Engineering!"
"Ahhh… what am I supposed to tell my family now?"
"What kind of difficulty was that?! Was that even meant to be solvable?!"
Ignoring the complaints, I calmly got up and walked out.
[Among the test takers in Exam Room 3, none scored higher than Master.]
When did you even check that?
[Supporting Master is my duty! If you had asked during the exam, I could have spared you the trouble of solving it by just giving you the answers!]
"It's fine. If I couldn't even solve questions of this level on my own, I wouldn’t be qualified to become a professor in the first place."
[Kyaa! As expected of Master! You truly operate on a different level from those struggling novices!]
"…Sigh."
Ignoring the AI’s increasingly nonsensical chatter, I headed for the academy’s front courtyard, where I had planned to meet Linia.
---
After Raniel and the other test takers had left—
As the assistants gathered the test papers into a pile, one of them furrowed their brows in confusion.
“Hmm? What’s all this writing…?”
“What is it?”
As the assistant director tilted his head and approached, the teaching assistant spread out the answer sheet he had been examining.
“There’s something strange about the answer to question one. At first, I thought it was just doodles…”
“They’ve written the answer in incredibly tiny handwriting? Was this question really that difficult?”
Both of them tilted their heads in confusion and checked the first question.
1. Describe the process of mana toolization, the foundation of magitechnology.
It was the most fundamental of fundamentals in magitechnology—something that could be found right at the beginning of the textbook.
“Is this really a question that requires such a complicated answer?”
“Wait a minute, something about this seems off. This isn’t a description of toolization—it’s a critique of it.”
At first, neither of them thought much of it.
But as they continued reading, it was as if they had been ensnared by a ghost, unable to look away.
The content didn’t just challenge their assumptions—it completely overturned the very foundations of what they had believed to be 'common sense.'
“…Does this even make sense?”
“But… it kind of does.”
“No, but still…”
“Well…”
Just then, a professor passing through the hallway poked his head into the examination hall.
“What are you assistants doing in here?”
“Oh, Professor. There’s something unusual in one of the answers…”
“An unusual answer?”
Without thinking much of it, the professor chuckled as he stepped inside.
But the moment he laid eyes on the answer sheet, he froze in place.
“This is…”
A long silence followed.
As more people passed through the hallway, they noticed the three figures standing motionless and, out of curiosity, stepped inside.
They, too, became transfixed, unable to tear their eyes away from the answer sheet.
One by one, more and more people gathered, forming a chain reaction.
Eventually—
“Professors! It’s time for the meeting, and I was wondering where everyone had gone… Wait, what?!”
All the eyes in the examination hall simultaneously turned to the newly arrived professor.
“W-Why are you all looking at me like that? What’s going on over there?”
As the trembling professor spoke, he was met with a set of eerie, almost hypnotized gazes.
“Ah, Professor Deiron. Perfect timing.”
One of the professors standing at the front held out the paper.
“There’s a rather peculiar answer here… Would you take a look?”
---
The bench in front of the academy, where I was supposed to meet Rinaa.
I must have been spacing out for quite a while, just watching the clouds drift by.
“Raniel!”
From a distance, Linia was waving her arms enthusiastically as she ran toward me.
When she was about 10 meters away, she wrapped aura around her feet and leapt forward, landing right in front of me.
Now that I think about it, ever since she mastered aura, she seems to be gradually turning into something less human.
Is that how all warriors feel once they reach that level?
“Look at this! Me! I got an S in my aura measurement!”
Linia started spinning around me, proudly showing off her aura measurement results.
The grade was S, the highest possible.
It was a little strange that Linia achieved the highest grade, but then again, considering how ridiculously easy the written test for the Magic Engineering Department was...
“Since it’s a test for incoming students, the standard must be on the lower side.”
“Hey! Can’t you just compliment me for once? The professors were all praising me like crazy!”
Linia pouted her lips.
Is this really something worth complimenting? What I actually want to see is something else.
“Well then, let me compliment you. Hand over your written test paper.”
“Huh? That….”
“I told you to bring it so I could grade it myself, didn’t I?”
“H-here it is.”
Avoiding my gaze as if guilty, Linia reluctantly handed me her test paper.
I quickly skimmed through it, and thanks to the absurdly low difficulty, I was able to calculate her score immediately.
“67 points. Are you kidding me?”
“Th-the passing score is 60, so….”
“I distinctly remember saying that if it wasn’t a perfect score, I’d confiscate your tablet.”
“N-no, you can’t!”
“I can.”
“Cut me some slack! My aura measurement was S! That means I can afford to do poorly on the written test and still pass!”
Linia, with tears welling up in her eyes, stomped her feet and clung to my pant leg.
Though I felt my resolve waver a little, times like this are exactly when you need to stay firm for the sake of their growth!
“That just means the evaluation standard is low.”
“No way! They even said I’m a once-in-a-century martial prodigy!”
“And what does that have to do with a 67 on the written test?”
“Th-that’s….”
“The tablet is confiscated for now. You can get it back later.”
“Aaaargh!”
Linia collapsed onto the ground in despair, her hands on the floor.
She did look a little pitiful, but some tough love was necessary at times like this.
It’s definitely not because I hate seeing Linia get cocky and full of herself.
And it’s *definitely* not because I’m annoyed that she only scored 67 when 98% of the test was based on the material I reviewed with her.
“No matter how you look at it, confiscating the tablet is unfair!”
“It’s not unfair. I made myself perfectly clear—perfect score or nothing.”
“But the practical test is part of the evaluation, so it should be considered too!”
“And why should I listen to you about that?”
“W-well….”
*Smack!*
Suddenly, a sharp sound echoed through the air, causing both Linia and me to flinch.
Then, when I turned my head toward the direction of the sound, I saw a group of three or four surrounding a boy.
"Look at this trash rolling around like the garbage he is."
"A scumbag like this, from the esteemed Count Cliché family? He’s truly tarnishing the dignity of nobility."
"It suits you to roll on the ground like this and clean it with your body! Hahaha!"
Linia gasped sharply, lowering her voice.
"Oh no, there’s a fight going on! What should we do?!"
"What do you mean, 'what'? Here."
"Why are you handing me popcorn all of a sudden?"
"Why else? Watching fights goes hand in hand with popcorn, doesn’t it?"
Linia’s face wore an expression that practically said, *Did I hear that right?*
"Are you serious? That kid’s getting beaten up; we should step in and stop it…."
"So you’re not going to eat it?"
"…! Well, I mean, I’ll eat it."
"That’s the spirit."
We sat on a bench nearby where the fight was in clear view, settling in for a proper show.
By then, the black-haired boy who had been getting hit was pulling himself together and trying to stand.
"You… you guys…!"
"How did someone like you, a piece of trash, get born into the Count Cliché family?"
"I… I’m not trash!"
The black-haired boy, furious at their taunts, charged forward. But when his fist landed on the thug’s jacket, it made a dull, powerless sound.
"Pfft. Did you think bare fists without aura could do anything to mana-reinforced armor? No matter how much a weakling like you struggles, you’ll never even scratch this outfit!"
As the boy’s attack failed, the thugs smirked and began kicking him again.
"Ugh!"
"To think the heir of the prestigious swordsmanship family, Cliché, still hasn’t awakened his aura at your age—if that’s not trash, what is?"
"I… I’m not…."
"Shut up, trash!"
"Argh!"
In the end, the boy, beaten by their kicks, rolled across the ground and ended up near our bench.
Noticing us for the first time, the thugs stopped their harassment and smirked as they approached.
"What’s this, now? Who are these guys?"
"Why’re you staring? You here to watch the show or something?!"
Why were these idiots picking a fight with us instead of continuing what they were doing?
"Don’t mind us. Just go back to what you were doing…."
"Looks like this scrawny guy’s trying to show off in front of a girl. If you know what’s good for you, scram before you get hurt."
"Yeah, yeah. A weak-looking kid like you shouldn’t stick your nose into a warrior’s business. Heh."
"But what’s up with that guy’s eyes? Why are they all squinty? Looks like a weirdo little brat…."
"Brat? Did you just call me a brat?"
Quietly, I retrieved one of the prototype internal weapons I’d made out of boredom—a metal bat (official name: Anti-Shield Destruction Bat)—from my dimensional storage.
"W-what the hell is that?! Are you picking a fight with us?!"
"Did that guy just pull a metal bat out of thin air?!"
“So, you weren’t just some ordinary guy but a wizard, huh!”
I quietly yet intensely spat out my anger toward the wary thugs.
“It’s fine if you’re just some punks. After all, having a couple of thug villains is a classic trope in school dramas. And I don’t care if you’re picking on some random extra. Why should I care about some male extra, anyway?”
“What are you even talking about…?”
“But calling me a scrawny, weak-looking engineer wannabe, like some short, squinty-eyed shrimp who’d snap in a breeze? That, I cannot forgive!”
“W-We didn’t go that far, though?!”
“Shut up and die!”
“You little punk! You wanna go?!”
As the thugs hesitated and took defensive stances, instead of swinging the metal bat myself, I gently handed it to Linia, who was munching on popcorn beside me.
Linia, now holding the metal bat, blinked in confusion.
“Huh?”
“Go get ‘em, Linia!”
