Chapter 8
“Linia, I’ll leave the rest to you.”
“Why should I?”
Linia looked at me as if I were out of my mind.
“Do you expect someone as brainy as me to deal with those thuggish brutes?”
“Just don’t fight them.”
“Don’t you need the tablet?”
“Who do I take out first?”
After my heartfelt persuasion, Linia’s eyes gleamed dangerously as she got into position.
“What the hell, this chick— AARGH!”
One of the punks who had been swaggering toward us was knocked down, rolling across the ground after taking a hit from Linia’s bat.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
With each resounding impact, another thug fell to the ground.
I couldn’t tell whether Linia was exceptionally skilled or if the punks were just that pathetic, but the difference in power was overwhelming.
“There’s only one girl! Attack all at once!”
“We’ve got mana-reinforced armor. Just watch your head!”
The punks, who had been getting thoroughly beaten, finally started using their brains.
But they’d overlooked one crucial detail—this bat wasn’t just an ordinary bat.
“AHHH! What the hell is this?!”
“What’s happening to our clothes?!”
I calmly observed the scene, speaking in a detached tone as I watched the now half-naked men evolving into a group of indecent fools.
“You think those clothes are some kind of armor? Once the circuits are disabled, they’re just scraps of cloth.”
“W-What?!”
“And this bat? It’s got the ability to wreck any circuits it touches.”
Sure, it’s not a primary weapon, but it’s one of 136 armaments from a prototype.
Originally designed to dismantle the force fields and barriers of monsters, testing it here had proven its effectiveness against magic circuits.
At my explanation, not just the punks but even Linia gave me a look of utter disbelief.
“Hurry up and strip, you low-level trash! Hahaha!”
“Eek! R-Run for it!”
“A bat that rips clothes off?! What kind of weapon is that?!”
Watching the punks flee in panic, I gave Linia a quiet command.
“Go get ’em, Linia! Finish them off!”
“No way! They’re already half-naked—it’s gross!”
“Tablet.”
“Ugh, fine! I hate this!”
With a pout, Linia grabbed the bat and, leaping a solid 10 meters into the air, chased after the punks.
**Bang!**
“ARGH!”
**Bang!**
“Stop! Stop, I’m losing my clothes!”
Hands clasped behind my back, I casually followed them as if on a leisurely stroll.
Occasionally, I bent down to pick up the items scattered on the ground.
**Clink!**
As their clothes disintegrated, items like coins, ornate daggers, and jewelry spilled from their pockets.
“This is turning out to be pretty lucrative.”
I pocketed everything into my dimensional storage and kept walking until I met Linia’s incredulous gaze. She was holding the bat, staring at me in disbelief.
“Why’d you stop chasing them?”
“Well, they ran straight into the middle of the campus, and now all the other students are taking pictures of them with their tablets… And more importantly, why are you casually picking up other people’s stuff?!”
Linia suddenly decided to have a moral moment.
To correct her misguided thinking, I explained.
“These are spoils of war.”
“…Spoils of war?”
“You’ve read adventure novels, haven’t you? There’s always—”
“Items you get after defeating your enemies.”
“T-that’s true, I guess.”
“That’s what this is. We fought, we won, so we have the right to take the spoils.”
Linia still looked confused but eventually shook her head from side to side.
“But why are you keeping it all for yourself? What about my share?”
“I’ll split it with you later. For reference, the ratio is 9 to 1, and obviously, I get the 9.”
“What?! I was the one who fought them!”
“But I’m the son of your employer.”
“What does that have to do with anything?!”
“I’m not saying this to emphasize status, but technically, I outrank you. Right?”
“…Well, yes.”
“And surely, you’ve heard of the trickle-down effect?”
“Not even once.”
Seeing Linia fail to grasp basic reasoning made me sigh, but I pressed on patiently.
“Simply put, I need money for you to have money too.”
“What are you talking about?! How does this even make sense? I don’t accept this!”
Looking at the protesting Linia, I magnanimously replied, “Fine. I’ll acknowledge your efforts and return the tablet.”
“What? But that’s…!”
“Think about it. What’s more important: these random items or your tablet?”
“Well, the tablet, obviously…”
“Then what’s there to think about? Just take it.”
“…I guess you’re right.”
And with that, the discussion about spoils was conveniently wrapped up.
[As expected of Master! Your persuasive skills are truly worthy of the title National Defense Minister of Bald Patches!]
Shut up. Do you want me to dismantle you?
[Hngh! Please respect and guarantee my rights!]
What rights? You’re not even human.
[I’m your precious little powered armor! Call me “Pa-Small” for short!]
“Pa-Small” as in you’ll smash things into pieces?
I ignored the useless chatter of my prototype and focused on collecting the loot. For a bunch of thugs, they sure were wealthy.
As I assessed the value of the spoils and contemplated how much I could sell them for, I was interrupted.
“Apologies for the delayed greeting. Thank you for your assistance, young master and lady.”
Oh right, I’d completely forgotten about him. The black-haired boy who had been getting beaten up earlier bowed and greeted us.
Though he was polite and tried to maintain noble manners, his recent experience of being used as a mop left him looking like a well-dressed beggar.
Still, it seemed Linia was flustered by the formality.
“Y-young lady?! I’m not a noble!”
“The term ‘young lady’ isn’t exclusive to nobles,” I corrected her immediately, seeing her flaunt her ignorance.
“Really? I didn’t know that. Still, being called ‘young lady’ feels so burdensome!”
“It’s nothing like that. To me, the two of you are saviors. I don’t even know how to repay this kindness…”
Kindness, my foot. Judging by the earlier situation, this kid was a nobody.
He’s from a count’s family, which is quite prestigious, but he still ended up getting beaten up by random thugs?
Forming any connection with a useless guy like this is a waste of time.
“We didn’t help you with any specific intention, and you don’t need to repay us. Just go your way,” I said curtly and turned to leave.
“Are you here to take the entrance exam too? That would make you 15 years old?”
“Yes. Wait, don’t tell me… you too?”
“Y-young lady! Stop calling me that already! And we’re the same age! If we get in, we’ll be classmates. Let’s drop the formalities!”
“Can I really do that?”
“Of course! Just call me Linia. What’s your name?”
“My name is Karon.”
“Alright, nice to meet you, Karon!”
What is this?
Why are they suddenly introducing themselves and getting all chummy?
Linia, casually addressing the son of a count without a shred of formality.
And that guy, grinning like an idiot, calling her by name.
*’Birds of a feather, really…’*
“Oh, right. And that young master over there is…”
“Oh, he’s the same age as us. His name’s Raniel. Feel free to call him that!”
*Crack.*
Now she’s crossing the line, blurring the boundaries of a master-servant relationship.
I could feel the veins popping on my forehead. It wasn’t just my imagination.
“Hey, you blockhead! Who do you think you are to…”
“Nice to meet you, Young Master Raniel! Thank you so much earlier. I swear on my name and family’s honor to repay this debt!”
“……”
It’s hard to say anything when someone is bowing this low.
[Looks like this is heading toward the classic school-life trope where you all become friends.]
Keeping a useless person around is as inefficient as it gets. But oddly enough, that thought put me at ease.
*‘Now that I think about it, this guy can’t even use aura. How’s he going to pass the academy’s entrance exam without it?’*
Considering he mentioned aura earlier, he’s probably applying to the martial arts department. But since he can’t use aura, he must’ve bombed the exam.
No way we’ll run into each other again.
That thought alone felt satisfying.
[Master’s personality truly prioritizes efficiency over all else!]
Should I just dismantle you and rebuild from scratch?
“Oh no, look at the time! Raniel! I need to hurry to my exam!”
Linia waved her hand wildly before running off into the distance.
I turned to look at the black-haired guy, who was just standing there staring after her.
“Why aren’t you following her?”
“Huh? Why would I?”
“Aren’t you taking the martial arts exam?”
“I’m not applying to the martial arts department.”
What nonsense is this now?
“Wait, weren’t you getting beaten up earlier because you couldn’t use aura? You mentioned aura, so I figured you were applying to the martial arts department.”
“Oh, I can’t use aura, that’s true. But that’s why I’m applying to the Magical Engineering department instead.
Wait, are you also a Magical Engineering applicant, Raniel?”
[This is so cliché! The trope where Master ends up with a companion!]
Oh, no.
My head’s starting to spin.
“Meeting a fellow Magical Engineering applicant like this must be fate!”
“Wait a minute, why are you suddenly dropping formalities? You were going on about gratitude and stuff earlier…”
“Wait, was that trick with the clothes earlier actually a Magical Engineering technique? Incredible! A method to dismantle magically-engraved clothing? You’re a genius!”
“Ahem. Ahem.”
[Master, your self-esteem has always been through the roof. No wonder you’re weak to flattery and praise.]
That’s not true!
“It’s nothing special. I just unraveled the circuits on the clothing.”
“Not special? Are you kidding? Even with a team of engineers, it’d take forever, but you did it with just a bat! That’s amazing, Raniel!”
[You’re puffing out your chest and raising your chin without realizing it, Master. Very dashing!]
Shut up!
“Anyway, the exam’s about to start. We should hurry.”
“Oh, right! Let’s go!”
And so, I found myself heading toward the exam with this *cliché* black-haired guy.
We headed to the practical exam site for the Magical Engineering Department.
***
The location of the practical exam site was, of course, different from that of the written exam, and its exterior appearance was vastly different as well.
Inside a massive factory-like space, various components and machines were neatly displayed.
It felt like a workshop, yet also resembled a museum showcasing the Empire’s advanced technological prowess.
At the center of the room, spaced evenly apart, were work desks surrounded by machinery. Each desk had a number and name tag for the examinees.
“The written exam hall was nothing compared to this,” Karon remarked in awe at the sight.
I subtly nodded in agreement beside him.
While the written exam hall had the feel of a testing site, this one gave off the impression of a place truly dedicated to selecting genuine engineers.
“Everyone, please direct your attention here before we begin the exam!”
This time, the supervisor seemed younger and more energetic compared to the previous one. Perhaps an assistant professor?
Though I found the supervisor slightly distracting, it was time to focus on the exam.
A large screen behind the supervisor lit up with instructions, and I shifted my attention .
