The academy entrance exam took place over two days and consisted of three stages.
On the morning of the first day, the applicants took a written exam to assess their knowledge, and that same afternoon, they took a skills exam to check their fundamentals. Then, on the following day, they would take a practical exam in the form of sparring matches against current students.
Of these, the written exam hall allowed no one but the examinees to enter, so I had no choice but to part ways with Senior Lena for a while. She seemed a little nervous about taking the exam without me by her side, but she recited the oath from last night once more and pulled herself together.
While she was taking the exam, Ms. Eleonore showed me around the academy. Seeing the places I had only seen in the game in person stirred up a strange feeling in me.
‘It is interesting, but…’
More than that, thinking about what would happen to these places in the future left me feeling oddly uneasy.
Then, around the time the sun rising in the east reached the center of the sky, Ms. Eleonore and I heard that the skills exam was about to begin and headed straight for the examination hall.
Before moving to the faculty viewing seats, Ms. Eleonore stopped me for a moment.
“I am saying this just in case, but please act as inconspicuously as possible inside the examination hall.”
“I had no intention of causing a scene from the start.”
“I am still telling you just in case. There are people within the Order who suspect you of being a heretic. And among the students and faculty, their subordinates are hiding. So if you stand out for no reason, both you and I may end up in trouble.”
So it had finally come?
According to Kim Yuhan’s memories, the War Order should be under Joshua’s influence around now.
Joshua, commander of the First Knight Order. As his face came to mind, it felt as though the smell of blood was stabbing my nose.
If one of Joshua’s subordinates was in the examination hall, I would have to avoid standing out as much as possible.
“Understood. I’ll be careful.”
After bowing my head to Eleonore, I immediately moved to the viewing seats for special admission students.
When I opened the door, I saw students practically covered from head to toe in dazzling accessories. They had been conversing warmly among themselves, but the moment I entered, their gazes turned toward me all at once.
Eyes swept me up and down.
Most likely, they were trying to figure out not me, but the family standing behind me.
Ignoring their gazes, I sat down in the front row, where I had a good view of the examination hall.
‘I wonder when Senior Lena will come out.’
If possible, I wanted to finish this quickly and leave.
Fortunately, I could see Senior Lena lined up not too far away. At that rate, she would probably take her exam after four or five more turns.
Just then, I sensed someone approaching me.
One of the noble students. Among them, he was the least flamboyant. He held out his hand, offering a handshake.
“Pleased to meet you. I don’t believe I’ve seen your face in social circles before. May I ask which house you belong to?”
“I’m just a commoner. I don’t have a family or house like that.”
At my answer, the hand he had extended for a handshake slowly withdrew.
“I see… I had heard the academy was quite an open-minded place.”
He gradually stepped away from me and returned to his seat.
When I turned my gaze back toward the examination hall, I heard the nobles muttering.
“Is it possible to enter through the special admission track even without a letter of recommendation?”
“I saw him with Professor Eleonore yesterday. He must have been recommended by her.”
“Ah, well… what a lucky fellow.”
Luck, huh… Well, that much was true.
I glanced at their vitality and saw a cluster of faint flames.
They may have grown up eating well and possessed a fair amount of mana, but their vitality was worse than that of an ordinary goblin.
Just as I lost interest in them and was about to look back at the examination hall, I heard the door open.
“My, I apologize for being late.”
A man dressed in the priestly robes of the War Order bowed his head.
The nobles who saw his robes immediately looked away from him. He was better than a commoner, but still just an ordinary priest. Such a person could not draw the attention of nobles.
But I could not take my eyes off him.
The flame of life he carried was quite large. In terms of sheer size, it was about the same as Senior Lena’s. However, its purity was higher, so he had to be evaluated several levels above her.
When the nobles withdrew their gazes from him, the priest scratched his head, then slowly approached me.
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Ramsey, an ordinary priest of the War Order. You must be the one Commander Eleonore recommended. It’s good to meet you.”
“Pleased to meet you.”
“You’re a taciturn one, aren’t you? Haha, there’s no need to be nervous. I only came over because I thought we could talk, being in similar circumstances and all.”
“Similar circumstances?”
“Yes. I also entered with a recommendation from a Knight Commander. A man named Joshua. Do you happen to know him?”
“No, I don’t know much about him.”
So he really was someone Joshua sent. I hadn’t expected him to come so directly.
Clicking my tongue lightly, I looked at Ramsey’s face. Aside from the fact that he looked slightly like a fox, he had an ordinary impression overall. But that was precisely why it was difficult to read his expression.
‘I must avoid getting entangled with him as much as possible.’
I took my eyes off him and turned back toward the examination hall. Just then, the examinee right before Senior Lena was taking his test.
‘Orthodox swordsmanship, huh. The audience’s reaction isn’t very good.’
The moment I thought that, with that level, he was certain to fail, the examiner declared that he had passed.
“My, that person devised his strategy well. That examiner places great importance on orthodox swordsmanship, you see. And since they’re from the same school, he must have received extra points.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Which means that Kurdan woman will be at a great disadvantage.”
“I wonder. I don’t think so.”
Without even glancing at Ramsey, I continued calmly.
“The senior I know is someone who knows how to turn a crisis into an opportunity.”
**
‘It’s finally my turn.’
Lena headed for the examination hall at a brisk pace. It was not as if the movement was difficult, but her heart felt as though it would burst from nervousness.
She slapped both of her cheeks with her palms. Along with the stinging pain, she felt some of the tension fade.
‘I made a promise with Ashen last night.’
That she would not run away. And that she would definitely pass.
Steeling herself, Lena looked at the examiner.
“Examinee number 37, Lena. Is that correct?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“We will begin the exam now. Show me as much of the swordsmanship you can perform as possible.”
Nodding, Lena took a deep breath and let her swords hang down.
Strangely enough, the moment she took her stance, the tension melted away like snow. What she felt instead was a warm sense of stability. Smiling at that feeling, she slowly began to move her feet.
With light, dancing steps, the short swords in both her hands glowed with the color of sunset. The sight was beautiful, like flower petals scattering in the wind, yet hidden beneath it was a lethal sharpness.
Movements whose next attack was difficult to read, while every strike aimed for a vital point.
A strange light entered the examiner’s eyes.
But only for a moment. His hand was already writing something down without emotion.
At last, when the demonstration ended, Lena looked at the examiner while breathing hard.
After a brief silence, his lips slowly opened.
“Very… impressive. Beautiful, yet each and every strike is lethal. You would be troublesome to face as an enemy.”
“Thank you!”
As the examiner’s favorable evaluation continued, a smile appeared on Lena’s lips. But only for a moment. As he continued speaking, Lena’s expression also stiffened.
“However, that is all. Perhaps because it deviates from the flow of orthodox swordsmanship, its movements lack depth. You fail.”
“Wait a moment! Didn’t you just say that the swordsmanship itself was powerful and beautiful? Then why?”
“Did I not say it? Your swordsmanship deviates from orthodox swordsmanship.”
At Lena’s protest, the examiner continued in an indifferent tone.
“Duke Angelo, the founder of the Empire’s orthodox swordsmanship, wrote this in his book: ‘No matter what swordsmanship it may be, once it strays from orthodoxy, it is liable to lose its depth.’ I have merely evaluated you according to the words he left behind.”
“‘However, there are exceptions to everything, so one must not cling too tightly to orthodoxy either.’ That phrase is in the same book as well. Doesn’t that contradict what you just said, Examiner?”
“Are you trying to debate swordsmanship knowledge with me?”
“No. I am asking as an examinee. Is the academy a place that raises only those who have learned orthodox swordsmanship? Or is it a place that accepts various talents and helps their potential bloom?”
At her words, the examiner closed his mouth.
Lena’s golden eyes stared straight at him.
Silence continued for a time.
The examiner’s eyes scanned the viewing seats. They were not particularly friendly toward Lena, who was from Kurdan, but there were more than a few who questioned his judgment.
In the end, the examiner let out a small sigh and wrote something on the scoreboard.
“Fine. As you said, the academy is a place that gives opportunities to various talents. I will change your result to a pass.”
“Thank you.”
“But keep this in mind. This opportunity will be your last.”
With those words, the examiner gestured for Lena to leave.
Lena stepped down from the examination hall and looked toward the viewing seats.
From the seats above, she saw Ashen waving at her.
Waving back at him, Lena smiled.
A radiant smile directed toward the one who had believed in her.