The next day.
I realized I had completely forgotten one very important fact.
“There is an announcement before homeroom today.”
Department of Arcane Knights, First Year Class A.
The professor in charge stood at the lectern with a slightly more solemn expression than usual.
Once the students’ murmuring died down, the professor unfolded the documents in his hand.
“The one-month period of basic lessons and practical observation since your enrollment has ended.
Accordingly, starting next week, the first Crown Exam for first-years will begin.”
For an instant, the air in the classroom froze.
The Crown Exam.
The moment those words came out, the students’ expressions stiffened all at once.
The atmosphere that had been filled with whispers just moments ago about the Haku badge contest,
or about Iris Asteria having observed Haku, vanished in an instant.
Sitting on the small cushion atop Elysia’s desk, I pricked up my ears.
‘Ah.’
That’s right.
There was that.
The Star Radiance Society.
The regulations on contact with Haku.
Iris Asteria.
The spirit greenhouse.
Lulu’s strange words.
The Haku portrait contest.
With all those things happening one after another, I had completely forgotten.
This was an academy.
And naturally, an academy had exams.
‘Even after coming to another world, there’s no escaping exams, huh.’
I quietly sighed inwardly.
The professor continued his explanation calmly.
“This exam is not a simple written test.
Basic theory, practical skills, duels, aura operation, class attitude, crisis response, and even professors’ observation records will all be evaluated comprehensively.”
Low groans spread among the students.
“And according to the results of the evaluation, your first Crown Badge will be awarded.”
At those words, the look in some students’ eyes changed.
No Crown.
Single Crown.
Double Crown.
Triple Crown.
After entering the academy, the students had still been in possession of provisional badges, without having received official Crowns.
But once this exam ended, that would change.
Each person’s ability and potential would be revealed in an official form for the first time.
The professor slowly looked around at the students.
“Having names such as Valerion, Asteria, Varkan, or Noctus does not mean you will automatically receive a high evaluation.
Conversely, coming from commoner origins does not mean you will be evaluated poorly.”
His voice was firm.
“A Crown is received not through one’s name, but through ability, attitude, and control.”
As I listened to those words, I looked up at Elysia.
Elysia was sitting quietly.
On the outside, she showed no sign of disturbance.
But I could tell.
Her fingertips had stiffened ever so slightly.
Valerion.
A renowned house of the sword.
A family called the Sword of the Empire.
That name was a source of pride for Elysia, but at the same time, it was also a heavy burden.
The people around her naturally expected Elysia to achieve good results.
If she was a daughter of Valerion, she had to handle a sword well.
If she was a daughter of Valerion, she had to use aura freely.
If she was a daughter of Valerion, she could not, at the very least, produce a shameful result in her first exam.
But I knew.
Elysia’s aura flow was still not completely stable.
Compared to the beginning, it had improved greatly, but there were still parts that tangled from time to time.
I had been loosening them little by little with my mystic power, but it was not a problem that could be solved overnight.
While the professor explained the exam schedule, I gently placed a forepaw on the back of Elysia’s hand.
Elysia lowered her head.
I looked at her and let out a small cry.
‘Don’t worry.’
But Elysia looked at me for a moment, then smiled very faintly.
“Okay. I’ll be fine.”
Her voice was small.
But it had become a little softer than before.
After class ended, the classroom grew noisy again.
“I’m doomed. How far does the written exam cover?”
“They’re including practical duels too?”
“An aura operation evaluation… I still can’t even form it properly at the tip of my sword.”
“This wasn’t the time to worry about the Star Radiance Society contest.”
I agreed with that a little too.
Maybe it really hadn’t been the time to worry about it.
But on the other hand, I also had this thought.
‘It’s not like I worried about that contest because I wanted to.’
Feeling wronged, I curled my tail.
Elysia quietly packed her bag.
Normally, she would have held me in her arms and headed to the dining hall, but today, she looked out the window for a moment.
Toward the training grounds.
She was probably already making a training plan.
“Haku.”
‘Yeah?’
“After school today, would it be all right if we practiced a little more?”
I nodded immediately.
‘Of course.’
If Elysia was trying to make an effort, I intended to help her.
There were not many things I could do.
No, to be precise, there might be many things I could do, but there were not many things I could reveal right now.
So for now, carefully.
Very gradually.
I would sense the parts where Elysia’s aura flow tangled and loosen those knots with my moonlight-like mystic power.
That much, I could do.
And that evening.
News of the first Crown Exam reached the Valerion ducal residence as well.
When Elysia spoke calmly at dinner, Leopold’s gaze went straight to her.
“The first Crown Exam, then.”
His voice was heavy and low as always.
Elysia’s shoulders stiffened ever so slightly.
“Yes, Father.”
Leopold was silent for a moment.
That brief silence settled over the dining table.
Sitting on my cushion, I looked back and forth between the two of them.
What would he say?
Produce results worthy of the Valerion name.
Would he say something like that?
But the words that came from Leopold after he opened his mouth were a little different.
“Do not look only at the result.”
Elysia’s eyes widened slightly.
Leopold continued calmly.
“The first exam is an occasion to confirm where you stand.
If your shortcomings are revealed, that is not a disgrace, but a point you must temper going forward.”
It was somewhat strict, but it was not a rebuke.
Elysia seemed to sense that as well and quietly lowered her head.
“I will keep that in mind.”
Isolde smiled gently and set down her teacup.
“Elysia, don’t try to bear everything alone.
We know how much you’ve changed up until now.”
At those words, Elysia’s expression wavered a little.
Lucius spoke with his arms crossed.
“Judging by the evaluation items, they won’t be looking only at simple swordsmanship.
If aura operation, crisis response, and familiar resonance are included, then you have more than enough strengths as well.”
As he said that, he looked at me.
“In particular, the faculty won’t be able to ignore your resonance with Haku.”
My ears twitched.
‘No, why am I being brought up there?’
Camilla said with sparkling eyes,
“I’m sure you’ll do well, Sister! Haku is with you too.”
Mina quietly nodded from behind.
“On the day before the exam, I will prepare a meal that is easy on the stomach.
I will also prepare separate snacks for Lord Haku that are not too heavy.”
I did not know why my snacks were being included in the exam preparations, but I was a little grateful for that.
Elysia looked at each of her family members in turn.
At first, her face had been tense, but now she seemed to have caught her breath a little.
“…Thank you.”
Watching Elysia like that, I quietly wagged my tail.
This was better than I had expected.
The Valerion family were not people who only burdened her.
They were strict, but they were watching over her; they had expectations, but they did not merely push her.
Perhaps Elysia was now slowly beginning to accept that fact.
After dinner ended, Elysia held me in her arms and returned to her room.
Night had settled outside the window.
The exam schedule lay on the desk.
Basic theory.
Swordsmanship practical.
Aura operation.
Mock duel.
Familiar resonance evaluation.
Looking at those items, I narrowed my eyes slightly.
‘Familiar resonance evaluation.’
As expected, it was there.
If so, then I could not remain as though this had nothing to do with me.
Elysia sat on the edge of the bed and placed me on her lap.
“Haku.”
I raised my head.
Elysia took a moment to choose her words, then smiled quietly.
“I might not achieve an amazing result on this exam.”
I silently looked at her.
“But I won’t run away.”
Those words were quiet, but firm.
They were words Elysia from when we had first met would not have been able to say.
She might have only thought herself lacking and lowered her head under the weight of the Valerion name.
But now, she was different.
Even while saying she was afraid, she could say that she would not run away.
I slowly placed my forepaw on the back of her hand.
‘It’s okay. I’ll be by your side.’
Elysia carefully stroked my head.
“Yeah. Let’s do it together.”
At those words, I nodded.
The Crown Exam.
The academy’s first major hurdle, which I had forgotten, had somehow drawn right up before our eyes.
There were still issues remaining, such as Star Radiance Festival goods, Iris’s observations, and the spirits’ suspicious reactions.
But the most important thing right now was one thing.
For Elysia, in her first evaluation, to be able to acknowledge herself, even just a little.
And so, the Crown Exam began.
During the exam period, Elysia devoted herself sincerely to every evaluation.
In the basic theory exam, she checked her answers until the very end,
and in the swordsmanship practical, she gripped her sword until her palms turned red.
In the aura operation evaluation, she did not forcefully push through the flow that had not yet fully unraveled,
but tried to show the most stable form she could within the range of what she was capable of.
It was the same in the mock duel.
If it had been the old Elysia, she might have been crushed by the name Valerion and forced herself to rush forward recklessly.
But this time, she was different.
She did not overdo it.
Nor did she run away.
While distinguishing between what she could do and what she still lacked, she endured to the very end within that scope.
I watched her from her side.
Normally, I would have flowed my mystic power into Elysia, but not now.
Since this was an exam, I could not help her, and if we were caught, the one who would suffer would be Elysia.
I could not take the exam in her place.
But at the very least, I could stay by her side.