“Achoo—”
Sevitis suddenly let out a loud sneeze, an inexplicable chill running down her spine and making her shiver.
‘Strange… I feel like someone’s thinking about me behind my back. And my gut tells me it’s not something good. Could it be that bad woman Eulalia is nearby?’
Sevitis quickly scanned the stands warily, but the place was packed with people. She couldn’t spot that annoying figure anywhere.
‘Whatever. I doubt she’d do anything outrageous in such a public setting anyway.’
‘Instead of worrying about her, I should focus on the fight ahead.’
‘Sure, I took a bit of a beating from that female vampire and the Dark Demon Tiger earlier due to lack of combat experience, but after that life-or-death trial, my foundation has only gotten stronger.’
And besides…
“That week of living like a wild bat wasn’t for nothing.” Sevitis clenched her fist, a confident gleam flashing in her eyes.
‘As long as nothing unexpected happens, I’m absolutely sure I’ll perform even better in this exam than the first. After being cooped up in my room for so many days, I’ve been itching for action.’
“Perfect timing. I want to know just how much power this body can really unleash.”
“Next: number 1221, Sewei Adams!”
Upon hearing her name called by the teacher below, Sevitis stopped swinging her legs, leaped up from her seat, and headed down the steps toward the arena.
‘As a low-key, honest person, I wouldn’t do something as stupid as jumping down from the stands. Even if I’m confident in my physical abilities, I’m not doing that. Drawing attention isn’t my style—taking the stairs is the way to go.’
“Sigh… I really want to know what it feels like to cast a spell by hand. Even just a tiny fireball would do.” Murmuring to herself, Sevitis walked into the dim passage leading to the arena.
…
“Where is number 1221, Sewei Adams? If you don’t show up now, it’ll be considered an automatic forfeit!”
Hearing the examiner’s impatient urging, Sevitis quickened her pace.
“Coming, coming!”
‘What’s the rush? It’s not like I’m heading to the execution ground. I’m a girl now, you know. This examiner has absolutely no patience—must be early menopause or something.’
Grumbling inwardly, Sevitis jogged out of the passage.
The examiner who had called her name was clearly already impatient and was walking toward her. As the figure approached, Sevitis felt a strange sense of familiarity.
But the moment she stopped, a familiar, cool voice drifted over from ahead:
“So here you are. Long time no see, little sister.”
The female teacher in front of her was grinning brightly, staring at her with a pleasant expression.
“…”
Sevitis froze instantly, cold sweat pouring down her back.
“Um… do I know you?” Sevitis tilted her head, feigning ignorance in an attempt to bluff her way out.
“Oh? It seems Miss Sevi has a hard head but a poor memory.” The female teacher raised an eyebrow. “Should I recount exactly what happened at the main gate that day to help you remember?”
“Ah! No need for that! What a terrible memory I have—it’s you, Teacher!” Sevitis waved her hands frantically. ‘How could I not remember this cold-hearted female teacher?’
‘But—what the hell? Just a moment ago, when I looked down from the stands, it was a different examiner! How did it change as soon as I came down?’
‘Rigged, absolutely rigged! Where’s the chief examiner? I want to report someone for abuse of power!’
“Stop looking around.” The female teacher sneered, cutting off Sevitis’s frantic glances and delivering an even more crushing news:
“Let me formally introduce myself. I, Kennisi Buchanan, am the chief examiner for this entrance exam.”
“And you can also call me by my position: Dean of the Eternal Night Corridor Academy.”
Kennisi adjusted her glasses and smiled.
“I hope we can get along well over the next few years, Miss Sevi. Of course… that’s only if you pass the entrance exam.”
Sevitis swallowed hard.
‘Should I not have mouthed off and called her “old auntie” back then…’
‘But who could have guessed she had such a big background? The chief examiner and dean of the continent’s top academy, and she had nothing better to do than handle registration at the gate? What a workaholic!’
‘Wait, that explains it. No wonder my Seven Sins Eye could only see so little information about her back then. No wonder all the teachers looked up to her.’
‘Damn, I miscalculated.’
But what’s done is done. No use regretting it. All she could do was pray that Her Highness the chief examiner was magnanimous enough not to hold a grudge over such a small matter.
…Calling her an old auntie… that’s… probably still a minor thing, right?
Sevitis steeled herself, reached out, and shook Kennisi’s proffered hand, forcing a smile.
“Haha… well, then, I hope your words come true.”
As if seeing through Sevitis’s thoughts, Kennisi withdrew her hand and said calmly:
“Don’t worry. As the chief examiner, I won’t bring personal grudges into the exam. Work is work.”
‘Sigh… Thank goodness you’re a heartless workaholic.’
Sevitis finally felt reassured.
“But—” Kennisi’s tone shifted, a cold gleam flashing behind her glasses. “If I catch you violating even a single rule of the exam, don’t expect me to let you off easy.”
Kennisi’s sharp eyes locked onto Sevitis, as if she was itching to catch her in the act and kick her out the door.
‘…That reassurance was fake.’
…
At that moment, the stands had already erupted because of the name the examiner had called out.
“Sewei Adams? That name sounds kind of familiar?”
“Dude, you must not be from the Kingdom of Ankat. You don’t know Sewei Adams? He’s the famous Duke heir! Though the rumors about him aren’t good.”
“Oh! I remember now! Isn’t that the good-for-nothing bastard who can’t even use half a spell? Wait, no… I heard the rumors said he was a guy?”
“Who knows? The info about that guy has always been just gossip. The number of people who’ve seen him in person can be counted on one hand.”
“Anyway, if he managed to register under that name, then the black-haired girl standing down there is definitely Sewei Adams himself.”
“But look at her—skinny arms and legs, fragile-looking, and she’s even holding a longsword. A little girl who can’t use any magic is going to fight monsters? Is she offering herself as an afternoon snack?”
“Haha! With that little meat, she’d barely be a toothpick.”
“Ah, don’t say that. Maybe she’s smart enough to just pick a second-tier monster to fight? Then she might have a good chance! Haha!”
In the stands, a group of arrogant examinees laughed gleefully, enjoying the spectacle.
Because of the distance and the magic barrier, Sevitis on the arena couldn’t hear their chatter.
But not far from this group, two girls in wide hooded cloaks heard everything clearly.
“These loudmouths… Your Highness, do you want me to shut them up?” asked the girl with a sword in a low voice.
Although she herself didn’t think the petite girl on the arena could perform outstandingly, she didn’t approve of these people insulting others behind their backs.
But the other girl beside her, also wearing a hood, gently pressed her hand and smiled, shaking her head.
“No need.”
The female knight was taken aback.
‘What’s wrong with Her Highness today? She was so protective of that person just a few days ago, and now she’s letting others mock her? Has she finally seen reality and decided to give up?’
“Because she will prove them wrong with her own strength.” The girl under the hood slightly raised her head, a strand of brilliant golden hair slipping out from under the hood.
She gazed at the small figure on the arena, her smile gentle and unwavering.
“I believe in her.”
Those sapphire blue eyes were full of conviction, instantly silencing all the doubts of the female knight, leaving her speechless.
“Is that so… You really trust her.”
“Of course. So let’s just sit quietly and wait.”
Ignoring the still-chattering mockery around them, the two girls straightened their postures, focusing all their attention on the black-haired girl holding a longsword at the center of the arena.
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