A statement that exploded like a bomb.
A declaration of war that rang clearly through the lecture hall.
-Please look forward to this practical exam, Professor.
-In front of the entire student body, I’ll beat every last speck of dust out of you.
The boy had boldly thrown down the gauntlet.
Naturally, the news spread quickly.
The professors’ authority had never wavered since the academy’s founding.
Yet someone had openly defied that authority, leaving everyone who heard the news utterly stunned.
“What? What did Class E’s top seat say to Professor Valteric...?”
“Is he... actually insane?”
The cadets could barely process it.
Dozens, even hundreds of question marks seemed to float over their heads.
“I heard he even declared that he’d completely crush him in this practical exam.”
“Is he out of his mind? Even if he’s the top student of his year, Professor Valteric is the head professor of the Department of Combat Magic...”
“Has all his recent success gone to his head?”
“What is he even so confident about? There’s no way a first-year cadet can beat a faculty member.”
Besides, his opponent was Valteric Glacia.
Though still young, he had been recognized for his ability and appointed head professor of the Department of Combat Magic.
He was also the eldest son of House Glacia, a prestigious family of mages, and his name was always mentioned when discussing the continent’s greatest ice mages.
Other than the headmaster and the chief investigator, he was practically the most influential person at Grandia Academy.
The students were understandably shocked that someone had declared war on such a powerful figure.
-How dare a piece of trash who can’t cast even a scrap of magic.
-I’ll remember this disrespect. I’ll make sure you regret it soon enough.
And there were the words Professor Valteric had once hurled at him.
The students’ excitement only continued to build.
[26th Examination]
-Viktor (Class E’s Top Seat, Personal Teaching Assistant)
-Valteric Glacia (Head Professor of the Department of Combat Magic)
The date was right around the corner.
The academy’s excitement kept growing as more fuel was piled onto the fire.
Despite the short wait, the students eagerly debated among themselves.
“Wow, I can’t believe we got such a hot event right after the written exams!”
“The outcome is obvious, but isn’t that what makes it fun?”
“I’m bringing popcorn. I definitely need to watch the 26th examination in person.”
“If things go well, we might get to see just how high Class E’s top seat’s ceiling is.”
“Still, won’t Professor Valteric win?”
“That’s obvious. How could a first-year cadet possibly stand against the head professor of the Department of Combat Magic?”
“Hm, I guess so. Still, I can’t wait.”
The students’ attention converged on the 26th examination.
Interest poured down harder than a summer monsoon.
The hands of the clock faithfully turned, drawing the day of the event closer.
“Ahem.”
The atmosphere burned with excitement.
Yet the person at the center of it all...
“The weather’s nice.”
He merely looked calmly up at the sky.
* * *
The air buzzed with chatter.
Was it because of the declaration of war I’d thrown out there?
The students seemed unable to contain their surging dopamine.
-There... Class E’s top seat is passing by.
-He’s calmer than I expected.
-Doesn’t he have any fear? He’s about to get completely destroyed...
Whenever I walked through the halls, I caught snippets of their whispers.
As expected, news spread absurdly fast around here.
Only twenty-four hours had passed, yet more than half the cadets already knew.
As I enjoyed all the attention, the person beside me gave an unnecessarily gruff response.
“Hey.”
“Yes, Miss Caitlin.”
“Why do you always stir up trouble wherever you go?”
“Well, I always think I’d like to live quietly...”
“Then why did you throw a book at a professor and kick over a desk?”
“Ahem, because it was necessary.”
“Will it kill you to behave for once?”
“But this is more fun.”
“You said you wanted to live quietly.”
“Sometimes, you have to know when to give up a small dream for something more worthwhile.”
“Bullshit.”
Our exchange was blunt and simple.
Caitlin furrowed her brow as though even imagining it exhausted her.
“...Don’t beat him up too badly. It’ll be a pain if he dies.”
“Dies? Who? Professor Valteric? By my hand?”
“Who else would I be talking about?”
“He’s still faculty, you know? The head professor of the Department of Combat Magic, no less. Have you never considered that I might lose?”
“Would I?”
Tsk.
Caitlin clicked her tongue and looked at me with utterly cold eyes.
There wasn’t a trace of concern in them.
An icy wind seemed to blow from the girl.
The others with us were no different.
“Mm! I’m not worried either! Sir Viktor will surely overwhelm him!”
“V-Viktor will win anyway... but I’ll still cheer for you as hard as I can.”
“If there is one thing I worry about, it’s whether Sir Viktor might torment his opponent too much...”
“Ah... y-yes, that’s certainly true.”
“Good heavens. Is there really no one worried about me?”
Ranne laughed cheerfully, and even Alice, whom I had trusted, betrayed me.
One corner of my heart grew damp.
Feeling unfairly hurt, I wiped away a tear.
How was it that everyone worried more about Professor Valteric than they did about me?
“I still can’t forget the sight of you summoning something like a white knight and tearing that enormous sea serpent in half.”
“Ah, that was certainly impressive.”
“And someone like you is going to lose in a mere academy practical exam?”
“Isn’t it possible?”
“Get lost.”
Caitlin growled.
Yellow electricity crackled around her.
Perhaps it was because of exam season, but she seemed more sensitive than usual.
“Ahem.”
“Damn it, stop messing up my hair.”
“I’m petting you.”
“Don’t do anything.”
“I don’t want to.”
There was a certain pleasure in petting Caitlin when she was like that.
It felt like taming a hissing cat.
We exchanged trivial chatter.
For people about to face a major event, we felt remarkably relaxed.
If there was one person who worried about me, it was her.
“Class E’s top seat.”
Rin Glacia.
Her blue eyes quietly looked up at me.
“Why did you do that?”
“What do you mean?”
Then again, I wasn’t sure I could call it concern.
The girl had remained expressionless the whole time.
Perhaps I simply wanted to interpret it that way.
With an unreadable expression, Rin lightly tapped my sleeve.
“Even now, apologize to my brother.”
“Hmm?”
“My brother is strong. You’re remarkable too, but I don’t think you’ve reached my brother’s level yet. So... yes. I think you should bow your head. Nothing good will come from getting on my brother’s bad side. You’d only be making an enemy for no reason.”
“Unfortunately, I’ve already declared war.”
“Then withdraw it.”
“There’s no such word as withdraw in my dictionary.”
“But at this rate, you’ll be trampled in front of everyone.”
I laughed quietly.
The girl’s voice seemed to tremble, if only faintly.
“You think I’ll lose.”
“I’m just being realistic.”
“Do you hope I won’t lose?”
“...Yes. A little. I think I do.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. It’s just that, I...”
Her voice carried that familiar vacant resonance.
Someone who did not know herself.
Without thinking, I placed a hand on her head.
As I gently stroked her, Rin quietly yielded to my touch.
“I’ll show you.”
I whispered quietly.
“What it looks like not to lose.”
The girl’s eyes remained hazy.
With a faint smile, I made her that promise.
* * *
After several noisy days passed, the day of the practical exam arrived.
The event everyone had awaited was here.
The venue was an open training ground surrounded by countless spectator seats.
I stood in the middle of the wide circular arena.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been in this training ground, too.”
I muttered as I looked around.
The stands were packed with countless spectators as far as the eye could see.
[26th Examination]
-Viktor (Class E’s Top Seat, Personal Teaching Assistant)
-Valteric Glacia (Head Professor of the Department of Combat Magic)
Waaaaah-!
The stands were packed with students and faculty.
There were far more spectators than at any of the other practical exams.
Leaving the cheers behind me, I met the eyes of the person standing opposite me.
“Class E’s top seat.”
“Professor Valteric.”
He was the partner joining me for today’s show.
The young man stood with his arms folded and gave a mocking smile, as though surprised.
“I’ll give you credit for your nerve. Honestly, I thought you’d run away.”
“Unfortunately for you.”
“I have no idea what you were thinking when you showed up. Surely you don’t truly believe you can defeat me?”
“Let me turn that question around. Surely you don’t truly believe you can defeat me, Professor Valteric?”
“Ha.”
A brief exchange of hostility.
Valteric’s eyes carried their usual chill.
“I have no intention of going easy on you. I’ll crush you so thoroughly that it fixes that rotten attitude of yours.”
“The same goes for me. I’m not the type to avoid a challenge.”
“Ha! Your arrogance ends today.”
Valteric openly sneered.
Whoooosh-.
Bluish mana streamed through the air.
A blue storm. Cutting winds blew as the young man’s robe fluttered.
Dark blue frost spread across the ground, and the summer air grew frigid.
“Activate. Scythe.”
Not to be outdone, I gripped my pitch-black scythe.
Cold silence took aim at our throats.
Amid the howling wind, the voice of the faculty member acting as referee rang out.
《All faculty and students, remain in your respective positions.》
《The examination will proceed as a duel.》
《Basically, the examination will end if one side suppresses or incapacitates the other.》
《In addition, the student will be given an ‘assignment.’ If they complete that assignment while overcoming the faculty member’s interference, they will win.》
A brief explanation.
The rules of the examination were simple.
《Prepare.》
Then a sharp alert rang out from the crystal orb.
The signal announcing the start of the examination.
Beeeeep-!
《Begin.》
The instant after.
KABOOOM-!
The first strikes of the two fighters shot forward at top speed and collided in midair.
Thorns unleashed by my scythe, and an arrow of condensed ice.
Their destructive force scattered sparks and shockwaves in every direction.
“Activate. Thorns.”
“Freezing.”
KRAAASH-!
The first clash loudly announced the start.
And so.
The 26th examination began.
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