16. Announcement of results
#16
“There it is. A bright red bastard.”
Ronan stretched out his finger and pointed to the middle of the crowd. The sight of Asher staggering around as he was being hit by people looked just like a tulip blooming among a field of silver grass.
He looked around on tiptoe saw Ronan and waved his hand.
“Ronan! Marya!”
“I guess that kid did well on the test.”
“huh. No matter who sees it.”
Asher’s expression was as bright as the sky above his head. After completing the practical test the three went to a restaurant that Marya knew. It was a famous chicken restaurant even in the islands.
“Ehehe….”
Asher was wandering around as if he was drunk the whole time he was eating. Even though he was chewing his tiny mouth he smiled like a child who really lacked something. Ronan who was unable to see her opened her mouth.
“Why did you show me how amazing you are and break it down like that? “Did you use your telekinesis to wipe the judges’ butts?”
“do you want to die?”
Marya threw away the chicken wing she was holding. Asher who finally came to his senses explained what happened in the exam room.
“Holy shit they lifted 30 logs up to the ceiling? And even spinning it around?”
“Ugh….”
Among the test takers who came to take the test that day Asher was the only wizard with telekinetic powers. Perhaps that’s why the judges’ attitude was quite favorable and they said they were able to demonstrate their skills without making any mistakes.
“You eat everything Asher. “Please move our house here too.”
Is this guy really a genius? Ronan was impressed as he tore off a chicken leg the size of a human head. Considering that the baby whined even when lifting it it was truly a remarkable improvement.
After finishing the meal the group immediately dispersed to their respective lodgings. Since the written exam was just around the corner there was no time to play around. Asher who was lying down on the bed and reviewing asked a question.
“Can I not see Ronan again?”
“It was like this…or was it this angle…Hmm? what?”
Ronan was trying to imitate the swordsmanship used by Nabirose in the daytime exam room. I was very interested perhaps because it was a technology I had never seen before. His notebook was stuffed in the corner of the room along with the clothes that needed to be washed.
“I know you worked hard but… the questions might turn out to be difficult.”
Although the written test was given less points than the practical test it was by no means negligible. Ronan snorted.
“It’s okay to worry too much. Ask me anything. “I will answer you.”
“Hmm…then…what is the main architectural style of the Western Doranda region?”
“Aresco.”
Asher’s eyes widened. He flicked through his notebook and asked a few questions.
“Then…what are the three great wonders that Archmage Lorhorn has achieved?”
“Spiral Tower light attribute magic boiling fire.”
“What is the name of the phantom species called the Mother of Fire?”
“Red Dragon Navardose.”
Ronan said without even looking at Asher. He answered eight out of the ten questions perfectly. Asher clapped without realizing it.
“Awesome Ronan! “Really!”
“I memorized it while saving time while I was pooping but it’s strange that I don’t know.”
Ronan who had no common sense to use as a foundation almost memorized the entire book that Marya lent him. The two questions that could not be answered were mana formula problems that needed solving.
He gave up on math problems that required calculations and developed a strategy to memorize the whole thing.
Ronan turned his back and took his stance again. The mysterious sword path shown by Nabi Rose was being reproduced in a small room.
“thank god….”
Asher sighed in relief and closed his notebook. Honestly I never imagined that Ronan would have even prepared for the written exam. But isn’t this at a very good level?
He hummed and took out another notebook from his backpack. The second volume of the book Marya lent me. So it was a notebook that summarized the remaining half of the information.
‘Of course you’ve memorized the second volume right?’
Asher decided not to ask any questions. Considering that I had already completely memorized the contents of the commercial area there was a high possibility that it would be a pointless nonsense.
It turns out that the same thing would happen if I only studied the commercial district. It’s not a bad joke.
Three days later the three took the written exam simultaneously at the Gallerion main building. Fileon Academy’s decision to grant or not was announced immediately on the day the written exam ended.
****
“What a crappy life.”
It was an immaculately clear night. Countless people were crowded together in the grand plaza under the white full moon. They were all applicants who came to check whether they had passed the academy.
Ronan was smoking a cigarette among them. The sunken eyes were half full. Asher fidgeted and tugged at his collar.
“Let’s go back to Professor Varen right now. I’m asking for a letter of recommendation again. huh?”
“I’d rather stick a knife up my ass and cut up a watermelon.”
“You said you had to beg me to bring it back then?”
“Can’t I even tell jokes?”
“Then what should I do….”
Asher cried. It felt like a huge snake called guilt was squeezing my heart. Ronan said exhaling smoke again.
“Why are you worried? Even if I fall I fall.”
“It’s my own fault… If only I had asked at the time…”
“It’s okay if I hadn’t known by then I would have missed the test anyway.”
No wonder they finally caught the person. Ronan was unaware of the existence of Ha-kwon. He somehow managed to write it down relying on memory and common sense but ended up missing about half of the questions.
“Hey don’t worry too much.”
Marya who joined late patted him on the back. Unlike Asher who was anxious not a single trace of worry could be found on her face.
“If you fail you can join as my junior next year. uh? “It’s not bad is it?”
“Thank you for the kind words.”
Marja giggled. She said so but she didn’t think Ronan would fall.
When she crossed her swords she could be sure. Her knife skills were such that it would not be surprising if she received top marks.
At that time a blue fireball was launched into the empty night sky.
-Puiyooooo!
The fireball that reached a certain altitude exploded and transformed into the shape of a huge eagle. cried Marya her eyes wide pulling her two boys by their necks.
“Announcing!”
“Keck!”
Asher strangling her thumped Marya’s arm. At the same time the eagle spread its wings. The names of successful applicants were written on the wings that circled the sky of the plaza.
Because there was a spell that strengthened eyesight and reading comprehension successful applicants were able to quickly find their names. Before long cheers and sighs were pouring out from all over the crowd.
“I passed! “Caw!”
“Me too!”
“Aaaah! no!!”
It was a moment of mixed joy and sorrow. There was a girl who suddenly burst into tears and collapsed and there was also an idiot who screamed and spun his head on the spot. She was more sad than happy.
“Ma Marya…there!”
Suddenly Asher pointed to the middle of the right wing. Marya turned her head and froze as if she were a stone. A very familiar name was written there. With rankings.
[Martial Arts / Marja Karabel: 9th in practical skills 9th in written tests (4)]
“ah….”
The score was enough to receive a scholarship. She stared blankly at her own name. As the days of hard work passed before her eyes her vision became blurred for a moment.
“Mr.
Marja wiping her eyes with her sleeve raised her head again. As she looked at her list again a loud cry came out of her mouth.
“hey! “Up there!”
Asher was still searching for her own name. Mary lifted him up so that he could see the left wing of her eagle.
“Fifteenth from the left! “Three spaces from top to bottom!”
“uh…?”
Clink. The staff slipped out of Asher’s hand and fell to the floor.
[Magic / Asher: 12th in practical skills 1st in written tests (3)]
“My…I’m number one in handwriting…?”
“Cute! What the heck is going on! huh?”
Marya just hugged Asher. It was an incredible result considering she only had one month to prepare. Even if he received special benefits as a telekinetic wizard in the practical test getting first place in the written test meant that he got almost a perfect score.
“But what is (3)?”
“It means there are three more people who got the same score as you. “One of them will be Schlieffen and I can roughly guess who the other one is.”
This time Marya mentioned the girl who had become the adopted daughter of the Akalusia family.
A rare genius who can handle three attributes simultaneously. She said she was probably the head of the magic department as well.
“I guess I should really call you seniors.”
At that time I heard a giggling sound next to me. The faces of the two people who turned their heads at the same time became stiff. Ronan who had already taken his eyes off the list was smoking a cigarette.
“Now wait a minute Ronan. “Do you have a name?”
“Hey don’t play around.”
“Why not just enroll next year?”
Ronan shrugged his shoulders and pointed into the air. I meant for you to look for it.
Asher who levitated his body with telekinesis began to look through the list again.
“Uh nothing…really….”
Asher’s voice was trembling. Marya smiled awkwardly and squeezed Ronan’s arm.
“Oh that can’t be possible. “There will be.”
“You said there isn’t one?”
“Don’t say that.”
She tried to act calm but couldn’t hide the fact that her breathing was getting heavier. Ronan silently dusted more powder into his pipe. The two looked over the list with an attitude that could be described as desperate.
“This…this is ridiculous….”
Ronan’s name was not visible. It was the same no matter how many times I reread it.
“There must be some mistake. huh? “This is nonsense.”
“Marya.”
“Common sense says so! Does this make sense?!”
Marja shouted grabbing Ronan’s shoulders. Ronan smiled bitterly when he saw her wet eyes.
At that time another fireball was shot into the sky.
-pop!
It was red contrasting with the blue fire from before. The crowd’s attention was focused on a cluster of lights that were much brighter than before.
“Is that…?”
Of the three only Mary knew the identity of the flame.
Glory Phoenix. A bird of honor that announces only the names of the chief and vice-chairmen.
The fast-flying fireball took the shape of a phoenix and wrapped around the sky just above the head.
-Puuuuuu!
The phoenix spread its wings. For a moment a cluster of lights so bright and colorful that it seemed like the sun had risen decorated the entire area.
People who tilted their heads vertically cheered.
“Waaaa!!”
Asher and Marya were still looking for Ronan’s name. The two people who reflexively raised their heads froze.
Ronan tilted her head.
“ok? “Why are you doing that?”
“Ro Ronan… that one… that one….”
“Speak up man. “Say.”
Asher stuttered his words like a parrot with dementia. Marya was no different.
Ronan became frustrated and raised his gaze. The names of four people floated above the night sky.
[Chief of Martial Arts / Schlieffen Siniban de Grancia]
[Chief of Magic Department / Erzebet de Acalusia]
The writing was so large that it could be seen from all over the island. The first thing that came in was the names of the seniors shining in gold.
‘As expected the head of the martial arts department is Schlieffen. But who was Erzsebet?’
Anyway after checking the chiefs Ronan looked down. The names of the second lieutenants were flashing in a slightly more frugal silver color than the first honors.
[Deputy Dean of Martial Arts / Ronan]
[Deputy Chair of Magic / Fion Chalpine]
The cigarette that was in Ronan’s mouth fell out.
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