Master 37

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“Who is that person?”  

“Did he just talk to Cecil?”  

“I’ve never seen him before, but he’s wearing an invigilator’s armband…”  

Among the first-year academy students, who were at the age of peak curiosity, my sudden appearance as an unfamiliar figure quickly stirred up a heated reaction.  

“He looks really suspicious…”  

“Yeah, yeah, it feels like he’s up to something.”  

“Can he even see anything with his eyes open like that?”  

Of course, half of these reactions were filled with malicious judgments about my appearance.  

Seriously, these brats only judge based on looks instead of seeing what’s inside.  

“Hmm, I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before…”  

“Yeah, where could it have been?”  

“If he were a noble I met with my father, there’s no way I wouldn’t remember him.”  

Meanwhile, a few students who were obviously noble children tilted their heads in confusion and examined me closely, but none of them were able to pinpoint my identity.  

Well, even though my name had become famous enough to receive multiple letters daily, not much about me was publicly known, so it made sense.  

“Enough chatter, everyone, focus.”  

Just as the students’ excessive curiosity was starting to become an annoyance, a sharp voice rang through the exam hall.  

“The person standing before you is Sir Whitney, who will be supervising this midterm exam.”  

A strict-looking female teacher, likely their homeroom teacher, had just opened her mouth while scowling.  

“He is a skilled white mage who recently defeated black mages in that unfortunate incident and was awarded a certificate of gratitude by the Imperial family.”  

At those words, the students who had been whispering about me fell silent, and their gazes toward me shifted.  

I appreciated the change in attitude, but that kind of high praise was a bit burdensome.  

It was actually Runiel who defeated the black mages—I had only provided her with vision through a magical artifact I received from Parsha and kidnapped the saintess.  

“In other words, you should abandon any thoughts of cheating or trying to cut corners.”  

The female teacher added that statement with a chilly smile, reinforcing my exaggerated reputation.  

“Sir Whitney, if you detect any suspicious behavior, you may use force immediately.”  

“Mm, I’ll have to think about that.”  

Even though I had been diligently training in white magic, it was fundamentally focused on support and healing rather than offense, making aggressive action difficult.  

Of course, if it were the high-ranking members of ‘Lumen Ordo’ (The Order of Light), which included my father and other top white mages, it would be a different story.  

For the record, I hadn’t even been able to join ‘Lumen Ordo’ yet because my white magic was still deemed subpar.  

“My white magic specializes in healing and defense, not harming others.”  

“…Is that so?”  

“Ah, of course, if it’s a black mage, that’s a different story.”  

To prevent any embarrassing misunderstandings, I added a small disclaimer.  

“…But we can’t treat students like black mages, can we? Haha.”  

“Ah… Well, that’s true. Please go easy on those brats.”  

Fortunately, the female teacher seemed convinced by my explanation and nodded, though she soon turned back toward the students with a stern expression.  

“Now, let’s put an end to the idle talk and get to the main event.”  

“Assistants, activate the magic circle.”  

As she snapped her fingers, the assistants waiting in the back stepped forward.  

Whooosh…  

The massive magic circle drawn in the center of the exam hall, which was as large as a sports field, began to glow ominously.  

“…Wait a minute.”  

Watching this unfold, I suddenly doubted my own eyes and urgently turned to the female teacher.  

‘This is… a summoning ritual used by black mages?’  

Could this be one of those classic academy clichés where an unexpected crisis always happens during an exam?  

If so, this was bad. I had to stop the ritual immediately—  

“As expected, you recognized it right away.”  

“Huh?”  

“It was quite difficult to set that up. Hehe.”  

Oh no.  

Was this actually another classic trope, where at least one member of the faculty was secretly colluding with the enemies?  

“Attention, everyone. The magic circle currently activated is the one used by black mages to summon monsters.”  

“…?”  

“As you all know, black magic is a forbidden practice punishable by death, regardless of one’s status or position.”  

Before I could spiral into further misunderstanding, the female teacher turned to the students and began explaining in a loud voice.  

“However, given the recent incident and the unsettling movements of black mages, the Emperor personally sought approval from the church to grant a special exemption for this test.”  

Judging by the determined and focused expressions on the students’ faces, they had been informed about this in advance.  

That was a relief.  

At least I didn’t look like some kind of nepotistic hire in front of them.  

“In short, this exam will test how efficiently you can subdue and neutralize monsters controlled by black mages.”  

Well, considering the academy’s emphasis on hands-on learning, this was something they could do as long as they had the necessary approval.  

“As you’ve studied throughout the semester, monsters are among the most unpredictable and dangerous of summoned creatures.  

Even if you’ve memorized their weaknesses and countermeasures in advance, they will still be challenging opponents for you.”  

But… was it really okay to have first-year students, who had no real combat experience, face monsters already?  

“If anyone is rendered unable to fight, the faculty and Sir Whitney will step in immediately. So even if you fail, at the very least, you won’t have to worry about dying.”  

Ah, so that was the plan.  

“Of course, we won’t intervene for minor injuries like a broken arm, so brace yourselves.”  

Now I understood why Lady Meredia sent me as an examiner.  

Maybe this was her way of being considerate.  

“That concludes the briefing. Group leaders, take command of your teams and prepare for battle.”  

As I chuckled wryly at the ever-tsundere Lady Meredia, the students quickly split into their designated groups upon the teacher’s command.  

Crackle…  

At that moment, ominous smoke billowed from the magic circle on the ground, rapidly filling the entire exam hall.  

Boom…!  

Then, in the blink of an eye, walls shot up from the floor, forming a massive labyrinth that trapped the smoke inside.  

“Eek.”  

“Ugh…”  

As the eerie gazes began to seep out from the smoke escaping the entrance of the hastily constructed dungeon, murmurs of fear started spreading among the students.  

“One more thing to keep in mind: monsters primarily feed on fear. If you let fear consume you now, you might end up as the hunted instead of the hunter.”  

The female teacher, observing the students, spoke in a calm tone before turning her head toward me with a subtle question.  

“What do you think, Sir Whitney? These may be the lowest-ranking among the monsters summoned by black mages, but still, they look quite convincing, don’t they?”  

“Ahaha…”  

All I could do in response was offer a stiff smile.  

…This is terrifying, seriously.  

Because, contrary to public perception, I was nothing but a fraud with zero real combat experience.  

This was my first time seeing grotesque monsters outside of a game.  

-What a delicious-looking soul…  

-So many young souls gathered here…  

To make matters worse, I felt as if I could hear the sinister murmurs of the monsters coming from the labyrinth entrance, which resembled a gaping maw.  

-That black-haired girl over there looks especially tasty…  

-But she seems strong… Let’s go after the weaker ones first…  

-Wait a second, what the hell is going on?  

-Where is the summoner who called us?  

-Strange… I sense a familiar presence here…  

Why did it feel like I could actually understand what the monsters were saying?  

****  

“M-my legs won’t move…”  

“H-hiiik!”  

“M-Mom…”  

While I was caught off guard by the sudden ability to hear the monsters’ language, the midterm exam proceeded smoothly without any major incidents.  

“Team A, eliminated. Assistants, cut off the mana supply.”  

The reason no accidents occurred was that the faculty maintained an iron grip on the situation with their well-coordinated responses.  

“I distinctly told you not to succumb to fear.”  

“Kroooooar!”  

“Even though they may have grotesque appearances and foreign powers, they are still just summoned creatures at their core.”  

The moment students lost their will to fight and fell into panic, the mana flow to the magic circle was cut off, and a standby teacher immediately intervened inside the labyrinth.  

For reference, all the academy faculty members present at the exam site, including the strict female teacher leading the students, were seasoned combat veterans.  

“Kyieeeeeek!”  

“If you strike their weak points, they scream and vanish just like any other monster.”  

Thanks to this, the lower-class monsters, which had been rampaging after feeding on the fear of the losers, were unable to resist and were forcefully unsummoned.  

-T-that was… a sensitive spot…  

“…O”  

For some reason, I could understand what the monsters were saying, and it was enough to make me feel a little sorry for them.  

“Hmph, how disgraceful.”  

“…?”  

“To think they’d be cowering before such low-level monsters—it’s absolutely laughable.”  

As I stood there awkwardly, having had no reason to intervene thanks to the faculty’s efficiency, a refined yet arrogant voice made me turn my head in curiosity.  

“I didn’t expect you to pretend not to know me so blatantly.”  

“Who?”  

“Haven’t you read the letter my father sent?”  

Among the noble students who had been whispering about recognizing me, a particularly proud-looking young lady had been staring at me intently.  

Now, she was speaking to me as if we were acquainted.  

“I am Adele Felgrave, the second daughter of Marquess Felgrave. Do you still not recognize me?”  

“Ah…”  

“Hehe, well, as long as you remember now, it’s fine.”  

I had been utterly clueless about her identity until she formally introduced herself in a typical aristocratic manner.  

Then, it hit me.  

‘She was right below Cecil on the list of candidates for the promising student selection exam.’  

And she also belonged to one of the most prestigious noble families, as evident from the wedding invitations I had spent sleepless nights sorting through and burning.  

“So, when will you give me an answer?”  

“……”

“My father isn’t a very patient man, you know. You should know better than to play hard to get for too long.”  

She was looking at me with a pouting yet expectant expression, as if convinced that I would naturally accept the proposal.  

But from my perspective as someone who retained memories of a past life, there was no way I would get involved with a kid who was only three or four years younger than me.  

“Lady Adele, I’m sorry, but I already have a fiancée.”  

“…What?”  

“Rather than someone like me, wouldn’t it be better for you to find a more charming partner of your own age?”  

Besides, if I had responded to even one of those letters, I would have been buried beneath the garden of a certain duchess with mesmerizing eyes by now.  

“I heard rumors that Lady Meredia is merely using you.”  

“……”  

“You should realize that this is your last chance to escape your inevitable downfall.”  

However, it seemed that this audacious young lady had completely misunderstood my words.  

If she wasn’t careful, she and her entire family could end up buried in the duchy’s garden, but how should I phrase it to make her understand?  

“If you’re worried about the duchess’s influence, there’s no need. You may not know this, but the Felgrave Marquisate is a distinguished lineage of the Magic Tower.”  

“Hmm…”  

“And my father holds the highest rank among the tower lords. No matter how powerful the Embergreen Duchy is, they wouldn’t dare act recklessly against us.”  

Listening to her, I could tell she had more confidence than those other noble families who had blindly sent wedding invitations, either due to lack of information or out of reckless defiance of the duchess.  

The problem was that, according to my memory, the Magic Tower would soon be turned upside down due to a black magic-related scandal, leading to a massive restructuring.  

And in the end, if I betrayed Lady Meredia and she fell into darkness, both the Imperial Court and the Magic Tower would be destroyed by her, rendering this proposal meaningless to me.  

“Hmm. Ahem!”  

As I maintained an uncomfortable expression, trying to figure out how to extricate myself, the young lady, who had been carefully watching my reaction, suddenly cleared her throat loudly.  

“Ah, Lady Adele! Come to think of it, how did your application for the promising candidates’ selection go?”  

“B-but only top-ranking students are even allowed to apply for that in the first place!”  

“I didn’t even qualify to apply!”  

Her followers, who had been hesitating nearby, suddenly swarmed in, awkwardly posing what were clearly staged questions.  

“Hehe. Prepare to be amazed. I was ranked second on the candidate list!”  

“W-wow!”  

“That’s incredible!”  

“Oh, and by the way, this isn’t something students are supposed to know, so keep it to yourselves!”  

At the center of it all, Lady Adele grinned smugly as she revealed confidential academy information, sneaking glances at me.  

…I was getting secondhand embarrassment just watching this.  

Even though she was a noble debutante, she was still just a kid—her intentions were far too obvious.  

But more than that, I already knew exactly who the first-ranked candidate was, so I wasn’t particularly impressed.  

“B-Team, pass!”  

“…Huh?”  

“Impressive. A new first-year record… no, even including second-years, it’s an all-time record.”  

At that moment, the female teacher, who rarely showed surprise, exclaimed in an astonished voice.  

Seizing the opportunity, I smiled quietly and walked toward the entrance.  

“Haha. Cecil, you never fail to meet my expectations.”  

“…Ugh, whatever.”  

As expected of the top-ranked candidate, Cecil simply responded coldly and kept walking, but I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride.  

“I-I could do that too…!”  

“Ha, here we go again.”  

As I scratched my head awkwardly, I overheard the conversation between the noble lady who had been pestering me and Cecil.  

“Aren’t you tired of this? Seriously…”  

“Y-you! How dare you speak to me like that—”  

“You’re the one who keeps picking fights with me, Lady Adele.”  

As I listened in, it became clear that the two had the classic rival dynamic that always appeared in academy-related stories.  

“…Just leave me alone. I’m begging you.”  

“Ugh…”  

“I already have enough to worry about these days.”  

Judging by the tone of their conversation and the number of followers each had (in Cecil’s case, it seemed more like a friend), it was easy to tell which of them was at a disadvantage.  

“Sir Whitney. After watching the A-Team and B-Team’s exams, do you have a grasp of things now?”  

“Ah, yes.”  

“Then please supervise the C-Team and D-Team’s exams.”  

Feeling pleased with the situation, I followed the female teacher toward the labyrinth, raising my voice as I spoke.  

“I’ll only be satisfied if the remaining students perform at least as well as B-Team did. Haha…”  

“Ugh.”  

I felt a little bad for the Marquis’s daughter, who was now trembling with frustration behind me, but sometimes, accepting reality quickly was a virtue in life.  

Especially when her opponent was our Cecil—there was no helping it.  

*****  

“Ah, Lady Adele, are you alright?”  

As Whitney disappeared into the labyrinth with a faint chuckle, Adele’s followers nervously checked her expression and began to speak.  

“Normally, someone from his background wouldn’t even be able to talk to you, but he has absolutely no manners.”  

“Exactly! And he looks so suspicious, too. Maybe this is actually a good thing…”  

However, Adele Felgrave paid no attention to their words.  

Her cold gaze remained fixed on the labyrinth where Whitney had entered.  

“…So that’s how you want to play it.”  

Initially, she had simply been following her father’s covert orders to approach Whitney.  

But now, her wounded pride had fully taken over.  

“Fine, then I’ll just have to show him my power.”  

She quietly ran her fingers over the pendant hanging around her neck, a gift from her father meant to be used only in emergencies.  

Then, with a chilling smile, she whispered.  

“Don’t be too shocked when you see what I can do. Hehe.”  

The moment she infused mana into the pendant—  

Wooooooong…  

The magic circle inside the labyrinth emitted a subtle vibration and darkened ominously.  

“C-Team and D-Team, enter.”  

“…Breaking records? I’ll do it as many times as necessary.”  

Brimming with confidence, she stepped into the labyrinth with her team.  

And yet, no one noticed the small anomaly that had just occurred.  

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