Bow down before my alchemy!
Lomio sometimes wanted to act this chuunibyou, but… how was it really?
These cards were nothing but the lowest grade cards, and in the eyes of the Crown Prince, they were clearly not enough.
Yet the loyalty of this ally shone dazzlingly bright!
Take it, brother, this is my most sincere offering—to cling to your coattails… to support you!
“A trap deck… hmm…”
When Karlenina realized that the cards before her were among the lowest of alchemical creations, her vigilance peaked.
The examiner, privy to royal secrets and possessing the power to select heirs, spent an entire night making only the most basic cards?
Though the quantity was impressive and the quality surprisingly high, did this really…?
“This truly is… unexpected.”
Karlenina spoke cautiously and took a sip of coffee.
The bitter taste spurred her heartbeat and let her mind clear from the haze of staying up all night.
No.
Based on everything she had seen so far, there was no way Lomio would waste his effort on such pointless work.
Displaying these things so openly—this was itself a new test!
“So, the answer is trust and cooperation?” Karlenina began to see the light.
As an ally, she had already shown her trust and support in the Alchemy Workshop, but that alone was far from enough for the coming trial!
The key to the test was not the cards themselves.
It lay in her “attitude”!
In other words, with just these cards, could they still secure the “King” despite being ten minutes behind the other teams?
He didn’t even show the slightest fatigue from staying up all night… Wait, he was so energetic, did he really spend the night making cards?
At that, Karlenina realized.
He was telling her through his actions: even if we’re ten minutes behind, even with this pile of “junk,” I can still lead us to take down the “King.”
All she needed to do was trust him without reservation.
This was not just a test of a future king’s measure!
It was also a trial of insight!
If she hadn’t seen through the examiner’s disguise, even Karlenina would never have easily trusted him!
And the so-called “new teammate” was surely some other form of reward that would play a critical role in future plans!
Yet another calculation!
Just how deep did his scheming go?
To entrust the royal family’s secrets to such a person… Such a high-stakes gamble, how perfectly in line with the Empress’s style.
“I will prove it, Mother.”
Having figured everything out, Karlenina said this to herself.
“Huh?” Annie squinted at the trap cards, her scarlet eyes narrowing into thin lines.
Was this an insult to Her Highness’s intelligence, or a challenge to herself as a maid?
With just these cards, they might be able to trick some new students, but what about against magical beasts?
“You’re calling this pile of junk your preparations?”
“How would you know if you don’t try?”
Lomio didn’t care about her attitude.
Love makes people blind, and in a matriarchal world, a fangirl’s logic was just as strange.
This maid’s yandere traits were almost overflowing from her body.
“Annie.” Karlenina simply called her.
“Yes, milady.”
Annie’s displeasure vanished in an instant. She folded her hands in front of her skirt, silent and perfectly poised.
Now there’s even a face-changing act?
Lomio’s face twitched.
Even under my charm aura, she still snorts at me?
Thankfully, she’s not interested in me, otherwise, she’d turn crazy sooner or later—there’d definitely be a knife-wielding scene in the future.
“My bro’s still the best!”
With that thought, Lomio felt even more grateful to “Kafnir.”
He even blocked such poisonous arrows and forced the other side to join the team?
A true dog-whisperer, a chosen shield, the man among men!
Oh, men don’t count for much in this world…
Then, woman among women!
The ultimate queen!
Lomio raised his teacup. “To a pleasant partnership.”
Karlenina replied, “Rest assured, no matter what trial awaits, I will definitely pass.”
She was ready to face any test Lomio might throw at her.
“I’m looking forward to it.” Lomio smiled and sipped his tea.
Look at that!
With an assistant like me, and she’s still pushing herself to the limit for the entrance exam—what dedication!
This is what they call a “God of Responsibility” and a “top-tier carry”!
“What kind of test is this!” Annie resisted the urge to flip the table, keeping a polite smile on her face.
Damn liar! Toying with Her Highness’s pure heart!
When the exam comes, I’ll smash those ridiculous traps and your pretentious schemes with my own hands!
Just you wait!
At the same time
In the dormitory of third-year student Sylvia Valentine, the blended scent of black tea and roses filled the air.
Knock, knock.
As the wooden door sounded, the girl who had been trimming flower stems turned her head. Her blue hair cascaded down like irises, as if she had already known who the visitor was. Her voice sounded softly:
“Come in.”
The door opened and then closed.
Entering was a girl with long, golden wavy hair and an obviously displeased expression.
“Oh my, isn’t this the young lady of the Cromwell family?
What wind brought you here today?”
Sylvia set down her silver scissors, lifted her skirt in a curtsy, revealing the Valentine family crest embroidered in gold thread.
“Lesser Beast Pheromone.” Beatrice got straight to the point; she hated beating around the bush in front of this woman.
The Valentine and Cromwell families were business rivals within the Empire—everyone knew that.
Beatrice didn’t like her, but there were some things only this upperclassman could do.
“Such an impolite guest.”
Sylvia turned around, wearing a flawless social smile.
“It doesn’t seem like we’re at the stage of helping each other out, are we?”
“Cut the nonsense.”
Beatrice pulled a small magic crystal pouch from her bosom and tossed it on the table.
Sylvia picked up the pouch and weighed it in her hand. The amount inside was enough to make her give a merchant’s smile:
“Quite the sum. But you should know, using this kind of forbidden item during the assessment—if you’re caught, the consequences won’t be pretty.”
Being from a business family herself, Sylvia naturally wouldn’t refuse such a windfall.
“That’s my business.” Beatrice’s tone was irrefutable. “Will you give it or not?”
Sylvia did not answer immediately.
She had already heard about yesterday’s farce in the Alchemy Workshop.
Now Beatrice was here in a hurry to ask for such a dangerous thing—her motive was obvious.
“For that Lomio guy? Is he especially handsome, or especially rich?”
“You!” Beatrice instantly bristled.
“Oh dear, merchants like me just love gathering information.”
How amusing.
Two faces from the intelligence report floated through Sylvia’s mind.
Lomio Arcadi, second son of a frontier baron, of mediocre talent but who suddenly showed astonishing skill in alchemy, claiming to be the disciple of the “Luminous Sage.”
Kafnir, an exchange student from the northern Principality of Russell, shrouded in mystery, but judging by the maid at his side… definitely not of simple birth.
A frontier-born genius claiming the sage’s legacy, and a noble who kept his true strength hidden.
Just these two together already made for the greatest variable.
Especially that Russell prince…
Her mother had specially warned her: this generation’s “Frost Mage” from the Principality of Russell was likely among the exchange students and must be watched with extreme caution.
Same Cromwell family, but that eldest son named Kaz did a far better job than this little sister…
Or maybe, this clueless girl was just another pawn in his arrangement?
So be it.
Let her be the stone that stirs the waters.
Let’s see how much truth there is in Lomio’s “Sage’s legacy.”
And let’s see what cards the Russell prince will play in the face of sudden crisis.
“Since Miss Cromwell puts it like that, how could I refuse?”
Sylvia pulled open her desk drawer and took out a sealed crystal vial from a delicate wooden box.
Inside, a pale yellow viscous liquid swayed gently.
“The assessment area is expected to be on the edge of the Black Forest. This will work even better than you imagine.”
She slid the bottle in front of Beatrice.
“That information was a bonus. Good luck, Miss Cromwell.”
Beatrice snatched the crystal bottle and turned to leave, not wanting to stay a second longer.
Watching her hurried back, Sylvia picked up her black tea and took a gentle sip.
The tea was rich, as always.
She walked to the window, gazing down at the whole academy.
The assessment was about to begin.
The chessboard was set; it was up to the pieces to dance.
Oh dear, this isn’t a senior’s malice.
It’s just a merchant’s kind wish for a livelier academy.
After all, how can you call it war profiteering if no one dies yet?
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