Chapter 17 (1/2): Entrance Examination (Part 2)

After that, the time passed to 3:00 AM.

The streets of Vylindros gradually emptied of pedestrians, but the registration office of the Magic Academy was working through the night.

The hall originally used to welcome new students had been temporarily sealed off. The marble floor was already damaged beyond repair, and the walls were in even worse shape.

If Vylindros Magic Academy wasn’t so well-established, with enough magic craftsmen, barrier engineers, and a few unfortunate students to summon on short notice, the entrance exams likely couldn’t have been held tomorrow.

Wei’erna stood in the center of the hall with a grim expression, head bowed, looking at a freshly delivered stack of repair progress reports.

“Only a little more than half repaired…”

He sighed quietly.

“At this rate, can we really open registration by 6:00?”

Ailuwei stood nearby, her ice-blue dragon tail hanging behind her, the tip occasionally swaying lightly. She glanced at the busy repair students, then at Wei’erna.

“If it can’t be fixed, just postpone it. Don’t torment yourself.”

“Easy for you to say.” Wei’erna turned to her. “Today is the freshman exam day. Who’s going to write the postponement announcement? Who’s going to confirm the adjusted exam venues? Who’s going to explain things to the examiners?”

Ailuwei paused.

“You.”

“That’s exactly why I don’t want to postpone!”

Sailafei leaned against a half-collapsed wall, arms crossed, looking utterly exasperated.

She watched Wei’erna, who looked on the verge of being crushed by paperwork, and her tone carried a mix of sympathy and schadenfreude.

“The president works so hard.”

“If you really think I work hard, come help me with these reports.”

“I take it back.”

Wei’erna couldn’t be bothered to argue with her. His gaze swept across the hall and suddenly remembered something.

“That blue-haired girl who was handling registration?”

He paused.

“I need to talk to her.”

The air grew subtly tense for a moment.

Sailafei looked at Ailuwei.

Ailuwei looked at a newly repaired lamppost.

From behind the lamppost, half a head poked out.

“Wh… what…”

The girl clutched a thick registry book, cautiously revealing her face from behind the lamppost.

Her hair was light blue with slightly curled ends, and she wore the uniform of a registration office clerk. From the earlier chaos, her sleeves were dusty, and a tuft of hair was sticking up on her forehead.

Wei’erna looked at her and gave a not-so-friendly smile.

“What do you think?”

“I… I don’t know…”

“You forced us into a fight with the Beast Sage.”

Wei’erna took a step forward.

“You got me lectured by the instructors.”

Another step.

“You turned the registration office into this mess.”

Another step.

“And now you want me to praise you? Hmm?”

The blue-haired girl instinctively backed away, her face growing paler.

“But you were the ones about to make a move first…”

Wei’erna turned to look at Sailafei and Ailuwei.

“I don’t recall us making a move, right?”

Sailafei nodded with practiced ease.

“No, we didn’t.”

Ailuwei thought for a moment, then nodded too.

“We just watched her.”

“See.” Wei’erna spread his hands. “We just had a very friendly discussion.”

“Who has a friendly discussion by surrounding someone…”

The girl’s voice grew quieter.

But Wei’erna continued.

“On the other hand, you. Without understanding the situation, you started shouting and even called a sage over. Do you think you’re completely unrelated to this mess now?”

“B-but you brought a wanted criminal in…”

“Don’t you think I can judge whether she’s a wanted criminal or not?”

Wei’erna narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Are you questioning the judgment of the student council president?”

“Alright, let’s hear your name.”

The girl took another step back, her back hitting the lamppost. She had nowhere left to hide.

“I… my name is Yina…”

“Yina, huh.”

Wei’erna nodded.

“Nice name.”

Yina breathed a sigh of relief, but then heard him continue.

“You don’t have to work at the registration office anymore.”

“Huh?!”

She panicked immediately.

“But… but if I leave, no one will be able to manage these files!”

Sailafei raised an eyebrow.

“What would happen?”

Yina hugged the registry book tighter, her voice trembling.

“My magic is Record Magic. The registration office’s identity files, exam numbers, temporary credentials, and portal registrations all rely on it. If I’m not here, today’s exam process will fall into chaos.”

Wei’erna frowned.

“A huge academy like this can’t find a second person who can use Record Magic?”

Sailafei looked a bit surprised.

“Is that magic really that niche?”

“Mm…” Yina shrank her shoulders. “Because most people who can use Record Magic have been transferred by the royal family.”

“Then why are you the only one left?”

Yina hesitated, then took out a golden token from inside her uniform.

The token was engraved with the Griffin emblem of the United Kingdom Royal Family, and faint sealing light patterns swirled around its edges.

“Because I was also sent down by the royal family.”

Wei’erna and Sailafei both fell silent.

Even Ailuwei’s tail stopped swaying.

Wei’erna looked at the token, his expression becoming quite complicated.

She was indeed one rank lower than him in position.

But the problem was, the person behind her seemed to be more than just one rank higher.

“I see.” Wei’erna said slowly. “So we have no choice but to keep you?”

Yina nodded timidly.

Wei’erna moved closer, his tone growing increasingly sarcastic.

“So, how about letting you be the president? Hmm?”

“Wah!”

Yina immediately slid away from the lamppost and agilely hid behind Ailuwei.

Wei’erna: “…”

“Pretty fast runner.”

Ailuwei looked down at Yina, who was hiding behind her.

Yina looked up at her, her eyes screaming “help.”

Ailuwei was silent for a moment, then reached out and patted her head.

The blue-haired girl froze.

After being patted, she visibly relaxed.

Ailuwei then patted her twice more.

Then she spoke flatly.

“I don’t think we need to replace her.”

Wei’erna looked at her with disbelief.

“Xiao Ai, how can you give in just from patting her head?”

“It’s not really giving in.” Ailuwei withdrew her hand. “This child was just following procedure. There were issues, sure, but it’s not serious enough to kick her out.”

Sailafei added quietly.

“Besides, replacing her might bring someone even more troublesome.”

Wei’erna stared at Yina, who was still cowering behind Ailuwei, for a few seconds. Finally, he sighed.

“Fine. Since that’s the case, I have nothing more to say.”

He pointed at Yina.

“Next time you have a question, ask me first. Don’t act on your own and start shouting. You’ve caused the student council a lot of trouble with what you did.”

Yina immediately nodded.

“I understand…”

Ailuwei gently tousled her hair again.

“Don’t do this again.”

“Mm…”

Wei’erna watched the scene and suddenly felt a bit unbalanced.

He stared at Ailuwei’s tail behind her.

“Next time, I’m grabbing your tail.”

Ailuwei’s pupils contracted slightly, and her tail instantly curled around to her front.

“Don’t do that… It’s very sensitive!”

Sailafei rested her chin on her hand and looked over.

“Seems interesting.”

“Don’t get any weird ideas!”

Ailuwei protected her tail, her tone carrying a rare hint of warning.

Wei’erna coughed lightly, as if to change the subject. He raised his hand and performed a simple divination.

Silver-white light patterns swirled around his fingertips, eventually forming a small ring of light.

“Since there’s nothing else to do for now, let’s check today’s fortune.”

The ring of light spun once and stopped in a direction indicating “not bad.”

Wei’erna raised an eyebrow.

“The fortune is good.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a girl with a monocle and a satchel entered from the door.

She looked around 16 years old, with short gray hair and a petite frame.

Her satchel was stuffed with various magic tools, and at her waist hung small wrenches, carving knives, and mana stones for repairs.

As soon as she entered, she scanned the damage in the hall and said flatly.

“This is in better shape than I expected. It can definitely be fixed by 6:00.”

Wei’erna breathed a sigh of relief.

“Good. Thank you for your hard work.”

The girl nodded, turned, and continued walking inside. After two steps, she stopped.

“Hey, you!”

She turned back to Wei’erna.

“Come help repair the hall.”

Wei’erna was taken aback.

“Me?”

“Yes.”

Wei’erna’s expression turned subtle. ‘This 16-year-old kid… why is she so pretentious?’

Yina quietly reminded him.

“Maybe… maybe it’s best not to talk back to her…”

Wei’erna turned.

“You know her?”

“Mm. Her name is Nuoyi. She’s an external staff member of the academy, sent by the royal family to improve relations.”

Sailafei frowned.

“How many people from the royal family do we have here?”

Yina answered quietly.

“She’s a sage trained by the royal family.”

Wei’erna: “A sage?”

“A Craftsman Sage, specializing in making magic tools.”

Wei’erna slowly looked at Nuoyi.

Nuoyi adjusted her monocle.

Then Wei’erna directly asked.

“So, how do we fix it?”

Nuoyi extended her hand, and a magic array appeared in it.

“Infuse your mana into my hand. I’ll handle the rest.”

And so, for the next three hours, the student council president gloriously became a fully automatic black organic farm implement.

Nuoyi stood in the center of the cracked hall, channeling mana into her staff. Golden magic arrays unfolded from her feet, spreading little by little across the broken floor.

Wei’erna stood beside her, his hand on her wrist, continuously channeling mana.

Ailuwei and Sailafei sat in the distance, watching Wei’erna working overtime.

Sailafei took a sip of hot tea.

“This is the first time I’ve felt glad I’m not the president.”

Ailuwei nodded.

“Yeah.”

Wei’erna: “I can hear you.”

No one responded.

***

Three hours later.

In a third-floor room at the Dream Travel Inn, Shalin gently pulled back the curtains.

The morning light streamed in through the window, falling across the bed. Qiu Meng was curled up in the blanket, hugging a pillow.

Shalin walked over to the bed, her voice gentle as she nudged Qiu Meng.

“Xiao Meng, time to get up.”

“Haaah…”

Qiu Meng opened her eyes with difficulty.

For a few seconds, she was dazed.

‘What’s going on… Why is Mom calling me to get up…’

She lifted her head and saw the book, suddenly remembering something.

She sat up, quickly recalling what she had memorized the night before. To her surprise, some of those magic theories she had hastily crammed into her brain had actually stuck.

Like the little bits about magic array closures and mana infusion angles.

And one spell definition she had no idea how to use but seemed to have memorized.

“Mm…”

Qiu Meng sat up and rubbed her eyes.

“Mom, what’s for breakfast?”

Shalin looked at her and smiled.

“Xiao Meng, we’re at the inn. Did you sleepwalk a little, sweetie?”

“Mm…”

Qiu Meng paused, then fully woke up.

“By the way, when is the exam?”

She asked while scrambling off the bed to get dressed in a fluster.

Shalin glanced at the time.

“Thirty minutes.”

Qiu Meng froze mid-action.

“Huh? Thirty minutes?!”

“It’s okay.” Shalin’s tone was light. “It only takes ten minutes to get to the academy. We’ll be fine.”

“Is that so…”

A few minutes later, Qiu Meng put on the leather gauntlet Shalin had modified for her, concealing the crossbow under her loose sleeve. She tucked a few spare bolts into her waist pouch. She looked in the mirror, took a deep breath.

‘Do your best… me!’

“Let’s go.” Shalin took her hand. “Eat first.”

When they reached the first floor, the Dream Travel Inn was already open for business.

Walter stood behind the counter, slowly drying a plate.

Today’s menu hung on the wall.

Charcoal-grilled lamb leg, salt-cured ham slices, herb-roasted chicken, iron-grilled venison steak, smoked fish fillets, bean and ham soup, creamy mushroom soup, berry pie…

Of course, there were also staples like oatmeal porridge and black rye bread.

Qiu Meng stared at the menu, her eyes gradually widening.

“Ooooh…”

This inn was really something.

At least, the food was promising.

Though the owner looked a bit intimidating.

“I have no idea what to get…”

Shalin smiled and asked.

“Nothing in particular you’re craving?”

“No… I just have choice paralysis…”

Shalin looked up at the counter.

“In that case, boss! Give us some recommendations~”

Walter turned around.

“Personally, I’d recommend the oatmeal porridge and the salt-cured ham slices, with some bread on the side. Good for breakfast.”

Shalin looked at Qiu Meng.

“What do you think, Xiao Meng?”

“Mm, sounds good to me.”

“Please take a seat. It’ll be ready shortly.”

Five minutes later, steaming oatmeal porridge, thinly and evenly sliced salt-cured ham, and a small piece of black rye bread slathered with butter were placed on the table.

Qiu Meng took a cautious sip.

Then her eyes lit up.

“Wow.”

The oatmeal was cooked soft but not sticky, and the faint blend of grain and milk was incredibly comforting.

The salt-cured ham was perfectly savory, pairing wonderfully with the sour and salty rye bread.

She finished breakfast quickly.

Checked the time.

Fifteen minutes left.

“Mm… should we head out now?”

Shalin nodded.

“Yes, let’s go.”

***

After leaving the inn, Qiu Meng took in the sights of the city around her.

Sunlight spilled over the canal, the water’s surface shimmering with ripples.

A small boat passed under a bridge, the boatman poling it along. The lantern at the bow was still lit, its blue magical light swaying in the morning mist.

The streets on both sides were already bustling. Students, merchants, laborers, couriers, and patrols in academy uniforms crossed paths.

Qiu Meng walked across the stone bridge, unable to resist taking a few more glances.

Last night, the city had felt unfamiliar.

Now, she finally felt a sense of reality.

This would be where she would live and study from now on.

She then looked up, gazing at the distant Magic Academy, nestled within a cluster of white buildings.

Behind the academy, many spires rose. Their blue tips shimmered with a cold light under the sun. The tallest, the Sage’s Tower, stood twice as high as the others, towering behind the academy like Big Ben in London.

Qiu Meng stopped.

That was the academy’s pinnacle.

The symbol of this city’s magical order.

She clenched the gauntlet hidden in her sleeve and let out a quiet breath.

“I won’t give up.”

Shalin gently patted her head.

“Then you have to work hard, Xiao Meng.”

“Mm!”