Chapter 6 : After the entrance exam is over

The entrance exam was over.

Though it was called an exam, it was ultimately meant to assess abilities and assign classes before admission. So, unless they were among the few caught cheating, everyone would meet again as freshmen.

Looking back, it seemed I may have gone a bit overboard. Of course, since I ended up possessing this body, I intended to do as I pleased and go as far as I could, but perhaps I got a little too excited when I defeated all the freshmen in the practical test.

It was already done, so there was no point in regretting it. But I was still pondering how to handle the attention I’d receive from now on. Even though my abilities were currently above average, it wouldn’t be long before I become average—and eventually, I might even fall behind. I needed to find a way to keep up.

“What are you thinking about so deeply?”

At that moment, Seria, who had been walking in front of me, turned around and asked.

That’s right. I was being dragged along without any resistance, after she found me immediately following the practical exam and said, “Follow me.” I couldn’t exactly talk to her since she was purposefully avoiding eye contact, leading the way. So, as I trailed behind her, I ended up reflecting on the situation.

“Well… I think I got a bit too excited.”

“That might be true. But setting a record in the academy’s history isn’t a bad thing, is it?”

‘You don’t understand my struggles… Unlike you, who will grow to be the strongest in this world, it’ll be a challenge just for this extra character to survive in the academy.’

But since Seria didn’t know that, I just laughed it off. Well, what’s done is done.

From our brief exchange, I could tell she wasn’t angry anymore, so I decided to ask the question that had been on my mind.

“By the way, where are we going?”

“The lounge. The supervisor who treated me asked me to bring you.”

The supervisor wanted me brought to them? No wonder we were heading in the opposite direction.

I thought we were taking a detour to avoid the crowd and would eventually exit, but it turned out we were just heading deeper inside.

“We’re here. She should be waiting, so let’s go in.”

We arrived at the lounge. When I opened the door and entered, a warm atmosphere greeted us. There was a soothing scent that felt calming, giving it the vibe of an infirmary.

Well, it was called a lounge, but since it treated students injured or unwell from duels, it was closer to an infirmary.

Inside, there was a single table and several beds lined up for the injured, though only one bed was occupied. The others were empty.

Well, that made sense. I handled everyone carefully, ensuring no one got hurt.

Lilith’s was an exception, as she collapsed from exhausting herself in a solo frenzy. As for Seria—sorry again. Should I bow once more?

“You brought him? Both of you, take a seat here.”

The supervisor… or should I just call her a professor now that the exam was over?

At her invitation, I couldn’t bow my head again, so I walked to the opposite side and sat down.

“Do you like coffee?”

“I can drink anything.”

“I’m fine, thank you.”

Seria wasn’t too fond of coffee. If she had to drink something in a setting like this, she usually preferred tea.

In the end, neither of us was a fan, so if anyone wanted to offer us something we’d enjoy, milk or strawberry juice would do.

Of course, coffee or tea was the usual fare in such settings, so it couldn’t be helped.

On the table, two cups of coffee, a glass of water, and some simple snacks were laid out. The professor, who had called me here, took a sip of coffee before speaking.

“Let me introduce myself first. I’m Reina Trier, a professor at Lubetia Academy.”

The Trier family—a distinguished line of healers who inherit healing traits.

To the point that even Lubetia couldn’t treat the Trier family lightly. This alone showed the high status of the Trier family.

Since I’d known this from the beginning, I simply nodded, but Seria, in a slightly excited tone, expressed her surprise.

“Oh…! No wonder you looked familiar—you’re from the Trier family!”

“There’s no need for such grand titles. Just call me Professor Reina, without worrying about family names.”

“Yes, Professor Reina.”

The academy’s classic policy—regardless of status, everyone would be treated equally.

Of course, it couldn’t completely prevent implicit discrimination among students, but at least it stopped the academy from falling entirely into a hierarchy of power.

Thanks to that, those of very high status… I suppose there’s no point in hiding it, considering the academy’s name is Lubetia.

In this place, even Princess Seria Lubetia could be “Seria” rather than “Lubetia.”

Moreover, the Trier family was technically a ducal family with influence that rivaled the royal family, so it wasn’t uncomfortable for the two of them to interact casually.

“I remember that time. When you were in diapers, I visited, and you grabbed my finger.”

“I don’t remember that at all. But, um… could we avoid mentioning diapers with Rudion here?”

“Getting all embarrassed now.”

It was clear just how comfortable they were with each other if they could discuss things like that so freely.

The scene of two people, who usually only knew each other through family alliances, talking as equals made them look like sisters.

As I quietly sipped my coffee, not wanting to interrupt their lively conversation, Professor Reina noticed my presence and turned her gaze towards me.

“By the way… Rudion?”

“Yes?”

“How can you remain so calm?”

She looked at me as if she’d seen something extraordinary.

Well, seeing the princess of Lubetia and a lady of the Trier family conversing casually would make most nobles tremble to the point that they couldn’t even hold a coffee cup.

And here I was—a commoner—sitting before a princess and a duke’s daughter without batting an eye. Even with the academy’s policy of equality, it must have been jarring for the professor.

But from my perspective, I didn’t have much to say. I couldn’t exactly blurt out, “I’m a possessor, so I already know all this.”

So, I just made a vague response.

“Oh, well… I just don’t let things like that bother me.”

“Hmm, I could say a lot here, but I think it’d be a waste of words.”

Good thinking. I wouldn’t know how to explain it anyway.

For some reason, my nonchalant response seemed to amuse Seria, who turned the conversation toward me with a smile.

“With abilities like yours, isn’t this kind of confidence only natural? The royal family will probably want to keep you close someday, so it’d be a problem if you were too timid.”

“I agree. Even with all I’ve seen, you surprised me.”

“Exactly. When you knew my name and treated me like this, I was initially taken aback, but now I think I understand…”

“Glad it was only one person. Imagining more people like him is a bit nerve-wracking.”

“True.”

Excuse me, ladies? Are you subtly dissing me?

Girl talk is scary. They compliment you only to naturally shift into some backhanded gossip.

Their conversation continued for quite a while, finally ending when all the cups on the table were empty.

“Phew. That was a pleasant chat. Honestly, most professors and students are hesitant to talk to me.”

Professor Reina said this as she cleared the empty teacups and sat back down.

Finally, we were getting to the main point.

“Aren’t you curious why I called you here?”

“Of course. By now, everyone must be preparing for tomorrow’s entrance ceremony.”

“It’s nothing major. I just… want you to head to the student council with Seria.”

“Excuse me?”

The student council? I haven’t even had the entrance ceremony yet, so why would I go to the student council?

“When a professor tells you to go, you just go and say, ‘Yes, ma’am.’ You should take after Seria.”

“But Seria’s situation is different. She’s a princess, and I’m a commoner.”

“By that logic, you’re also a one-man army…”

True enough. I accepted that.

“So, I’ll find out why you called me once I talk to the student council, right?”

“Now you’re talking. Yes.”

In the end, I found myself going with Seria to the student council, which she was supposed to visit alone.

Though I already knew the reason, there was no need to reveal that.

Since there was no point in lingering here, I left for the student council room with Seria right away.

The lounge where Rudion and Seria had just left became quiet, a silence settling in the space that had been filled with conversation. Then, the only person lying on a bed in the room opened her eyes.

“Ah…”

“You’re awake? Magic exhaustion has lingering effects, so you probably won’t be able to move right away. You’ll need to rest for a while.”

“Uh… where am I?”

“This is the lounge where people who get hurt or exhausted during the practical exam come to rest. You’re the second and last guest here today.”

“The exam…”

“It ended long ago. Don’t worry. You showed enough skill to be assigned to an advanced class.”

Lilith wasn’t sure whether to feel pleased or to be horrified by the man’s skill, knowing she hadn’t even come close to touching him, even at an advanced level.

Yes, that man… Rudion. What happened to him? She’d gone all out to the point of fainting, so maybe he’d gotten a little tired?

“Rudion? He didn’t leave the training hall until the end of the exam. He didn’t seem tired at all. It was strange—he didn’t even seem to be managing his stamina.”

Not tired at all? How could that be? He’d probably already fought dozens of battles before hers.

She knew she wasn’t at the top level. While she’d been lucky enough to awaken, before that, she’d only known a few basic self-defense techniques, like a typical princess.

Still, she hadn’t expected to feel such helplessness in a simple entrance exam.

‘The world truly is vast. I made the right choice coming to the academy.’

She wasn’t disheartened by the wall in front of her. After all, her goal was to gain enough power to take revenge on the Demon King’s army. Rather, she set that wall as her new target.

Someday, she would possess the strength to overpower everyone—just like the man who had humiliated her.

Though she unknowingly raised her standards to a level far beyond the original story, Lilith was unaware of that.

‘…But come to think of it, I did go on and on, talking as if I’d surely win against someone like him with my so-called sorcery.’

Her face grew hot. If she could go back, she wouldn’t have acted so cocky.

The truth was, after awakening as a saintess, she had only studied divine power superficially.

And that superficial knowledge became a problem.

The Dunning-Kruger effect… isn’t it often called the “peak of stupidity?” Those with shallow knowledge often lack humility and become arrogant, and Lilith had fallen into that exact trap.

Realizing her foolish words, Lilith wanted to kick her blanket in frustration, but her body didn’t respond as she wished due to the aftereffects of magic exhaustion.

All she could do was twitch slightly.

Seeing Lilith’s sudden fidgeting, Reina chuckled softly.

“Getting embarrassed now, are we? Go ahead and feel as embarrassed as you like. It’s all part of the experience.”

Reina chuckled as if amused by the cute sight, but Lilith’s shame only deepened, and she twitched more vigorously.

Leaving Lilith to her fidgeting, Reina poured herself another cup of coffee and returned to the table to enjoy a moment of peace.

Normally, this place would be bustling for hours, filled with students coming in with minor and major injuries. But this exam was different.

And that was thanks to one very special student who took part in this entrance exam—Rudion.

“I got to enjoy a quiet overtime shift thanks to him. I should ask if he’s interested in becoming my direct disciple next time.”

Had Rudion heard that, he would have responded, “You’re casually saying something terrifying.” But, having long since left, there was no way for him to know about Professor Reina’s ominous selection.