-chapter 72-
“Rain, did you see?! Did you see my magic?!”
Meeting with Kasena again had come after all the morning events of the final exam had concluded.
“Yes. You did well for a young lady.”
“What do you mean ‘for a young lady’?!”
Having sold a total of 19 scrolls, Kasena would likely secure a mid-tier or lower-mid-tier ranking in the final exam.
Generally, a cadet takes about 3-4 minutes to draw the magic circle on a scroll; regardless of how many spells there are, if they cannot draw the circle quickly, it serves no purpose.
Thus, unlike higher-ranking cadets, ordinary cadets had only 10 scrolls provided to them, with additional ones brought by the teaching assistants upon request.
‘Given that Kasena isn’t well-versed in rapidly sketching magic circles, drawing 19 is an impressive feat.’
Kasena couldn’t utilize multi-tasking like me.
“Did you teach her how to use double runes?”
Just then, Madelia Page came up behind me and asked.
“Don’t deny that you’re trying to praise my daughter. It’s clear even without seeing it.”
“Well… I just gave her a hint. The answer was found by the young lady herself.”
“No, no! You’re really amazing, Rain Ludwig! I don’t even know how many times I’m shocked.”
At her awkward praise, the two girls nodded their heads with satisfied smiles.
“It’s true, Rain is amazing!”
“Did you finally realize how great my brother is?”
Kasena and Seri.
Why are you two making such expressions? Did you receive any praise?
“It’s been a while, Madelia-senpai.”
As I opened my eyes wide in disbelief, I heard a kind voice. It was Brim Ludwig, holding Bran Ludwig, who was dozing off in her arms.
“Should I now call you ‘Your Grace’?”
That made Madelia’s face break into a radiant smile.
“You can call me however you want, just like before.”
Brim had always shared the top spots with Kaivan Ludwig, having a deep bond with her promising juniors in the student council.
When I heard that they were getting married, I was honestly astonished… maybe I was a bit envious.
As Madelia brushed her hair that danced in the wind while watching Kasena and Seri, who were clinging to Rain and loudly chirping, she sighed.
“The youthful days like those have now dimmed, and now we are at the age where we watch our daughter and son grow up. How relentless time is.”
Thinking of the splendid past I dearly missed, Madelia let out a faint laugh, and Brim smiled back warmly.
“That’s nice.”
“What do you mean?”
“Seeing your face smile like that. It feels like this hasn’t happened in such a long time.”
My smile…?
Startled, Madelia glanced at Brim in surprise, then let out a chuckle and nodded in acknowledgment.
“Yeah, since my son came to my side, I don’t think I’ve had a day without smiling.”
“Is that so?”
“Therefore, I feel quite regretful. After graduation, even if I want to keep him close…”
As Madelia mumbled that, a brilliant idea seemed to hit her, and she clapped her hands together.
“No, wait! How about we arrange an engagement between Kasena and Rain?”
The shockwave of that sudden bombshell left the eyes of everyone present, both Page and Ludwig members, rather wide-eyed.
“Senpai?! Did I just hear something wrong?”
“You heard everything correctly! Kasena is a Page. Marrying her into the Ludwig family wouldn’t be lacking in status, unless we were ahead of them.”
“Well, that’s true…”
“And her looks take after me, so she’s perfect for a bride.”
Then, the gaze suddenly turned toward Rain Ludwig.
“What do you think, Rain? How do you feel about my daughter?”
What in the world…?
Marriage? I was so incredulous that I couldn’t even find the words to express it. We had never even discussed marriage during our time as children.
Thinking that Rain was hesitating, Seri jumped in.
“B-but! Rain is only sixteen years old!”
“Age means nothing. Your parents began dating in junior high school and had a wedding right after graduation.”
“Um, ugh!”
Citing the parents’ case effectively rendered Seri speechless.
Looking for help, she glanced toward her mother, but Brim was also baffled and speechless.
Having lightly dispatched one adversary, Madelia looked back at Kasena.
“Since you’re quiet, does that mean you also agree to a wedding with Rain?”
At this rate, there would be no need to tiptoe around this absurd proposal; it would be voided.
Kasena did not particularly seem to like me.
She always was so screechy all the time… The real power behind the Page family’s decision-making was Kasena, so the moment the young lady says ‘no’, it’s all over.
“…”
But something felt off.
Normally clamorous Kasena was quietly staring this way with a slightly flushed face while pursing her lips, as if gauging me. Was something wrong?
“Rain Ludwig, cadet?”
The peculiar situation, with no clear starting point, was cut short by a third party—the teaching assistant from .
“The first match of the main tournament is about to begin. Since Rain Ludwig is number 1, please come to the office right now.”
Ah, now that I think about it, the top cadets are always assigned the first position in the main event.
Feeling a mix of bittersweet emotions while I glanced back at Madelia and a relieved sigh escaped from Seri, I lightly bowed to my mother and followed the assistant.
As I was about to leave, Brim unexpectedly threw a question.
“Rain, how’s school life treating you?”
School life? At that inquiry, countless events flashed through my mind, from the entrance exams to today’s final exam preliminaries.
“I really thought there wouldn’t be anything to learn once I came here.”
Every day feels new. The student council activities are either new experiences or a learning curve, but above all, the most profound insights come with the exams.
“After coming, I’ve found it kind of fun.”
My life in school teaches me that there are still many things to learn, and I feel reassured as it tells me I can ascend further up.
“If I had to rate it, I’d say it’s, hmmm, not bad.”
At my offhanded smile, Brim returned my expression with an uplifting sense of pride.
“I’m relieved to hear that.”
* * *
A cold wind more fitting for winter than summer rustled the leaves in the forest, and the eerie sound was pierced by two footsteps.
“Yeah, I should have given up earlier. There’s no one who can run away once spotted by me.”
The extraordinary woman of the Special Operations Department, Tirintid, loosened her wrist before advancing forward. Behind her, the mustached man, Lunen, cast a large barrier across the area.
The huge barrier was created so fast and extensively that one could hardly help but feel overwhelmed, shivered, or terrified.
However, that was only true, should the opponent not be this man.
“Run away? Me, Libadin?”
The man standing at the center of the forest clearing burst out laughing as he pulled down the deeply shadowed hood. Tirintid and Lunen flinched.
‘That face…’
‘What is that? He seems familiar…’
Despite having a rather unremarkable face, it felt odd. Was he someone I’d seen somewhere before…?
“You little mice, I just lured you out of the city. So I can kill you comfortably.”
“Lure? Don’t joke with me. Do you not know who I am?”
Lunen might’ve not known, but Tirintid’s name had spread widely among dark magicians for her notoriety.
“Ehehe, my initial thought was to kill you from the moment you followed me. But a timid rat wouldn’t stop whining about not causing a ruckus in the city.”
As Libadin suddenly cast off the cloak he was wearing, he revealed two metal rods from his side.
One was simply long, while the other was longer but ended in a twisted crow shape.
They were two detachable weapons.
As Libadin united those metal rods into one and took a stance, an inexplicable sense of intimidation swept across the two mages of Special Operations.
“Senpai, I’m not sure we can capture him safely.”
“I agree. Should we check what he knows about why Rain Ludwig is being targeted?”
Then Libadin’s face twisted into a horrifying grin, and two dark blue lights flickered from his eyes.
“Your young lord is my sister’s enemy.”
Sister’s enemy?
What nonsense is that…?
“See? These lunatic practitioners of dark magic never make sense! Lunen, you take the left side!”
As Tirintid messily laid her long hair in a loose bun, the moment she formed a magic circle, the woods erupted in violent explosions.
* * *
The first theme of the main tournament, determined by drawing lots, was [Magic Combat].
“Hooh, magic warfare, huh…”
The deputy head of the Chaihak School rubbed his chin slightly, intrigued.
“It might appear to be a violent evaluation method, but nothing reveals one’s true skills as transparently as magic warfare.”
Logan and Illyn, seated right beside the deputy head, nodded along.
“Indeed! The vital aptitudes required of magicians emerge starkly during combat!”
The speed of casting spells, ability to tackle variables, and uniqueness of the magic… In that moment, a massive shadow loomed over the deputy head’s expression.
“It’s been ages since I last saw you, old man deputy head.”
As the deputy head’s eyes narrowed upon the sudden dark figure, the upper body of that shadow surged dramatically in a wave, their clothes ripping apart to reveal bulging muscles.
Immediately the deputy head tensed, and an enormous mass of muscle burst forth, tearing the clothing on its own.
“Whoa, whoa!”
Logan and Illyn, eyes sparkling with envy, pinned their gazes on the muscularity that revealed itself underneath the sunlight.
“Phew! Only true magicians can exchange such muscle salutes!”
“Words cannot express how moved I am!”
Regardless of how the younger students reacted, the two muscle-bound men were fixated on measuring each other’s muscles before finally engaging in an earnest handshake.
“Your muscles are still magnificent, Owen. You certainly deserve to be regarded as the next head of the school.”
“Old man, how is it possible you still have such impressive muscles at your age?”
Those surrounding them pondered, What on earth are these crazy people doing…? despite being enthralled.
However, Professor Owen took a seat next to the deputy head.
“Did you hear that?”
“Rain Ludwig?”
“Could it be anyone else?”
The moment that name escaped someone’s mouth, both the east and west doors burst open simultaneously, unleashing roaring cheers.
“It’s here!”
“Rain Ludwig! We’re counting on you!”
From the east door, a dark-haired handsome young man walked in confidently, and from the west, a brunette beauty named Nora Ledon danced gracefully into view.
“Nora Ledon.”
The deputy head of Chaihak crossed his arms while regarding his competing scholar with a discerning gaze.
“Nora made her mark among the Melrev school as a bright talent, having shown violent abilities since her childhood.”
Melrev’s vision evidently focused on dark magic, channeling the energies of life into death as a controlling force.
“It would not be an exaggeration to say she specializes in bloodshed magic…”
Hmm, I must wonder how the successor of Ludwig intends to face her.
“What does the eyes of the deputy think? Who do you think will win today?”
Logan’s face morphed into a momentary frown as he straightened his back, being torn between supporting Rain versus the consideration of going against the violent magician.
“While Rain Ludwig is undeniably strong, honestly, I’m uncertain about this battle!”
“Uncertain? What are you implying?”
“Melrev’s school is notorious… It seems utterly unfair towards Rain!”
While that conversation played out, the two contestants who would conclude the first round stood at their respective positions.
“Ugh, I’m so sorry! What should I do?!”
“Hmm?”
“Being the top cadet and all, isn’t it just humiliating to get eliminated right from the very first match in front of so many people?”
“Me? Why would I?”
“Because of me.”
“Because of you? Honestly, I don’t believe that’s even possible.”
Nora leaned near enough for her breath to reach Rain’s ear, whispering secrets.
“Did you know? The magic studied with the intent to conquer is fundamentally different from that which was researched to kill.”
“Oh, I know that quite well.”
“Then you would certainly know this too!”
Bringing her face closer to Rain, she whispered, “The naïve son of a duke who only knows how to imitate a mere ‘magic’ can never beat me no matter what!”
At that, Rain lightly swung the staff he had been holding while chuckling.
“What’s so funny?”
“I’ve been going up against those who specialize in bloodshed magic since childhood.”
That absurd statement made Nora’s previously cheeky grin slightly falter.
However, it was the truth, long ago…
“And I knocked them all out.”
Except for one lone loser.
I didn’t even know who that one loser was.
“So I can assure you, I don’t feel the slightest worry about losing to you.”
As Rain nodded, Nora’s gaze coldly flickered as her smile disappeared for a fleeting moment, revealing a chilling expression.
“…”
Just as Chief Professor Marhena nodded, Professor Kyle announced through a loudspeaker.
[Now, let the magic combat begin between the top cadet Rain Ludwig and the third cadet Nora Ledon!]
