Episode 16: The Ice Dragon King
The entrance ceremony proceeded without a hitch. Once we were in line and had arrived, we were automatically guided to the venue. There’s no need to rush; that seemed to be the motto.
By the way, the principal did not make an appearance at the entrance ceremony. Most likely, she considered it a waste of time to bother with those who aren’t particularly interesting. In a way, she’s consistent.
The entrance ceremony concluded, and as we prepared to leave, a woman approached us from behind.
“Are you Xenon Lestinata-sama and Yuno-sama?”
When we turned around, there stood a woman with long silver hair that reached down to her waist and blue eyes. She was so strikingly beautiful it was almost eerie, and her expression remained completely emotionless, adding to her air of mystery.
“Hey, hey, hey, is this another invitation from a faction? Let me tell you, Xenon and I are best friends, so we understand everything. Xenon wants to be with me rather than a faction, right?”
“Don’t make up stories, acquaintance.”
“I’ve been demoted?!”
“Calm down. She’s not from that kind of group. …You’re the principal’s familiar, right?”
When I asked the woman, she showed a faint look of surprise and nodded.
“I see you’ve figured it out. I pride myself on being quite skilled at disguises.”
“What!? You mean you’re not human!?”
“Take a closer look. The flow and quality of her magic power are subtly different from that of a human. With magic circuits and individuality, it’s unlikely she’s a shikigami. Whether she tamed a magical creature or raised it from infancy… we don’t know for sure, but at the very least, I wouldn’t stand a chance against her, even if I did a handstand.”
“Seriously?”
Yuno looked at the woman with a mixture of fear and curiosity.
—She’s a monster.
I wish I could get praised for not showing any expression when I turned around. Both the total amount and the quality of her magic power are on a completely different level. If Nova’s magic power is like the deep sea, sinking deep down, then this woman’s magic is like boiling magma, thick and viscous, surging intensely.
I’m familiar with this woman. She’s the character just below the protagonist who taught, guided, and acted as a mentor at the academy. The principal, Nova Mist, raised her from an egg, and her true form is one of the pinnacle dragon species, the Ice Dragon King, Zero Mist.
Her title is as pretentious as mine.
…In the first place, I can’t beat a dragon that’s on a completely different level from a biological standpoint. At least, not right now.
Naturally, I won’t give up on thinking just because I can’t beat my opponent.
If I can’t win now, then one year later. And if I still can’t win, then two years later, I’ll just keep putting in relentless effort. There are no training methods that surpass effort.
Those who become strong on their own without any effort will never beat those who become strong through hard work.
However, while I was filled with such determination, there was a dragon watching me with great interest, but I didn’t notice.
“Hehe, I am Zero Mist. As Xenon-sama mentioned, I am the principal’s familiar. …By the way, when it comes to sensing magic power… does Xenon-sama have the skill for magic power detection?”
“No, I don’t have any skills. I simply enhance my eyes with magic power.”
“…You didn’t go blind, huh?”
“I’m confident in my ability to manipulate magic power.”
Zero sighed, seemingly exasperated. I tilted my head in response. I thought it was a common skill since most people in the anime did it… but is it different here? Well, it’s convenient, so I shouldn’t dwell on it too much. It’s not like I can change it now. I guess there are differences between the original and this world.
“Oh, I did it. Huh, so this is a magic circuit…”
“…”
As expected of the protagonist, I glimpsed a part of him. Yuno succeeded in enhancing his eyes with magic power without much trouble. In reality, he must have had the foundation of magic power manipulation taught by his mentor, who was a court magician. It’s not surprising that he can do it with ease.
“Now, what do you need?”
“Oh right. …You will both be taking an entrance exam.”
At that statement, Yuno and I exchanged glances.
“An exam? Certainly, under the early enrollment system, exams are exempted… but are you saying we have to take an exam at this point when our enrollment is already confirmed?”
“Yeah… I mean, I just found out yesterday, so I don’t really feel up for a paper test or anything…”
“Don’t worry. Your enrollment won’t be revoked based on these results, and it’s just a practical test.”
“Alright! If it’s practical, I’ve got this!”
Yuno, who had a weary expression until now, regained his energy upon hearing it’s a practical test and struck a fighting pose. He’s such a straightforward guy.
While Yuno is all fired up, I had a few concerns. Why are they testing us now? Yuno kept mentioning that he found out just yesterday. Does that mean…
“──That no one except the headmaster knows our abilities. The early enrollment system was likely decided solely by the headmaster’s judgement and bias. People like you, Yuno, were just told yesterday. In other words, this aptitude test is to determine if we really possess the correct abilities to be Royal Academy students. And although enrollment cannot be revoked once the headmaster selects you… the treatment afterward can be changed at will. It’s like a surprise attack.”
Enrollment cannot be revoked, that’s certain. The headmaster is that kind of person. With a word from her, all sorts of outrageous actions become permissible. However, for a Royal Academy that claims to uphold equality, it would be difficult for them to accept us who used the early enrollment system without testing our abilities. So, they intend to test us and see if we measure up. If we have the abilities suitable for Royal Academy students, they’ll accept us. But if not, they’ll lower our treatment, make things difficult for us, and push us to voluntarily withdraw from the academy. If there’s someone like Yuno who was forced into this due to circumstances beyond his control, it’s a real surprise attack. But objectively speaking, there might be no other choice.
Well, we just have to demonstrate our abilities. Evaluation always depends on others. This is just an opportunity to show the results of our efforts. Of course, I won’t hold back. Saying you don’t want to stand out and lowering your own evaluation is not permissible. Being unnoticed and having your abilities not properly recognized is more humiliating than anything else.
“…In simpler terms, that’s correct. You’re not at fault.”
Zero looked apologetic as she observed us. In response, Yuno punched both his fists together and grinned confidently. Despite his fragile appearance, his smile was full of vitality.
“Yeah, in the end, all we have to do is prove our abilities, right? So it’s easy. Bring on the tests, I say! No need to apologize! If anything, it’s a chance! To show our abilities to the teachers so soon!”
“That’s right. I don’t really mind either. If they evaluate our abilities correctly, there’s nothing to complain about.”
…I’m starting to look forward to this a bit. Since my defeat by Nova, I wonder how much stronger I’ve become. And what about Yuno’s strength? This test might be quite enjoyable after all.
ーーーーー
Author Note:
The progress is slow, I plan to accelerate the story from now on.
