"-20810 points! Amazing! Student Borval!!"
The announcer's voice rang out in excitement.
Borval had outperformed me by a huge margin.
"Wow..."
Borval's axe had cleaved through scarecrow's head, continuing through its body.
It was a sight showcasing the might of a barbarian warrior—or maybe, a barbarian wizard?
Regardless, his power was undeniable.
An unexpected talent had risen to the spotlight.
Borval, not a particularly distinguished student academically, nor notable in other activities, had been quietly sharpening his abilities.
And today was his day to shine.
The few spectators couldn't help but express surprise at this unexpected show of talent.
After propping up the scarecrow with his foot, Borval yanked out his axe, hoisted it onto his shoulder, and looked up.
His gaze landed on Astina.
With a look of challenge in his eyes, he left the square.
"Great job, Borval," I greeted Borval as he walked away.
"You, are you okay?"
"Well, I'm not dying."
"Use only as much as your body can handle. It could lead to big problems otherwise."
Borval gave me advice, perhaps knowing that I had used abilities beyond my limits.
Despite his rugged exterior, his words were caring.
"Thanks," I responded with a small smile.
Luna, standing next to me, also smiled at Borval.
"Hello! Great job!"
After a moment's stare at Luna, Borval turned to me.
"...Is she your girlfriend?"
"Excuse me?"
"Eh? What? Huh?"
Luna and I blinked in surprise at Borval's unexpected question.
"I think I'm getting in the way here. I'm going to see Professor Robert."
"No, it's not…"
But before we could correct him, Borval was gone.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})What were we supposed to do when he disappeared like that?
"Luna, he's not usually like that……."
I said, trying to dispel the awkwardness.
"Ye-yes, he seems nice!"
Luna stammered, flustered.
"Le-let's go check the scores! Wow! I, I'm excited! For the seniors' matches!"
As Luna tried to change the topic, I nodded.
"Ye-yeah, sure."
So we returned to checking the scores.
"Gi-girlfriend..."
Luna muttered, like a broken doll.
I could only respond with an awkward chuckle.
Astina, due to her role as the student council president, observed the assessment from a separate seat.
"Why is everyone acting so strangely during this assessment..." Astina frowned, murmuring to herself.
After Luna and Borval had completed their turn, both glanced her way.
The other students continued to showcase their abilities, each one more impressive than the last.
"In this situation, how am I supposed to control myself?"
Astina hadn't prepared for an assessment of this kind.
Truthfully, there was no need for her to flaunt her skills in a competition like this.
Her abilities were well-known within the academy, so there was no point in proving them again.
Furthermore, a good performance wouldn't enhance her reputation—she had already claimed the position of successor and was also the student council president.
Her status was as high as it could possibly be.
"-Astina Persia, please step forward."
"Ugh…"
Astina let out a sigh as she walked onto the square.
The first-year students and Borval had set the bar incredibly high with their impressive abilities.
The audience had high expectations for her assessment.
Astina took her place and whispered to herself.
"I suppose I need to meet their expectations."
Meeting expectations was also part of her role.
"Astina Persia. Let's begin."
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})With that, Astina extended her hand towards the scarecrow.
Her mana began to fluctuate.
The air started to vibrate in response to her immense mana.
"Gravity," Astina murmured, directing her mana.
-Crack!
A strange sound resonated from the scarecrow, reminiscent of a death knell.
"What…"
The spectators watched, mouths agape.
The scarecrow had been crushed as if it were made of tin.
Her magic was not as flashy as Rie's, not as shocking as Borval's or Rudy's, and not as unique as Evan's.
She had simply crumpled the scarecrow.
That was all.
It was a brief spell, seemingly mocking the extravagant spells of others.
It also demonstrated what could happen when Luna's Gravity spell was used correctly.
-Astina Persia… 42100 points…
It was pure, overwhelming power.
Astina's assessment met everyone's high expectations.
It demonstrated who was the strongest and most exceptional individual in the academy at that moment.
That evening, the professors who had placed bets met in Professor Cromwell's lab.
Sitting quietly, sipping their tea, no one spoke a word.
The room was as serene as a still lake.
"…So who won?"
Professor Jackson was the first to disrupt the peace.
"Obviously, it's Rudy Astria. Weren't we betting on who would rank first in the assessment?"
Professor Robert said with a smirk.
"But, considering grades, Evan is at the top," Cromwell pointed out, staring at Robert.
"Weren't we just basing this on the assessment?"
"But the assessment determines the grades."
Tension sparked between Robert and Cromwell.
Professor Jackson quietly interjected at that point.
"But… didn't Evan actually rank lower than our Locke?"
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})Upon hearing Jackson's remark, McGuire smacked him on the back of his head.
"You be quiet. This is all because of you."
"Ugh…"
The full story was this:
Professor Jackson had been blabbering about the bet to other professors.
Consequently, the professor in charge of the assessment, half jokingly and half seriously, separated the assessment and the grades.
He awarded Evan the highest grades and Rudy the top assessment score.
So, the bet became muddled.
What started as a light-hearted wager had evolved into a significant matter for the professors, who prided themselves on their students.
These professors, who devoted their free time to research and did not mind being on duty, could just stay within the academy and focus on their research.
But this was a question of pride.
When on a duty shift, how much teasing would they receive from other professors?
"You don't care about your students," or "You should have better trained your disciple."
Rather than hearing such remarks, professors would rather bite their tongues.
Professor Robert spoke with a smirk.
"By the assessment, Rudy Astria was first. However, that oddball managed to get top grades using some strange technique."
At this, Professor Cromwell chuckled.
"That's because there was a flaw in the assessment, as the overseeing professor admitted."
Just as it seemed the bet would reach no resolution, Professor Jackson voiced his frustration.
"Argh! Let's have a rematch!"
"That sounds like a great plan, Jackson."
McGuire clapped as if he had made an extraordinary discovery.
At this, both Robert and Cromwell looked flabbergasted.
"That's ridiculous."
"If you're going to say that, we two will decide it, so you both can leave."
"Hmph."
Cowed by the firm words of Professors Cromwell and Robert, the pair fell silent.
After contemplating for a moment, Professor McGuire proposed.
"So, you're saying either of them could have been first if they had been evaluated properly?"
"Of course."
"Obviously."
At their confirmation, Professor McGuire chuckled.
"Then let's determine the winner based on the higher score in the joint first and second-year practical. That seems fair, right? Besides, Cromwell and I will oversee that assessment to ensure there are no mishaps."
At McGuire's suggestion, Cromwell laughed.
"That's an excellent idea."
"I agree."
Robert also rose from his seat, voicing his agreement.
"Then let's go with that."
While the professors were having such a conversation......
"Haah..."
In her room, Rie sighed.
She was deep in thought, absentmindedly twirling a pen on her desk.
The performances of Luna and Rudy, who scored higher than her, echoed in her mind.
The pair had displayed an overwhelming mastery among the first-year students.
They seemed to have grown tremendously over the break.
"No.... That was just a simple assessment."
Rie spoke, hier gaze cast downward.
She thought this assessment was really nothing.
It didn't provide a proper evaluation of an individual but scrutinized a single skill.
Therefore, she reasoned, her low grade didn't reflect her true capabilities.
Really, she didn't know what to do when she saw the others who were running ahead of her.
Rie had been diligent in her own way.
She summoned elementals, and her study of magic remained consistent.
Yet, despite her efforts, it seemed as though the others were outpacing her.
This unfamiliar situation was very confusing for Rie.
"That's right, I didn't make a mistake."
She didn't lose.
She was merely adopting a different approach.
All she has to do is prove it in a proper assessment.
Rie clenched her fist resolutely.
Picking up her calendar, she drew a bear's face on the date of the joint first and second-year practical.
It meant it was very important.
Rie's eyes burned with determination.
