Entrance Exam (1)

Ian had many reasons for entering the Sword Dragon Hall.

First, and most obvious, was to protect Yuria.

To reliably guard Yuria from the assassination attempts and numerous terrorist attacks that were sure to come, Ian also needed to enter the Sword Dragon Hall alongside her.

And if possible, he wanted to create as many memories as he could by her side during her childhood.

In her previous life, Yuria had apparently been too busy just trying to survive at this age and hadn't been able to make any memories at all.

Whenever she spoke about her childhood, it was always stories about living underground or nearly dying.

Watching her speak of such things as if they were fond memories, to be honest, made his heart ache.

'If I'm going to protect Yuria and also give her good memories, I'll have to move as if I had two bodies. It won't be easy, but I must do it.'

His second goal was the rewards offered by the Sword Dragon Hall.

In particular, his aim was the top ranker's reward.

'The top reward is known for being a treasure even Swordmasters would covet.'

There were incredibly expensive elixirs that even the king of a nation would struggle to obtain.

Or ultra-high-grade magical artifacts whose workings even current tower lords could not clearly analyze.

Rare materials that even world-renowned master blacksmiths might have only touched a handful of times.

Secret martial arts manuals that even the houseguests of Hisperion would drool over.

Other prizes included famed swords, legendary armor, jewels housing high-ranked spirits, treasure maps promising instant riches, entry permits for the family's mana spots, and so on...

'Whatever I receive, it'll be a tremendous help for my growth.'

Since Ian possessed the Authority of Projection, if he copied those rare rewards, he could use them a hundred times more effectively than anyone else.

Even with just one top reward, he would achieve incredible growth.

If he were to monopolize all the top rewards, just how strong would he be by the time he graduated from the Sword Dragon Hall...?

'Perhaps I could even make it into the world's top 100 immediately after graduation.'

If an ordinary person had spoken those words, it would have been mere delusion.

However, to Ian, it didn't seem that impossible.

'No matter where you look in the world, there isn't a place as safe or as conducive to rapid growth as the Sword Dragon Hall.'

And lastly, the third reason was gaining ownership of Vladiark.

'The sword gained in the Sword Selection Ceremony is only officially recognized as mine after graduation from the Hall.'

For now, it was only temporary ownership.

Only by graduating from the Hall and becoming an official swordsman of Hisperion could he fully own the sword obtained in the Sword Selection Ceremony.

If he failed to officially become a swordsman by any means, he would have to return the sword to Hisperion without question.

Of course, since he was now on friendly terms with the Heavenly Sword Lord, even if he didn't graduate, it didn't seem likely that Vladiark would be taken away from him. But the law of Hisperion was clear.

Legendary swords from the Sword Selection Ceremony were solely for the official swordsmen of Hisperion.

There was no reason to freely distribute such legendary swords from the Bladelake to swordsmen not belonging to Hisperion.

'Let's organize my goals. So I don't lose my way halfway.'

First, protect Yuria in the Sword Dragon Hall.

Second, monopolize the top rewards and grow rapidly.

Third, graduate and legally secure ownership of Vladiark.

And, a fourth goal that just now came to mind—

Grow stronger together with Sophia.

'In that case, what I need to do right now is—'

As soon as he entered the Hall, he would have to take the entrance examination.

He had to pass it as the top candidate and claim the top reward.

'I wonder what the reward will be.'

In his previous life, according to what he'd heard from Yuria, the reward was a fire-attribute elixir imbued with flames.

'A fire-attribute elixir isn't bad. After all, nothing beats the fire attribute for burning away the impurities plugging up the bloodline.'

Breaking through the stagnant ki blocking the bloodline would greatly aid his progression in aura mastery.

Would a fire-attribute elixir be the reward again, just as in his previous life?

He'd have to check for himself to know the answer.

But more than anything, what he looked forward to was daily life together with Yuria.

Living and training with Yuria in the Hall, building childhood memories together.

'In my previous life, this was something I could only ever imagine... I can't believe it's actually become reality like this.'

With a spring in his step, as if he had wings, Ian strode briskly toward the Sword Dragon Hall.

* * *

The rooftop of the Sword Dragon Hall dormitory.

"There, I see them!"

Charlotte leaned over the railing, pointing her finger into the distance.

Visible at the tip of her finger were the new trainees, working hard to climb the Hall's tall stairs.

Among them, a gray-haired boy—Ian Greysel—could be seen.

"That gray-haired boy! He's Ian Greysel."

"Yes, I see him well. He looks like a gigolo."

Standing next to Charlotte was the mage in charge of this entrance examination.

He was a veteran in the Heavenly Tower under Hisperion, though he was merely at the 4th-circle and in his mid-to-late forties.

"The hair color is enough to tell at a glance that he's a Greysel kid."

"Right. Keep your eyes on him—he's the target for this exam."

Target.

Charlotte referred to Ian as the target.

"Yes, of course. As you said, miss, I just need to knock that kid out during the entrance exam, right?"

Charlotte was conspiring to use the examination mage to make Ian Greysel fail the exam.

"That's right. Make sure he fails in a way that makes him look as useless as possible."

If Ian put on a pitiful display during this exam, even her father, the Heavenly Sword Lord, would probably lose interest in him a bit.

If it happened a few more times, he would become completely indifferent.

Then the punishment Charlotte received because of him would disappear.

He wouldn't let his daughter rot in such a dismal place because of some nobody.

"But don't make it too obvious. Understand?"

Her father still had keen interest and favor toward Ian.

If this plot were exposed, she'd face a level of punishment that would be irreversible.

She might even have her tongue paralyzed for a while, unable to speak.

"Ugh..."

Unable to help herself, Charlotte shivered at the foreboding thought.

"No matter how many times I say it, it's not enough. Making Ian fail is important, but making sure our plan isn't found out is just as important. Got it?"

"No problem. I'll take care of it for sure."

The mage, Alberto, who was colluding in Charlotte's plot, was confident.

He'd designed this entrance exam himself, and the administration was entirely his responsibility.

If he subtly tweaked the challenges, what could be so hard about making a mere boy fail?

"Good."

Charlotte smiled in satisfaction at Alberto's display of confidence.

It was a smile full of the pride and hubris of a fifteen-year-old.

"If this all goes well, I'll secure you a better position at the Heavenly Tower."

Though Charlotte had her assets confiscated as punishment, she hadn't yet lost all her allies.

No matter how penniless she seemed, a direct descendant of Hisperion was still a direct descendant.

Charlotte was among the more talented of the direct line, and also generous with rewards, so she naturally attracted followers.

If she remained penniless, even those supporters would disappear eventually, but for now, she still held considerable power.

And among those supporters was the vice-tower lord's faction in the Heavenly Tower.

Charlotte's massive donations of gems and magic stones had earned her the vice-tower lord's support.

The vice-tower lord was a high-ranking mage at the 6th-circle and held an important post, so it was plenty to promise Alberto advancement.

"Do a good job."

"It's an honor to serve you, miss Charlotte."

Alberto bowed his head and smiled obsequiously.

For Alberto, who was already worried about being forced to retire because of his age, Charlotte's offer was almost too good to be true.

"But."

Charlotte's voice suddenly turned as cold as a winter wind.

"If you fail, you know what happens, right?"

"...?"

For a moment, the air was thick with chill, and Alberto glanced nervously at Charlotte.

"... Gasp!"

Charlotte gazed down at Alberto, her eyes gleaming with murderous intent.

― Gulp!

He swallowed involuntarily.

"O-of course."

All opportunities come with risks.

If Alberto failed this time, not only would he lose all status in the Tower, he'd probably be forced to retire this very year.

"I-I will handle it without fail."

"Good. Seems you understand well."

Charlotte wore her arrogant smile again.

The oppressive air quickly returned to normal.

Only then could Alberto breathe a sigh of relief.

"Well then, best of luck. I'm counting on you."

"I-I'll make sure to live up to your trust."

Charlotte just waved her hand in response before disappearing down the rooftop stairs.

"Phew..."

Once Charlotte had left, Alberto let out a sigh of relief.

"Even young, a Hisperion is still a Hisperion."

He could hold his own in a contest of will with advanced-stage Expert knights.

Yet the sheer, razor-sharp presence of a fifteen-year-old girl, only at the upper ranks of User, was hard to believe.

'If I really mess up, my career as a mage could be finished...'

Alberto already lacked connections within the Tower.

If this incident earned him Charlotte's hatred, his potential allies would shrink further.

No one wanted to be collateral damage by getting close to someone disliked by the direct line of Hisperion.

"But... Well, there's no way I can fail."

This entrance exam's concept was a magical obstacle marathon.

It was a test where the trainee who withstood the magical obstacles for the longest would take the top spot.

The entrance exam was, in essence, a placement test to gauge the capabilities of new trainees.

Alberto had designed and would personally administer the test.

To subtly tweak the obstacles and make Ian fail was not difficult at all.

'I'll just guide the obstacles toward that brat.'

If he could take out the new trainees around Ian along with him, it would look quite natural.

"Hehehe..."

Alberto grinned evilly as he peered over the edge of the rooftop.

Ian was standing at the center of the training ground with the other new trainees.

A youthful boy of only fourteen.

He'd reportedly been getting a lot of attention from the Heavenly Sword Lord lately.

Enough even to be brought in as a houseguest of Hisperion.

It was even said that Charlotte had all her assets confiscated and received severe punishment for provoking that boy.

The reason for such deep favor had yet to be revealed, but honestly, what could it possibly be?

No matter how much natural talent, he was ultimately just a fourteen-year-old boy.

Even if he'd gathered the lord's attention with some outlandish genius, he'd at most be an late-stage User.

'There's no way a fourteen-year-old brat could overcome my magic.'

If the boy were at least early-stage Expert, it might have been tough to make it look natural.

But is that possible in reality?

In all human history, only two had reached Expert rank at that age:

'The fifth Heavenly Sword Lord, Ragnar Hisperion,' and 'the one known as Talent Blessed by Heaven, Yuria Hisperion.'

'Since he has the lord's full attention, he must have some talent, but...'

At most, late-stage User.

That's exceptional at his age, but it's meaningless among true veterans.

Late-Stage User, nothing more. Alberto could subtly eliminate him through manipulation.

"Kekekek..."

Alberto gave a sinister grin, eyes fixed on Ian.

"Ian. Guess your luck is about to feed my fortune today. Now quietly become my stepping stone to success."

I, Alberto, would make that boy fail and rise higher in the Heavenly Tower.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

Yeah, I hate Charlotte. She's irredeemable...

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】