Chapter 25 The Masters Class (2)
Silveryn said,
“Take a good look. Those will be tormenting the freshmen from the entrance ceremony throughout the semester.”
I swallowed hard as I looked at the giant wooden puppets.
If a ghoul possessed the strength to rend a human with its bare hands, the Plantara could tear that very ghoul to pieces with theirs.
The entities I now faced were of a different caliber from anything I had encountered before. I had to pour all my capabilities into this.
Erzebet led her escort, ascending the mansion’s front steps with heavy, deliberate steps.
The six masked examiners remain by the carriages, not following her.
There was a reason for this. Silveryn and I, in principle, could not greet the examiners until the examination was over. They weren’t here for a social visit.
There would be no teatime for them. The examination would begin as soon as preparations were complete.
Silveryn called the butler and gave an order.
“Show the examiners to a suitable place for the test. Ensure the ground is solid, and even if there’s a commotion, there’s nothing nearby that can be damaged.”
“Understood.”
The butler approached the examiners.
Silveryn greeted Erzebet.
“You haven’t changed a bit.”
“It’s been a while, Silveryn.”
Silveryn did not humble herself before Erzebet, treating her like an old friend.
“Was there a particular reason you had to travel this far?”
“How could I ignore that Silveryn finally took on a disciple?”
“You would have seen him someday even if you had stayed put.”
With a light smile, Erzebet replied,
“If I could hold back my curiosity, I wouldn’t have become a magical engineer.”
“That’s true. There’s still some time before the examination, so please, let’s go inside.”
Erzebet glanced at me before following Silveryn.
“So, you must be Damian.”
“It’s an honor to meet you.”
“I’ve heard quite a bit about you. After the examination, we’ll have much to discuss.”
‘We’ll have much to discuss’?
With such an esteemed figure, I genuinely didn’t know what I should say. I’d be fortunate if my tongue didn’t get tied.
Silveryn seemed to remember something and turned towards me.
“Damian, begin as soon as you’re ready; wait in your room until then.”
“Understood.”
Silveryn led Erzebet towards the guestroom.
Liria, who was scuttling across the central hall towards us, was startled by their appearance and covered her mouth in surprise.
She then bowed her head and waited for them to pass.
When their footsteps receded, Liria scurried back to me.
From within her embrace, she produced a potion bottle the size of a hand and handed it to me.
“Here’s the potion, as per the note. The combination is a bit unusual, so make sure to test it before drinking. If you drink it right away…”
Before she could finish, I uncorked the potion and gulped it down.
Liria shouted.
“No, stop!”
From the perspective of an alchemist, this would be a shocking act. Their principle is to meticulously check for any mistakes or discrepancies, especially with unfamiliar combinations. This must have been quite unsettling for her.
But the die was cast, there was no time for explanations or hesitation – I had to drink it as quickly as possible.
Startled, Liria smacked my forearm with all her might.
“If my grandmother saw this, she would have slapped you silly.”
I disregarded her reaction and said,
“Thank you, Liria. If things go well, I’ll make sure to repay you.”
***
The examiners followed the butler’s lead.
They exited the mansion’s back door and pressed on, soon arriving at a clearing that looked suitable for the test.
Gael spoke to the butler,
“This area will suffice.”
The ground was not uniformly laid, requiring some leveling. Completing that was the only task remaining.
With a gesture from Gael, the Plantara advanced, stirring up clouds of dust, and began to level the ground by scooping out earth.
Flynn watched the Plantara and sighed. Though he had many questions, not being an examiner himself, he couldn’t dare to inquire about this and that.
The presence of so many Plantara clearly indicated a ‘Trial by Sword.’
It was an exam faced when being promoted to the higher tiers of Eternia’s Combat Division.
Despite the grand name, the test content was simple.
‘Pierce through the Plantara defense and cut down the flag at the rear.’
That was all there was to it.
The problem, however, was that the specimens before us now were unlike the usual Plantara one encountered during the ‘Trial by Sword.’
The training Plantara intended for students were smaller in stature, and their strength and reaction speed were generally lower.
The Plantara before us were not for that purpose.
The grounds of Mount Grace where Eternia was established overflowed with magical energy, continually drawing monsters.
These Plantara were created to protect Eternia from those beasts.
‘Eternia Scouts’
Weapons of slaughter born to rip apart monsters.
No mere toy to be trifled with by students.
Their strength, speed, size, and combat acumen outclassed those of training Plantara, and cutting through them without a sword aura was impossible.
Even if one managed to breach the Plantara, they would then face Flynn himself, the final guardian of the flag.
Thanks to a Dwarf-crafted sword that amplified sword aura, Flynn outclassed even a single Eternia Scout.
Is this really proper?
Having lived as a genius in swordsmanship since childhood and maintaining top grades in the combat division, even he had never faced such a trial.
Flynn spoke up.
“Professor, are we required to exert full effort in this?”
Gael’s demeanor remained constant.
“We’re not here to play. Crush them without hesitation.”
“…”
She calmly stroked her chin as she spoke.
“If you don’t shine here, it diminishes my standing for bringing you along.”
***
I was waiting in my room. Reading was impossible as the text wouldn’t sink in, and practicing alone felt like it would just drain my energy. So I did nothing.
I simply lay in bed, slowly reviewing everything I had practiced up to this point.
Maybe two hours had passed when the tapping of shoes approached my room. Then, without any knock, my door swung open.
I could tell who it was just by the sound. I immediately got up from the bed.
“Teacher.”
“It’s time. The examination is about to begin.”
Silveryn signaled for me to follow her. I followed her without complaint.
We didn’t exchange a single word as we exited the mansion.
My heart was thumping as if it would burst with tension.
I wonder what Silveryn’s feelings were.
I was the one who broke the silence.
“Teacher.”
“Yes.”
“What happens if I fail the Masters Class examination?”
Silveryn spoke in a measured tone.
“Nothing will happen. My reputation might take a slight hit for making such a fuss for nothing.”
Her reputation.
I was receiving so much attention simply because I was Silveryn’s disciple. On top of the training and endorsement from Silveryn, which she perhaps didn’t intend, even the Dean of Eternia had come to see me.
If I were to fail here, it would undoubtedly mar her reputation.
Silveryn abruptly stopped and spun around.
“But there’s something you must remember.”
“…”
She grasped my shoulder and looked into my eyes.
“This is entirely my doing, without your consent, and I bear full responsibility. Even if you fail this examination, I will not be disappointed in you. So do not, under any circumstances, undergo this examination for my sake.”
“Your reputation is important to me as well.”
“I promise you this. If you fail the Masters Class examination, your life at the academy will be much easier, more stable, more comfortable, and happier. If you pass, it will be the opposite.”
Why was she telling me this, as if there’s no need to pass?
“Then, is there a reason I must pass this examination?”
Silveryn fell into thought.
“…You need it to fulfill a duty given to you.”
A duty?
“You must have a vague sense of it. That power didn’t come into the world for no reason. There’s a duty attached to it. To fulfill it, you’ll need the Masters Class’s help.”
She spoke as if she knew something I had yet to realize.
Silveryn’s eyes deepened.
“And…the path of that duty will be extremely painful. So much so that you might feel it’s better to return to the forge and hammer away.”
“…”
“Whether you choose to live for that duty is up to you. Right now, you’re standing at that very crossroads…”
Silveryn concluded her speech and quietly awaited my response.
I didn’t need long to decide.
For some reason or fate unknown, I had been granted this power.
Yet even I did not know what duty had been given to me.
I am already undergoing training far more intense than I could have imagined back when I was in the forge. It’s hard enough already.
But to fulfill that unknown duty, I’d have to endure even more pain. Growing old gracefully and passing away in bed might become just a dream.
It’s terrifying.
However, the answer was already determined.
Whatever happens, I had decided to follow that path.
That decision was made when I first set out in search of a fragment of a star.
Reaffirmed in my resolve, my heartbeat slowly returned to a stable rhythm.
“What do I need to do to pass the examination?”
The corners of Silveryn’s mouth lifted slightly.
Her hand gently caressed my face.
In her eyes looking at me, there was a mix of pity and pride.
“Do just as we’ve practiced. Crush everything in your path.”
***
In the clearing where the examination was to begin, a large oval-shaped arena had been carved out.
Each of the Plantara was given a wooden sword as tall as a person.
They were aligned in formation with the handles of their wooden swords pressed to their chests, blades pointing skyward. Their mere presence cast a large shadow over the center of the arena.
Five on the left and five on the right—a total of ten Plantara. And behind them stood Flynn, with a flag at his back.
And from a distance, from the direction of the mansion, Silveryn and Damian were seen approaching the arena.
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