Prepare (4)
On the day of the final entrance exam at Edsilla National University.
From the spectator seats, Gillon Berrieto searched for someone’s name on an unfamiliar tablet.
[Shion Ascal]
[Endex │ College Board Rank 67]
[Desired Department │ Knight Department]
“……”
Gillon recalled the events of the previous week for a moment.
‘I did it by the book because you told me to.’
Shion Ascal had answered his question like that.
‘…No, that’s not what I meant. Are you memorizing all the Eight Swords?’
‘The Eight Swords techniques?’
‘Yes, the combinations of the sword basics.’
‘Somewhat. Once I learn something, I don’t easily forget.’
‘Once learned, not easily forgotten…’
Shion Ascal had used the Eight Swords in the College Board curriculum. But because he had modified it at his discretion, Igris had belittled it as a trick.
Gillon himself initially thought the same. He thought it was a ruse that focused only on what was visible, ignoring the basics.
It wasn’t.
Rather, it was because his basics were perfect that such a radical modification was possible.
“Photographic memory. Something like that.”
Eight Swords is a swordsmanship that openly requires memorization. Probably, memory itself would be included in the basics.
“Mr. Gillon.”
Just then, someone approached him.
“Ah, Theia. It’s you.”
Theia Esil. She was a renowned professor at the national university.
“It’s been a while.”
“Indeed.”
Theia chuckled as she looked at Gillon.
She is a mage and a knight at the same time. A genius among geniuses who entered the Magic Department of the national university and double majored in the Knight Department.
Gillon was her old swordsmanship teacher.
“Are you examining the unconscious with those capsule-like things?”
When Gillon asked, Theia sat next to him.
“Yes, we’re examining the unconscious.”
“Is it magic?”
“Um~ No.”
Theia, dealing with Gillon, was quite lively. In fact, during her college days, she was a reckless girl who overestimated her own talent, but now those old images remain only in the memory of a very few, including Gillon.
“It’s closer to science.”
“Science?”
“Yes. To be precise, it’s electricity, replacing storage space with magic power. It reads the subject’s brain waves to create a deep structure, manifests the unconscious into consciousness there, and obtains information.”
“……Is that so? I see.”
His face showed that he didn’t understand at all.
Theia gave a small smile.
“Did you come to see Soliette?”
“Yes, fortunately, she attended.”
The reason Igris dispatched Gillon was originally because of Soliette’s college admission.
In case she changed her mind and disappeared.
“But, professor. Do you know a Shion Ascal?”
For a moment, Theia’s expression hardened slightly.
“……Why that examinee?”
“He seems to have talent.”
“They all have talent. If they’ve made it this far.”
“Well, I guess that’s true. Isn’t it?”
Gillon cleared his throat, and Theia stood up from her seat.
“The exam should take a reasonable amount of time. Shortest would be 2 hours, longest could be up to 6 hours?”
“I see. I’ll wait.”
“Alright. It was nice seeing you.”
Leaving Gillon behind, Theia returned to the monitoring room.
There, hundreds of monitors were already conducting the exam.
Tap-tap-tap─
Examiners were busy typing on keyboards, and words were being updated in real time on the screens.
[Q: What is your name?]
[A: Elise Petra.]
[Q: Why did you choose the National University?]
[A: I thought the National University was the only suitable university to develop my talent.]
“Elise is as self-loving as I’ve heard.”
“Gerkhen’s unconscious is filled with things like cotton candy and chocolate.”
“Asher is… a social media person. There’s a possibility he might leak confidential information on SNS.”
In this way, when the examiners in the monitoring room ask questions via keyboard, the subject’s unconscious answers.
This is the first round of the exam.
The second round of the exam involves making the examinee’s unconscious experience ‘situations’ and ‘environments’.
“Professor. We’re ready.”
A researcher spoke to Theia. She turned to look. The door to the capsule was open.
“You don’t have to go in yourself, professor.”
“It’s okay. I have some free time today.”
This is a capsule for directly entering the unconscious of a person in question.
Theia sat down inside.
“First, I’ll try experiencing one person.”
“Yes. Which scenario will it be?”
Which scenario should she choose?
Theia pondered for a moment, but then…
“I think… I’ll try Shion Ascal.”
“Examinee number 0001?”
Theia was curious about him. He claimed to be a confidant of Libra, caught the eye of her own swordsmanship teacher, and solved her own riddle.
“His ranking has suspiciously skyrocketed. Let’s examine him.”
“Yes. Understood.”
* * *
Ding─ Ding─ Ding─ Ding─
Inside the capsule, a bell-like sound that seemed to hit the brain rang out.
Ding─ Ding─ Ding─ Ding─
I blankly opened my eyes.
It was pitch black all around.
Zzzzzzzzzz──!
Soon, the door of the capsule opened. Right in front of me was a researcher in a gown.
“The brainwave test is over.”
“……Yes? It’s over?”
He adjusted his glasses and spoke.
“Follow me. We will ask a few questions in the interview room.”
“Ah…… Yes.”
I followed him.
The interview room was a stark white space. Only two chairs were placed in the middle.
“Please sit.”
“Yes.”
I sat in the chair opposite the examiner.
“First. Examinee number 0001. What is your name.”
“I am Shion Ascal.”
“Why did you choose the National University?”
“Because it’s the best university on the continent.”
“……Is that all?”
“Yes. The job I want won’t even look at me unless I’m a graduate of the National University.”
That’s how Libra is.
* * *
Of course, even if you’re not from a national university, you can still be a tool for Libra. However, a tool is merely ‘consumed.’
I cannot be that. I must be an ‘irreplaceable’ person.
“Where do you work?”
“…Libra.”
“Is your dream job at Libra?”
“I am a knight of Libra.”
All of these are prepared answers. But they are not lies. I sincerely wish for it.
I will definitely become a knight of Libra.
“Your College Board scores have significantly improved compared to your Endex grades. What do you think is the reason…”
“Determination and effort.”
After that, I exchanged several questions and answers.
* * *
「3 months later」
──Welcome to Edsilla National Magic University.
Today, the auditorium of the National Magic University is bustling with the entrance ceremony.
On the stage are school officials, including the chairman and professors, holding the weight, in the center are students with overwhelmed faces, and in the audience seats are parents.
──On this day when the green spring is approaching, A magical space will welcome a new beginning…
Tap-tap-
Then someone touched my arm.
“Hello?”
It was a cute-looking guy with black hair.
“Oh. Hello.”
I responded briefly.
He asked again.
“You’re Shion Ascal, right?”
“…you know me?”
“Of course, I know. You’re famous.”
He covered his mouth with his hand and chuckled. I just raised my eyebrows.
“Oh, I see.”
“I’m also in the knight department. You’re in the knight department too, right?”
“…Yeah.”
“That’s interesting. I saw you beat Gerkhen. Want to exchange numbers after the entrance ceremony?”
I didn’t answer.
I have no intention of working hard in college life or becoming friends with anyone.
──Thank you all. Please come as undergraduates starting next week.
Finally, the boring entrance ceremony ended. The applause resounded off the ceiling. The parents in the audience came down.
They hugged each other with proud faces, but of course, I am alone among them.
I have no family.
“Hmm…?”
As I was about to leave the auditorium, suddenly.
That guy caught my eye.
The guy who suddenly started talking to me. The guy with black hair. He was standing there, staring blankly.
“…Tsk.”
Does he not have a family either?
I clicked my tongue and approached him. It was because of a senseless sense of kinship.
“Hey.”
“…Huh?”
He looked up at me. His eyes, like obsidian, were wide open. He was only as tall as my chest, which made me feel strangely sorry for him.
“What’s your name?”
“Uh… Tei.”
He hesitated before telling me his name.
“Don’t you have a family?”
It’s quite a sensitive question. Not many people are allowed to ask this kind of question. If someone with a family asks, it’s either picking a fight or they’re clueless.
It’s a question only allowed for people like me who don’t have a family.
“…Yeah.”
“What a coincidence. I don’t have one either.”
Then he held out his phone.
“Do you… want to exchange numbers?”
“…”
I entered my number into his phone.
「9 months later」
We are on the field. As university students, we are ‘practicing.’
This practice class is about collecting materials in a crystal cave.
“Be careful, Shion.”
Tei spoke, his hand sweaty with worry.
“Don’t worry. I’ve got this.”
Zzzzzz──
A crystal flower blooming in the corner of the crystal cave. Slowly grinding it with a magic grinder, I put the fully collected flower bud into the magic container.
“Done.”
──At that moment.
Swoosh!
A quiet sound of cutting through the air. Something sliced through the crystal cave.
“Shion! Dodge!”
Tei pushed me.
“Argh!”
Instead of me, a large spike was embedded in his stomach. I quickly turned around. There was a crystal scorpion.
“Tei! Are you okay?!”
“……Yeah. Are…… you…… okay……?”
“Of course I’m okay, you idiot.”
I drew my sword.
“Hold on.”
Grrrr-!
I swung my sword at the creature threateningly grinding its teeth. I showed no mercy. From the very beginning, I used the 「Severing Sword」.
The creature was cut in half in an instant.
“……Shion.”
Tei called me. I looked at him. His eyes were like a startled rabbit’s.
“You’ve been…… hiding your swordsmanship?”
Probably because of the Severing Sword.
I spoke as I pulled a bandage from my pocket.
“Stop talking and apply pressure to the wound. You’ll be fine if we get to the hospital right away……”
…….
Edsilla National Hospital.
I asked the doctor while watching him through the glass window after the surgery.
“……Is he going to be okay?”
“Yes. His life is not in danger. He will need to be hospitalized for a few weeks, though.”
“Phew…….”
A sigh of relief escaped me before I knew it.
Why did this guy have to overdo it? It would have been easier and quicker for me to recover if I had been hit.
“Is he your colleague?”
The doctor asked with a somewhat pleased face.
“…….”
Colleague.
I pondered for a moment.
“……I suppose you could say that.”
Actually, there was nothing to think about.
Throughout university life, I was always with him. We were both loners, but it was a strange coincidence that we were partners in almost all classes.
Then he slowly opened his eyes. He looked at me. He smiled like a fool and put his finger on the glass window.
Tap-tap-
He wrote letters.
[Let’s do the next practice together too]
“……Sure.”
I shrugged my shoulders and chuckled.
* * *
「2 years later」
University life passed like a shot arrow. Like an arrow, it hit the target as soon as it was released.
I wasn’t lonely. I had almost all my lectures with Tei. He was in almost all of my university life.
Anyway, only the knight’s test was left.
Climbing Mount Evert, rumored to be dangerous, is the last part of the knight’s test.
“……Is it you again?”
“Seems like it.”
Surely the partners should have been shuffled randomly.
My test partner is this guy again─Tei.
“Ah~ Shion, I’m getting a bit tired of this.”
He yawned and glanced at me. However, there was a smile on his lips.
“Isn’t that what I should be saying?”
Anyway, Evert is not a mountain to climb in a day or two. It’s a whopping 10,353m above sea level, so you have to be prepared for at least 2-3 months.
“Let’s go.”
“Okay.”
We started climbing together.
We climbed the sheer cliff, breaking through the swirling blizzard.
So, one day, two days, three days, four days…… At some point during our endless climb.
Pazuzzuk──!
“Argh!”
Tei slipped off the cliff.
“Tei!”
I rushed over and grabbed his hand, but his whole body hit the edge of the cliff.
“Ugh!”
“Are you okay?!”
“……For now.”
Hweeeee──!
The swirling blizzard. I barely pulled him up, hanging precariously on the edge of the cliff.
“Hey. Check your body.”
“……”
He looked at me and shook his head.
“I…… I’ll give up here. I hurt my leg.”
His leg, especially his ankle, was almost twisted in the opposite direction.
“Would you do that if you were me?”
But, I couldn’t leave him behind.
“But-”
“You’ll get better if you rest a bit. I’ll carry you.”
I forcibly carried him on my back.
Hweeeee──!
I broke through the blizzard that I couldn’t see an inch ahead of, and luckily found a cave.
“……Let’s rest, then go.”
I laid him down inside. I made a curtain to block the blizzard. I lit a fire with camping tools.
Hwaruk─!
The cave became warmly lit.
“……Thank you. Shion.”
Tei said in a shy tone.
“Wouldn’t you have done the same?”
Probably Tei would have done the same.
Our university life was always like this.
Because he was someone who would do it for me, I did it for him.
“……But you know.”
Tei glanced at me as he warmed his hands by the bonfire.
“Why are you trying to go to Libra?”
He seemed curious about it.
Indeed, although we’ve been together throughout university, we don’t know much about each other.
I didn’t accept personal questions.
“……My father was a knight of Libra.”
“Just because of that?”
“……”
I pondered.
Would it be okay with this guy?
Would it be okay to tell him my truth?
……No.
My secret should not be shared with anyone.
For his sake, not mine.
* * *
Libra, especially the current head ‘Sherlock’, is a monster who censors even thoughts.
“It’s not just that. Our family owes a lot of debts.”
“It’s your family that owes the debts.”
“I also owe debts. I grew up in an orphanage.”
“So, is that the end?”
“……Well. That’s the end.”
Boom────!
Suddenly, a massive earthquake occurred. The earth shook violently.
───Boom!
Immediately, a second tremor occurred. A pile of rocks fell from the ceiling. I pulled him in. We tumbled together.
“Ah. Hey, are you okay……?”
Suddenly, my words stopped.
It was because of the position we ended up in.
“……”
Tei silently looked up at me.
I was on top of Tei, and Tei was beneath me.
“……”
“……”
The position itself was embarrassing enough, but that wasn’t the only problem.
My hand was on his chest.
I blankly looked down at it.
The sensation of my hand right now was a bit, no, way too much……
“What the.”
In the silence.
“You, were you a woman?”
He had always looked cute and pretty.
“……Let, let go! Let me go!”
He pushed me. I, who was thrown off by his fern-like hands, blankly scratched the back of my neck.
“No……”
It was a shock.
It felt like lightning had struck my head repeatedly.
“What! No, what! Are you crazy! If you knew, you should have let go properly!”
Tei wrapped his body with his two arms and glared at me.
“……No.”
I couldn’t say anything but ‘no’.
No, has she been hiding her gender all this time?
No, but why did she hide it?
“……”
He bit his lip.
“……I’ll go get some food for a while. You stay here and sort out your thoughts.”
I hurriedly left the cave.
Alone in the cave.
Theia frowned, her annoyance visible.
“……ha.”
She surveyed the harsh surroundings. This was an experience beyond her comprehension. She shouldn’t have delved into his subconscious.
Of course, he was more than qualified. Mental strength, stamina, will, and loyalty……. Shion Ascal ticked all the boxes.
Though it would be a mistake to say that all of them were loyal to Libra.
Regardless, it was time to conclude the test.
Theia flicked her wrist and commanded.
“End.”
There was no response.
“……?”
She spoke into her wrist again.
“Shut down. Can you hear me?”
Still no response.
She tapped her wrist, and a clock-like display emerged from her skin.
It was blank.
The Wi-Fi indicator was off. That meant there was no external reception.
“Fuck……..”
She bit her lip.
Was it the device itself?
Or the handiwork of the Libra trio infiltrating the university.
Either way, it was a nuisance.
If the test went awry, it would tarnish her reputation, and Libra would relish that.
“Perhaps I should have rooted them out.”
It was no secret that a mole from Libra had infiltrated the National University. She’d just been waiting for the right moment to act……….
“…….”
Regardless, right now, she needed to escape from this subconscious realm.
Huh-uh-uh-uh.
Just then, the door to the cave swung open, letting in a flurry of snow. Shion had returned.
“…….”
He coughed roughly, a mountain beast strapped to his back.
Theia gestured towards the campfire.
“Sit down. Let’s eat quickly and climb the mountain.”
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