episode_0001

Tap tap tap

I continued tapping my cane as I walked forward.

As I spread my mana as widely as possible, objects didn’t appear in detail, but I could still perceive their shapes in my mind.

That’s how I managed to find the academy’s form, just as I had seen it in the game.

The area around the academy was filled with people, and each seemed to be practicing their skills, but

I could feel countless gazes fixed on me.

“What…?”

“A blind… person?”

“Why is a blind person at the academy…?”

“Surely they haven’t come to take the entrance exam…?”

Whispers could be heard from the surroundings.

Among their words, ‘surely not’ was the most frequent.

If I had been reincarnated as an ordinary character and seen someone dressed like this, I would have thought the same thing.

‘A mere blind person dares to challenge the Imperial Academy.’

Anyone could have such a thought, so I simply let their words flow past me.

Tap tap

If I didn’t continuously channel mana, I couldn’t properly perceive my surroundings, so I had to periodically tap the ground.

Tapping the ground by myself, I waited for my turn to enter the academy.

‘Anyone can enter the academy… Even if such a rule exists, a blind person’s presence is bound to seem awkward… They probably think I won’t even pass the first exam and will be eliminated….’

The academy’s exam consisted of three stages.

The first stage is 1-on-1, and half of the participants are eliminated during this process.

The second stage is 2-on-2, where you must accurately assess your and your teammate’s abilities to understand and counter the enemies’ strengths.

It seems that half are eliminated in this stage too, but at least two, and in the worst cases, three people are eliminated.

Even if you possess excellent abilities, if you can’t demonstrate them, you’re disqualified.

If you pass the exams up to the second stage, you are granted the status of an ‘apprentice student’ of the academy.

Those who receive basic training at the academy then take the third exam, assuming no special circumstances arise.

And the third exam was random.

I had played with several alt characters, and it usually involved solving quests or hunting monsters.

That’s usually the case, but it’s different if it’s a group exam.

This implies the third exam’s difficulty is extremely high, so I really hoped I wouldn’t get stuck with a group exam.

‘Well, since commoners can also challenge it, it’s perhaps natural for the exam to be this complex…’

And so, I waited for my turn, thinking about how to clear the exams.

“Alright, state your name and family. A truth-detecting magic is always active here, so don’t even think about hiding anything.”

At the end of the long line was an instructor.

I couldn’t discern his face clearly due to my blindness, but I could tell he was very displeased.

His voice seemed full of dissatisfaction.

“Are you blind *and* deaf? State your name and family quickly! Do you know how many people are waiting behind you?”

As I was observing him with the flow of mana, he snapped at me, as if his patience had reached its limit.

“Ah, my apologies. I am Rapier of the Longinus family.”

As I stated my name and family, the instructor, who had briefly looked surprised, seemed to write down my name and family on a piece of paper.

After writing down my name and family, he handed me the paper and gestured for me to go over there.

As he was gesturing, he suddenly realized I was blind, sighed, and spoke aloud again.

“East… that would be to your right, I suppose. The first exam will be held there. The instructor there will give you the details.”

“Thank you.”

I bowed slightly to express gratitude for his consideration and walked in the direction he indicated.

Tap tap tap

Examining the academy with my mana, I found it no different from what I had seen in the game.

Passing through the entrance made of hard stone, a massive dome came into view.

‘A practice ground… I suppose… They’ve probably separated the space with magic now…’

I walked as quickly as possible so as not to bother other students.

It was partly because I didn’t want to cause trouble, but also because I disliked hearing the pointing fingers and whispers around me.

They probably thought I couldn’t see anything because I was blind, but as someone who could feel, even if I couldn’t see, it was a little hurtful.

“You should have a paper from the instructor at the front, right?”

As I approached the practice ground, an instructor asked me in a crisp voice.

Hearing her, I handed her the paper I had received from the instructor at the entrance.

As I handed over the paper and she confirmed my name,

I could feel emotions of sadness and joy from the surroundings.

‘These emotions are the easiest to sense… because they’re intense…’

Everyone can apply to the academy, but for commoners, the opportunity is only once.

The condition about commoners existing was due to the nobles.

In this world, nobles could enter this academy as they pleased.

They were the people who didn’t even need to take the exam.

‘They probably won’t be able to climb the ladder this way again….’

I thought this as I watched people trudging along in the distance, looking utterly defeated.

“Longinus Rapier, is that your name?”

The instructor, having confirmed my name, double-checked it, and I replied as politely as possible.

“Yes. Is there a problem?”

“No, there isn’t. Then I’ll explain the rules for the first exam. Simply put, the first exam is 1-on-1. However, your opponent isn’t predetermined; it’s the next person in line… Yes, you’ll be fighting this person.”

She received the paper from the person who came after me.

The man standing next to me spoke with an annoyed tone, as if my continuous tapping of the cane on the ground was bothering him.

“Stop tapping that cane! It’s deafening!”

“I can’t help it. This is the only way for me to perceive objects.”

I replied playfully, and he seemed displeased with my answer, attempting to grab me by the collar.

“Enough! You can fight once you’re inside!”

The instructor stopped him, and his face seemed to crumple in annoyance.

I reduced the range of my mana to observe him more closely and realized that his build was larger than I expected and his face was twisted in a grimace, almost like someone in pain.

“Victor Aether, is that your name?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Even as he answered the instructor, his voice still trembled with what sounded like anger.

“A mere blind person entering the academy…?”

“I haven’t gone deaf, you know?”

I continued to respond to him with a playful tone, and he kept concentrating his mana towards his face.

“Alright, the person here, who could become your senior, will guide you.”

She called a student from afar and brought him in front of the two of us.

The student, seemingly exhausted from many tasks, spoke in a tired voice.

“Alright, just follow me. I’ll explain the details on the way there.”

And so, the two of us followed the student.

“First, you’ll take the first exam in a designated area. Victory or defeat is decided in exactly two ways: when one admits defeat, or when I intervene to stop the action because I deem the opponent’s life to be in danger.”

At this point, a question arose in my mind, so I asked.

“Then what happens if someone misjudges their strength and kills or severely injures their opponent?”

He glanced at me for a moment, then whispered softly.

“That’s unlikely to happen… but if it does, it would surely catch the attention of those watching from above, wouldn’t it? They’re always looking for good talent.”

He pointed to the sky, and I looked up.

There were several people in suits watching the situation from there.

“They’re the academy’s sponsors. They’re the ones who helped make it possible for commoners to apply. However, the price was cheaper than expected. All we have to do is show them the spectacle of these exams.”

He said this, and a faint smile appeared on my lips as I heard his answer.

“Alright then, you can duel here.”

He led us to a certain field.

It wasn’t large, but it wasn’t a small space either.

As I entered that space, I felt as if I was passing through a shallow mana barrier, and I realized this was a device created to prevent impacts from affecting the surroundings.

“I’ll kill you.”

Victor, as he was named, seemed filled with rage directed at me.

“Oh dear, that’s a shame. I have no intention of going easy on you.”

Saying that, I continued to tap the sandy ground with my cane.

As I kept tapping and reduced the mana’s range, I could perceive Victor’s mana in more detail and pinpoint his location.

[Exam Start!]

The person who had guided us here announced the start of the first exam, and as soon as Victor heard the signal, he charged at me.

I had already sensed he would act this way through the flow of mana, so I quietly drew a line in the air, with my hand, towards where his heart was.

As if pronouncing a death sentence.

[Heart Sword Lv.1]