episode_0018

There’s something called an occupational hazard.

Not everyone suffers from it, but at the very least, I do.

“Hold still.”

“Let me go. I want to leave.”

“Hey, I said hold still.”

I shoved a piece of butter cookie into Arin’s squirming mouth.

Like a power outage, her struggling ceased. She began nibbling at it, trying to make it last, and I was finally able to continue braiding her hair.

“Whew, done.”

After a grueling 30-minute ordeal (20 of which were spent choosing the style), I managed to recreate the latest hairstyle trending in the capital.

I was quite satisfied, but when Arin looked in the mirror, she curled her lip.

“It’s uncomfortable.”

“But it’s pretty, right?”

“…Yeah, it’s pretty.”

Was it because we arrived too early?

With a full two days to spare, and even after researching the special admissions exam, I still had time to kill—so I ended up pulling this stunt.

I’d already bathed her, dressed her up, and made her look presentable. Part of me wanted to just let her go, but I couldn’t shirk the responsibility of picking her up in the first place.

If I set her loose like this, she’d probably end up sleeping outside and failing to even find the exam hall. Out of basic courtesy, I planned to escort her.

As for touching her hair… I’d been doing it for so long that my hands trembled when I stopped.

This time, I kneaded Arin’s face while lost in thought.

‘The special admissions exam… It wasn’t designed for people to pass, was it?’

Special admissions—a policy established under the late emperor’s decree that those with talent should be treated like nobility.

But not a single noble, aside from the emperor himself, supported it.

It wasn’t about looking down on commoners—some nobles even married commoners, after all.

But commoners in the Academy? The prestigious institution reserved only for high-ranking nobles would lose its luster.

So, they made the exam impossibly brutal. To ensure no one passed.

Rumors said that once every ten years, two or three prodigies with undeniable talent slipped through…

But judging by last year’s condition—”Land a valid strike on the Knight Commander within ten minutes”—it seemed outright impossible no matter how you looked at it.

“You did well. This time, I used only natural flower petals for the color. How is it?”

“I don’t know.”

“…Fair enough.”

Leaving Arin staring blankly at the mirror, I headed to the library.

The exam was scheduled for this afternoon. But before that, there was something I wanted to look up.

“Yes, Lord Bildem of the Selbus family. You’ve been verified. What book are you looking for?”

“I’d like information on the history of the Seliratus family.”

“…?”

The librarian tilted her head at the odd sight of a Selbus family butler searching for books on the Seliratus family, but soon guided me to the right section.

Of course, I knew the Seliratus family best. Honestly, I probably knew more than even the young lady herself.

But there was one keyword I had no clue about.

What the hell is “Daimenos”?

No matter how much I asked MacLaine, he dodged the question with cryptic answers like, “I can’t speak of it.”

As I was browsing through the Seliratus family’s historical records, my hand brushed against another’s.

“Ah, you can go first.”

“Thank you—”

The woman’s voice was familiar.

When I turned my head, I saw a sharp-featured noble girl—so short she barely reached my chest—staring at me in shock.

“You—!”

“…Long time no see, Lady Emily.”

I didn’t bother hiding my disgust as I replied.

Emily looked even more repulsed than I did.

“…Why is Firnea’s butler all the way in the capital? Academy admissions are still a while off—are you here for preliminary research or something?”

“I’m here to take the special admissions exam.”

“Special admi—what? You?”

Emily’s voice dripped with disbelief.

“Yes. I’ll be taking the exam.”

“You’re a butler. Do you think the special admissions exam is some kind of joke?”

“It’s the young lady’s orders.”

“Unbelievable. Is she still living in a fantasy world? If she orders you to pass, does that mean you’ll just pass? Even reckless commands have their limits. Tell your master to curb her greed, will you?”

I twitched my eyebrows as I watched Emily whine.

She’s crossing a line.

Since I couldn’t let this slide even within the Academy, I checked that no one was around and lowered my voice.

“Lady Emily.”

I stepped closer to the bookshelf, blocking her escape route.

“Wh-what? What is it?”

Thud. I bent down, bringing my face close enough for her to hear my breath, and stared straight into her panicked eyes as I issued a warning.

“Know your place.”

“Excuse me?!”

“Lorenzia’s pride has already taken quite the beating recently. Picking a fight with us won’t do you any good.”

“…That was your doing…! Why are you tormenting us? We had nothing to do with that incident! It’s been proven!”

“True. But you were scheming like rats in the shadows. Seems you thought the Seliratus family was an easy target.”

“…”

After Fitus’ assassination, Lorenzia had tried—subtly but persistently—to encroach on territories left vulnerable by the absence of a family head.

Naturally, MacLaine and Firnea didn’t let that slide.

Lorenzia became an example. A sacrificial lamb to prove that even without its master, Seliratus was still Seliratus.

They were methodically dismantled, and now Lorenzia was a fading house. Unless Emily’s talent proved extraordinary, they were teetering on the edge.

“You must be terrified. Investigating the ‘enemy’ so thoroughly.”

“Ghk—”

I slowly pulled the book from her grip.

Her resistance didn’t last. I leaned in and whispered in her ear.

“If you want to live, stay down. Just to be clear, this isn’t a threat—it’s advice. Lady Firnea shines brighter than anyone in this world right now.”

“…How long do you think that arrogance will last?”

“Amusing. Isn’t it Lorenzia who still hasn’t learned their place?”

Emily clenched her fists, trembling.

But she couldn’t refute me. Every word I said was the truth.

Leaving her with her head bowed, I turned away—only for a curse laced with tears to follow me.

“You—you think you can become a special admit?”

“Thanks for the concern. I’ll do my best.”

“You don’t even know what this year’s exam is! I’ll—I’ll be watching closely as you freeze to death, you… you filthy dog of Seliratus…!”

Hmm.

Even at the end, she was a useful enemy.

On the day of the exam, a tidal wave of applicants flooded in, but the venue was smaller than expected.

“Take your number and enter in groups of fifty!”

And once those fifty entered, they never came back out.

Thanks to arriving early, I got in within 30 minutes. When I entered the exam hall with Arin, we underwent a body check and were given a bag.

Inside were a pickaxe, rations, a lamp, and other supplies.

Once all fifty of us were crammed into the tiny classroom, a balding official greeted us briefly before launching into the explanation.

“Welcome. This year’s special admissions exam theme is ‘survival.’”

“…Survival?”

The unsettling word sent murmurs through the room.

Unfazed, the official brought out a blackboard with detailed information.

“Starting now, you will be dropped into random locations within the northern Croban Mountain Range. Your objective is simple: destroy the crystal indicated by the compass you’ve been provided. The moment you do, you’ll be returned and considered successful.”

“W-wait a second.”

A beastkin raised his hand, panicked.

“The Croban Mountains? Isn’t that where yetis live?”

“Correct. Combat with or evasion of yetis will be your primary challenge.”

“How far is the crystal we need to destroy?”

“It varies by speed, but roughly two days’ travel…”

“Are you out of your minds?!”

BANG! Another examinee slammed his desk.

“You’re insane! The Croban Mountains?! You expect us to advance for two days there? I know the special admissions exam is designed to prevent anyone from passing, but this is too much!”

“Rest assured, your safety is guaranteed. If you break the provided compass, you’ll immediately be disqualified and teleported to the infirmary. If you aim to complete the exam, keep it safe—but if you’re in danger, don’t hesitate to break it.”

“What if we die before breaking it?”

“We don’t anticipate such extreme situations. Several knights are stationed to monitor the area, though they cannot intervene in all locations. Accidents may still occur.”

The official delivered this calmly, as if he’d expected this reaction.

The trembling examinee shook his head.

“…I’m withdrawing.”

“Then please proceed through the next portal. For confidentiality, all examinees must remain in the waiting room until the exam concludes—approximately one day. Return your bag beforehand.”

About twenty more examinees followed suit.

Those who remained didn’t mock them. If anything, it was the opposite.

The ones who left were the ones sneering at those who stayed.

“Tch, how desperate can you be…”

“This year’s the only chance, but still…”

From their reactions, it was clear even repeat examinees had never seen such an absurd difficulty level.

Glancing beside me, Arin was—

Scratching the desk with her nails, carving some bizarre shape.

She didn’t seem to care about the exam at all, so I asked,

“Did you hear what they said?”

“Yeah.”

“…”

The official clapped his hands, addressing the remaining examinees.

“If you have any questions, speak now. The portal opens in exactly five minutes.”

“Hey.”

A blond man in expensive clothes raised his hand from the back.

His arrogant expression marked him as nobility—though likely not from a family prestigious enough to receive an Academy invitation.

“Are there exactly three crystals?”

“Only one. It regenerates within a minute of destruction. Since you’ll enter sequentially, this is a necessary measure.”

“What? What if multiple people pass?”

“Several proctors will be monitoring and scoring in real-time. Even if you destroy the crystal, if your performance lacks sufficient merit, you may still fail.”

“Damn, they really made it hell. Works for me.”

The man smirked, crossing his arms in satisfaction.

“Then, starting from the front, please enter one by one.”