episode_0003

“Loki…”

Lucas mumbled my name. However, it wasn’t as cute as Johanna’s.

“Loki, we’re academy students now, so why don’t we speak more casually?”

“Polite speech is a habit for me, so this is more comfortable.”

Perhaps because of my trait, ‘Jester,’ polite speech automatically came out unless it was a special situation. Lucas glanced at the staff in my hand.

“Loki, are you a wizard?”

As expected, Lucas seemed to think my staff was a magic staff.

Who would think this was a Swordstick, a sword that changes when imbued with magical power? Johanna, who recognized it immediately, must be truly amazing.

Now that I think about it, what is Johanna lacking? Her face is pretty, she wields a sword well, she has good instincts, and while her personality is a bit naive, it’s definitely not bad.

‘I wish this entrance ceremony would end quickly so I can see Johanna~.’

“Loki?”

Right, I was talking to Lucas. His question was… he asked if I was a wizard.

I raised my index finger and placed it on my lips.

“That’s a secret.”

Lucas let out a hearty laugh, as if he found my answer amusing.

“…Haha. I’ve truly never seen anyone like you.”

At Lucas’s reaction, the people around us whispered among themselves. Those who had been trying to find an opening to join our conversation simply watched, perhaps lacking the courage to treat Lucas as casually as I did.

“But why are you wearing a mask and a cloak? Ah, is that also a secret?”

He seemed to have given up now and started treating me completely casually.

“The mask is like my identity, and it’s more comfortable for me to wear it now, so I do. And what I have draped around me, though I’m wearing it like a cloak, isn’t actually a cloak?”

“I don’t know what ‘identity’ is, but assuming the mask is more comfortable, then what is it if it’s not a cloak?”

“Actually, this is?”

I once again raised my index finger and placed it on my lips.

“A secret!”

“Heh heh. You really need to survive to the very end in the academy.”

His words about surviving to the very end must have been sincere.

Entering the academy itself isn’t difficult. You can pass if you have a certain level of physical strength and magical power. The real challenge starts now.

‘About half, I wonder?’

Yes, today, in just one day, about half of the students will be expelled. Well, it has nothing to do with me.

I looked at the spear Lucas had strapped to his back.

“Lucas, are you a spearman?”

“That’s a se— Ugh, fine, I’m a spearman. How do you do that?”

Lucas tried to put his index finger to his lips like me but gave up. Yes, it’s not easy. I only do it because of my Jester trait.

“H-hello. His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince.”

At that moment, a girl spoke to Lucas. It was a braver action than those watching from afar, though she stammered.

“Hmm. Was it Lady Lisa, I believe? This is the first time I’ve seen you since the last banquet. Yes, what is it?”

“Oh, th-that’s nothing!”

The girl said that and fled as if escaping. Tsk tsk, how could she be so lacking in courage?

“Normally, that’s how it goes, you know.”

Lucas said that and stared at me. Frankly, as Lucas said, that’s normal. Whether commoner or noble, if they meet a member of the imperial family, especially the future Emperor, most would tremble like that.

But I’m different. I’ve played as Lucas for ten whole years. Although I didn’t know his personality, I felt a sense of familiarity with him. Is it because he’s as handsome as I am?

“If all nobles were like you, it would… not be good.”

Lucas pressed his temples as if the thought alone gave him a headache.

“Does saying ‘all nobles are like me’ mean all nobles will become handsome?”

“Heh, it might be good to have a bit of that confidence.”

“My confidence comes from this face, however?”

“To see that handsome face, why don’t you take off your mask—”

[Ahem.]

Lucas’s words were cut short. A voice imbued with magical power echoed through the auditorium. The owner of the voice was an old man. A long beard extended from his chin, and the wrinkles on his face showed his age.

[Welcome, everyone. I am Merlin, the Headmaster of Croa Academy.]

As the Headmaster opened his mouth, the students’ murmuring subsided. All the students were waiting for the Headmaster’s words.

[I will keep it as brief as possible, as speaking at length would tire you out.]

No one thought that. Everyone wanted to hear even one more word from Merlin, who was called a Sage.

[In this academy, social status is unnecessary. As long as you are here, you are all equal students.]

There were no foolish nobles who protested this. There might have been disgruntled nobles, but none were foolish enough to voice it.

[That doesn’t mean there’s no discrimination. It’s not discrimination based on status, but on strength.]

Meritocracy. There’s no better word to describe the academy.

[If you desire special treatment, grow stronger. The academy will treat you differently based on your strength.]

[The academy was founded by the first Hero who sealed the Demon Lord, created to face demons in the distant future. Although much time has passed since then and demons have not appeared, we must still prepare for dangers that may strike at any time.]

[The academy will constantly test you. Grow stronger within those trials. That concludes my speech.]

“Wooaaah!”

As the Headmaster finished speaking, countless students cheered.

However, knowing what was about to happen, I didn’t cheer; instead, I loosened my body.

[Haha, these students are full of energy. Shall we proceed with a simple test then?]

Before the students could even process the sudden announcement of a test, the Headmaster left one last remark and vanished.

[Show me your worth.]

As his words echoed through the auditorium,

Countless magical beasts poured out of thin air.

Well then, shall I cause a spectacular scene?

***

The situation room where the academy professors were gathered.

Numerous monitors displayed the situation inside the auditorium.

“As expected, most of the students are flustered.”

As the young professor said, most of the students were bewildered by the sudden appearance of the magical beasts.

“Even if they regain their composure, nothing will change.”

The sharp-faced professor’s words were true.

A few students seemed to have regained their wits and picked up their weapons, but it didn’t make much difference. The number of students was as large as the number of magical beasts.

The students couldn’t swing their weapons carelessly. They might hit a student behind them.

They couldn’t even use magic. If they carelessly cast a spell at a magical beast, it might hit a nearby student.

They were getting in each other’s way. Students had to deal with the magical beasts while also being mindful of other students.

As a result, one student was struck by a magical beast without even being able to swing their sword. Of course, they weren’t real magical beasts, but artificial magical beasts created through alchemy and magic.

“Tsk tsk. That one is definitely disqualified.”

“This is why we shouldn’t admit students based on numbers alone.”

It was the worst possible situation, where they couldn’t do anything.

“But still, this generation is overwhelmingly strong.”

Even in that dire situation, there were students who shone.

“Is that girl the adopted daughter of the Reviden family?”

Fire, water, wind, and earth attacked the magical beasts.

Water trapped the magical beasts, and fire incinerated them. Earth that shot up from below pierced the magical beasts, and wind tore them apart.

And all of it reached only the magical beasts, not touching any other students. This was possible because they were elementals with free will, not mere magic.

Though originally a commoner, the girl had been adopted into a Marquisate due to her overwhelming talent in controlling four elementals. The girl was killing magical beasts, her pink hair fluttering in the wind.

“That brute force method is clearly from the Isar tribe.”

If other students got in the way of his punches, he would jump into the center where there were no students and only many magical beasts. When his fist struck a magical beast, it exploded with a pop.

Even when bitten by magical beasts, he smiled and continued to punch. All of this was possible due to the tough physique passed down in the Isar tribe. He, the successor of the Isar tribe, was fighting the magical beasts with his overwhelming physical prowess.

Besides these two, several other students were hunting magical beasts in their own ways.

A swordsman from the East. A sorcerer who used peculiar curses. A priest who fought like the Isar tribe, clad in divine power. There were countless students who could not be considered ordinary.

“They truly deserve to be called the Generation of Miracles.”

“I know, right.”

The Generation of Miracles. A phrase used to describe the students currently admitted to the academy.

A miraculous phenomenon where so many geniuses appeared in one generation that geniuses became commonplace.

Among this Generation of Miracles, two stood out as the most famous and unrivaled.

A girl with black hair resembling the night sky and impressive ruby-like red eyes.

But what stood out more than her appearance was her overwhelming magical ability.

She floated her body with flight magic and threw countless fireballs at the magical beasts. Within that, she protected other students with magic shields so they wouldn’t get caught in the attacks.

All of this was possible due to her magic sense and immense mana capacity. The sole disciple of the Tower Master. Clara Adelian.

“But His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, also stands out.”

“He’s an academy student now, so try to call him Lucas.”

“Is that as easy as it sounds?”

Golden hair and golden eyes, proving the most noble lineage of the empire.

The spear in his hand pierced through the magical beasts like lightning. Countless magical beasts struck by the spear were instantly run through.

The Crown Prince of the Croa Empire, Lucas Leonhart, hailed as the reincarnation of the first Emperor who transformed the Croa Kingdom into the Croa Empire.

Clara Adelian and Lucas Leonhart.

Many professors believed these two would be the central figures of the Generation of Miracles.

Therefore, the professors could not believe the situation displayed on the monitor screen.

“Who on earth is that guy?”

All the professors froze at the sight shown by a man wearing a white mask and a red cloak, truly reminiscent of a jester.