Chapter 15 – Entrance Exam

Meanwhile, in the Academy’s headmaster’s office, several senior and special professors had gathered.

Such meetings were rare, but an issue had arisen that required the expertise of top scholars from various fields, making this assembly unavoidable.

“Good day, everyone. I am Wivir Arkand, acting as a senior professor. Let’s get straight to the point. Please examine this.”

The blue-haired woman, Wivir Arkand—who had supervised Ellie’s exam—placed a test paper on the table, drawing the professors’ attention.

“These are Lady Eliaernes Eustetia’s answer sheets.”

It wasn’t just one paper, but a complete set of answer sheets covering subjects from history to demonology, completed over six hours.

The answers detailed hidden aspects of the empire’s 400-year-old history, secret events, and anecdotes that seemed pulled from forbidden tomes or fictional tales.

The methods for dealing with monsters were practical, detailed strategies, accounting for specific characteristics of the regions where these creatures lived.

Some professors frowned, others looked amazed, and a few wore ambiguous smiles.

Among those impressed was Sedil Mershdoff, headmaster of Karela Academy, who spoke up.

“Explain, Senior Professor Wivir.”

An explanation wasn’t truly necessary; everyone present could see the issue at a glance.

But for the sake of procedure, Sedil requested it.

Wivir skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the point.

“We concluded that these answers are beyond the judgment of the general faculty, which is why I’ve brought them here.”

The room fell silent as each professor formed their own evaluation.

After a moment, a bald professor with a prominent nose and thin glasses spoke.

“Was a meeting really necessary for this? These answers are simply impossible. Hah, a manticore’s weak point is its testicles? Isn’t it more fitting to say all male monsters’ weak points are their testicles? So why, for ogres, does one need to climb onto their head to knock them down? You could just crush their testicles too.”

Interpreting the silence as agreement, he continued.

“If someone is skilled and agile enough to climb onto an ogre’s head and swing a sword, there’s no need for such a method. They could safely incapacitate it by cutting its Achilles tendon.”

Murmurs of agreement spread around the table.

“This kind of strategy belongs in 400-year-old legends or among elite knights, grand magicians, or masters on the Demon Realm’s front lines. But even they wouldn’t bother with such a reckless approach. They’d simply cut the ogre down. Only fifth-level warriors drunk on newfound power would try something so absurd.”

Other professors offered supporting arguments, strengthening the bald professor’s point.

“So, this answer is nothing more than the fanciful musings of a young duchess who overheard her family’s knights boasting. It’s unrealistic and impossible in the real world.”

Just as consensus seemed to form that the answers were flawed, Emelicus Settler, a usually silent special professor from the combat division, spoke.

“It’s possible.”

His voice, cold as steel, immediately silenced the room.

“I used the same method myself when I was a second-level warrior.”

Emelicus, known as one of the quietest professors, had everyone—including Sedil—staring wide-eyed.

The bald professor narrowed his eyes. “The fact that you succeeded is why you’re seated as a senior professor now, is it not?”

Emelicus’s sharp gaze pierced him. “And what makes you think Lady Eliaernes Eustetia couldn’t also sit where I am?”

“…That’s mere speculation.”

“Just as saying she can’t do it is mere speculation.”

Emelicus scanned the professors who had agreed with the bald one.

“This answer couldn’t have come from someone without real combat experience. It’s not something those grown complacent in peace could even conceive of.”

He let out a dry laugh as the others shifted uncomfortably.

“It seems the cherry blossom of Eustetia blooms beautifully, even in the midst of storms.”

With that, Emelicus fell silent. Though brief, his words carried more weight than any other opinion.

After all, Emelicus Settler had personally trained one of the Empire’s Six Pillars, its most powerful figures.

In the uneasy silence that followed, the snake-eyed professor from Dormu Duchy spoke up.

“Well then, what do we make of the historical questions? The claim that the near-war between the Empire and the Holy Kingdom during the Demon War was triggered by Lady Luna Secrid Pranecia… running away? Hah! Running away? This sounds more like a low-brow novel than history.”

He scanned the room. “The answer is written in flowery language, sure. But strip it down, and it says Luna Secrid Pranecia nearly caused a war because she left her duties for two weeks to gamble with the Hero’s party.”

Professors from the history and sacred studies departments exploded in outrage, but no one presented any counter-arguments.

As tension grew and insults flew, a voice suddenly cut through:

“Huh? Wait! I’ve seen that before in the Forbidden Library!”

The vice headmaster, ears twitching and tail swaying, hopped onto the round table.

“What? No way! This whole answer… everything written here… it’s exactly like what I saw in the Forbidden Library.”

“V-Vice Headmaster? What exactly do you mean?” a professor stammered.

“Remember when I got caught sneaking into the Forbidden Library? I read all about the history from 400 years ago. And this? This answer is identical to what I saw!”

Snake-eyes’ face twisted strangely, while Sedil’s expression contorted with anger and confusion.

Sedil tried to maintain composure. “Vice Headmaster Megenberta. This isn’t the time or place… Besides, those documents were dismissed as unreliable over 300 years ago—”

“What? Sedil, do you seriously believe that? You’re older than me, yet so naive?”

“Vice Headmaster Megenberta, we have young professors here. Watch your tongue. And I’m not that old.”

Sedil’s words oozed irritation, and an invisible force whipped Megenberta’s tail, pulling him down.

“Don’t pull my tail! And how are you not older? By human years, you’re definitely older!”

“Shut up already.”

Sedil cleared his throat, trying to regain control of the meeting.

However, after the vice headmaster’s shocking revelation, the professors were left reeling. The notion that the test answers matched hidden history in the Forbidden Library was staggering.

The Forbidden Library contained knowledge the world was never meant to know. And now, that hidden history lay before them.

The professors’ eyes darted around anxiously, particularly those from history and sacred studies, who were already re-examining the answers.

As the chaos began to settle, Adelia Baros, the Academy’s special professor and black magician, finally spoke, her voice smooth and hypnotic.

“So, isn’t all of this meaningless? We can argue about what’s possible and impossible, but shouldn’t we wait until after the practical exam to judge?”

“I… I agree,” said Wivir Arkand, surprisingly siding with Adelia. “If Lady Eliaernes Eustetia meets the ‘special admission’ requirements during the practical exam, then we’ll have our answer.”

Other professors slowly began to nod, while the bald professor’s camp remained agitated.

The most vocal opposition came from Snake-eyes of Dormu Duchy.

“Lady Eliaernes Eustetia’s specialty is martial arts, is it not? Ha! A martial artist? A martial artist, of all things, meeting the special admission requirements? Do you truly believe that’s possible?”

But his opinion was swiftly crushed by the vice headmaster’s comment:

“Hmm? Hey, Snake-eyes. Did you forget that I’m a martial artist too?”

“S-Snake-eyes… Ahem. Of course not. But, Vice Headmaster, your body is different from ours, is it not? Ha, ha! There’s a clear difference between beastkin and humans—”

“Oh? Speciesism? Sedil! Can I tear his tongue out? We have plenty of other professors who could take his place, right?”

“Hiiik!”

As chaos threatened to erupt again, Sedil spoke in a low voice, his face hardening.

“We’ve made our decision. We’ll reconvene after the practical exam to assess these answers’ credibility. I will personally speak with Lady Eliaernes. This meeting is adjourned. Vice Headmaster, please stay behind.”

“If I stay, I’m probably going to rip that snake’s tongue out.”

“…Then leave.”

“Will do!”

As the professors filed out, Sedil sighed in relief. He had sensed extraordinary talent in Eliaernes’s answers and knew losing her would be a terrible mistake.

However, whether she could meet the special admission requirements remained uncertain.

In the Academy’s 348-year history, only six people had ever passed the special admission test.

Those six were now known as the Six Pillars of the Empire.

Individuals extraordinary from birth. People who defied even the heavens.

Could that small girl truly stand shoulder to shoulder with such beings?

“Haa…”

Thinking it nearly impossible, Sedil clutched his throbbing head and summoned Eliaernes for a meeting.