Chapter 17 – Special Entrance Exam

Yurasia dragged me into the restroom, worried someone might overhear us.

While there, I thoroughly washed my hands, making up for not doing it earlier, and straightened my clothes.

“…Did you really fail?” she asked hesitantly.

“Yeah, they said I really failed.”

At first, I was furious when I heard the news, but after learning about the special admission criteria, I calmed down—at least somewhat.

If that option existed, they should’ve told me from the start. Why bother with the written exam and waste my time? I thought, but whatever.

It was fun, in its own way. The questions brought back old memories, and it was amusing to see kids working so hard to succeed.

The decline in standards shocked me, and hearing that my methods were outdated annoyed the hell out of me.

Still, it was a clear lesson on just how much the world had changed in 400 years.

So maybe I could feel a bit more at ease now—

No, who am I kidding?

I still wanted to find those professors who failed my answers and smash their heads in.

Idiotic bastards.

“What should we do now?!” Yurasia exclaimed, grabbing my arm in panic. Her eyes were wide, mouth agape, and her face had turned ghostly pale.

“…Why did it turn out like this? Did you cheat?” she asked nervously.

“Are you insane?”

“Then… did you hit someone during the exam?”

“Why would I hit anyone?”

“Gasp… don’t tell me—you hit a professor?!”

“I’d like to, but seriously, what kind of person do you think I am?”

Yurasia’s blue eyes rolled nervously. “Uh… I think of you as Ellie?”

“Forget it. I’m not talking to you anymore.”

Sighing, I untied my loose twin-tails, letting the pink waves of my hair cascade down. I ran my fingers through the strands, smoothing them out.

It was ridiculous to be doing this in a restroom, but Sarah always warned me that I had to maintain a polished appearance. If I looked the slightest bit disheveled, rumors could spread, and they’d drag our family’s name through the mud.

Kids these days are so crafty, I thought. Back in my time, we’d just tie troublemakers up and whip them.

Tch.

“Oops… Sorry! I was just joking!” Yurasia grinned, half-apologetic, half-playful, and started fixing my hair herself.

She even pulled a hairbrush from inside her clothes.

Kids these days carry brushes instead of daggers? I mused. I guess it could double as a weapon, though—the end is sharp enough to be useful.

“Shall I tie it for you?” she offered.

“…Yeah, please do.”

“Hehe.”

Of course, I know how to tie my hair, but Yurasia and Sarah do it much better.

Sarah ties it comfortably so it doesn’t bother me, while Yurasia pulls it tight. It tires my scalp, but the hairstyle lasts longer that way.

With the practical exam coming up, it was better to have Yurasia tie it for me.

“All done! Now will you tell me what’s going on?” Yurasia smiled mischievously, adding a playful whine to her voice.

She thinks she can get her way with just a bit of cuteness. What a brat.

“They said my written answers were strange,” I explained.

“…You mean the monster-hunting answers?”

“All of them.”

“Even the history ones?”

“Yeah. They said the solutions I gave were impossible, so they couldn’t grade it properly.”

Yurasia’s expression twisted into something strange.

“Well… I kinda expected that… Ahem. So, what now? Are you going back home? Should I come with you?”

“You still need to take your exam.”

I was tempted to tell her about the special admission right away, but watching her fret was too amusing.

I decided to hold off for a bit longer.

“Ugh… I don’t want to. I want to go home with you,” she whined.

“But you were excited about attending the academy, weren’t you?”

Yurasia’s lips trembled as she muttered in a sad voice, “I was only excited because I thought I’d be going with you… I don’t want to go alone.”

Hah. That wasn’t the kind of answer I was expecting.

I felt my lips curl into a grin.

“So… let’s just leave together. There’s always next year, right? We can study hard for the written exam and come back then!” She squeezed my hands tightly, as if making a solemn vow.

For her age, Yurasia really was impressive.

I almost teased her with, “Is it just because you won’t have anyone to buy you meals?” but decided against it—that would’ve been too harsh. Instead, I just laughed.

“Relax. I didn’t completely fail.”

“What? Wait… are you saying—”

Yurasia leaned closer and whispered, “Did they say you could bribe your way in?”

I pinched her cheek.

“Do you think that would work?”

“Hehe…”

“There’s a special admission system. If I meet the condition during the practical exam, I’ll pass. They’ll even validate my written answers, and I can join the special class.”

“Really? What do you have to do?”

“Just hunt a monster hidden somewhere in the labyrinth.”

“A monster? Like… what kind of monster?”

I let go of her cheek and gently patted her head.

“Don’t worry about it. Just focus on your exam.”

“…Are you sure you can defeat it? It won’t be too strong?”

“They wouldn’t put the Demon King in the labyrinth, would they?”

I chuckled and started walking.

“Let’s go. We’ll be late.”

Yurasia hesitated for a moment before following with a bright smile.

“In that case, I’ll try to hunt it too!”

“If you want to be top of the class, you’d better.”

***

When it was time for the practical exam, all the examinees, myself included, returned to the lecture hall where we’d taken the written test that morning.

The poor girl in the navy hoodie, the one who had skipped lunch, was also there.

Had she been eyeing my pocket earlier to see if I had food?

I thought maybe she’d noticed I hadn’t washed my hands, but perhaps not.

Hmm… What should I do?

As I idly fumbled with my pocket—

Clunk.

The door to the lecture hall opened, and Professor Arkand entered.

“We will now provide instructions for the practical exam. Please stop what you are doing and listen.”

He skipped all unnecessary words and went straight to the point.

I liked that.

“This year’s exam will involve exploring a labyrinth. The labyrinth is provided by the Green Tower, and there will be no danger to your lives from the monsters inside. Now, let me explain the exam in detail.”

Behind Arkand, a diagram appeared on the board. White lines crisscrossed the board, intertwined with blue ones, eventually forming the shape of a bracelet—the same kind Arkand was holding.

“This bracelet, also crafted by the Green Tower, tracks your location and vital signs to prevent accidents. In case of emergency, press this button to escape the labyrinth. Do not lose it.”

His mention of “emergencies” brought a tense silence over the room.

Though the monsters were supposedly safe, there was always a possibility of something going wrong.

It was a subtle reminder—be more wary of people than monsters.

After all, with so many people gathered, disputes were inevitable.

Social status, grudges—everything was tangled and complicated.

Even though the academy supposedly filtered out dangerous individuals, not everything would be as peaceful as they claimed.

“The rules are simple. You’ll be assigned to a party, and your goal is to retrieve the labyrinth’s core. If you get defeated, you’ll be transported outside immediately, so don’t worry. Your score will be based on the monsters you defeat and the time taken to secure the core. Top performers will have an interview and a one-on-one duel for a chance to enter Signia.”

The word Signia instantly changed the atmosphere.

Even the girl in the navy hoodie flinched.

As expected, everyone was aiming for Signia.

Who wouldn’t? It offered the best facilities, lectures, and perks.

“And, as mentioned earlier, Karela Academy offers a special admission system. Those who qualify receive tuition waivers, Signia enrollment, scholarships, permission to start clubs, and student council recommendations. If you’re interested, aim for it.”

Arkand’s gaze briefly landed on me before continuing.

“To qualify for special admission, you must defeat the basilisk located on the opposite side of the labyrinth’s core.”

The room buzzed with murmurs.

A basilisk.

A snake-like monster with petrifying eyes, known as the “King of Serpents” for the crown-like horns on its head.

It breathes fire and has razor-sharp scales, but…

It’s not that impressive, I thought.

Avoid the petrifying gaze, hit the big body—it’s an easy target. Coat your hands in mana, and the scales are soft enough to tear off bare-handed.

Plus, the meat tastes amazing.

Back in the day, we’d sprinkle it with expensive pepper to mask the gamey flavor.

A single basilisk could feed five people for a week.

Of course, you’d need to purify the magical contamination first, but Luna used to handle that effortlessly.

I couldn’t help but smile at the thought—this was going to be easy.

Meanwhile, the other examinees stiffened at the mention of the basilisk.

“It has only been defeated six times in the 348 years since the academy was founded,” Arkand continued. “The individuals who succeeded are now known as the Six Pillars of the Empire.”

The room buzzed even louder at that.

The Six Pillars.

I’d read about them, but I wasn’t sure how powerful they really were.

All I knew was that no one in the Empire surpassed them.

How strong must they be to earn the title of Pillar?

…I wish I’d earned a title like that in my past life.

Ronan the Martial Artist?

Ugh.

“Although the basilisk in the labyrinth is a magical construct and weaker than a real one, the sensory experience will feel completely real. It’s located opposite the core, so attempting to hunt it carries significant risk. If you’re unsure, I recommend focusing on retrieving the core instead.”

Snap! Arkand snapped his fingers, and the diagram on the board disappeared. Several bracelets flew toward him, neatly arranged in his hands.

“Each bracelet has a number. Find the person with the matching number and form your party. You have 20 minutes to strategize before the exam begins. I will return then.”

After scanning the room one last time, Arkand’s gaze lingered on me briefly before he exited the lecture hall.

***

“I’m number 5! Who’s got number 5?”

“Anyone with number 3?”

“Number 1! Is number 1 here?”

“Here! I’ve got number 1!”

The moment Arkand left, the room filled with students shouting and running around, frantically looking for their party members.

They were working hard.

I sat back, watching them with mild amusement, waiting for someone to call out my number.

One minute passed.

Then two.

Then three.

Five minutes went by, and all the students had found their groups.

But no one had called my number.

The girl in the navy hoodie, sitting beside me, was still alone as well.

Huh. So that’s how it is.

I turned toward her, and she was already looking at me.

After a moment of silence, I spoke first.

“What number are you?”

“Ten,” she replied curtly.

I had asked politely, but she responded with blunt, informal speech. Her sharp glare hadn’t changed, either.

She looked like a bristling cat, which I found both amusing and endearing.

With a bright smile, I replied, “Same as me.”

Her expression twisted in frustration.