Chapter 23 – Special Entrance Exam

Why was Stella’s surname Verheigen?

Why had Kaloso left behind descendants?

And how had those descendants managed to set foot in the Empire?

There was no time to ponder these questions.

The moment we retrieved the artificial magic stone, Stella and I found ourselves standing in the middle of the Signea training arena.

“Oh! You’ve returned!”

As if that wasn’t enough, a grim-faced headmaster and four or five professors were already standing in a line, waiting for us.

What the—

All this attention for us? It felt a bit embarrassing.

Standing awkwardly, my instincts kicked in—a warning.

There wasn’t time to figure out why. Dodging wasn’t an option—if I did, Stella would be in danger.

Without hesitation, I summoned all my mana, wrapping it around my arms. Planting my feet firmly on the ground, I raised my arms and braced for impact.

“Hey, duck your head.”

“Huh? What are you—”

Boom!

“Gah…!”

“Aaagh!”

Agonizing pain shot through both my arms.

My mind reeled. My legs wobbled, and my arms felt like they were on the verge of shattering.

There wasn’t a hint of hostility, no murderous intent. But if I had taken that hit head-on, I’d be dead for sure. I gritted my teeth, staring intently at the person responsible.

Brown ears.

Messy hair that reminded me of a lion’s mane, swaying slightly. Beneath it, golden eyes gleamed, pupils slit vertically like a predator’s, locked onto my face.

And then, there was the tail brushing against my legs.

“What? You blocked it?! You really blocked it??”

“Damn right I did. What, you think I’d just stand there and get hit?”

“What?! Hahaha! Did you hear that, Sedil?! Look at the way she talks!”

The arena echoed with joyful laughter.

The one in front of me stood slightly taller than me.

About the same height as Stella.

Probably around the same age too.

A beastkin.

A lion beastkin.

Just one strike was enough to tell how far apart our levels were.

Right now, there was no way I could win. Absolutely none.

Still—

“What the hell…?”

I couldn’t stop myself from cursing.

“Who the hell are you? What kind of lunatic kicks someone the first time they meet?”

“And now she’s swearing at me?! Hahaha!”

Stella, who had been watching us in shock, turned pale.

Just then, Sedil rushed over, using some unknown magic to push the beastkin away.

“Ahhh! Stop pulling my tail!”

“Are you okay?! Are you hurt anywhere?!”

“Huh? Well, I guess I’m okay… but who the hell was that?”

Though my arms weren’t broken, they throbbed painfully.

It felt like the beastkin had held back, but even so, I doubted I’d be able to lift a spoon, let alone chopsticks, for the next hour.

Who the hell was that crazy animal?

I’m not weak—not by a long shot.

And most people know who I am without my hood—Eliaernes Eustetia, the young lady of the Eustetia family.

But that beast had kicked me without hesitation.

And it even seemed like they knew who I was.

“That was Leona Megenberta, the Vice Headmaster.”

“What? That… beastkin… is the vice headmaster?”

“Yes, I apologize. I tried to restrain her, but she slipped away…”

I stared at the beastkin vice headmaster, still squirming in the distance.

“Eliaernes! You’ve passed! Absolutely passed! Anyone who tries to deny it, I’ll smash their heads in! Got it?!”

I blinked a few times, then looked at Sedil.

“…She seems really fond of me.”

“Yes… She showed considerable interest in you during the last meeting as well. I truly apologize for what just happened. The academy will take full responsibility—”

“No need. My arms are still intact. Anyway, wasn’t there something you wanted to talk to us about?”

It was getting late.

I wanted to wrap this up quickly.

Sedil, after glancing between Stella and me, finally exhaled in relief and spoke.

“Well… the magical tools you were wearing malfunctioned.”

“You mean the bracelets?”

“Yes. The tracking magic, life signal detection, and video transmission enchantments inside them all broke down. We couldn’t monitor what was happening, and we were even considering halting the exam.”

Stella turned ghostly pale.

“Are you saying… even if we had pressed the button, we wouldn’t have been able to escape?”

“Yes. I’m truly sorry.”

Sedil bowed deeply.

Stella’s body trembled with barely suppressed emotion.

What’s the point of bowing so deeply over something like this to kids?

“There’s no need to go that far. We brought back the proof, didn’t we? You’re not going to make us retake the test just because you couldn’t watch it, are you?”

“Of course not.”

Sedil nodded, his gaze falling on the artificial magic stone in Stella’s hand.

“…What? This is…?”

“It’s the artificial magic stone from the basilisk.”

Sedil’s previously grim face brightened instantly.

The nearby professors, including Arkand, gasped in amazement.

One of them, a stern-looking bald man, even shed tears.

Though his expression twisted sourly, his astonishment was undeniable.

Didn’t like his face, though.

“You… defeated the basilisk?”

“Yes.”

The headmaster’s jaw dropped in disbelief.

Heh. Not a bad reaction.

Feeling pleased, I shrugged my shoulders.

But then, I noticed Stella’s expression darken.

She glanced at me nervously, as if she thought I was about to say I had defeated the basilisk alone.

“I’d like to conduct a small verification, if you don’t mind.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“Verification? Sedil, I told you! He blocked my kick! That should be proof enough!”

While Sedil and the professors examined the magic stone, I approached Stella.

“Hey, amateur.”

“I… I told you I’m not an amateur… Huu… What do you want?”

“Why do you look so down?”

“I’m not down.”

“Afraid I’ll say I did it all by myself?”

“Wh-what? No! And even if I fail, so what? It doesn’t matter!”

But as she spoke, she fidgeted with the edge of her hood, clutching it tightly.

“Really? I was going to speak up for you if you were worried… but alright. I’ll just tell the truth.”

I gave her a smirk and turned away.

“W-wait! Hold on!”

Her voice, small and desperate, stopped me.

“What?”

“I… I fought, too! I killed thirty-seven—no, forty-two lizardmen!”

“Yeah. And I took down the basilisk.”

“Urgh… You… you wouldn’t have managed without me.”

“You really think so?”

“Well…”

Flustered, Stella chewed her lip, glaring at me with teary eyes. Her nose had turned bright red, but she tried to maintain a composed expression.

This was too entertaining.

“Got nothing else to say?”

“Why do you keep doing this to me?”

“Doing what? I’m just telling the truth.”

“…Even so… you don’t have to tease me like this… You… you’re going to pay for this someday.”

“Punishment? I’m already being punished.”

Being born as Arisa’s descendant, only to become a martial artist—that’s punishment enough.

Chuckling to myself, I turned back toward the professors.

“Have you finished the verification?”

“Yes! This magic stone could only have been retrieved by defeating the basilisk. Excellent work! Truly remarkable!”

Sedil beamed as he approached us.

“Did the two of you defeat the basilisk together?”

Stella trembled.

When I glanced at her, a tear slipped down her cheek as she glared at me with defiance.

This was far too amusing.

So I mouthed a message just for her.

“Do me a favor later.”

Stella’s mouth fell open in disbelief.

Ignoring her, I turned back to Sedil.

“Yes, we took it down together. Isn’t that right, Stella?”

“Uh… y-yeah, we did…”

The bald professor’s mouth fell open at our response.

Without missing a beat, I continued.

“There’s no need for further proof, is there? If necessary, I could swear on my mana, but it seems like the academy should be more concerned about the malfunctioning tools and how we almost didn’t make it out.”

I turned to look at the bald professor, whose face turned pale.

His expression shifted from annoyance to panic.

“Considering my age, I imagine my family would personally come to… settle things if this exam were mishandled.”

Now his face was white as a sheet.

The message was clear: if things went wrong, it wouldn’t end well for the academy—or for him.

“No, no need for that. If Lady Eliaernes Eustetia and Lady Stella Verheigen both say so, we trust you. Especially since Vice Headmaster Megenberta herself has vouched for your abilities.”

Good.

With a shrug, I turned toward Stella—only to pause mid-step.

“Headmaster, what did you just call Stella?”

“Lady Stella Verheigen, daughter of the Marquis.”

“…Marquis?”

“Yes. Were you not aware?”

Marquis? A marquis?

A marquis title?

This was absurd.

Had the Empire really granted a noble title to someone descended from Kaloso, the one who had betrayed humanity and sided with the Demon King?

Or maybe the title hadn’t been granted to Kaloso himself but to one of his descendants.

If that were the case, the Empire might not even know about Kaloso’s betrayal.

Could Arisa have returned without saying anything?

What about Luna and Paulo? Weren’t they supposed to have come back together with her?

Luna, with her personality, would have exposed Kaloso’s betrayal to the world without hesitation.

So… why?

My thoughts spiraled into confusion. Every answer raised more questions, and my head started to ache. Just then, the sound of heels clicking—tok-tok-tok—snapped me out of it.

“Hehe. Did you hear that, Lady Eliaernes Eustetia?”

Stella’s voice, as smug and elegant as ever, reached my ears.

She approached me with an air of refined nobility, her words overly polite, her tone dripping with self-satisfaction.

Despite her still-puffy eyes and red nose, she carried herself like a perfect noble lady.

I couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh.

Her ridiculous antics helped clear my tangled thoughts.

“Why are you talking like that?”

“Ahem. Lady Eliaernes, considering the assistance you provided me in the labyrinth and the fact that we’re being observed, I thought it appropriate to show you the respect you deserve. And in return, I expect the same courtesy from you—”

“Ugh, stop. You’re giving me goosebumps.”

“…Lady Eliaernes?”

“Keep this up, and I’ll spill everything right here. What do you think? Should I do it or not?”

“Urgh… W-why are you doing this to me?”

“You came to me, and now you’re telling me to leave?”

“Aaaah! Just… leave me alone!”

Seeing her nearly break down as Arkand tried to calm her down, I turned back to Sedil.

He gave me a confused but bemused smile, clearly lost in the chaos.

“Well, that settles it. Oh, and please keep everything about today’s special entrance exam confidential.”

“Confidential? This is quite an accomplishment—wouldn’t it be better to celebrate it?”

“It’s more convenient this way. There are… complications. It’s hard to explain right now, so I’m asking for your discretion.”

There was no way I’d let my father find out about this.

If he did, he’d come charging into the academy without a second thought, embarrassing me beyond belief with his endless praise.

And if he started asking questions about the practical exam…

Absolutely not.

“I’ll consider this matter settled, then. Thank you.”

“Very well. If that’s your wish, we’ll see you at the entrance ceremony. Haha!”

“See you at the entrance ceremony, Headmaster Sedil Mershdoff.”

I gave him a polite bow, extending the same courtesy to the professors and Arkand. I also shot a quick glare at the bald professor, just for good measure.

Finally, I spared a glance at the writhing Vice Headmaster, who was still struggling in the air.

“Hehehe! See you at the entrance ceremony! Bye-bye!”

Ignoring her, I approached Stella, who was still fuming behind me.

“Let’s go. I hope we end up in the same class.”

“Ugh… If we’re in the same class, I’ll drop out.”

I meant it, though—I wanted to be in the same class.

There were things I needed to ask her.

And things I needed to find out.

Visiting her family estate might not be a bad idea, either. There could be valuable information about Kaloso hidden there.

And if Stella, with her interest in the demon realm and exceptional magical talent, could help me achieve my goal—

It wouldn’t be easy.

It might even be impossible.

There was always the possibility that her family was still allied with demons.

If that turned out to be true—if Stella was working with the demons—

Then…

“Hey.”

“W-what? I told you, I’m not dropping out! I was just saying!”

I stared into her violet eyes.

They were clear and bright.

There wasn’t a trace of the corruption that accompanied demonic energy.

Her gaze held no darkness—only a pure desire for magic.

Betrayal.

I still couldn’t understand why Kaloso had betrayed us, piercing me with his blade and joining the Demon King’s side.

And here, before me, was his descendant—Stella Verheigen.

Blaming a distant descendant for their ancestor’s crimes would be absurd.

The fact that she openly revealed her name suggested she knew nothing about Kaloso’s betrayal.

However…

She knew about the Eustetia family. And she reacted differently from most people.

Almost as if she was afraid.

But of what?

What exactly did she fear about the Eustetia family?

I couldn’t be sure—not yet.

But if she were as talented as she seemed, I couldn’t let go of someone like her so easily.

Killing her now, without any solid proof, would be foolish.

For now, I would do what I always did: follow my instincts.

And if the worst-case scenario happened…

I wouldn’t hesitate next time.

I had made my choice.

For now, she would stay by my side.

“Amateur. Let’s be friends from now on.”

“No way! I told you, I’m not an amateur! My name is Stella Verheigen! And calling me an amateur is an insult! Even if you’re a Eustetia, that’s unforgivable!”

“Whatever you say. Hah…”

I stretched my arms and placed the last macaron in her hand.

“Here. Eat this and try not to get into trouble.”

“Huh…? Ugh…! W-what the heck?! Who are you to boss me around?! I hate you!”

“Same here. I hate you too.”

Leaving Stella behind as she fumed and shouted at me, I stepped out of the arena.

I didn’t even need to use the restroom after all.

Not because I no longer needed to, but because that had never been my real reason in the first place.

***

“Lady Ellie!”

“Were you waiting long?”

“No, I had fun watching the people! So, how did it go? Did you catch the basilisk?”

Yurasia, her golden hair tied over her shoulder to cool off, ran toward me eagerly.

“Yes, I did. What about you?”

“I got mine too!”

As expected.

I smiled softly and rose onto my tiptoes.

“Well done. I knew you could do it, Yurasia.”

I patted her head gently, though my arms still ached with every movement.

I’d have to ask Sarah to heal me later.

“Hehe… Oh, right! Lady Ellie, we need to hurry! If we want to grab crepes, we’ll have to head back to the dorms to clean up first!”

“Why bother with the dorms? Let’s just go straight there. Sarah’s probably waiting outside the academy, anyway.”

“But… I-I mean… you smell fine, but I don’t want to walk around all sweaty…”

“What kind of weirdo thinks sweat smells good?”

Ignoring her strange comment, I leaned closer and sniffed.

Beneath the faint scent of sweat, I caught the refreshing citrus fragrance unique to Yurasia.

“Eek?!”

“You’re fine. Let’s go. We’ll just shower after we eat—why waste time?”

“Ugh… Alright… but stop sniffing me like that! It’s embarrassing!”

“Ha! What, you’re hitting puberty now?”

“Ugh… I hate you, Lady Ellie…”

***

“How did they both make it out alive?”

“…I apologize.”

“I didn’t ask for an apology.”

“It’s… difficult to say. The magical tools malfunctioned inside the labyrinth…”

“Malfunctioned?”

Deep underground, within a secluded mansion.

In a dimly lit room, a sultry female voice echoed.

“So, you’re saying… you have no idea how those two made it out alive? And even managed to kill the basilisk?”

“…I apologize.”

“That’s strange. I was certain I’d received a blessing from Lord Labyrinth. And you received a portion of that power from me. That was a real labyrinth they were in. So how could two mere girls escape? And defeat a basilisk, no less?”

The man could not respond.

Even in his mind, the situation made no sense.

But saying “I don’t know” was not an option.

Admitting ignorance twice would mean death. So, bowing his head, he remained silent.

“They didn’t leave any traces?”

“No. The academy’s tools malfunctioned as well, so there’s no evidence left behind. However, if the ‘Raven’ gets involved… they might uncover something.”

“Hmm…”

The woman lounged lazily on the oversized sofa, her toes tapping rhythmically.

Then, with a soft chuckle, she dismissed her irritation.

“No matter. Whether the Raven gets involved or not isn’t your concern. Robert, I trust you’ll do better next time?”

“Yes.”

“Good. I’ll hold you to it.”

With a satisfied sigh, a damp snake slithered from beneath her skirt.

It quickly wound its way up Robert’s body, sliding into his mouth.

Despite the suffocating pain and the sensation of the serpent invading his insides, Robert bowed his head, as if accustomed to such torment.

Once the snake disappeared completely into his body—

“Praise be to mercy.”

And with those words, Robert vanished as well.