Grade Assessment (2)
TL/ED: Lolz
Lichten Academy boasted a vast campus, matching its renowned reputation.
Thanks to this, several sizable buildings existed on the grounds, with one of them being the Grade Assessment Hall of the Academy.
The Grade Assessment Hall rivaled the size of a soccer field, and the surrounding stands resembled a stadium. Of course, with students from all grades gathering there, the spacious area felt quite cramped.
‘If it was going to be like this, wouldn’t it have been better to divide into groups by day?’
Ian sighed lightly.
Of course, he knew that his complaint held little significance. External figures sat in the stands, and if their time was valued in gold, it would have been priceless.
Nevertheless, simultaneously assessing the grades of an entire year was undoubtedly an ignorant approach.
The only consolation was that the first assessment that day was the Mana Measurement Test.
Ian thought to himself that the process would have been quick with the use of magic engineering equipment.
As he walked, grumbling to himself, someone called out.
“Ian! Over here!”
Turning around, Ian spotted Danya, with her perky ears sticking out.
“Here!”
Danya was bouncing in place, as if worried Ian wouldn’t notice her small stature.
Surrounded by familiar faces, it seemed that they were in the gathering place for the Mezai class.
“You’re early.”
Ian approached Danya and greeted her.
“Hmph!”
Danya immediately bumped fists with him and let out a small snort.
The energetic cat-like mode had replaced her previous playful jumping.
However, it didn’t seem like she was completely angry.
Rather than keeping her distance, she came closer.
It was as if she wanted him to notice her.
‘What’s going on?’
Slightly puffed cheeks hinted at some dissatisfaction…
‘Did she get upset because I left her alone in the dorm last time?’
Ian recalled a recent incident.
He had called Danya to the dorm, but soon after, he left her behind with his mobility idea.
Certainly, calling someone else for help and leaving as the host first was a bit against etiquette.
“I apologize for leaving you alone last time.”
An apology flowed directly from Ian’s mouth.
However, Danya, unexpectedly, was taken aback.
Her intention wasn’t for Ian to apologize.
Instead, Danya was pleased that Ian had invited her to his place.
“No, it’s not like that! I was actually grateful back then!”
“Well… you also gave me the elixir, so I was really thankful. It was delicious.”
Danya, seeming embarrassed to express her gratitude, lowered her head and mumbled.
“Don’t worry about it.”
“But, let’s talk about gratitude a bit later…”
Danya’s eyes widened as she said that.
She asked.
“We’re colleagues, right?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Well, but…! You, you, you…”
Saying so, Danya opened her eyes wide. She had a slightly pouting expression, genuinely cute, though the reason for her dissatisfaction was unclear.
After lingering for a while, she asked.
“Other than me, has anyone else been in your room… nyah?”
“…What?”
“Other girls, or people, have they been there?”
What a question.
Perhaps there was a feline territorial instinct at play due to her being a cat-like supernatural being.
Well, such racial differences needed to be handled calmly in a comradeship.
Has anyone else been in your room…?
Before the possession, there probably hadn’t been anyone, and even after the possession, there was no reason for anyone else to be there until Danya needed help.
“I don’t think so.”
“Really?”
“There doesn’t seem to be a reason for someone else to enter, other than you.”
Danya’s expression immediately cleared at his words.
“Hehe, really? What about Silvia?”
“No, but why Silvia?”
“Oh, it’s nothing, nyah.”
Now she was chuckling, perhaps finding joy in expanding her territory?
‘Surely, understanding these racial differences will be necessary in the future.’
While Ian misunderstood Danya’s jealousy as a feline characteristic, a small cheer came from the Knight Department.
“Kyaahhh!”
“Miss Sharon, you’re amazing!”
The first stage of the Grade Assessment, the Mana Measurement, had begun.
As Sharon approached the measurement device, the surroundings buzzed with excitement.
With each step, she approached the measurement device.
Sharon stood in front of the measuring machine.
A moment when the attention of numerous students was focused.
The noisy surroundings suddenly became quiet.
A silence where not even the sound of breathing could be heard.
– Place your hand in front of the machine.
The mechanical sound of the device echoed dryly.
Sharon’s eyes were as cold as the machine. H
er hand touched the device, colder than the machine itself.
— F Grade test passed.
— D Grade test passed.
— C Grade test passed.
In less than a second, she breezed through the lower-grade tests.
This meant that her mana far exceeded the lower grades.
“Wow…”
Surrounding astonishment filled the air.
— B Grade test passed.
— ……
— A Grade test passed.
The initial light admiration gradually gave way to the increasing weight of her grade.
“Passing through to Grade A so quickly.”
“At that level, she’s overwhelming even compared to Aether students.”
She steadily climbed up to S Grade.
“Indeed, the ladies of the Pierce family are different.”
“From the beginning, there’s a significant difference in lineage compared to ordinary students. Now it seems like she’s perfectly bringing out that talent.”
“There must have been some issues during the entrance exam.”
The first appearance of an S Grade, excluding Aether students, drew everyone’s attention, as expected.
However, Sharon wasn’t the only one who attracted such attention.
— Student Ian Blackangers, please come forward.
Although the focus was slightly different on this side.
“What? Didn’t Ian quit the Academy?”
“He hasn’t been confessing lately; I thought he couldn’t come out since the incident.”
“There are rumors that he has changed.”
Certainly, there were quite a few humiliations to swallow.
However, Ian didn’t care.
He had confidence in his abilities.
— F Grade test passed.
— D Grade test…
The next announcement was slightly delayed.
Gulp.
Silence filled the measurement hall.
However, it was a different kind of quiet compared to Sharon’s time.
It was more anticipation than tension.
— D Grade test failed.
“… What did it just say?”
“Hehehehe!”
“Kahaha!”
And at the moment when Ian’s grade was revealed, laughter erupted in the measurement hall.
◆
Meanwhile, in the spectator seats where outsiders were located.
The place was set up for people to watch the students’ grade assessments.
However, even within the same spectator seats, there was a place where people’s attention gathered.
Given the clear difference in social status among them, it was natural for the gazes to be drawn to figures not easily encountered even in normal circumstances, despite the purpose being student observation.
Among them, the combination of a fluorescent-haired and an orange-haired girl clearly received the most attention.
The woman with short fluorescent hair, small stature like a child, was Ray from the Magic Tower Lichten branch.
The woman with a mix of pink and orange long hair, mature and sensual enough to resemble Lucia’s guardian, was Elisha from the Magic Guild ‘Event Horizon’.
(TL: No idea what Lucia’s guardian is supposed to be, either a character that I haven’t seen yet, the Vtuber or some girl with raid hair from some manhwa.)
The reputation of Magic Tower and the ‘Event Horizon’ guild was top-notch, among the best on the continent. Moreover, they were organizations that only accepted the elite of the elite, which made them hard to approach despite their reputation.
Therefore, it was natural for numerous eyes to focus on them.
However, seemingly accustomed to the surrounding glances, they were only observing the students.
Although many students were being measured simultaneously in the assessment room, the eyes of the two were drawn to a magic academy student with black hair.
— Student Ian from the Magic Department’s Mezai class. Magic power measurement result: Grade D!
— Wahahaha!
“… Did you see that guy with the black hair?”
“Yes, Unni. His magic power is so pathetic.”
The fluorescent-haired girl answered dryly.
Elisha shot her a glance.
“Ray?”
“Why, whyyy are you looking at me like that? It’s embarrassing.”
Ray’s eyes, which were clearly suspicious, rolled about.
Plop.
Veins popped on Elisha’s fine forehead.
She immediately grabbed Ray’s cheeks with both hands.
“Hey.”
“Nyeeeeee.”
Softly, gooey.
Elisha’s long fingers unmercifully kneaded Ray’s cheeks like kneading dough.
“Did you see or not?”
“W-h…a….”
“Did you see or not?”
“I-I-I… d-di-did…!”
Only when she admitted seeing did Elisha release Ray’s cheeks.
“Ray, we agreed to exchange opinions and get along this time. Let’s not make ourselves look ugly.”
“B-But.”
“But?”
“The Magic Tower needs talent! I don’t want to do weird overtime anymore!”
Crying with teardrops, Ray shouted. The Magic Tower’s traditional recruitment methods were undoubtedly challenging compared to magic guilds like Event Horizon.
‘Oh, the poor thing.’
Sighing, Elisha pointed to Ian, who was returning to his seat, receiving the mockery of students in the distance.
“Still, I think that child would be of interest to even the Magic Tower lord. The purity of that child’s mana is also unusual.”
“Indeed, Unni. Did you see it too?”
“Moreover, it’s difficult to contain earth elemental magic in a circle. Given that purity and quantity, there’s definitely something about that kid.”
“Right. We can’t just overlook him.”
A thin tension eased between the two, who hadn’t agreed on opinions in a while.
“… We need to observe him closely.”
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