[TL/N:
– Nicol → Nicole
– Stun Kingdom → Stern Kingdom]
***
The decisive day has finally dawned.
‘I’ve roughly learned how to use magic, and I’ve raised my physical strength as much as I wanted. There’s no way the other kids are as muscular as Nicole, right? Well… A magician wouldn’t go around punching, would they?’
Anyway, Raymond hadn’t been able to sleep for two days now because he was worried about his life. His body had grown bigger, but dark circles had sagged heavily under his eyes. As a result, his face was haggard and he didn’t look very good.
“Young Master, your handsome face has become a mess. Have you been reading too many books? Even if you don’t have a talent for magic, Young Master is a precious person to me, so please take care of your health.”
“You’re one to talk. Isn’t it too harsh to say that when you’ve been watching me since I was little?”
“Hey, it was you who allowed it, Young Master. Ah, Her Ladyship is attending a social gathering, so she couldn’t come to see you off.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
In fact, Nicole and Raymond seemed to get along without any barriers between them. And the current Raymond wasn’t uncomfortable with this kind of relationship either.
“You’ll go straight to Foreston, right?”
“Yeah. After the exam is over, I’ll stop by the capital plaza for a bit.”
“Oh?”
“I’m going to buy some new books. If there’s anything you want, let me know.”
“If you would be so kind, just one slice of Jean’s berry berry cake.”
Nicole bobbed from side to side as she held up a single finger.
Jean’s Berry. Jean’s Berry. It did sound vaguely familiar. Since it was right next to the bookstore he wanted to visit anyway, Raymond readily said “I grant that request” and got on the carriage.
“Brother.”
“Hmm?”
He didn’t even notice when his younger brother had arrived, but Adrian was now standing right beside the open door. That’s right, his name was…
“Adrian. Did you come to see me off?”
Adrian just silently stared up at Raymond, not saying anything. Adrian still had another 2 years before he could enroll at Foreston. Isn’t he still too young to be curious about the academy? Are prodigies with talent inherently different from the beginning?
“Are you going to the Foreston entrance exam?”
“Yeah. Since I’m from the Spurling family after all.”
“Foreston is a boarding academy.”
“Is that so?”
“You can enroll starting at 16.”
“I see.”
After asking just that much, Adrian did a quick bow with his petite body and scurried away with a tap-tap sound.
“Uh huh.”
An exam schedule accompanied by his younger brother’s kind send-off. Other than the fact that he would die if he failed, it was quite a nice start.
***
The carriage to Foreston had magic cast on it since it was a high-end carriage. Although the road was bumpy since the mansion was located deep in the forest, thanks to magic, he didn’t feel nauseous at all.
‘What will the entrance exam be like? It would be nice if it was divided into Phase 1 and Phase 2. If Phase 1 is theory, then I can cover it with theory, so Phase 2 will be practical, then I can fail there when the time comes. If the exam is only once, and it’s a practical exam right from the start, then I will surely fall to the ground faster than a feather.’
Sitting silently in the carriage without saying a word, the coachman heaved a sigh at the sight of him.
‘I’ve heard that Young Master Raymond has been acting strange recently.’
He had always been a quiet person to begin with. Still, he used to be calm and tried not to cause trouble for the family. But lately, he’s become even more peculiar.
Now he reads gossip columns that he’s never read before, and even goes to knight training when he’s never set foot there before.
The result of that match wasn’t made known, but how could our frail Eldest Young Master possibly win! When Young Master spends all his time reading books in his room.
To be honest, he quite preferred Raymond as he was now. Before, despite his good nature, he gave off an unapproachable aura. It was understandable since he was a nobility, but it still made him uncomfortable.
However, the current Young Master was completely different. Although the time he spent out of his room decreased markedly, he had actually become much more approachable.
‘Look here, since I don’t eat much, can you make it easy to digest?’
‘Hey now. Share the meat together. Next time, I’ll eat it next time.’
‘…Steak? Not stew but steak…? Ugh, hmm. If that’s the case then, well.’
His way of talking had somehow changed as well, occasionally making him seem like a different person – though of course that was a foolish notion. How could he be someone else with the same face and voice, and a heart that still thought of his servants?
‘The Foreston Academy, huh.’
It would be difficult for Young Master to pass, but I do hope he does well.
***
After traveling for a long time, the carriage stopped in front of the magnificent castle’s front gate. As the coachman nimbly ran over to open the door, Raymond slowly got out.
The dazzling sunlight seemed like it would completely burn his fair skin. All kinds of curses bubbled up inside him. Ah, if it’s going to be this hot, I want to split the sun in half. Is it because this world is eco-friendly? It feels especially hot for some reason. I don’t know the details though. Sun, please be more considerate of humans!
Hiding his complicated feelings, Raymond briefly said to the coachman,
“Thank you.”
The coachman smiled brightly as he took off his hat and held it to his chest in response to Raymond’s thanks.
“What are you saying, Young Master. It’s my duty after all. Shall I come back to pick you up around the time the exam ends?”
“No, I’ll stop by the town for a bit so I’ll go on my own. Go back and rest.”
“W-Will it really be okay, Young Master…? Then let me confirm a few more things before I go. Do you have everything like quills and letters?”
This was the first time Raymond had gone out of the mansion. It also meant that the servants were seeing Raymond outside for the first time as well. They felt like parents sending their 7-year-old son out alone for the first time.
“I’ve got everything.”
“H-Handkerchiefs? Do you have those?”
“I do.”
“The small lucky rabbit keychain to bring good fortune-.”
“I have it. But look here-.”
“S-Sorry. I got worried so I went overboard. T-Travel safely. You’ll definitely pass!”
Raymond Spurling. The eldest son of the Spurling family. The pitiful eldest overshadowed by the second son.
In the coachman’s eyes, Raymond was simply “the talentless eldest who was shoved by the family to take the magic exam.” He looked nonchalant but there’s no way he actually felt that way. He might end up embarrassing himself right from the start.
Hearing the coachman’s undisguised encouragement, Raymond let out an amused snort and turned around.
***
*Stomp stomp* As Raymond strode down the corridor of the castle specially built for Foreston’s exam, he reviewed what he had learned so far about the Stern Kingdom and magic.
The Stern Kingdom where the Spurling family was located was an emerging nation in the central continent.
It was a kingdom that continued to expand its territory through vigorous warfare, solidifying its foundation.
The Stern Kingdom’s magic academy, Foreston, was the only educational institution where one could systematically learn magic. It was an academy mostly attended by royalty and nobles who wanted to learn magic.
On the other hand, commoners who could use magic generally learned it on the streets or from mercenaries.
“Do it like this!”
“Then how do I do it?!”
“Like this!”
Of course, there was no systematic curriculum. As a result, most commoners talented in magic aspired to attend Foreston Magic Academy.
Foreston was a meritocratic academy, and commoners could also enroll and receive the same quality education as nobles if they passed the exam. Moreover, if their grades inside were excellent, it was even possible for a commoner to become a royal mage, obtain a title, become a magic tutor for a noble family, or become a magic mercenary earning a fortune.
In other words, Foreston was the place where commoners dreaming of success could make their dreams come true.
Standing in front of the exam hall entrance of Foreston Academy, which had such rumors swirling about it, Raymond muttered under his breath.
“…What a ridiculously huge door.”
Since the doors were made of silver, it was difficult to find any corroded parts, though it was unclear whether that was thanks to the fine material or because the doors were regularly refurbished.
*Clang-*
A loud noise rang out as the front gate opened inward. Raymond headed inside through the gate.
‘Paper plane…?’
As soon as he entered, a paper plane that had flown toward him fluttered its tail as if to tell him to follow it and guided Raymond somewhere.
It seemed to be the site of the Phase 1 exam. Fortunately, it didn’t seem to be a practical test since they had borrowed lecture rooms. Raymond took a seat at the desk he was guided to. Before long, all the seats in the not-so-large lecture hall were completely filled up. Since Raymond had never shown his face in social circles, there were no familiar faces. However, some noticeable people stood out.
Those with straight backs, appropriately well-dressed, and brimming with confidence. Kids stuffed to the brim with all kinds of noble qualities.
They must certainly be nobles. Do I have to make one of them the king? Ah, what a shitty system… Sigh, to think I have to work even here.
Just as Raymond was slouched over, yawning lazily, a shadow suddenly stepped into the space in front of him.
“Has everyone taken their seats?”
Raymond thought the voice he was hearing now sounded bizarre and unpleasant, like grating noise pollution. It was a light-hearted voice, overflowing with mischief. The shadow that had appeared formlessly slowly took shape and rose up from the floor. The black mass took on color and soon transformed into a human form. He took the cloth hat he was wearing and raised it to his chest, giving a short bow.
‘Baldy wearing a sun hat.’
…Is that the latest trend?
“Welcome to Foreston’s exam hall. There are some really excellent talents this year.”
As his blue eyes roamed around the students, they stopped in front of Raymond. Laugh lines were carved deeply into his mischievous-looking eyes.
“…Of course, you don’t need to be talented just to take the exam.”
What he said was clearly directed at Raymond. At his level, he could probably perceive that the scope of Raymond’s connections was small. And seeing him being so blatantly obvious about it-
‘The academy sure is being run very nicely.’
The Spurling family would absolutely not forget this insult – but since he wasn’t a particularly precious existence to the family anyway, Raymond decided to ignore the man’s words. Besides, his talents were non-existent in reality.
‘There’s nothing to refute.’
In fact, before Raymond could say anything, the bell announcing the start of the exam rang. At the man’s words to flip over the exam paper, he turned over the parchment-like paper and only a single line of text was on it.
Raymond was flustered.
‘What is mana?’
Wasn’t the question too brief relative to the large sheet of parchment?