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{I believe you are adjusting well to palace life, so I will get to the point.
As you may have heard, now that your academy admission has been decided, I would like to give you the choice of which academy to attend.}
A letter from Satan.
As mentioned last time, the content was related to academy admission.
At the very bottom, there were options listed for the schools Lucy could attend:
She was advised to choose the one she wanted to enroll in.
Lucy carefully examined the listed academies. Just by their names—’Girls’ Academy,’ ‘Knights’ Academy,’ and ‘Magic Academy’—she could roughly infer their focus.
Which one would be the best fit for her?
The priority was finding a place where she could easily gather information and maintain her autonomy while living a double life. However, making a choice without any prior knowledge was difficult.
Since ancient times, seeking advice from elders in such situations had always been a wise choice.
Lucy handed the letter to Arasia, who was sitting across from her, and asked for her opinion.
“Could you explain the academies listed here?”
“Of course! Leave it to me!”
Arasia eagerly snatched the letter, excitement sparkling in her eyes. She seemed delighted at the opportunity to provide career counseling.
She soon began explaining each academy in detail:
Knight Academy: A school with direct ties to the military, primarily focused on training commanders.
Girls’ Academy: A prestigious institution exclusively for noble daughters, emphasizing high society etiquette and noble culture.
Magic Academy: A place dedicated to the study and advancement of magic, including magical management, research, and truth-seeking.
“They are all excellent institutions, personally selected by Satan himself,” Arasia concluded. “But if I were to recommend one, I would suggest Lufli Girls’ Academy.”
Arasia’s recommendation did not sit well with Lucy.
A girls’ academy? That immediately brought to mind a greenhouse filled with delicate flowers—an environment completely foreign to her. She doubted she could adapt to such a place.
Next was the knight academy.
This option felt equally unsuitable. Its primary focus was military training, making it reminiscent of a military boot camp.
‘I’ll pass on this one too…’
By process of elimination, that left the Magic Academy.
Magic Academy.
It seemed like the best choice. Studying magic could offer her a means to travel beyond the continent. Furthermore, making connections with scholars and researchers could prove beneficial in multiple ways.
After some thought, Lucy made her decision.
“I want to enroll in the Magic Academy.”
A short while later, Arasia left to send a reply to Satan. Meanwhile, Rubia returned to resume their study session.
However, Rubia’s demeanor was noticeably tense. She seemed restless, as if something urgent was on her mind.
“Hey, Rubia, what’s wrong?” Lucy asked.
“Lady Lucy, you’ve chosen to enroll in the Magic Academy, right?”
“Yes, why?”
“Well, admission requires passing an entrance exam, and there isn’t much time left. You’ll need to study hard.”
“Entrance exams? I have to take one?”
“Of course. The Magic Academy prides itself on meritocracy—anyone with talent and a passion for learning can enroll. But conversely, even nobles cannot gain admission if they lack the required knowledge.”
In other words, it was a system where only ability mattered.
Lucy was genuinely surprised. Even the highest-ranking noble in the country wasn’t given special treatment.
‘What a truly corrupt educational system,’ she thought wryly.
“How much time do I have before the entrance exam?”
“It’s held annually during the harvest season, so there are less than three weeks left.”
“Three weeks… Is it a written exam?”
“No, the test consists of 70% practical skills and 30% written knowledge.”
The emphasis on practical skills was a relief. Her magical abilities wouldn’t be lacking, no matter the competition.
“Since we don’t have much time, let’s start preparing immediately. We’ll begin with a test today,” Rubia announced.
She handed Lucy a test paper containing twenty questions about the First Era’s history, based on what they had studied so far.
Lucy blinked her drowsy eyes before starting the test.
Fortunately, she had only taken her college entrance exam three years ago, so her memorization skills were still sharp. She swiftly answered each question without hesitation, completing the test in no time.
She quickly moved her purple eyes left and right, scanning the answers from top to bottom with care.
Then, as usual, she marked O’s here and there with a red pen.
The test wasn’t particularly difficult.
It was a simple memorization test with no special tricks, perhaps because the difficulty level was appropriate for her age.
The grading was finished in no time.
Out of 20 questions, she had only one wrong answer.
It was a decent score for the second day.
Feeling rewarded for all the teaching she had done, Rubia applauded with genuine joy.
“You did very well, Lucy! If you keep this up, you’ll pass without a hitch!”
“Whew…”
Lucy felt relieved inside.
If Rubia was that satisfied, maybe she’d allow her to take a nap.
However, contrary to her expectations, Rubia was burning with enthusiasm.
“Good! Let’s keep this momentum going and aim for a perfect score next time!”
“…….”
Dinner.
Fortunately, Lucy was able to get some sleep thanks to achieving a perfect score on the second test.
Maybe an hour or two.
After a short rest, she woke up feeling refreshed in bed.
Even though it was only a brief nap, she felt as if all the fatigue in her body had completely disappeared.
Perhaps it was because she was a demon with excellent resilience, but her recovery was extraordinary.
After lightly stretching, Lucy changed from her pajamas into her adventurer outfit.
She had returned to the castle in a hurry last night, but now she had to report to the guild that she had completed her request. She also had something else to ask.
Having finished preparing to go out, Lucy left without permission—again.
Aphron Guild.
The guild, nearing the end of the day, was bustling with adventurers enjoying an after-party.
Lucy, who had business with the guild master, walked past them leisurely.
At that moment, she suddenly heard whispering directed at her.
“Hey, isn’t that the one who solved the missing persons case in Gray Town?”
“You can tell by the fox mask and ash-colored hair.”
“I heard they’re an acquaintance of the guild master here?”
Though Lucy didn’t know how the rumor had spread, it seemed that everyone was aware of what had happened last night.
The stares were endless, but none were suspicious or hostile.
It was likely because Lucy was now known as the “guild master’s acquaintance.”
Not wanting to get involved in unnecessary conversations, Lucy went straight to the front desk where the guide was stationed.
The guide, busy with paperwork, jumped up from her seat as if she had been waiting.
“Welcome, I’ve been expecting you.”
“I need to speak with the guild master.”
“Actually, he instructed me to take you to the reception room immediately upon your arrival.”
Following the guide, Lucy was led into a reception room behind the desk.
Clink—
The guild master was seated alone on the sofa, waiting for Lucy.
“Welcome, Ruby.”
Judging by his friendly demeanor, the brainwashing she had placed on him was gone.
Lucy greeted him naturally and took a seat across from him.
The main reason she had come today was to discuss the incident from last night.
The guild master was the one who brought it up first.
“You must have had a hard time last night. Are you hurt anywhere?”
“How did you hear about the missing persons case so quickly?”
“I haven’t seen it myself yet.”
“Then how do you know about it?”
“The old man who was your client came to see me this morning and explained everything.”
So, this morning.
The rumor must have spread through the old man who came to thank her.
Lucy, now convinced, got straight to the point.
“The black-cloaked group that controlled the underground passage—have they been investigated?”
The robed men who had committed the kidnappings.
Since the crime scene had been discovered, surely the guards or adventurers must have looked into them.
She hadn’t worried much about it at first, but the mention of “that person” she heard yesterday was unsettling.
The guild master shook his head at her question.
“They investigated, but all of the dead were unidentified, and there are no records of them. They haven’t uncovered anything.”
“I see. Understood. Then what about my request?”
“It was accepted without any issues, so you don’t need to worry.”
“Alright, then I’ll take my leave.”
With that, her business at the guild was complete.
Lucy stood up, and she noticed the guide who had served her tea appeared somewhat nervous.
She had planned to go home early today to study for tomorrow.
But just as she was about to leave, the guild master called out to her.
“Wait, Ruby.”
“What is it?”
“Take this.”
The guild master handed her a gray pendant engraved with her name—a symbol of a Stone-rank adventurer.
It was a reward for her efforts last night.
A recognition for single-handedly solving the Gray Town serial disappearance case, a case even adventurers of the same rank had been helpless against.
A two-rank promotion.
Lucy silently accepted the pendant and left the reception room.
A Stone-rank adventurer.
This meant she now had more options when choosing requests.
However, Lucy had no intention of taking any requests today.
Starting tomorrow, she needed to stay up all night for the entrance exam.
If she overworked herself today, her body wouldn’t be able to handle it.
‘I’ll just go home early and sleep… Even for demons, lack of sleep is bad for the body—especially during the growth stage.’
The adventure continues! If you loved this chapter, I Became the Protagonist's Attachment Doll is a must-read. Click here to start!
Read : I Became the Protagonist's Attachment Doll
Tftc!