Chapter 4: Admission test (3)

When entering an academy, most people tend to hide their strength.

I also have a lot to hide.

My knowledge as a player, my experience, being a transmigrator, future knowledge, and so on.

So, a question.

Do I really need to hide those parts?

Not at all.

There’s only one thing I absolutely must hide.

Until I’ve grown strong enough to handle it, I must thoroughly conceal the fact that I am a ‘spy for the Demon King’s army’.

If I only hide that I’m a spy, and if I can appeal to the Demon King that I’m capably performing my spy duties at the magic academy.

– Hmm, this one is utterly useless. I should kill them and plant a new spy.

I certainly wouldn’t want to see a mid-term replacement ending.

To prevent that, I need to make quite a name for myself at the magic academy, gain significant renown, and acquire some degree of power.

To gain renown, I need skill, and to display skill, I need to assert myself.

Just like now.

“Hey, is that her? The one who buried all her teammates underground?”

“Goodness. What level is she? 3rd Circle? 4th Circle? Or even stronger?”

“I get the feeling she uses more than just earth magic…. It’d be troublesome to be on the same team as her. She’d probably try to get us eliminated.”

It seems what happened in my area is already quite widely known among the first-round qualifiers.

I understand why.

There were countless instances of people reaching 100 points and stepping onto the magic circle before others.

There were also many cases where people interfered with others to steal the last hit, or used Entangle magic to bind their feet and enter first themselves.

However, instances like mine, where everyone was prevented from getting points and none could pass within the time limit, were quite rare.

“Shouldn’t she be disqualified? Even if there’s no problem with the rules….”

“Shh, she might hear us. Be careful. She might be listening to everything.”

Though I’m already hearing everything, I can understand why they’re talking about disqualification.

If I were them, I’d probably think someone like me should be disqualified as a dangerous element, but….

“A beautiful rose always has sharp thorns.”

I am a rose.

A rose that can be plucked by the Demon King at any time, yet those drawn to its charm wouldn’t dare to pluck it carelessly.

For example.

“Your name is Liliana? That’s an unusual name. Are you from the Empire?”

“No. Not from the Empire, but from the border regions of the Kingdom.”

“Hmm…. But since it borders the Empire, there might be Imperial blood in your ancestry. Especially here. Do a check.”

“Understood, Your Imperial Highness.”

Like the Imperial Princess who has already started watching me closely.

“This is the one who eliminated Baroness Movbrina. Do you truly intend to just let it go?”

“It’s unfortunate for Movbrina, but encountering such a skilled individual in the preliminaries was also the will of the Goddess. Her elimination cannot be helped. She’ll just have to enroll next year.”

“But Your Royal Highness…!”

“It’s fine if a few more nobles from the Kingdom couldn’t get in. Those who passed the exam just need to do their best.”

Or the Royal Princess who, despite not liking my actions, at least acknowledges my skill.

‘It’s brutal.’

In the waiting room for the second preliminary round of the entrance exam, the factions that had formed around the two women looked almost like a war between the Kingdom and the Empire.

‘It’s like two dragons glaring at each other.’

The Imperial Princess’s side is a ferocious Black Dragon, and the Royal Princess’s side is a bright-natured White Dragon.

‘If I were to think about the peace of the entire continent, I’d want to question why they’re having such childish squabbles at a magic academy, but for my own survival, I hope they fight even more.’

When whales fight, it’s the shrimp that get their backs broken.

My primary goal is to be the cause of the whales fighting.

‘You, become my comrade.’

Whether it’s the Imperial Princess, the Royal Princess, or even the daughter of an incredibly wealthy noble family or merchant guild, any faction that wants to recruit Liliana will do.

To live peacefully and prosperously after the Demon King’s army is defeated.

Or, in the process of confronting the Demon King’s army, to find comrades or an organization that can save me from the Demon King or fight alongside me.

If that’s a story for the distant future, then within the magic academy….

‘I need a sponsor.’

I need someone to support me.

I need someone, or a group, to help me financially.

‘That rotten Demon King. To make me earn my own tuition, room, and board without any financial support.’

Because I tried so hard to hide that I was a spy, I’ve virtually entered the academy penniless.

‘I have no money.’

It’s no joke.

I really have no money.

Perhaps out of a baseless fear that a commoner with vast sums of money would be viewed suspiciously, I only received financial support equivalent to about a month’s living expenses.

If I don’t earn, I’ll starve to death.

And to minimize this financial expenditure….

“Top student.”

I said it, deliberately putting emphasis into my voice.

Those around me flinched in surprise and began to eye my words with caution.

“Did you hear that? That girl just said ‘top student’….”

“She wants to be the top student herself? Hmph, I can tell by how she doesn’t talk to anyone and stays alone. She probably wants to get into the private room reserved for the top incoming student.”

“She might be a poor commoner aiming for the top student scholarship. Or research grants.”

“How dare she talk about being the top student, surpassing Ashurian-nim…. Unforgivable! I’ll challenge her to a duel right now….”

The reaction was explosive.

And at the same time, the vulgar reasons they imagined could serve as the most appropriate public explanation for why I, Liliana, desire to be the top incoming student.

A skilled but poor commoner mage.

If I become the top student and eliminate financial burdens, I’ll be able to move more freely.

And.

‘The protagonist and the top student are bound to meet at some point.’

From a story perspective, the position of top incoming student is a place where one is guaranteed to meet the protagonist character.

‘First semester external practical training.’

Around Chapter 3.

When the protagonist goes on external practical training before the final exams, they form a team with the top first-year student.

‘While I could go looking for them, to create an environment where I’m inevitably linked with them, I need to be in that environment.’

From a plot development perspective, if I become the top student, I will ‘definitely’ meet the protagonist within two months at the latest.

‘Strange kids might end up on the same team, but since they could be the protagonist, I should check their potential.’

Even if I don’t manage to meet the protagonist, simply identifying someone who might be the protagonist is enough.

Therefore—

[From now on, the entrance examination, second round, will commence.]

I must pass this exam with an overwhelming score and claim the top spot.

[As you all know, admission or disqualification will be decided based on the results of this second examination.]

A modulated voice echoed through the examination hall.

According to the setting, it was the Magic Academy’s Vice Principal, who intentionally altered their voice with magic to ensure fairness in the exam.

“Wh-who is that…. A monster?”

“Goodness, what a witch-like voice….”

“A professor teaches with a voice like that? Ugh, insane.”

The reactions weren’t good, but precisely because of such reactions, the purpose of altering the voice was achieved.

‘It is effective.’

Was it using wind magic to fill the trachea with half air, half sound, thereby altering the vocal cord vibrations?

Or was it creating a membrane of air around the mouth to change the frequency of air vibrations?

It might be useful later, so I should research it or ask them to teach me in detail.

Because the Vice Principal is kind.

[Four people per team. The content of the second examination is to enter the ‘underground dungeon’ prepared for each team and reach the final area.]

Although it’s still the tutorial, the period for systemically explaining the game’s internal combat has ended.

[Though they are illusionary magic, they possess the same lethality as actual monsters. Being retired by a monster means death. If you die to a magic beast in this exam, it means you don’t even have the qualifications to learn magic at the academy.]

From now on, it’s a point where ‘Game Over’ is possible.

[Please take this seriously. That is all.]

I must be serious.

Because in this exam, during the protagonist’s turn, another spy from the Demon King’s army will pull a trick, causing ‘real magic beasts’ to appear.

‘I hope they appear.’

It would actually be better if real magic beasts appeared.

Because later, after the investigation results, I could further showcase my abilities by having them say, ‘No, how did Miss Liliana calmly deal with the magic beasts?!’

‘That also means the protagonist is on my team.’

Real magic beasts appear during the protagonist’s turn.

The spy who entered as an exam preparation staff member merely conducted a test, but the unlucky protagonist falls into this trap.

And the moment a comrade dies in this trap, that comrade becomes permanently unusable in the game.

Permanent death.

Not just the protagonist, but comrades as well.

The same applies to me.

In the game, I might have been able to save and load by chapter, but now I have none of a player’s authority.

“…Status window.”

Nothing appeared.

All that was visible were the perplexed gazes of the surrounding students, looking at me as if to say, ‘What kind of spell is that?’

[Now, we will form teams. Cup your hands and receive the magic feather falling from the sky.]

Flap! Flap!

Dozens of white owls flew, clinging to the ceiling of the examination hall.

Hundreds of feathers scattered as they flew, and soon a single white feather gently fell onto my hand.

“Team 13.”

A somewhat ominous number.

“Hey, those who are in Team 13—”

“……Hmph.”

“Oh my.”

“……..”

It seems the Goddess of Fate is quite mischievous.

“Your Royal Highness? What a coincidence. To be on the same team.”

“Indeed, Your Imperial Highness. Who would have thought we’d greet each other like this. It’s a pleasure. And you are….”

The Imperial Princess.

The Kingdom’s Princess.

“Long time no see.”

“It’s an honor to be on a team with the successor of the Magic Tower, isn’t it?”

“Mmm, just a student for now.”

And this Tier 0 character, a protagonist-level powerhouse.

Nicknamed by players, the ‘Demon Slaughtering War God’.

“Then…your name?”

“…Liliana.”

The Imperial Princess.

The Royal Princess.

The genius.

And the spy became one team.