Chapter 15 - Entrance Exam (1)

Three weeks had already passed since the new year began.

The season was still winter. However, the severe cold wave had long since passed. Even though the cold wave wasn't really felt in Wyheim, it was still technically the cold season.

But the weather was still cold, so snow was falling from the sky instead of rain. Although the city system could stop the snow or rain, it was usually allowed to some extent to create atmosphere unless it was falling too heavily.

Today was like that. Snow was falling lightly on the streets, not accumulating. Acel looked at the snow for a moment, then turned his head to the desk.

There was a letter on the desk. It was something the academy had sent through Norium. The content stated that the academy entrance exam would start in three weeks and informed him of its location. Acel checked the map attached to the letter and sat on the bed.

The forest south of the academy, huh?

Luminus Academy was located in the southwest of the Empire. It had its own territory, which was wide enough to easily surpass the size of an average city. It wasn’t for nothing that the academy was called an educational city.

The problem was that the Empire where the academy was located was quite far from Wyheim. Even after arriving in the Empire, it would take at least a few days to reach the academy.

Weren't Wyheim and the academy on good terms? He had certainly heard they were friendly, but the physical distance was farther than enemies, let alone friends. At this point, they might as well be strangers. It seemed like it would take a full two weeks by carriage. Maybe even longer.

To reduce variables, it would be best to leave tomorrow.

Acel thought, crossing his arms and lying back.

If only he could turn his body into lightning and fly there like Ena. It was a pity that he hadn't reached that level yet.

In the end, he would have to hire a coachman and travel directly by road. However, he might encounter bandits on the way, or have to take detours due to broken roads. Then it would take even longer than expected.

In the end, there was only one option.

Right, let's ask for permission and just leave tomorrow.

It was a sudden decision, but there was no other way. He had to leave as soon as possible. Acel thought this and got up to tell Ena.

At that moment, something flew and knocked on the window.

Knock knock.

"...?"

When he turned his head, a metal bird with wings was sitting outside the window, pecking at it with its beak. It was a product of magical engineering used to deliver letters in Wyheim, but it was Acel's first time seeing it in person. The letter from the academy had been handed to him by Evelyn as soon as he returned from going out.

It's well made.

Acel narrowed his eyes and stared at the metal bird.

The power was implemented through a magical power drive device, and the overall frame and tendons were composed of metals with good magical power conductivity. An autonomy-granting spell was cast to allow it to think on its own instead of a brain, and wind magic was partially inserted into both wings to reduce air resistance.

Designed like this, it should be able to distribute the magical power flowing through its entire body evenly, allowing it to fly faster and more accurately. Acel thought this while staring at the messenger bird. But the bird seemed to interpret his curious gaze differently, trembling and alternately looking at the sky and the window.

It looked as if it was scared. It must have thought he was going to disassemble it. Acel was surprised that this metal bird was capable of such imagination and opened the window. The messenger bird crawled into the room with a reluctant gesture, then opened its belly wide and took out a letter from inside.

Looking at the outside, he could see the word Norium written on it. He already knew this fact because the magical power felt from the messenger bird was the same as his. Acel opened the envelope of the letter and said while stroking the cold metal head of the messenger bird, "Thank you."

[Beep!]

The messenger bird made a cute sound, nodded its head, then flew up into the sky, flapping its wings wide. Acel closed the window, sat in the chair, and read the letter.

[Acel, the date for the academy entrance exam has been set. You probably already know this because I've already sent a letter there, but I'm telling you again just in case. You were aware of it, right? I'll believe you were.]

[Anyway. The reason I'm sending another letter even though I've already sent one is because I forgot to tell you this. You see, as I get older, my memory becomes hazy. It seems that even mages can't escape the passage of time.]

That was nonsense. When one reached the level of an archmage, their lifespan increased exponentially. While not immortal, they could achieve agelessness.

To begin with, when one could change their appearance as they wished, what did aging matter? Although they could only change to their younger or older selves, it was the same in that they had deviated from the flow of time.

The fact that Norium appeared as an old man was purely his will. Moreover, his brain would be much sharper than in his younger days.

However, the fact that he forgot was likely true. That was merciless, whether one was a mage or an ordinary person.

Acel continued reading the letter.

[I'll end the introduction here and tell you the main point. You were probably quite surprised to see the date and place of the entrance exam written in the letter, but don't worry. I'll open a space for you directly on the day of the exam. That's why I left this letter. And just in case, you don't need to send a reply to this letter.]

"Oh."

He exclaimed in admiration after confirming the contents of the letter.

If the Alliance leader himself would tear open space and connect the coordinates, there was no need to leave by carriage tomorrow. He could leisurely stay until the day of and there would be no major problem. Acel nodded and carefully folded the letter, storing it in a drawer.

Since he was told he didn't need to reply separately, it didn't seem necessary to take the time to convey his thanks. He could do it directly on the day.

With this, the plan is completely canceled. Let's focus only on magic research for the time being.

Acel thought as he took out a book he had put on the bookshelf.

There were 3 weeks left. He had to go through the process of refining some high-level magic he hadn't mastered yet, and also conduct research on revising the basic magic “Lightning Release” into more diverse forms. Ena had said that to create magic, one must start by revising the most basic magic, so this had to be achieved first.

I should also regain the feel for fire magic that I've rested from for a few days.

In addition to this, he planned to learn how to delicately weave barriers over the skin and practice circuits suitable for using various types of magic in advance.

There was a lot to do. It wasn't so leisurely, after all.

So, he started his research without hesitation. He repeatedly drew and erased spell formulas on paper, and ran simulations focusing on the flow, fluidity, repulsion, expansion, compression, and decomposition of magical power. He accumulated data by directly using magic and repeating failures.

It wasn't research that would end in a day. Acel finished his research for the day only when dawn broke, and got up again before sunrise the next day to continue his research.

This lifestyle continued for 3 weeks.

***

I'm tired.

Acel thought as he pressed his throbbing eyelids.

Looking in the mirror, his already sharp features had become even sharper than usual. Dark circles had settled heavily under his eyes. He clicked his tongue and left the room.

He had overdone it, staying up all night because it seemed like the results of the experiment would come out. Although satisfactory results did come out, it was also true that it was tough. It was natural, considering he had drastically reduced his sleep time for nearly 3 weeks and then stayed up all night.

"Did you pull an all-nighter again?" as he went down to the dining room, Evelyn, who was setting the tableware, asked with a stern expression. 

Acel sat down with a bitter smile.

"I can manage."

"Geez. Try to hold back today! It's an important day!"

"That's right. Stupid Acel doesn't even know what day it is today," Haley, who brought out breakfast, said in a playful tone.

Not knowing what day it is? 

That was a fact Acel knew better than anyone.

"Isn't it the day of the academy entrance exam? I know very well."

"But you stayed up all night?"

"I'm sorry."

Having no excuse, Acel immediately apologized. Evelyn, who was making a "hmph" sound with her hands on her hips, plopped down in the seat next to Acel. Haley also sat in an empty seat and skillfully twirled the knife in her hand.

"Our little brother. Why can't you take care of your body? Do I need to do it for you?"

"It's just this once, just this once. Don't make a fuss."

"You said that last time too and then came out looking like a corpse after doing nothing but research for two days."

I have nothing to say about that.

Acel neatly ignored Evelyn's words and drank water. Getting involved in arguments one couldn't win was something only third-rate mages would do.

"The water tastes good."

"Don't ignore me!"

Evelyn pouted and poked Acel's side with her finger.

"Ugh. Ugh."

Acel obediently submitted to her attack. Not long after that, Ena appeared in the dining room, rubbing her eyes and dressed in pajamas. Acel rose slightly from his seat to welcome her. The other two also bowed, saying, "You're up, Lady Ena."

"Good morning, Master."

"...Mmm."

Ena answered in a very sleepy voice, then narrowed her eyes when she saw Acel's appearance.

"Did you stay up all night?"

"...It just happened. Haha."

"You're laughing."

"..."

Acel closed his mouth. Ena sighed deeply and sat down.

"You stayed up all night on the day of the exam. What about your condition?"

"It's fine. It's not the first time I've stayed awake all day."

"Is that something to brag about?"

"..."

"Haa... I have a medicine that eliminates fatigue, so take that before you go. I'll also pack a few things you'll need for the exam."

"Thank you," Acel said, bowing his head. 

Ena, who had been looking at him with disapproving eyes, soon picked up her spoon and started eating. Following her lead, the other three also ate their breakfast.

After that, once the meal was finished, Acel headed to Ena's room with a backpack of suitable size. Ena brought out a few medicines she had stored in the warehouse and handed them to Acel.

"Drink the yellow one first. It's a stimulant."

"Yes."

Acel immediately drank the yellow liquid in the reagent bottle. The effect was immediate. His slightly dazed mind cleared, and his heavy eyelids became lighter. Ena explained about the rest of the medicines she had brought while watching Acel exclaim in admiration.

"I'm not sure how the exam will be conducted, but there will definitely be combat. So I brought some medicines to help with that."

"What are their effects?"

"They are, respectively, a nerve stabilizer, magical power amplifier, instant recovery potion, magical power regeneration potion, local anesthetic, painkiller, and hemostatic agent. I've selected only useful ones, so their performance should be sufficient," Ena said confidently. 

Acel looked at the medicine in his hand with a skeptical expression.

...Isn't it cheating to bring these? 

Even while thinking this, he still put the medicines in his backpack. If it wasn’t allowed, he could just return them on site. There was no disadvantage in packing them.

"Thank you, Master. I'll definitely pass the exam and come back," Acel said to Ena after carefully organizing the medicine bottles so they wouldn't break. 

Ena pointed to a box placed in the corner of the room, as if to say, “What are you talking about?”

"There's still more to give you."

"What? There's more?"

"Yes. A magical power enhancement ring, presence concealment pendant, lucky charm, magical power recovery amplification ring, heating device, distraction bomb, magical power flow control device, external magical power source. There's even more besides these. Take them all."

"...Isn't this too much? I'm not going to war."

"You might need them. Take them."

Ena's attitude was firm. In the end, Acel was only able to head to the Alliance after wearing all the artifacts Ena handed him.

The ten rings on his fingers and various necklaces around his neck made clinking sounds every time he moved. The glasses he wore for the first time were very uncomfortable.

In that state, he arrived at the Alliance. Perhaps thanks to Norium's advance notice, the path to the Alliance leader's reception room was very smooth.

Arriving at the reception room with everyone from the mansion. When he knocked on the door, a welcoming voice was heard from the other side.

“Come in.”

"Excuse me."

Acel slowly opened the door and entered the reception room. His gaze met with Norium and his party, who had already prepared tea. Acel immediately bowed his head and greeted him.

"Good morning, Alliance Leader."

"Yes, yes. Good morning. Come, sit down... Wait."

Norium's voice, which had been speaking with a smile, froze coldly. He detected the numerous artifacts all over Acel's body and muttered with a hollow laugh, "Are you going to war?"

"That's what I want to say," Acel answered with an aggrieved expression.