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Chapter 18: Talia's Discomfort
Chapter 18: Talia's Discomfort
In the sunny and breezy Eckolite Academy, many areas of the campus were equipped with magical screens similar to those found on the commercial street, providing students and staff with real-time information, notices, and academic activities. These screens also displayed interesting short clips and live broadcasts of major events within the school. As a result, they often became a focal point for people to gather and discuss during breaks.
And so it was at this moment.
The annual entrance exam, an intriguing event for many upperclassmen, was being broadcast live. Some watched purely for the entertainment of seeing freshmen struggle or embarrass themselves, while others sought to scout out potential newcomers to recruit for their teams.
On the screen, a wintry landscape howled with wind and snow, and most examinees were still struggling to navigate the icy terrain. However, Lanchi had already completed the challenge and was comfortably sitting in a warm room, roasting snacks by the fireplace. His skillful and relaxed demeanor lacked any sense of tension, as if he were filming a new advertisement for a Saint Country confectionery.
All he needed to do now was wait for the artificial shadow world's time limit to end and for the terminal to calculate his final score.
Initially, not many students had been paying attention to Lanchi's actions, but a few shocked exclamations quickly changed that.
"Do you know what that guy just did?!"
"What?"
"He's a real jerk! He just went and arrested that family!"
"Is that what counts as letting them have a warm winter?"
"Forget about whether he completed the requirement or not, he actually did it."
"Hahaha! What a genius logic!"
On the terrace of the Learning and Education Building, a lively crowd had gathered around the hanging screen, with people standing or sitting as they discussed the events unfolding before them. The topic of conversation soon turned to the identity of this newcomer, Lanchi Wilford, and his unexpected actions.
However, no one present had heard of him before. Only a student wearing an Alchemy Institute accessory mentioned that he had heard of a company called the "Wilford Chamber of Commerce," and it was said that the chairman had a prodigal son. But even he had never heard of anyone by the name of Lanchi.
"...”
Talia couldn't help but listen in on the students' growing curiosity about Lanchi. Sitting on a wooden chair at the edge of the terrace, she averted her gaze from the magic screen, feeling increasingly uncomfortable.
While she had been observing Lanchi's movements on the split screen, it was only now that she truly understood the implications of his actions, and the horrified reactions of those around her didn't help.
She wanted to flee, to put as much distance as possible between herself and this place. The whispers suggesting that Lanchi might be a spy for the Demon Tribe sent chills down her spine.
Talia was determined to avoid any association with Lanchi that might lead others to suspect her own identity and jeopardize her long-held ambitions for the restoration of her country.
She couldn't deny that Lanchi's behavior and thoughts, which she had witnessed over the past three months, were rather unusual. But it was at this moment that she finally confirmed it.
This guy has some sort of screw loose! It's impossible to stay by his side without attracting attention.
However, according to their agreement, she had to protect Lanchi and continue being his teacher.
The thought of having to leave the academy with Lanchi soon and spend an extended period in the royal capital in his company made her feel like she was being roasted over a fire.
If her long-cherished dream of restoring her country was ruined because of this human, if her identity was exposed and her plans came crashing down, she would rather perish together with him.
Right now, she desperately wanted Lanchi to finish his exam and leave with her as soon as possible. Yet, at the same time, she hoped he would never come out, sparing her the discomfort of being seen with him.
“Lanchi…” Talia muttered through gritted teeth, her fists clenched as she endured each second that felt like an eternity. In the decades she had wandered alone after the Demon Tribe's destruction, never had a human caused her such anguish.
The heptagonal atrium of the seventh floor of the Learning and Education Building combined modern design with natural elements, with a skylight that filled the entire space with natural light. Indoor plants surrounded the atrium, and artistic installations and sculptures added a soft, cultural ambiance to the space. Standing in this atrium was Lorren, the chief examiner and dean of the Sage's Institute, his fists clenched tightly.
The exam question had been chosen by him personally. According to historians, this first-tier shadow world, [Wintry Concealment's Blaze], was a scenario faced by the legendary Benevolent and Righteous Emperor, the last ruler of an ancient civilization that existed tens of thousands of years ago. Lorren had always admired this emperor above all others. Every deed attributed to the emperor filled Lorren with immense respect.
With this exam, Lorren intended to assess more than just the freshmen's "wisdom and temperament." He hoped that they would also gain insight into the situation and state of mind the emperor had been in when he aided the villagers. Additionally, he wanted them to understand the emperor's helplessness and sadness upon discovering the truth, yet his unwavering commitment to upholding righteousness thereafter.
"Damn it..." However, this young man named Lanchi Wilford and his actions made the Benevolent and Righteous Emperor seem foolish. Was it really acceptable to sacrifice righteousness and exchange it for demonic power?
And so, he waited for the exam time to end. Lorren looked up at the giant magic screen hanging in the atrium, displaying Lanchi roasting treats by the fireplace with a carefree attitude, and felt a burning rage within him. If he could enter the shadow world, he would love to kick that stove to pieces!
"With such weak magic, why is he a candidate for our institute?" Lorren eventually calmed down and muttered to himself, puzzled. From the moment the candidates arrived at the exam venue, he had sensed the magic power of all of them. He recalled that Lanchi's magic power was undoubtedly the weakest among them, even inferior to many of the object-system candidates from the Knight's Institute. If it weren't for the magic screen, Lorren might have mistaken Lanchi for a Knight's Institute candidate.
"If he passed the first round of attribute testing during the enrollment application, it could only mean that his spiritual attribute is extraordinarily high, making up for his overall evaluation..." "But how did he get through the practical exam..."
The third round of assessments was different from the previous two. Aside from one's raw power, there was no other way to cheat the system. Lorren was certain that Lanchi was not a cleric. He did not sense any divine blessings emanating from him. Therefore, Lanchi would not be able to use the cleric-type magic cards that influenced healing quantity with spiritual strength.
...
The angle of the light shining through the glass dome gradually shifted, marking the passage of time within the atrium. Finally, the exam was drawing to a close. The examinees exited the massive vortex-like void gate in the order they had entered. Once all the examinees had left the artificial shadow world, Lorren gently touched the terminal's key, shutting the void gate.
Subsequently, the artificial shadow world terminal began the final calculation of the exam results. Standing on the high platform, Lorren surveyed the atrium, seeing many successful candidates scattered about, some unable to conceal their joy, while others remained expressionless. Although they couldn't know each other's performance in the shadow world during the exam, there were undoubtedly many confident candidates who were sure that their scores would be among the top.
(End of Chapter)
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