LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 3 - Entrance Ceremony (1)
✦ Chapter 3 – Entrance Ceremony (1) ✦
「Translator – Creator」
𒋝𒋝𒋝𒋝𒋝
“Loki…”
Lucas murmured my name, but unlike Johanna, it wasn’t cute at all.
“Loki, since we’re both academy students now, how about we drop the formalities?”
“It’s a habit of mine, so I find it more comfortable this way.”
Perhaps due to my trait, ‘Clown,’ I automatically used formal speech unless in special situations. Lucas glanced at the staff in my hand.
“Loki, are you a mage?”
Lucas seemed to assume my staff was a magic staff.
Well, who would think this is a swordstick that turns into a sword when mana is infused? The fact that Johanna recognized it immediately was impressive.
Come to think of it, what was Johanna lacking? She was beautiful, skilled with the sword, had good instincts, and although her personality was a bit aloof, it was not bad at all.
‘I’d rather get this entrance ceremony over with and see Johanna again~.’
“Loki?”
Ah right, I was in the middle of a conversation with Lucas. He had asked if I was a mage.
I raised my index finger to my lips.
“That’s a secret.”
Lucas seemed amused by my answer and chuckled.
“…Haha. I’ve never met anyone like you.”
The people around us, who had been trying to eavesdrop, whispered among themselves. Those who had been waiting for an opportunity to join our conversation seemed hesitant, unsure if they could approach Lucas the way I did.
“Why do you wear the mask and the cloak? Ah, is that a secret too?”
He seemed to have given up and started treating me in a more relaxed manner.
“The mask is like my identity, so I feel more comfortable wearing it, and what I’m draping behind me may look like a cloak, but it’s not actually a cloak.”
“I don’t know what ‘identity’ means, but let’s say the mask makes you comfortable. If it’s not a cloak, then what is it?”
“Well, actually…”
I raised my index finger to my lips again.
“That’s a secret!”
“Heh. You better survive until the end in the academy.”
That “survive until the end” was likely sincere.
Getting into the academy wasn’t hard. As long as you had basic physical and magical abilities, you could pass the entrance exam. The real challenge began now.
‘About half, maybe.’
By today, within just one day, about half of the students would probably get expelled. But, that had nothing to do with me.
I looked at the spear strapped to Lucas’s back.
“Are you a spearman, Lucas?”
“That’s a sec… Oh, whatever, yes, I’m a spearman. How did you know that?”
Lucas tried to mimic my gesture by placing his index finger over his lips but then gave up. It wasn’t easy; I could only do it because of my Clown trait.
“Hel-hello, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
At that moment, a girl approached Lucas and spoke to him. Her attempt was braver than those watching from afar, even if she did stutter.
“Hmm. Lady Lisa, wasn’t it? It’s the first time I’ve seen you since the last banquet. So, what brings you here?”
“Uh, it, it’s nothing!”
The girl quickly fled, embarrassed. Well, not everyone has the courage.
“That reaction is the norm.”
Lucas remarked, glancing at me. Honestly, Lucas was right; her reaction was normal. Whether commoners or nobles, most people would tremble like that when meeting royalty, especially the future emperor.
But I was different. For 10 long years, I had played as Lucas. Though I didn’t know his personality well, I felt a natural familiarity with him. Maybe it’s because we both were so handsome?
“If all nobles were like you, it would not be… ideal.”
Lucas rubbed his temples as if just thinking about it gave him a headache.
“Does that mean all nobles would be as handsome as me?”
“Well, I wouldn’t mind if they had a bit of your confidence.”
“My confidence comes from this handsome face.”
“Well, if your face is so handsome, why not take off that ma—”
[Ahem.]
Lucas’s words were abruptly cut short by a powerful, magically amplified voice echoing through the auditorium. The voice belonged to an elderly man. His long beard and the deep wrinkles on his face showed his many years.
[Welcome, everyone. I am Merlin, the headmaster of Croa Academy.]
As the headmaster began to speak, the murmuring among the students ceased. Everyone eagerly awaited his words.
[I will keep this brief, as long speeches may tire you.]
No one thought that. Everyone wanted to hear as much as possible from Merlin, the one known as the sage.
[Here, at this academy, your status does not matter. From the moment you arrive here, you are all just students.]
There were no foolish nobles who objected. While some might have had complaints, none were stupid enough to voice them.
[That doesn’t mean there’s no discrimination. But it’s not discrimination based on status – it’s based on strength.]
Meritocracy. There was no better word to describe the academy.
[If you want special treatment, become strong. The academy will treat you according to your strength.]
[This academy was founded by the First Hero after sealing the Demon King, to train warriors to face future threats. Though much time has passed since then, and no demons have appeared, we must always be ready for any unexpected danger.]
[The academy will constantly test you. Grow stronger within those trials. That concludes my speech.]
“Waaaah!”
As the headmaster finished his speech, the students erupted into cheers.
Knowing what was to come, I didn’t join in their excitement but instead started loosening up.
[Hehe, these students are full of energy. Let’s start with a simple test, then.]
Before the students could even process the idea of a sudden test, the headmaster left with a final remark.
[Show your worth.]
As his words echoed in the auditorium,
countless demonic beasts began pouring out of the void.
Well then, time to show off a little.
.
.
.
The control room, where academy professors had gathered, was filled with numerous monitors displaying the events unfolding in the auditorium.
“As expected, most of the students are panicking.”
Just as the young professor had pointed out, many students were overwhelmed by the sudden appearance of the demonic beasts.
“Even if they regain their composure, it won’t make much of a difference.”
The professor with a sharp impression echoed the sentiment.
Some students who seemed to have collected themselves grabbed their weapons, but it didn’t change much. The sheer number of demonic beasts was overwhelming, mirrored by the sheer number of students.
The students couldn’t swing their weapons recklessly—the students behind them might get injured. Even magic was risky; an errant spell could hit a fellow student instead of a beast. Students were unknowingly hindering each other. They had to deal with the beasts while also being mindful of the other students around them.
As a result, one student couldn’t even swing his sword before being overwhelmed. Although these were not real beasts but artificial creatures crafted from alchemy and magic, they were still formidable.
“Tsk tsk. That one is definitely disqualified.”
“This is why accepting students based on scores alone is problematic.”
It was the worst-case scenario—rendered completely ineffective.
“But there are still some standouts among this generation.”
Even in this dire situation, some students shone brightly.
“That girl must be the adopted daughter of the Leviathan family.”
Fire, water, wind, and earth assaulted the beasts.
Water trapped the beasts while fire incinerated them. Earth spikes emerged to skewer them, and wind tore them apart.
Remarkably, none of these attacks hit other students—only the beasts. This was possible because the spells were controlled by spirits with free will, not mere magic.
Originally a commoner, the girl had such overwhelming talent in controlling four spirits that she was adopted by a marquis’s family. Her pink hair fluttered as she vanquished the beasts.
“And that brute-force method clearly belongs to the Isar tribe.”
If his peers obstructed his fists, he would leap into the midst of the beasts. When his fist struck, the beasts exploded with a bang.
Even as the beasts bit into him, he laughed and kept punching. His strength came from the Isar tribe’s naturally robust physique, making him the overwhelming physical force he was. As the heir to the Isar tribe, he fought the beasts with overwhelming physical prowess.
Apart from those two, several other students were hunting the beasts in their own unique ways.
A swordsman from the East, a shaman using unusual rituals, a priest fighting like the Isar tribe while cloaked in divine power—students who couldn’t be called ordinary were plentiful.
“They truly deserve to be called a generation of miracles.”
“Indeed.”
Generation of miracles — a term used to describe the current cohort of students entering the academy; a phenomenon where too many geniuses emerged in one generation, making the extraordinary seem ordinary.
A phenomenon where too many geniuses emerged in one generation, making the extraordinary seem ordinary.
A girl with hair as dark as the night sky and ruby-like red eyes. However, what was more remarkable than her appearance was her overwhelming magical prowess.
Suspended in the air with a flight spell, she hurled numerous fireballs at the demonic beasts. Even amidst that chaos, she protected other students with magical shields, ensuring none were caught in the crossfire.
Her sense of magic and the sheer amount of mana made all of this possible simultaneously. She was the sole disciple of the head of the Magic Tower, Clara Adellion.
“But the Crown Prince also stands out, as expected.”
“Try to call him Lucas now; he’s just another academy student.”
“Easier said than done.”
His golden hair and eyes were the epitome of his noble imperial bloodline.
The spear in his hand struck the beasts like a lightning bolt and numerous beasts were impaled in one swift motion.
Lucas Leonhart, the Crown Prince of the Croa Empire, was known as the reincarnation of the first emperor who transformed the Croa Kingdom into the Croa Empire.
Clara Adellian and Lucas Leonhart.
Many professors believed these two would be the main figures among this generation of miracles.
Hence, the professors couldn’t believe their eyes when they saw the situation on the monitor.
“Who on earth is that guy?”
All the professors were frozen in disbelief at the sight of a man, wearing a white mask and a red cloak, who truly embodied the essence of a Clown.
— End of Chapter —
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