Regressor, Possessor, Reincarnator

The city’s gates were crowded with students in Academy uniforms, mercenaries who’d completed their raids of ruins, merchants looking to strike gold, and children playing around. It was a direct contrast to the surrounding cities, which were on lockdown to protect themselves from the oncoming sandstorm.

It was also a testament to their belief in the city and the Holy Sword.

"We'll be on our way."

When Allen looked back, those who he’d become familiar with over the last few days were already turning around.

"Leaving already? Why don't we go into the city together? I'd like to thank you for all your hard work…”

"We simply did our part."

Allen urged them several more times, but Alexius just shook his head with a calm smile.

"That's all right. There's no point in going to the city because we've already replenished all of our supplies in Kairan."

"Then take this at least, please." Allen reached out and gave him a small purse that he’d asked Inellia to prepare in advance.

"This is…"

"It's a token of my appreciation. I should hope you won’t say no to this."

Alexius looked troubled by the weight of the heavy gold coins, but eventually accepted Allen's gift. "On behalf of the tribe, thank you."

"Nonsense, I still feel as though I’ve paid too little for all your help."

He didn’t know how long they’d be staying, but he did know that they needed to maintain a good relationship with them while he was at the Academy.

'I don't know when I'll need their help.’

Leaving in a flash, they took Allen and his companions to the city, as if they were swept away by the wind.

⟬And we’re off.⟭

“Yes, we are.”

He turned his head.

"Brother, there seems to be a separate door for nobles over there!"

Now it was time to run full speed ahead once again.

* * *

Once they displayed their family crest, the inspection was easy to pass.

The city was named ‘Elpis’, the ancient word for ‘hope’, and its present atmosphere was lively like its namesake.

⟬Whoa… Technology sure has advanced, hasn’t it…?⟭

"……Wow."

"Sir, the a-armor is moving…!”

Inellia and Linbelle's mouths dropped.

Julius also looked around with surprised eyes. "This is amazing… Is that a train? Or the subway?"

The interior of the city was nothing short of an otherworldly metropolis. Metal structures ran through the setting of the huge city, and high-rise buildings—which were rarely seen elsewhere—were a common sight. To add to that, it was a melting pot of various objects procured from ruins of all kinds, making it a completely different world from the outside.

‘It's safe to say that this may very well be the epicenter of human technological innovation.’

From things he’d heard only through rumors to others he could never have even imagined, all sorts of paraphernalia flowed together on the streets, forming a unique sense of harmony.

The streets were lined with things one wouldn't see anywhere else except there in Elpis.

‘If I were to name a comparable place… Maybe Perta, where all the Magic Towers are?’

Though, the comparison was meaningless. Perta had undergone a different development than their current location.

The city was divided into several zones, into inner and outer provinces.

The west side, where Allen and his party entered, was a residential area. The dense area was filled with a bustling vitality fueled by foreign mercenaries and adventurers.

Allen looked away from the information booklet and saw what lay within the inner gate.

There were countless students as well as ornate, white buildings, all surrounded by huge walls—the original purpose behind the entire city's construction. It was also the place where the two of the Top Eight resided.

"Galshdin Academy."

He’d received his brochure after applying for the entrance examination.

Fortunately, they arrived four days before the entrance examination, so he was able to finish the application with some time to spare.

The application to take the entrance examination was a simple process. All he had to do was write down some basic information and pay a fee of five gold coins at the gate. 

‘The goal of the Academy was to train new warriors and heroes so that they would aid them.’

Anyone who thought they had talent and were under the age of thirty could apply. Five gold coins was the standard fee. It wasn’t too unreasonable of a sum for a talented commoner to save up.

"Linbelle, keep it safe so that you don't lose it."

Which meant that anyone with a talent or passion could take a shot at the exam.

"Alright. By the way, are you sure I’m allowed to be here?”

Handing her a temporary certificate, Allen answered, "Yes. Your talent is too great to let go to waste, isn’t it?"

"But even so, don’t you need someone to wait on you…?”

Allen shook his head. "As a rule, outsiders are not allowed inside the Academy."

Even servants who served the noble students weren’t allowed to leave the dormitories. 

"In other words, you’d have to attend the Academy anyway in order for you to follow me there.”

"Ah!"

It was one of the tricks commonly used by nobles.

It can't be easy, suddenly living alone after living life being waited on hand and foot.

Many nobles, for example, planned to enroll both their children and talented knights, just in case. It was a fairly common plan for students of the Academy.

Allen also found this out through letters from Cathleen and Rachael.

That was what gave him the idea to have Linbelle matriculate with him.

“It doesn’t really work out for Inellia because of her age, but you’ll be sixteen this year, so you can come.”

His words encouraged a shift in Linbelle’s eyes, toward her mother.

Inellia asked, with a furious look in her eyes, "What's wrong, Linbelle? Do you have something to say? What?"

"Nothing."

Though Linbelle dismissed the matter, Inellia clearly saw the brief smile at the corner of her mouth.

"…Linbelle."

Allen immediately made a move to halt their regular bickering.

"Stop, Inellia, you have other things to do, so don't focus on it. The same goes for you, Linbelle. The reason you're coming at all is because there’s work for you to do at the Academy. Don’t pick fights over this.”

At his words, Inellia pouted and Linbelle nodded calmly.

"Yes…"

"…Alright."

Allen thought he could feel the beginnings of a headache arising at their display. Their roles seemed to have changed after their excursion to the Heavenly Forest.

⟬Karma. Hehe.⟭

Ignoring Vestla’s giggling voice, he turned to Julius.

"I'll do my best to support you."

"As will I.”

Byron perpetually looked like he was about to kneel at any moment. Anya’s eyes glimmered with light. Laina was sitting behind him as always, as if she were Julius's shadow. Julius spoke to all of them. “Well, you all are my first subordinates. I’m doing this for you all. You know that, don't you?"

"Yep! Thank you!"

"Yes, sir!"

Julius smiled in delight. "The same goes for you, Laina.”

"Thank you for this opportunity, sir."

Watching Laina politely bowing her head, Julius looked satisfied.

'First subordinates…’

How self-absorbed.

Allen remembered the knight with glum eyes as she looked at Julius leaving her behind, waiting in the manor.

"I wanted to bring Camilla, too… but then there would be too many people. I'll bring her next semester."

"Wow! Is Camilla going to come, too?"

"Yes."

His plan was going steadily, and the fruit of his labors was beginning to ripen.

"She's my subordinate now, so I'll take care of her."

And everyone else was unaware.

* * *

* * * 

The four days passed in the blink of an eye.

Allen did not take a step out of the inn for those four days.

He didn’t think it was possible that he’d fail the entrance exam. However, he found it necessary to be prepared—in other words, to garner every advantage he could.

Julius also seemed to agree with that mindset, but he focused on restoring his physical condition to the greatest extent possible instead.

Allen stopped thinking and looked around the streets of Elpis, where the light of dawn had begun to shine.

The darkness casting a shadow over the world was broken up by the light of the street lamps. As the darkness blocking his vision receded, the street at dawn appeared to take on the same appearance it had during the day.

The city was filled with excitement for the entrance exam, which was only offered twice a year.

It was one of the few days that outsiders could enter the Academy.

"Hey, who do you think will be the top qualifier from this year’s exam?”

“The descendant of one of the great warriors for sure. Who else could it be?”

“I heard that the first princess of the Great Forest is coming this year— Oh! And so is a triple legacy from the Draghias family.”

"Some kid here has the warrior's blood? That’s so crazy, isn’t it?”

"Then of course he'd be number one, right?”

Academy students gossiped about who would be the top qualifier in the entrance examination, and the crowd gathering that morning seemed to be awaiting something soon to come.

Who could’ve known?

Who could’ve known that it would not be someone with an advantage like a triple legacy or a princess, but a third party applicant who would be the one to take the lead?

'I still haven’t seen anything about it in the black book yet…’

That much he fully predicted through Julius's monologue.

Even though the grading of the entrance exam was based on potential rather than ability, its value as an indicator of strength didn’t fade.

After all, the potential for future growth was more important than one’s present state.

'Still, too much attention is bad.'

Allen had no intention of fully concealing his skills. In fact, he had to reveal them to some degree in order to gain influence.

He was aiming to be runner-up—positioned highly enough to benefit, but still able to put someone else in the spotlight. The second-rank student received a good deal of attention, too, but the notoriety was small enough in scale to be worth having the title, helpful in preparing for future plans.

There was also an uncontrollable variable named ‘Julius’, but that didn't matter much.

「Julius decides to hide his skills as much as he can.

If possible, he wants to pass with the lowest score possible.」

He was aiming for something slightly different than his brother.

「If he could matriculate with a grade in the bottom 10%, he could enter the supplementary class.

Julius needs to learn skills that the Academy was famous for teaching well, and he needs to befriend someone in that class who’d become important later on in his journey.」

‘Where is that kid’s pride?’

There was a limit to the ability someone could gain through luck as opposed to skills. Yet, he was able to thrive under the protection of the System, something which Allen found funny. In the end, putting in effort must have become worthless to him.

Allen shook his head. There was no need to waste his mind on useless musings.

Fwoom.

The door to the Academy began to slowly open.

"Alright! Applicants numbers 1 through 500, please make your way to the first testing site!” 

"If you're going to take the entrance exam, please step back past the examination line! Let me repeat. If you're going to take the entrance exam—”

"If you’ve lost your temporary certificate, please obtain another from the admissions office within the next 30 minutes."

“The numbers written on the certificates have been changed as of this morning, please check your number!”

Allen checked the numbers on his certificate.

572.

His number was different from yesterday. It was clear that his previous number, 1483, had changed to another.

'Are they trying to prevent cheating…?' 

He was somewhat surprised by their thoroughness.

Linbelle checked her numbers and immediately approached Allen.

"Sir."

"What's your number?"

"133.”

"What a shame. When we finish the entrance exam, let’s meet back here.”

"Yes… Alright."

Allen sent Inellia off to her daughter, with whom she was hesitant to part. He then turned around to see Julius waiting for him alone.

"What number are you?"

"I'm 928. What about you?"

"572. You'll go to the same test site as me."

Julius spoke with a smile. "I hope we get good results."

Good results…

‘What's the point of aiming for the supplementary class?’

Allen replied with a smirk. "I really hope so."

"Yeah."

They headed to the second test site, where numbers 501 to 1,000 were to take their exam. There, thousands of crystal balls had been implanted in the ground. Hundreds of Academy students as well as city residents surrounded the field.

"This will judge your affinity for mana! One by one, come forward! First off, number 501!”

Thus began the Academy's entrance examination.