TalentPlus!: Talent + Effort = Strongest Capture Target!!!

Today is the day for the entrance exams. Well, to be more specific, today is the day for the written exams. The combat and magic exams will happen over the course of the next three days. This is because there are a lot of applicants which are mostly commoners who see the exam as an opportunity. There are also a bunch of nobility that do fail the exams, but if I remember correctly, I would be the only commoner in this batch. I don't know whether this year's nobility is exceptional or if this year's commoners are substandard, with the exception of me, but I'm leaning more towards the former since 5 out of 6 of the main cast, minus both me and the heroine, are part of this year's batch. Especially since 3 of them belong to the 5 great houses and another being the crown prince.

Anyways, Lime-sensei and an important-looking man are coming with me to Aerith Academy. From what I recall, this is about Lime-sensei's teaching license. I can't imagine Lime-sensei actually being a teacher since his "teaching" felt more like torture. I mean like, back then, fainting was not rare at all. I normally passed out from both mental exhaustion and mana exhaustion. Well, at least I can use magic now, but I still don't want to relive the "right-hand" incident. I know I can now control it well, but every time I feel like making that joke again, I just feel shivers down my spine. Maybe that did become a trauma.

After a couple of minutes in the carriage, we finally arrived at Aerith Academy. If I were to compare it to Xerxes Academy, I would say that Aerith Academy looks a bit more extravagant, but that's mostly because this academy was meant for nobility. Can't have the fancy people live in a plain place after all. But with all things said, I am pretty excited to start my second high school life here. It might sound like arrogance, but considering that Riel got first place in the game, I think that the worst-case scenario would be that I barely pass. But I'll try my best to get first place just so Lime-sensei gets a good review.

As we head into the examination area, I see a familiar face that I did not expect to see here. I try to go unnoticed, but it seems that it was not possible to do so.

"Huh? You're going to take the test too Riel?" (Liz)

"You just took the words right out of my mouth." (Riel)

"Hmm? It seems you two know each other." (Lime)

"Well, I met this girl when I was going around town." (Riel)

"Hmm, I see. I guess I should tell Nii-san that you're finally becoming a man." (Lime)

"Hey, we aren't like that at all!" (Riel)

"Hehe~" (Liz)

"Don't 'hehe' me! Why are you even here? Are you a noble or something? If so, then why didn't you tell me when we met?" (Riel)

Then all of a sudden, the man who accompanied us started speaking.

"I don't think she's a noble. I don't recognize her face at all. I should know, this old man's memory is still intact. Well, either she's a commoner, or she's a secret love child."

I then whispered to Lime-sensei.

"Umm, who is he?" (Riel)

"Oh, I must have forgotten to tell you. He's the headmaster of Xerxes Academy." (Lime)

W-what? Someone this important is here? W-why couldn't you have told me sooner?

"Oh and Lime-kun, I think we should go and leave the young'uns to their own devices." (Headmaster)

The two then leave me alone with Liz. 

"Uhm, who were those two?" (Liz)

"Well, the younger one is my uncle, and the older one was his boss." (Riel)

"His boss? Why was he here?" (Liz)

"I don't know either. I just found out that he was my uncle's boss." (Riel)

"That must be tough." (Liz)

"Yeah, No shit. Anyways, why are you here?" (Riel)

"Why else? I'm here for the same reason you are." (Liz)

"You? Taking the test? Nice joke." (Riel)

"Jeez! Why are you so mean!" (Liz)

"I'm not being mean, I'm just being honest. I can't imagine you out of all people going to a school like this." (Riel)

"Are you trying to say I'm dumb?" (Liz)

"Yeah, I am." (Riel)

"Fine fine, I get it. Riel is just in his tsun-tsun phase again." (Liz)

"Firstly, I'm not in a 'tsun-tsun' phase. Second, I just can't seem to imagine a future where you manage to pass the exam. There's absolutely no way that you'd get in, unless if you were also taking the combat and magic exams and had some talent unknown to me. But I don't think you do, considering the fact that I had to go and save you from those shady guys, unless if you were actually a lying and conniving vixen, to which I would say, you played the role of a ditzy airhead very well." (Riel)

"I'm not dumb!!!" (Liz)

"Hahaha!" (Riel)

"Stop laughing!" (Liz)

"Sure sure. Oh, it seems that the exams gonna start soon. Come on, let's go. Also, just because we know each other doesn't mean that I'll let you copy off of me." (Riel)

"I don't need to copy from you!" (Liz)

"And other lies you tell yourself." (Riel)

And there she goes, pouting again. I don't think I can ever get tired of that cute pouting face. It's a shame that we can't be classmates. I reckon that it'd be a really fun time though. There's no way that airhead can pass the exam.

Lime POV

"You don't seem to be nervous at all. In fact, you seem pretty confident. Can I ask why?" (Headmaster)

"First of all, I taught him. That was a joke. But if I were to say why, I guess it's because it runs in the family." (Lime)

"Hmm? What do you mean? Is he related to you?" (Headmaster)

"Rather than that, I'd say it's because he's Nii-san's son." (Lime)

"Your brother? You have a brother? Wait a minute, are you related to Lyle Stein, the genius who went missing over 20 years ago?" (Headmaster)

"Yeah, that's the one. I almost forgot that the old man retired a year ago and that you were new." (Lime)

"Wait a minute, Mr. Wistleton knew about this?" (Headmaster)

"Yeah. The more important question is, how do you not know about it?" (Lime)

"Well, the entire incident was kept under wraps since news of a promising talent suddenly dissapearing would cause chaos within the kingdom. They made it so the existence of Lyle Stein and his disappearance were nothing but folk tales. I only know about it because of my family briefly talking about it. That and the fact that details about you were also kept a secret until you went public. Because of that, no one decided to link the two of you together." (Headmaster)

"That makes sense." (Lime)

"But what you're telling me is that Lyle Stein has a son who is also a genius?" (Headmaster)

"Yeah. Nii-san is alive and has two children. His daughter is talented but doesn't really use her talents. The son, however, is not a genius, he's worse. If he wanted to become an alchemist, he'd be way better than me." (Lime)

"Are you telling me that Stein talent runs in the family?" (Headmaster)

"I don't know why, but I guess so." (Lime)

"The Stein family sure is scary." (Headmaster)

"It sure is." (Lime)