The Academy’s Crude Pink-Haired Martial Artist

Yurasia pulled me into the bathroom, worried someone else might hear.

After quickly washing my hands, which I had neglected earlier, I tidied up my clothes.

“…Did it really drop?”

“Yep. It really dropped.”

I was furious when I first heard it, but after learning about the special admission conditions, I calmed down a bit.

If there was something like that, why didn’t they tell us sooner? Why make us go through the trouble of taking the written exam?

I thought that, but whatever.

It was somewhat enjoyable.

Thinking back on the past while solving the problems and watching those kids trying hard to succeed was nice.

It was shocking how much the level of peace had declined, and the fact that my way of doing things was considered an artifact of the past was quite infuriating.

But still, it was a chance to clearly understand the difference between 400 years ago and now—more than ever.

I was feeling a bit calmer.

Shit, calm my ass.

I wanted to go find the professors right now and smash the heads of those who gave my answers failing scores.

Stupid bastards.

“What do we do?!”

Grinding my teeth, Yurasia grabbed my arm in shock.

Her eyes widened, her mouth gaping, her complexion pale.

“…How did that happen? Did you cheat, Young Lady?”

“Are you crazy?”

“Then, did you hit someone during the exam?”

“Why would I hit the kids?”

“Gasp… Did you hit a professor?!”

“I want to hit them, but what do you think of me to think of that?”

Yurasia’s blue eyes were rolling in circles.

“Uh… I consider you as Miss Ellie.”

“Forget it. I won’t say anything.”

I took out my hair tie to fix my loosened twin tails.

My pink waves flowed down, and I raised my fingers to neat up the gentle pink waves.

It was funny to be doing all this in the bathroom.

But if I went out looking even a little disheveled, rumors could spread all over the academy to undermine my family, so I had to be careful, as Sara had said.

Kids these days can be quite cunning, huh?

Back in my day, we would’ve just tied them up and given them a good thrashing.

Tsk.

“Eek… I was just joking! I’m sorry!”

Seeing me like this, Yurasia started to fix my hair with a half-sorry, half-playful expression.

She even pulled a hairbrush from her pocket.

Do kids these days carry hairbrushes instead of daggers?

It seemed pointy enough to use as a substitute for a dagger.

“Shall I tie it up for you?”

“…Yeah, please.”

“Hehe.”

Of course, I had learned how to tie my hair too.

But Yurasia and Sara were way better at it.

Sara tied it up comfortably so I wouldn’t feel awkward.

Yurasia tied it up a bit tight, which made my scalp tired quickly, but it lasted longer that way.

In a situation like now, with a practical exam coming up, it was better for Yurasia to tie it.

“Done. I tied your hair up, so you can’t say anything now, right?”

Yurasia tied up my hair and smiled, making an adorable nose sound.

She thinks being cute will get her what she wants.

She’s got a bad habit.

“They said my written exam answers were weird.”

“…As in the monster subjugation topic?”

“Everything.”

“History too?”

“Yep. They said it’s an theoretically impossible method, so it’s ambiguous to give points.”

Yurasia’s expression became strange.

“I kind of thought so… Ahem. So are you heading back now? Uh… What should I do? Should I come with you?”

“You should finish your exam, Yurasia.”

I was about to tell her that special admission was possible, but her reaction was too fun.

I should wait a bit before saying it.

“Ugh… I don’t want to. I want to go back together.”

“Why? You were so excited about attending the academy.”

Upon hearing my words, Yurasia bit her lip and, looking extremely sad, said.

“I was looking forward to attending the academy with you… I don’t want to go alone.”

Oh really?

I wasn’t expecting such a cute answer.

My lips curled up.

“So let’s just… go back together. There will be more chances next year, right? Let’s study hard for the next written exam and come back!”

Now she was tightly gripping my hands with both her hands, as if pledging.

Truly, Yurasia was surprisingly adorable for her age.

I wanted to add, ‘Is it because no one’s buying you meals?’ but that seemed too harsh, so I just laughed.

“It’s a joke. They said it’s not completely dropped.”

“Huh…? Oh, could it be…”

Yurasia leaned down and whispered.

“They say if you bribe them, you can get in?”

I pinched Yurasia’s cheek hard.

“Do you think that would work?”

“Eek…”

“There’s a special admission system, and if you meet the conditions in the practical exam, you’ll be accepted no matter what. My exam answers are proof, and you can even join the special class.”

“Really? How does that work?”

“You have to defeat the Basilisk that’s opposite the core of the Labyrinth.”

“Oh? Basilisk?”

I stopped pinching her cheek and gently patted her head.

“Yeah. So don’t worry and do well on your exam.”

“…Are we able to catch it? Isn’t it extremely strong?”

“Well, I doubt they brought in the Demon King for it.”

I chuckled as I took a step.

“Let’s go. We’re going to be late.”

Yurasia, who had been gazing at me for a moment, smiled brightly again.

“Then, I want to try to catch one too!”

“If you want to be top, you’ll have to catch one for sure.”

*

As the practical exam approached, all the candidates, including me, returned to the classroom where we had taken the written exam in the morning.

There was also the navy-hooded poor girl, who was starving.

Was she eyeing my pockets earlier to see if I had any food?

I thought she was just noticing I hadn’t washed my hands.

Hmm… what should I do?

As I fidgeted with my pockets.

Creek—The classroom door opened, and Arkand entered.

“I’ll now explain about the practical exam. Please stop what you’re doing and listen to the explanation.”

As before, he went straight into the main topic without unnecessary details.

I liked how he handled things.

“This year’s practical exam is an exploration of the Labyrinth. The Labyrinth is provided by the Green Magic Tower, and I’d like to inform you beforehand that there is no life-threatening danger from ‘monsters’ within the Labyrinth. Now, I will begin the explanation regarding the exam.”

A picture was drawn on the blackboard behind Arkand. A white line crossed the blackboard, and a blue line was entangled with that white line.

The result was the shape of a bracelet.

It was the same picture as the bracelet Arkand was holding.

“This bracelet is also a magical tool created by the Green Magic Tower designed to track the candidates’ locations and life signals in case of emergencies. You can escape outside the Labyrinth by pressing this button in case of emergencies, so please be careful not to lose it.”

In case of emergencies.

At those words, a somewhat heavy silence fell over the classroom.

They said that the monsters created by illusions and summoning magic weren’t dangerous.

They also mentioned there could be emergencies.

No need to think deeply.

Be cautious of humans. Watch your back.

You know, typical stuff.

It’s likely that such things had happened often in a gathering of many humans.

Statuses, relationships, all tangled up.

Of course, even if the academy forms groups after filtering them once, there would be things that remain hidden, so it wouldn’t be peaceful.

“The rules of the exam are simple. You will find and seize the core of the Labyrinth with the party members assigned by the academy. If you die in the process, you’ll be instantly moved outside, so you don’t need to worry. The exam results will be determined by the monsters you catch inside the Labyrinth and the time spent securing the core, with interviews and one-on-one battles for those in the top ranks for transferring to Signia.”

Signia.

At those four letters, the candidates’ gazes changed.

Even the navy-hooded poor girl flinched.

It was expected, but it seemed everyone aimed for Signia.

No wonder.

The benefits are nice, and the buildings are good.

Even the types of lectures available differ, so anyone with ambition would want to be in Signia.

“And, the Karela Academy has a special admission system. Those who enter through this system will have various benefits, starting with tuition exemption, the option to transfer to Signia, scholarships, the rights to open clubs, and recommendations for student council membership, so those interested can give it a try.”

For a brief moment, Arkand’s gaze lingered on me.

“The condition for special admission is to subjugate the monster, Basilisk, which is located opposite the core.”

In an instant, the classroom buzzed.

Basilisk.

A monster that takes the form of a snake and possesses the petrifying gaze; it’s said to have a crown-like horn on its head, earning its nickname “King of Snakes.”

From its gigantic mouth, flames spew, and its scales on the body are sharp as nails.

Saying there’s nothing to it.

Just avoid the petrifying gaze.

Besides, the bigger the body, the more places to hit.

The scales are so tender that you could rip them off with bare hands, provided you cover them with mana.

And that meat is especially delicious.

Sprinkled with pepper, which was quite expensive at the time, the gamey taste disappeared and it was really tasty.

One catch would be enough for five people to eat all week.

Of course, it must be purified, but Luna used to handle that.

Anyway.

It turns out that a monster easier to catch than expected is the condition, and a smile crept onto my lips.

Meanwhile, the candidates, upon hearing the name Basilisk, stiffened, listening intently to Arkand.

“The Basilisk for the entrance exam has only been subjugated six times since the academy was established 348 years ago. And those who achieved that subjugation are now called the Six Pillars of the Empire.”

Once again, the classroom buzzed significantly.

The six pillars.

I had read about them in books, but I didn’t know how strong they were.

I only knew that there were no beings stronger than them within the empire.

How strong could they be to earn such a title?

…I wish I had such a title in my previous life.

Ronan, the Martial Artist?

Shit.

“Of course, the creatures made from illusion and summoning magic might be weaker than the original Basilisk, but the sensations you feel will be just as real, so keep this in mind. Also, as I mentioned, the Basilisk is opposite the core. Subjugating this monster is a big risk, so if you’re unsure, I recommend aiming for the core instead.”

Snap—Arkand snapped his fingers.

At the same time, the image on the blackboard was erased, and the bracelets arranged before her flew out.

“Each bracelet has a number on it. You will participate in the exam with others who share the same number. The exam begins in 20 minutes. During these 20 minutes, you may find your party members and make plans. I will return in 20 minutes.”

After scanning the students, Arkand glanced at me one last time before leaving the classroom.

And then.

“I’m number 5! Who’s number 5?”

“Who’s number 3?”

“Number 1! Is number 1 here?”

“Number 1 is here!”

As soon as Arkand left, the candidates began searching for their party members.

They’re really working hard.

Some thought someone would call my number as they busily searched, and I looked at them with a proud gaze.

One minute, two minutes, three minutes passed.

After five minutes, although all candidates had found their party members, my number still hadn’t been called.

The poor girl in the navy hood next to me hadn’t been called either, it seemed.

Huh, how did it come to this?

I turned my gaze to the poor girl.

She was already looking at me.

After staring for a while, I opened my mouth first.

“What number are you?”

“Number 10.”

I’ve asked her politely, and she replied casually.

Her fierce gaze was still intense.

Her cat-like hair standing on end was so ridiculous and cute that I responded with a bright smile.

“We’re the same number.”

The poor girl’s face twisted.

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