"Roll No. 1486."
When her roll was called, she took a step forward.
The announcer checked her from top to bottom with a suspicious gaze and said.
"Please remove your cape."
She took off her red cape and revealed her face.
Everyone present there had their eyes fixed on her.
She could feel all kinds of stares falling on her.
She slowly lifted her long silver eyelashes and her gaze met his gaze.
She caught the gaze of those blood-red eyes, which looked like a predator's. His gaze seemed to draw her in.
Ba-dump. Ba-dump.
Her heart was beating faster. She felt as if she had found something that she had lost many years ago. A new emotion was welling up inside her. She didn't know what to make of that new emotion but that new emotion felt warm. His gaze was sucking her in.
She herself doesn't know why but she felt that she shouldn't look at him anymore. So, she turned her gaze towards the main stage and took more steps forward.
"Isn't that.....?"
When she had stepped forward enough for others to see, someone muttered.
"Yeah. She's the top-ranked combatant in this year's selection examination. She's that Seaxburh Essex!"
"Seaxburh?!"
One after the other, like a wave, everyone started muttering her name.
She knew that herself.
On this year's entrance examination, she had set a new record. She had passed the examination with the highest possible score.
She had tried her best to keep a low profile and thought that she would be fine as long as she used half of her power. She did indeed use about half of her powers, but she hadn't expected the other combatants to be so 'weak'. Because of that, unwilling as she may have been, she wounded up being the top-ranked combatant this year. And the word of that had spread quite wide and quick, whose result was the current situation she was in.
Everyone was gawking at her right now.
"So, you are the top-ranked student Seaxburh, that I have heard so much about."
A figure clad in a long black overcoat with unnecessary jewels and designs spoke to her while stroking his chin as if in amusement.
"Please carefully decide whom you are going to choose."
She knew full well what his words implied.
"Yeah. Make a careful and wise choice."
The Princess of the Kingdom of Valscia, followed suit.
"Please choose me! I want to play a lot with that long hair of yours!"
When she said that, her chestnut brown ponytail swayed and her eyes were sparkling like a child's.
She looked at the Captains one by one.
One of the Captains with black hair corrected his posture, while the one with white hair slightly pushed his glasses up. A female Captain who had shoulder-length black hair and green eyes projected a smile towards her.
It was clear to everyone that all of the Captains wanted her in their teams: except one, and Seaxburh herself knew that as well.
"I will."
She smiled and nodded and proceeded towards the black-circular mark and stood before the man clad in black panzer suit, Captain Aescwine.
The auditorium was whipped into a frenzy and why wouldn't they when she had done what no one would have ever imagined.
She was the top-ranked student and she must have chosen someone who was capable and talented. But she had instead chosen the 'magicless' and the one who was considered the weakest, Captain Aescwine.
"Ms. Seaxburh, I think you have confused that black circular mark for some other."
The aristocratic noble said with a wry smile which lacked the confidence he had earlier.
"No, I haven't confused the black circular mark. I have chosen to serve under Captain Aescwine Oliver."
When she said that, he couldn't argue back.
People were saying that she had gone senile. Some were saying that she had chosen him solely because of his looks, in particular the girls. Some were even saying that it had been all planned by Commander Lina in advance and as a reward she had been promised fame and position.
She could hear all those murmurs.
It wasn't a mistake on her part.
She had calculated and decided to choose Captain Aescwine.
Captain Aescwine was considered the weakest and the worthless and people sensed no magic at all from him. That meant that people won't expect much from him. Of course, she would gather all the attention for a while but it was sure to gradually settle down. During future events, she could lay low as people wouldn't expect much from anyone who was under such a worthless Captain.
On the flip side, if she had chosen someone popular and someone who was always counted on by the people, she was sure that she couldn't avoid the spotlight. Being the top-ranked and if on top of that she had chosen someone popular like the princess, she was sure that they would make her do works that were sure to garner attention. This wouldn't have been to her advantage and was sure to get in the way of her 'mission'.
She was here, in this unfamiliar land, to carry out a very important 'mission'. So, she had to sort out everything and think of what may come ahead, if she had to achieve her mission.
"Hmm?"
She suddenly felt like someone was staring at her from behind.
When she turned around, she could see that Captain Aescwine was narrowing his eyes with suspicion.
That made her remember what she had felt when the seven Captains had first arrived.
Among the seven Captains, six of them had a strong presence and she had felt powerful magic from them. They were certainly your above-average military personnel. But she believed that she would be easily able to win in a one-on-one fight with the Captains. The presence and magical powers that the Supreme Commander emanated was overwhelming. She immediately knew that she couldn't beat her.
But Captain Aescwine was different. She had felt no 'magic' from him at all. But for some reason, she even feared the idea of fighting against him. She felt like she wouldn't be able to even manage a scratch to him.
Logically thinking, she would easily overwhelm someone who was 'magicless' like him. But logic denied her at that time. Her instincts said that there was something more to it.
And there was the other fact to consider as well. The Kingdom of Valscia had been at war with their neighboring country, The Kingdom of Auruncia for a long time now. Auruncia had powerful and talented mages in comparison to Valscia and because of that Valscia was in need of powerful combatants.
The Seven Captains were considered to be talented combatants in the Valscian Military, who were supposed to be powerful enough to be sent to the frontlines if needed. Considering that, there was no way that the Valscian Military would appoint Aescwine as a Captain without any reason.
But apparently, others weren't able to come to that conclusion. It was understandable since people didn't tend to think rationally when they got to look down upon others.
"Pipe down you all!"
The Supreme Commander's voice echoed throughout the auditorium which snapped her back to reality and the crowd went silent.
*
After about an hour everyone's turn had finished.
No one except her had chosen Captain Aescwine and it was something she had considered from the very beginning so it was all fine.
People were looking at her and all of the Captains except Captain Aescwine had troubled looks on their faces. They all wanted to ask many questions to her, but no one dared.
"This wraps up for now. All the students please listen carefully to what I'm about to say next."
The announcer said drawing the attention of the students.
"As you have all been informed before, for the period of three years you all are to stay within the dorms provided by the academy, and contact with your family and relatives won't be allowed except during an emergency. After you exit this hall you will see the staff of this academy waiting outside and they will give you, your room number along with the room key. You are to rest for a while."
She paused and inhaled a deep breath.
"And also there will be a welcoming party for you all at 7 pm in the evening and every student is to come and enjoy it to the fullest. King Charles XXI himself will be present! So, all the students are requested to make sure to come at all costs!"
She said that in a loud and cheerful voice. The crowd went all wild and there were screams of joy everywhere.
After that, she made her way outside the hall.
As instructed there were staffs clad in desert camouflage uniforms outside the hall and they were providing the newcomers with the room numbers and the room keys.
After getting her room key, she was shown the way by one of the staff.
Walking towards her destination she looked around. The grounds stretched on farther than its outer appearance let on.
She approached the dorm building. It wasn't that much different from the school building. The dorm looked more like a noble's estate.
Her room was up the stairs, on the topmost floor.
She inserted the key and slowly turned the metallic handle and the door opened.
The room was quite spacious and it was neatly furnished as well. There was a sofa arranged with cushions, a bed with neat sheets spread over it, and a wooden dining table sporting a porcelain teapot. Sitting on the windowsill was a pot with beautiful white flowers she hadn't seen before.
She closed the door behind and sat on the sofa. It seemed comfortable. All her belongings were delivered there beforehand which she confirmed after seeing her two suitcases at the corner of the room.
"Oh."
She remembered that she had to attend today's welcome party.
She was tired and wanted to take a bath before going to the party. Luckily, there was an attached bathroom.
So, she got up from the sofa and started to prepare for the bath.