The sun, positioned directly in the center of the sky, illuminated the field of the Midvalley Magus Academy. Around one hundred magic circles appeared simultaneously on the field. Several seconds later, the fifth-year students who had completed their annual test emerged from the magic circles.
They appeared in varying conditions. Some looked severely wounded, while others seemed to be in good shape. However, they all felt relieved after witnessing the scene in front of them. Even talented students like Frida felt exhausted after the annual test, let alone the other students.
The next second, a super large magic circle covering the entire field appeared. The giant magic circle emitted a green light, instantly ending the fatigue suffered by the students for days. Minor and severe wounds were healed instantly. The magic circle caused a commotion among the students.
"Wow, look! My wounds have healed!"
"My hand! My hand has grown back!"
"Amazing! Is this a high-level magic technique?"
"I wonder if I can do this one day."
"Mrs. Elizabeth! This is Mrs. Elizabeth's magic technique."
This magic also surprised Vale; it was the first time he had seen high-level magic. Its effects truly opened his eyes. He also observed Mrs. Elizabeth, a middle-aged woman with a friendly face. He didn't interact with this teacher much, as she taught in classes seven and eight.
What caught Vale's attention was the fact that Mrs. Elizabeth didn't chant any spells. Based on the principle he learned from [Basic Puppet Control Technique], this magic was easy for Mrs. Elizabeth, so she didn't need to recite any spells.
On a platform, Sir Joseph Putin gave a speech, "Firstly, I want to congratulate those of you who passed this year's annual test. For those who failed, this is not the end of your life. There are still many opportunities that you can achieve if you work hard."
Afterward, Sir Joseph Putin explained that the point balls each student carried contained information about whether they passed or not and their ranking in this year's annual test.
Vale immediately grabbed his point ball.
[Pass]
[Rank 12]
Because he was trapped in the puppet maze, Vale failed to steal points from those with plenty of points. However, Colbert's points were enough to place him in the top 20. Beside him, Brenda also managed to get a ranking of 36 by relying on Yor's points.
Subsequently, Sir Joseph Putin informed the students of various levels that they were given a one-month vacation before the new academic year began. Then he closed his speech and allowed the students to rest.
After the speech, Vale and Brenda immediately met Frida. They then gathered in the academy park.
Frida dropped the bag she was carrying, which contained the items they had taken from the puppet maze. Inside, Vale quickly grabbed the black-quality magic radiation stone, night vision goggles, and the Valentine puppet figure.
"By the way, what happened after you returned to the cave?" Vale asked.
"I met Holman and Dinodas, but they immediately fled when they realized Alex and Laura were dead. I think they will soon find out about Yor and Colbert's deaths, so you both have to be careful. They might come after you too," Frida explained in detail.
Vale nodded, understanding that the noble students would now see him as Frida's friend or subordinate. Meanwhile, Brenda looked a bit scared upon hearing this.
The girl hurriedly took her belongings from the bag Frida was carrying. She then bowed slightly to Frida and Vale.
"Thank you for your help, Miss Inger and Vale. I'll take my leave now."
"You're welcome. By the way, just call me Frida. It feels weird if you keep calling me Miss Inger," Frida said.
"Okay, Frida," Brenda said with a smile on her face. She then left Frida and Vale alone.
After Vale and Brenda retrieved their belongings, Frida picked up the bag she had dropped. She then turned to Vale and said, "Meet me at the library tomorrow at eight in the morning."
"I'll be there on time."
Vale and Frida went to their respective rooms. Although his wounds had healed, Vale's mental fatigue had not yet dissipated. Therefore, after he arrived in his room, he immediately went to sleep.
Later that afternoon, Vale woke up feeling refreshed. He then took several new sets of clothes and went to the dormitory's public bathroom. After showering and washing his used clothes, he put on his new clothes and used magic to dry his freshly washed clothes.
Vale returned to his room and tidied up the clothes he had just washed. Only then did he head to Ms. Rosaline's office.
Vale knocked on the door a few times before a voice from inside invited him in.
"Oh, Vale. I'm glad to see you're okay. Have you rested enough?" Ms. Rosaline asked.
"I slept for a few hours earlier, and I feel lucky to have received help from someone during the test," Vale said, referring to Frida's assistance.
Vale then sat in the chair in front of Ms. Rosaline's desk.
Ms. Rosaline smiled sweetly. "Luck is also a part of strength. By the way, what rank did you get on the annual test?"
"To be honest, it was a bit surprising, but I got rank 12."
Ms. Rosaline's eyes widened as she took a few moments to gather her thoughts before speaking.
"Your progress has been nothing short of remarkable. Just a month ago, I was concerned that you would not pass this test, but you not only passed with flying colors, you ranked 12th! Vale, I must admit that I underestimated your abilities. Your talent was merely hidden, and now it has emerged for all to see."
Vale wanted to retort that it wasn't his talent that emerged, but rather the system's design, yet he restrained himself from voicing his thoughts. Meanwhile, he couldn't help but notice that Ms. Rosaline was lost in thought.
"Ms. Rosaline?" he asked, attempting to bring her back to the present.
"I'm sorry, Vale. I was just reminiscing about the first time we met. It was my first year of teaching, and I remember thinking how remarkable you were compared to the other students," she said with a smile, as if reliving those early years.
Vale had to concede that without a teacher like Ms. Rosaline, his time at the academy would have been much more challenging.
"It's a pity that only the top 10 ranks receive a reward from the academy. However, I believe that your hard work should be acknowledged, and I would like to offer you a reward. Please don't ask for something outrageous, like immortality or world domination. But anything else, and I will do my best to provide it."
Suddenly, an idea struck Vale like lightning. He locked eyes with Ms. Rosaline and whispered his request, "May I ask for a kiss?"