I was thinking.
Why are they fighting?
And secondly, I thought.
Anyway, we have to go to the exam site.
Even if we try to fight, we'll just get stopped.
We've come this far, it's not like we can avoid the exam and have a 1 on 1 duel.
"I said I'll protect Argel, who are you to order me here and there?"
"You don't know anything. The person you're trying to protect is..."
"Stop."
Just as I was trying to mediate, Raeli and that girl both looked at me at the same time.
Raeli seemed to respect me, while that girl looked at me with sparkling eyes first and foremost.
They were just in the mood to stubbornly fight, but they immediately folded just because I said one thing?
Going from hot to cold with the temperature difference, I was dumbfounded for a moment, but I did what I had to do first.
"What's your name?"
"I'm Fran Lourankis."
"Okay Fran, apologize to Raeli."
Is that girl's name Fran?
Anyway, Fran was the one who started the conflict first.
So I told her to apologize, and Fran apologized very neatly.
"I'm sorry, Raeli. I was rude."
"...Just what are you trying to do."
Because she apologized so neatly, even Raeli completely deflated.
Strictly speaking, Fran didn't say anything terribly offensive.
From an outsider's perspective, she seemed to have overreacted too much.
And I kind of knew why Fran was acting like this.
She probably mistakenly thought I was a wizard who knew about the extremes.
Rather than saying too much or too little, I told Fran briefly,
"Not now, let's talk later."
"Okay."
Fran seemed happy that she had gotten a chance to have a conversation somehow.
To that extent, extremes were a priceless value to wizards that could not be exchanged even for a mountain of gold.
Although my attention was temporarily diverted by the argument, thanks to stopping it halfway, a big accident was avoided.
"Phew, what a bitch."
Raeli still didn't seem to have cooled her anger yet.
So when I held her hand, she was surprised but gripped it tightly.
...My hand's gonna get crushed.
Shouldn't have held it for no reason.
Following the guide's instructions, we entered the inside of the academy.
"It's a device to measure your abilities."
A large device like a huge stage stood alone.
At once it could measure things like strength and mana.
I instinctively knew that was a device to summon monsters.
It was similar to teleportation magic circles.
"Strength C, Vitality B, Agility C, Magic Power D."
The grades started from F and went up to S, and that device seemed to grasp the target's status and derive results.
Most wavered between grades D to B.
Since there were so many examinees, it was a somewhat boring and lengthy process.
Among that, I could hear exclamations bursting out.
"Wow."
"First time seeing an S-rank huh?"
The person standing on the platform was a face I knew very well too.
Kumseong.
The man with blue hair pouring down like a waterfall, and two green eyes.
The guy who lives his life cockily.
Come to think of it, those with titles containing 'star' all had crappy personalities.
Changseong and Kumseong alike.
They're similar.
Compared to Changseong, Kumseong was more popular because he was polite on the outside, but his inner self was even more rotten.
"Strength A, Vitality A, Agility S, Magic Power B."
As if those results were obvious, he nodded his head.
Look at that bastard.
Most people would feel jealous or resentful seeing a competent guy, but Kumseong was so superior in every way from his face to everything else that they felt reverence instead.
And Kumseong's most frightening aspect was his swordsmanship,
So there was no need to place meaning on just having great stats when he had reached the level of a swordmaster.
After that, those who got good stats were characteristically Changseong and Fran.
Changseong got all A's, while Fran got S-rank in magic power.
Next, Raeli went up.
"It's my turn now?"
"Yeah."
Raeli seemed a bit nervous, but she took a deep breath on the platform and checked the stats appearing on the screen.
After that, the examiner read them out.
"Strength B, Vitality B, Agility A, Magic Power C."
They were sufficiently good stats.
However, Raeli had an expression as if something was unsatisfactory.
Was she hoping for at least one S-rank?
That seems a bit too greedy.
Those are grades only monsters who will be active in hero parties in the future receive.
Raeli spoke as she got off the platform.
"Hmm, a bit unsatisfying."
"But they came out really high?"
"Well, that's true but..."
Raeli seemed unsatisfied for a moment, then as if she thought of something, she looked at me and said,
"But Argael, aren't you worried?"
"About what?"
"When your stats get measured, there's no way good grades will come out."
Certainly, while I can utilize various combat methods, I don't outwardly display much.
Makia was kept in the dagger, and the new artifact Star Essence wouldn't obviously be included in the physical measurement.
I expected all stats to be F?
"That might happen."
"I'm worried that...."
"Next examinee!"
Raeli was about to say something more, but got cut off by the examiner calling me.
I got up and stood on the platform.
Of course, the results derived in a short time appeared, and the examiner seemed to doubt his eyes, checking several times before saying,
"Strength F, Vitality F, Agility F, Magic Power F."
Murmur, murmur.
The examiner was adjusting the device as if there was some error, because the stats were so low.
The examinees also started chattering about me.
"All stats F? Why did you even apply for the practical exam? Are you trying to die here?"
"With stats this low..."
"Won't you just be a nuisance during the exam with that?"
With a body this weak.
No mana, no magic power.
An incompetent body lacking anything.
It looks ridiculously pathetic.
I received gazes full of contempt, pity, and derision as I got off the platform.
Raeli looked at me with a worried expression.
"Argael... are you okay?"
"Why wouldn't I be okay."
There was no reason for those gazes to affect me.
It's not like my true skills would disappear anyway.
Besides, I've experienced even stronger contempt, hatred, hostility, condemnation.
Compared to what I received as Argax, executive of the Demon Army, and the immortal Argax, it was nothing.
And these gazes only lasted a moment.
A brighter light.
Covered up the darkness completely.
"Strength S, Vitality S, Agility S, Magic Power S."
Bright blonde hair.
Boring light blue eyes.
I don't know what she's thinking, but she quietly stood on the platform and got perfect scores.
The examinees cheered.
"As expected of a hero!"
"Just what you'd expect from our savior."
"This much is needed to defeat the demon king!"
As if it were obvious, she got off the platform without any change in emotion.
Like a short gust of wind blowing by, people's topics of gossip immediately shifted to the hero.
I stayed still, while Raeli looked at me with an expression as if unsure what to do.
"Why are you like that?"
"I can't just... stay still for this. This is too much."
To Raeli, the situation seemed a bit harsh.
I had gotten mocked with all F grades, then the hero appeared right after and got all S grades.
The contrast seemed too great.
She must have been worried I was hurt emotionally.
I placed a hand on top of her head and said,
"No need to worry."
There was no reason for me to be hurt here, no need for her to be concerned.
Raeli opened and closed her mouth a few times as if wanting to say more, but eventually pursed her lips.
With my hand on her head like this, it makes for a comparison with others.
If Beshia's hair was slightly fluffy and curly, Raeli's was stiff straight hair?
"Let's move to the next location."
The test didn't end with just checking stats.
They had to verify how we would do in actual combat, not just simply checking stats.
As we moved locations, the examiner explained to us.
"Next you will directly fight 1 on 1 with a monster."
Inside a transparent barrier, a huge magic circle was laid out.
I instinctively knew that magic circle summoned monsters.
It was similar to teleportation magic circles.
"A monster? I've hunted plenty."
"I got 1st place every time in the hunting contest."
The nobles bragging about having hunted monsters a few times, the examiner warned them as if in caution,
"Know that the monsters summoned here are not goblin or orc level. The purpose of this test is not the monster's annihilation, but your survival."
With that harsh remark, even those who were confident couldn't help but be somewhat frightened.
Since they didn't know such a grotesque monster would pop out, the examinee who went out first was flustered and let out his first words.
"Uh...?"
The room fills with puzzlement and shock.
Even though I heard the practical exam at the academy was harsh, it wasn't to this extent they said.
In response to the gazes demanding an explanation, the examiner says this:
"Right now in the north, endless devils and warlocks are pouring out. The Swordmaster is blocking them, but he alone has limits. So all of you must also be deployed to the north and fight the enemies, that is your fate."
We have to fight devils and warlocks and win.
Therefore, our opponents could only be warlocks.
"Before the all-out war where everything is at stake arrives, you will learn every method possible to fight and defeat warlocks during your time at the academy."
In other words...
A crisis will visit the kingdom soon, so we will train you to become thoroughly trained soldiers.
Most examinees had expressions indicating it was their first time hearing this, while high nobles nodded heavily as if they already knew.
It seems the situation in the north was kept quiet for the kingdom's stability.
"Guoooooh!"
But that didn't mean the warlock that appeared was just staying still.
The examinee who had already entered focused on survival rather than fighting the warlock with his agile movements.
When he could no longer endure, he threw his body outside the barrier.
"1 minute 4 seconds, damage inflicted on warlock none, damage received from warlock none."
It certainly didn't look like a good evaluation.
How long they endured, whether they attacked the warlock while enduring, and how much harm they received from the warlock as well.
The result derived from comprehensively judging those three criteria.
"Overall grade F."
"This makes no sense! Just one more try...."
"Since this was your first attempt, I will give you one more chance."
It seems they won't ruthlessly reject him.
The examinee seemed to be saying he was flustered last time, and managed to earn a slightly better score.
Proudly straightening his shoulders, he left outside the barrier.
He had suffered some wounds, but was full of pride for having faced off against the warlock squarely.
"Overall grade C."
It was natural that it would be difficult to defeat a warlock far from the level of average students.
In this environment without any terrain or objects, to endure means having resolved oneself to death.
You had to at least fight back with a sword, which meant risking death.
It seems this test was to assess how much we could stake our lives against warlocks.
No matter how good your base stats or strong you are, if you're a coward you can never defeat warlocks.
The mood inside grew dark.
Even so, there weren't many who had the courage to face warlocks.
Since they were not weak, but tremendously strong.
I was going to go out next in the order, but
Someone else went out before me.
"How many points will I get for killing that warlock?"
Kumseong stood up.
The man who got the stats second best after the hero.
And that guy says he'll kill the warlock.
"Without going over details, overall grade S."
"Is that so? Then."
Swish-
Drawing his sword, Kumseong slowly walked towards the inside of the magic circle.
"Kill it within 1 minute."
Then he suddenly stopped.
He flashed a strange smile, then turned to me.
"No, I should yield the order, that would be better."
Originally, the test procedurally has us go in seating order.
So I was going to go first originally.
Kumseong's intention was obvious.
Just as I seemed especially contrasted, getting all F grades after the hero who got S grades appeared.
Kumseong also wanted to enjoy that kind of effect.
"How about you go first?"
...Every one of these guys with stars in their names are assholes.
However, Kumseong, your thinking is quite mistaken.
To shred and kill that warlock.
10 seconds would have been plenty.