3:50 PM. On the way to Central Ville with Gerkhen Kal Doon.
"This is delicious."
I'm walking through the university grounds, eating cup chicken. I bought it from a street vendor on the way.
"…Huh?"
Then, I witnessed a scene.
It was Soliette. She was standing face-to-face with someone in an alley near Central Ville.
The other person was a man with snow-white hair.
"Hey. Hey, stop."
I hurriedly grabbed Gerkhen Kal Doon. Gerkhen Kal Doon frowned and checked his watch.
"We only have 10 minutes left."
"Just watch."
I activated the SZX-9500. Not only Soliette, but also the person she was talking to was clearly magnified.
Snow-white hair and pale eyes. The man destined to be at the pinnacle of the prestigious Aventagher family, which has produced the most Chairmen in Edsilla's history, 'Erick Aventagher'.
He's also Céline's twin brother, but well.
─Soliette. Are you still unable to forget those two?
Erick was poking at Soliette's sore spot.
Probably because he likes Soliette. He must think that the only companion suitable for him is Soliette, as always.
─Nothing changes if you're tied to the past.
─Please be quiet.
Soliette only showed the back of her head, but her voice was full of anger.
─You also can't exist without your past.
─That's true for all humans. But you are clinging to the past. You're pouring your present into the dead.
Soliette clenched her fists. She looked ready to punch him at any moment.
I found it quite interesting.
"…Hmm."
Before I knew it, Gerkhen Kal Doon was also focused. But when I looked, he was chewing on something. Chewy, like rubber. What was he chewing?
I glanced at my cup chicken.
"Hey. Why are you eating my chicken?"
"…"
Gerkhen Kal Doon awkwardly stopped his chewing motion.
In the meantime, their conversation continued.
─…Forget it, Soliette. The dead don't come back. Live in the present.
─Am I living in the past now? If this isn't the present, then what is it?
─No. You're living in the past. You're clinging to the past and can't fully-
─Shut the fuck up. Have you been watching dramas? If you keep spouting that bullshit, I don't care if you're my senior. I'll smash your face in.
─…Pfft.
Despite the rather explicit verbal assault, Erick just smiled as if he found it cute, and Soliette turned around and walked towards Central Ville. Striding. With a face as red as her hair.
Suddenly, Erick shifted his gaze. It was exactly in our direction.
Gerkhen Kal Doon acted nonchalant. I quickly turned off the SZX-9500 and counted the pieces of chicken. Four were missing.
"You ate four while I was distracted."
"…Let's go to Central Ville. We only have 5 minutes left."
We walked towards Central Ville again.
In front of us, all the elite seniors who chose the national university were gathered.
"Endex, come over here~"
Endex's assistant, Beison, called out, and I approached him.
"Ten people. All gathered. Now, submit your cards."
The ten of us handed over our cards. Beison flipped through them with a satisfied smile.
"All passed. Good."
It seemed that no one had failed. After all, excluding me, everyone else was a promising 4-6 star candidate. It would be strange if they failed.
"Now, let's go inside. Follow me."
We followed Beison into Senbil.
There were many college students inside the building.
They glanced at us with faces of interest or fatigue, and we looked back at them.
"Here we are. The dean will be here soon, so please sit and wait."
We entered the 'Wise Hall' of Senbil.
The interior was a large lecture hall. There was a podium at the front, and 300-400 seats were spread out in a fan shape.
Model students like Elise quickly took the front seats. People like me, who were in the middle, should sit in the middle, right?
But I'm also in the top tier, aren't I?
"...Ahem."
I sat in the very back for now.
In the meantime, seniors from all over the continent filled the room. There seemed to be well over 300.
"Hello everyone~"
Just as the lecture hall was nearly full.
Assistant Beison stood at the podium.
"Ah, before the dean arrives. I, as an assistant, will briefly explain about the entrance exam for Edsilla National University. You all probably already know, but… honestly, I'm just killing time."
The seniors quietly laughed.
The entrance exam for Edsilla National University. For someone like me who knows nothing, even the information everyone else knows is important.
Libra doesn't even look at you unless you're a national university student. It's an ultra-elite school.
Even 'departments' are considered, and if you're not in the Knight Department or a top department, you're out.
"First of all, we select 300 people every year. They are divided into the Knight Department and the Magic Department. The freshman quota for the Knight Department is 80. The Magic Department is 220, but the Magic Department is divided into 8 sub-departments."
In other words, to enter Edsilla University, you have to be in the top 300 out of 10,000, and to enter the Knight Department, you have to be in the top 80 of those.
Why 10,000? Because it includes repeaters and foreigners.
"The College Board's first and second quarters are conducted at your alma mater, but the third quarter is a university-specific exam. You know? Repeaters and foreigners come too."
Beison explained similarly.
"Well, so do your best..."
Knock-knock-
Just then, there was a knock.
"Ah, the dean is here now. The dean has something to say, so listen. Please welcome her with applause!"
Beison quickly ran to open the front door.
I was a little nervous. My tongue was dry for no reason.
If it's the current dean of Edsilla…
Someone appeared beyond the threshold.
Clap-clap-clap-clap-! The applause of the seniors resounded.
"...."
The woman standing in front of the podium, without saying a word, looked around the area with her unique dry eyes. Those obsidian-like pupils seemed to pierce everyone.
I sat up straight. I tightly gripped the edge of the desk. Indescribable emotions were swirling in my head.
"Nice to meet you. Seniors of the College Board."
It had been too long since I last saw her, now seemingly rejuvenated.
"I am Dean Theia Esil."
Her nonchalant self-introduction was familiar to me. As familiar as it was, it was also missed.
"University tours have always been a special activity in the College Board program. I also went on a tour."
Theia spoke softly.
"According to the teaching assistants, there were no failures in today's assignment. Congratulations."
She nodded in satisfaction.
"Until now, there must have been many dropouts and failures. It's always like that in the first quarter. Statistically, 70% of the College Board dropouts occur within the first 45 days. In other words, from now on, only competitive seniors will remain to compete."
According to her, I am also a competitive senior.
"I hope you work hard to reach your desired goals. But please discard any illusions of a rosy path once you get to university. Nothing changes when you come to university. The competition is eternal. So…"
Theia paused for a moment. She glanced at her wristwatch and licked her lips.
Somehow, I felt like I knew what she was going to say next.
A riddle.
"Now, let's try a small riddle."
As expected.
She likes riddles. Setting or solving problems is her only hobby.
"If you don't want to solve it, you can go home. If you solve it, I'll give you a small gift."
"Is, is it a recommendation letter?"
Someone in the front row asked in a trembling voice. A recommendation letter from Theia Esil would be an incredible asset.
"No. Let me make it clear here. I do not write recommendation letters. Be aware of consulting scams that claim to get recommendation letters from celebrities."
She said in a public-spirited tone, then picked up a piece of chalk. She then began to draw the strokes of a Magic Formula on the blackboard.
In no time, a Magic Spell composed of eight connected Magic Formulas was completed.
The seniors opened their mouths in astonishment. It must be a quite unfamiliar Magic Spell for them, but for some reason, its shape was familiar to me.
"That's…"
I've seen this problem before.
It's a riddle I already know the answer to.
"This Magic Spell dislikes being together. What could it be?"
I smiled. Unconsciously, my laughter trickled out.
Theia Esil.
She was the one who taught me everything.
From how to positively utilize the symptoms of Cancer of the Magic's Core, how to open a bank account, how to consume proper nutrition, how to survive in the underworld, to the Mana Heart's breathing method and my own Magic Body called 'Embodiment'.
She was the mentor of my life, who taught me how to live when I was essentially dead.
The riddle was just one of the many teachings.
"If no one gets the answer in 30 minutes, I will give a hint-"
"Answer."
I raised my hand. All eyes focused on me. Theia blinked.
"…Answer?"
She asked back. I responded firmly.
"Yes. The answer."
"…Stand up."
I stood up from my seat. Amidst the gazes of the seniors filling the hall, I spoke into her eyes.
"It's a cat."
"…."
For a moment, Theia's shoulders trembled, but she quickly regained her composure. She looked at me expressionlessly, tilted her head slightly, and gestured.
"Come forward."
Gladly.
I got up from the last row and walked down the stairs leading to the podium. I didn't care about the stares of the 300 or so seniors here.
I was just walking towards my old mentor.
When I stood beside her, she spoke.
"Explain."
"Yes."
I put my finger on the blackboard.
"…This Magic Spell is composed of a total of eight Magic Formulas. But as you said, if it's a Magic Spell that dislikes being together."
All eyes in the hall followed my hand.
"I think this. Among these eight Magic Formulas, if we erase the parts that share a circuit."
Shoosh- Shoosh- Shoosh-
'Dislikes being together'.
In other words, if we completely erase the 'overlapping' parts of the Magic Formula's circuit.
"Like this."
A large circle for a face, ears sticking out, round eyes, nose, and mouth, and three whiskers protruding on each cheek.
"It's a cat."
Only the cat remains.
Heh- There were hollow laughs in the hall. There were many faces that seemed absurd.
"What do you think?"
I asked Theia. Theia remained still for a long time with an expressionless face. After alternating between looking at the blackboard and me about half a dozen times.
"…Correct."
She nodded.