The academy entrance test was finally about to begin. We were ushered into five sprawling examination rooms, each large enough to accommodate up to 600 students. The room I found myself in felt vast and slightly intimidating, almost like a grand arena. To my surprise, I was sharing it with none other than Dorian Ashford, our main character.
As I scanned the room, my gaze settled on a few familiar faces. There was Leon Godfrey, the prince of the Arcadia Kingdom, effortlessly commanding attention with his mere presence. His incredible magical talent was almost tangible. Then there was Claire Ambrose, her fiery aura practically crackling around her—she was renowned for her unmatched mastery over fire magic, making her an indispensable figure in this story.
But they weren't the only notable characters in the room. Zephyr Valerius caught my eye—a prodigy wielding the light element. I knew he'd be a formidable contender, someone I'd need to keep an eye on.
Lastly, I noticed Selene II Lunaris from the prestigious Lunaris family, specializing in ice magic. As the direct disciple of the Magic Tower's master, her mere presence was a testament to the academy's elite status.
It was clear: I was surrounded by some of the most talented individuals, each likely destined for the S Rank class after this theory test.
But here's the kicker—this theory test wasn't just any test. It was the test. The one that determined your entire future at Arcadia. Forget out-dueling a dragon or blowing someone away with a spell. If you bombed this, you were doomed to the lower ranks. That's right—our fates were sealed based on this entrance exam, and the results would place us into classes ranging from the prestigious S Rank Class (where the magical elites would end up) all the way down to the F Rank Class (a.k.a. the land of the forgotten). Think of it like getting sorted in reverse. Fail here, and no amount of spell-slinging could save you from spending your time with the magical nobodies.
Honestly, I had no clue what to expect from the entrance exam. Both the novel and the game left me hanging on the specifics. But I wasn't worried—my countless hours poring over books about magic in this world would hopefully pay off.
"Attention, everyone! My name is Isaac Mavis, and I will be your test instructor today," a voice boomed, instantly silencing the room.
Isaac Mavis—the legendary magic swordsman and master of the crystal element—stood before us. His reputation was monumental; every student here likely knew who he was. He was the instructor for the prestigious S Rank class, after all.
"I will now begin the test."
With a simple wave of his hand, exam papers floated through the air, landing in front of each student like falling leaves. To control 600 papers with such precision was a sight to behold. It reminded me of just how powerful Isaac Mavis truly was.
As the exam paper landed on my desk, I wasted no time skimming through the questions. To my dismay, there were several pages, and 50 questions loomed before me like a towering mountain.
Wait, what? Most of these are… math-related? Arithmetic, factorials, even differential calculus? Who knew my school knowledge would actually come in handy here? Well, this shouldn't be a problem—academics were my strong suit. I'd consistently earned top marks back home.
But then I spotted a particularly intriguing question. One involved analyzing a teleportation spell and measuring the variation in magical energy released. By calculating the derivative of energy at each stage, I could theoretically enhance the spell's efficiency. Talk about a brain workout!
After managing to scrape through those brain-busting test questions, I felt cautiously optimistic. Okay, maybe "optimistic" was a stretch, but at least I was pretty sure I wouldn't be banished to the dreaded F Rank class. No one wants to be stuck in the magical version of a basement with leaky ceilings, right? And, let's be real, F Rank comes with its own set of limitations. Not to mention, the cafeteria food for that class? I've heard horror stories.
I figured I'd probably land somewhere in A or B rank—decent enough to avoid the peasant-tier crowd but not quite good enough to challenge the elites. My answers were… well, not embarrassingly wrong. But let's not pretend I was aiming for first place either. My math wasn't that bad, but this whole "magic equals math" thing? Wild.
Meanwhile, the likes of Dorian, Selene, and Claire would probably ace this test in their sleep. Selene, of course, would take the top spot. The guy's basically a walking cheat code.
I already knew most of the top 10 ranks. The script's practically written. The only wildcard in the mix is Aldric Umbershade—a fellow dark magic user. The guy's a powerhouse, but he's as lazy as a cat on a sunny windowsill. He won't even bother to finish the test. Yet somehow, he'll still land in the S Rank class just by coasting on the few perfect answers he did give. Must be nice to be so talented that you can't be bothered to try.
What really piqued my interest during the test was how closely magic and math are intertwined in this world. It's like they handed me cheat sheets from my old world, with calculus and arithmetic showing up all over the place. Who knew learning algebra could one day save your magical behind?
Even more impressive were the parts of the exam that dealt with geometry and fractals. I mean, spell circles? Turns out, they're all about keeping complex shapes and symbols in balance—like magical blueprints that need to be stable, or boom! And not the good kind of boom.
Honestly, the fact that people here understand this stuff without a calculator or modern education is wild. But hey, that's what makes them "geniuses" in this world, right? Meanwhile, I'll just keep riding my wave of modern-world knowledge and hope no one notices I'm faking it 'til I make it.
"Time's up. I'll collect your papers now," Instructor Isaac announced, his voice cutting through the air.
With another wave of his hand, he effortlessly gathered our exams as students began filing out of the room.
Just as I was making my way to the exit, someone stepped in front of me. Great. Just great.
"Hey, aren't you that fallen noble? Hah!" It was Knox Galahan—what a delightful surprise.
"What do you want?" I asked, trying to keep my cool despite the irritation brewing inside me.
"Nothing really," he sneered. "It just bugs me to see someone like you acting all noble when you're nothing but a disgrace."
"Then you must be pretty bugged out all the time," I shot back, infusing a layer of sarcasm into my voice.
His face darkened, anger simmering beneath the surface. "You think you can keep pretending to be important? You're just a joke."
Before things could escalate further, a striking figure with silver hair appeared beside me—Claire Ambrose.
"Can you shut your mouth?" she snapped, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Knox Galahan, right? Quit causing trouble."
Knox visibly shrank under her piercing gaze. "I—I'm sorry. It won't happen again."
Then she turned to me, her expression softening just a tad. "And you, get out of here."
Why was she mad at me too? I hadn't expected Claire to wield this much influence, but apparently, even Knox Galahan was scared of her. I couldn't help but smirk a little.
Deciding it was best not to add fuel to the fire, I nodded and started walking away. Knox glared at me, frustration written all over his face, but I was done with this nonsense for the day.
As I moved through the crowd, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. "Prince, look over here! You're so cool!" "Prince Leon, you're incredibly handsome!" "Please, Prince Leon, accept this gift from me!"
Of course, Leon Godfrey was swarmed by his usual entourage of admirers. It wasn't surprising—he was not only strikingly handsome but also possessed extraordinary talent. Crowned prince at the age of 17, he had even outshone his older brother in a duel for succession.
On the opposite side, Dorian Ashford was surrounded by nobles eager to form connections with him. News had already spread that he possessed a rare 4-star magic core, surpassing even the talents of Claire and Leon, both with 3-star cores. Naturally, this made him the center of attention among those looking to ally with someone so gifted.
As for me? I had a 2-star magic core—the lowest tier here. Few others shared my predicament, and those who did weren't from noble families. But I'd accepted my place in this hierarchy; it was a bitter pill, but I was learning to swallow it.
Just as I was making my way to the other hall, I spotted her—Fiona, laughing with a group of students near the hallway. She didn't have the flashy noble titles of Leon or Claire, but she stood out in a different way. Not because she was about to be the future of arcane magic, no. Right now, she was just Fiona: laughing, casually chatting, and effortlessly turning heads.
"Fiona…" I muttered under my breath. Yep, that's her. Soon, the whole academy would know her name. But today, she was just like the rest of us—waiting to see where the magical hierarchy would place her. Of course, she didn't know her own significance yet, but I did.
I wasn't about to dive into some grand introduction. The story will bring her into focus soon enough. For now, she's just another face in the sea of hopefuls.
In just an hour, the academy will announce the test results. All 3,000 students will gather in Aria Hall, the main auditorium of Arcadia Magic Academy. They will display the names of students according to the classes they've entered based on the entrance test scores, and I have to find my name quickly and make sure I'm not in F Rank Class.
The hall buzzed with noise, filled with excited chatter and the low hum of anticipation as students reacted to their placements. Naturally, many were shocked by the results.
As I scanned the crowd, a wave of relief hit me—no sign of my name under F Rank. Crisis averted. I wasn't about to spend my academic career in the magical basement of losers. But after a quick search through the B Rank list... nothing. No name there either.
Okay, don't panic yet. Maybe they just misspelled my name? Or—oh wait, there are 3000 names to sift through. Perfect. This is going to be like trying to find a needle in a haystack while blindfolded.
I started weaving through the crowd again, squinting at the wall of names. It was like playing a sadistic game of "Where's Waldo?" except Waldo was my entire academic future. The tension in the air was almost palpable—everyone here was on edge. You could practically hear the collective anxiety buzzing as students stared at the rankings.
I totally got it though. Imagine busting your magical butt, only to end up in F Rank. That's a straight ticket to losing your sanity. One minute you're a hopeful student, the next you're rethinking every life decision that led you to magical mediocrity.
"How is that possible?! How can that loser be in the S Rank Class?!"
"First place?! There's no way!"
The outraged voice belonged to Knox Galahan, who was fuming as he argued with his classmates. Murmurs and gasps spread through the crowd as more students turned their attention toward the S Rank Class.
"How did he make it into S Rank?" "Is he really that smart?" "I've never even heard of him." "Is he from a noble family?" "How could he surpass Selene and Dorian?"
Confusion filled the air as they whispered among themselves, and for a moment, I wasn't sure who they were talking about. Then it hit me.
What?! Me?! How could I possibly be in the S Rank Class? And I'm in first place?! Even Selene was below me—she should be in first place, not me!
No, this can't be happening. Am I really in the S Rank Class? Won't this change everything by a crazy margin?
Fiona's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at me. Her surprise was unmistakable—there's no way she expected me to make it into the S Rank Class, let alone in first place! After all, this guy Lucius Ravenhart was supposed to be stuck in F Rank.
But it wasn't just her. Claire, Leon, and even Selene mirrored the same stunned expression. Their gazes lingered on me, as if trying to make sense of what they were seeing.
Then, amidst the whispers, I noticed a few other students glancing at me with jealousy in their eyes. I could see Knox's face redden as disbelief and envy twisted his features. "This is so unfair!" he grumbled to his friends, throwing an accusatory look my way. "There's no way he actually earned 1st place!"
The buzz of the crowd reached a fever pitch, with students debating and gossiping amongst themselves. Some looked genuinely impressed, while others appeared agitated by my unexpected rise. A group of students, clearly from lower-ranked families, shot me resentful glances, as if I were an interloper in their world. The whispers about me had transformed into a cacophony of incredulity.
Even Dorian looked at me with a broad smile, his expression a mixture of amusement and pride. "Looks like you've shaken things up a bit," he said, chuckling softly. I couldn't help but grin back, the tension in my chest loosening slightly. I seemed to have slightly deviated from the storyline, but in a way that felt exhilarating. At least, that's what I hoped.
And that was the end of my class placement... everything was beyond my expectations.