Marc finally received a letter from the academy.
________________________________________
Marc,
You have been chosen to participate in the admission test for Silvercreak Academy. We expect your visit on December 20th of the Imperial Calendar. We appreciate your decision to apply to Silvercreak.
FROM SILVERCREAK ACADEMY
________________________________________
He knew they were spouting nonsense since the school was largely controlled by nobles. At least he was lucky to be affiliated with the main church.
Marc didn't have to worry about bullying because he was confident in his strength. Bullying at the school was typically just a way to make the protagonist look good when he helped the weak and defenseless students.
He decided to visit a clothing store because he didn't want to wear the academy's uniform for his entire school career. He bought four high-quality outfits to treat himself better.
He also purchased his own weapon. Although the school provided weapons for training, they only allowed personal weapons in special cases.
With only a few days left before leaving the orphanage, Marc was excited to show off his strength and rehearsed every word he planned to say. The day of the test was drawing near.
Finally, the day of the admission test arrived. The venue was bustling with people, and Marc felt a little out of place. Names were being called one at a time in alphabetical order, and he knew it would take a while.
He began meditating to control his mana when he was noticed by someone. A boy with a striking appearance and toned muscles that couldn't be hidden by his clothes approached him. The boy found Marc interesting, as he had a significant amount of mana for a commoner.
The boy in question was Helmut Walter. He later became a friend of the protagonist when they bonded over their love of swords. Although he wasn't mentioned much, Helmut was ultimately possessed by a devil and killed by the main character.
Marc didn't want to offend someone like Helmut since he wanted to avoid trouble. But to his dismay, ignoring Helmut didn't drive him away; it had the opposite effect.
Helmut was surprised because most people would either cower in fear or try to ingratiate themselves, but Marc did neither. The fact that he ignored Helmut only piqued his interest further.
As Helmut was about to ask for Marc's name, his name was called for the test. He tried to ask but left feeling defeated when his name was called again for the second time.
Marc was relieved to have a moment away from Helmut's gaze. He hated to admit it, but he instinctively sensed that Helmut was stronger. His instincts as an adventurer alerted him that Helmut was a monster who could easily overpower him.
This raised many questions in Marc's mind: Why didn't Helmut rank first given his strength? Was he hiding his true abilities? Maybe he wasn't strong enough to confront the main character yet. A flood of questions rushed through his mind, but he didn't let them distract him.
If Helmut was as strong as the protagonist, he could potentially steal some of the protagonist's chance for power-ups.
It may affect the story, but he was blinded by the allure of strength. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he steadied his mind in preparation for any future temptations.
Marc drifted off to sleep, only to be jolted awake by the sound of his name being called. He was summoned into the training room. The test was just to assess his qualifications and wouldn't determine his rank.
He saw three examiners who explained the test structure. The first test would measure strength, the second mana, followed by speed, reaction time, and finally defense.
For the first test, he had to punch a dummy made of black wood, a material that absorbed excess mana, making it tougher than most metals and capable of self-repair.
Marc punched the dummy, leaving a small crack, and felt disappointment when he saw the examiners' expressionless faces, which made him think he had failed.
Next, he assessed his mana by placing his hand on a crystal ball, which greedily absorbed his mana. As soon as he withdrew his hand, he could feel the depletion of his energy, while the examiners simply noted something on their sheets.
For the following test, he had to run continuously. Fortunately, they allowed him time to rest after each test, and he was relieved when that segment ended. His reaction time was tested by having him dodge fast-moving projectiles, while the defense test required him to take hits.
Once all the tests were over, Marc was anxious about his performance. However, he didn't let his worries hold him back as he returned home, eagerly awaiting his enrollment letter.