While I felt a twinge of sympathy for them not having made an impression on any lady they seemed to like yet, I couldn't help but find amusement in my new friends—all four of them were intriguing characters.
Viewed from another perspective, they could be considered my descendants in some way; however, they didn't need to know anything like that just yet.
"Zo was just so funny! I just… I just couldn't help myself." Gennie didn't know how to hide her joy when she saw the excitement that Zo and Miyu had.
She knew Miyu did not like being seen as a 'soft' one, so she masterfully came up with something she wouldn't mind.
"Then that's fine, I guess." Miyu made sure she had an indifferent expression to her response, but, Zora had a smirk on her face.
"Really? Thanks~."
Even after Gennie's thanks when the rest returned to their previous conversation, she continued glancing at me, pointing at Miyu in inappropriate ways.
[ "Hehe." ]
Yuri seemed to favor Gennie more than Zora herself; however, at the same time, she felt pity for my friend's struggles. I understood all too well the pain of losing someone close to us, so… I should talk with her about him when we get the chance.
Fortunately for Gennie, she hadn't allowed herself to dwell on past sorrows; she had moved on long ago despite carrying her memories with her.
'Though she was technically the youngest among us at just thirty-six years old, thanks to her royal lineage, her natural beauty stemmed from special genes passed down from her ancestor monarchs.'
She wasn't like these children; she understood how harsh reality could be and what challenges lay ahead for them all in life. Having already faced loss herself had become her source of strength—a determination not to repeat those same mistakes again.
Gennie wasn't merely pretending to be happy; no—she radiated genuine cheerfulness despite her sorrowful reality. This present was a truth she accepted long ago without blaming anyone for what she lost along the way.
'She's strong.'
I could sense deep within her a lingering resentment towards fate itself, a bitterness regarding what had been taken from her, but… at the same time… there existed hope within her heart.
In this world, this grand realm known as Anovolda, death wasn't necessarily the end.
If Gennie became strong enough and achieved a high enough position within society, there remained a chance for her to reunite with her beloved again someday—or perhaps even discover someone capable of bringing back those lost souls.
The dead journeyed into the shadow realm where resurrection spells would fail against individuals like her partner who might have passed away naturally. Though possible, it was not easy, not in my current state.
'My current physical body remained that of an ordinary Mortal. In this form alone, I doubt I could even defeat a dragon baby, much less bring one back from the shadows.'
Yet there exists clear hope for Gennie's future… at least, as long as we are within the academy.
'If she wants it, if she asks me, I will do something about it. But until then, I guess I'll just let Zora continue thinking how I am a pervet that only wants these 'friends' of hers.'
Zora had only recently begun opening up around others so I knew it would take time to actually become friends with these or any other friends of hers.
But she caan do it.
"Looks like we will start soon." I gently patted her head adorned with those beautifully curved horns while directing everyone's attention toward the sky ahead.
Though they didn't understand my intentions at first, and Zora's red face reflecing skepticism being more attractive to them, they eventually turned their gazes upward.
"Hmmm?"
"What's that now?"
Something massive soared toward us at incredible speed.
-Swooosh!
And, by the time they all looked up again, the giant figure… The instructor for our exam had already arrived in Her assigned test area.
-Swiiiiiiish~!
With a big gust of wind, the giant dragon landed on the ground.
Looking at us with happy eyes that were as big as the giant boulders after the smoke cleared up, it smiled delightfully.
It was clear that this was an elder dragon, something far stronger than a normal adult dragon.
'This was an instructor and someone that wasn't around when I left, meaning it was still around eight to nine hundred years old.'
Though significant in the cosmic calendar, this age was still not much. Though for an elder dragon, she was quite young for her age.
When Yuri told me about all the things that have happened until now, I didn't ask about the one teaching here, but I at least knew who was going to be here through the headmaster.
This was a golden dragon, the noblest among divine dragons and a being that ruled over Mana, one of the fundamental energies of this world.
'And, yeah... she was more beautiful than anything present in this place.'
This dragon, the instructor of this first exam that required precise control of Mana and nature, was something that attracted all the eyes as soon as she transformed her enormous self into her humanoid form.
Seeing this transition was something like… a mountain turning into a beautiful lady.
A beautiful lady that had gold-like hair and a figure that was comparable to the jade beauties of the east.
Though this one wasn't at the level of an archangel, she was at least as charming as Raphael's mother.
With her bosoms jiggling as she merely stood beside the giant sphere and her golden hair dancing in the flowing air, she looked like a heavenly, unapproachable being as she looked over all the students present on the open fields with her golden eyes.
There was a unique glow in her eyes and she was looking at Us, seeing through our abilities.
Even after standing so far away, she could see deep into every single one's eyes. Her previous form covered that large ground and this one that one couldn't take their eyes away from, was an allure that charmed everyone.
She was looking at others with a somewhat proud expression as if she was a parent looking at the children that were going to do something interesting.
There was warmth at the start, but there was also disappointment after checking most of the people present.
Still, when her eyes fell on us at the back, a surprised expression appeared on her face.
Raph, Wise, Zora, Miyu, Gennie, and at last, when her intrigued eyes met mine, a conversation started…
[ "Greetings, instructor." ]
I greeted through the telepathic link that was being established when our eyes locked deep with each other.