We stood there in silence for a while, the air heavy with anticipation. A few minutes passed before the first wave of students began to return. One by one, flashes of mana filled the hall, and students reappeared in clusters, some clutching their sides, others barely able to stand. Their complexion was pale, and their faces showed signs of strain.
It was evident that the entrance test had been challenging.
Along with their returning forms, a number formed over their heads.
[200]
[330]
[600]
It increased as time passed. I scanned the students, looking for someone. She didn't appear. It took a long time, until finally, Nebula emerged from the glow, her clothes splattered with blood. She was breathing heavily, but there were no visible injuries.
The number [9,200] hovered above her head, glowing faintly in the air.
I felt a sense of relief seeing her standing, although I knew she'd have been fine regardless. The students were teleported to a magically simulated battlefield, where they were granted points based on how many monsters they managed to kill.
Above each student, their final scores floated like judgment in the air. Most of them had numbers under 5,000, with only a few managing to push past that. Nebula's score was the highest by far, her sheer willpower and abilities shining through.
However, the majority of the students were clearly overworked. The exhaustion, the injuries, the struggle—they had all been pushed to their limits. Even Nebula was panting for breath.
Suddenly, a sharp voice rang out from the crowd.
"Why… why didn't he have to take the test?!"
I glanced toward the source, narrowing my eyes. It was a boy with purple, slit pupils and short black hair. I recognized him: Kael Drakovar, the youngest son of the Black Draconia Duke. He had fiery eyes and an arrogant posture. The little draconic blood in his heritage was clear in the slitted pupils and faint scales around his temples.
The number [7,450] floated above his head.
"That's Iskandaar Romani!" the boy snarled, his voice filled with venom. "I've heard about him. He's a loser who couldn't even walk a year ago!" His words pierced through the hall, and the tension that had been simmering finally reached a boil.
Murmurs spread through the room like wildfire. Confusion gave way to hostility as students began to glare in my direction, whispers turning to angry demands. The atmosphere thickened with distrust and jealousy, the same old story replaying itself in a new setting.
"True, why didn't he have to take the test?"
"Who gave him a recommendation?"
"I knew it. That is the Romani trash."
I sensed their gazes on me, the burden of their assessment bearing down. The murmurs had grown audible, enough for even the Principal to visibly squirm. Despite this, he chose not to step in. Maybe he was curious to see how the situation would unfold. I could understand that. Even the professors, observing from the upper level of the hall, hidden behind shadows and only visible to my Demonic Sphere, appeared invested.
The tension was intense, and I could sense the hostility growing with each passing second. My hand twitched at my side, but I kept my face calm, refusing to react. I'd been through this before. The weight of failed expectations, the sneers of those who thought they knew me.
But just as the atmosphere threatened to spiral completely out of control, prompting me to part my lips, a soft cough echoed through the hall. The feminine voice cut through the noise like a blade.
The murmurs ceased almost instantly, as every head in the room turned toward the source.
A figure stepped forward, her movements slow. It was a tall and graceful woman with an undeniable presence. Her purple eyes gleamed beneath the soft glow of the hall's lights as her light brown hair cascaded down her back.
"Uh, who's that?" someone whispered.
"Do you live under a rock? That's the Chancellor, Amelia the Dragon… whoa, she's gorgeous." Another voice replied as if she was ready to fall to her knees.
Amelia Duskleaf.
The Chancellor of the Waybound Academy.
The woman had lied to me that time when she showed me her Professor ID. She wasn't some mere professor, even if she indeed taught Dragon Tongue Magic—to the zero students who could learn it. In truth, her position was much higher in the Academy.
An 8th Ranked Mage, renowned across the continent for her mastery of Dragon Tongue Magic. She'd been the academy's chancellor for decades, one of the powerhouses that kept the city safe. Her reputation wasn't just built on power, in fact, the Principal was slightly stronger than her despite being lower positioned. She held this position for multiple more reasons.
She made her way to the stage, her steps unhurried, yet resonated with authority. Reaching the front, she stopped, her calm expression never wavering as she addressed the room.
"The letter," she began, her voice clear and firm, as she smiled, "was given to him by… me. After I've assessed him worthy of it."
In response to those heavy words of implications, only thick and suffocating silence followed. The murmurs died immediately as her gaze swept across the students, her eyes narrowing as if daring anyone to challenge her.
"Does anyone have any objections?" she asked, her tone still soft, but the weight of her question undeniable.
No one dared speak.
The room fell into an uncomfortable silence, the once fiery anger of the students doused by the sheer presence of the Chancellor. The Draconia boy, who had been so vocal moments earlier, now stood frozen in place, his mouth slightly agape, his earlier bravado nowhere to be found.
A boy chosen by the Dragon herself. How could he be trash?
The Principal remained silent, watching the exchange with an unreadable expression. Even the professors above seemed to step back, their own whispers gone. No one was willing to argue with an 8th-ranked Mage, who was also their chancellor.
Amelia's gaze lingered on the crowd for a moment longer before she smiled. "I'm glad," she said, "However, I understand that my words alone may not be sufficient to please all of you. With that in mind, I've prepared a small test for the recommended students too."
Ah, this was the part she had told me about in the letter. I held back a smile.