The vast examination hall remained silent long after the scrolls vanished.
Most students sat frozen—not from exhaustion, but from disbelief. They had faced illusions that tore through their memories, trick questions meant to test their ethics, and magical constructs that punished hesitation. Many had come expecting a test of memorization.
What they received instead… was war.
The proctors began descending from the balconies like shadows. Their robes whispered against the polished marble, faces hidden behind enchanted visors. With every step they took, more students dropped their gazes, afraid to make eye contact.
Except for one.
Velis Noxen stood, chin raised, arms crossed behind her back. Her scroll had not only survived the ordeal—it had absorbed a glyph of her own design. A faint shimmer still glowed around her, an echo of the fire-based illusion she'd maintained through sheer will.
Kaelen Raventhorn narrowed his eyes as he passed her.
Lily Virelith, standing high above, didn't say a word—but a flicker of acknowledgment passed through her eyes.
Nova leaned against the railing beside Aaron, quietly humming. "She's talented. From House Noxen, I'd wager. Cursed bloodline. But sharp."
Aaron scratched his head. "She looks kind of… serious."
Nova gave a sly smile. "She'd slice your throat for saying that out loud."
"…Noted."
"Don't worry. You're scary enough no one would let her."
"…Huh?"
"Nothing~"
Below, Axel Myrravelle sat hunched over, his expression carefully blank. But his internal monologue was screaming.
I survived. Somehow. I answered. I didn't get vaporized. I'm still alive.
Then he felt it—Aaron's gaze from above.
It wasn't even intentional. Aaron was simply looking around the room.
But to Axel, it was like staring down a myth.
His breath caught. He's watching me again! Why!? I didn't even say anything this time!!
Slowly, Aaron tilted his head and gave a concerned look. Axel flinched.
He knows. He definitely knows. Oh gods—he's on to me!
In the instructor's booth, Kaelen tapped his ring, activating the scrying panel. "Results filtering in," he murmured.
Magical diagrams bloomed midair, filled with rankings, stability ratings, mental resilience scores, and illusion compatibility statistics. Color-coded dots danced across the projected image.
Lily folded her arms. "Anyone ignite more than one scroll?"
"One student—House Ravelle boy. Immediate disqualification. He panicked mid-question and overloaded the illusion ward."
"Typical."
Aaron squinted. "So… is that bad?"
Lily turned. "He nearly set the room on fire."
Aaron nodded, mortified. "Oh."
Nova leaned in. "Would you like to announce the top scores, Aaron?"
"Huh?"
"You're a professor. It's good to get involved."
Aaron looked horrified. "What if they throw tomatoes at me?"
"They're too scared to breathe in your direction."
"That's not comforting!"
Still, before he could protest further, a scroll materialized in Nova's hand. With a flick, it floated to Aaron.
His name appeared at the top—followed by the academy's official seal.
He was the one chosen to declare the rankings.
Lily stepped forward to the edge of the platform and projected her voice across the chamber. "Silence."
Immediately, every breath in the room stopped.
"The following ten students scored the highest in today's theoretical examination," Lily continued. "These names reflect academic strength, mental fortitude, and magical adaptability."
Aaron held up the scroll and began to read.
"First place: Velis Noxen."
No surprise there. She didn't flinch.
"Second place: Kirin Zecht."
The silver-eyed boy barely nodded, blood still drying on his fingers.
"Third: Saria Vonn."
She allowed herself a small, confident smile.
Aaron continued down the list—each name met with a mix of sighs, clenched jaws, or stunned silence.
And then—
"Tenth place… Axel Myrravelle."
Every head turned.
Axel froze.
Aaron blinked. "Oh. That's the boy who fainted halfway, right?"
The room collectively tensed.
He remembers me!?
Axel's soul nearly left his body.
Aaron, still oblivious to the reactions, gave a small, polite smile. "Congratulations, young man. You really hung in there."
Axel's brain short-circuited. I hung in there!? Is he threatening me!? Is this sarcasm!?
Nova whispered, delighted, "He's probably going to have a breakdown in his sleep."
Aaron looked at her. "Did I say something wrong again?"
Lily didn't answer. She simply turned and left the platform with cold grace.
"Top ten are exempt from practical filtering," she called back. "They move on to Stage Two: Combat Evaluation."
Cheers did not erupt.
Instead, murmurs of relief—muted, trembling—spread across the floor.
Aaron cleared his throat. "So… they're done?"
"They survived the easy part," Nova said brightly.
Aaron looked pale.
This was the easy part!?
Behind him, the instructors were already preparing a new scroll—combat pairings, magical barriers, beast summoning contracts.
Aaron slowly stepped back from the railing.
"Can I… sit out of the next part?" he asked nervously.
Lily appeared at his side, arms crossed. "No."
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