abcnovels
Chapter 33: A Different Location
Chapter 33: A Different Location
Chapter 33: A Different Location
“Thus, the third exam has come to an end,” declared Herion.
The results of the third exam.
In the group rankings, Group 17 held an overwhelming first place.
In the individual rankings, Ceylon claimed the top spot with a considerable lead.
Despite the active objections and challenges from various participants, the scores remained unchanged, and the exam concluded without any alterations.
Silence hung in the air.
Participants who had appeared on the brink of causing a riot due to the scores now seemed to accept Herion’s decision with a calm resignation.
Adella Espien.
She, too, found herself grappling with the current situation where she had lost the first place in the group rankings to that obstinate girl, Adryn.
But what could she do?
Adella’s gaze shifted to Agion Morci, a man known for his excessive self-esteem.
The Agion Morci she knew possessed an overbearing self-esteem, but it was within reason.
His talent was undeniable.
Even when compared to individuals like Drin Lebringer and Kasha Hanahan, he didn’t fall short.
Would the day ever come when his arrogance was shattered?
Unfortunately, it appeared that such a day might never arrive.
But was it merely an illusion?
In this moment, Agion Morci seemed to have lost not only his arrogance but also his will, as if his once-proud nose had been broken.
His eyes, which had previously shone with unyielding determination, now appeared vacant.
Who could have done this to Agion?
Ceylon.
Adella and the other participants watched him from a distance, isolating him like a solitary island.
There was a murmur in the crowd.
Whispers circulated.
‘So annoying.’
Was this man going to suddenly change his demeanor and display the imposing presence befitting his skill?
Adella might have been able to accept the current situation then.
However, this man had just performed an extraordinary feat and yet maintained his usual attitude.
There was no weightiness in his actions; it was as if he could be blown away by the wind without resistance.
‘Could he have defeated Agion?’
Such a clumsy man?
Such a commoner?
A man with no foundation swordsmanship like Bauer?
Adella still couldn’t believe it.
But whether she believed it or not didn’t matter much.
She scanned the surroundings.
The duel had concluded.
However, the participants still kept their distance from Ceylon.
They glared at him disapprovingly, but whenever his head moved slightly, they quickly averted their gazes.
This was a moment that truly reflected Ceylon’s current position and how people perceived him.
Silently, Adella shifted her gaze between Ceylon and Adryn, who stood beside him.
In Adella’s eyes, Adryn appeared to be beaming with pride.
‘Ugh, that annoying girl…!’
At that moment, Adryn said something to Ceylon while looking at him, and Ceylon responded with a shrug and a broad smile.
A genuinely joyful expression.
Adella continued to watch them in meaningful silence, pondering the dynamics between the two.
***
“Test results will be announced the day before the admission ceremony, which will take place one week later, and whether you pass or not will be conveyed to the participants through the mana patterns assigned to them.”
Teacher(Herion) pointed to his chest.
The examinees still had their group numbers on their chests.
“The numbers will disappear as soon as you leave the test venue. However, the traces of mana will continue to exist, and through them, we will inform the participants of their results. Any questions?”
It was quiet.
A sidelong glance revealed that the others were all eager to leave this test venue as soon as possible, driven by fatigue.
“Please speak up, Ceylon.”
So, I guess they don’t want to drag this out for no reason.
The moment I raised my hand, I felt a tingling sensation as the gaze of the others focused on me.
I looked around while acting nonchalant.
Then, the others quickly averted their gazes as if to say, “Never mind.”
‘What’s this?’
Are they really trying to read my intentions?
I’m still clueless, but is it even more embarrassing than that?
‘It’s interesting…?’
Just a moment ago, these aristocrats were full of arrogance and devoid of charm or fun, but suddenly, they’ve turned into fun and cute friends to hang out with.
There’s only one reason for this.
My level as an existence within them has risen just now.
It was the result of my swordsmanship ability being reflected.
Honestly, I never had any real interest in academies, swordsmanship, magic, or any of that stuff.
‘I’m just doing this because I feel like I have to learn some skills and get a job to make a living.’
But now, seeing this, my perspective has changed.
Academy.
Swordsmanship and magic.
It seems like I’ve found my aptitude.
If I enter the academy and raise my swordsmanship and magic levels, I can legally have fun with, no, befriend these guys.
‘Friend Copy Bug, discovered.’
I, Ceylon.
It seems I finally understand the true meaningof the phrase, “School is a fun place.”
I’m itching to get into the academy as soon as possible.
[Main Quest: The First Step Toward the World]
-Pass the Academy entrance exam and obtain the qualification of a student at Ein Academy.
‘But why hasn’t this one cleared yet?’
Isn’t it practically confirmed that I passed the Academy entrance exam?
Are they planning to acknowledge the quest completion only after the admission ceremony?
‘No certainty.’
I want to quickly clear the quest and open the system store to see what’s inside.
‘It would be great if it helps with raising swordsmanship or magic levels.’
My swordsmanship growth rate right now is unbelievable even to me.
I’ve just started, and I’m already at a level where I can organize my rankings against that little Morci.
But technically speaking, it’s still far from being real swordsmanship.
It’s a temporary measure.
I’ll definitely hit a limit soon.
So, I need to elevate this makeshift solution into the realm of real skills.
I need to find or create a technique that can incorporate my talent in assassination into swordsmanship.
Relying on just one talent from assassination won’t cut it.
What I need is a talent in swordsmanship.
But I have none.
‘What’s this nonsense about concept? Seriously. Just throw in everything like swordsmanship, archery, magic, shamanism, whatever’s available.’
So, the quest shop is important.
You never know, right?
‘I wonder if they’re selling something like [Exquisite Swordsmanship Lv1] at the quest shop.’
“-lon. Ceylon?”
“Yes? Oh.”
The chalkboard in my messy mind was erased by Teacher’s voice.
I had a question for Teacher, but I was playing in the realm of imagination by myself.
This is unusual for me; what’s wrong with Teacher?
“Oh, ahahaha, I’m sorry. I got lost in thought for a moment-”
After sincerely apologizing to Teacher, I scratched my head and asked the question I had prepared.
“Well, it’s not something else, but I was wondering what would happen if I couldn’t sense mana and couldn’t attend the enrollment ceremony.”
“That’s a good question. I was just about to explain that.”
“Mana responses will occur one day before the enrollment ceremony, at one-hour intervals, to periodically inform you of your admission status, so there should be no concerns. If, by any chance, you erase the traces of mana because you find it troublesome, it could lead to difficulties in verifying participants’ identities. So, Ceylon, do you have any other questions?”
“Oh, then, um…”
As I raised my hand again, I felt the sharp gazes around me.
“Oh, no, it’s nothing. My curiosity has been thoroughly satisfied!”
“What about the other participants?”
A silence settled in.
Then, Teacher nodded and spoke hesitantly.
“With this, I officially announce the conclusion of the Ein Academy Swordsmanship Department’s enrollment test. Participants, you all worked hard. Regardless of the results, may blessings be upon your future.”
The Ein Academy Swordsmanship Department’s enrollment test had successfully concluded.
The moment the test ended, I was swept away by the crowd and exited the examination site.
Then, outside the examination site, two contrasting scenes unfolded among the participants.
“Sigh, how am I going to face my father…”
“Should I just stay here and prepare for the next academy test…”
“Haha, my life is over…”
“You damn- because of you in the third test-!”
“What did you say? You’re blaming me now!?”
Scenes staged by those who had already failed the test or sensed their failure – [This is what the academy enrollment test is (Despair Edition)].
“Hey, I heard the news. I heard you did well even in the third test, is that true?”
“Haha, isn’t it the same for you?”
“Everyone, you worked hard. Thanks to meeting good teammates, we got good results.”
“No, it was me who met good teammates-”
And scenes staged by those who sensed their admission – [This is what the academy enrollment test is (Hope Edition)].
“Oh…”
People despairing as if their lives are already over.
People rejoicing as if they’ve cleared life’s hurdles.
The feelings were fresh.
Oh yeah.
We’ve overcome one hurdle.
Feeling good?
I had originally accepted academy enrollment with that kind of feeling.
Due to my experience and knowledge as a player, I understood how remarkable it was to pass the Ein Academy enrollment test in this world, but my sense of reality hadn’t fully grasped it yet.
However, seeing the reactions of the locals made it finally start to sink in.
I realized just how significant my achievement was.
‘Ein Academy’ is the most prestigious educational institution and academic institution in this world.
‘It’s like passing the world’s top university exam, and even as the top scorer? Oh…’
Thinking that way, my heart began to race in earnest.
I did feel a bit guilty about achieving such a result without much effort, but the excitement covered it up.
‘Being inside a game, isn’t this a sweet deal?’
I feel like I can’t resist having a drink.
But can a kid like me drink alcohol?
‘Wait, hold on.’
It was at that moment when I was contemplating how to continue this wonderful feeling.
A significant and practical problem that woke me up from this sweet dream knocked on my brain.
And that significant, practical problem was, ‘I have no money.’
The fact that I was currently penniless struck me like a ton of bricks. I didn’t even have money for a drink, let alone food or a place to stay for the night.
‘Ha-ha, this is quite a pickle.’
I hadn’t even given a single thought to how I would solve this issue.
Even when I had no plan or didn’t think ahead, it was never this bad. There had to be a reason for this.
In the game, passing the Academy entrance exam led to the beginning of the induction ceremony and the assignment of dormitories. In other words, once you entered the Academy, the issue of money was neatly resolved.
That was why I had come to Arienne without a second thought and went straight to take the Academy entrance exam.
And, in a way, that line of thinking wasn’t entirely wrong. Entering the Academy did indeed solve the problem of living expenses.
The problem was that, unlike the game, in reality, there was a one-week gap between the end of the exam and the start of the induction ceremony.
As someone once said, “Life is a battlefield.”
I was experiencing the moment when my gaming instincts were colliding head-on with reality, and I had no idea what to do for the next week.
“Hey, Ceylon…?”
Someone cautiously approached me.
‘Hmm?’
I was rather surprised.
Even considering her noble background, her mannerisms and speech were excessively elegant and refined. Her hair, with its distinctively styled ends, was a peculiar shade of blonde.
The person who had approached me was none other than Adella Espien—
The rival of our Miss Adryn.
***
With a gentle touch, Adella cautiously approached Ceylon and wrapped both of her hands around his, raising them between them and gazing at him with slightly moistened eyes.
“I would like to apologize for what happened today. Could you sparesome time to talk about it now?”
Her eyes and voice were filled with a sense of humidity.
When Adella, who exuded aristocratic elegance and dignity from every pore, presented herself like this, one couldn’t help but wonder who could confront her with hostility.
“Are you insane, Adella?! Are you not letting go of him?!!!”
It was Adryn.
Swept up by the crowd, she had lost Ceylon and upon finding him, she rushed over with fury. Her rich, orange hair bounced around like a ball as she stormed over.