Chapter 19

(4)

8.

The High Mage of the Rubens Empire, Diplyn Cernio.

She is one of the top three mages in the Rubens Empire and a curious researcher.

That’s why she always considered it a blessing to be born as a half-human, half-fairy hybrid.

With a lifespan five times longer than a human’s, and for reasons unknown—perhaps due to her hybrid nature—her growth and aging stopped entirely since her early teens.

A young and healthy body.

A lifespan far exceeding others.

It was the perfect condition for immersing herself in research.

By the time she reached 116 years old.

She had accumulated many achievements through various researches and became the court mage of the empire. After that, she traveled throughout the empire and the kingdom, training many disciples.

And in the Arpen Duchy.

Diplyn met the most talented individual.

Delia Arpen.

A fellow hybrid and the most outstanding talent among all the disciples she had taught so far.

However, perhaps due to her young age, she seemed to hate Diplyn, clinging to familial bonds.

‘A hundred years from now, her thoughts will change.’

How fleeting and meaningless familial bonds are. Just as Diplyn had once thought.

Anyway, since it had been a while since she last saw her disciple, she planned to just check on her growth and leave.

But then, she found someone who piqued her curiosity in an unexpected place.

‘Was his name Ulan?’

A man with two mana vessels.

Especially the fact that he created a mana vessel near his small intestine—she wanted to grill him on how he managed that.

And centered around this fact.

A whirlwind of curiosity followed.

If he uses magic, how would the flow of magic power be? The two vessels are quite close to each other, so perhaps the magic would manifest in a completely different way than usual?

As various curiosities swirled like a storm, Diplyn’s patience reached its limit.

‘Let’s experiment a bit.’

First, she needed to create a situation where he had no choice but to use magic. So, she deliberately paired Ulan and Delia in the same group.

The reason was simple.

Delia had strong pride as a mage, and Ulan had achieved top scores in each exam using methods that didn’t even resemble magic.

‘In other words, their compatibility is bound to be bad.’

If the group exam doesn’t go well, the likelihood of problems arising increases significantly. That’s why she deliberately pushed them together.

But what’s this?

‘Huh? They’re fighting surprisingly well together?’

Diplyn’s eyes widened.

The two actually worked quite well together. To be precise, it seemed like Ulan was adjusting to Delia while fighting.

‘This is troublesome.’

Originally, she planned to force a difficult situation to make them use magic, but now there was no reason to keep them paired.

Diplyn frowned.

But her worry didn’t last long. The exam wasn’t over yet.

‘No choice.’

She had to intervene a little.

Diplyn immediately took action. She secretly channeled magic into the mana golem buried in the ground, planning to deliberately make it go berserk.

And during this process.

Delia suddenly looked her way.

With a suspicious gaze.

‘Seems like she caught on.’

As expected of my disciple.

Diplyn smirked.

Even though her trick was discovered, she didn’t stop and proceeded with her plan. Soon, the berserk mana golem erupted from the ground.

Kwaaaang!

Its body swelled as if about to explode.

Due to the significant amount of magic poured into it, the berserk golem’s momentum was truly terrifying.

‘It’s probably around a 3-star monster.’

An opponent that would require an elite imperial squad, regular mages, and experienced hunters to barely take down.

Not something a mere student could handle.

No matter how strong and physically capable one is, in this situation, they wouldn’t be able to survive without using magic.

Diplyn was certain of that.

But her certainty was shattered.

“……!?”

Thud! Thud! Thud! Boom!

Ulan, who had intervened to save Delia, began pummeling the golem with his fists. Eventually, he even managed to take it down.

Booooom!

With a loud explosion, the golem fell silent.

A heavy silence filled the exam hall. Diplyn also stared at Ulan with her mouth slightly agape.

‘He took that down with his bare hands……?’

A 3-star monster equivalent?

He took down something like that with just his fists?

Diplyn’s eyes widened. A look of utter bewilderment spread across her face. It was the first expression she had made since arriving at the exam hall.

“H-Ha, Dean.”

“The exam is over.”

The voices of the assistant supervisors echoed.

Snapping out of it, Diplyn quickly regained her composure. Then, as if nothing had happened, she smiled brightly and approached the two.

“Wow, that was really amazing. I never thought you’d take down a golem with your bare hands.”

A mask-like expression.

With a mysterious smile, Diplyn asked, half-serious and half-joking.

“Are you really a mage?”

If there was anything to hide, he would have shown even a slight reaction. No matter how talented, he’s still just a sixteen-year-old kid.

But Ulan showed no reaction.

At this, Diplyn narrowed her eyes.

‘Seems like he really is a mage.’

Well, if he weren’t a mage, he would have been filtered out during the magic power measurement. Besides, he wouldn’t have even taken the magic aptitude exam in the first place.

While thinking this.

Suddenly, Ulan asked a question.

“What do you mean?”

“I was watching from afar, but during the fight with the golem, I didn’t feel even a hint of magic power flowing from you.”

Why didn’t you use magic?

Diplyn dodged the question with a vague answer. Meanwhile, Ulan looked at her with a blank expression.

Well, of course. He can’t use magic.

It was such an obvious answer that there was no need to be flustered. But if he confessed outright, it would only cause trouble for Ulan.

So, he brushed it off.

“The opponent was too weak.”

“Huh? What does that mean?”

“It means they weren’t strong enough for me to use magic. So, I just dealt with it like this.”

Ulan held out his fist.

At this, Diplyn flinched.

The memory of him brutally taking down the berserk golem must have unconsciously intimidated her.

“S-So, if a really strong opponent appears, you’ll use magic then?”

“Yeah, my magic is special.”

“Hehe, good. Honestly, I’d like to ask more, but let’s end it here for today.”

Diplyn smiled mysteriously.

Meanwhile, Ulan tilted his head.

“But why are you talking from so far away?”

“I feel like I might get hit if I get too close.”

“Why?”

“Well…….”

Having seen him mercilessly pummel the golem with his fists, anyone would want to keep a few steps away from Ulan.

Plus, she had done something wrong.

While thinking this.

“Are you out of your mind?”

Suddenly, Delia interrupted the conversation.

Her face flushed with anger. She glared sharply at Diplyn with furious eyes.

“Golem, berserk, cheating……!”

Delia knew exactly what Diplyn had done. She wanted to confront her. To ask why she deliberately made the situation difficult.

But she couldn’t.

“……!?”

Suddenly, her voice wouldn’t come out.

Her lips moved weakly.

Delia soon realized why. Diplyn, anticipating what she would say, had quickly cast a silence spell.

Still a sneaky person.

Delia’s gaze grew even sharper. Meanwhile, Diplyn avoided eye contact and played dumb.

“More importantly, what a shame. You’re going to get a 1 because you’re short by one magic core.”

Her crescent-shaped eyes.

A smile so annoying it made one’s fists clench. Then, with a mysterious expression, she spoke.

“So, about that retest……”

“I’ve already retrieved the magic core.”

But her goal wasn’t achieved.

Because a glowing magic core had appeared from Ulan’s fist.

“……!?”

Diplyn’s eyes widened like lanterns.

Not just her.

Delia, with her mouth closed, and the other examinees also looked shocked. Diplyn stammered in disbelief.

“H-How did you……?”

“During the fight.”

Why ask the obvious?

Ulan looked at Diplyn with a pitiful gaze. Meanwhile, he gave a somewhat kind answer to Delia, who had a similar expression.

“I told you. I’m used to hunting monsters.”

So, even if it’s a golem, not a monster.

Delia, who had been dumbfounded, suddenly laughed.

‘What a strange person.’

What on earth did he do to take down a golem with his bare hands and even retrieve the magic core?

Delia’s curiosity sprouted.

It was the moment she became interested in Ulan. Along with the unfamiliar, embarrassing words he had spoken earlier.

‘……Really a strange person.’

Her cheeks flushed again.

As she lowered her head to hide it.

Diplyn’s voice rang out.

“Alright. Regardless of the process, I’m satisfied with the result, so I’ll give you both 5 points. If anyone has any objections, speak now.”

There were none.

The two had already proven their skills.

Especially Ulan, the monster who took down a golem with his bare hands. He was highly likely to enter the academy, and no one wanted to get on his bad side.

“If there are no objections, then it’s settled. Ah! And you two, come to the Dean’s Office tomorrow morning. I’ll give you the ‘special benefits’ I promised.”

With a sly smile.

Ulan’s final exam ended.

9.

After the magic detection aptitude exam.

The final grades were soon announced.

Ulan, who scored 5 points in all three exams, received an S-rank, and Delia, who achieved the next highest score, also received an S-rank.

According to Professor Dirck’s standards, she should have received an A-rank, but Diplyn easily ignored this. She claimed that since the supervisor had changed, the standards had also changed.

No objections were raised.

No examinee would dare to upset the Dean’s mood before even entering the academy.

With all the results announced, the examinees scattered in all directions. Probably to prepare for the next exam.

But not Ulan.

He had already completed all his exams and had nothing left to do. So, while pondering what to do, someone suddenly poked his side.

“You……”

A petite figure, about the size of Noa.

A girl with silver hair and golden eyes. It was Delia. As she slowly approached, Ulan asked.

“Do you need something from me?”

“…….”

Delia remained silent.

Instead, she pulled out her wand and crouched down. Then, she began scribbling something on the ground.

『Delia Arpen』

Why is she writing her name all of a sudden?

As Ulan looked puzzled, Delia’s wand moved again.

『And you?』

Ah, is she asking for my name?

Assuming so, Ulan soon opened his mouth.

“The Prairie Warrior, Ulan Bator.”

As soon as Ulan introduced himself.

Delia’s small lips twitched. As if trying to memorize his name.

『I’ll remember.』

With that short reply.

Suddenly, Delia quickly scribbled something with her wand. Then, she stood up abruptly and hurriedly disappeared.

With a somewhat flushed face.

After she left, these words were written where she had crouched.

『Thank you for today. See you later.』

A very ordinary thank you.

Ulan chuckled.

“She ran away.”

In her past life, Delia was also awkward with expressing emotions. She must have run away out of embarrassment. Ulan thought so.

And that evening.

Ulan reunited with Noa.

News had arrived that all exams were over, and the final passers would be announced.

Chapter 7. Results Announcement

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