Chapter 38
‘I’ve seen this before…’
It wasn’t something she could talk about here, but Ranje had seen a similar marking engraved on some of her peers’ equipment.
Meanwhile, Lennart had realized a serious problem.
It was said that the people devoured by the monster during the exam were the shooter and the proctor from the academy. This medal must belong to one of them.
If it was a symbol etched onto a metal object like a medal, it clearly represented some organization. It was hard not to suspect the academy, known for its research into summoning magic.
As Petra mulled over Lennart’s words, she narrowed her eyes.
“…Now that you mention it, I recall hearing about a group called the Froststar Society. A gathering of mages focused on research. I believe summoning was briefly mentioned at the time.”
Even as they pieced together suspicious fragments, a clear picture failed to emerge.
Why had the academy cooperated with the incident? What could they possibly gain from it?
Why did the academic society use the entrance exam as a front? What research were they trying to conduct by summoning monsters?
The three of them skipped over the middle steps and went straight to one person. There was only one name to write in that blank space.
The Emperor…?
But it was hard to believe he’d orchestrate such an incident just because he didn’t like his nephew making friends—especially right outside the capital.
There was still no evidence connecting the academy responsible for the incident to the Emperor, or to confirm that this symbol belonged to the Froststar Society.
Ranje held her head. This was a problem she’d never had to deal with before.
She’d maintained a clear head by focusing on solutions within the given circumstances and not thinking beyond that. But with the ground crumbling beneath her like this, there were no clear answers.
“…Why don’t we call it a day?”
She shoved the troublesome medal into her pocket.
“You and I both need to rest a bit longer.”
Petra agreed with that sentiment. Lennart was still pale, and though Ranje acted fine, her face had lost its usual color.
“Right. Let’s focus on the things we can handle first. Like your enrollment situation.”
Ranje muttered with a sullen look.
“The exam… They’re not going to make me take it again, are they? What a pain.”
“Are you still set on enrolling?”
On the way back from the library, Lennart couldn’t shake his troubled expression.
“Why?”
Ranje turned the question back on him.
But this time, Lennart didn’t get swept up in her lighthearted tone.
“Actually, my sister predicted something would happen.”
“You mean Her Highness? Hmm, she did tell me not to take the exam…”
“Even if her reasoning was hard to accept, I think we can safely assume my uncle was behind it.”
“But we don’t have any proof. Besides… that’s all the more reason I have to go to school.”
Ranje spoke with conviction, stopping Lennart in his tracks.
“Some things are just out of our control. Like how my good-for-nothing grandfather is the Count of Swanhild, how the Countess of Simone is my sixth cousin, and how the Marchioness of Morigen—whom I’ve never even met—is my grandmother. And now you’ve stormed out in front of the Emperor…”
Lennart listened calmly. It was a decision he had resolved not to regret.
Ranje grinned before continuing.
“Those things alone can’t stop me. The best path is still forward, and I want to know the truth.”
“The truth?”
“What the academy’s really up to, and what kind of scheme the Emperor is cooking up in that thick skull of his.”
Only by doing that, she thought, could she change her fate. Ranje boldly grabbed Lennart’s hand.
“Aren’t you curious, senpai? I’d be pissed if I went through all this and didn’t even know the reason why.”
Her words were light and flippant, yet they hit home.
Recalling the thoughts he’d had when walking out on Helga, Lennart cast aside all hesitation.
Instead, he gave her a practical warning.
“First, you have to be accepted. There’s no guarantee they’ll let you retake the practical, and even if they do, jumping back into a trap isn’t exactly the wisest move.”
Ranje awkwardly let go of his hand, unable to argue with such valid concerns.
But the exam committee made a decision no one could have predicted.
“Ugh! This is so annoying!”
Ribe shouted, crumpling the letter in her hand. The only reason she hadn’t torn it to shreds was sheer willpower.
A full week had passed since the incident when the letter from the exam board finally arrived—full of utterly absurd content.
—Although an unfortunate accident occurred during the practical exam, the candidates clearly demonstrated their abilities. Therefore, all examinees are hereby accepted, and the written exam is waived.
It seemed they’d spent the entire week stalling, but the envelope even included a certificate of admission.
Of course, no one was happy about it.
Ranje, who simply said “Oh, so no exam then?” and tossed the letter aside, showed the most positive reaction. Heine, wearing a wry half-smile, quietly folded his certificate.
Everyone else, though less explosive than Ribe, trembled with their own irritation and resentment. Even Erna let out a hot breath and straightened her back, trying to calm her anger.
The mood didn’t settle easily as they had all gathered in one room to confirm the notice together.
Looking around, Ranje asked curiously,
“So none of you are going to enroll?”
Still fuming, Ribe turned her head toward Erna.
“Are you sure your brother’s okay? Maybe get a proper checkup from the doctor.”
“What’s wrong with Ranje? He’s just…”
Erna blinked, then added in an awkward tone,
“…just optimistic.”
Ranje might be her overly cheerful little brother, but Ribe wasn’t buying it.
“Well, since you’re so optimistic, maybe you can explain this: normal people don’t want to go anywhere near something shady after going through what we did.”
No one contradicted Ribe.
The time trapped inside the barrier was just a day, but the trauma of nearly being eaten by a monster had left a deep scar.
Their frustration stemmed from the fact that, despite everything, they couldn’t just walk away.
Most of them were either distant relatives sent to uphold their noble house’s honor or adopted commoners. The truly influential examinees had taken the written exam first.
They all wanted to leave immediately, but their contracts with their families made that impossible.
Ranje seemed to catch on to their situation.
“That must be tough.”
“Gee, you think?”
“Well… maybe there’s a way.”
No one in the room—not even Erna—took that seriously.
But Ranje really did find a way.
He suddenly called over Ferra and asked if she could employ those giving up enrollment in Simone.
Even Petra agreed without hesitation.
“We’re not even proper mages…”
Caught off guard by the favorable offer, Ribe blurted out her objection directly to Petra.
“You’ve all had basic training, and you can quickly learn communication magic. Even that alone is a great help to Simone.”
Ribe nodded in a daze. The others wore similar expressions.
Just getting out of the capital already meant escaping great danger, and being under a prince-elector meant that clashes with their families back home would be minimal.
Everyone began thanking Petra, and some even fell to their knees, declaring they wanted to become her vassals on the spot.
Only Heine stood silently by.
Erna, who was nearby, cautiously asked,
“You’ll go to Simone too, right, Heine?”
But unlike his earlier frustration over the admission notice, Heine gave a surprising answer.
“No. The process may have been strange, but I passed, so I plan to enroll.”
“…Why?”
“Because I wanted to study magic. That’s why I applied to the academy in the first place.”
In the Empire, if you wanted to go beyond the basics of magical theory, you had three options: be born into a noble family with inherited spellcraft, join a rare and secretive research group, or enroll in the Mage Officer Academy.
The first was impossible for him. The second held little appeal—especially now, with growing distrust toward the academic society.
That left the academy. Then, now, and still, it was the most reasonable choice.
Even if he followed Petra, the training would soon shift to practical fieldwork, and that wasn’t the kind of learning Heine wanted.
“I might end up in research work down the line.”
“That’s my hope too. But it all depends on what I achieve in the next four years.”
Heine gave a bitter smile. Whether he’d even graduate safely was still a big question.
Then he turned the question around.
“What about you, Miss Erna? Are you planning to enroll?”
“Yes. Because Ranje will.”
Having made up her mind in that brief moment, Erna responded with unwavering determination.
At the end of her gaze, Ranje was grinning cheerfully, his expression unreadable.
When Lennart finally appeared at the doorway after hearing the news late, Ranje’s smile grew even brighter.
Unlike the notice he had tossed at Petra, Ranje carefully pulled out the admission certificate he had kept safe and showed it to Lennart.
Erna couldn’t hear what he said from where she was standing.
