The Genius Magician Hides His Swordsmanship - Chapter 6

Chapter 6. Entrance exam.

‘Entrance exam?’

There was no such process in the entrance ceremony that was described by Titania in advance.

‘She said we could just go in.’
[Well, I guess she didn’t say it because the matter is so trivial.]
‘Is that so?’

He nodded. It’s not a big deal, it’s just an entrance exam. Maybe they’re just counting how many students are here.

“Now, now! Parents, please step back for a moment.”

The instructor, who introduced himself as Aloy, raised his voice again.

“Ah! Red haired mother there, don’t go home already!”
“Yes?”
“If they don’t pass the test, their admission will be canceled, and you’ll have to take them back!”

He said with a wicked grin.

‘What, there’s a failing grade?’

Gasps escaped from the parents in the back.

“They’re canceling the admission?”
“There was no entrance test originally!”
“Yeah, we’ve already come all this way and you expect the kids to go home without getting in?”

While the parents complained, Aloy had no choice but to open his mouth again.

“Everybody calm down! Don’t ask me why. It’s what the patriarch asked me to do. I’m just an instructor here.”

For a moment, the noisy auditorium was enveloped in silence. No one spoke at the mention of the patriarch’s command.

‘You’re right, Delemar’s patriarch’s power must be incredible.’
[I told you, he’s been on a roll lately.]

The latest news from Oberon was quite different from what I remembered.
Brassel, an empire that existed 1,000 years ago.
It was at the peak of power in my memory, but it fell after my death. Its glittering prosperity had vanished quickly and mysteriously.
A new empire has since emerged, Kargas. It is said to have been founded by a group of magical families, led by the Delemar’s.

‘The Delemar’s presence is bound to be strong.’

It was originally a powerful family, but it had a power close to its founding contribution.

[The kingdom can’t even give out business cards now.]

The people gathered here must be people who are all taking a seat somewhere. However, under the name of Delemar, everyone was equal.

“Okay, then we’ll proceed with the test assuming that everyone understands.”

Aloy, smiled contemptuously.
The sinister smile cast a shadow on the faces of parents and children.

“Oh, by the way! There’s good news as well! We will give a prize to the student who shows the best performance in the entrance exam!”

Aloy, who was searching his arms, held something in his hand.

“It’s a white jade apple! It grows occasionally, deep in the Xylo Mountains.”

The white jade apple was enough to startle the adults in the back.

‘Crazy…’
[Is that real?]

Naturally, both our jaws dropped, as did those of the children around us who were completely unaware of its value.

‘No matter how powerful Delemar is, don’t they think it’s a bit too much to give that out here?’
[I mean, even after a thousand years, it’s still a precious thing.]

White jade apples.
An elixir that increases mana and aura sensitivity when consumed in childhood. It is one of the best elixirs for mages and swordsmen alike.
The only problem is that it’s not easy to find because of the monsters that guard the Xylo Mountains.
Oberon and I locked eyes at the same time.

‘I’m going to have to work hard at this, won’t I?’
[That’s the spirit.]

I’ve been trying to build up my aura since I was a baby.
However, building aura into muscles without interruption was no easy task, and despite my enlightenment, this Delemar body was not gifted with the ability to feel aura.

‘That apple would be a great help to me.’

Our eyes lit up at the sight of the white jade apple.

The test method was nothing fancy.

“I will channel mana into your bodies. Do whatever you want with it. Try to resist it, or use my mana to create magic if you can.”

Most of the children here either have no mana or are only 1 star level. It was a way to supply mana on behalf of those children and ask them to do something with it.
Although, it was easier said than done.

‘How hard is it to control someone else’s energy?’

They were kids who had just turned 10 to 11.

‘Moreover, using it to implement magic? What nonsense.’
[It must be because they are still children and have very little mana. Anyway, let’s watch.]

The test was conducted sequentially, starting with the children standing at the front. While I waited for my turn slowly.

“Ah, excuse me…”

Someone tapped me on the arm.

“As expected! Red eyes! You must be a Delemar!”

I turned my head and saw a chubby cheeked boy grinning at me.

“…Who are you?”
“Oh, I’m Drew Gibson!”

He said, and my eyebrows rose at his confident response.

‘Gibson? The same Gibson I know?’
[I think so, it’s not exactly a common surname.]
‘But why a magic academy?’

The Gibson family. A name I can never forget. A thousand years ago, they were one of the strongest families for swordsmen.

[Many families have been forced to change their identities since the Pentagram suppressed the swordsmen. The Gibsons were not the only ones.]

It would be more disgraceful for a sword wielding family to forsake their sword than to give up their life.

‘There must have really been some unavoidable circumstances…’

Drew, unaware of our conversation, shook his head.

“Um, are you uncomfortable talking to me?”
“Not at all.”

It was nice to see him. When I was a swordsman, I had a colleague from the Gibson family.

“Let’s talk to each other more comfortably.”
“Really? That’s great!”

Drew said brightly.

[Dude, aren’t you sounding a little too much like an old man?]
‘I know, I’m going to have to start using a more childlike tone in the future.’

Drew didn’t seem to mind.
The row went by swiftly.

“Come! Come! You’re next.”

Most of the kids couldn’t control the mana being forced into their bodies, and each one lasted no more than ten seconds.

“Ugh…! Ugh!”

Even now, the kid doing the test was sweating profusely. That was about as good as it got. Most of them fell down with bubbles while trying to do something.

‘It’s only natural if they didn’t learn how.’

There’s a world of difference between just feeling mana and manipulating it.

“Woah!”
“What?”

The exclamations that began to flow at that moment. There was no distinguishing between the parents and children. All eyes were on the girl doing the test, right in front of Mr. Aloy.

‘Wow, she’s talented.’

The girl’s palm was dripping with water.
Pow-
It was a basic form of magic, but she was definitely producing water.

“Wow, do you see her?”

Aloy’s eyes widened as well. He’d said it himself, but he didn’t think any kid could pull this off.

[What kind of child is she?]

Without some form of early education, it’s not easy to awaken such a sense at such a young age. It’s not even her own mana!
Huff- Huff-
The girl was exhaling harshly, and Aloy’s lips curled into a smile.

“Okay! Did everyone see this? You can do it, too!”

Naturally, no more children could perform such tricks. Dozens of others took their turn, and it was a while before Aloy’s bored eyes lit up again.

“Oh! It’s the Delemar’s this time.”

It was McDuff’s turn.

“This is the academy, so I’ll skip the honorifics.”

Aloy is also a member of the Delemar family.

However, since this was an academy, there was no need to use honorifics. There was no higher authority in this space than the instructor.
A blue stream of mana stretched out from Aloy’s hand. McDuff curiously reached out and grabbed it.

“Ah!”

Only to be met with a loud scream.

‘Tut, tut.’

Manipulating your opponent’s mana was no laughing matter, but you had to give him credit for persistence.

“Ugh! Ahh…!”

He must have felt his organs twisting, but he didn’t give up. It was more like venom than willpower. Aloy raised an eyebrow in interest.
After about 30 seconds, McDuff’s entire body was covered in sweat.
Flick!
A small spark flickered across his palm.

‘Oh?’

It was such a short moment that most people couldn’t even see it, but there was definitely a spark.

‘This must be the Delemar’s bloodline.’

However, it ended there. Right after the spark showed, he lost consciousness.

“Wow, that was great.”

Drew, who had been watching the scene together with me, was clapping his hands.

“Did you see it too?”
“Yeah, wasn’t it a small fire?”

It was a fleeting moment, but he didn’t miss it either. He’s a pretty smart guy.

“Next! The chubby kid!”

Soon it was Drew’s turn. In other words, it was my turn after him.

‘Wow, this is making me nervous.’

It was only natural because I had never dealt with someone else’s mana.
[It won’t be much different from the mana in your body. The key is how well you understand the flow of mana. You’ll do well, you already collected mana up to 3 stars, and was a swordsman who had risen to 9 stars in the past.]

Well, I was more confident than anyone else in controlling my energy.

‘Let’s try this.’

Luckily, Drew didn’t faint. “Ugh!” He said while stumbling backwards.

“Chomp! He could have done better! Next up… Oh, it’s another Delemar!”

Aloy’s eyes lit up again. When I reached the front, he slammed his hand down on his hip.

“Let’s see.”

Wow.
A stream of mana slowly shot out like a gentle breeze. When it first touched my hand.

‘…Kugh!’

A sound almost escaped my lips. Mana refined by others was unfamiliar to me.

[Oh, how is it?]
‘…I think it’s okay.’

But that was only for a moment.

‘No, it feels good?’
[Huh? It feels good?]
‘Yeah, it’s a different kind of energy than mine, but I don’t think it’s bad.’
[Huh, that makes sense. It’s not that easy to pick up other people’s energy.]
‘Nah, it’s not him, it’s Delemar’s blood.’

Once I adjusted to instructor Aloy’s mana, the rest was easy.
It was a lot of mana, but I used to breathe in 9 star level aura. It was nothing in the end. Mana and auras were all part of the energy that flowed through my body.
A vast flow of energy that I hadn’t utilized in a long time. It couldn’t be more refreshing.

‘You’re killing me.’

I had collected enough mana for 3 stars, but it didn’t feel enough for me. In my previous life, I was able to control the energy of a 9 star swordsman.
But now, my instructor is injecting mana directly into me!

[I can see him smiling. Wow, I’m getting goosebumps.]

He’s moving the mana, sending it deep into my body. It’s traveling through my muscles, to my limbs. He sent it around like an aura.

[Ugh, I guess that’s why they hire experienced recruits.]

Regardless of what Oberon said, I gradually slipped into a trance. I closed my eyes and focused on the here and now.
I need more! I can’t possibly have this much mana! I haven’t felt this in a while, and I can’t let it end.
Woosh!
I pulled the mana in harder and harder. As if it had been mine all along. As if I had been dealing with mana all along. I craved it harder.

‘Yes! This is it!’

The mana coming through Aloy’s body intensified. Like a stream of water, mana naturally seeked out every inch of my body.

‘Oh, it’s this feeling again.’

The flow of mana, which had been digging through his body, accelerated in a particular place. It was the heart.

‘No way…’

The thrill arose.

‘Is it the card that I chose at the judgment ceremony?’

The energy around my heart was pulling in mana. The energy wriggled as if curious about Aloy’s mana. I tried to send more mana to that area…

[Hey.]

At this important moment, he spoke again.

[Oi!]

Stop interrupting me.

[Dude, stop!]

I finally opened my eyes to the urgent voice.

‘Huh!’

Aloy gritted his teeth and was breaking out in a cold sweat. Mana was constantly leaking out of his body and his eyes were half turned upside down.
The mana flow, which was only the size of a fist at first, had swelled to the size of his upper body.

‘Oh my!’

I hastily controlled the mana, releasing all of it from my body.

[Come on, do something about this. Are you trying to eat his mana for breakfast?]
‘…’

There was nothing to say. If Oberon had made me come back to my senses even a minute later, the instructor would have been gone. It was a sign of the reverse flow of mana that had welcomed so many mages to their deaths.

“Heh…Heh…”

The instructor said, luckily, that didn’t happen. Aloy wiped the sweat from his brow, breathing heavily.

[Why didn’t he control his mana? He could have just stopped pumping it in.]
‘Well…’

If you’re looking for a guess.

‘Is it because of the energy from the card?’

Because the energy that settled in my heart was generating a tremendous attraction.

* * * 

Mcduff yelled at Aloy. ‘That bastard didn’t do anything, why is he in 1st place!’ He scolded him.
Aloy announced me in first place.

‘No wonder.’

I controlled mana so well that I even pushed him to the edge. Aloy witnessed it firsthand, so he had no choice but to pick me. But those who watched from afar would never know the details.
No wonder McDuff was running wild. I perfectly understood why he was going wild.

‘But this win is mine.’

The corners of my mouth rose on the white jade apple already in my hand.

“Hey!”

Said McDuff, glaring. I stuck out my tongue to him.

“Wahhhh!”

He cried.
The criteria for passing the test were simple.

“Those who have made something out of mana, or who have not fainted, pass! It’s already late at night, so if you passed, go to the dormitory and rest well! If you failed, go home with your parents!”

Said Aloy, who looked quite tired. His previous playful voice had disappeared.

[He’s a funny guy, he almost fainted.]
‘Maybe I went too far.’

It’s already happened, what could I do? I just hoped he wouldn’t hold grudges over this.

‘Then let’s go to the dormitory and eat this.’

I held up the white jade apple in my hand.