Chapter 8. Dekan’s Leisurely Day

On the day of the entrance exam results announcement, I didn’t rush to have breakfast the moment I woke up.

After washing up, I pulled open the curtains and bathed in the first ray of morning sunlight.

I stretched out both hands in front of me, keeping my wrists at a perfect ninety-degree angle.

Palms forward, elbows level. Then, starting from my pinky, I curled each finger down one by one.

One, two, three, four, five.

Good.

Then I stretched them out again one by one.

As a magic card maker, drawing card faces was one of the basic skills.

Keeping my fingers nimble was important.

All for the sake of drawing prettier waifus in the future.

Ah, no—higher-level card illustrations.

......

Throwing on my coat, I picked up a thick book from the table and walked out of the room.

Ever since coming to the capital, I’d been living in this inn not far from the academy. But tomorrow, I could finally move into the school dormitory.

Once the results were posted, qualified students were allowed to check in.

I didn’t even need to look; I knew I was definitely first. After all, I had scored SSS.

I couldn’t be bothered to wander around the academy.

From tomorrow, I’d be saving 200 coins a day on lodging! The thought alone made me grin again.

Going downstairs, I strolled along the streets. Over the past few days, I’d become somewhat familiar with the capital’s surroundings.

Every building was majestic. Inns, shops, residences—it didn’t matter.

For a boy from a small town like me, the capital had been quite a mental shock when I first arrived.

What a handsome city. But damn, the prices were really high.

Maybe people who’d always lived here would feel differently.

That’s what I thought.

I went to a bakery Teresia had recommended, bought breakfast for the day, then carried the paper bag and continued strolling along the capital’s main street.

My destination was the Royal Library.

The library wasn’t too far from the inn.

Even on foot, I could reach it in about forty minutes.

Eating a cheese-filled bread roll and breathing in the fresh morning air, I reached the library before I even realized it.

The square building before me covered tens of thousands of square meters, its entire design in classical style.

Stepping inside, I saw the counter and the massive reading hall right behind it. The first floor alone was dozens of meters tall.

These past few days, thirsty for knowledge, I’d already become a regular here.

I was very satisfied with this place.

No wonder it was the kingdom’s largest library. The books inside far surpassed anything I could find in the border town’s little library. If possible, I really wanted to live here.

I went straight to the counter, returned the book I’d borrowed yesterday, and stepped into the reading hall.

Familiar with the place, I went over to the section on magical theory, crouched down, and searched the shelves.

My teacher had said my equipment cards and summoning cards were passable, but my spell cards were still pathetic.

So I've been pouring my efforts into studying spell card creation.

After searching around a bit, I found three books. Carrying them over, I sat at a desk, satisfied, and began reading.

“Principles of Detoxification”

“Counter-Strategies for Mental Interference Magic”

“Defensive Measures Against Curse-Type Magic”

As they say, know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.

Sunlight streamed through the windows, landing on my face as I studied seriously at the desk.

“Look, isn’t that boy ridiculously handsome?”

“He’s been sitting there reading every day lately.”

“He must be a top student who just took the Hevenlit Academy exam!”

“I just peeked at the books on his desk—they’re all about detoxification and curses. He must be a pure-hearted and righteous boy!”

The girls behind the counter whispered among themselves, occasionally sneaking glances my way.

......

Hevenlit Academy, Knight Faculty.

Professor Anno sat in his office staring at the rankings, his expression complicated.

He pinched the bridge of his nose.

The moment he saw the name “Dekan,” some nerve in his brain twinged in pain.

His mind shivered.

It was only after watching the replay recorded by the Alchemy Faculty that he finally understood this brat’s trick— And why he had suddenly been knocked out cold by pain that felt like it reached his soul!

No matter what, Dekan had passed the exam with an overwhelming first place.

But Dekan didn’t look anything like a warrior.

Even compared to other unorthodox fighters, he was abnormal.

The guy was completely like some cult priest.

“Where did it all go wrong?”

He couldn’t help but wonder—was his understanding of warriors flawed? Or was this student just too heretical? Or was the world itself too insane…

......

At the exam results board.

“Are we sure the artificial shadow world didn’t malfunction?”

“No malfunction. I suggest you watch the replay of the fifth round of the Knight Faculty exam—it’s absolutely amazing.”

“He’s the one they called the ‘cult priest’ who knocked out a professor, right?”

Many students gathered around the results board, chattering noisily.

Even upperclassmen came to watch the spectacle.

The Knight Faculty section, in particular, drew the biggest crowd.

All because the first-place score was just too bizarre.

The rankings were posted clearly on the board.

[1st Place: Dekan – Score 1.557×10^13 – Rating SSS]

[2nd Place: Cornelia – Score 199,563 – Rating SSS]

[3rd Place: Gavin Brist – Score 22,367 – Rating S]

[...]

Not far away, a red-haired girl lifted her head to look at the results. Her face was expressionless, but her fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

The people around her instinctively backed away, staring at her fists with unease. Though she was small and delicate, she radiated the terrifying aura of a wild beast. If anyone got hit by that fist, they’d probably die!

“De…kan…”

Her clear, bright pupils trembled slightly beneath her long lashes. Her lips, thin like rose petals, moved with difficulty as she pronounced the name.

Many nearby recognized her. She was another infamous candidate from the Knight Faculty exam—the “Valkyrie” who had chased down an examiner.

From her expression, was she… displeased?

Because Dekan had snatched her first place?

The students around were curious, but none dared ask her.

She stared at the very top of the rankings for a long time, her frown deepening. Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands…She muttered in her head.

Finally, she couldn’t help but lower her head and start counting with her fingers.

1.557 times 10 to the 13th power…Just how many digits was that??

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