“What?”
“Seven? Up to seventh in Team 1?”
“Third-years had six per team. Is this allowed?”
The auditorium erupted in uncontrollable murmurs. Questions burst forth.
Heike stood frozen, eyes wide.
[Heike Ainsidel, are you not present?]
“…….”
[Heike Ainsidel…]
“I’m here.”
Heike rose from the darkness, facing the professor.
Clearing her throat, she said calmly,
“Professor, you just called seventh place. You announced second team starts from seventh—could you confirm if there’s a mistake?”
[Second-year Team 1 consists of first through seventh, a total of seven mbers.]
“What?”
The brazen rule-breaking silenced the auditorium.
All eyes were on Heike and the professor.
Even from afar, Heike’s face visibly paled.
Despite making the coveted Team 1, she looked anything but pleased.
“…….”
[Ainsidel, co up.]
“Professor, I’m content with Team 2. I don’t understand why seventh place should be in Team 1.”
[This was decided through discussions by the Imperial Second Academy and First Academy magic departnt faculty. If you cannot accept it, we must exclude you from this selection exam.]
‘Hah.’
Exclude? Not a joke—after three rounds, who’d accept that?
Heike, gaping at the professor, walked forward as if possessed.
Glancing aside, my teammates were all steeped in shock.
“…Seven all of a sudden?”
“Another teammate?”
I couldn’t help but be stunned too.
I stared between the professor and Heike Ainsidel.
A rule set a month ago, shattered with a single word.
The school’s whim was excessive. With 1,500 students and Imperial News reporters here, proceeding like this would erode trust in the ranks given and all future decisions.
It wouldn’t cause total distrust, but…
One thing nagged.
‘Why Heike Ainsidel, of all people?’
Why did the school, despite the risk, force Heike into Team 1?
Her ability to read objects’ mories and histories is impressive.
But she wasn’t trained to specialize in it like Auguste, nor does she have Ulrike’s exceptional combat skills to be deed essential.
If they had to pick from the remaining 18 students, Auguste would’ve been a better fit.
Similar sentints echoed from the audience.
“…She’s Team 1 material? Why go this far?”
“Who’s she? Don’t know her.”
“Heard she was tenth last exam.”
“If they’re forcing soone, Hildegard or Auguste make more sense…”
Countless whispers, loud enough to catch, pierced my ears.
Heike climbed onstage, face rigid.
We were just as bewildered, and with the audience’s hostility, the mood wasn’t right for chatter, leaving only silence.
The announcer, confirming Heike stood by Ulrike, casually drew his wand and waved it. Golden magic ford words in the air.
[Second-year 1-3 / Third-year 2-4 / Third-year 1-3 / First-year 1-3 / First-year 2-4 / Second-year 2-4]
Our exam was listed first.
[This militia final selection exam was identical for first- to third-years. The list shown aggregates scores for final rankings. Second-year Teams 1-3 demonstrated the highest ability across the Imperial Second Academy, with outstanding individual mbers. Thus, the school judged that limiting Team 1 to the standard roster would compromise its potential due to safety concerns. Exceptionally, we expanded second-year passers from 18 to 19, selecting 19 total passers across all years, with Team 2 maintaining six mbers without vacancies.]
Heike’s inclusion gave one more student a chance. This softened the second-year participants’ expressions.
Fine, I get that the bonus-point team beca Team 1.
But why? The question lingered.
“…….”
I scanned the auditorium’s encircling seats.
The other 1,500 students, minus exam participants, still looked unconvinced.
Soone raised a hand, speaking loudly.
“Professor! The militia selection roster was announced a month ago. You cited safety, but Team 1’s skilled enough to handle Grade 4 berserkers with six. Third-year Team 1 had six, didn’t it?”
The professor was unfazed by the near-aggressive crowd.
[The school determined Heike Ainsidel’s unique ability would be highly effective in the field, and her exceptional judgnt and combat skills warranted Team 1 placent.]
Behind us, exam footage prepared by the school played.
Heike, casting a silencing spell, spoke to Leo.
When I was pinned by Leo’s vines, Heike gave half-right, half-wrong advice.
Even if half-wrong, following it would’ve benefited Team 1.
‘That’s what caught their eye? No… others could deduce that too.’
Not it.
There’s another reason.
Without further explanation, the school ended the announcent post-footage.
[Objections are handled by the First Academy Militia Administration. We comnd Lucas Askanian through Heike Ainsidel, the seven top perforrs. As the face of the Imperial Second Academy, strive for citizens’ safety. That concludes second-year Team 1.]
“Huh, no way…”
Amid ear-splitting applause, bewildered murmurs slipped through.
The professor began calling Team 2.
[Now, second-year Team 2, eighth place: Auguste Rosenheim.]
Familiar nas followed.
lvin Klockner, Hildegard Blomberg, Philip Göring, Oswald Schmidt, Günter Bock.
lvin looked near death when Philip’s na was called for the sa team. I ignored lvin’s ominous vibe from behind, waiting for the announcent to end.
Team 3 included Florian.
After second-years, first-year Teams 1-3 were announced.
Adelbert’s final rank was second.
Back in the seats, I clapped for my cousin instead of Elias, who stared at him impassively.
Adelbert, tense, smiled and flicked his fingers slightly.
“Adelbert’s waving at you, Luca~”
“Saw it.”
“Getting too chummy?”
“Maybe. Good to be close.”
“No way. You can’t get close with that guy. Only hang with among Hohenzollerns~”
Elias slung an arm around my shoulder, swaying side to side.
That guy? Watch the eldest more. Though she’s trying to get close.
Brushing it off with a laugh, Elias grinned, changing topics.
“Know we’re getting new dorms? No uniforms either—custom outfits.”
“Wow, where’d you hear~?”
Narce, beside us, lit up.
“First Academy Militia Administration. They’ve had a militia.”
“Hm… Big resource waste. All teams?”
“Hahaha! Dunno, but resource waste’s for sure. Mimicking imperial mages. It’s just school.”
True.
My brother’s mage group was imperial too.
Top mages operate under the Emperor’s na.
Joining the imperial ranks is a mage’s peak honor and success. Not for , but generally seen that way. It’s why people go to university.
Obviously, the Imperial Second Academy Militia is school-affiliated, not imperial.
Even the First Academy isn’t imperial.
“So… what about Heike?”
Elias cast a silencing spell around Narce and , speaking.
A topic we’d mulled since the school brushed off protests.
“Feels off. You too, right, Luca?”
“…….”
I nodded.
The school’s excuse didn’t land.
Heike’s ability is field-useful?
So is Auguste’s. What about Philip or Oswald?
Why force Heike into Team 1 with flimsy excuses? Why Team 1, not 2? Why, coincidentally, Heike *Ainsidel*?
Narce, beside , said softly,
“Doesn’t feel natural to either.”
“…….”
“But… stay cautious without showing it. Heike’s clueless and rattled.”
Yeah. Heike, hit with rare open criticism, looked glum, now slouched far back in the rear seats.
Facing 1,500 people’s jeers—or what felt like it—no one stays sane.
‘If Narce says so… Pressing Heike won’t yield answers, so we’ll need to soothe her.’
[…That concludes the Imperial Second Academy Militia’s first cohort announcent.]
“Whoa, done?!”
Elias, antsy, prepped to bolt.
Even done, leaving ant endless steps.
In this tense announcent hall, maybe because we were shoo-ins for Team 1, Elias didn’t seem nervous. Sa for and the others.
‘Everyone looks like they finished a chore.’
Team 2 and 3 students looked like they barely survived.
[Lastly, we announce the Imperial Second Academy Militia’s first cohort representative mage team.]
“Huh?”
“…Hm?”
Elias, gripping the armrests to leap, sank back.
[Today, nine mage teams were born. Our faculty, synthesizing first- to third-round results, selected the team with the qualities and capabilities to represent the Imperial Second Academy and our foundation.]
“Why do that?”
Elias muttered, eyes fixed seriously on the announcer.
Yulia and Leo, slightly startled, were the sa.
Far off, third-year passers’ eyes t ours. Richthofen glanced impassively, then turned away.
The announcer, center stage, checked a note and faced the audience.
[Second-year Team 1, Imperial Second Academy representative team.]
“…….”
A staffer in the aisle gestured for us to co up.
Surprisingly, Elias, who’d seed ready to flee, rose first, heading onstage.
As Leo led our newly ford team up, I grabbed Heike, half-dead in the back, and brought her onstage.
Confirming we were all there, the professor addressed us.
[All years took the sa exam, but no team achieved top results in such a short ti. Your ticulous strategies and actions during the exam wouldn’t have been possible without relentless effort, perseverance, and dedication. With your exceptional knowledge and capabilities, you’ll wisely overco any challenge.]
Where do they get such sleep-inducing platitudes?
Thinking that, the professor looked at .
[Lucas Askanian.]
“Yes.”
[Despite the shortest magic training, we honor your ability to lead your team to victory and end the exam fastest across all years. The Imperial Second Academy firmly believes you’ll beco a mage shining beyond our institution, for the Empire and the imperial family.]
“…Thank you, Professor.”
Shine for the imperial family too?
I smiled, thinking that.
[Thus, our foundation wishes to appoint Askanian as the representative team’s leader.]
“…….”
Hm?
Teammates’ eyes snapped to .
Not just them. Speechless briefly, I sensed 1,500 gazes and Imperial News cara shutters, speaking slowly.
“I’m deeply grateful for this honorable offer.”
eting the professor’s eyes, I continued.
“But I’d like to pass this opportunity to another. Leonard, who’s led friends longer, would guide our second-year Team 1 more splendidly.”
“…….”
[Leonard, your thoughts?]
Leo glanced at , nodding.
“I’ll follow the team’s opinion.”
“Agreed.”
Elias jumped in fast.
His tone suggested dodging a tricky burden.
“The others feel the sa, right?”
“Yes.”
“Absolutely.”
Ulrike and Tsheringen nodded. Others, assuming Leo’s lead, gave the professor a ‘why ask?’ look.
Leo wore an ambiguous smile but, used to this, showed no aversion.
I watched, satisfied, and looked at the professor.
‘Good.’
Leader? That hassle’s for soone else.
[Very well. From now, Leonard Wittelsbach represents second-year Team 1. Serve your team well.]
“Yes, I will.”
[Next…]
Not done yet.
I blanked my mind, staring into space.
Then, the professor said sothing outlandish.
[After this long exam, you can now greatly contribute to your future and the Empire. We announce the na of the representative team safeguarding the Empire’s safety.]
“…?”
I exchanged glances with teammates.
Picking a representative team was surprising but fine, but naming it? Sure, teams need nas, but so rushed?
‘…Sothing they didn’t tell us?’
They wouldn’t waste effort like this.
As suspicion crept in, the professor swapped his wand for a staff, tapping the floor lightly.
As with prior announcents, golden cursive words appeared in the air.
[Eszett]
“…?!”
“Wha?”
My friends’ faces were a sight. Probably everyone in the seats too.
I barely held back a laugh.
Eszett, ß.
A letter unique to the German alphabet.
‘What’s with this naming sense?’
It’s like saying, ‘Your team’s na is now Hieut.’
The sound’s fine to us, but the initial shock was unavoidable.
[This letter is unique to our language. We nad second-year Team 1, representing our school, with the hope it becos a singular global presence.]
“Anyone wanna ask why they picked that?”
Elias cast a silencing spell, using ventriloquism.
I ignored his nonsense, staring blankly at the letters.
‘Why even need a team na…’
As I thought earlier, we can’t keep calling them second-year Team 1, Team 2 forever.
Imperial and Bavarian special mage teams have nas alongside numbers. My brother’s team has one too.
‘Guess the school’s treating us seriously.’
Nineteen out of 100. Seven of those.
We earned it through a grueling exam.
Just then, I heard sothing unbelievable.
[As of February 10, Eszett will transition from Imperial Second Academy to imperial affiliation.]
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