Chapter 70

"Let me show off the gift you gave me to everyone!"

"Huh. You don't need to…"

As a magic major, I don't need it.

But as I said, I brought it for the grand effect.

"That's not it. Look, see those envious looks?"

I held the pink magic wand even higher.

A few girls who recognized the Princess Lala magic wand exclaimed, "Wow."

"Hehe. Kids, I'll see you after class."

"...Okay."

"Yeah, see you later!"

Cheshire and Gem went to their respective class areas, and I headed to where the [Magic Department] sign was posted.

As I approached, a few of the gathered kids started whispering.

"That's the special admission who came the other day. Why is she already here for the practical test?"

"She probably hasn't completed the basic training yet. Did they just let her pass?"

"Ah, that makes sense. But even if Rubenstein is fine, that boy is a commoner."

"So he must be a genius, then."

Though they were whispering quietly, I heard everything.

Suddenly, I became the rich kid who skipped the basic training….

‘Hmm, should I show them my skills?’

I clenched my teeth quietly.

Soon, the researcher in charge of the practical test arrived, and the class began.

Today's practical test was simple.

Lighting a candle.

Twenty plump candles were lined up and prepared.

It would be easy to light them with a match, but it's difficult with magic.

The spell for creating fire, 'Flame.'

The spell for setting a specific location, 'Casting.'

You have to visualize these two spells in your mind and then cast them while manipulating mana.

Lighting all twenty candles at once was, of course, difficult.

"Sophia Turner. Three."

The researcher recorded the children's scores on the chart.

When three candles were lit, the kids burst into exclamations.

It was the highest record.

Sophia Turner, the girl, returned to her seat, looking proud.

"Next…."

The researcher, who had been expressionless while flipping through the chart, suddenly smiled.

"Princess Lillith Rubenstein?"

"Ah, yes."

The other kids looked dissatisfied with the researcher's different attitude.

Whispers of "favoritism" and "no basic training" could be heard.

I ignored those voices, stepped out, and stood in front of the first candle, holding the Princess Lala magic wand.

‘Seems I’m more of a standout than I thought.’

I had an idea for a flashy way to light the candles.

I aimed the magic wand at the first wick and lit it.

Then, I slowly walked to the side.

Whoosh—

The candles lit up one by one, all twenty of them.

"Wow!"

"Wow, s, seriously…!"

"What, what is that?"

Turning around, I saw the kids' eyes widen in amazement.

‘Hehehe.’

I laughed to myself.

"Lillith Rubenstein. Twenty. Truly remarkable, Princess!"

The researcher recorded my score on the chart and praised me.

The murmurs stopped, and the hall fell silent, as if cold water had been poured over it.

Even the kids from the physical training department, who were far away, looked over in surprise.

Then.

Clap, clap, clap—

Heavy applause echoed.

Everyone's heads turned toward the entrance of the hall.

‘What, what are you doing here?’

I rubbed my eyes.

The Emperor.

It was the Emperor.

"Wow! W, we greet the great Primera!"

"We greet Primera!"

The flustered researchers bowed to the Emperor, and the kids bowed their heads.

‘Seriously, the Emperor isn’t a street vendor. Why is he wandering around everywhere? Is he that idle?’

I mocked him in my mind.

Of course, it was just a short warp gate ride from his house to the training facility.

‘He must be here for a performance.’

The Emperor approached me, cutting through the silent air.

How could someone be so transparent?

"Indeed, a Rubenstein. Remarkable, Princess."

"Thank you for the compliment!"

"There's no need to be modest. If you are a great mage, you should be aware of your superiority."

What a load of nonsense. He’s teaching me such good things.

"Come here."

The Emperor, with a gentle smile, picked me up again.

He then asked the researcher, who was bowing.

"How is the Princess's learning speed?"

"Exceptional. She completed the basic training in one day and immediately started theoretical education. She achieved the top score in today's practical test."

"Remarkable."

The Emperor stroked my head.

Though he seemed infinitely kind, I could read the despicable desire in his eyes.

"At this rate, she can receive her rank by the end of next month."

"Definitely possible."

The Emperor clearly wanted me to quickly receive the ability badge and graduate.

That way, he could perfectly brand me as a conscript and control my father.

‘No, sorry, but it won’t go as you plan.’

I was eagerly waiting for the day I would receive the badge.

I wanted to see the Emperor's face twist in shock at my unexpected rank.

"However, this doesn't suit you."

The Emperor frowned at my magic wand.

Then, he suddenly grabbed my hand holding the wand.

At that moment,

Crack—

The fake gems on the wand began to twist and change.

The cheap gem models instantly became beautifully polished and sparkled.

"Wow."

"So, so beautiful…."

It wasn't just the appearance that changed.

The red models turned into real rubies, and the transparent models into real diamonds.

A transmutation ability, no different from alchemy.

Not possible with simple magic, only the Emperor, Primera, could do it.

"Now it suits you."

The Emperor smiled.

Everyone watched me, held in the Emperor's arms, with envious faces.

‘I really want to punch him.’

I carefully answered, making sure my inner thoughts didn't show.

"Thank you!"

‘Why did you upgrade Cheshire’s gift without asking, you XXX! XXXX!’

* * *

"Look, see this magic formula? It's a square, right? But one side is 3. So, what's the area of the entire magic formula?"

"3 times 3, right? So, 9."

"Ding dong! Very good. So, can you use this square magic formula from here to here, with an area of 9?"

"Wow, I get it!"

The one-on-one math tutoring started that evening.

Gem and I lay side by side on the bed, studying multiplication for a while.

"Why are you doing so much for her?"

Alicia, who had been watching, puffed out her cheeks.

"Mind your own business?"

Gem shot back.

"You, you!"

"Don't fight, don't fight."

I handed the multiplication table I had written to Gem and stood up.

"The teachers don't teach Gem. I'm trying to help."

"Pfff. You're too kind, Lillith."

"Hehe. Me? I don't know."

Innocent Alicia. She didn't know about my sinister plan to pick out talented people for the bus….

I shrugged and started packing my bag on the bed.

I need to prepare for tomorrow's class.

‘Oh, right! The bracelet Oscar gave me.’

While packing, I found the gift from Oscar that I had forgotten.

The pearl chain with a red heart-shaped crystal looked childish even on a second look….

‘Hmm, but it's a gift, so should I wear it?’

I chuckled and put the bracelet on my right wrist.

"But Lillith! You were amazing in today's practical test, right? The rumor is everywhere."

"Ah, right! We didn't see it because we didn't have class today."

Alicia and Diane, who were on the second floor across from my bed, started making a fuss.

"Ahem. It was just that, you know."

"Hmm, I wish I could have seen it. We're all in the healing department, so we don't share any classes with you, Lillith."

Michelle grumbled from the first floor.

"Hehe. Want to see a little?"

"Wow, now?"

"Yeah, show us! I want to see!"

Seeing the kids' sparkling eyes, the attention-seeking DNA in me reared its head again.

"Hmm, what should I show you?"

Thinking for a moment,

Whoosh—

I drew a heart-shaped flame in the air.

"Wow!"

"R, remarkable! Completely!"

"Awesome!"

I wiped my nose.

Then, suddenly,

‘Huh. What’s this?’

Oscar's bracelet.

On the red heart-shaped crystal, there was a new inscription.

3sec

It disappeared immediately.

‘3 seconds? What is this? No, but is this an electronic bracelet?’

I had never heard of such advanced science.

I turned the bracelet around.

It didn't look like a machine at all.

There was no battery slot.

‘What is this? Wait, what did I just do to make the number appear? Ah!’

I realized and tried to create a small flame on my fingertip.

1sec

This time, '1 second' appeared inside the heart and then disappeared.

"…Ah."

My goodness.

The 'time' that appeared when I used magic.

I opened my mouth in amazement.

"This is a magical tool."

"Really? What kind of magical tool?"

"You'll find out when you get to the training facility. Take good care of it."

I swallowed and stared at the bracelet.

‘Could this be…’

When I use magic, I consume life force.

If my guess is correct, this shows the

‘lifespan’ I use when I cast magic.

Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump.

My heart was beating so fast I had to grab my chest.

‘N, no way.’

A gift that only someone who knows my true identity could give.

The head of the Magic Tower, Oscar Manuelle.

He.

‘Knew everything…?’