Chapter 15

Louisa entered the kingdom, and what caught her eye was an endless sea of people, people, people.

There were so many people living there that they couldn't be counted.

She had heard about it, but it was beyond her imagination. Just looking at it made her feel dizzy.

Louisa had just passed through the large gate and was now in a square, from which three roads extended in different directions.

There was a sign nearby, and upon checking it, she found that the roads led to the commercial district, the residential district, and the school district.

This "school district" must be the "Magic Academy" the gatekeeper mentioned. According to the gatekeeper, the school's entrance exams were currently being held.

"School, huh? I envy it, but it's not for me."

Making friends, playing, studying, and learning various things—how fun it must be.

But I have something more important to do. I have to endure.

"To do that, I need to gather information first. Hmm, where can I get information... maybe a tavern?"

However, as a child, Louisa would stand out if she entered a tavern.

Then, Louisa thought, the Adventurer's Guild might be a good option. Since children can become adventurers, she wouldn't stand out as much as in a tavern.

Becoming an adventurer would also make it easier to get permission to enter other countries and earn money. It's a win-win situation.

"Alright!"

Louisa decided to head to the Adventurer's Guild as her next destination, but the moment she took her eyes off the sign, she was approached by a stranger.

"Hey, little boy! Are you lost? The Magic Academy is that way! You can still make it if you hurry!"

"Huh? Huh?"

The person who called out was a plump auntie.

It seemed she, like the gatekeeper, mistook Louisa for an examinee.

"N-no, I'm not—"

"I understand that you're scared of failing, but you can't run away! Come on, I'll go with you!"

"Hey! Auntie, let go... so strong!?"

And thus, Louisa was dragged by the suddenly appearing auntie to the Magic Academy's examination site.

◇

The Royal Floi Grand Magic Academy.

That is the official name of the Magic Academy.

Built on an area that makes up about 20% of the vast kingdom, the academy is almost a small "country" in itself, with thousands of students enrolled.

The kingdom invests so much in this academy because it is wary of a war with the "Empire," with which it has poor relations. The academy is also a place to discover, train, and recruit powerful warriors for the country.

Therefore, outstanding graduates receive significant support from the kingdom. This is why applicants from all over flood in, and the exams are held to screen them.

This is the information Louisa heard from the auntie while being dragged along.

"Here we are! This is the examination site!"

She was brought to a square filled with people.

There, many prospective students were taking various exams.

"Go on, hurry up and complete the registration!"

"Ah!"

Bang! The auntie patted Louisa's back, and she was forced to go to the registration desk.

"Well, now that I'm here, I might as well give it a try. I was able to enter the kingdom thanks to the Magic Academy, so maybe it's fate."

With that thought, Louisa registered her name at the desk.

To allow many people to take the exam, the registration process was made easy. Anyone between the ages of ten and sixteen could take the exam regardless of nationality, and there was no registration fee. She was also relieved that her entry permit was not checked.

"Once you complete the registration, you will take the magic aptitude test. Go to that venue over there."

The receptionist said this, and Louisa headed to the magic aptitude test venue next to the registration desk.

There, wooden targets were floating at a distance, and the examinees were using magic to hit them.

As Louisa approached the venue, an examiner who seemed to be in charge of the test spoke to her.

"Ah, you're the next examinee. As you can see, you need to attack those targets with magic to show how well you can use it. You can use any magic you like. Try to destroy as many targets as possible in a short time."

There were ten targets about thirty meters away.

The children were desperately trying to hit the targets with fireballs and wind blades, but most of them were so weak that they didn't even hit the targets.

Louisa felt that their magic creation was too sloppy. Compared to Testarossa's, the magic was much cleaner and stronger. She thought they must not have had good teachers.

"Next! Louisa Bardy!"

Her name was called, and Louisa took her position.

The examiner confirmed her position and used magic to make the distant targets float and move irregularly.

Honestly, Louisa had intended to take this test lightly, but she changed her mind.

Because even if she tried, using such sloppy magic would dishonor Testarossa, who taught her magic.

So... she decided to give it her all.

"Super Flame!"

Huge flames shot from Louisa's hands, digging into the ground as they moved at high speed, instantly turning all ten targets into ashes.

She might have overdone it a bit, but this should earn a high score.

"How was that, examiner?"

Louisa ran to the examiner and asked, but the examiner didn't react. Because...

"Examiner? Are you... huh?"

"..."

The examiner had fainted, rolling her eyes.