Chapter 5

"Min. What I just showed you was a graduation exam question for the second-year level."

Leibniz-sensei said with a wry smile.

"Eh...?"

"Your Highness, do you understand the level of skill required for that magic?"

The teacher shifted his gaze to Alphonse.

"Well... first, the ability to discern whether that fireball was real or an illusion. If it's real, the ability to gauge the intensity of the magical attack and whether you can produce and control enough magic to counter it. If it's an illusion, the ability to deal with it."

"Indeed, Your Highness."

Leibniz-sensei nodded and turned to Min.

"But this time, I wanted to see if Min could produce a water ball. I used an illusion because I didn't know the extent of your power and wanted to be prepared for any eventuality."

Fire and water are opposing forces.

If they can cancel each other out, that's ideal, but if the water magic is too weak, it might not only fail to extinguish the fireball but even increase its power.

That's why the teacher used an illusory fire.

"But Min not only saw through the illusion but also extinguished it perfectly. There was no wasted power. To be able to do this so perfectly, you must have trained quite a bit..."

Leibniz-sensei's sharp eyes fixed on Min.

"Where did you learn magic?"

"...At the orphanage..."

Min, realizing she had made a mistake, answered in a barely audible voice.

—No one told me that was such a high-level magic.

"At the orphanage? Who taught you?"

"...A sister."

"A sister?"

"Yes... After she found out I could use magic, she taught me the basics and more."

The teachers exchanged glances at Min's answer.

"I see."

"Was this sister a former noble?"

"I haven't heard that, but I think she probably was. She also told me about this academy."

It's not uncommon for noble women to become sisters.

Noble women who have never worked often turn to monasteries when their families fall into ruin or they are divorced and have nowhere else to go.

If they are deemed capable, they often become sisters and take on roles in the management of the monastery or caring for children in orphanages.

The sister at the orphanage where Min lived was a very beautiful person.

She was still young, probably in her early twenties.

She taught Min various things to prepare her for entering an academy with many nobles.

—She was usually very kind, but her magic lessons were very strict, Min thought, and her eyes took on a distant look.

"But to have already raised you to this level... Perhaps we should invite this sister to join the faculty of this academy."

Barendorf-sensei said.

"Yes, Raiser-sensei often says he wants more female teachers."

"That's true... There are inevitably more male magicians. It would be good to have more people for the female students to talk to about their problems."

Raiser-sensei sighed and looked at Min.

"What is the sister's name?"

"...I don't know... Everyone just called her Sister."

"Well, she probably wouldn't give her real name, especially if she has a past."

"So Min, you already have the basic skills... no, you have the skills to graduate, don't you?"

Leibniz-sensei said, showing a smile.

"Then Min should be in the first-year class without any problem."

"First-year class...?"

Class placement is based on ability.

The first-year class is for particularly outstanding students, and in the novel, Alphonse and the heroine, as well as Min, were in this class.

"Yes, and of course, Your Highness is also in the first-year class."

"Is that so. Nice to meet you, Min."

Alphonse smiled and extended his hand to Min.

"Eh, um..."

Is he asking for a handshake?

But it's unthinkable for a commoner to touch the hand of a prince.

"Within this academy, everyone is equal, especially someone as talented as you."

"...Y-Yes..."

With his hand extended even closer, Min hesitantly extended her own.

Alphonse's hand was large and very strong.