"Turn Around and Face Me!" 04 (Pixiv Fanbox)

04. Aptitude Exams

The following day, our first official academy activity was to take our aptitude examinations. We had already taken one as part of the academy’s entrance exams, but these exams were made to cover multiple categories in more detail. The subjects we would be graded on were: magical capability, swordsmanship, culture and refinement, and… perhaps surprisingly, etiquette. The subject had long been abolished by other schools, including the Bauan Royal Institute which was known for its conservative policies, and yet there was a reason it was still taught here at the academy.

“For any woman who expects to contribute to our world at the front lines of any field, learning proper etiquette is compulsory!”

Those were the words of the founder of our academy, Mother Claire herself. The etiquette being taught here was different from what would have been taught traditionally. It wasn’t an etiquette that would only serve us within the kingdom, but rather, it was an international protocol that all women should learn before heading out into the world―that was what our academy’s etiquette classes aimed to teach. That said, considering that none of us would have taken lessons in etiquette as of yet, it was hard to imagine that there would be much of a difference to be measured at this point.

The first exam, which would test our magical capability, was about to begin. Mei was sitting next to me, and perhaps as expected of her, was calm. After all, she, along with Manaria-sama, the current queen of the Sousa Kingdom, were the only two individuals known to be able to control four different elements―quad casters. There was no reason to believe that the academy’s magic exam would give her any trouble.

As for Lily-sama, on one hand, she did appear to be slightly nervous, but one could also say that was normal for her. She could control water magic and wind magic, two elements―a dual caster. She had a high affinity for both of those elements as well, so there was no reason for her to panic.

The issue seemed to be Simone.

“… Simone, calm down.”

“Just how do you expect me to be calm! I managed to enroll into this academy founded and operated by none other than Claire-sama herself! If I perform poorly now and get a miserable result…!”

“Even if you get a poor result on this one, you just have to do your best and learn for the next one. Isn’t that what the academy is for?”

“I mean you’re right, but!”

I tried to talk to her and calm her down, but it seemed Simone’s nervousness was too far gone. She remained as stiff as a board until the exam began.

“… I don’t exactly have the space to worry for others either, I guess. Even if I know what my result will be, I can’t help but feel down about it.”

I didn’t know how talented Simone either was, or wasn’t, but I had no doubt she’d do better than me. I mean, after all, I already knew that my magical affinity was the lowest of all the five possible ranks―non-affinity.

“But well, I have my swordsmanship, so I guess it’s fine.”

Shortly after, the magical capability exams began. First, a magical artifact was brought out to measure everyone’s affinities. Students born and raised in the kingdom would have gone through the mandatory screening when they were six, but the academy also attracted many students from abroad, such as Yuria and Simone. I watched others here react in either joy or sorrow as they received their results to pass the time.

“… And well, my results are just as I knew they’d be.”

Just as it had before, the artifact told me that I had no affinity to any of the elements. I heard one’s affinity for an element could grow or shrink as they themselves grew, but there hadn’t ever been a case where someone gained an affinity for a new element. This was what I had expected, and so, I didn’t particularly feel disappointed either.

“Wha, amazing!”

“A Quad Caster!”

“And all of the affinities are medium or higher…”

“I guess that's what you should expect from someone from the Ten Saviors.”

An excited clamor that began in a corner of the testing grounds quickly spread. I didn’t even need to check to know, they were talking about Mei.

The magic in this world could largely be divided into the four elements, earth, water, fire, and wind. The majority of people had affinity with just one of these elements, and affinities ranked form none, low, medium, high, and extreme. Mei, of course, was an exception, holding affinities for all four of those elements.

While those around her made quite the fuss, cheering and applauding, she herself remained seemingly emotionless. I was sure that she did feel happy about it, but I suppose she didn’t see the need to fuss over it after all this time. That only made sense, I mean, medium affinity pales in comparison to what her affinities once were.

“… How nice it is for those with talent.”

“Oh, Simone, have you received your results as well?”

“Yeah.”

“How did it go?”

“... A medium affinity.”

“Oh, that’s not too bad then.”

Based on how nervous she was beforehand, I thought that she was expecting the results to be much worse.

“It’s not the rank of the affinity that’s the problem.”

“Then… What is the problem?”

“… The type.”

“Type? It’s not like any element is better or worse than the others, right?”

“Can you still say that even after seeing this?”

Simone then handed me a paper record of her results.

“Magic affinity classification… dark?”

“Exactly.”

I finally figured out what was troubling her so much. As previously mentioned, humans had access to the four elements, earth, water, fire, and wind. However, there were records of the existence of dark magic as well.

“… In the end, this is just another reminder that demonic blood flows through my veins.”

“Simone…”

Right. In the past, the ones known to have used dark magic were… The Three Archmages, and the one who ruled above them all, the Demon Queen. In other words, only those with ties to demonkind could use dark magic―and that truth was certainly not something that Simone felt joy over.

However―.

“I’m jealous.”

That same truth resulted in rather different emotions within me.

“Just what of!? Just how much do you think I’ve suffered just for having this demonic blood flowing―”

“But Simone, that also means that as a mage, you’re special.”

“?!”

In response to my unfiltered thoughts, Simone opened her eyes wide in surprise.

“!?!?!? … ~~~! … Sigh…”

Then, a short while after, she appeared to have just given up.

“Is something the matter?”

“You know Alea, somehow, when I talk to you my pent up frustration kinda just fades away. You really are something, huh.”

“Thank you, glad I could help. I hope that we can continue to get along.”

“… If you continue to hang around me, I’m sure you’ll come to regret it.”

“Hmph, to me, ignoring my roommate would be going against my own values.”

“… That so.”

Simone’s expression clouded over.

“About your bloodline… I really don’t think you should worry that much about it. It’s not like you’re plotting revenge against humans or are planning to harm us, right?”

“… If anything, it’s you humans that have been giving me a hard time.”

“Hmph, I won’t allow such a thing to continue. To the very least, not under my watch.”

“... You’re quite the softie, aren’t you.”

“I’ll choose to take that as praise.”

When I slipped a light joke into my response, Simone offered a wry smile in response.

“A-, Alea-chan, Simone-chan, how did it turn out?”

“Just as always, zero affinity with all the elements.”

“Wait wha? Alea, you’ve got none?”

“Yeah?”

“Just why are you able to be so aloof about it…”

“I more than make up for it with my swordsmanship.”

“I-It’s not really something m-most people could just get over like this, is it…”

In response to my indifference, Simone seemed exasperated while Lily-sama seemed to be trying to soothe her. Hm?

Next was the swordsmanship exam. We were assigned random opponents to take on in freestyle matches.

“T-The God of the Sword…”

“Let’s both give our best.”

It appeared that my opponent was aware of my title. Even before we crossed blades, her face was completely pale.

“Don’t think you can win? Too much of a wimp to even try?”

“! Why you…!”

When I provoked her, the other girl perked up. It seemed she had some fight in her after all. Yes, that was good, just like that.

“Ready… Fight!”

After that, we proceeded through our cultures and refinement, as well as our etiquette exams. Altogether, the exams took the entire day.

　◆◇◆◇◆

Three days later.

“Hm?”

“Eh?”

“No way…”

When we went to check the results posted on the academy bulletin board, there were some voices of surprise and bewilderment among the crowd.

“The Quad Caster didn’t rank first in magic…?”

“The God of the Sword wasn’t first in swordsmanship either!”

“First place in both subjects was Lily-sama. She’s amazing…”

That’s right. While both Mei and I placed within the top ten for magic and swordsmanship respectively, we had not managed to place first.

“Hey, wait just a moment, just what is going on!”

And it appeared that Simone wanted an explanation.

“You sisters are part of the Ten Saviors, aren’t you! So how’d it turn out like this!?”

“Lily-sama is part of the Ten Saviors too, didn’t you know that?”

“… This is actually the expected result.”

“N-Now that you mention it… No, wait, you’re not getting out of this that easily! Lily aside, couldn’t you have at least ranked in the top three!?”

It appeared that Simone was convinced that Mei and I had pulled our punches for the exams.

“Simone, it’s not like I held back or anything.”

“… Mei didn’t either.”

“Can it with your obvious lies! Just how could a Quad Caster and The God of the Sword just barely make the top ten? It doesn’t make sense!”

I had been thinking this ever since we met, but Simone’s boiling point was rather low.

“And? How did you do, Simone?”

“Urk… Let’s not get into that right now. That doesn’t matter!”

“S-Simone-chan was 19th in Magic, 15th in Swordsmanship, 208th in cultures and refinement, and 38th in etiquette.”

“Lily, you don’t have to tell them!”

“Hrk!? S-Sorry…”

Oh? Simone did rather well for herself then.

“Hm, you scored comparatively low in cultures and refinement then. But well, I came in last, so.”

“… On my answer sheet, I made a mistake and filled in the right bubble but for the wrong question… Wait, last?”

“… My sympathies to you both.”

“Ah, geez! Enough about me! More importantly, we were still talking about Y’ALL.”

If Simone would just keep quiet, she’d come off as a beautiful but distant beauty. But the moment she opened her mouth to speak, she came off as rather close and familiar.

“S-Simone-chan, it’s not that Alea-chan or Mei-chan held themselves back or anything. There’s a proper reason.”

“Reason?”

“Isn’t that right? Alea-chan, Mei-chan?”

“Well, yes.”

“… Yeah.”

That’s right, there was a proper reason behind all this.

To explain, let us wind back the clock a few months into the past, when it was first decided that we would be attending the academy.