“Is this even possible?”
A week later.
After the written test was over, Benjamin who was checking the students’ test papers, was so bewildered that he couldn’t close his mouth.
This year’s Command Department test was particularly difficult.
This was also true for the speedrun-type custom goblin dungeon and the written test focused on dungeons that were difficult to comprehend with common knowledge.
In fact, many students expressed difficulty with such a written test, and some even failed to answer all the questions.
Benjamin had specifically anticipated that Osten would struggle considerably with this test.
The reason was that this written test was not merely about deducing how to clear dungeons.
It was also about understanding dungeon characteristics.
The custom goblin dungeon was relatively one of the easier ones among the dungeons.
This was because, at least the dungeon’s mechanics operated on physical laws.
However, among the dungeons humanity has discovered so far, there are those that disregard even these physical laws.
For example, ice storms might blow under the scorching sun of a desert.
Or a barren desert might unfold in the ferocious Arctic where not a single blade of grass can grow.
At times, the situation would be so severe that the flow of tremendous magical power could disrupt the time axis and drop someone into an ancient era.
This was a problem introduced because just outstanding command skills were insufficient to clear a dungeon.
In dungeons, various extraordinary phenomena were bound to occur, and an exceptional commander was expected to maintain calm amidst these oddities and find solutions.
However, to understand such phenomena, a fundamental understanding of magical power was essential, and so one needed to be able to manipulate such power.
But for Osten, handling such magic was impossible.
The same was true for Shane.
Although Shane was a mage corresponding to the second circle, wasn’t he also lacking in magical affinity and sensitivity?
Naturally, Benjamin had judged that both would struggle with the written test at least.
However, the scene unfolding before his eyes boldly contradicted Benjamin’s predictions.
“It’s tough, really tough. This is the first time I’m seeing a theory from this perspective.”
“But to say it’s correct might be a stretch, don’t you think?”
“No, no, it’s too forced to reach that conclusion. If you consider the magical pattern of the Great Mezaiya Forest theoretically, it’s not entirely impossible.”
“I share a similar opinion. If we follow Student Osten’s logic, the phenomenon of the ‘Inescapable Swamp’ makes sense.”
“We shouldn’t just think about the density of particles but consider the changes in particle properties due to magical power. Yes, I think it’s plausible.”
“If we consider particle changes not just through gravitational energy and density but through magical power, then the theory about the inescapable swamp fits perfectly!”
The individuals before Benjamin were various experts gathered to submit their answers for this written test.
These included mages from the Magic Tower studying dungeons, scholars, and even the leaders of current veteran adventurer teams.
A diverse group was actively discussing the answers to the test questions submitted by Osten.
“This is ridiculous…”
All of them held prominent positions in their respective fields, commanding considerable influence.
It was remarkable to see such distinguished people passionately discussing the answer to a problem posed by a boy who was not yet of age.
Of course, it wasn’t that they couldn’t comprehend the phenomenon of the “inescapable swamp” described in Osten’s test paper.
It was simply that there were too many dungeons in the world, and these dungeons were filled with phenomena beyond the understanding of ordinary human knowledge.
However, when it came to Shane’s test paper, even these experts were rendered speechless.
“This is…”
“Difficult.”
“What kind of test paper is this, on the level of a Magic Tower thesis?”
“Did he really solve this in just one week?”
Shane’s test paper appeared dense with text, and an additional five pages of documents were included.
“So, while the other questions were solved normally, this one received this much dedication.”
“Therefore, we also have no way to prove right now whether this theory is correct.”
The chief mage of the Magic Tower eventually conceded defeat, and his virtual surrender in the theoretical aspect was enough to make others frown.
“Professor Benjamin, I think we might need a bit more time with this question.”
“…. Is that so?”
Benjamin who was at a loss for words simply nodded his head.
“Since all the other questions were correctly solved, there shouldn’t be any issue with him passing. We’ll just need to delay the announcement of the rankings a bit.”
“Thank you. If you give me one week, I will provide an answer to this question.”
With that, Benjamin carefully handed over Shane’s test paper to the mage from the Magic Tower.
[Strategies for the Rainy Season in the Great Mezaiya Forest]
Among the five great cradles where humanity currently faces the most difficulties in exploration, the Great Mezaiya Forest is one.
The secret of this cradle, where the position of the rivers can change in a single day due to heavy rains, making it always difficult for the expedition teams, was revealed in the Academy’s written exam.
***
Three days later, the list of those who had passed was released.
This caused confusion among the students.
“Why has the release of the results been delayed?”
This question led to a flurry of rumors and the answer soon became clear.
“Because of one student’s answers?”
Who the subject of the rumors was hadn’t been precisely identified.
There were speculative rumors here and there, but none of the students thought that Shane was the one who produced such results.
Meanwhile, Dilaila stood in front of the school’s bulletin board to check the list of those who had passed.
Beside her, as usual, stood Osten with his gloomy expression.
“Wow, Osten, you really passed?”
“Y-Yeah. It wasn’t th-that hard.”
“Heh, it wasn’t difficult? I heard this year’s command department test was brutally tough. Only 20 passed.”
“…”
Osten scratched his head as if embarrassed, while Dilaila looked at him with pride.
There was nothing particularly surprising about the relationship between Dilaila and Osten.
Dilaila who was ostracized in society for being from a different race, and Osten who was disowned by his own family, recognized each other’s talents and became quite close rather quickly.
“I’m glad, really. Now that you’ve passed, maybe you could include me in your command.”
“M-Me? Wi-With your skills, o-others would pay attention to you too, r-right?”
“If only that happened, huh.”
Dilaila gave a wry smile at Osten’s words.
Would there even be any command students willing to take on someone like her from another race?
The only person that came to mind was Pollon, but joining his clique was likely to end badly.
Maybe I’m just being too greedy given my situation?
The frustrated Dilaila started grinding her teeth out of habit.
Adapting to this world filled with humans has been incredibly difficult for her.
At least when the commander was around, things like this didn’t happen…
“Sorry, just ignore what I just said.”
With those words, Dilaila turned away.
As she thought about it, Dilaila realized that if she, a member of another race, were to join Osten’s team, it might make it difficult for Osten to recruit other students.
It was such a significant inconvenience that just as Dilaila was about to give up,
“You know. There are more interesting people in the world than I thought. Maybe someone out there recognizes someone like you?”
Osten’s quiet voice from behind stopped Dilaila in her tracks.
“What did you just say?”
“Y-Yes? N-Nothing at all.”
When she turned around, she saw Osten wearing his usual gloomy face and stuttering his words with a foolish grin.
It was strange. She could have sworn he hadn’t stuttered just then.
Because of the bustling of the other students around them, she hadn’t heard him clearly, so Dilaila simply moved on without much thought.
“Ah! There’s Klein!”
“And Shane is with him.”
“Yeah, look at that. That idiot Shane also passed the command department test?”
“I heard he scored higher than Klein.”
Right then, a conversation from other students nearby reached her ears, and Dilaila turned her head towards them without realizing it.
Klein.
A genius among geniuses in an academy rife with envy and jealousy. Someone who made such petty feelings seem pointless.
She had heard that in this year’s practical test for the command department, he had cleared the dungeon with a fairly good score.
It would be so much easier to be under someone like him…
Klein had already become what the kids nowadays called “the insider among insiders” at the academy.
She herself was an outsider among the utmost outsiders.
Approaching Klein to strike up a conversation would likely invite threats from his followers. Just the thought of it made Dilaila feel exhausted.
Meanwhile, Shane had recently become the subject of strange rumors swirling around the academy.
Above all, it was surprising to Dilaila that he had outperformed Osten in the practical test for the command department.
Among the students, his performance was highly regarded. He even surpassed that of Lindberg J. Anais, the daughter of the former Judgment Knights commander.
It was said that his antisocial nature hadn’t changed…
Perhaps it would be easier to be under his command.
After all, he was indifferent to both humans and other species alike. So she would feel different.
Haah, how did my lot end up like this?
Just as she was pondering this, Dilaila suddenly stopped walking.
Was it because of the thought she just had, or because it seemed Shane’s gaze was directed toward her?
No, it wasn’t just seeming; his gaze was indeed fixed on her, and he was walking toward her.
Klein followed Shane from behind.
It was unusual for Shane, who rarely focused his attention on others, to keep his gaze fixed on one person for so long.
Dilaila tilted her head in response to his gaze.
Being sensitive to people’s stares due to her past experiences of being scrutinized everywhere she went, what she sensed in Shane’s gaze was a faint… sympathy?
Does he know me?
She was thinking of this when he asked,
“Did you prepare well for the test?”
It wasn’t Dilaila who responded to Shane’s question but Osten who stood behind her.
By then, Shane’s gaze had shifted from Dilaila to Osten.
“Y-Yes. Did you, did you also do well on the exam, Shane?”
“That’s the case. You can look forward to it.”
“Th-That should make things interesting.”
Osten said this, and Shane briefly shifted his gaze back to Dilaila.
When his gaze returned, his expression was as emotionless as usual without any of the same sympathy as before.
“Th-This is Meyer Dilaila here. Sh-She’s a fellow fifth-year student.”
“Is that so?”
Caught off guard by Osten’s sudden introduction, Dilaila wore a look of disbelief. She didn’t want to just stand there silently; so she opened her mouth.
“Ah… I’m Dilaila from the department of magic. It seems I’ve seen your face in class a few times, right?”
“I do remember.”
“Uh… right, that’s it.”
“……”
Dilaila found it difficult to directly meet Shane’s face, which seemed devoid of any emotion.
Meanwhile, Shane’s younger brother Klein looked at him as if he were moved by something.
“Big brother… You finally have a friend.”
Is what he seemed to say.
What did that mean?
As she thought about this, Shane silently turned and walked away.
Klein also showed a charming smile to Osten and Dilaila, leaving behind an ambiguous message implying ‘Please take good care of my brother’ before following Shane.
“Hey, hey, Osten. Why did you suddenly introduce me to that guy?”
“Uh, um? Ah… just? Be-Because, Dilaila, you don’t, you don’t really know anyone else.”
“Wow, gee. That really hits home.”
“But, but still, it wouldn’t hurt to get to know him.”
“Oh, really?”
Dilaila was momentarily taken aback but decided it was just a trivial happening and moved on.
After all, worrying about today’s schedule was more pressing than this insignificant incident.
“I guess I should just go tutoring again…”
***
Shane walked down the hallway, a place he hadn’t been for a while, and memories he’d rather not recall naturally came to mind.
[Hey, they’re telling me to support you?]
[Is that so?]
[Is that so? Is that sooo? Damn, you think I don’t know your schemes? You think I don’t know that you plan to use our people as shields and then stand them up as your filthy corpses?]
[I never asked the higher-ups for such orders.]
[Cut the crap! Why should our superior underground folks roll under a creepy bastard like you who plays with corpses? Forget it, tell it to the higher-ups. They won’t understand it from me anyway.]
[If you want, I can do that. Although, I doubt the outcome will be any different.]
[Is that what you’re saying now?]
[All members of the organization who die become part of my legion. Wherever you go, if your underground people die on the front lines, they come under my command.]
[This bastard!]
Indeed, their relationship was fraught with troubles.
It was rare for the commanders of the seven deadly sins to get along well with each other in the first place.
Especially Shane and the Third Commander could never really see eye to eye.
And for good reason.
How could Shane who embodies envy, and Dilaila who embodies pride possibly coexist?
They were completely incompatible.
Dilaila, the betrayer of humanity, was as different from Shane’s previous life as oil is from water.
“Hey, Corpse Collector.”
[Don’t call me by that name.]
[Then how about you stop referring to me with such labels as betrayer of humanity?]
[I never called you that.]
[Then command your underlings. If you give the order, those brats would literally die following it.]
[Why would I bother with such an annoying task?]
[Damned fool.]
Their mutual disdain for each other was clear, which ironically made them very well aware of each other’s intentions.
[What nonsense is this betrayer of humanity anyway? I was never treated as a human being to begin with…]
One day, Dilaila muttered this from the top of Shane’s castle while drinking alcohol that should not make her drunk.
Seeing Dilaila then and now, it was perhaps inevitable that certain memories would naturally resurface in his mind.
Shane who was lost in such thoughts for a moment found himself suddenly standing before a huge door.
“Is this the place?”
“Yes, it’s the academy’s artifact storeroom.”
The artifact storeroom.
It wasn’t a place for significant items, so there was no urgent reason to come here.
However, seeing Dilaila reminded him of a particular incident that happened around this time and he decided to come here.
I thought I needed more preparation time, but it seems time won’t allow it.
In her early fifth year as a student of the academy.
At that time, Dilaila had quietly disappeared from the Academy. It was an incident that soon faded into the background and people deemed it minor.
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