Chapter 16

In any case, the fact that we could now move instantly meant there was more free time, so I felt like I could relax a little.

To be honest, the constant moving around early in the morning, getting into cars, and all that was mentally exhausting. I had already decided to just sleep in the car, so this change felt like a stroke of luck.

“Ready! I’m perfectly good to go right now!”

In the meantime, Estelle had gotten dressed and stepped outside after washing up. I firmly pressed a hat down over her head.

“Huh? What’s this?”

“We’re traveling together, so you’ve got to hide that mark on your forehead, right?”

Her blue hair could at least be passed off as a bold dye job if anyone asked, and everyone at the exam site was bound to be so nervous that they wouldn’t pay much attention to other people.

But the mark on her forehead was too conspicuous. It practically screamed, “Look at me, I’m the Saintess!”. So hiding it was the top priority.

“I could just erase it with magic.”

“…Didn’t you say you weren’t an archmage and couldn’t do things like that?”

I clearly remembered her saying that after the first lesson, back when we were going to the market. She had pulled her hat down over her head, claiming she couldn’t use that kind of magic. And yet here she was, suddenly acting as though she could. I was utterly speechless.

“I can’t use polymorph magic. That’s the one where you completely change your appearance. But simple spells to dye my hair, change my eye color, and hide the mark on my forehead? Those are easy enough. It’s not as difficult as you think.”

“So, if you could’ve done that back then… no, forget it. Let’s just drop it. What’s the point of talking about it now?”

Well, maybe she didn’t want to use it at the time. It’s possible; after all, we had just met at the time.

Asking someone you just met to stay over might seem like a lot, but sure, I guess it could happen.

“Hehe, sorry. Back then, I just wanted to tease you a little, Theo, since you seemed so hopeful.”

“Oh, how considerate of you.”

A Saintess with a bad habit of messing with people. Well, fine, I’ll let that slide. But that wasn’t what mattered to me right now.

The most important thing was the Academy exam happening in just a few hours.

The Academy’s exam was divided into two categories. The noble exam and the commoner exam.

For the noble exam, the questions were predetermined and structured. It was the typical kind of test where you were given a problem and had to find the right answer.

The commoner exam, however, wasn’t so straightforward, and that could be a problem.

The commoner exam was designed to select truly talented individuals. It was a freestyle format where you had to showcase everything you could do.

In other words, only those who could prove their abilities were allowed to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with nobles and attend classes at the Academy.

“Have you decided how you’re going to show off?”

Since it was a freestyle exam, the participants were allowed to decide how they wanted to proceed. I learned this recently after joining a community where people preparing for the Academy exam gathered.

According to the guidelines, it was possible to bring someone whose identity had been verified to serve as a sparring partner during the test. I had thought about asking Estelle, but her status didn’t quite qualify as a verified identity within the Ermunt Empire.

Of course, if I revealed Estelle’s true identity, it might work, but honestly, that would draw way too much attention, and I really wanted to avoid that.

“I’m thinking of bringing a scarecrow, like the ones Uncle Duncan used at his butcher shop. I’ll use it in different ways to demonstrate my swordsmanship and magic.”

In the end, I decided to go with the plan of bringing multiple scarecrows.

It was one of the most commonly recommended methods on the community forum. This was probably because it was practical and straightforward.

Of course, since it was such a standard method, there was a lower chance of earning bonus points. But I already thought about how to handle that, so it wasn’t a problem.

The Academy exam was structured so that the swordsmanship portion took place in the morning and the magic portion took place in the afternoon. Anyone who participated in both sections automatically received a bonus of 10 points.

The scores from the swordsmanship and magic portions were combined, and the bonus 10 points were added to calculate the total score. Naturally, participating in both categories significantly increased the chances of passing.

“Did you settle on that plan after all?”

“Mhmm, it’s the most straightforward and simple option.”

“I told you, I could be your sparring partner.”

“I’d rather not draw attention by revealing that I’m close to the Saintess.”

Maybe after I’d gotten into the Academy, but not during the exam.

Choosing to stand out in such a way during the test just didn’t seem like a smart idea.

Honestly, imagine claiming I’m friends with the Saintess. They’d probably put me under the microscope with an overly detailed evaluation.

And what if I ended up failing the exam?

That would be a complete disaster. A true bad ending.

“We’ll be going to the Academy together anyway.”

“That’s something to think about later. For now, let’s get going if you’ve finished eating.”

Before I knew it, only an hour remained until the exam began.

I had already registered online in advance, so all I needed to do was confirm the details. It was said that the lines would get shorter as the deadline approached, but still, it didn’t hurt to be cautious.

“I can’t just miss the exam and fail, right?”

“That’s right. Let’s head out.”

After saying goodbye to my parents, I held Estelle’s hand and we started heading to the exam site.

It was during this trip that I realized for the first time just how stable and comfortable teleportation magic could be.

Whenever I tried it myself, even just traveling a short distance made me feel a bit nauseous. Looks like I still have a lot more to study in this area.

***

While Estelle and Theo were getting ready to leave,

There was a huge commotion at the exam site where the Ermunt Academy’s commoner entrance exam was being prepared.

“Did you hear? They’re saying Her Highness, Crown Princess Iris, is coming to observe the commoner exam this time.”

“Ooh, I heard it was a last-minute decision.”

“There were so many rumors she wouldn’t show up again since she’s been away for so long.”

The rumor that Crown Princess Iris had decided to observe the Academy’s commoner entrance exam spread like wildfire across the exam site.

Typically, members of the imperial family had the authority to attend Academy exams. While the Emperor usually made appearances at both the noble and commoner exams, Crown Princess Iris had shown no interest in such events and had never attended before.

Moreover, it was common knowledge throughout the Empire that the Crown Princess had been away for quite some time on personal matters. Naturally, most people assumed she wouldn’t attend this time either.

Even the Emperor hadn’t been one to insist that Iris attend these exams.

However, this time, it was Iris herself who expressed her intention to observe the commoner exam. The Emperor too had reportedly been quite surprised by her decision.

“Man, if I could just catch the Crown Princess’s attention, I’d be set for life.”

Catching the Crown Princess’s eye.

That meant the possibility of building a connection with her after she enrolled in the Academy this term.

Forming ties with royalty, or even nobility, was a dream come true for anyone of common birth. It could open doors to great opportunities and offer a path to true success. For them, forming a connection with an imperial family member was nothing short of a fantasy come to life.

But then.

“Could you bring me the list of those taking the commoner exam today?”

“Yes, Your Highness. I’ve prepared it in advance.”

Iris was already sitting in her assigned seat in the examination room.

Ah, it’s Theo. Theo is taking the exam in the 32nd slot, huh?

Her eyes were fixed solely on Theo’s name.

“What an unusual thing. You suddenly decided to observe the exam yourself.”

“Y-Your Majesty, the Emperor…!”

While Iris was seated and checking Theo’s turn on the list, the Emperor approached her and began to speak.

Everyone standing nearby trembled in fear and hurriedly bowed their heads, but the Emperor dismissed them without much concern.

“Well, it’s not unheard of to develop a sudden interest, is it?”

“And? How are things progressing with the Saintess in the Deir Viscounty?”

Although she had been submitting reports regularly, the Emperor was very impatient because they were all superficial.

“I’ve been submitting reports regularly, haven’t I?”

“Forget those superficial things. Tell me what you actually observed about the Saintess.”

The Emperor’s tone was gentle, paired with a kind smile, but the content of his words was far from the warm conversation between a father and daughter reunited after some time.

“Well, like I’ve already reported in the documents, there wasn’t anything noteworthy.”

However, Iris had no intention of reporting personal matters, such as her growing relationship with the Saintess or anything concerning Theo.

She didn’t believe the Emperor was entirely oblivious, but it was clear there were details he wouldn’t know unless she explicitly reported them.

That was likely why he seemed impatient. And why he was asking such questions in a public setting like this.

…It’s not because I’m trying to protect those two. I’m only striving for perfect peace, that’s all.

Of course, Iris was tirelessly offering excuses to deceive herself, though she would never admit it.