SFMC 03

Chapter 3. Entrance Exam (2)

Reina and I stood face to face in the center of the dueling hall.

In my hand was a real sword—an actual blade. The most I had ever wielded before this was a flyswatter or a badminton racket.

Naturally, I had no idea how to properly grip a sword. I kept adjusting my hold, fumbling with it clumsily, even I could tell how awkward I looked.

But Reina didn’t laugh at me. Instead, she looked surprised and asked,

“Isn’t the Astreia family famous for magic? You know how to handle a sword too?”

Apparently, I didn’t look completely out of place.

“Well… I learned unintentionally.”

I had the skill, sure, but it didn’t mean I knew how to wield a sword properly.

But Reina, unaware of my internal doubts, chuckled and said,

“Well, that’s how nobles are. We learn things not because we want to, but because we have to.”

As she spoke, she swung her sword experimentally. Unlike me, her movements were clean and fast enough to leave afterimages in the air.

Since it had come to this, maybe I should try using magic before we begin the match?

I mean, I’m a direct descendant of a magic family—it wouldn’t be unfair to use magic, right?

I recalled, word-for-word, how magic use was described in the game:

“Mana exists in nature. One absorbs it like breathing, drawing it from the air. The mana then flows through the body’s magical circuits, where it can be gathered to construct a magic circle.”

Closing my eyes, I focused all my senses. Soon enough, I felt something unfamiliar coursing through my body.

It wasn’t blood—but something else. This had to be mana.

Mana from the environment was being absorbed and circulating through my inner circuits.

I gathered that mana in my right hand to construct a magic circle.

The spell I chose was a basic 1st-circle fire spell: [Fire].

Having seen the magic circle countless times in-game, it was easy to recreate.

Soon, the mana coalesced in my palm, forming a faintly glowing red magic circle.

Then, the circle ignited, producing a small flame.

“Ooh…”

It worked.

Easier than I thought, honestly.

After the first try, I quickly got the hang of manipulating mana, snuffing the flame out and reigniting it repeatedly until I grew quite used to it.

That should be enough.

I gripped the sword in my right hand and prepared to cast magic with my left.

Reina, already prepared and watching me, looked intrigued.

“Are you aiming to become a magic swordsman?”

In [Spell Breaker], magic swordsmen were a rare breed. Not just those who used mana and swordplay, but those skilled in both.

But I was just planning to use the sword as a decoy to support my magic.

“Not really. I just plan to use every tool I have.”

To be honest, my chances of beating her were slim.

I was a complete novice with magic, while Reina was a highly skilled swordswoman.

But that didn’t mean I should give up without trying.

If I wanted to befriend her, I needed to either win or at least put up a decent fight.

Reina seemed satisfied with my determination and smiled.

“I like that.”

Before we started, I proposed a rule.

“Let’s set some conditions before we fight.”

“What kind of conditions?”

“I won’t use fire magic, and you stop your sword right before it touches me.”

It wouldn’t be a good look to show up to the entrance exam with burnt or torn clothes.

Reina tilted her head, confused, but eventually nodded.

“Then what’s the win condition?”

“If you get your sword close and I can’t block or dodge, you win. If I land a direct hit with my magic, I win.”

That was my second goal: win by technicality, since I lacked raw power.

Reina still seemed unsure of my intentions but smiled and nodded.

“Alright. Sounds fair.”

“You can give the signal to start.”

“Letting me go first just because you’re a guy? That’s kinda insulting… but I’ll let it slide.”

I raised my sword in a classic fencing stance.

Reina lowered hers, holding it at an angle.

A moment of silence passed.

Wind from the ceiling stirred our hair.

And as the breeze died down—

“Start!”

Reina launched herself forward. Her movement was explosive—like a burst of flame.

In an instant, she closed the distance. I swung my sword reflexively.

But she anticipated the strike and locked her blade with mine, aiming to disarm me.

It didn’t matter.

The sword was a ruse anyway.

There was no way I could face someone of her level head-on with a sword.

The only way for me to land a hit was through surprise.

I let go of the sword and retreated backward.

Even in that brief instant, I met her gaze and extended my left hand, gathering mana.

This time, I used a 1st-circle water spell: [Aqua].

It only shoots water—non-lethal. But in a match where a hit means victory, it was perfect.

“I expected that!”

She dropped and caught her sword mid-swing, aiming it at my shoulder.

There’s no way I can dodge this.

Still—this is what it means to be a true favorite character.

I didn’t give up.

If I stopped now, Reina would feel disappointed.

But then—something unexpected appeared in front of me:

[■■■ activates.]

[Your next spell’s mana output is doubled.]

Wait, what?

Before I could process it, the magic circle exploded with a brilliant blue light.

And a torrent of water blasted forward from my hand.

Like a waterfall unleashed in an instant.

“Wait—!”

SPLAAAAASH!

Reina took the full brunt of the water cannon.

…Crap.

Fortunately, Reina wasn’t hurt—just knocked out cold.

If she hadn’t been a knight, that might’ve turned into a murder case…

I laid her on a nearby bench and fell into thought.

[■■■ activates.]

What the hell was that?

None of the hidden skills I know of do anything like that.

Temporarily doubling mana output? That’s insanely broken. How did no one notice this?

I knew this character wasn’t just a punk, but even so…

As I was lost in thought, Reina groaned and slowly came to.

“Ugh… My head hurts.”

“You’re awake. Sorry for hurting you.”

“Nah, it’s fine. Getting hurt during a spar is no big deal.”

Even so, guilt gnawed at me.

Suddenly, she slapped me hard on the back.

SMACK!

“AAAGH!”

“Why the serious face? Let’s call it even with that.”

She shook her hand, laughing playfully.

Very Reina-like.

She almost seemed amused at getting knocked down.

“You’re better than I thought! I figured you’d drop the sword, but that final move? Totally unexpected!”

Yeah… me too.

“I thought you could only use fire magic, but you used water?”

Wait, that’s the part that surprised you?

I had no idea why the original guy pretended he could only use fire magic, but revealing another element now probably wasn’t good.

If there was a reason he was hiding his strength and someone who knew that reason, they might start questioning me.

I was about to make up an excuse, but Reina beat me to it.

“You’ve been hiding your skills this whole time, huh? So why show them to me? Trying to shake the ‘punk’ label? Or do you just like me?”

It was a teasing question, but I found the perfect answer in it.

“Yeah. I like you.”

For quite a while now.

Reina’s expression changed, uncharacteristically flustered.

“W-what? Are you the type to say that out loud? Guess you’re not trying to ditch the punk image after all.”

…Was that too much?

I debated whether to play it off as a joke, but then she let out a quiet chuckle.

Her reaction was vague, but she didn’t seem offended.

“I only showed you. So keep it a secret, okay?”

“‘Only me,’ huh… Alright. I’ll keep your secret.”

Reina chuckled like she was genuinely enjoying herself.

That should be enough to keep her quiet.

Seeing her smile made me happy, but it was time to move on to my next objective.

Thanks to this timely coincidence, now was the perfect time to bring it up.

“I still feel bad for hurting you. Let me make it up to you. Is there anything you need?”

I asked, but I doubted someone like her would ask for anything. Not that I had much to offer anyway.

So I decided to give her information.

How to become the top student.

If you get the highest score on the entrance exam, you become the top of your year—at least for the first semester. That comes with a ton of benefits:

Access to restricted facilities, research support, training privileges.

But more importantly, for Reina, she’d gain the attention of the professors.

If the professors focused on her, it’d be much easier for her to avoid most of the deadly threats that come her way.

It would also give her more time to spend elsewhere—on things that mattered more.

Problem was, Reina’s skills were enough to pass, but not enough to be the top.

Which is why she needed a trick.

“I’m really fine, you know. It didn’t hurt that much.”

“No, but I still feel bad.”

“Well, uh…”

She looked uncomfortable, but couldn’t flat-out reject the offer—she was too kind.

So I pressed the issue.

“Are you saying I shouldn’t atone? Should I live with this guilt forever…?”

“No! No! It’s not like that at all!”

“Then will you let me repay you?”

“…Okay. But I really don’t need anything.”

“How about this, then? Want to know how to get the highest score on the entrance exam?”

“That’s fine, but… Honestly, I’ll pass the exam no matter what.”

Reina smiled confidently. She probably would’ve refused anything I offered.

But she was playing in the palm of my hand.

“You didn’t hear me right. I didn’t say ‘pass.’ I said ‘get the highest score.’”

She blinked, unsure what I meant.

“Examinee number 329! Reina Serenia!”

Called by the proctor, Reina stepped inside the exam room.

I watched through the window from outside. Around me sat other applicants waiting their turn.

Inside the room, it was just Reina, the proctor, and a giant rock slab used for the test.

The entrance exam measured strength and magical power by how much damage you could inflict on the slab.

The proctor first inspected her sword. Once it was cleared, Reina took her stance before the stone.

She had only three attacks.

All three hits would be added up for her final score.

What was Reina thinking right now?

I had given her the method to get the top score, but whether she’d follow it was uncertain.

She might act on pride and do things her own way.

But I believed she’d follow my advice.

Because the Reina I knew was someone who wanted to achieve things on her own—but also craved the satisfaction of success.

So even if she didn’t like it, she had listened carefully.

She slashed vertically.

The first strike.

A faint scratch appeared on the edge of the slab.

That alone turned heads.

“Look! She scratched it!”

“She must be stronger than she looks…”

But that was just the beginning.

From here, she began to follow the method I gave her.

She brought her sword back and angled it horizontally.

The second strike.

The new cut deepened the existing one.

Even the proctor looked surprised.

As he should be.

That rock was known to be virtually indestructible—its hardness said to withstand even the leaders of the knight order, the magic tower, and the church.

But someone had figured out its secret two years ago.

The stone would redirect impact by re-aligning its grain perpendicular to the last strike.

So if you attacked at a 90-degree angle immediately after, you could deal far more damage.

I’d told Reina this trick.

And she executed it perfectly.

Now, for the third strike.

She prepared to thrust.

Because the stone, while hard, had poor internal durability.

After weakening a spot, a well-placed thrust could shatter it—like glass.

But hitting that exact intersection point of two perpendicular cuts required incredible focus and skill.

And Reina—of course—nailed it.

CRACK!