As soon as Azel finished ticking those four boxes, the paper on his desk dissolved into motes of light.
The faint shimmer reformed into four separate booklets, their covers thick as though freshly printed.
The words that were on the paper gave off magic, like the whole thing was printed with magic.
Azel leaned back slightly, a smirk tugging at his lips.
’So this is the difference between a magic exam and a college exam...’
Back in his old world, papers were lifeless sheets of ink and pulp.
Here, the paper itself seemed alive, very much so. He had a feeling that it was to prevent malpractice..
Around him, the room had grown fuller.
Other examinees began trickling in, many of them ragged from the elimination bracket outside.
Some had torn sleeves, scuffed boots, or bruises lining their arms.
He even saw one with burned hair
Astralis Academy, however, didn’t so much as blink at their state.
Until you became their student, you were just another outsider.
"The papers," the bearded examiner announced, his crooked smile revealing uneven teeth, "are on an automatic timer from the moment they appear. If you don’t answer quickly enough..."
His smile deepened, eyes narrowing with mischief. "...then you won’t get in at all."
Several students paled.
Azel exhaled slowly, steadying himself.
He had prepared for this.
He had devoured every book he could get his hands on in the days leading up to today.
Formulas, theories, equations — all locked into place within his mind.
And with his photographic memory, not a single line escaped him.
From the corner of his eye, he caught Sybil sneaking glances at him, her green hair falling in loose strands across her cheek.
She wasn’t the only one watching.
A few seats away, Flare — the heroine with flame-kissed hair was biting her lip as she skimmed her own paper.
The heroines were all here.
Each with their gifts.
Azel smirked faintly.
’And each with their quirks...’
He flipped open the first booklet — Magical Mathematics and nearly laughed out loud.
The questions that had once left him baffled days ago now made perfect sense.
[Magical Mathematics Questions]
1. The flow of mana through a closed circuit of four runes is given by:
M = \frac{E}{R + \Delta},
where E is the mana input, R the resistance constant, and \Delta the rune distortion factor.
If E = 120, R = 20, and \Delta = 4, what is the flow M?
(a) 4
(b) 5
(c) 6
(d) 7
2. A magician channels mana into a crystalline array that doubles output every 3 seconds. If the base output is 10 units, what will the array produce after 15 seconds?
(a) 160
(b) 240
(c) 320
(d) 640
3. A teleportation circle requires exact symmetry between coordinates. The equation of mana balance is:
X^2 + Y^2 = R^2.
If the mage inputs coordinates (3, 4) with a radius requirement R = 5, what happens?
(a) The teleport succeeds flawlessly
(b) The circle destabilizes and explodes
(c) The caster is teleported partially, causing injury
(d) The circle collapses harmlessly
Azel’s pen was swift, filling the spaces.
He completed the multiple-choice section with ease, moving into the long-form problem-solving.
Here, every answer had to be shown step by step, as if to prove the mage’s understanding.
"Photographic memory really is a blessing..." Azel muttered under his breath, a grin tugging at the corner of his lips.
...
Rain sat at the front, massaging her forehead with growing irritation.
"I hate this..." she whispered, scowling at her own booklet.
This was her second life, her second time writing this exam.
And somehow, she hated it even more than the first.
’You’d think it gets easier the second time,’ she thought grimly. ’But no... it’s just as bad.’
Mathematics had never been her strong suit.
Neither had Chemistry.
She could manage, barely, but her strength lay elsewhere.
Holy magic — something that didn’t require staring at formulas until her eyes crossed.
Worse, she couldn’t even cheat.
In the first few minutes, several desperate students had tried weaving small spells beneath their desks.
Every single one of them had their papers vanish instantly.
The examiner didn’t even give warnings.
Those caught were expelled on the spot, their pleas smothered by the bearded man’s magic as they were shoved out the door.
And then there was Reinhardt.
Rain stiffened as she felt his gaze again.
Somehow, impossibly, he was alive.
Not only alive but also completely healed.
No trace of his earlier wounds marred him.
His blue eyes stared at her in a way that made her skin crawl.
There was rage in that stare.
She swallowed hard.
’How is he even here?’
Her thoughts faltered when Azel’s voice suddenly rang across the room.
"Extra paper!" he called, cheerful as ever.
Another page appeared on his desk.
Rain turned, her lips twitching.
For the past several minutes, he had been calling for more paper like a man possessed.
The stack at his side had grown absurdly tall.
’What in the world is he writing?’
To her, it looked like showing off.
But she knew better.
He wouldn’t waste his time doodling on his paper, so every answer there had to be legit.
Rain let out a sigh. "Of course..."
At last, Azel placed his pen down.
He leaned back in his chair, satisfied.
"Done."
The word carried across the room, startling a few exhausted examinees.
Instantly, every page of his exam dissolved into blue motes of light, vanishing from his desk.
The bearded proctor stroked his chin, eyes gleaming beneath his thick brows.
"Mr. Azel Thorne..." His voice carried an unusual weight. "You’re free to go."
The room went silent.
No one dared whisper.
No one dared react.
The exam was too heavy and too merciless for distractions.
But the thought burned in every mind: Azel Thorne, son of the Sword Saint, had just finished first.
Sybil bit her lip, her fingers clutching her quill.
’So he’s not only strong... he’s brilliant, too.’ Her heart raced. ’I must get that date... somehow.’
The examiner didn’t break stride.
With a flick of his wrist, he caught two more students attempting to glance at one another’s work.
Their papers vanished, reappearing in his hand.
With a simple push of magic, he hurled them both toward the door.
Their pleas were ignored.
The man sighed softly, stroking his beard as Azel strode past him.
’Did this guy write out the whole textbook?’ He thought his eyes flaring in shock as he stared at it.