'So, why was I here again?'
Somehow, for some reason, I found myself standing in a place that resembled a court, in front of the professors who seemed to be evaluating papers in their hands.
"Merlin Wizardo, the son of the baron, Nota Wizardo, who is currently in charge of a small village. I don't see anything special here."
"According to witnesses, it was Reminicus Cannon who intentionally bumped into him, began a feud, and forced a duel. Then, he lost."
"LIES!!!"
Next to me, there stood the haughty guy who just fought me previously, Reminicus Cannon III, who refuted the report read by the professors. With tissues plucked in his nostrils to stop the bleeding, he was glaring at me all while breathing through his mouse.
"He used magic!! In a sacred duel where only swords should've been involved!!"
"...There was no rule indicating that the usage of magic was forbidden."
"SHUT UP!!"
I pointed out the fact, and Reminicus shook his head frantically. Stomping his way to me, he yanked me by my collars and shouted,
"Don't you dare think you won against me just because you got lucky this time around!!! Merlin Wizardo... I remembered your name!! Soon or later, I will take my revenge!!"
...And there. His spit splattered all over my face. Fuck.
Nevertheless, what am I supposed to do here? Things are already going terribly wrong, and one way or the other, it looked like my dream of living lazy life was on a verge of collapsing.
"Professors!!"
Reminicus then turned to the group of professors seated and and ordered,
"I order you to arrest this guy for tarnishing my reputation!!"
"""..."""
No response. Instead, they looked at Reminicus impassively as if having dealt with cases like this numerous times.
"Or call my father!! Or—"
Reminicus began to blabber non-stop, and it looked like the professors decided to simply ignore the guy.
Looking at me instead, one of them asked,
"We checked just now, but it seems like you aren't registered for the examination."
"Yes, I was simply here to send off a friend of mine. His name is Ricardo Nimbus, and he should be able to testify for me."
I sighed,
"If seeing my friend off was the only reason, I wouldn't have come all the way here. My primary goal for this travel was to purchase some goods that my mother requested in the capital, and the academy happened to be on the way."
"I see."
One of them stroked a beard.
"And it looks like you are already admitted to... a local academy near your home."
"Yes, professor."
"A shame, really."
"?"
"The talent that you demonstrated... it would be a huge loss for you to waste it in an academy prioritizes on teaching about economics and politics."
"Er... talented? Sir, are you referring to me?"
I frowned in a genuine confusion.
"All I did was to generate a small light—"
"So we contacted your parents right away."
"...Eh?"
"And asked them for their thoughts on transferring you to our academy."
"Uh—"
"And they agreed!"
"What—"
"So congratulations, Mr. Merlin Wizardo, for becoming a student in the most prestige academy of the kingdom!"
'What the fuck?'
Everything just happened too quickly.
'Mom, dad, why...'
I heard since I was at the age of 7, of how tough and challenging the curriculum of this national academy was. The rate of suicide was the highest of all, the overall average grade was the lowest of all, and the students were said to have barely any time to sleep.
Coupled with its expensive cost, really, there was no reason for me to study in this academy.
'Yet...'
"Er, I am pretty sure though... that admission isn't supposed to be this simple..."
"It is if we say that it is."
And just when it looked like I was cornered into accepting this fate, my savior, Reminicus Cannon III, stepped in.
"I don't accept this!!!"
He roared, at a voice louder than the blabbers he's been throwing all while I conversed with professors.
"Where is the vice chancellor?! Let me speak to him, he's my uncle!! There is no way I would accept someone like this scum be allowed to enter the academy!!"
"...Vice chancellor? An uncle? Hm... oh, you are referring to Adolf Cannon."
"Yes, him!"
"He was fired. Then arrested for over hundred cases of embezzlement, money laundering, and sexual harassment."
"...What?"
Reminicus froze.
"When?!"
"Just two hours ago. Soon, the news will be announced."
"Haah?!!"
One of the professors, a man who seemed to be in early thirties in age, snorted,
"Idiot thought that saving the records would be a good idea. Congratulations, Mr. Reminicus Cannon the third. Should your family be discovered to have been connected to these crimes of Adolf Cannon, you will not only be forced to pay a huge sum to the academy, but may also be demoted to the rank of marquess."
Another professor checked the time and stated,
"And it seems that your turn to take the entry examination seems to be nearing. You should leave, Mr. Cannon."
"...Fuck, fuck, fuck!!"
Reminicus pointed his finger at my face,
"It's all because of you... Merlin Wizardo!! You shall know pain!!"
"How is all of this my fault?!"
"SHUT UP!!"
Yelling, he turned and left, fuming.
As the door was shut with a loud boom, loud enough to make me flinch, the professor in his thirties spoke to me,
"Once again, congratulations for your success, Mr. Wizardo. The necessary details will be mailed to your home in approximately a week."
__________
"Hahahaha!! What a coincidence, eh?"
Laughing his ass off as we remained seated within a moving wagon was Ricardo Nimbus, who finished his examination a few hours ago.
"Who would've thought?! That the laziest of us all will be the first to get into the academy that all the guys around our age aspire to get into!"
"...They didn't even test me. Regardless of my opinion, they just straight away admitted me... in which part did they see that so-called talent in me?"
"..."
"What?"
Ricardo was staring at me with a deadpan.
"You often tend to underestimate yourself."
"How come?"
"Haa... I already tried to explain to you thousand times in the past. No point saying it again."
"I mean, generating light is literally the simpliest way to elementalize mana. Literally anyone who's able to feel mana should be capable of doing this—"
"Yeah, yeah, congratulations for being a genius."
Chattering non-stop, we eventually arrived back on our home land. The plains filled with farms and trees appeared, and the mixed smell of flower, dirt, grass, and many other things entered our noses.
"Sirs?!"
The owner of the wagon announced from the front,
"We've arrived at the destination!"
Paying the fee, we got off the wagon and walked.
"Oh, Merlin and Ricardo!"
The villagers, upon noticing our arrival, waved at us. We waved them back with that of familiarity.
"How did your examination go, Ricardo?!"
"Merlin passed!"
"...Huh?"
One of them asked, and Ricardo told an answer that was completely off from the question.
"He took the examination as well?"
"No! But he passed!"
"What does that mean even?!"
Exchanging a few words with the villagers, we walked. Eventually, we arrived at one luxurious-looking mansion that lied in the middle of the village.
There, a banner was hung. It read, "Merlin the son of Nota Wizardo got into the National Academy!"
"Welcome home, my son. I am proud of you."
Feeling the hand of my father on my shoulder, I simply looked at him and my mother who stood behind him with teary eyes, dumbfounded.
"But—"
"I always knew that you were a genius! I never stopped believing in you, my son!"
"Dad—"
"Don't worry about the cost! You know how rich we are; we literally bought the title of baron with money!"
"I—"
"Everyone!! Prepare for a feast!!"
There were excited shouts and hoorays everywhere, rendering my words muffled.
At this point, the world was against me.
...
Late into the night, after the party finally ceased, I was in my own room, checking the mails that arrived on me. It was thanks to controlling my alcohol intake unlike Ricardo who was long lost into a slumber in our guest room.
"Spam, spam, spam, and spam mail. Become a believer of Awenism... yeah, no. Ah, here it is."
Discarding them all save one that I was looking for, I opened the sealed envelope and unfolded the paper within.
"Will be back in a week, successfully completed the trade, revenue of 30 gold..."
The letter was about the trade business, one that I built after receiving a small investment from my parents, that I was previously planning to focus on. Now that situation changed, I was required to update and inform the 2nd in command, one who was responsible for writing this mail to me.
Having finished reading the mail, I pushed it aside.
Raising a pen, I wrote down the words over a clean sheet of paper, relaying a few details that I considered crucial.
"And... there."
Putting down the pen, I let out the sigh of exhaustion.
As I looked up to the ceiling, I vowed to myself—that I won't be getting off my bed for the next two days.
__________
"Hey, hey, hey, Merlin! Merlin! Wake up! You gotta wake up!"
The next day, I was forced awake by Ricardo, who barged into my room and shook my shoulders.
"...What."
Turning away from the lively friend of mine, I groaned.
"You have a visitor! A pretty girl at that!"
"Ha. ha. What. A. Nice. Joke. Now leave."
"I'm not joking!!"
Then, beyond the door, my mother's voice was heard,
"Ricardo? Is Merlin awake yet?"
"Aunt! Merlin isn't getting out of the bed!"
"W-Wait—"
My eyes widened in horror, but it was too late by then. Slamming the door open, my mother, with a forced, scary-looking smile on her, walked up to me and grabbing me by my ear, yanked me out of the bed.
"G-Gahh!! I'm sorry, okay?! I'll walk on my own!"
"Have I not told you to wake up before 10 a.m. at the very least?! Do you take my words as nothing but a joke, Merlin Wizardo?!"
having been dragged all the way down the hall, my ear was finally released. Standing up and rubbing my reddened ear, I sighed,
"A visitor, you say?"
With her arms crossed, my mother huffed,
"Yes, a young lady at that! Haven't I taught you that you shouldn't keep a girl waiting?!"
"Who is she anyway? And why did she come to us without informing us beforehand?"
"She introduced herself as the daughter of duke Cannon. She said that she's here to give an apology on behalf of her brother... but is that true?"
"Indeed it is, aunt."
Ricardo answered in my stead, pointing his thumb at me.
"He got into a fight with the infamous sword genius, Reminicus Cannon. And won. That's how he got his way into the academy."
"Oh, really? I didn't know that there was a behind story like that!"
My mother than ordered me,
"So what are you waiting for, young man? Go dress up, quickly!"
"How troublesome."
Grumbling, I complied.
__________
Feeling uncomfortable in a formal attire, I moved my arms around with a slight frown. Swallowing an urge to sigh, I opened the doors in front of me and walked into a room meant to receive guests, I saw a girl seated.
White-haired and red-eyed just like Reminicus Cannon, she was a beautiful-looking girl around my age.
"Greetings, Mr. Merlin Wizardo, the son of baron Wizardo."
Standing up from her seat, she lifted her skirt up slightly and bowed her head in an elegant manner.
"I am Yelena Cannon, the youngest born of duke Cannon. It is a pleasure to meet you."
Her voice was robotic, and I could tell that she didn't mean what she said.
Upon looking into her eyes, I could also tell, that she came here for an ulterior motive.
After all, there was an ambition within those pair of eyes.
And upon noticing that, I felt as if I was about to get into yet another complicated and troublesome matter.