Reincarnated as a Genius Prodigy of a Prestigious Family - Chapter 30

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Reincarnated as a Legendary Talent Genius of a Noble Family Episode 30

 

 

 

12. Entrance Exam (1)

 

 

Fortunately, Leila seemed to have abandoned her arrogance.

Gone was the sight of her confidently declaring she would win without even knowing my skill level, going beyond mere self-assurance.

Of course.

She hadn’t managed to land a single successful attack on me.

“Just wait and see, I’ll definitely beat you later.”

She seemed to have developed a slight obsession out of frustration, but that much was endearing.

Originally, you need obsession to improve.

It’s much better than emotions like arrogance that eat away at a warrior.

Still, thanks to that, I also worked up a sweat for the first time in a while. Honestly, it had been quite some time since I faced an opponent who attacked so tenaciously.

No matter how much Father told them not to go easy on me, the knights who were my sparring partners had somehow started treating me gently.

Then they would grind their teeth and charge at me after allowing me to land a hit on them.

So the fatigue, though hardly worth calling it exhaustion, was completely relieved, and I was now helping Leila with her swordsmanship until the day before the entrance exam.

“Here, this moment right here. You can’t hesitate. Watch carefully. When thrusting, think of concentrating on a single point.”

“I know that too! But how do you stop so precisely like that?”

“Skillfully.”

“….”

Leila seemed quite impressed by my technique of stopping my spear precisely where I wanted during our sparring matches.

So when she asked me to teach her, I did, but it didn’t look easy for her.

Well, that’s natural.

It’s difficult.

Making a weapon stop exactly where you want while swinging and thrusting requires more precise force control than one might think.

“How exactly do you do it? Honestly, do you know how hard it is to do with a sword? You use a spear!”

Instead of answering, I picked up the practice sword lying nearby.

Then I demonstratively took my stance and swung the sword-

Whoosh!

I stopped it precisely in front of the practice dummy’s neck.

“…That’s impossible.”

Then a second time, third time, and beyond the fourth to the fifth time.

Head, chest, arm, leg, and back to the neck again – when I stopped the sword at exactly the same distance in front of each target, Leila seemed completely speechless.

“….”

I put down the sword and said.

“See? It’s possible with a sword too. What’s important is consistent effort.”

“….”

Leila looked at her own sword with a shocked expression.

It was clearly no different from the sword I had just picked up, yet I could do it and she couldn’t.

“Don’t look for me. I won’t be eating dinner tonight.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Really don’t look for me.”

“Got it.”

When I shrugged at Leila’s declaration, the fellow looked at me as if asking what that was supposed to mean.

“…Isn’t there something like ‘I’ll watch and help you’?”

“Training is originally a solitary thing.”

“That’s so petty, really. Between people entering the Academy together.”

Since the Academy came up, I asked.

“Right. You’re taking the exam in swordsmanship, aren’t you?”

“That’s right. I didn’t consider anything else. You’re doing spear arts, right? Oh, you’re close with your summoned beast too, right? Then do you have talent in summoning arts as well?”

When I nodded, Leila puffed out her cheeks.

“That’s unfair. You’re so good at spear arts, and you even have talent in summoning arts!”

Her indignant huffing was a bit cute.

“What kind of person are you exactly? Honestly… I thought there was no one better than me among my peers!”

At Leila’s utterly honest words, I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“You, you! You’re laughing at me!”

As if that were the case.

I was laughing at her innocent honesty.

“No.”

“Really not?”

“Yeah. Not at all.”

Leila continued with a relieved expression.

“So which major are you applying for? With your level, you’d pass anywhere you apply. But if you’re aiming for top rank, you should definitely go with spear arts, right?”

“Not interested.”

“Liar. Being the top entrance student is such an honor.”

I shrugged.

“I’d rather do something interesting.”

Leila seemed to give up on persuading me and shook her head, changing the subject.

“Fine, do whatever you want. I’ll take the top spot.”

“Do as you please.”

“But honestly, tell me. What kind of training did you receive?”

“Training?”

“Yeah. It’s strange how outstanding you are.”

I crossed my arms and asked.

“Then what would you answer if someone you beat asked you the same thing?”

“…Talent? Effort?”

“Right. That’s it.”

“….”

Who would have thought teasing a kid could be this fun.

Still, I should do it in moderation.

At this rate, she might cry.

“I don’t like you. And stop smiling like that!”

“Why shouldn’t I smile?”

“There’s, there’s a reason!”

Big Sister is like this, and Little Sister is like this too.

I can’t understand women even when I think I do.

Well, that’s not important in my life.

Then suddenly, I brought up a curiosity that had just occurred to me, speaking somewhat seriously.

“Oh right.”

“What are you curious about now.”

“It’s really important, I’ve been meaning to ask since before I came here.”

Leila’s expression became serious as well.

“What is it?”

“Where’s the shop that makes the most delicious tarts in the capital?”

“….”

Big Sister had said so.

When I come to the capital, there would be various desserts just as good as those in the Southern Region.

I wanted to start that dessert tour with tarts first.

Leila looked at me with an incredulous expression.

“…That was what was important?”

“Yeah. Extremely.”

I’m quite serious about this.

Tarts are a snack I absolutely cannot lose.

Leila shook her head back and forth, then finally gave me the answer I wanted.

“Our family’s are the most delicious.”

Even amid the absurdity, her voice was full of pride.

This is exactly what I wanted to hear.

 

 

The Imperial Academy entrance exam was nothing short of a festival.

This was because talented individuals flocked from all across the Empire to take the entrance exam.

Including them, their families, and in the case of nobles, even their attendants, thousands of people would pour into the capital all at once.

Therefore, while it was like a kind of event where countless people gathered for most people, for those involved it was nothing short of a solemn and nerve-wracking evaluation ground.

This was true not only for those taking the exam, but also for those evaluating them.

“Phew. Starting today, it’s going to be tough. Was it 2,000 first-round passers?”

“A little over that, they say. Today and tomorrow will be absolutely hectic.”

The first exam had just ended.

The first exam, which along with the second exam each carried a weight of 50.

It was a preliminary selection process to verify basic knowledge and aptitude.

The number of applicants to the Imperial Academy this time was about 6,000. Anyone could apply as long as they paid the appropriate exam fee. Unless they were from a family of traitors.

However, about two-thirds of them failed to pass the threshold of the first exam.

In the end, about 2,000 people would take the second major exam.

“How many do you think will pass this time?”

“At most 200.”

In the end, out of 6,000 people, at most only 200 would pass – a 30-to-1 competition rate.

“I wonder what kind of fellows will come to this entrance exam.”

The professors in charge of today’s entrance exam evaluation had various reactions.

Some professors were already showing signs of exhaustion, while others showed interest in what kind of students they would see.

“By the way, isn’t the first exam tally finished yet?”

“They’re still working on it. I wonder who will get the highest score?”

Amid all this, opinions about the second exam poured out.

“The top student in the Swordsmanship Department this time will be Lady Leila from Duke Termion House, right?”

“Of course. She’s the Danter Cup champion. I watched the finals, and she showed real promise.”

“Duke Termion really raised his children well.”

The clear topic of conversation was Leila Termion, the Danter Cup champion and youngest daughter of Duke Termion House, a family of war heroes.

“At this level, we can expect the Swordsmanship Department to produce the top student this time.”

“Just expect? Isn’t it almost confirmed?”

The Academy entrance exam was conducted according to each applicant’s chosen major, but only one person was selected as the top student.

While there were power struggles among professors in this process, generally a student that everyone could accept was selected as the top student.

This time, unless there was any particular upset, they thought Leila Termion, the Danter Cup champion, would enter as the top student.

“Hmm. My thoughts are a bit different.”

Among them, Professor Denabo, who was the head of the Magic Department and had served as the Magic Tower Master of Antalion Magic Tower, offered a different opinion.

“A recommendation letter from Sidrain.”

A recommendation letter.

In fact, it was nothing more than a scrap of paper that any applicant would bring.

While it had meaning in the past, as competition for Imperial Academy admission became fiercer day by day, recommendation letter forgeries frequently occurred.

So now it was data with no particular meaning, used almost only for reference….

“Sidrain? That picky fellow?”

“Yes. Here it is. It’s the official seal of Niruksion Magic Tower imbued with mana. It can’t be forged.”

The Magic Tower Master of Nirucsion.

That Sidrain, famous for not taking disciples, had actually written a recommendation letter.

‘Huh, already 3-Chain… at the age of 14?’

Denabo’s eyes sparkled.

A talent.

A talent comparable to Arabella, who seemed unlikely to appear again.

And it was Arabella’s younger brother at that.

“Who’s the fellow who received the recommendation letter?”

“Dane Sogress.”

“Count Sogress House….”

Sogress.

Along with Termion, another family that came to mind when thinking of war heroes.

And it was also a family that had produced unprecedented geniuses in the Magic Department and Summoning Department – Arabella Sogress and Claire Sogress respectively.

“Huh, quite formidable.”

“Well, well. The Sogress family.”

Sighs flowed out.

Termion.

Sogress.

Two children from these two families, whose influence was known throughout the entire continent beyond the Empire, were now simultaneously applying for the entrance exam.

“Wait, wasn’t that place famous for spear arts? The eldest daughter is magic, the younger daughter is summoning arts. And now the son gets a recommendation letter from a mage again.”

When one professor tilted his head, other professors chimed in.

“Is he not following his father’s talent?”

“Hmm. Then the Sogress family will now become famous for magic.”

“The Magic Department hit the jackpot, hit the jackpot. Ha, I naturally thought it would be the Spear Arts Department….”

Sighs and admiration continued.

The Magic Department professors were naturally beaming with joy.

Thanks to the unprecedented genius Arabella Sogress, the Magic Department’s prestige was now soaring to the heavens.

It wasn’t simply because of good grades.

The numerous magical inventions that Arabella had developed since her undergraduate days.

And even three papers that shook the academic world.

The saying that the Magic Department professors’ shoulders had risen so high in recent years that they could block out the sun wasn’t for nothing.

And now, a fellow who had received a recommendation letter from none other than Sidrain was taking the entrance exam.

“Haha. Well, it looks like we’ll take the top student position again this time!”

Unlike Leila, who was well-known for things like winning the Danter Cup, there was no way for others to know what Dane Sogress was good at.

But magic.

‘Indeed, the Imperial Academy is about magic.’

When Professor Denabo laughed heartily, Professor Esterande, the head of the Swordsmanship Department, narrowed his brow as if displeased.

“That remains to be seen. Do you know how difficult winning the Danter Cup is?”

The Swordsmanship Department was no pushover either.

Danter Cup victory.

An overwhelming victory at that.

And she was even from Duke Termion House.

“Hmph. Without even looking, it’s obviously our Magic Department.”

“No. It’s the Swordsmanship Department.”

It was when the professors were bickering in a way that didn’t suit their age.

“Sorry to interrupt your conversation. The applicants have just finished selecting their exams.”

An assistant professor rushed in and, announcing that the exam selection was complete, activated the magic projector they had prepared.

Click.

“Swordsmanship Department 1,367 applicants, Magic Department 227 applicants, Summoning Department 152 applicants….”

The numbers of applicants for each major appeared, with names listed below them.

The Swordsmanship Department, which traditionally had the most applicants, had so many that the projector couldn’t display them all.

Several unpopular departments sighed as if this year was hopeless too, seeing their clearly low applicant numbers.

Then Professor Denabo waved his hand dismissively.

“That’s enough, just display the main incoming student list.”

“Yes, Professor.”

When the assistant professor operated the projector again, all those applicant names disappeared instantly and only a few names from each department appeared.

“Oh.”

Professor Esterande discovered Leila’s name on the Swordsmanship Department applicant list and smiled broadly.

On the other hand-

“What? Display it again.”

“Pardon?”

“Dane Sogress. I don’t see that student’s name.”

Professor Denabo tilted his head when he couldn’t see Dane’s name on the Magic Department applicant list.

“Ah, student Dane Sogress didn’t apply for the Magic major.”

At those words, Professor Denabo’s eyebrows twitched.

“What are you talking about? The recommendation letter is right here! Look again.”

The teaching assistant broke into a cold sweat, wondering if he had really made a mistake in checking.

But it really wasn’t there.

Among the names written in the Magic Department, there was definitely no name called Dane Sogress.

“I looked again… it’s not there.”

Murmuring arose and Professor Denabo’s face began to sour.

Before provoking more anger, the teaching assistant quickly searched for the name. And without hesitation, he stated Dane’s applied major.

“Dane Sogress applied to the Autonomous Major.”

Autonomous Major?

Just as the professors’ eyes widened at those words.

“The first exam results just came out, so I’m here to inform the professors.”

The door opened and another teaching assistant entered, delivering surprising news.

“Dane Sogress of the Sogress Count House recorded the highest score on the first exam among 6,000 applicants.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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