Reincarnated as a Genius Prodigy of a Prestigious Family - Chapter 94

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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 94

 

 

 

53. 24 Hours Isn’t Enough (1)

 

 

Little Sister is busy these days.

It’s because it’s the regular evaluation season for summoners, she says.

Papers, usual performance records, and separate exams to evaluate all summoners belonging to the Summoning Association.

Thanks to that, Little Sister earnestly requested me when we met after a long time.

“Delay joining the association as much as possible. If you enter early, you’ll barely get to enjoy academy life, you know?”

So when I told her about Professor Delfineso calling me, Little Sister sighed and shook her head.

“That Department Head is still at it.”

As expected.

“Whenever he sees someone with potential, he calls them and always does this. For you, Dane, there’s no need to even mention it.”

It seems Professor Delfineso gathering talented students to send them to the Summoning Association is a ‘tradition’.

“He wants to go to the Imperial Palace. He wants to lead the summoning corps there.”

“Is it a good position?”

“It’s a dream position that a summoner can reach in this Empire. Of course, I’m not interested.”

Little Sister then asked me.

“So, how did it feel meeting His Highness the Prince?”

“Hmm, it was quite fascinating.”

“That’s all?”

“I was also slightly nervous?”

Little Sister chuckled.

“Our Dane is different in some way. If I had met His Highness the Prince when I was our youngest’s age, I think I would have been trembling with surprise.”

Is that so?

Given Little Sister’s personality, trembling in front of anyone feels awkward to imagine, but since she says so, let’s move on.

“And he also gave me this.”

“Oh, my goodness. You even received the Imperial Signet?”

Little Sister’s eyes widened when she saw the signet I handed her.

“His Highness must have really taken a liking to our youngest. This isn’t something just anyone can receive. You know that even decent nobles cry tears of joy when they’re granted this?”

“Really?”

“Of course. The Imperial Palace doesn’t give this to just anyone, so receiving such a grant is itself an honor for the family.”

Little Sister kept examining the Imperial Signet with fascination, then suddenly grinned.

“Our youngest, it was good that you came to the academy, wasn’t it?”

“Of course.”

I also grinned back.

It was good that I came to the academy.

Home is nice too, but coming here, countless various events keep happening.

“But aren’t you tired, Sister?”

“I am tired. But thanks to our Dane coming, my fatigue is completely relieved.”

Little Sister lifted her heels high and ruffled my hair.

“You don’t need to worry about Sister. You know that, right?”

Of course.

Both Big Sister and Little Sister are people who can handle things well on their own. They’ve been doing so until now.

Still, sometimes I want to help.

Just like how the sisters took care of me, their late-born brother, and gave me love.

“Actually, I’ve been worrying about some papers that aren’t working out, but somehow it’ll work out.”

I glanced at the messy desk.

Seeing crumpled papers and used-up pens scattered around, those must be the papers.

“Kyirik?”

Then the fellow in my arms stirred and poked his head out.

“Oh my, Karnas!”

“Kyiriik!”

Karnas saw Little Sister and excitedly struggled in my arms, welcoming her enthusiastically.

When I loosened my shirt slightly, Karnas immediately popped up and jumped into Little Sister’s arms.

“Did you get more handsome?”

“Kyirik!”

“Can you really fly? And you’re a dragon, right?”

Little Sister was making a fuss, rubbing her cheek against Karnas’s face. Karnas also responded by chirping happily as if he was overjoyed.

“Karnas really likes you?”

“Right? Maybe it’s because I was there when he hatched from the egg? He gives so many kisses!”

That fellow, really.

“But his body size hasn’t grown as fast as expected?”

“Right? He eats a lot but doesn’t seem to grow quickly.”

“That’s strange. Where does everything he eats go? Did it go to his wings, or is it used as fuel for breathing fire?”

“Kyirik!”

“Ahaha! That tickles!”

While the two were having fun together, I quietly looked over the desk.

As Little Sister said, I could see problems that seemed unsolved, with question marks marked all around them.

 

[What is an effective method for simultaneous operation of summoning arts and magic?]

 

Hmm.

This seemed like a problem discussing not just summoning arts, but operational methods that incorporate magic.

It wasn’t like a math problem with a predetermined correct answer, but she seemed to be struggling because she couldn’t come up with a clear solution.

Summoning arts and magic.

Like the relationship between Little Sister and Big Sister, is it a bickering relationship?

“Dane?”

“Ah, yes. I was looking at the problem.”

Little Sister approached me while holding Karnas.

“That’s the problem I mentioned earlier. I’ve thought about various things but it’s not easily solved yet. I need to write something new, not what everyone already knows.”

Since it was a newly published paper, she seemed to want something trendy.

So I brought up something I had only been thinking about.

“How about applying magic to summoned beasts?”

“Huh?”

“There are separate methods for strengthening summoned beasts, but what if we strengthen summoned beasts by incorporating magic?”

Little Sister immediately shook her head.

“That would probably be difficult. Analyzing summoned beasts is very hard. Time is also limited, and if you make a mistake, you have to be prepared for reverse summoning. The burden on the caster is too great.”

She added.

“And it’s also an existing method. Though it’s a bit old-fashioned. But the efficiency is too low. It’s a method that only summoners who have built intimacy with their summoned beasts over a very long time can use limitedly.”

At Little Sister’s words, I tilted my head and asked.

“So in conclusion, there’s not enough time to analyze summoned beasts? And even if you do it, you can only use it on very familiar summoned beasts.”

“Usually, yes. It’s difficult to collect samples, and it’s hard to fully grasp the flow. Overall, it’s a difficult task.”

Then this should work.

“Then can I summon a summoned beast here for a moment?”

“Huh? Sure, well. As long as they’re small ones, it’s fine.”

I immediately drew up my mana.

“Answer my call.”

What I summoned was none other than-

“Altemar?”

It was Altemar, the 4th-grade summoned creature I had called forth immediately after obtaining the mark during the special admission exam.

With a rabbit-like appearance and a small body.

It was a support-type summoned creature that bestowed various blessings on summoners and other summoned creatures.

“Kyuruk?”

Altemar was delighted to see me, then looked at Karnas nestled in Little Sister’s arms with wide eyes, not knowing what to do.

“Kyuruuk….”

Then it drooped its ears and tail and lay flat on the ground with its belly down.

“Don’t tell me it’s submitting?”

“It seems like it.”

Karnas lifted its head and looked at Altemar with that proud and (in its own mind) dignified expression.

“Is it because it’s a dragon that hierarchy applies?”

“That might be it.”

Altemar was truly cowering like a herbivore before a predator.

This worked out perfectly.

I stroked Altemar’s soft fur and drew up my mana once more.

“Kyuruk….”

“It’s okay.”

As I reassured it and gradually concentrated, the mana flow finally began to come into view.

I can see it.

It was the same with summoned creatures.

Just like when I looked at the Prince, I could see the mana flow.

“What are you doing?”

“Ah, um. Something I newly learned about.”

“Something you newly learned? Ah!”

By the way, I had told Big Sister about it, and Little Sister also knew this fact.

About me obtaining my second ancient magic power concentrate and being able to see the mana flow of living beings afterward.

“If I understand this flow, I can analyze it, and then maybe I can figure out how to integrate magic with summoned creatures.”

Summoned creatures are ‘summoned’ beings, and except for cases like Karnas, they all stay in this world temporarily.

Therefore, their existence itself is inevitably unstable, and if magic is carelessly applied, they might be immediately reverse summoned or their existence might vanish.

Direct magical application to humans is still taboo except for some magic, despite being researched for a very long time.

How much more so for summoned creatures?

“Yeah… no one else would have thought of that… analyzing the mana flow of summoned creatures itself….”

Little Sister muttered in a daze.

“To apply magic, you need to know the structure, but dissection is naturally impossible, and you can’t analyze it either… but you can do it, Dane.”

Right.

I can do it.

Without dissection, without spending long periods of time, without having to put it in an analyzer, I can analyze mana flow.

“Take a look at this.”

“Oh, okay.”

Little Sister looked at Altemar, whose fur had become fuller and shinier with vitality through magic.

“I’ll have to rewrite my thesis from the beginning…?”

As expected, it seemed to be helpful.

Little Sister examined Altemar here and there with a somewhat excited expression, then suddenly said.

“…It looks like I’m going to receive great help from our youngest?”

I smiled and said to Little Sister.

“Tell me when you have time. I can come anytime.”

Little Sister shook her head.

“No. You must be busy too. Aren’t you preparing for midterms?”

Midterms.

At those words, I just smiled silently.

 

 

“Autonomous Department student Dane Sogress, perfect score.”

Professor Ingrid’s clear and energetic voice echoed through the examination hall. Professor Ingrid even applauded in admiration.

“Such perfect Basic Spear Arts….”

She was on the verge of sniffling and wiping away tears.

The Basic Spear Arts that Dane displayed was that perfect, and naturally earned a perfect score as it was the exam subject.

“As expected of Count Sogress’s Young Master….”

“His spear arts are perfect too… Honestly, isn’t he more amazing than the seniors?”

“It’s just an unbelievable level….”

“I wonder if he’ll ever come to the Spear Arts Department…?”

Of course, the Spear Arts Department students were cheering just as much as Professor Ingrid.

Everyone here respected Count Sogress, and his son, the spear arts genius Dane, was truly a star and precious existence.

‘Father should have seen this scene.’

I thought about inviting Father as a guest lecturer when the opportunity arose.

I heard they sometimes bring parents as guest instructors for lectures.

Everyone would probably go crazy.

“It was perfect, student Dane Sogress. Thrusting, cutting, footwork, and so on. Not only all the basic movements but also applied movements and all flows of Basic Spear Arts had not a single moment of hesitation, wavering, or deviation. Your exam score is… naturally a perfect score.”

Dane showed humility at Professor Ingrid’s words.

“It’s thanks to your guidance, Professor.”

“Oh my, how modest.”

“It’s true. Thanks to you firmly establishing my fundamentals, Professor, my spear arts became even more solid.”

A smile spread across Professor Ingrid’s lips as she pretended otherwise.

How could there be such a lovely student?

He was already the son of someone she deeply respected, and as a student, he possessed everything a student should have.

“You’ll continue attending Spear Arts Department lectures every semester, right?”

“Of course, Professor.”

Dane nodded.

It wasn’t because he was being mindful of Father, but because he genuinely found it interesting.

That much was certain.

“Good. Then, you may return to your seat. Now, everyone saw student Dane Sogress’s exam, right? If you can follow even 1/3 of this performance, you’ll be well beyond first-year level, so please work hard.”

Professor Ingrid meant to encourage the other students, but it had the opposite effect.

“No way, 1/3 of those spear arts….”

“I don’t think I could follow even 10%….”

Anyway, that’s how the Spear Arts Department exam ended.

“Here, I’m submitting this.”

“Oh, finished already? As expected. I’m looking forward to grading it.”

Military Studies Introduction taught by Professor Gabius.

“Ho. Finished already, Dane Sogress?”

“Yes, then I’ll be leaving first.”

History of the Empire, which I took with Ernest.

Along with Professor Temerik’s Summoning Arts Theory 1.

“…As expected.”

Professor Temerik nodded as he watched Dane easily summon a group of 7th-grade summoned creatures called ‘Nelka’.

By the way, it wasn’t just one.

“How is he summoning twenty of them…?”

“Even kids with symbols can barely summon one!”

“Does that even make sense? Twenty summons and it’s already been five minutes!”

Nelka.

The primary summoning target for novice summoners.

A very small summoned beast with no special abilities, but commonly used as a summoning target to get accustomed to actual summoning arts.

But still, a summoned beast is a summoned beast.

Considering the mana used when calling forth and maintaining summoned beasts, Dane summoning his twentieth and maintaining them for five minutes already surpassed beginner level.

And since today’s midterm was for students with symbols, Dane naturally….

“Perfect score, Dane Sogress.”

“Thank you, Professor.”

He received flawless results.

As he finished the exam and was about to leave the lecture hall, Professor Temerik suddenly called out to Dane.

“Dane Sogress.”

“Yes, Professor.”

“By any chance….”

Professor Temerik was hesitating.

Then, thinking ‘whatever,’ he asked directly.

“Did the Department Head perhaps propose joining the Summoning Association?”

More precisely, he was asking if they had offered to become his sponsor.

Wondering if someone had already made the first move.

“No.”

Dane shook his head.

At the same time, Professor Temerik cheered inwardly.

There was still a chance for him!

But that was only momentary.

“Even if they had, I don’t think I’d be particularly interested.”

“Huh?”

Dane added with a grin.

“Everything is interesting, you see.”

Professor Temerik’s expression went blank, and Dane bowed to him.

“Well then, I’ll be going.”

Having left the lecture hall, Dane thought about his next exam.

‘Practical Magic Theory… I heard all Magic Department exams take a long time and are tricky.’

Though what subject isn’t, magic is particularly a field with several times more to study compared to other subjects.

There are even tremendously many fields, and ‘Practical Magic Theory,’ which he was going to take now, was a course that covered various fields broadly, if not deeply.

Therefore, the exam scope was beyond imagination.

Moreover….

“The exam runs from midnight to the next midnight.”

Professor Denabo declared.

Not the exam preparation period, but the period for ‘taking’ the exam was a full day, 24 hours?

“I’m giving you 24 hours because the exam scope is that extensive.”

He spoke as if showing great generosity, but it wasn’t at all.

24 hours.

While taking breaks in between was possible, ultimately everything had to be completed within 24 hours.

“Crazy… 24 hours?”

“We have to take the entire exam within that time?”

“How extensive is the scope….”

Professor Denabo continued speaking indifferently while watching the students’ despairing reactions.

“Of course, giving up midway is an option. But naturally, giving up midway means you won’t get proper scores. I do hope many students solve problems until the end.”

But there would definitely be students who gave up midway.

Because… all problems were essay questions.

Moreover, descriptive questions made up more than half.

The story about students’ wrists to shoulders aching after taking one Magic Department exam, unable to hold a pen for a while, wasn’t just a tale.

“However, I’m not someone completely without consideration.”

Then Professor Denabo grinned.

“It’s an open book exam, so bring anything you might reference.”

While some students felt relieved at the mention of open book, several others looked even more troubled.

Open book.

Open book sounds nice, but taking an open book exam means the difficulty is that much higher.

Simply put, most problems would be incomprehensible even when looking at references, so they were allowing students to bring anything just so they could at least attempt the exam.

Only students who didn’t know the situation would be happy about it.

“Ah, the moment you enter the examination hall, communication crystals are forbidden, as well as using subspace. Asking someone during the exam or stepping out to reference something else is also prohibited. Naturally, you can’t bring people either. If you’re thinking of bringing another mage, you’d better give up early.”

Professor Denabo added menacing words.

“Students who commit misconduct such as cheating, proxy testing, or answer sharing will be banned from taking Magic Department courses until next semester, and naturally won’t receive any points for this course. I do hope no such students appear in this course.”

Gulp.

The sound of dry swallowing could be heard from all directions.

“Anyway, mana barriers will be installed throughout the examination hall and flows will be monitored, so if you’re harboring foolish thoughts, you’d better give up early.”

Professor Denabo smiled slyly.

“Ah, but I should have some humanity. Though Magic Department exams are difficult and harsh, they’re not too rigid.”

Some students had hope at the word humanity.

“I’ll let you go to the bathroom.”

“….”

“And I’ll provide food. Our teaching assistant will deliver student cafeteria menu items you want via special delivery in subspace with preservation magic.”

“….”

Such humane words indeed.

“One more thing to add: the fastest record doesn’t mean much. You could just submit a blank paper and leave.”

Professor Denabo was right.

Students who gave up midway couldn’t get proper scores, so most filled the entire 24 hours.

Rather, there were more students for whom 24 hours wasn’t enough because there were too many difficult problems.

“So try anything. Except misconduct like cheating, except bringing people. ‘Anything.'”

Professor Denabo emphasized the word ‘anything’ greatly.

But most students were despairing over having to take an exam for 24 hours rather than focusing on the word.

Only Dane had an interested expression.

“Open book, huh.”

He said they could bring anything except people.

Something good came to mind.

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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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