The day of the entrance examination.
The Weierdun Empire Academy, Central Activity Plaza, the pre-examination briefing session.
Sunlight fell upon the shoulders of all the candidates, illuminating each person’s unique demeanor.
Many faces were currently filled with excitement, brimming with hope for the upcoming examination.
Ailundun Crand, as one of the many students in the plaza.
Just thinking about how he would perform in the examination.
His face was also written with “sunny confidence.”
As per tradition, after Principal Paerwa finished delivering the examination declaration, everyone could proceed to their respective exam rooms.
“I am the principal of this academy, Paerwa.”
“I hope you all remember…”
The middle-aged man stood on the podium at the very top, his gaze powerful, his presence striking.
He lifted his eyes to sweep over the academy’s new students.
“No one can ignore the power of cooperation, but similarly, cooperation is not foolish, blind cooperation. Cooperation requires wisdom. It depends on how you balance the relationship between the two…”
The middle-aged man’s speech, though not particularly impassioned, struck the crowd like a muffled thunderclap, making them remember.
It seemed for these students, this speech held its own unique significance.
After collecting his number tag, Ailundun headed towards his exam room.
He was assigned to the exam room on the sixth floor of Building No. 2.
The space was open and airy.
Various magic instruments were illuminated by the lights, and the Secret Realm activation device had already begun to spin.
The entire examination hall was like a giant machine, controlling the smooth operation of every part.
Many candidates entered alongside him with uneasy expressions.
They seemed apprehensive about entering a “Secret Realm” for the first time.
There were also some candidates who looked relaxed and at ease, seemingly unaffected.
Ailundun quickly found his seat, at the back near the window.
He sat below the stage, quietly listening to the proctor’s instructions regarding the Secret Realm matters.
Ailundun looked up, somewhat surprised to see that one of the proctors for this floor’s test was an acquaintance.
On the stage, the old man who looked quite spirited was none other than Professor Fuke from the Magitech Institute.
Fuke solemnly instructed,
“Remember, you must wear the wristband distributed last time properly. It contains the academy’s positioning mechanism, which will be crucial for providing you with rescue assistance at the first moment…”
“The examination will also be broadcast live later. This will not only allow for real-time evaluation of your performance but also facilitate accurate tracking of your locations.”
In truth, most of the candidates below had already heard these words from the proctor several times, yet almost no one showed impatience.
Perhaps this was related to the inherent quality of students admitted to the Weierdun Empire Academy.
Nevertheless, some still nervously wiped their sweaty palms upon hearing about the live broadcast.
A live broadcast was no joke.
Not only would the examiners and teachers watch, but it would also be broadcast to every magic screen throughout the academy.
This was no less than undergoing a large-scale “public execution.”
In previous years, there were cases where students were socially ostracized right in the school due to the live broadcast, directly losing their eligibility for romance.
Many senior students took pleasure in this, finding amusement in the freshmen’s predicaments.
Consequently, this led to many not daring to be overly conspicuous, preferring to act like a small, transparent presence, hiding within the Secret Realm.
Just as he was thinking this, a faint murmur suddenly came from beside him.
Several boys huddled together, likely from either the Sage Institute or the Knight Institute, seemed to be discussing something.
“The Princess, it’s Her Highness the Princess.”
“Her Highness the Princess is here too, and she’s in the same exam room as us.”
“This is incredibly lucky. I’ve suddenly decided, I’m not holding back anymore. I must perform well in the Secret Realm later.”
One boy, his face flushed with excitement, spoke enthusiastically.
“Hah, if you can actually perform, I’ll eat shit.”
Ailundun’s train of thought was interrupted, and he followed their line of sight.
He saw the Princess, with her waist-length hair flowing like molten gold, step out.
Her skin was pale and translucent, her aura holy, her gaze so clear it seemed incapable of holding any impurity.
Princess Isabella had, at some point, arrived in the aisle of the room.
As her footsteps drew nearer, wherever she passed, faint whispers inevitably followed, though no one dared to approach and risk displeasure.
Because closely following behind the Princess was a knight-like figure, Leisha.
This noble young lady’s temperament had already spread among the freshmen even before the semester began.
Having grown up with Her Highness the Princess since childhood, she was the Princess’s true childhood friend.
As she grew older, she strictly trained herself as a holy knight, wanting to protect the Princess for a lifetime.
If this were a male knight, they probably wouldn’t stand a chance.
Ailundun watched all this with interest.
He could keenly perceive.
Her Highness the Princess… seemed somewhat helpless?
‘I never thought that even with randomly assigned examinations, I would get paired with Leisha…’
Just as Ailundun perceived, Isabella, currently shielded by Leisha, couldn’t help but sigh softly.
Her childhood friend was perfect in every way.
If it was for the Princess’s honor, even if Isabella asked her to do something dangerous, she probably wouldn’t even blink.
But she was just a bit too serious and rigid.
She always treated Isabella as Her Highness the Princess and always saw herself as a holy knight who needed to protect the Princess.
If possible, Isabella actually wished to interact with Leisha more as friends.
Fortunately, last time she had asked Leisha to socialize more with “normal female friends” her own age, and Leisha seemed much more normal now.
It seemed she needed to let Leisha experience more matters of the heart.
If only that boy who dared to elope within the academy last time was still here…
She would definitely have him teach Leisha what proper knowledge about relationships was.
“Leisha, you can go to your seat now. I need to go to mine as well…”
Isabella offered a perfect smile, pointing towards the aisle where her seat was.
“Understood, Your Highness. Please call for me anytime if you need anything.”
Leisha nodded. After all, this was inside the academy; no one would dare cause trouble.
Isabella breathed a sigh of relief, parting ways with Leisha here and heading towards the back of the waiting area.
As she walked towards the back and looked around, she suddenly spotted a head of somewhat conspicuous and familiar yellow hair.
Her eyes lit up.
Huh?
Isn’t that the boy who dared to elope within the academy last time?
She counted the seats from the front again.
So, her seat was right above his.
She gracefully arrived at her seat, adjusted her skirt, and sat down. Turning back, she gave Ailundun a perfect smile.
“Hello, I am Princess Isabella.”
She decided to get to know him first.
She absolutely had to get him to tutor Leisha on emotional matters when the chance arose.
Leisha’s emotional issues couldn’t be delayed any longer, or she’d become even more abnormal.
For now, though, the examination took priority.
Ailundun was slightly taken aback.
He had noticed earlier that this Princess’s seat was right above his.
“Hello, my name is Ailundun Crand, an ordinary citizen from a border town…”
Ailundun thought for a moment and smiled.
Isabella offered her habitual royal smile.
The two nodded at each other in acknowledgment, neither showing any further intention to speak.
Yet this simple scene took on a different flavor in the eyes of some boys.
They didn’t understand why Her Highness the Princess chose to speak only to this blond guy.
Was it just because he was handsome?
Some boys gritted their teeth in secret, silently memorizing this blond kid.