Inside the Royal Magic Academy, a huge round table was placed in the large conference hall.
A crystal glowing faint blue floated in the air, its uneven shape radiating a strong aura of magic.
Nine chairs were arranged around the round table, and Principal Rachel sat at the seat directly facing the main doors.
He stroked his long, pale beard and took a deep breath.
After sweeping his gaze around at the professors seated at the round table, his eyes finally settled on Viktor.
Seeing the shining councilor insignia on Viktor's chest, he let out a soft chuckle.
"Professors, the end-of-term exams are coming soon."
Every professor fully understood what the Academy's end-of-term exams meant.
It was the most fair and powerful way to test all the Academy's students.
Every year, many media outlets would report on the exams, and the entire country would watch the students' results.
These were examinations that would influence the future of mage students approaching graduation.
Although those noble mage apprentices with better backgrounds didn't need to worry about whether their final grades were passing or not…
There were still many commoner students for whom this exam would become the shortcut to achieving their dreams.
The Ardel Mage Corps.
It was directly under the royal family and was the Empire's strongest mage corps.
Every year, students with excellent grades in the Academy's end-of-term exam had the chance to enter it directly.
And the members of the Ardel Mage Corps were diverse and complicated.
Whether combat-type mages, or those specialized in healing or buffs, so long as their strength was sufficient, they could shine within it.
"So, professors, have you prepared this year's exam topics?"
The professors looked at one another, expressions troubled.
They had indeed prepared the exam questions, but they had never expected such a major incident like the Demon War to occur at the Academy.
The professors had drawn up this exam based on the normal teaching schedule.
But because of that battle, the Academy was destroyed, and students were forced into a long period of vacation.
And during that vacation, the professors naturally couldn't go door-to-door handing out homework.
As a result, the students spent a very relaxed period.
Although some students hired private tutors to make up lessons, many commoner students simply didn't have the means.
If they used the originally prepared exam questions, many students might fail.
"Diversity in Magic Use," "Fine Control of Elemental Abilities," "Magic Beast Knowledge," "History of Mages"…
And many mages had different major subjects.
For example, Professor Gaia, who had once "fought side by side" with Viktor, was a third-tier mage specializing in healing magic.
After the Demon War, the long vacation meant he had only taught two classes.
For the students, this exam topic would undoubtedly be an enormous challenge.
Rachel looked at the professors' troubled expressions, sighed, tapped his staff against the floor, and slowly said, "Since Devon Lesser disappeared, another professor's position has been left empty. This year's pass rate will likely be even lower."
The Royal Magic Academy's end-of-term exam rules were different from those of other academies.
Every year, students could choose which professors to take exams under. The principal would not proctor personally, so students had only eight professors to choose from.
As long as they passed the exams of five out of the eight professors, they would be considered passing.
Originally, before Viktor arrived, the Academy still had one more professor.
But she had left the Academy because she wanted to travel the world.
When she resigned, she left a letter on the principal's desk.
On the envelope, the words read, [The world is so big, I want to go see it.]
Just at that time, Viktor, as a "connected" candidate, was assigned directly.
And so, the vacant position was given to Viktor.
The professors' gazes all gathered on Viktor, and the conference hall fell a bit quieter.
In name, Viktor still belonged to the Academy's faculty, but everyone knew the truth.
This professor's weight was far heavier than even the principal's.
Rachel turned his head toward Viktor, chuckled, and stroked his white beard as he slowly said, "Chief Professor Viktor, I wish to give you Devon's exam quota. Students who pass your exam will be considered as having earned the approval of two professors."
"Of course, if you already have your own plans prepared, you may refuse. I don't wish to disrupt anything you have arranged."
Viktor expressionlessly nodded.
"I don't mind."
Seeing Viktor agree, Rachel breathed a sigh of relief.
If Viktor refused, he would've had to personally step in and draft a new exam on short notice.
That would be difficult.
"Then, please prepare well. The end-of-term exam will begin on Saturday and last for three days."
———
Viktor stepped onto the Academy's cobblestone path, preparing to leave.
It was quitting time, so naturally he didn't need to stay inside the dull and boring Mage Tower.
"Professor!"
In the distance, a voice called out to Viktor.
Henny jogged along the cobblestone path, running up to Viktor, panting heavily.
It took a while before she recovered, her fluorescent yellow eyes full of expectation as she looked at Viktor.
She had heard about the exam, but as an associate professor, she didn't need to manage such things.
However, the exam would last for three days.
Henny very much wanted to help Viktor lighten the workload, so her eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Professor! Is there anything I can help you with?"
If Viktor needed to prepare the exam questions, Henny, relying on her massive knowledge reserves and skilled professional abilities, could easily write an exam.
As she asked, she followed Viktor to the Academy's main gate.
Viktor didn't immediately answer. He stood at the gate, waiting for the carriage to arrive.
Clop! Clop!
A carriage without any horses slowly approached, the wheels clattering crisply against the stone path.
The Clavenna crest on it made Henny realize that this was the carriage Viktor was waiting for.
"For the days of the exam..."
"You only need to stay next to me."
Henny tilted her head, confused.
'Just staying next to the professor?'
Viktor glanced at Henny's glowing eyes and said flatly, "Get on the carriage first."
"O-okay!"
Henny quickly nodded, happily stepping toward the carriage.
Being able to live in the professor's house was great, she could go to and from work with him every day.
This time of day was always the happiest time for Henny.
———
In the final days before the exam, students were busy studying. Naturally, there were also students who completely gave up.
Very quickly, Saturday arrived, the exam day.
The students entered campus with nervous yet excited hearts, even their bodies feeling a bit heavier.
The exam locations were inside each professor's Mage Tower. Seven different professors would be waiting inside their respective towers.
"Hey, did you hear? This year's exam difficulty seems to have been lowered?"
"I heard! Originally it was eight out of five; now it's seven out of five."
"Apparently because Professor Viktor added an extra slot."
Adding an extra slot at Viktor's tower meant that if a student passed Viktor's exam, it counted as passing two professors' tests.
"And I heard that students who pass Viktor's exam with excellent results will receive a personal recommendation letter written by Chief Professor Viktor."
If they could get such a recommendation, any mage corps might open its doors to them.
Some students began fantasizing.
But…
Was the Academy sure this was lowering the difficulty, not increasing it?
The students quieted at this thought.
Thinking back to the first chief professor's test at the Arcane Hall, many of them began trembling.
Some already wondered whether the other professors' exams might be easier.
This exam would last three days, and students could freely choose any exam project within those three days.
As long as they passed five exams, their end-of-term exam would be considered a success.
In front of Viktor's Mage Tower, many students gathered, many of them wanting to try his exam.
After all, passing two exams at once, plus getting a possible recommendation letter, who wouldn't be tempted?
The exam venue for Viktor was the 50th floor of the Mage Tower.
Erica was the first candidate to enter.
She skillfully used teleportation magic to enter the tower.
A starry blue light swept past her eyes.
In the next moment, she appeared on a reed-filled plain.
This was a magical dimension space inside the Mage Tower.
It was built from the beginning specifically for the Academy's exams, and it opened only once per year.
The area was enormous, able to hold several hundred students.
After Erica waited for a while, many other candidates gradually entered.
Seeing Erica sitting among the reeds, the students were shocked for a long time.
They didn't expect the top student to arrive so early, they hadn't even seen her enter.
Perhaps this top student had already prepared everything.
She had come for Professor Viktor's exam.
She was determined to win.
———
The students sat idly among the reeds, discussing and guessing what the exam scope might be.
Soon, three hours passed. When the Academy's clock struck ten, that invisible string inside every student's heart tightened.
The exam was about to begin.
Henny slowly walked to the front of the crowd.
She looked at the hundred students who had come to take the exam.
The many days of teaching in Viktor's place had given her valuable experience.
Henny no longer feared facing a large crowd.
What's more, Henny was now an official first-tier mage.
She raised her hand in the air and waved a few times. A scroll of elemental magic was slowly pulled from the reeds and unfurled before the students.
The scroll was vividly colored, as if various elements were mixed together. The magical aura on it was chaotic yet unique.
Only the center of the scroll was blank.
This display of magic astonished the students.
Many could see that although this was merely a first-tier spell, its complexity and control over elemental shaping had reached a terrifying level.
As expected, this associate professor's magical attainments were not simple.
Even Erica was surprised.
Henny had silently become a first-tier mage?
Though Erica had seen Henny use magic before, that time she had used demonic power.
But now, Henny was clearly using her own mana.
Henny began speaking, and the magic scroll above her started to shift form.
"Hello everyone, I am Associate Professor Henny, and I'll be the proctor for this exam."
"Next, I will explain the rules."
The scroll distorted slightly, and the colors along the edges gradually filled the blank center. The blurred color blocks reassembled into a new image.
"To be precise, there are no restrictions in this exam. As long as you remain in the exam field and complete the exam within three days, it counts as success."
Many students were stunned.
'What kind of rule is that?'
But they continued listening.
"Those who fail may immediately retake the exam. There is no limit to the number of retakes. Of course, if you still do not pass within three days, the exam will be counted as a failure."
Amid the students' confusion, the scroll's center finally formed a complete image.
It seemed like an ink-wash realm within a realm.
Inside a lush green forest, a blurry figure appeared.
Though the face was unclear, one could tell by the colors of the clothing, Erica's eyes widened.
"Is this… Her Highness the Princess?"
The more knowledgeable students exclaimed.
Even without seeing her clearly, that powerful aura and the luxurious clothing made it obvious.
It was the princess.
After killing the Forest Demon alone last time, Aurelian's fame in the capital had risen considerably.
She was no longer the "vase princess" people once thought.
Inside the scroll, Aurelian dodged and weaved, using various types of magic.
Dark violet with luminous green, bright red with earthy yellow surged and struck the edges of the scroll.
Around her, several magic beasts curled themselves into clumps of color and lunged at her.
Farther away, creatures resembling flying bats spat black liquid from the sky.
The princess looked extremely relaxed, their attacks couldn't even touch her.
Then, with a single counterattack, she easily wiped out the small magic beasts.
Exploding fluids filled the scroll.
The scene ended.
The astonishment in the students' eyes was fully seen by Henny.
Smiling, she began explaining.
"That is all the content of this exam."
"Now, I will repeat it again."
Henny smiled, spread her hands, and dozens of teleportation arrays appeared around her.
At the end of each array, a glowing green light shimmered, as if leading somewhere dangerous.
"Welcome to... Viktor's Hidden Forest Realm."