Babel Aptitude Test Preparation Room.
The Babel Aptitude Test Preparation Room was a large chamber used by examiners to take breaks and by instructors to confer whenever issues arose during the administration of the Babel aptitude tests.
That being said, the aptitude tests consisted of only three parts: mana measurement, physical fitness measurement, and summoning aptitude measurement. These were merely simple assessments, and problems rarely occurred. Thus, the room served almost exclusively as a break lounge for the examiners. On this occasion, however, things were slightly different.
"Seriously, what on earth happened to you?"
Elish Excel—examiner for the summoning aptitude test—asked in bewilderment, looking down at the high divine beast, Kouma, who was still trembling violently from head to toe.
"..."
It offered no reply, merely shivering in place.
Judging by the circumstances, the cause was almost certainly Examinee 20456 and the puppy he had summoned.
Kouma's behavior had changed completely the moment it laid eyes on that black pup. For Kouma to be this terrified... It was hard to believe, but could that little black dog truly be a being superior to the divine beast Kouma?
If so, just who in the world was Examinee 20456, the one who had summoned it...?
Just as Elish was about to be swallowed up by the whirlwind of her own thoughts, a narrow-eyed man clad in black robes stepped into the room.
"Hey, everyone. Rough time out there, huh? Especially you, Kouma... I'm sorry. I really should have explained things to you beforehand."
He bowed deeply. This man was Sigma Rockwell. One of Chief Headmaster Inea's trusted confidants, he was a rising star among the younger staff, serving as the vice head mage despite his youth. He had also been Elish's instructor during her academy days.
"What... was that?"
At the sound of the clear, trembling female voice coming from Kouma, Sigma let out a long breath and offered a weary, bitter smile.
"It's probably just what you're imagining," he said with a solemn, deliberate look.
The color drained from Kouma's face even further, and it clutched its head, trembling uncontrollably.
"Instructor Sigma, who is he—"
Unable to bear watching Kouma and Instructor Sigma reach an unspoken understanding without her, Elish tried to ask the question burning in her mind, but...
"K— No, Examinee 20456 is an entirely separate matter. We will be the ones evaluating his pass or fail status, practical test and aptitude test included. So, I need you all to just put him out of your minds for now."
He cut her off sharply.
"That's unacceptable!"
Raising her voice in a rare burst of emotion, she protested, but—
"Sorry. This comes directly from the headmaster."
Instructor Sigma shot her down immediately.
Normally, Chief Headmaster Inea rarely interfered in individual, case-by-case matters. She was the sort of person who considered manipulating an individual student's test results entirely out of the question. The same held true for Instructor Sigma.
For him to declare it so openly could only mean that Examinee 20456 was someone significant enough to make the headmaster and her circle reconsider their actions, even if it meant bending their own principles.
Moreover, Elish doubted the headmaster would ever bow to mere royalty. Which meant he was... No, delving any deeper into this would be dangerous.
Unlike the other staff members, Elish had never staked her life or entire future on this career.
Above all, unlike her hero of a father, Ralph Excel, Elish was thoroughly ordinary. Her life thus far had made her painfully aware of that fact.
Therefore, Elish's life plan was safe and modest. Achieve moderate success, hold a moderately fulfilling job, and seize a moderate amount of happiness. That was her ideal. She wanted no part in overstepping her bounds and letting some needless hassle wreck the comfortable life she currently enjoyed.
"Understood. I won't press the issue. However, I don't know how the other directors will take this. The vice headmaster faction in particular is bound to kick up a fuss."
"Yeah. I know. We're prepared for that, too. Or rather..."
For a fleeting moment, a dark glint flickered in Instructor Sigma's narrow eyes, accompanied by an eerie, faint smirk. Something tremendously dreadful was about to go down here at Babel. Elish was certain of it.
"Y-You fools... You don't actually intend to make use of that thing, do you?!"
Staring intently at Instructor Sigma as though witnessing the unthinkable, Kouma let out a shrill cry of disbelief.
"Of course we're aware of the risks. But it's something we have to do."
Hearing Instructor Sigma's impassioned reply, Kouma's cheeks twitched.
"You lot are definitely not sane..."
After forcing out those parting words, Kouma clamped its mouth tightly shut.
"Don't worry. It won't turn out so badly. He doesn't seem to be that type of person, anyway."
Seeing Kouma terrified to this extent only gave Elish a bad feeling about getting involved. Instructor Sigma had told her to leave it alone. Best to let sleeping dogs lie and remain an innocent bystander.
Elish's conclusion at that moment was entirely sensible and sound. Life, however, rarely goes as planned.
Ironically, through her encounter with this genuine monster—Kai Heinemann—and contrary to all her modest hopes, Elish was destined to be dragged deep into the vortex of turmoil that had been brewing since the very founding of Babel.