Despite taking several hits, Leon minimized the damage and closed the distance to Princess Eliana.
(It’s not easy to get this close! I’ll settle it here!)
Leon’s blade lunged toward Eliana in a swift strike.
Without a hint of panic, the princess activated her next spell.
“Spell: Magic Wall.”
A barrier of mana manifested before Eliana, designed to repel physical force. It collided with Leon’s mana-infused slash, sending a shower of sparks flying—
But that was the limit.
(The sheer density of it!)
The most he could manage was a small fracture in the barrier.
While an average student's Magic Wall would have shattered instantly, Princess Eliana’s barrier lived up to her reputation. It was clear that destroying it with a single blow was an impossible task.
“The rule of this exam is to take turns receiving attacks. Your turn is finished, I believe.”
Eliana giggled softly and pointed her right index finger toward the sky.
“Now, it is my turn—Spell: Heavenly Hammer.”
Relying on his animalistic intuition and the direction of her finger, Leon predicted the trajectory.
(—From above!)
He looked up, bracing his mana-reinforced sword with both hands.
An impact like a localized hurricane slammed down from overhead.
“Guuooooooooo!”
He tried to hold his ground, but it wasn't a blow meant to be withstood. His sword groaned under the pressure, and Leon’s arms buckled, unable to maintain his stance.
Total collapse—
“Gah!”
It felt as though Leon had been swatted down by the massive palm of a giant. He was slammed into the floor, his body bouncing once before he skidded across the stone.
“That’s enough!”
The teacher acting as referee declared the end of the match.
“Thank you for the match. Are you alright?”
“...Yes, of course. My only saving grace is that I'm sturdy. Though, I was hoping to look a bit more impressive.”
“Foreshadowing—isn't that what I called it? It is from these depths that you will rise to defeat the Demon King and save the people. Surely, this day will be remembered as the beginning of that legend.”
The princess’s expression softened into a smile.
“Please continue to refine your skills. I have high expectations for you, as you are the Hero.”
Those were words Leon had heard countless times since being named the Hero Candidate.
His response was always simple.
—Leave it to me!
He would offer a brilliant smile, his eyes sparkling with determination as he gave his word.
The words had no concrete basis, but they were never irresponsible.
Leon believed in himself.
He believed in the future he would save as the Hero. It was a duty he felt he must fulfill with his own hands, even if it cost him his life. He held to this conviction with a will as absolute as a zealot’s blind faith in a god.
And so, Leon gave his usual answer.
“Leave it to me!”
Yet, for some reason, the words felt heavier than they ever had before. The smile that usually came so naturally now required a conscious effort to maintain.
The overwhelming flash Albert had released earlier...
It had left a definite, if small, crack in the heart of the innocent Hero, Leon.
No matter how microscopic that fracture was, things would never be exactly as they were before.
◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
From a distance, I watched the mock battle between Leon and Eliana.
Neither the fight nor the result surprised me. This event existed in the original game; it was a scripted "Loss Event."
At the start of the story, Leon is quite weak. Eliana, on the other hand, is a princess who has received elite education and possesses immense natural talent.
Well, yeah, he was bound to get thrashed.
But the Hero doesn't let it get him down. With eyes full of fighting spirit and hope, he’ll use today's defeat as fuel to work even harder.
If I recall, that’s how the plot goes.
By all means, I hope he does his best with those sparkling eyes to defeat the Demon King. Not that I particularly care!
Today’s exam was proceeding almost exactly as the original scenario dictated. The only real anomaly was me—Albert—running wild.
Ah, wait... no, there was one other deviation.
“Now then, we shall begin the final match! Albert von Kronstadt! Victor von Eldridge! Step forward!”
In the game, Victor was supposed to face some random student. He was meant to demonstrate his overwhelming power and solidify his position as the top of the class.
Instead, he ended up facing me. Talk about rotten luck.
Then again, he was the one who asked for this.
Victor stepped up to face me. His movements were stiff and his expression was strained. Was he going to be okay?
The refereeing teacher spoke.
“I will now explain the rules—”
While the Princess had a special arrangement, we were following the standard exam protocol.
The participants alternate between attacker and defender, using attack and defense magic respectively. Once the exchange is done, they swap roles and go again.
That was it.
The goal was likely to evaluate how we handled ourselves in a direct confrontation.
“The student with the lower score attacks first, but since Albert’s score was unmeasurable...”
“It’s no problem. Choose whichever you prefer, Victor.”
“...I'll take the attacking side.”
Of course he would. His only prayer of winning was to take me down with the first move.
We took our positions and faced each other.
“Spell: Wolf Stream Piercing Fang!”
Victor’s choice was exactly as I’d anticipated. It was likely his most proficient spell, boasting the highest firepower in his current repertoire.
In response, I deployed Magic Shield.
It was a standard defensive spell, lacking any special flair or ingenuity.
Unfortunately, I haven't mastered any defensive Ancient Magic yet. Until I do, I have to make do with Modern Magic.
The shield I manifested brushed Victor’s mana aside effortlessly.
That should have been the end of Victor’s turn—
“Spell: Wolf Stream Piercing Fang! Spell: Wolf Stream Piercing Fang! Spell: Wolf Stream Piercing Fang!”
Victor began darting around the arena, firing his signature spell in rapid succession as if searching for a gap in my guard.
This wasn't against the rules.
The attacker can use as much magic as they want; it’s the defender's job to keep blocking. It was a test designed to simulate real combat, far removed from hitting a stationary target.
“Uoooooooooo!”
A man who was usually defined by his cold pride was now throwing everything he had at me.
The sheer volume of mana he was discharging was impressive.
To think he’d polished his craft to this level!
I could feel Victor’s talent and the weight of his effort. He truly was a character worthy of being the Hero's companion.
I was soon engulfed by the raging torrent of Victor’s mana.
My field of vision was blotted out by the constant impact of his spells.
There was no doubt that a single direct hit would result in an instant knockout. The sheer pressure of his barrage would have shattered any ordinary defensive barrier in seconds.
He wasn't the top of the class in the game for nothing.
Overwhelming strength, raw talent—
He was better than I thought!
“Haah... haah... haah...!”
Victor’s offensive finally sputtered out.
I could hear him gasping for air.
His eyes met mine, and they were instantly dyed with despair.
My defensive barrier remained unshaken, unchipped, and completely unscathed. Naturally, I didn't have a scratch on me either.
It’s true that I don’t have defensive Ancient Magic...
But why would that matter?
Albert is a man who inherited the purple and blue heterochromia that only appears in the most gifted members of House Kronstadt. Furthermore, rather than resting on that natural talent, I’ve endured the brutal training of my tutor, Claude, and put in a staggering amount of work.
And that’s not all.
In my pursuit of Ancient Magic, I’ve devoured countless volumes of research. I’m a total grind-hard student who practically lives in the library.
Did you really think you could breach a magic wall built upon such a foundation quite so easily?
I turned my gaze toward Victor.
“Is your turn over, Victor? Because now, it’s mine.”