Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 138 (Part 2):

“Attention everyone! You’ve heard rumors about the final practical exam, haven’t you?”

One day before the finals, as class was ending, Instructor Alan, hands on hips, explained the practical exam. Upon hearing the details, the fencing department students buzzed with excitement.

“Illusion magic?”

“That sounds amazing. It’ll be fun.”

“Does it focus on adaptability and real combat experience?”

“The opponent is a magical beast? The faint-hearted might faint just looking at them.”

Amidst the chaos, Helmut quietly reviewed Alan’s words.

There’s a large dome-shaped building within the academy. The exam takes place inside it. A building filled with the essence of various magics, sturdy and intricate. Upon entering for the exam, magical beasts are conjured through magic. Though illusions, they possess nearly identical forms and speeds to reality.

Striking or stabbing vital spots renders the beasts defeated, and they disappear. Though the conjured beasts seem lifelike, they can’t actually harm the students. However, if a student is “injured” in a critical area by a beast, the exam ends immediately.

The exam consists of 10 stages. Initially, easier beasts appear, but progressively harder ones follow. The method of combat and the highest stage reached determine the score.

For second-year students, reaching the fourth stage is challenging. Being a test of real combat skills, students enter with real swords.

“There’s a note. Using magic is allowed, but don’t recklessly swing your sword at walls or damage property. Unless you want to be cursed by the magic department professors. Got it?”

“Yes!”

Asuka approached Helmut after the explanation.

“Sian was right; it does sound fun, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

“Confident? It’s fighting against magical beasts. Seems like it could be horrifying. My heart’s racing.”

Asuka grimaced and made a fuss. Helmut recalled a monkey beast he saw on an escort mission, which devoured humans whole. If that’s horrifying, what level would it be? Second-year students might need a dozen to take it down. A few might die.

Or not. Perhaps all would. Adding individual strengths together might surpass it, but this isn’t arithmetic; it’s a completely different problem. The key is not allowing the beast to attack.

‘If it were Elaga, maybe level 10? But with their magic levels, they wouldn’t even conjure it.’

Helmut thought of the leopard that ruled the central region of the Forest of Roots, as big as a house. Despite its goofy nature, Elaga was tough. Even when Helmut gritted his teeth and attacked, it didn’t stop it from swatting Helmut to the ground with its tail.

Now he’s stronger. How much has the gap narrowed? Helmut decided not to dwell on it. It only soured his mood.

‘I’ve injured Naho, so I’ve become stronger.’

Originally, Elaga was slightly superior to Naho, especially with one of Naho’s heads missing. Helmut didn’t doubt its victory.

Just as Elaga believed Helmut had escaped the Forest of Roots.

‘Anyway, reaching a higher stage here means I can widen the gap with Asuka.’

The exam style was welcome. Helmut hoped for the most challenging and formidable beasts. Asuka likely hadn’t fought beasts before. It seemed so. And Helmut’s guess was right.

“Damn, but what if a brutally ugly or horrifying beast appears? Could be shocking.”

“You’ve Fought well enough against humans.”

Helmut suddenly thought of Fasho’s face. That was more horrifying to him.

“Are humans and beasts the same? Humans look somewhat smaller and manageable. Beasts have teeth like this and roar fiercely!”

Asuka bared his teeth and roared, causing some students nearby to nearly burst into laughter before quickly covering their mouths. Cute or funny wasn’t Asuka’s style. The reputation of the mad dog hadn’t died yet.

“…No need to be afraid. It’s not like you’ll actually die.”

Sometimes, humans are stronger than beasts. Humans are cunning and fight in ways beasts don’t.

“You’ve fought beasts before, haven’t you? You seem calm.”

“Yeah.”

Quite a lot, in fact. Even those beyond the exam’s level 10 standard. Asuka’s eyes sparkled with interest.

“Man, what have you been doing to have done all these things others haven’t?”

“The opposite. I’ve lived without doing things others have.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Let’s go eat lunch.”

Helmut gestured and moved first. It was time to cut off, or Asuka would keep prying. Asuka grumbled and followed.

“Acting all high and mighty. Like you’re hiding some dark past. Are you some kind of public enemy designated by the temple?”

“…”

Asuka had a sharp edge.

***

Around midnight, Helmut unexpectedly encountered Alea, who had returned early that day. When he thanked her for the notes, she abruptly turned her head away.

“Now that you’ve gotten good grades, you should maintain them. You were also admitted by instructor recommendation.”

“Yeah.”

Helmut didn’t ask if she was ready for the exam. It would be a silly question for the top student of the magic department. Alea was surely doing well.

Conversely, Alea asked.

“How’s your exam preparation going?”

When Helmut mentioned the fencing department’s practical exam, Alea tilted her head.

“An illusion magic exam? We have that too.”

“Mages too?”

“Practical experience is important for mages too, so we have it. Ours is probably harder. Magical beasts have better reflexes than humans, and magic takes time to cast.”

That’s why usually swordsmen and mages pair up. Several swordsmen to one magen. Thus, the fencing department jokingly refers to this arrangement as princesses and knights.

“Isn’t passing level 10 necessary for full marks?”

Although the exact standards were unclear, the facility was used for exams up to senior students. Even for Alea, who didn’t seem to have much practical experience, it was curious if his record of perfect scores in all subjects would break.

“In terms of the magic department, the highest level reached in a comparative evaluation is considered full marks. And there won’t be anyone who can reach a higher level than me.”

Alea snorted confidently.

“But Sian has spirits. If he cleverly reaches a high level in the exam, that’s enough.”

At those words, Alea’s expression slightly changed.

“You have a point.”

Even if Sian uses clever tactics, Alea didn’t seem likely to end up at a lower level than him. However, Alea didn’t let her guard down. That was how she maintained her top position and perfect scores.

“That makes perfect sense…”

Muttering, Alea’s eyes turned cold. For some reason, Helmut felt a chill from her expression and wondered if he had said something unnecessary.

***

“Do you know why Alea suddenly started ignoring me?”

The next day, at the dorm, Sian asked Helmut with a serious expression.

“Maybe he’s just tense because of the upcoming exam. It’s a challenging format for mages.”

A small mistake or a flaw in magic could immediately end the exam. Alea rarely made mistakes, but there were quite a few competitors.

Sian’s spirits think and act independently, unlike magic that simply follows the caster’s calculations. They can attack on their own, making it easier to handle unexpected situations. That might give him an advantage in this exam more than expected.

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