Chapter 37: Cedric Despairs Over the Practical Exam
Having finished the written exam with unsatisfactory results, Cedric found himself thrust into the practical exam without a moment to vent his frustration or anger. The practical exam was divided by subjects, and Cedric, enrolled in the Magic Department, moved to the grounds as instructed by the exam proctor.
“Oh…!”
As Cedric stepped onto the grounds, his gaze was drawn to two women standing nearby. One was a stunning girl with golden hair tied in a ponytail, while the other was a demure beauty with silver hair cascading down her back. Despite their similar appearances, they exuded contrasting vibes, like the sun and the moon—these were the sisters of the Rosemary Marquis House.
(It’s been a year… and they’ve become even more beautiful since then…!)
Cedric swallowed hard. Viola Rosemary and Primula Rosemary had matured into more sophisticated versions of themselves, their soft curves accentuating their femininity. They had always been lovely, but now they radiated an alluring charm, like buds blossoming into full bloom in just a year.
“Gulp…”
Cedric swallowed again, acutely aware of the attention the beautiful sisters were drawing from the men around them, who were stealing glances and searching for opportunities to speak to them.
(Don’t you dare look at them! They’re mine, you hear!?)
A mysterious possessiveness stirred within Cedric. Those women belonged to him. It had to be that way. They were suited for someone as exceptional as he was.
(I should talk to them… Yes, I have a topic. I can apologize for what happened a year ago…!)
With a smirk, Cedric prepared to approach the sisters. However, just then, they noticed him and shot him piercing glares.
“…………!?”
Cedric instinctively halted in his tracks. Viola glared at him with eyes filled with anger, while Primula regarded him with a chilling disdain. Even someone as prideful and self-assured as Cedric could not ignore the unmistakable rejection in their gazes.
(W-What the hell… What did I even do…?)
He recalled that he had indeed put them in danger a year ago. But… in the end, they had come away unscathed. Surely, the wolf had fled in fear of him. It was because of his genius that they had been saved without incident. And yet… to be looked at with such resentment was utterly unfair.
(Damn it… They’re narrow-minded for such beautiful faces. If this is how it’s going to be, I’ll have to show them just how exceptional I am!)
Cedric abandoned the idea of speaking to the sisters, but he had not given up on winning them over. It seemed he had been disliked due to a minor incident, but he possessed magical talent. If he showcased overwhelming skill in this exam, both of them would surely be captivated by him.
As Cedric’s motivation flared like a blazing fire, the female exam proctor stepped forward to begin explaining the practical exam.
“Now, one by one, you will cast your magic at that target! The target is equipped with a special magic item that can measure the power of the magic cast upon it. You may only cast one spell at the target. However… if you fail to hit the target, you are permitted to use multiple spells!”
“…………?”
If you fail to hit the target, you can use multiple spells? Cedric tilted his head in confusion at the strange explanation, but soon brushed the oddity aside.
(If I’m going to cast, it’ll be an advanced spell. I’ll use my newly mastered spell to astonish everyone here!)
His written exam scores had been lackluster. He needed to score as high as possible in the practical exam to compensate.
(Once they see my magnificent magic, those two will surely change their attitudes…!)
“Now, please step forward in order of your candidate numbers. First up is Baron Jean Quest’s son.”
“Yes!”
The named candidate stepped forward, casting spells at the target one by one. Fire, lightning, ice, wind… Various spells struck the target, displaying numbers above it.
(Hmph… An average of around 80 points, I see. Pathetic fools.)
As expected of the nobility. The scores were decent, but they were mostly basic or intermediate spells. None of the candidates had managed to cast an advanced spell.
“[Fire Bolt]!”
“[Ice Bolt]!”
When it was the Rosemary sisters’ turn, Viola scored “137,” while Primula achieved “129.” Both surpassed the hundred-point mark.
(Hmph! They’ll need to perform at least that well since they’re going to be my wives! It’s unfortunate they’re stuck at intermediate magic… but that just means my magic will stand out even more!)
The scores of the Rosemary sisters were the highest thus far.
As a side note, there were no candidates from families ranked higher than marquis among those present. Members of the royal family or duke’s houses took the exam separately due to security concerns and were not in attendance.
(If the rumored genius, Third Prince Rodel, and his fiancée, the most talented woman in the kingdom, the Duchess Crocus, were here, things would be different… but in this exam, no one will score higher than Viola and Primula.)
Of course, that was excluding himself. Cedric chuckled to himself inwardly.
“Next up is… Cedric Evern, Honorary Viscount’s son.”
“Yes.”
Called by name, Cedric strode confidently forward. Under the gaze of the other candidates, he stood at the line drawn on the ground, focusing on the target ten meters away.
(Witness, you insignificant commoners! Despair at my overwhelming talent!)
“[Thunderstorm]!”
He unleashed an advanced spell he had only recently mastered. A thundercloud formed around the target, unleashing a torrential downpour of lightning.
“An advanced spell!?”
“Impressive…!”
“No way? He can use such magic…!”
“As expected of Cedric Evern, son of the court magician, hailed as a genius!”
(How about that? Impressive, isn’t it!? This is the power of a man called a genius!)
Gasps of astonishment and admiration erupted from the other candidates watching from behind. Cedric puffed out his chest, turning to look at the Rosemary sisters.
““…………””
(……Huh?)
The Rosemary sisters were indeed looking at Cedric. With cold, detached eyes. Their expressions bore contempt and mockery. Their reaction was entirely unexpected, leaving him bewildered.
“Cedric Evern, 86 points.”
“…………Huh?”
Cedric was taken aback by the proctor’s words. He quickly turned around, and the number floating above the target read “86.” It was only slightly above the average score of the previous candidates.
“Alright, you may step back.”
“W-What!? No way!”
“Hmm…?”
“My score can’t be this low! This must be a mistake!”
Cedric raised his voice, advancing toward the female proctor. He had cast an advanced spell. There was no way his score could be lower than the Rosemary sisters, who had used intermediate spells.
“This is some kind of mistake! I demand a redo!”
“……You may only cast one spell at the target. A redo is not permitted.”
“Unbelievable…! This is nonsense! The target must be broken… No, this is a conspiracy! Someone is envious of my talent and trying to sabotage me!”
In his fury, Cedric seemed to lose sight of everything else, attempting to grab the proctor by the collar. However, she swiftly cast a spell to restrain him.
“[Earth Bind]!”
“Wha—!?”
Bound by black ropes that erupted from the ground, Cedric squirmed like a worm.
“Due to your violent behavior towards the exam proctor, points will be deducted. Cedric Evern.”
“C-Crap… Damn it!”
“You seem dissatisfied with the results, but given that magic, it’s only natural.”
Looking down at the bound Cedric, the proctor sighed in exasperation.
“It seems your understanding of magic is lacking… [Thunderstorm] is a spell that attacks a wide area simultaneously. Its power against a single target is not particularly high. It’s ill-suited for a ‘target shooting’ exam.”
“W-What…?”
“While it’s impressive that you mastered an advanced spell at your age… your score will be recorded as is. Don’t take it personally.”
“…………”
Cedric was engulfed in despair. His performance on the written exam had already been subpar. With insufficient points in the practical exam and deductions for violent conduct, he was now teetering on the edge of failure.
(N-No way… Me, failing…? How am I supposed to report this to Father and Mother…?)
“Oh man, he really messed up.”
“How embarrassing. Is he really a noble?”
“Even hailed as a genius, he’s only this good.”
“This is what happens when a pretender gets carried away. What a disgrace.”
“…………”
Cedric could hear the mocking voices of the other candidates around him.
From that point on, his memories faded. He felt as though he had been subjected to some individual task after the practical exam, but in his despair, those moments slipped from his consciousness, and he returned home to the Evern Honorary Viscount House in utter defeat.