Talia on Pins and Needles

The sun shone brightly, and a gentle breeze swept through Iketerite Academy.

Many areas of the campus were equipped with magic screens, similar to those found in commercial streets.

These screens not only provided students and faculty with real-time information, notifications, and academic events, but also displayed various interesting short videos and live broadcasts of major campus activities.

Therefore, these screens sometimes became a focal point for people on campus to gather and discuss during breaks.

Like at this moment.

The annual entrance exam broadcast, which was quite interesting for many older students, was currently underway.

Many people simply wanted to see the new students suffer or make fools of themselves, while some upperclassmen wanted to scout for potentially talented newcomers to recruit into their teams.

On the screen, one could see.

Wind and snow howled, a vast expanse of white.

While other candidates were still struggling in the icy and snowy conditions, Lanchi had already met the conditions for passing.

He sat in a warm room, roasting pastries by the fireplace.

His skillful and leisurely demeanor showed no sign of the tension one would expect from challenging a Shadow World; it was as if he were filming a new advertisement for Holy Kingdom-style desserts.

All he had to do now was wait for the artificial Shadow World's time limit to end and for the terminal to complete his score calculation.

Even though not many students had paid attention to Lanchi's actions earlier.

But with a few exclamations.

Students quickly began to discuss amongst themselves.

"Do you know what this guy just did!?"

"What?"

"He's such a scumbag! He went straight to arrest that family!"

"Does that count as giving them a warm winter?"

"Just tell me if he completed the requirement or not. He really did complete it."

"Hahaha! What kind of twisted logic is that!"

On the terrace of the Learning and Education Building.

People resting and waiting there sat or stood, many already gathered around the high-hanging screen, forming a lively small circle.

Many began discussing what kind of rising star this young man named "Lanchi Wilford" was.

However, no one present had known this name before.

Only one student wearing Alchemy Institute jewelry mentioned that he had heard of a company called "Wilford Merchant Guild," and it was said that the chairman had an illegitimate son.

But he had never heard of a young talent like Lanchi.

"..."

Talia listened as the students' discussion gradually focused on Lanchi.

Sitting on the edge of the terrace, on an outdoor wooden chair, she silently lowered her head, averting her gaze from the magic screen.

Although she had been observing Lanchi's movements in the corner of the split screen just now.

But when she truly understood Lanchi's actions and heard the gasps of surprise from the people around her.

She just wanted to escape from here, to escape as far as possible.

Because she started hearing people discussing: "This guy named Lanchi's behavior pattern doesn't really seem human, could he be a spy for the Demon Race?"

This sent a chill down her spine.

Talia absolutely did not want to be misunderstood as a dangerous target requiring close surveillance just because she was too close to Lanchi.

She really didn't teach him these things...

In fact, her interactions with Lanchi over the past three months had also made her gradually realize that the young man's thinking and personality were somewhat unusual.

But it wasn't until this moment that she finally became certain.

This guy was more or less seriously ill!

Staying by his side, it was impossible not to be noticed.

However.

According to their agreement.

She had to protect Lanchi and continue to be his teacher.

Just thinking about leaving the academy with Lanchi later, and having to stay in the Royal Capital with Lanchi for at least some time in the future.

She felt like she was being roasted over a fire.

If her long-held dream of restoring her country, which she had endured so much for, was ultimately exposed and ruined because of this human.

Then she just wanted to die with Lanchi.

Now she hoped Lanchi would come out of the examination room quickly and leave here with her.

Yet she also hoped Lanchi would never come out, as she didn't want people to see them together.

"Lan... qi..."

Talia muttered through gritted teeth.

She clenched her fists, feeling that every second that followed was like sitting on pins and needles.

In the decades she had wandered alone after the destruction of the Demon Race's country.

This was the first time a human had made her feel such pain.

In the seventh-floor atrium of the Learning and Education Building, a skylight combining modern design with natural elements filled the entire space with sunlight.

Indoor greenery surrounded the atrium, and nearby, some art installations and sculptures added a lot of gentle humanistic atmosphere to the atrium.

The chief examiner standing in this atrium, Loren, the Dean of the Sage Institute, was now clenching his fists.

The exam questions this time were personally selected by him.

According to historical analysis, this first-tier Shadow World, [Hidden Flame of Winter], was originally a predicament encountered by the last Benevolent Holy Emperor, renowned for his benevolence, in the ancient civilization of this world tens of thousands of years ago, during his early years.

Loren's most revered legendary figure had always been this Benevolent Holy Emperor.

Every deed of the Holy Emperor filled Loren with immense admiration.

In fact, for this exam, Loren didn't just want to test the new students' "wisdom and character."

He also hoped they could understand the circumstances and mindset under which the Holy Emperor helped the villagers back then.

As well as the helplessness and sadness the Holy Emperor felt after discovering the truth.

Yet, he was still able to remain unwavering and continue to uphold his firm belief in benevolence thereafter.

"Damn it..."

However, this kid named Lanchi Wilford.

His actions.

Seemed to make the Holy Emperor look foolish.

Could it be possible to directly sacrifice benevolence in exchange for demonic power?

Just like that, waiting for the exam time to end.

Loren looked up, staring at Lanchi leisurely roasting sweets on the giant magic screen in the courtyard.

He felt a fire burning in his heart.

If he could enter the Shadow World, he would really love to kick that broken stove flying!

"This guy's magic power is so weak, why is he an examinee from our institute?"

Loren finally calmed down and muttered to himself in confusion.

The moment he arrived at the exam hall, he had sensed the magic power of all the examinees.

He remembered that Lanchi's magic power level was undoubtedly in the lowest tier among them, not even comparable to many physical examinees from the Knight Institute.

If he hadn't noticed Lanchi on the magic screen, Loren would have almost mistaken Lanchi for an examinee from the Knight Institute at first.

"If he could pass the first round of attribute testing during the application for admission, it can only mean his mental attribute is very high, and the weighted score made up for the total evaluation..."

"But how will he pass the practical exam..."

The third round of assessment was different from the first two rounds; there was no way to rely on shortcuts or tricks, only one's own hard strength.

Loren was very sure that Lanchi was not a clergyman.

He couldn't feel any aura of divine blessing on him.

Therefore, Lanchi naturally couldn't use Priest-type Magic Cards that "influence healing amount with mental strength."

The angle of the light passing through the glass dome in the courtyard gradually changed, like the hands of a clock, recording the passage of every moment.

The exam was finally nearing its end.

The candidates were sent out one by one from the giant swirling void gate in the order they had entered.

It wasn't until all the participants had left the artificial Shadow World that Loren gently touched the secret key on the terminal and closed the void gate.

Following that, the artificial Shadow World's terminal began the final calculation of the exam results.

Loren stood on the high platform and looked out, seeing the many successful candidates who had not yet left the examination hall, scattered throughout the atrium. Some couldn't hide their joy, while others had indifferent expressions.

Although it was impossible to know the progress of other candidates in conquering their Shadow Worlds during the exam, it was clear that many confident candidates were certain that their Shadow World scores this time would definitely be among the best.