One hour ago.
“Whoaack.”
The airship resembled a whale.
With large fins flapping on each side and a long tail adorning the stern, it had no vertical mast typical of a ship.
The difference was that a flat deck covered the upper part, making it convenient for people to move around.
Aka, various related persons, prospective students, and crew members bustled around chaotically on the wide deck. Supplies and luggage were passed from hand to hand.
A girl with pink hair spun around in place, her gaze wildly examining the airship.
“It’s huge!”
“Looks like they modeled it after a sky whale.”
Oh wow.
Pastel rushed over to the deck railing and looked down at the ground. A fantasy city receded beyond the horizon, and the ocean spread out.
Her pink hair danced in the wind.
Waving her hand over the railing, she called out, “What happens if I fall?”
Magic poof?
The demon sword responded firmly.
“You die.”
Eh.
Pastel glanced down at the dizzying height.
“Isn’t there a safety feature?”
“If a strong wind blows, hold on to the railing tight. That’s your only lifeline.”
Whoa.
“Since it’s over the ocean, wouldn’t they rescue us if we fell?”
“At this height, you’d die from internal injuries the moment you hit the surface.”
Whoa.
Pastel stepped away from the deck railing.
Super dangerous.
Suddenly, she heard whispering. Nobles glanced over, murmuring among themselves.
A crowd had formed around the pink girl, creating a big empty space.
Pastel’s eyes widened.
While thinking, she raised her hand high.
“Hello, friends!”
The nobility flinched, exchanged glances, and scattered.
Hmm, no one is responding?
Pastel dropped her hand.
“Demon Lord, choose.”
1. A bumpkin has arrived. Looks like it’s her first time on an airship.
2. Winter dress with stitching marks? No attendants? Totally unrefined.
3. Who’s that? Is she a noble? Anyone know her?
4. Pink pink? Whoa, it’s the fallen Craft.
“…Don’t worry about it. None of them know you well enough to judge properly. Never judge a person by their first impression.”
“I know! I know! Ahahaha!”
Pastel burst into laughter.
“Finally, a place where people live!”
That monster mansion was way too inconvenient.
It smells like people, and I love it!
She tossed her hair. Her locks swirled joyfully with the wind.
“Prospective students, please enter the dormitory! You must wait until you’re called!”
“Yeeesss!”
Pastel entered her assigned guest room. Beneath the deck, wide spaces existed on each floor. It felt like a cruise ship.
After resting for a while, she heard the call for prospective students and headed back to the deck.
There, a row of desks was set up.
The noble trainees emerged, looking bewildered. Only a handful appeared to know what was happening.
Once everyone gathered, a burly professor stepped forward. His expression was as inflexible as a needle wouldn’t pierce through.
“Welcome to the Academy Airship. We will conduct a surprise exam.”
Exam papers and writing tools were placed on the desks.
Eh?
Eh?
A written exam?!
“Those who fail can go there.”
The professor pointed decisively beyond the railing.
A pale sky unfolded.
Whoaack.
Is this a fantasy death game?
Is death a prerequisite for entering the academy?
A scream pierced through the group.
The professor paused, then looked at where he pointed. A new airship appeared late in the open sky.
His finger pointed back at the airship.
“Losers head home.”
Phew.
“There’s no resurrection for losers. Prepare for a different life without admission.”
Eek…!
Pastel received the exam paper.
“Explain the impact of demon realm exploration on the national economy focusing on the geopolitical value of sky islands.”
S-s-written?
Flutter flutter.
All of this?!
She gasped for breath.
Isn’t the difficulty of the questions strange?
Was the school I’m aiming for not a middle or high school? Is it a university? No way, a graduate school?
G-g-g-g.
I just barely learned to read and write!
“Calm down. This is just a surprise written exam.”
She glanced around.
Students were elegantly fluttering their quills.
Oh no.
Am I the only one…?!
“I’ll tell you what to write, so just follow along.”
Oh no.
“To understand the geopolitical value of sky islands, several theoretical frameworks must be examined.”
The quill moved frantically.
Oh no.
“And as burdens of long-distance navigation decreased, private sector exploration became active. The center of demon realm exploration shifted from the state to private …”
Oh no.
Finished drafting the final exam paper.
Thud.
This is completely a wash.
If only I had a year, I would’ve breezed through it.
Swish swish swish.
I totally bombed this exam.
Aren’t the questions too hard?
“The results are in.”
Pastel Love Craft.
476 points.
Top scorer!
Aren’t the questions too hard?
For the other kids, that is.
Hehe, life is easy.
Top scorer, Pastel Love Craft – 476 points.
Runner-up, Melissa Camelot – 327 points.
The blonde girl with blue eyes stared blankly at the wall where the results were posted.
The noise of the crowd faded away.
Runner-up?
Am I the runner-up?
Melissa Camelot.
Daughter of the Duke of Camelot.
A rising star in the magic realm, destined to become a grand sorceress.
Mother, Father.
I didn’t get first place.
I’m sorry for not living up to your expectations.
I guess I didn’t work hard enough.
Melissa stared at the results blankly.
Pastel Love Craft?
Who is that? I don’t remember seeing her in social gatherings.
Craft? That Craft?
“Don’t even step into shadows. They’ve fallen even further from glory. They’re the ones who stab with daggers while wearing innocent faces. Never be fooled by appearance.”
Melissa scanned the area, searching for the pink hair she had only heard about.
She spotted her almost immediately.
“Hehe.”
The pink girl gaped at the results, her presence unmistakable.
An expression lacking refined emotions.
Dressed in shabby clothes, unbecoming of a noble.
A family that fell from grace at their most glorious time.
Melissa tried to approach.
“I’m in bottom tier?!”
A muscular male student slammed the wall. His longsword at his waist rattled.
Surely…
Dustin Wilder from Baron Wilder’s family.
“This doesn’t mean anything! Who cares about the written exam! It’ll be decided by practical skills anyway!”
His gaze swept aggressively across the crowd.
Upon noticing Melissa, he flinched but quickly diverted his attention elsewhere.
His wandering gaze landed on the still-gaping pink girl lost in her world.
The male student grimaced.
“Hey, you!”
He strode forward.
The throng of students parted.
The delicate girl at last realized what was happening and widened her eyes.
“Oh, hi, friend! Do you need something from me? A friend request? I hope not?”
The male student glared at her.
His gaze confirmed the pink hair and pink eyes. Then it landed on her slender arms and plain sword.
“You’re the top scorer, right?”
“So it seems.”
Hehe.
The male student flinched, shook his head, and grimaced again.
A handkerchief emerged from his pocket. He tossed it into the girl’s face.
“Let’s have a match.”
Melissa frowned.
A duel? How vulgar.
The girl widened her eyes.
“Wow?! A duel? I’ve never done that before!”
Whoa whoa.
The male student stood dumbfounded.
“Do you not know what that means?”
“I do!”
The girl glanced around.
The gathering crowd and their gazes.
“But are you okay?”
She poked at the boy’s concerns.
“If you lose, it’ll be embarrassing.”
“What?”
The male student’s expression hardened.
Murmurs filled the air.
Melissa’s mouth dropped open in shock. Then she covered her mouth with a hand, gasping again.
Mother, you were right with your advice.
One should never judge people by appearances.
Truly.
Pastel was humming.
A duel, it’s a duel.
“How do we duel? I threw a handkerchief, but I guess it won’t be a life-or-death match between students, right?”
Puff puff?
She consulted with the demon sword, watching for a moment. As she drew a line in the air with her finger, a chill ran through her body.
Isn’t this too dangerous?
“Stopping right before you hit is crucial. That’s precisely why we use practice gear. It should be over there.”
Picking up a practice sword, she exclaimed, “The blade is only shaped like a proper sword! It’s also light and thin.”
Swinging it back and forth.
Is this the feel of a rapier?
“It’s a feather sword. Feel the weight. The center of mass will be closer to the grip, making it much easier to stop your attack.”
“Oh wow, it really is! But with a weapon like this, won’t it limit some techniques?”
“Dueling and real combat are distinctly different. You should attack honestly and receive honestly. That reduces the risk of injury.”
Hmm.
“Can I kick?”
“You can do that.”
“And punching?”
“That’s fine too. Just light injuries are acceptable, nothing severe.”
“What about throwing dirt?”
“…How far do you intend to go with this?”
Pastel nodded.
“I will fight honorably!”
Yay!
The delicate girl stood before her opponent.
The muscular male student cracked his shoulders. His thick arms made audible sounds.
How much strength training has he done?
The professor stood in the center, looking disinterested.
The duel etiquette was followed to completion.
“Let’s respect one another.”
“Yes!”
The male student pointed his sword at her.
Pastel took her stance.
She let her energy flow.
Widening her legs.
Stance opened at 135 degrees.
“Face me head-on. You are not the weaker here.”
A voice echoed through her waist.
Pastel flinched, then closed her stance to 45 degrees.
Fighting fair.
The professor flicked a coin into the air.
The coin hit the ground.
The male student slammed down on the ground. His sword rose above.
A vertical slash?
The blade tilted diagonally.
No, is it a horizontal slash?
Pastel matched his movements, mirroring him like a mirror. Her sword lifted, tilting diagonally.
The male student’s brow furrowed.
The girl struck her sword.
Blades clashed.
A shock reverberated.
Blades slid off each other. The roots of their swords grinded against one another at the crossguard.
In that frozen moment.
Their gazes locked. His eyes bore into her, a challenge of strength.
Pastel inhaled deeply as if agreeing. The boy squeezed his brows tighter as he inhaled deeply in response.
One, two, three!
The girl pushed her sword forward with all her strength.
The male student resisted, channeling strength throughout his body. His muscles bulged.
Their combined forces collided.
The swords made a loud noise.
The ground trembled.
Spectators leapt from their seats.
The male student staggered.
“Huh?”
His eyes widened.
A gap.
The girl suddenly pushed against the locked crossguard to the side. His sword was helplessly pushed away, swinging into the air.
It aimed toward his unprotected upper body. The trajectory targeted his vulnerable neck.
The blade stopped just after lightly tapping the back of his neck.
The opponent collapsed as if losing all strength.
Pastel maintained her posture and exhaled.
Cheers erupted.
The girl tilted her head slightly.
Hmm, what to say.
She repeatedly clenched and released her fist.
She exerted strength but didn’t feel tired at all.
The male student looked up with a dazed expression.
Pastel peered curiously down at him.
“Why are you so weak?”
“W-what?”
The male student looked dazed.
Ah.
“Sorry, that was my inner thoughts.”
His face flushed violently.
“You…!”
The male student charged at her.
He threw a punch.
Pastel’s eyes widened.
Oh wow?
Is this a new greeting from our friend?
Suddenly, a flash of light caught her eye.
A magical projectile sped toward them, crashing into the male student. Lightning exploded, and a scream echoed.
The male student collapsed, unconscious.
Whoa?
The sound of heels clicking came closer.
A girl in a wizard’s robe approached. A staff gripped in her hand.
Her golden hair flew about.
With blue eyes, she gazed at Pastel.
“Then shall I be your opponent, top scorer?”
Her voice was gentle and soft.
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