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Chapter 6
‘Time is short.’
After watching Evangelin and Andy, I turned away.
With a slight wave of my hand, a mana-powered carriage pulled up in front of me.
Mana carriages were vehicles powered by mana stones. They looked much like automobiles and could run indefinitely as long as they were supplied with mana stones. Thanks to enchanted seats, the ride was incredibly comfortable.
There was just one fatal drawback.
‘They’re expensive.’
Since mana stones were costly, mana carriages naturally weren’t cheap either. Even nobles couldn’t casually afford to ride them.
Fortunately, money wasn’t a problem for me.
I climbed into the carriage.
“Where to, sir?”
“Elysium Academy.”
“Very well.”
The carriage glided forward as smoothly as if it were floating on clouds.
Leaving the capital behind, it traveled down a long paved road.
Soon, enormous white towers appeared in the distance.
Elysium Academy.
It looked exactly as it had on the monitor when I played the game, but seeing it with my own eyes felt completely different.
‘It’s freaking huge… and ridiculously extravagant.’
Endless green lawns.
White marble fountains.
Students in academy uniforms overflowing with youthful energy.
Only then did I truly realize that I had transmigrated into this world.
The carriage stopped at the front gate.
Mana carriages weren’t allowed inside the academy grounds.
As I stepped out, I saw a man wearing a blue short-sleeved shirt and black trousers—a security guard—directing people.
“The security guard examination area is this way.”
It matched the game perfectly.
Though seeing it in person gave me a rather different impression.
‘They look weak as hell.’
Carrying my leather bag, I walked in the direction he pointed.
A massive crowd of nervous applicants had gathered.
‘At least a thousand people.’
With this year’s surge in enrollment, the academy had apparently expanded its security force considerably.
Overall, the quality wasn’t particularly impressive.
Which made sense.
Even in the game, the security guards weren’t especially important.
In an academy story, if the guards actually did their jobs properly, there’d be no reason for the student or professor protagonists to get involved.
For the main characters to shine, the security force had to be incompetent.
That was exactly why I had chosen to become a guard.
I intended to turn the academy from a dating simulator into a place focused on studying.
For that to happen, the security force had to actually function.
Just then, a man in a security uniform stepped forward.
“Now then! We’ll begin the general security guard examination! The exam consists of four stages. Stage One is—”
“Identity verification!!”
A huge blond man raised his hand high and shouted.
The examiner openly frowned.
“Kellin. You still haven’t given up? How many times is this now?”
“The fifth time, sir! Giving up goes against the spirit of the security corps!”
“You haven’t even passed yet. Don’t talk to me about the spirit of the security corps.”
“My soul is already part of the security corps!”
Laughter erupted from the crowd.
Clicking his tongue, the examiner waved him off.
“Fine. Just shut up before I fail you on the spot.”
“Yes, sir! Senior!”
“Anyway, the examination has four stages. Stage One is identity verification. The security corps is the gate protecting Elysium Academy. If anyone suspicious slips into our ranks, the consequences would be disastrous. We’ve already investigated your backgrounds all the way back to your grandparents. Those whose names are called should leave immediately.”
The examiner quickly began reading names.
The applicants protested and tried to explain, but every single one of them was expelled without exception.
Some were even dragged away by force.
I’d already spent a fortune creating a flawless identity.
Even if the Imperial Family investigated me personally, they wouldn’t find anything.
As expected, my name wasn’t called.
When identity verification ended, the number of applicants had been cut in half.
“Stage Two is a physical fitness test. Security guards are the first to respond whenever something happens inside the academy. Even if you’re asleep, you’re expected to move immediately.”
The tests consisted of long-distance running in full armor, carrying heavy loads, and holding shields for extended periods.
Simple enough that there were no tricks.
“Damn it! Who still wears armor like this these days?!”
A rough-looking applicant complained beside me.
‘This is heavy?’
I casually lifted the armor.
It felt absurdly light.
Calling this armor was almost insulting.
Something this thin wouldn’t stop a demon.
It probably couldn’t even stop a monster’s bite.
On the front lines, people would mock you for showing up in what amounted to leather clothing.
Yet these people thought it was too heavy.
‘Pathetic.’
The starting bell rang.
Everyone dashed forward.
I simply matched everyone else’s pace.
Before long, people started collapsing everywhere.
Some even foamed at the mouth.
It was such a miserable sight that I couldn’t help frowning.
When Stage Two ended, about one hundred and fifty more applicants had failed.
“Stage Three is an ideological examination. It’s a simple written test, so it won’t take long.”
The next test covered subjects such as the Empire, mage corporations, the Holy Nation, and black magic.
Just as the examiner said, it looked easy.
Everyone immediately sat down and began writing.
Soon, people were already handing in their papers.
Unfortunately…
It wasn’t easy for me at all.
Are you an Imperialist?
‘The Empire needs to remain strong if we’re going to stop the Republic.’
Have you ever made a contract with a demon?
‘Not exactly. A demon’s heart was forcibly transplanted into me.’
Questions like these—complete landmines—continued one after another.
On top of that, the exam paper itself contained an extremely sophisticated magic circle.
‘A lie-detection spell.’
It was crafted so precisely that it was almost impossible to notice.
Only an exceptionally skilled mage could have made something like this.
Then I reached the final question.
Have you ever loved a witch?
My eyes darkened.
Now I understood who had created such an elaborate magic circle.
‘The Headmistress.’
It had to be her.
The Mother of Witches.
Since the Headmistress herself had designed the spell, breaking it with ordinary magic was impossible.
The easiest way to disrupt a magic circle was Aura, since Aura naturally countered magic.
But that would leave traces.
Simply attempting to break the spell would arouse suspicion.
To erase those traces completely, I’d need to analyze the entire structure of the magic circle—a task that would take ages considering it had been crafted by a Grand Archmage.
Fortunately…
There was another solution.
‘Divine power.’
Magic was utterly helpless against divine power.
Ironically, that made it much easier to trace the spell’s structure.
I simply followed the points where my divine energy disappeared.
It was my preferred method.
‘Thank this damned blessing.’
Soft white divine light spread across my palm.
Following the distortions in the divine power, I quickly mapped out the spell.
I carefully wrote my answers while avoiding the magic circle itself.
My handwriting became messy, but that hardly mattered.
Looking over the completed paper, I hesitated.
The Headmistress—the Mother of Witches—never appeared in public.
She hated sunlight.
More importantly, she was incredibly cautious.
She’d gone so far as to hide a magic circle inside a security guard entrance exam.
Opportunities to make contact with someone like her were rare.
I needed to throw out some bait.
Have you ever loved a witch?
After taking a deep breath, I slowly wrote:
No.
With every stroke of the pen, it felt as though all the blood in my body was flowing backward.
The magic circle hidden in a mere sheet of paper possessed this much power…
‘What a monster… Just as expected from a Grand Archmage.’
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The demon heart in my right chest pounded happily.
My real heart trembled as though screaming.
I subtly altered the final answer.
No ordinary observer would notice.
But the Headmistress certainly would.
‘Ask me.’
I quietly set my pen down.
“What’s taking you so long?”
The examiner frowned.
Looking up, I realized only one other applicant remained.
Kellin.
I understood why I was still here.
But why him?
Then Kellin lifted his answer sheet.
Every inch of it was densely packed with writing.
First of all, while I am not technically an Imperialist, I praise the greatness of the Empire because His Majesty the Emperor is a graduate of Elysium Academy. Therefore, the greatness of the Empire is the greatness of Elysium Academy—
“My paper is too small to contain the spirit of the security corps! Please give me another sheet! Security spirit!!”
“What the hell is wrong with you? Just get out already!”
Thanks to Kellin’s ridiculous antics, I was able to submit my exam paper without attracting attention.
* * *
“Headmistress! Headmistress! Headmistress!!”
Angelica pounded furiously on the tightly shut door.
No response came.
Not that she thought nobody was inside.
That gloomy witch would never willingly go outside.
“If you don’t open this door right now, you’re never getting any more pomegranate vinegar candy!”
Finally, Angelica played her trump card.
The moment she finished speaking—
The door flew open.
Inside was a lakeside cottage surrounded by a forest.
The scenery was bizarre, yet strangely natural.
At its center sat a tiny cat.
The cat wore an odd-looking hat while fishing.
Completely surreal.
Yet perfectly ordinary to Angelica.
“Headmistress, why did you include a question about witches on the security exam? Of all people, you know how sensitive that topic is!”
“Meow.”
“Please stop pretending to be a cat.”
“Meow?”
“What kind of cat wears a hat and goes fishing?!”
“Meow.”
A vein bulged on Angelica’s forehead.
She produced her secret weapon.
A candy with a sharp, tangy aroma.
Pomegranate vinegar candy.
The cat’s eyes immediately widened.
It quickly opened its mouth.
A young girl’s voice emerged.
“I couldn’t help it. My daughter personally asked me.”
“Your daughter?”
Angelica’s expression instantly turned serious.
The Headmistress was the Mother of Witches.
The problem was that none of her daughters were sane.
There was a reason they were known as the Sisters of Calamity.
If one of them was involved…
This was far more serious than she’d expected.
“What did she ask for?”
“She asked me to find her first love.”
“A witch’s… first love?”
“Meow.”
Witches were obsessed with love.
That sounded romantic.
The reality was the exact opposite.
A witch’s love meant becoming one forever.
Physically.
Spiritually.
In other words…
A witch devoured the one she loved.
Alive.
“And if you find him?”
“Who knows.”
The cat tilted its head adorably.
Anyone ignorant of the truth would find it cute.
Angelica merely sighed.
Shaking away her unease, she forced herself to remain calm.
“But witches only fall in love with someone stronger than themselves. Would anyone powerful enough to rival—or surpass—a Witch of Calamity really apply to become a security guard instead of a professor?”
“You never know.”
The cat smiled gently.
Hearing that, Angelica finally relaxed.
Surely no one capable of rivaling the Sisters of Calamity would join the academy as a mere security guard.
Nothing would happen.
“Meow.”
The cat stretched out one paw.
Already used to this routine, Angelica placed a piece of pomegranate vinegar candy onto the tiny paw.
The candy’s sharp fragrance tickled her nose.
“Meow.”
The Headmistress purred contentedly.
