The Grand Entrance of Saint Roland Academy

“Is this truly Saint Roland Academy, the capital’s magic academy?”

Armed with the information he had gathered from the innkeeper, Ai Ou quickly located Saint Roland Academy. Nestled in the heart of the Holy August Empire’s capital, Saint Roland Academy stood as the most prestigious and formidable magic academy in the entire empire.

Ai Ou now stood before its grand entrance. The classical European-style gates lay wide open, flanked by two Imperial Guards clad in imposing battle armor, diligently barring entry to outsiders.

A sign prominently displayed at the entrance read: ‘No Admittance for Loiterers.’

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“To take the entrance exam, turn right after entering, walk all the way to the end, and then…”

After spending a few copper coins, Ai Ou successfully extracted the necessary directions from one of the guards.

Following the instructions, Ai Ou navigated a series of turns beyond the main gates, eventually arriving at a small plaza in front of a church. Here, he observed numerous youths, many around his own age, gathered and waiting. All of them had come to undergo the entrance examination.

Saint Roland Academy, the empire’s finest magic academy, boasted a history spanning over a millennium. An innumerable host of powerful mages had graduated from its hallowed halls, making the academy a veritable hotbed of talent.

Even Griffin, the revered Saint-tier Archmage of the empire and president of the Mage Guild, was an alumnus of Saint Roland Academy. Furthermore, the academy’s esteemed headmaster, Douglas, was himself a formidable Saint-tier mage.

Indeed, Saint Roland Academy was the most coveted sanctuary of magic for every young man and woman across the empire.

While some promising talents, like Provence, were discovered during travels and brought back to the academy, the majority of its students hailed from all corners of the empire, traveling great distances to enroll.

“The entrance exam requires a registration fee of ten gold coins. If you pass the test and are admitted, the gold coins will be refunded.”

‘How expensive! Truly, a noble profession.’

For an ordinary person, it would be utterly impossible to afford. Ten gold coins for merely an entrance exam—one must remember that a single gold coin could cover a common family’s expenses for half a year. Should one fail to meet the admission standards, those ten gold coins would simply vanish into thin air.

Yet, despite the steep cost, the number of applicants remained immense. After all, being admitted was akin to a carp leaping over the dragon gate. A successful graduation guaranteed at least a baronetcy within the empire, alongside immeasurable wealth and prestige.

Mages, after all, commanded a status even more venerable than that of nobles!

A short while later, a mage cloaked in black robes emerged from the church. They paused at the doorway, a smile gracing their lips as they announced in a clear voice:

“The entrance examination begins now! All those wishing to take the test, please follow me into the great hall.”

Under the mage’s guidance, everyone in the plaza entered the church’s grand hall in an orderly fashion. Inside the church’s great hall, a vast space unfolded. The floor gleamed with polished marble, and enormous crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling. Even with hundreds of people entering, the hall felt far from crowded.

At the very front of the hall, a row of chairs was arranged, upon which sat the recruitment staff of Saint Roland Academy. The testing area was situated directly in the center.

The black-robed mage, still smiling, declared, “This is the testing area. Applicants will come forward one by one. No one else is to interfere. Those ready for the test, please form a queue. Parents and relatives, please move to the side.”

With a sweeping gesture, the church hall instantly brightened. A gentle breeze swirled through the interior, brushing against everyone present. Witnessing this display, the youths gasped in astonishment.

‘Is this the power of magic? I love it, I love it!’

The queue quickly formed into two lines, with Ai Ou among them. Once the lines were complete, individuals in black robes approached to collect the ten gold coins for the test.

Three adults were overseeing this particular test: two handled the actual testing, and one was responsible for record-keeping. The testing tools included a transparent crystal ball, roughly the size of a human head, and a hexagonal magic array adorned with intricate patterns.

One of the testers, a balding man with a golden beard and a perpetually cold expression, spoke impassively:

“Once the fee is paid, the test will begin! First up, name!”

The test commenced. The first to step forward was a boy of about twelve or thirteen, dressed in a faded linen shirt, clearly indicating his commoner status.

“Maxim Truman.”

The boy’s voice was noticeably strained.

The balding middle-aged man pointed directly at the crystal ball. “First, place your hand on the crystal ball to test your elemental affinity.”

Maxim nervously placed his right hand on the crystal ball. Immediately, the entire sphere began to emit a faint, hazy red glow, with occasional wisps of light blue intermingling within.

The balding man glanced at the paper in his hand and stated coldly, “Age twelve. Elemental affinity: mid-tier Fire, low-tier Wind.”

“Now, step into the magic array to test your mental strength. Remember, stand straight, do not kneel or collapse, and try to endure for as long as possible.”

The balding man’s voice remained frigid. The boy nodded and stepped into the hexagonal magic array. As Maxim entered, the balding man activated the array. Instantly, Maxim felt an immense mental pressure, as if a great stone was crushing his heart, making it difficult to breathe.

“Hold on! Fight back with your spirit! Do not fall! The longer you persevere, the higher your evaluation!”

Despite the encouragement, the boy in the magic array could not hold on for long and soon collapsed to the ground.

“Mental strength talent… low-tier. While you could become a mage, you do not meet our academy’s standards. As an instructor, I apologize.”

The balding man announced coldly as the magic array ceased its operation. The boy dejectedly walked out. Ten gold coins wasted. For a commoner, this was a truly cruel outcome.

Although, with the boy’s talent, he could still become a mage if he worked hard, it clearly fell short of Saint Roland Academy’s rigorous standards. As the empire’s premier magic academy, it only recruited those with exceptional potential, weeding out anyone deemed average.

Saint Roland Academy was indeed incredibly strict. A hubbub of noise erupted among the onlookers.

“Quiet,” the balding man growled coldly, instantly silencing everyone.

“Next.”

One after another, the youths stepped forward for their assessments, but all possessed only ordinary talent. Not a single one met Saint Roland Academy’s stringent criteria, causing the balding middle-aged man to shake his head repeatedly.

After an indeterminate amount of time, it was a girl’s turn in the magic array. She managed to endure significantly longer than those who came before her.

“Oh?” The balding man’s eyes lit up, and he promptly intensified the magic array’s power. The sudden surge in pressure caused the girl to break out in a heavy sweat. She gritted her teeth, but after a prolonged struggle, she finally dropped to one knee.

The balding man nodded with satisfaction, a hint of a smile finally appearing on his face. “Mental strength talent… high-tier. You meet Saint Roland’s admission standards! Your elemental affinity also reached mid-to-high tier. We’ll take you!” The balding elder’s pronouncement sealed the girl’s fate.