Despised

One person after another went up, and one after another came down.

Those who performed well wore joyful expressions.

Those who did poorly looked awkward and embarrassed.

When it was finally Moyue’s turn, Collins saw the fear and hesitation on his sister’s face dissolve.

In its place was a resolute determination, as if she were facing not a mere entrance exam, but a battlefield of thousands.

“Moyue is too easily rattled.”

“Whether someone can stay calm or not is all relative.”

“Just like a starving person gets excited at the sight of bread, and a freezing person at the sight of fire.”

“You, junior, are confident and prepared — but your sister doesn’t have that ability.”

Amid the gazes of a few people, Moyue raised a glowing light orb in her hands.

The chief examiner’s expression revealed surprise.

He knew Moyue’s background, and he also knew a certain high-level mage had put in a good word for her admission.

Generally speaking, both teachers and students left a few open spots for such individuals.

But those favors were usually reserved for people lacking ability.

Moyue’s magical display, however, clearly proved she was qualified on her own merits.

After all, if one could cast three Tier-One spells and decipher the magical equations of any five Tier-One spells, they would receive a Junior Mage certificate.

And even among Hawk Academy graduates, that certificate was far from common.

The chief examiner smiled at Moyue.

If Moyue had lacked ability, he would’ve needed to find an excuse to justify her admission.

But now, with this level of strength, there was no need for excuses at all.

“Very good. Your use of Holy Light is quite skilled.”

“I can tell you with certainty — you’ve successfully joined Hawk Academy. Go home and wait for your notification.”

The chief examiner’s words stirred a wave of whispers.

But most of the students, after a brief moment of surprise, returned to calm expressions.

There are always a few geniuses in the world who can do what others at the same age simply cannot.

Perhaps Moyue was just such a person — and so, others weren’t too shocked.

“That Holy Light spell… seems a bit off, doesn’t it?”

“I taught Moyue myself.”

“I used a fast-track method — the old method, not the modern one.”

Ancient magic emphasized intuition.

It was more like a craft — practiced repeatedly until the body memorized enough to use it.

Modern magic, on the other hand, focused on deduction and data.

Students were expected to fully understand how magic was formed, operated, and changed.

Naturally, Collins couldn’t teach his sister a full Tier-One spell in a short time.

But simply casting the spell — that part was easy.

Being able to use magic and being able to understand it are two completely different things.

“With a big brother like you, your sister’s truly lucky.”

Moyue walked down slowly under the admiring gazes of most people.

Her eyes landed on a few of her classmates.

These were the girls who spent more effort on makeup than on all their schoolwork combined.

None of them could even properly perform basic cantrips.

The chief examiner watched them with a cold expression the entire time.

When they finally came down from the stage, several students nearby openly mocked them.

They said the girls should’ve taken a good look at their own abilities before daring to take the Hawk Academy entrance exam.

Their descent was filled with ridicule and scorn.

But Moyue’s descent shone with admiration and awe.

The gap between the capable and the incapable was starkly clear at this moment.

With a victorious gaze and a cold snort from her nose, Moyue’s nearly provocative attitude infuriated several of the girls standing in the corner.

One girl immediately stepped forward, pointed at Moyue’s face, and shouted.

“This is unfair! She cheated! She can’t be allowed into Hawk Academy!”

If she couldn’t get in, why should this nobody be able to?

Sometimes, when anger surges up, reason plummets—until it reaches laughable levels.

Before the commotion caused by the girl’s words could spread, the chief examiner let out a cold snort.

His voice, imbued with a basic shockwave spell, reverberated through the hall.

“Are you saying that I can’t even tell if someone is cheating right in front of me?”

The examiner’s tone was harsh.

Many people looked at the girl with a mix of ridicule and pity.

Those well-versed in social situations knew — if this girl had accused Moyue of cheating while she was casting the spell, maybe she’d have had a sliver of a chance.

But now, saying it after Moyue had finished?

That was basically a slap in the examiner’s face.

Few people supported the girl who stepped forward, aside from the handful of girls who had come with her.

Collins saw the most elaborately dressed one — face full of makeup, clothes clearly all name-brand — step up beside the now-flustered girl.

“I support Aiya’s claim.”

“Moyue must have cheated to cast that Tier-One spell.”