Chapter 21: The Swordsmanship Prodigy Saintess

Academy Entrance Exam (2)

1.           

A spring breeze blew gently.

Light pink petals fluttered in the air, dancing softly.

Golden hair was carried by the wind and brushed against her cheek.

She calmly tucked her wind-blown hair behind her ear.

‘Always be composed!’

For the past two weeks before arriving at the Imperial Academy, she had received training as a Saintess.

It was etiquette training—lessons on posture, speech, and demeanor befitting a Saintess.

“Ugh…”

She was honestly sick of it.

She just wanted to live freely.

But this was the path she had chosen.

Strictly speaking, it was a path she was forced into, but since she had accepted her life as a Saintess, it was now her responsibility.

So, she was making an effort to be mindful of her words and behavior.

It wouldn’t do for a holy figure of the Celestial Church God to go around acting frivolously.

That’s why she was doing her best to imitate the ideal image of a Saintess she held in her mind.

It wasn’t easy.

Still, she had grown used to acting like a good girl at the convent, so playing the Saintess wasn’t too difficult.

“I’ll go in from here on my own.”

They stood in front of the chapel located within the academy grounds.

It was the place she would be living for the next four years.

Here, she would study theology, heal patients, and hold services.

“I’ll escort you to the examination hall,” said Rael.

“But it’s right inside.”

The entrance exam for the Department of Theology was held in the sanctuary inside the chapel.

Once you entered through the door, it was just ahead.

“Your swordsmanship exam hall is on the opposite side, isn’t it?”

She gave Rael a gentle smile.

“The exam will start soon, you should hurry.”

“Even so…”

“Brother Rael. I appreciate how much you care for me, but if you miss your chance at a new experience because of me, it would truly break my heart.”

“…I understand.”

Rael placed his right hand over his left chest and gave a knight’s salute.

“I’ll finish quickly and return.”

“Good luck!”

She clenched both fists and gave him a spirited cheer.

Rael thanked her and quickly headed off toward the Department of Swordsmanship’s exam area.

Ughhh…!

Her whole body trembled with discomfort.

That had been so cringe.

Smiling and cheering on a guy who was decades younger than her?

…She’d have to get used to this kind of behavior from now on.

Shaking off the cringe that had clung to her shoulders, she stepped into the chapel.

It was quiet.

To avoid the crowds, the academy had allowed her to enter through a special rear gate.

Passing through it, she headed toward the sanctuary where the exam was being held.

“Gasp… Could it be…”

“Is that her…?”

“Whoa… What the…”

People began to appear, one by one.

Their gazes started to gather on her.

The hushed murmurs tickled her ears.

Hehe… ohoho!

While being the center of attention was a bit overwhelming, she couldn’t deny that it felt good.

It just meant she was pretty.

Having lived surrounded by girls in the convent, she naturally came to care about her looks.

Who wouldn’t enjoy being cute and pretty?

Even if she might not seem interested in appearance, she actually took quite a bit of pride in hers.

“Hello, sister.”

She approached a nun standing in front of the sanctuary and greeted her.

She was wearing a blue armband, marking her as one of the test guides.

“A-Ah! Y-Yes, hello!”

The nun stammered and quickly straightened her posture.

Her eyes widened in surprise upon seeing Elia.

It was a natural reaction.

Not only had the Saintess herself appeared, but she’d even spoken to her!

Even without knowing her face, people could instantly tell she was the Saintess because of her outfit.

All the other nuns wore black habits.

Meanwhile, the Saintess wore the white habit provided by the Papal State.

Strictly speaking, it was a Saintess’s robe.

So, even if they didn’t know her face, the outfit alone gave her away.

“I’m here to take the entrance exam. May I go inside?”

“Y-Yehhk—! Ahem, ahem! Yes, please go right in!”

“Thank you.”

Elia stepped inside.

The sanctuary was as large as a cathedral.

The benches that stretched down both sides were packed with people.

The moment she entered, everyone's attention was focused on her.

It wasn’t intentional.

But as she opened the door, the spring sunlight flooded in from behind, casting her in a natural halo.

Elia stood at the entrance of the sanctuary and glanced around.

There were no empty seats.

She’ll have to stand and wait for her turn.

That was when the exam supervisor approached her.

“Saintess, you must’ve had a long journey. Thank you for coming.”

He was a priest with a dignified atmosphere.

“I am Barden, the Dean of the Theology Department.”

Ah, he wasn't a supervisor then?

He wasn’t wearing an armband either.

He wasn’t just a staff member, he was the highest-ranking in the theology department administratively.

It looked like he’d been waiting specifically because the Saintess was taking the entrance exam.

“Nice to meet you.”

The murmuring around her stopped as if time had frozen.

Everyone in the sanctuary was hanging on to her voice.

She wasn’t even trying to say anything special, but the attention was overwhelming.

“I am Elia, the Saintess.”

At that single statement, sighs of admiration rippled through the room.

“May I know when my turn is?”

She hoped it would be soon.

She planned to finish quickly and head over to observe the Swordsmanship Department’s exams.

“Would you like to take it right away?”

“I just arrived. Wouldn’t that be unfair to those who came before me?”

“Not at all,”

The dean looked around and said,

“I believe everyone would prefer the Saintess to go first.”

Those waiting for their turn nodded in agreement, as if to say they understood.

Are they being considerate because she is the Saintess?

“…Then, I’ll accept.”

“This way, please.”

Elia followed Dean Barden to the front of the sanctuary.

*

2.

The Saintess walked down the center aisle.

Her golden hair shimmered gracefully, flowing behind her.

Even the simple act of walking looked like a scene from a painting.

All eyes were drawn to her.

The new Saintess.

Nothing about her was known.

Everything aside from her name was being revealed here for the first time.

“Are you familiar with how the exam works?”

“Yes, I heard about it in the carriage on the way here.”

The Imperial Academy’s entrance exam consisted of three rounds.

The first is document screening.

The second is ability assessment.

The third is comprehensive evaluation.

Each department had its own evaluation criteria.

In the Theology Department, the second test involved measuring divine power.

A giant chalice, known as the Giant’s Cup, would be filled with divine power.

It was a simple test.

You just had to fill it past a certain threshold.

But simple didn’t mean easy.

Pouring divine power not into another person but into an inanimate object required a high level of control and stability.

In other words, this test evaluated how much of one’s divine power was truly usable.

“Please place your hand here.”

The chalice rested atop the altar.

It boasts a size larger than an adult man.

Dean Barden pointed to a violet sapphire embedded in its center.

Elia placed her hand atop the sapphire, which was about the size of a fist.

“Now, please fill the chalice with your divine power.”

“How much should I fill?”

“As much as you can.”

“So there’s no upper limit?”

“Correct.”

Among all previous examinees, the one who had filled the chalice the most was the previous Saintess, Aris—just shy of overflowing.

The Saintess before Aris had filled it three-fifths of the way.

This alone proved how exceptional Saintess Aris had been.

Now then… how will she do?

Dean Barden watched with interest.

And he wasn’t the only one.

Everyone held their breath, ready to witness the power of the new Saintess.

“I’ll begin right away.”

She closed her eyes.

Her long eyelashes fell like curtains.

Elia took a deep breath.

Flash.

Her eyes opened, gleaming like twin rubies.

And then—

“W-What…?”

Dean Barden blinked in disbelief at the sight before him.

Golden light overflowed from the chalice.

The silver vessel now sparkled as if it were forged from gold.

The divine power spilling over from it flooded across the entire sanctuary floor.

Dean Barden checked under his feet.

It felt like standing in the warmth of spring.

“Aah…”

He trembled.

His mouth hung open at the breathtaking sight of the world's most beautiful scenery.

“Was that enough...?”

Elia gently withdrew her hand.

As soon as it left the chalice, the divine energy the covered the sanctuary dispersed like mist.

It didn’t just vanish, it clung to the people in the room, wrapping them in a warm, gentle embrace.

“…Is it done?”

Elia blinked her eyes and looked up at Dean Barden.

Her eyes were full of innocent curiosity.

She seemed utterly unaware of the miracle she had just performed.

“Dean?”

“A-Ah, yes.”

Barden, hands unknowingly clasped in reverence, quickly corrected himself and nodded.

“Congratulations on passing the second exam.”

“Thank you!”

Elia smiled brightly, as if she was genuinely happy to have passed.

“So, is there anything else I need to be tested on?”

“No, that was all.”

“Then I’ll head back now. Taking the exam right after arriving was a little tiring.”

She lightly patted her shoulder with her tiny fist, stretching it out.

“I’ll guide you to your room.”

“Would you? That would be lovely.”

“Of course.”

With Dean Barden leading the way, Elia exited the sanctuary.

As soon as she left, the sound of people exhaling the breaths they had been holding in could be heard.

Like ants swarming a dropped crumb, the exam hall buzzed with chatter about the Saintess.

Elia arrived at her room.

It was a private chamber.

If she passed the final third round, this would be her home for the next four years.

“I’ll inform you about the third exam this evening.”

“Alright.”

The door closed.

She stood still, listening carefully until the footsteps faded away.

“Now then…”

Elia wrapped a robe around her body.

She took off her veil and pulled down her hood.

Because her head was so small, the hood completely covered her entire face.

She stepped up to the window.

“No one’s around, right?”

After confirming she was alone, she leapt from the window.

She landed as light as a feather.

And then Elia dashed toward the arena where the Swordsmanship Department's exam was underway.

“♪♩”

Her steps were light, and she cheerfully hummed a tune without realizing it.

It had been a while since she could enjoy watching a real duel, and her heart was fluttering with excitement.

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