Composite Spell and Exam Results

 
 
 ☆
 
 
 “Hey, you. Can you explain what you just did?”
 
 The bespectacled female examiner adjusted herself on her seat, cleared her throat, and asked me this question.
 
 “Uhm…”
 
 After hesitating as to how to reply, I ended up responding like this.
 
 “I wrapped the spell 『Flare Ball』 with the spell 『Defense』 and fired it.”
 
 “Huh?”
 
 The examiner looked at me with an expression that told me she didn’t get it.
 
 “I said, I wrapped the spell 『Flare Ball』———”
 
 “No, no, wait a moment.”
 
 As I tried to explain once more, the examiner interrupted me by holding out her hand.
 
 “In other words, you layered the spell itself on top of another spell?”
 
 “That’s right.”
 
 “『That’s right』, you say… You say you really activated two spells at the same time?! And intermediate-class spells at that???”
 
 The examiner leaned forward as she shouted.
 
 I nodded while sort of pulling back at how she overreacted.
 
 “Uhm, yes… Ah, no. I didn’t activate them at the same time. I first made the 『Flare Ball』 then wrapped that in 『Defence』, so they were activated in series. Then———”
 
 “No, that’s not what I meant…”
 
 Using one hand to stop me, the examiner held a finger to her brow as she thought of something.
 
 “Handling two spells at the same time, that’s something I’ve never heard of before.”
 
 Saying so, she shook her head side to side.
 
 The surrounding test-takers as well could be heard saying things like 『Seriously…』 or 『Spells can do such things?!』.
 
 Yeah…
 
 Actually, the spells used just now were 『3』.
 
 With this kind of atmosphere, it might be best not to mention that.
 
 
 
 ——— Time rewinds back a bit.
 
 This time, I decided to take the spells exam for sorcery practical exam, and, thinking that I’ll at least have them see my ability with spells, I decided to challenge 『composite spells』.
 
 To be specific, I’ll activate 『Flare Ball』 and while maintaining it in place, I’ll activate the 『Defence』 spell and wrap it around the fireball.
 Then lastly, I’ll send it flying by aiming the 『Projection』 spell on that defence-clad fireball.
 
 This way, the Flare Ball hits the dummy with barely any magic power attenuation, causing a huge explosion.
 
 If left like that, Mr. Dummy would have been blasted away pitifully, so I had the defence magic absorb that explosion.
 
 Thanks to that, the fireball’s explosion made the defensive film momentarily expand a lot, and the dummy was left without a scratch.
 
 My love for Mr. Dummy could conquer all trials.
 
 
 
 Incidentally, though 『composite spells』 are quite unpopular, they’re more or less an existing technique.
 
 However, there are very few magicians who can use it, and barely anyone who actually does use it.
 
 It has a high level of difficulty, a huge consumption of magic power, and takes time to activate.
 
 In short, it’s not practical.
 
 Needless to say in Heielland, where magic tools are being developed, but also in the neighbouring Paerschwaltz Empire to the east,which had at one time put a lot of effort into researching this technique, eventually put an end to their research because they didn’t gain much for their efforts.
 
 The amount of magic power to activate multiple spells, and then maintain them too.
 And the magic manipulation skill to delicately control it.
 
 With both these things required, it’s only natural that the number of people able to use it was limited.
 
 To say nothing of battlefields where a moment’s negligence can be fatal, composite spells, with their chants made longer for every spell activated, was nothing but deadweight.
 
 Other than for the demonstration I did earlier, there’s no other use for it.
 
 It’s only natural for it to be unheard of in this country, where sorcery was developed for dungeon conquests and spell research has barely been done.
 
 
 
 The female examiner groaned 『Hmm….』 while looking at my exam ticket, then eventually looked up.
 
 “I’ll ask just to be sure, are you able to use sorcery?”
 
 Ugh…
 
 When she asked me that question, I felt my face heat up.
 
 “I can’t…”
 
 Hearing my reply, the examiner murmured 『I see』 and wrote something down on the sheet in her hand.
 
 “Seems this year is going to be a lively one. I look forward to seeing you in class.”
 
 With the corners of her lips slightly turned up, she told me where the next classroom where the interviews were taking place was.
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 In the interview after that, similar to entrance exams in Japan, I was asked about my reason for applying and why I’ve worked this hard, as well as what path I’d like to take in the future.
 
 Since I’d be exposed if I lied too much, I honestly told them that I wanted to study sorcery for the sake of making magic tools, and that in the future I’d like to make the world more convenient through magic tools.
 
 Hearing my response, the aunty seated in the middle of the other two interviewers said 『That’s an unusual motive』, but then said 『But well, it sounds interesting』 while smiling and squinting her eyes.
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 “How’d the exam go for you two?”
 
 Aboard the boat back.
 
 Faced with Anna’s question, I said
 “I get the impression that I didn’t do bad, but I wonder,”
 and Renee said with an uneasy expression
 “I believe I did the best that I’m able to do right now… Although I’m not confident.”
 
 (——— The results announcement will be in three days. Waiting with this anxiety must be draining, huh.)
 
 While thinking that, I gently pat her on the back.
 
 “You’ll be fine. Although we only spent a short time on the special training, Renee’s magic manipulation has improved a lot. Even in sorcery practise you haven’t missed the target. If you gave it your all, you’ll definitely get good results.”
 
 When I told her this, she looked up———
 “Got it!”
 ———and nodded with a smile.
 
 In truth, Renee’s sense for magic manipulation wasn’t bad.
 
 She rapidly improved in our one-on-one training, and right at the end, I think she reached a level that was slightly higher than the average test-taker there at the exam venue.
 
 If she did as she always had been, then it shouldn’t be a problem.
 
 While thinking things like that, I noticed the gaze of a certain waiting maid, grinning as she looked at me as though wanting me to take notice of her.
 
 “——— Ahem. By the way, how was the exam for Anna-nee-san?”
 
 WHen I asked, Anna answered with a radiant smile on her face.
 
 “I also did my best to not have any regrets. I will enrol alongside Letty without fail!”
 
 “I-, is that so. That’s reassuring.”
 
 Faced with her strong reply, I smiled wryly.
 
 To be honest, I’m not worried about Anna.
 Because she can already use sorcery.
 She should be more likely to pass than me.
 
 “In any case———”
 
 As I glanced over the lake surface being dyed the colour orange, the two turned around to look at me.
 
 “I hope we all pass!”
 
 ““Yes!!””
 
 Thus our exams came to an end.
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 ——— Three days later.
 
 The three of us came to Ettelstad’s central square.
 
 “There it is! There’s my name!!”
 
 “My and Letty’s names are also there!!”^[1]
 
 Looking at the names of the Runefelt Sorcery School’s successful applicants posted in the middle of the square, Renee and Anna let out cheers of joy.
 
 Belatedly confirming the name 『Letia Ainbell』 among the names posted on the list, I let out a sigh of relief.
 
 “I’m glad. I’m truly glad.”
 
 I’ve received help from various people on my way here.
 
 During the time that I’m away from my home country, Sofia and Lionel, as well as Duncan and Jack, will have to do their best to cope with the territory management and magic tool development.
 
 I’m really glad that I didn’t end up betraying their expectations and kindness.
 
 At that moment, the voices of a man and a woman came from behind us.
 
 “That’s why I told you, you three were past the passing mark!”
 
 “Congrats on passing. Now the three of you will become first-years in the new term.”
 
 Turning around, Johanna and Glen stood there with smiles upon their faces.
 
 “Johanna, Glen, thank you as well!”
 
 
 When I said that, Johanna smirked.
 
 “Come on, let’s celebrate. Let’s go home and eat something sweet. It’ll be Glen’s treat!”
 
 “… Hey, wait a minute. Aren’t you also going to cover half???”
 
 Glen panicked at Johanna’s words.
 
 “Don’t say such stingy things on this celebratory day! Come, let’s go. I made reservations at a restaurant known for having the best sweets in town~☆.”
 
 “Woah, I can’t wait!!”
 
 
 We were all very excited.
 
 “Hey, Johanna! Wait!!”
 
 The women walked off, and Glen chased after them.
 
 
 ——— What kind of school life awaits, I wonder?
 
 With a slight anxiety and great expectations in my heart, I walked through this foreign country’s city alongside friends.