The practical magic exam was divided into three categories.
Attack spells.
Defense spells.
Utility spells.
There was basically no difference between the exam and the evaluation in terms of organization and how the students were expected to perform.
As the first category began, under the watchful eye of a dozen teachers present in case of a potential accident, many students showed great improvement from what they displayed during the end-of-term evaluation.
Although there were a few who seemed to crumble under the additional pressure, messing up the incantation or missing the practice dummy completely.
There was one student, a bit too eager to show off his improvement, who lost control over a tier 3 fireball. The rouge spell not only caused that student's uniform's sleeve to catch fire, it also made one of the teachers surrounding the training ground have to actively use a barrier spell to protect herself.
"A single tier 2 spell you've mastered is better than a dozen tier 3 spells you cannot control!"
"...I-I'm terribly ashamed of myself, teacher…"
The frowning teacher waved her hand and deactivated the barrier before speaking out loud enough for everyone to hear, staring down the examinee drenched from the water from the emergency bucket, as the youngster cowered and mumbled an apology.
"Then USE that tier 2 spell!"
"H-huh?! I mean, y-yes, teacher! I-ignite!"
The teacher straightened her back and roared, causing the student to squirm and hurriedly obey, chanting the incantation and instantly setting the training dummy on fire."
"Hmph. Good. So you did improve after all."
"Y-yes! Thank you, teacher!"
It turned out that the teacher's earlier comment wasn't just a general one. The student's ignite spell was instantaneous and as efficient as possible, with increased firepower and no waste whatsoever.
If not for what everyone assumed was just angry scolding, no one would witness a tier 2 spell that could compete against a tier 3 spell.
With all the students using the conventional magic system, finishing the first part of the exam did see a change in the placement compared to the end-of-term evaluation.
Most.
What did not change was Amelia Edemsworth putting out the best performance seemingly effortlessly.
That left the handful of students using the unconventional magic systems, and only someone really absentminded would be able to miss how the atmosphere amongst the teachers changed.
"..."
Rotsard graced them with a raised brow before glancing at Justin.
The future hero wasn't clenching his stomach for once, although he was lightly brushing the tips of his fingers against it with a somewhat distracted expression.
Rotsard recognized it as Justin trying to figure out how much strength he can use before making his condition worse. Well, 'assume' would be a better word to use here, though.
"...haaa…"
Rotsard lowered his head and unleashed a deep sigh.
He was unable to ignore the burning sensation on his neck, a telltale sign of someone staring at him.
That someone being Amelia Edemsworth, accompanied by the two fox-like cousins, all three surrounded by a few other students and discussing something.
While Amelia was mainly responsible for the burning sensation, others from her group also kept glancing at Rotsard…
Although with his reputation and how he acts it wasn't completely strange, it was also… a bit… unnerving…? Suspicious…?
Rotsard couldn't quite put his hand on it, but it certainly seemed off.
"...?"
"...!"
That's why it was even more confusing when as he raised his head, his beastly yellow eyes locked with a tender gaze directed at him… only to make the owner of the gaze, none other than Justin, to flinch and turn away so fast he almost snapped his neck.
…neck that turned red just as his ears and assumingly his face too, from the blush of embarrassment…
"...none of this shit was in the story…"
The bleached-blond-haired boy muttered under his breath, shaking his head in annoyance.
Putting all of that aside, with students using unconventional magic systems, their overall placement did not change.
"..."
Although that in and of itself did irk Rotsard, making him grit his teeth.
The future hero Justin performed exactly the same as he did on the end-of-term evaluation.
Rotsard could even swear that the spear thrown by the future hero didn't pierce the dummy even an inch deeper.
No improvement whatsoever.
How was that acceptable?
"..."
No… Rotsard thought to himself, closing his eyes and breathing out to calm down.
Back then, it was Justin doing his best at peak condition, compared to currently holding back to not make the pain worse.
There was an improvement.
Seemingly insignificant, but it definitely was there.
"..."
"~!"
That's why when Justin was clenching his fist and nervously glanced towards Rotsard, the bleached-blond-haired boy gave him a short nod, which caused the future hero's eyes to instantly sparkle with happiness…
"...!"
But the next second Justin hurriedly turned around, acting as if he never sought the approval or was happy about receiving it in the first place.
And then, it was finally Rotsard's turn.
The teachers and nurses came forth, as if expecting the repeat of the accident from half a year ago…
"Excuse me. Could you take a step back?"
"Eh?"
As Rotsard took the spot, he first looked around and waved his hand, shooing one of the nurses away, causing the woman to let out a baffled voice.
…but she ended up doing what she was told…
"Hmmm… one more."
"???"
The bleached-blond-haired boy was already raising his hand towards the target dummy in the distance, but then he suddenly glanced back again and said to the very same nurse, confusing her to no end.
"Please?"
"!!!"
Rotsard added, tilting his head just like a puppy, causing the woman to make a troubled expression and hurriedly back even more than she was asked to.
"...~"
"...!"
…and then he smiled softly to himself, but it was seen by one of the students who flinched and blushed so hard they had to hide behind their companion…
With Justin having her back, Amelia Edemsworth nodded towards a small group of other students, and all of them muttered something under their breaths, seemingly without any immediate effect.
"Student Rotsard, you can begin."
"..."
Teacher Karlasth spoke up encouragingly, to which Rotsard could only clench his teeth and nod because he certainly didn't trust himself enough to speak or even look over.
What he did, though, was imagine the training dummy as Joshua Karlasth.
"...?"
Rotsard furrowed his brows and squinted his beastly yellow eyes in confusion, as it kind of looked to him as if his target turned blurry and he was quite certain that his imagination wasn't strong enough to affect his vision…
Still, when glanced to the sides, no one else seemed to notice the same anomaly, so the bleached-blond-haired boy simply decided to visit the hospital wing after the exam was over, just in case.
Rotsard closed his eyes and breathed out.
"!!!"
When he opened them, a massive circle of light emerged from beneath him, taking over the ground while a pair of detached ephemeral wings sprouted from above his back, causing a commotion amongst the spectators buffeted by the gusts of freezing-cold wind that picked up out of nowhere.
"Snowball."
Rotsard, unbothered by the reaction, chanted the incantation while pushing his hand towards the training dummy.
Hundreds of particles of pure white began to emerge from the circle of light. gathering in front of his knuckles, forming what looked more like an orb of light than a snowball.
"..."
And then, in less than a second, as all particles condensed, Rotsard simply extended his index finger, which sent the spell flying forward.
"CRACK* *KSHHH*
"!?!?"
The next moment, a deafening sound of glass shattering filled the training ground as the snowball spell froze and broke through at least two dozens of completely transparent barrier spells….
*CRACK*
…reaching the training dummy, freezing it solid and shattering it too while maintaining both the speed and the trajectory…
*whoosh*
…and finally reached the Academy grounds' wall, disappearing into it.
…or so it seemed…
"Wh-what, in the Grand Fae's name!?"
One of the speechless teachers regained his voice and called out as the Academy's great barrier, that didn't block humans but intercepted any and all unauthorized spells, turned visible, with a rainbow of colors fluctuating on its surface like oil spilled on water…