Chapter 26. I'll Kill You If I See You
Radel met Inette in front of the lodging and they moved to the academy's main gate.
They had promised to meet up with Gusto, who was staying at the Supreme Deity Order's temple in Marcellent, at the main gate.
Besides Radel and Inette, many other applicants were heading to the academy.
"Look at that! It's a lizardman."
Inette pointed at the lizardman, who was said to have dragon's blood passed down from ancient times, and gestured to Radel.
Radel, without realizing it, looked in the direction Inette was pointing and then turned his head back.
"I know it's fascinating, but it's rude to do that to people."
"I know that too! That's why I only told you quietly!"
Inette's face turned red at Radel's mature words.
"Really? I thought you didn't care because you're a royal. I apologize if I misunderstood."
Radel apologized nonchalantly.
Inette was dumbfounded by Radel, who was acting as if he weren't one himself.
"Hey, aren't you a royal?"
"Oh, right. I was."
Radel shrugged and shamelessly admitted it.
Inette, who was fuming, closed her mouth when she saw the Magic Academy that had come into view.
"Oh……."
Radel also looked up at the Magic Academy in admiration.
The Imperial Palace and the Grand Temple were also of a grand scale, but the academy had a different kind of grandeur.
Perhaps because a defensive magic was cast on the building, a faint mist enveloped the academy, and the waterway flowing in front of the academy exuded a mysterious atmosphere.
A huge mountain was faintly visible in the back, which was clearly a part of the Marcellent mountain range that had existed before the city of magic was built.
In the first place, the name of the magic city Marcellent was taken from the mountain range.
The Marcellent mountain range was considered one of the most treacherous mountain ranges in the empire, and it was said that there were still undiscovered dungeons and ancient relics hidden there.
"So this is the Imperial Magic Academy."
"It's quite magnificent, isn't it?"
"Son, let's hurry up and go inside."
The people behind Radel and Inette were seen hurrying to enter the academy.
It was understandable that they were in a hurry, as their admission would be canceled if they didn't arrive at the auditorium on time.
'They probably won't be able to get in.'
Radel could predict what would happen next. It was because a warning was written on the academy entrance exam notice.
"Father!"
"No, why can't we go in?"
One had to have an entrance exam notice to enter the academy.
Radel and Inette, who had the notice, were able to get close to the academy, but the parents and the escorts of noble students who didn't have the notice had to stop, blocked by an invisible wall.
The academy was not a place to be taken lightly.
It was not only a magic educational institution but also the empire's core magic research institution, so its security was tight. No matter if they were parents, unauthorized personnel could not enter the academy.
'There won't be any worries about assassination.'
Radel was satisfied with this tight security.
He felt he could understand why Ivan, a royal himself, had recommended it.
"Didn't they even read the notice properly?"
Inette passed by, dumbfounded.
The 3rd Imperial Consort had also wanted to come to the academy, but Inette had thoroughly blocked her by showing her the notice. It was because she could clearly see how much her mother would tease her if she came along to take the entrance exam.
'My, my, didn't you say you'd rather die than go to the academy?'
When Inette, who was angered by the news that Radel had left for the academy first, had the carriage prepared, the 3rd Imperial Consort had looked on with a smile.
Inette, thinking she had done well to leave her mother behind, hurried Radel.
"Let's go quickly, quickly!"
Radel was also starting to feel people's gazes gathering on him. It was because there were many children of nobles, so there were many who recognized the royals.
He thought he had heard someone say 'saint of the thirsty land' from somewhere.
'So this is the life of a celebrity.'
Radel thought of it as no big deal and headed for the academy's main gate. Once he entered the academy, he would be a student just like everyone else, so there was no need to be overly conscious of it.
Inette didn't seem to care at all, as if she were used to the gazes on the royals.
Gusto, who had arrived at the main gate, recognized them and came over.
“Your Highness.”
Gusto greeted Radel politely and then greeted Inette perfunctorily.
"Oh, the princess was here too."
"Are you trying to pick a fight with me right now?"
Gusto with a stoic expression said without batting an eye.
"No. I really didn't see you."
"You want to fight me, don't you?"
Inette glared at Gusto, and Gusto just apologized nonchalantly.
At first, he had wondered how Gusto, who disliked the royals, would get along with Inette, but they got along well in their own way. Inette didn't seem to like Gusto either, but it was better than he had thought.
Radel found that the sight of the two, who hadn't changed at all even after not seeing them for a few days, was somehow familiar.
He didn't know when he had gotten so used to it.
* * *
The academy applicants gathered in the auditorium were looking around with half anticipation and half worry.
Those with good social skills even struck up conversations with the person next to them.
Some had already formed groups, and the sound of chatter could be heard from the largest group among them.
"As expected of His Highness!"
"You have no need to get close to the foolish ones who don't even know magic."
Inette's ears perked up at those words.
"A prince?"
There were only three royals who had applied for admission to the academy this year. Inette, Radel, and Radel's twin brother, Leon.
Since Inette and Radel were together, it was clear who the prince in that group was. It would be the 9th Prince, Leon Silvert Credian, and his followers.
Their conversation was also something that only Magic Supremacists would say.
Inette, who had grasped the situation, frowned and asked Radel.
“Are you okay? You’re not on good terms with your brother.”
Their relationship was so bad that even the 7th Princess Inette knew about it.
“What’s there to not be okay about.”
Radel said nonchalantly.
It would have been awkward before he recalled his past life, but it was fine now.
Don't kids grow up fighting? Siblings who don't get along in their childhood can get along later.
In Radel's opinion, Leon was in a state of rage that was typical for kids his age.
'It's probably because of mother.'
The death of the 5th Imperial Consort, the mother of Leon and Radel.
The 5th Imperial Consort had passed away after being caught in an unfortunate accident at a hunting competition.
If she had been alone, she could have easily escaped, but she couldn't escape death because she had shielded Radel, who was by her side.
The young Radel thought that his mother had died because of him.
It was the same for Leon.
'It's because of you.'
Leon, who had manifested his Ability early, had not liked his twin brother who was slow in everything even before that, but after that incident, he had started to hate him altogether.
'You should have died, not mother.'
While Radel was cooped up in the 8th Prince's Palace under the pretext of being weak, Leon had gathered his forces, building his foundation with his strong Ability.
And the more Leon did so, the narrower Radel's position, who had not manifested his Ability, became.
'He could have thought that way back then.'
The old Radel had found it difficult to even recall the past, and it was painful to face his brother.
But now, knowing his past life, his understanding had broadened. He knew well that the past incident was not the fault of the young Radel.
And he also understood Leon's anger.
'He must have had a hard time too.'
But he had no intention of quietly accepting his anger.
Just then, someone among the Magic Supremacists who were surrounding Leon and chattering among themselves spotted Radel.
“Huh? Isn’t that the prince over there?”
“Ah, that one?”
“Isn’t that the one who can’t even reach our prince’s toes?”
It was not a very welcome situation for Radel.
Inette, who had noticed the suspicious atmosphere, was seen contemplating whether to take off her gloves or not. Gusto also seemed to have noticed something and had his hand on his sword.
Radel looked at Gusto and Inette and shook his head.
He didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble before even entering. But he felt the surroundings becoming quiet for some reason.
“Move.”
Someone appeared in front of Radel, pushing aside the followers.
It was the 9th Prince, Leon, who had the same face as Radel.
"He really looks just like Prince Radel."
"But their personalities are completely different. Look at that cold expression. He's more wicked."
He could hear Gusto and Inette whispering.
Radel almost burst out laughing, but he held it in. However, he couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from twitching up slightly.
Seeing that, Leon's expression became even colder.
"You're laughing at me. You've lost your mind."
"Well, shouldn't we greet each other first since it's been a while?"
Radel tried to start a conversation.
But Leon's expression was cold.
“You and I?”
“Yeah. Why not?”
“Crazy talk.”
Leon said without any change in expression.
“I clearly said I’d kill you if I saw you.”
“……Did I?”
Radel searched his memory, wondering if such a thing had happened.
Leon's expression sank as he looked at Radel's somehow nonchalant appearance.
It seemed he still hadn't grasped his place.
The fact that he was alive despite being incompetent.
And now he had crawled into the academy that Leon would attend.
He had wanted to kill the way he used to flinch at every word, but he wanted to kill his current nonchalant appearance just as much.
Yes, I'll kill him now.
It was the moment Leon was gathering his magic power.
Bang!
Suddenly, the door of the auditorium closed with a loud noise.
That wasn't all.
Clang!
Clang!
Click!
The windows in the auditorium closed all at once with a noise.
In the blink of an eye, all the entrances and windows of the academy's auditorium were closed and locked.
The applicants murmured at the sight that was clearly the work of magic.
“What’s going on?”
“What is this?”
Radel also looked around to grasp the situation.
The entrance exam is about to start, right?
Looking at the clock on the back of the auditorium, it was exactly the time written on the academy entrance exam notice. He recalled the sentence that said his admission would be automatically canceled if he didn't enter the auditorium by this time.
'Could it be?'
Has the exam started!
[Welcome, everyone! First, I welcome you all who are challenging the Imperial Magic Academy's entrance exam.]
A voice was heard from somewhere.
[And I inform you that from this time on, no one can leave the auditorium.]
The applicants, flustered by the unknown voice, tried to open the door, but the magically sealed door would not open at all.
It was when Radel, who had a hunch that something was about to happen, was about to approach Inette and Gusto.
Wooong!
The floor of the auditorium glowed and a large-scale magic circle was activated.
Even in the urgent moment, Radel was impressed by the swirling flow of mana.
The amount of magic power and preparation required to activate a magic circle of this scale must have been no small feat. As expected of the empire's best magic academy.
“It’s teleportation magic!”
But even if they knew it was teleportation magic, there was no easy solution.
“Aaargh!”
Flash!
With an intense light, the applicants in the auditorium disappeared in an instant.
* * *
Radel opened his eyes.
Caw, caw.
The place where Radel was lying was an unfamiliar beach where seagulls were flying.
And something was flying next to the seagulls.
- Cong Academy Entrance Exam rats
It was a magic hot air balloon with a suspicious banner.
The hot air balloon was continuously scattering something.
Flutter.
A piece of paper scattered from the hot air balloon fell in front of Radel, who was sitting up blankly.
“……Entrance Exam Guide?”