The next task was simple—combat, to test our strength and prowess.

The professor for this exam was an ogre.

Yes, an ogre.

But this wasn’t just any ogre. He was intelligent, well-mannered, and spoke with a calm, kind voice.

It was strange, but the students were left stupefied.

Yet the ogre ignored their reactions and focused on the task at hand.

"Choose your weapons," he said, his voice deep and imposing. "We will be sparring. I want to see your combat prowess."

The exam was straightforward: a sparring match.

The first pair to fight were the eldest sister of that demoness girl and the dwarf girl, who was carrying a hammer bigger than herself.

It was an interesting pair of match.

The fight began, and it was immediately one-sided.

The dwarf girl swung her massive hammer with all her might, but the demoness girl danced around her, evading every blow with ease.

She used her armament weapons, which was definitely an advantage—wasn’t that cheating?

As I watched their fight, it became clear that while the dwarf girl had the sheer power of the hammer on her side, the demoness girl was playing it smart.

Every time she swung that hammer, she was expending energy, while the demoness girl conserved her strength, avoiding the attacks with precise movements.

They didn’t just fight, though. They exchanged words as well.

“You’re slower than I thought, little dwarf,” the demoness girl taunted, dodging yet another strike.

“I don’t need to be fast, demon,” the dwarf girl retorted, gritting her teeth. “This hammer packs a punch.”

“Then I suppose I’ll just keep dodging until you tire yourself out,” she said with a smirk.

And that was exactly what happened. The dwarf girl soon lost her stamina.

Sweat poured from her face as she tried to keep up with the relentless swings of her hammer.

She let her guard down for a moment, and that was all the demoness girl needed.

With a swift punch using her armament weapons, she struck her in the stomach.

She flew backward, and the ogre professor immediately announced her as the winner.

He then turned to me and instructed, “Take her to the nearest clinic.”

I immediately refuted, but he insisted I do it since I was the closest.

Begrudgingly, I carried her to the nearest clinic. She was unconscious, and I couldn’t help but think she might misunderstand the situation.

Carrying her on my back, I could feel her large chest pressed against me—those two big mountains were touching my back.

After helping her, she finally woke up. Surprised, she looked at me. "Thank you," she said, flustered.

I nodded silently and left the clinic. Now, I was the last one left to fight. My opponent was the crimson-haired girl I had met earlier. She was an elemental mage, capable of wielding four elements— fire, earth, water, and air. A genius mage.

The fight began. As a swordsman, I asked for permission to use the anti-magic sword given to me by my master. The ogre nodded in approval.

She immediately chanted a spell, and multiple magic circles formed around her.

“Consecutive Strike Fire Arrows!” she commanded.

The fire arrows were like homing missiles, following me wherever I went. I could only dodge as they chased me down.

She was smarter than I expected. I had thought nobles were arrogant and prone to mistakes, but Elysia was calm and rational, with a sharp tongue and a cold gaze.

Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

“Is that all you’ve got? As expected from a commoner who doesn’t know his place,” she sneered.

When the fire arrows closed in on me, I used my sword to sever the mana surrounding them.

Normally, it was impossible to sever mana like this and not hurt the user, but after training for ten years, I had developed a skill called mana perception.

It allowed me to see the mana in the surroundings when I activated my aura.

I slashed through the fire arrow, and it vanished into thin air. Elysia was shocked. “Impossible,” she muttered.

She let her guard down for just a moment, and I saw my opportunity.

“Don’t you dare underestimate me!” she shouted, summoning a golem. It was a spirit—a golem summoned with her magic.

Not only was Elysia an elemental mage, but she was also a summoner.

I couldn’t help but feel that I was at a disadvantage.

But even though the golem was large and powerful, it was still just a construct.

Compared to the hell I’d been through, this was nothing.

I’d used my swordsmanship technique, the one I had learned from my master.

“Reverse Heaven,” I muttered under my breath.

It was a powerful thrust specialized to kill. Since my opponent wasn’t human, I didn’t need to hold back.

Boom!

The golem was destroyed in a single thrust. Lucia was sent flying backward, crashing into the wall.

“Keurgh!” she groaned.

The ogre smirked and declared, “The winner of the fight is Kaiser.”

Everyone was stunned. A commoner had won against Elysia Dragonia? Isn't she the daughter of a Duke?

Who the hell was this guy?

Elysia POV

I slowly woke up in the clinic, my head heavy from the impact.

The first thing I saw was a woman standing beside me, a gentle smile on her face.

She had kind eyes, and her presence was soothing, as if she radiated a calming aura.

Her name was Irene, a saintess. She was widely admired for her skills and grace and worked as a doctor at the academy after graduating from White Tiger Academy.

“It’s unfortunate you lost,” she said softly, her tone full of sympathy.

I blinked slowly, trying to process what had happened.

The words finally registered in my mind. I lost. It felt like a punch to the gut. All my life, I had been considered a genius.

My parents always praised me, saying I would be the next Archmage.

Everyone fawned over me, and I worked tirelessly to meet those expectations.

But despite all my effort, reality had a cruel way of reminding me of my limitations.

"I see. I lost," I murmured, accepting my defeat with a heavy heart.

My eyes wandered to the ceiling as I spoke, lost in thought.

The weight of my circumstances pressed on my chest.

Ever since I was born, I had been destined for greatness.

The higher I climbed, the more I realized how far from normal my life was.

I was always expected to be perfect, to carry the weight of my family’s name, to fulfill the duties of a noble.

I worked harder than anyone else, determined to never disappoint my parents.

But no matter how much effort I put in, there was always something more I was expected to give.

In the quiet of the clinic, I could feel the despair I had kept at bay for so long. I wanted to live a normal life—to fall in love, marry, have children, and experience the simple joys everyone else took for granted.

However, reality didn’t work that way. I was bound by my responsibilities, trapped by the expectations of others.

At my lowest, I had resigned myself to doing anything—anything at all—to achieve the life I wanted. Even if it meant trampling over others.

But then, I met Kaiser. He was different from anyone I had ever known. He was more matured than his age, unwavering in the face of my taunts.

No matter how much I ridiculed him, he simply smiled back. It made my heart flutter, something I hadn’t felt in years.

Maybe I’m sick, I thought with a wry smile. But the realization hit me—perhaps it wasn’t sickness. Maybe it was something else entirely.

Kaiser POV

After the events of the day, I made my way to the library.

I had to learn more about this world.

So much had happened, and there was still so much I didn’t understand.

But I was determined to figure it out. When I entered the library, I was greeted by the librarian.

She was a peculiar girl, petite, with violet hair that fluttered around her face as though it had a life of its own.

She wore a small hat perched atop her head, and her ruby eyes gleamed with sharp intelligence.

She looked more like a doll than a person, delicate and perfect in every way.

As soon as she noticed me, she tilted her head, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"You! Did you think something rude about me?" she asked suddenly, her voice laced with suspicion.

I froze in surprise. Did she just… read my mind? I thought, my eyes wide with astonishment. This librarian wasn’t just some ordinary girl.

"Miss librarian, do you have information about this world?"

She looked at me and then answered, "Yes. What kind of book?"

I calmly replied, "World history."

The only thing I needed to learn was the current era and the past. After all, history is a foundation of knowledge in any world.

"Nothing comes from nothing," as the famous ancient Greek philosopher Parmenides once said.

In other words, everything that exists or happens must have a cause, an origin, or a source.

Take the path of swordsmanship written by Ellen Keller.

It was a book written by a famous author who learned about swordsmanship.

Why does it exist? For what purpose? What is it used for?

I recall reading it when I borrowed the book from my master.

He always said that book was for amateurs.

True swordsmanship should be learned through experience, not from textbooks.

She then smiled slightly. I wasn’t sure if it was my imagination. She used spatial magic to summon a mirror, from which runes scattered like lines. Then, a book emerged from the mirror, and she handed it to me.

"This book is what you're looking for. I don't know what you're planning to do with it, nor do I care, but you've caught my attention."

Before I could answer, she disappeared.

Am I talking to a ghost? I thought to myself.

I began reading the book on the table. It contained a lot of information.

I learned that there are at least eight kingdoms, four major academies, and multiple factions (nobility faction, military faction, and neutral factions like the adventure guild and merchant association).

Currently, eight kingdoms ruled the continent.

The first was the Human Empire, the Holy Empire.

The emperor of this empire was none other than the eldest brother of Duke Gaius Dragonia, the only demigod-knight rank, and the current IX Emperor, Arthur Pendragon.

Next, the Elven Empire, the Elfrieden Empire, was home to the elves.

They lived in the mountains and near rivers, with their main land being where the Yggdrasil, the Tree of Life, resided within.

Their rulers were the high elves.

Some of the information in the book was outdated, though. I sighed.

Then there was the Dwargon Empire, known for their unparalleled craftsmanship and work ethic.

The dwarves were a proud race and workaholics who loved drinking alcohol as much as they loved crafting.

Their kingdom was ruled by the Council of Elder Smiths, with the most influential of them all being the current Emperor XIII, Julius Dwargon.

The Eastern Union was a federation of demi-human tribes, including beastmen, lizardmen, cat tribes, and many more.

Their warriors were famous for their martial arts, a testament to the strength and discipline of their people.

The Eastern Union was ruled by the royalty, with the current emperor being the White Flame King, Sirius.

The Holy Land of Dragons, Azhagarath, was the land where dragons resided.

It was protected by their Dragon God, and many revered this sacred place.

Those who sought to enter had to prove their worth.

As I read further, I came across information about the other races of the continent: the Sentinels, Sirens, and Flugels.

The Sentinels were a mysterious race, more akin to spirits or phantoms.

They existed in the space between the physical and spiritual realms.

Often seen as guardians of forgotten places or hidden realms, they were known for their ethereal forms, making them almost invisible or intangible to the living.

Sentinels could phase in and out of reality, and many were revered for their wisdom and ability to sense disturbances in the balance of the world.

Their presence often signified a warning or an omen, and their role was to protect ancient knowledge and forgotten histories.

The Sirens, or mermaids, were an aquatic race known for their beauty and enchanting songs.

They lived in the oceans and rivers, often luring sailors to their doom with their voices.

However, some mermaids were peaceful and acted as protectors of the seas.

Their kingdom was an underwater realm, with cities made of coral and pearls.

Finally, the Flugels were a race of winged beings, known for their intelligence and advanced magic.

They were often aloof and distanced themselves from the affairs of other races.

However, they were revered for their knowledge and mastery over the elements.

Their kingdom was high in the skies, with cities floating among the clouds.