BXBX NOVEL Chapter 3 - Gallimard (3)
Chapter 3 - Gallimard (3)
“Huff, huff...!”
The sound of heavy breathing echoed through the large room.
As if she had been holding her breath for a long time, she gasped desperately for oxygen.
The once calm air was now thick with tension.
At the center of this chaos lay a woman, collapsed on the floor.
“Cough, hack...!”
She eventually began coughing violently.
Her name was Selena Drunkard.
She was the head professor and the person overseeing the entrance exam.
Her crimson eyes trembled.
Her long, purple hair spread out across the floor.
Selena had suddenly collapsed and couldn’t rise for some time, needing to catch her breath.
A single groan escaped her lips.
“What... what is this...?”
The words trailed off, lost in confusion.
Only a thick aftershock remained.
The purple-haired woman pressed her fingers to her brow, trying to recall the scene she had just witnessed.
<Bu target… you mean that tiny, cute little doll standing over there?>
The test of the boy named Judas Snakes.
Selena had linked her consciousness to the test target—a technique that was her own unique mental magic.
It allowed her to possess an inanimate object for a set period.
Her method of conducting the exam was unconventional.
After experiencing the students’ attacks firsthand as the target, she would assign their scores.
In other words, she would directly feel the impact.
-You’re going to experience the students’ attacks firsthand?
-Haha... Selena, I knew you were eccentric, but I didn’t realize it was to this extent.
-Professor Selena... Are you sure you’re okay?
-Maybe you’ve lost your mind from drinking too much…
-Kuek.
-I knew it. I knew this would happen.
-She drank herself silly, and now she’s completely lost it.
Despite her colleagues’ concerns, Selena didn’t care.
She knew it was safe.
She had tested this magic thousands of times.
All those noisy concerns would be silenced with results.
For the past five years, Selena had overseen the entrance exams without any issues.
She had even secured the position of head professor because of it.
That’s how it had been until now...
‘This can’t be real.’
She had felt the fear of death.
When the boy’s magic struck the target, even for a brief moment, an unknown pressure had crushed her.
Her survival instincts screamed at her.
<Bang.>
But why?
It wasn’t even that powerful of an attack.
The spell’s output was only around the academy’s average.
Yet, there was something more.
A chilling sense of wrongness, like a venomous snake hidden in the shadows, flicked its tongue.
It was the sensation of a snake licking the nape of her neck.
It was the kind of intuition only those with superhuman senses possessed.
‘No. I’ll die.’
Had the boy put just a bit more force into it, it felt like her head—and not just the target—would have been split open.
She hastily severed the link.
In the fading view of the target, she saw...
<Wow~ As expected, controlling my power is tough.>
The squinty-eyed boy muttered with a sly smile.
What did he mean by controlling his power?
There was no time to think as Selena collapsed.
She took a moment to calm herself, leading to the current situation.
“Ugh...”
Her head throbbed like it was going to split open.
Staggering as she got up, Selena grabbed the bottle of liquor on her desk and took a rough swig.
The harsh scent of alcohol dulled the pain.
Yet, her fingers still wouldn’t stop trembling.
“Hah.”
She let out a bitter laugh.
Was she really losing her mind from drinking too much?
How had a kid who hadn’t even reached adulthood yet managed to terrify her so much?
She couldn’t make sense of it.
[Magic Power Measurement]
Name: Judas Snakes
Element: Darkness
Power: C+
[Predicted Entrance Rank: 607th]
(Top 53%)
“...”
The measurement results reflected in the crystal ball.
Selena remained silent.
The values were based on extensive data and thoroughly objective analysis.
In fact, she had felt the same.
Among this year’s entrants: the first princess of the Empire, the twin siblings of the famed swordsmanship family, the ‘Vanity Duke’ family, and other so-called geniuses.
Compared to them, his output was insignificant.
It was so plain and unremarkable that it felt almost pitiful to compare.
‘But.’
Selena hesitated to record the results.
It was difficult to explain.
If she had to put it into words, it was a gut feeling.
The kind of wariness that a strong individual harbors toward an incomprehensible presence.
“...This is crazy.”
Even as she thought that, she picked up her pen.
She wanted to test it.
To find out what exactly she had seen.
With a drunken hand, she scribbled down the words on paper.
[Top Entrant: Judas Snakes]
She filled in the spot that was originally meant for the first princess with the boy’s name.
If he’s nothing but a fluke, he’ll be weeded out anyway.
Selena was simply curious.
Curious about the glimpse of “something” she had seen behind that sly smile.
“If the principal hears about this... he’s going to throw a fit.”
And that’s how an unexpected top student was born.
Meanwhile, the boy who was about to be caught in the middle of this sudden storm...
“It seems like my act worked perfectly, don’t you think?”
=Kyaah, the hidden power of the mastermind. Amazing.
Was muttering to himself, completely oblivious to what was going on.
***
The entrance exam ended anticlimactically.
I was sitting idly, waiting for Regia’s turn to finish.
“...”
I pouted slightly.
If I looked dissatisfied, it was because I was.
I was full of complaints at the moment.
-Please attack the target.
I felt like I’d been scammed.
I was expecting something grand, but it ended up being so underwhelming.
It was like biting into what you thought was fried chicken only to find it’s just fried tofu.
I was disappointed, to say the least.
‘It was supposed to be the first major event...’
Honestly, I knew nothing about the entrance exam.
The original story always started after the academy days had begun.
It was an unknown world to me.
I’d been waiting with so much anticipation.
“Sigh.”
I was feeling a bit better now, but I was really let down in the exam room.
It was hard to suppress the bubbling sense of betrayal.
I might’ve unintentionally released a bit of killing intent because of it...
“Well, it seems like no one noticed.”
Even the assistant overseeing the exam didn’t seem to catch on.
He probably just felt a slight chill and moved on.
Unless someone was extremely sharp, they’d have no idea what happened.
Everything was going according to plan.
As expected, class is permanent.
Even if I’m a bit rusty, I’m still an expert who memorized the entire strategy guide.
‘I used to upload strategy videos that blew up... I even debuted as a creator.’
Nostalgia washed over me.
Back in the day, I was the guy who hit 3 million subscribers with my ‘The World Seen by the Little Prince’ content.
You could say I was a top-tier gamer.
If I hadn’t suddenly ended up in this world, I would’ve been the only player to discover the hidden ending and go down in history as a legend.
It’s a bit frustrating.
“Oh, my lost fame.”
I let out a silly lament.
While I was lost in thought, the screen floating in the sky caught my eye.
It was showing the situation inside the exam room.
Light emitted by a magic device formed a screen in midair.
<Screeeeech!!!>
A fierce roar pierced the air.
On the screen, a large lizard with wings was bellowing.
Its scales were a beautiful shade of crimson.
It exuded dense mana, a creature with undeniable presence.
It was a wyvern, a rare and fantastical beast.
Embers still lingered at the corners of its mouth, as if it had just unleashed a breath attack.
Admiration rippled through the crowd of examinees watching.
<Good job, Efri!>
<That fire was perfect as always!>
A bright voice followed.
As the camera panned, a pink-haired girl appeared on screen.
She was perched on the beast’s back.
She wore a pair of old goggles, just like in the game.
<Aww, you did so well, my sweet Efri~!>
Her hand stroked the fearsome creature without hesitation.
It was exactly the protagonist I remembered.
Confirming that the exam was nearing its end, I stood up to greet her.
Wyvern Rider.
That was the title people called Regia in the game.
Summoners aren’t rare, but it’s uncommon to find one who handles such a rare creature.
It was a talent worthy of the protagonist.
“Oh? Lord Snakes...?”
“Miss Regia.”
I raised a hand in greeting as she approached.
Following her steps toward the back gate, I walked alongside her.
“You were amazing out there. I was truly impressed.”
“Hehe... You were watching?”
“Of course.”
“That’s a little embarrassing.”
Her cheeks turned red, as if she wasn’t used to receiving compliments.
She had just looked so gallant as a rider, but now she seemed like just another girl.
I couldn’t help but smile.
“Be confident. You have a talent that shines brightly, Miss Regia.”
“Uh, ugh...”
Her pale face flushed a deeper shade of red.
It was like smoke was rising from her head.
Finding her reactions amusing, I teased her a few more times.
In the end, her delicate lips protruded in a pout.
“Hey~ Miss Regia?”
“...”
“Are you mad?”
“...No.”
She’s totally mad.
I chuckled, enjoying her innocent response.
She could’ve gotten angry at least once, but she didn’t. That’s exactly what makes her the protagonist.
Even the whispers of a wicked snake couldn’t shake her.
“What a good girl.”
“Mmph...”
After enjoying that fun little moment, we soon found ourselves outside the academy.
Unfortunately, it was time for us to head to our separate lodgings.
Until the admission process was complete, the dormitories were off-limits, so we had to find places to stay nearby.
I had already booked an inn, and Regia probably had too.
Clapping my hands lightly, I spoke.
“Well then! I guess we’ll part ways here?”
“Oh... Right. We’ve already come this far out.”
She nodded belatedly.
Her green eyes seemed to carry a hint of reluctance.
Maybe I was the first person she’d really gotten to know here.
She’d been wandering alone across the continent for so long, so perhaps she felt a bit lonely.
I gave her a reassuring wink.
“Let’s meet again, my friend.”
Normally, with my always squinting eyes, a wink would just look like a furrowed brow.
But it’s the thought that counts, right?
“Friend...”
Regia repeated the word as if she were savoring it.
She seemed surprised, like she hadn’t expected to hear something like that.
After standing still for a moment, she clenched her fist and her eyes sparkled.
“Yes...! Let’s meet again when we both enter the academy!”
“Haha, until then.”
I turned my back.
And then I added one more thing, as if it had just come to mind.
“Be careful on your way back.”
There might be some rats lurking around.
With that, I walked away.
My steps took me down a side path.
In the opposite direction of the inn I’d booked, the liar moved.
***
A street a bit away from the academy.
It was an alley shrouded in shadows, with buildings tangled together so tightly that light struggled to reach it.
It wasn’t the most pleasant atmosphere, but signs of human activity were still present.
Mostly beggars asking for scraps.
Occasionally, there were drunks stumbling around.
It was usually a place steeped in deep silence.
But not today.
There was noise coming from a secluded corner.
Thud, thud-!
The sound of something being beaten.
Followed by a voice drenched in rage.
“Damn it! Damn it! Die...!”
The owner of the voice was Dector Holint.
The second son of the Holint Baron family and a noble by blood.
He was furiously swinging his fists.
On the ground beneath him was a young beggar.
The child’s face was a bloody mess, suggesting they’d been beaten for quite some time.
“You piece of shit! I’ll kill you!”
Whack, thud-!
The violence showed no signs of stopping.
He struck with the intent to kill, but there was no real reason behind it.
It was just a way to vent his anger.
-How amusing.
-Seeing you act so full of yourself... I couldn’t help but laugh.
The voice that still lingered in his ears.
The more he thought about it, the harder he clenched his teeth.
If he didn’t release his fury like this, the image of that mocking squinty-eyed boy would keep flashing in his mind.
“...”
The beggar child, who looked to be around ten years old.
Despite the senseless violence being inflicted upon them, they didn’t flinch.
No, it was more accurate to say they couldn’t.
A corpse doesn’t resist.
“Damn it all!!!”
“Young master, it’s time to leave.”
“Shut up!!”
“...Understood.”
The escort knight silently sighed at the sight of Dector completely losing his mind.
What on earth was he doing?
Sneaking into the slums just to take out his frustration on some beggar?
It was so pathetic it left him speechless.
At least he didn’t do this at the estate.
Beating beggars was better than beating the servants, after all.
After a moment of waiting, Dector finally threw the battered child aside.
“Huff, huff...”
His body was drenched in sweat, but his anger still hadn’t subsided.
After all, he’d just been humiliated.
Dector ground his teeth.
“This is all because of that wench. Damn it.”
Regia Filarts.
The filthy commoner mutt who ran into him.
If not for her, he wouldn’t have crossed paths with the Serpent’s son, and none of this disgrace would have happened.
Dector barked at his escort knight.
“You there!”
“Yes, young master.”
“Find out where that commoner bitch… Regia Filarts, is staying.”
“Are you planning to take revenge?”
“What does it matter to you?! Just do what I say!”
The escort knight nodded reluctantly at the outburst.
Dector clicked his tongue, then muttered viciously under his breath.
“To think she made me go through all that... I’ll make her pay.”
Now that he thought about it, she did have a pretty big chest.
Her face wasn’t bad either.
A twisted grin spread across the pig’s lips.
“She’ll make a nice toy for the night. I’ll torment her until she begs for mercy.”
Dector snickered as he indulged in his vile fantasies.
But just as he was about to leave the alley with his escort, a blurry silhouette appeared in his line of sight.
“...Hah.”
A man stood at the opposite end of the alley, blocking the way.
Dector furrowed his brow and scoffed.
Now even some lowlife was getting in his way?
“Move this instant! Do you have any idea whose path you’re blocking—?!”
“Honestly~”
A voice cut off the pig’s rant.
Normally, Dector would’ve lashed out, but instead, he froze in place.
It was a familiar voice.
One that had been echoing in his ears this whole time.
“Why are all third-rate villains the same? They really love to keep pushing their luck.”
Judas Snakes.
“Know your place.”
The blond boy stood in the alley.
Wearing his trademark sly grin.
Overwhelmed by a sudden wave of cold dread, Dector froze in his tracks.
Why?
He couldn’t move.
It felt like a massive weight was pressing down on him.
The escort knight beside him was in the same state.
“What a shame~ Insolent young master! Or was it snotty young master? Eastern young master?”
The proper term would’ve been Holint young master.
But the snake didn’t seem to care about such details.
A vague sense of fear gripped them.
Their shoulders quivered pathetically as they stood there like stones.
As if finding their reactions amusing, the golden serpent let out a chilling laugh.
It wasn’t just a laugh filled with sly amusement.
It was a strange, terrifying laughter that hinted something awful was about to happen.
“I’m sure I gave you a chance.”
The snake flicked its tongue.
“And you threw it away.”
His pale eyes gleamed with emptiness.
In the next instant, darkness surged forth, swallowing the entire street whole.