Chapter 65. The First Year at the Academy – First Sester Exam
The first sester examinations are held over three days.
The first day was a written exam, the second day was a mock battle and magic demonstration, and the third day was dancing and mixing.
For those who had taken only liberal arts and academic subjects, such as Doris, the second day was a day off, and the third day was dancing, which was their specialty.
After completing the written exam without incident, I took on the challenge of a mock battle the following day.
My opponent is the knight son who was with the first crony during the field exercise.
His na is – well, it doesn't matter.
He was equipped with a one-handed sword and a shield, which is the royal equipnt, but he didn't seem to have any skills in either of them and was only a soldier. While keeping a serious face, I just fended him off and won.
When I use "Appraisal" he has "Scythe 1".
I'd heard there was one, but this is the first ti I've seen it. I wonder if he had a run-in with a goblin while farming. If his agility was high enough, he might be able to change his occupation to a ninja.
In the afternoon, there was a demonstration of magic.
It is not so difficult because all you have to do is to hit multiple moving targets with the magic you choose. The target hides after it moves, so the activation speed is important.
I didn't realize it until I compared it to others, but I have "Multiple Chant" so it seems my activation speed is quite fast. I guess it's only natural because I can handle countless magic simultaneously.
Thus, I cleared the demonstration and finished the second day.
Then ca the third day, the most difficult.
Early in the morning, I arrived at the school's ballroom.
I have spent all the days since then practicing dancing.
Elphimia abandoned halfway through, saying, "Enough, enough," but even so, I continued to practice alone and in vain.
But–I felt as if I lacked confidence.
There were three reasons for my fumbling.
Dancing is not a skill, so "Increased Growth Potential" is useless. There was no need for magical assistance.
Second, dancing was not a creative dance. In my previous life, I think a ball was an impromptu, graceful dance to music. Although I cannot confirm this fact, the choreography of dances in this world was determined for each piece of music. Moreover, so dances could be part of a whole. Children as young as ten years old, dressed in flashy costus with serious faces, form a big dance. No matter how you look at it, it is a play. It is unavoidable that the heart of an old man violently rejects it.
Finally, there was no recording equipnt in this world. The music and choreography are the sa, but I could not hear the music. On the first day of the lecture, a band ca and played a variety of pieces, all of which were new to . The nobles looked at like, "Oh, this is it.
So when I practiced with Elphimia, the tunes were only playing in her head. I had to ti the choreography with tempo and my internal clock.
It would be impossible to ask her to dance with this.
So it was not that I lacked in taste.
While I was waiting in the dark, the students began to gather.
Among them were Lambert and Felix, who imdiately noticed .
And as soon as they get close to , they say
"Thanks to you, yesterday was a ss."
He complained.
"I was desperate too, you know. Unlike the nobleman who dances so well."
"You're a nobleman, too, you know."
"It's okay for . My mother told that Alter doesn't have to be able to dance."
"You've given up on that."
And then we both sigh.
"You're still as shifty as ever, you guys."
I look up, and before I know it, Elphimia is standing there.
Lola is standing next to her. It's been a while since I've seen her. I had seen them during the written exam, but this was the first ti we had t after the field exercise.
"You practiced properly, didn't you?"
"I did. I did practice."
"I'm extrely anxious. You know what? If you fail, I'm going to lose points too."
"I understand."
Elphimia looked at with a stern look.
I'm not lying. I just can't help it.
Perhaps unable to see this exchange, Lola offers a helping hand.
"Don't worry, Alter-sama is very dexterous!"
"Thank you, Lola. In return, you'll be my esc-."
"No, thank you."
I kicked off the ship as fast as I could.
Lola quickly runs away and hides behind other students.
Why? I could be a knight too.
"You never learn, do you?"
Elphimia shakes his head in disgust.
Then she urges to stand.
"Okay, let's go over the steps."
In this dance, the test is held twice.
The first is a play, and the next is a dance with a partner. Elphimia was that partner.
I had been approached by the scythe man and others I had fought with in the mock battle, but I had always turned them down.
I think she was waiting for to ask him out.
However, I don't sense any romantic feelings from Elphimia, and I'm not the type of person who takes good care of people.
I had no idea what she was thinking.
As I was frantically moving my feet, I felt a strange and glamorous presence.
I looked over and saw that Doris and her party were about to enter the room.
The usual No. 1 and No. 2, also known as the blonde drill and the little black-haired one, and several knight sons followed in a row. They occupied a corner of the ballroom and began chatting.
They did not check the steps or discuss them with their partners. It seems dancing is like breathing to them. I wish they would perish.
anwhile, the ti was getting closer and closer.
Their composure stimulated my frustration even more.
"Calm down."
Elphimia said to , and I realized I was shaking poorly as I stood there.
Oh no, I must calm down. I've done what I had to do. All that's left is to let my luck take care of itself.
I take a deep breath.
I need to calm down. After all that practice, the worst is not going to happen.
Still, the frustration returns.
If I fail in my education, I will be disgraced as a son of a noble family.
As a son of a noble family, I would be ashad. Moreover, when it cos to dancing, is a skill that can be said to be indispensable.
I opened my status with the hope of grasping at straws.
I'll use sothing that can be used in my predicant. Maybe I could use magic. There must be sothing.
I hung on to a gleam of hope and carefully reread the information.
At that mont, sothing suddenly clicked in my brain.
Could this be ……?
"What are you laughing at? Did you finally break down?"
"Don't be silly, Elphimia."
"Yes. Do you want to go to the infirmary?
"I've co to my senses. I've realized that we mustn't get caught up in the rules. It's a revolution."
Elphimia gives a scornful look as I smile wryly.
And just as I'm about to say sothing, the doors to the ballroom open.
The students all stop talking privately at once.
"Is everyone here?"
It was Loretta, the dancing instructor.
Behind her, several fourth- and fifth-year students and even a band entered. That was a full-fledged examination.
Usually, Loretta would beat the beat with her mouth, and her assistant would make the minimum sound with an appropriate instrunt. The students danced to the beat. Incidentally, Loretta is a forr noblewoman of around 30 years old. Why the forr is unknown. It is impossible to hear.
While the orchestra was preparing, Loretta explained the contents of the examination.
When it was over, she checked with the conductor and declared.
"Then, we will begin the dancing test. The first group will take their positions."
The first group disperses.
At Loretta's signal, a graceful tune filled the ballroom.
The ballroom was filled with graceful music, and one after another, the players perford.
Lambert perford without a hitch, even Felix the knight's son, perford without a hitch. Only a few commoners faltered, and most of them were close to being digested.
Then it is my turn.
First, Elphimia is in front of . Then I move around the entire floor in a circle, stepping. The opponents change at a dizzying pace, sotis facing the boys. What is so sad about dancing while looking at n? I think this choreographer is a bit, well, strange.
The music starts to play, oblivious to my frustration.
I do my best, enduring the warm eyes of Loretta and her assistants, and the piercing glances from Elphimia.
"What was that confidence you had earlier!"
As soon as the play was over, Elphimia attacked .
Lambert and Felix quieted her down with a tremble.
"Well, it can't be helped. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. Pff, you know."p
"That's right, Elphimi …… pff."
Still, Elphimia's anger remains.
Did you change your na? Don't you get mad at them?
"I'm helping tho!"
"That's not very personable. I worked very hard. I want to pat myself on the back."
"You should have told after you got the results!"
Without a pause, he denied everything.
I'm sorry, but your children have a very narrow perspective.
"You haven't got that result yet. There's always the next one."
"Next ti? What are you thinking……?"
"Leave it to . Today will be the day history will change."
Yes, I had a trump card.
When unveiled, I'll change aristocratic society to a new stage.
I would be a pioneer.
After a short break, the test resus.
This ti, I dance with my partner.
Imdiately, the first students start dancing in unison to the tune.
Everyone's stride is constant, reminding of a rry-go-round.
We watch the entire group and get the timing and distance into our heads.
After repeating it a few tis, it was our turn.
I raise my hand as the students co out.
"Loretta-sensei, may I speak?"
Loretta tilted her head and said, "Go ahead."
With a cough, I begin.
"Generally, a dance is a dance to a tune with a predetermined choreography. And many people dance together to form a single dance. It is a beautiful sight. Especially in a glamorous court ballroom."
I cut off my words and look around at everyone.
They're eating it up well.
"But if you focus on each individual, you could say they just learned the choreography. It's truly characterless, and it's not surprising that they can't dance."
"Which one of you is saying that?"
Shut up for a minute, little girl.
"Can we asure dancing technique with this? I can't help but wonder. Besides, with this thod, no matter how many masterpieces are created, they will not be released to the world until the choreography is finalized. That is a loss to the world. What is the essence of dancing? I believe that it is the unbridled outpouring of emotions. Butoh is the outpouring of joy, sorrow, and a wide variety of emotions. Choreography by an excellent choreographer is fine. However, I believe that we should not be bound by such choreography, but rather focus our attention on our inner passion. That is the new dancing, the new world."
I declare in high spirits.
"Therefore, in this dance, I would like to dance the sword dance!"
The room is silent.
Loretta looks at and smiles.
"No, you can't do that."
◇◇◇◇
I was in a corner of the ballroom, sitting in a gymnasium, crying.
"You're an idiot. Bottomless one at that."
Elphimia's voice cos from overhead.
It's just and Elphimia left in the room.
Lambert and Felix spoke words of encouragent, and Lola, perhaps without words, slunk out of the ballroom with a pained look in her eyes.
Why? It was a perfect theoretical armant.
And with a "One-handed Sword 6" and high agility and dexterity. It would have been the best sword dance.
"That's discrimination, I'll sue them. …… Even sword dance is a dance, isn't it?"
"You should learn the basics first. If all you do is swing a sword, then all swordsn are dancers."
She's hitting a sore spot, this girl.
"And what's a sword dance? The emperor cos to the court ball. There is no way we can wield a sword. How am I supposed to match up with a magician? And what's more, the loss of the world? You're an idiot, aren't you? If it's a new piece by a famous composer, there will be a concert soon. And if you want to bare your emotions, go dance in the adow sowhere. It's annoying."
Funny, I can't stop crying.
As I continue to cry, Elphimia follows up.
"Well, now my reputation has gone down a lot. I'm going to make sure this debt is paid back."
"…… I have a very bad feeling about this."
"I'll be in touch soon."
After saying this, Elphimia left the ballroom.
The blurred vision reflected her back figure, and then she vanished.
It was here that I finally realized.
She knew this was going to happen.
What is she going to do, that young lady?
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