15th December, year 905, Saint Calendar (Sunday). Time 8:00 a.m., the day of Magic Knight Academy general exam.


    "I couldn''t sleep well in the end..."


    Rubbing her drowsy eyes, Mia made her way to the main building of the academy, the exam venue.


    "I couldn''t sleep for different reasons!"


    Pluto yawned loudly, dark circles visible under his eyes.


    Yesterday, after Sensei''s ss was over, they returned to the dormitory and opened the package to find a wooden box containing their weapons.


    Mia got a cane, Pluto got a spear, Cliff got a long sword, Teresa got a knuckle, and Eight got a peculiar weapon called a gun.


    All of them were material-ss weapons with absurd performance.


    Naturally, everyone was excited andpletely delighted, especially Pluto who acted like a young child.


    "You guys... do you guys even remember how important today''s exam is for us?"


    "It was unavoidable. I couldn''t sleep at all. Well, today''s exam should be easy peasy if we use those weapons."


    "Nonsense! If it was allowed, victory would only belong to those with great wealth. Will you really be satisfied by winning in a test like this?"


    Cliff''s tone became angry. Such criticisming from him, to be honest, was new to the others.


    "It was just a joke. You don''t have to be so mad."


    "Geez, you..."


    Letting out a sigh as if he''d genuinely fed up, Cliff closed his mouth.


    "Teresa seems quite lively. But, were you able to sleep?"


    "Yeah, I slept soundly."


    "I envy you."


    Eight burst intoughter when the words of the other three students splendidly resonated.


    "You guys seem to be in quite a good shape."


    A blonde-haired girl with sanpaku eyes stood in the dead center of the road with her hand on her waist. Her followers made a pose behind her..


    "That''s my line... You seem to be constantly worried about us."


    Completely uninterested, Pluto gave his impression with a tone as if he''dpletely given up on the matter.


    "What!? W-why would I be so worried about you guys一一"


    "If you have time to interfere in someone else''s affairs, I think it would be much better to return to your ssroom and prepare for the exam."


    Maybe because it became annoying, Pluto interrupted Messalina. Yawning loudly, he tried to pass by her without stopping his steps.


    "W-wait!!"


    Even when Messalina shouted, Pluto only waved his right hand.


    "Good luck."


    He spat out a line she really didn''t want to hear.


    A chubby-looking young man standing next to Messalina raised a spooky smile. Then, he said the fact Mia and the others should by no means be permitted to know.


    "Then, do you guys know? If you didn''t make it to the top 40, the professor in charge of your ss would be expelled from this academy."


    Pluto''s feet came to a halt all of a sudden. Turning his neck to look behind, he asked.


    "Where have you heard this false rumor?"


    He red at the chubby male student with a horrifying re.


    "Oh, my. As expected, you guys don''t know. Although that professor has be the head of the savage tribe called Delta without knowing his position, he would be stripped of his position at the same time he lost his teaching position. In other words, if even one of you guys doesn''t enter the top 40, he will be destroyed."


    "Ridiculous! Do you think I would believe such nonsense?!"


    "If you think it''s a lie, why don''t you guys confirm it to the academy?"


    "Dammit!"


    Pushing aside the students, Pluto ran towards the school building.


    "I''m alsoing."


    At Eight''s raging voice, which was uncharacteristic of him, Mia nodded and turned towards the school building with him.


    "Is it true?"


    "..."


    At the entrance, Pluto was in the middle of the confrontation with a pretty blue-haired woman wearing a pointy hat.


    She was Reba-sensei, one of the few teachers who were warm towards Mia and the others in ss G.


    "Is that fact really true?"


    Reba-sensei nodded slightly while biting her lower lip at Cliff''s question, devoid of any expression.


    "But why is it to the point of confiscating the territory!? Although my father is an aristocrat, that''s not right!"


    Teresa grasped Reba-sensei''s shoulders, questioning while shaking her.


    "I... can''t say that. But, we don''t have any choice but to bet on you guys. That''s what I think."


    "Let go of her, Teresa."


    "B-but一一"


    "There''s no point venting out your anger at Reba-sensei! Either way, it''s just another insignificant charade of the aristocrats!"


    Cliff shouted as if to vent out his frustration. Grasping Teresa''s wrist as if dragging her, he walked towards the ssroom ahead.


    Mia and the others also headed to the ssroom, somewhat overwhelmed by the unthinkable criticism of aristocrats'' supremacy advocated by Cliff.


    As soon as they entered the ssroom, they immediately attracted everyone''s attention. All members of ss S were there. Their gazes contained pure hostility, not the scornful looks like other students''. They turned to Mia and the others at the same time.


    Ronald and n were also in the ssroom, but they only took a quick nce at them before turning their attention back to their book. That was the same for the other students. Only the red-haired girl continued to look at the outside scenery while resting her chin on her hands without even sparing a nce at them.


    "I will definitely win."


    Pluto muttered. Mia and the others nodded silently before taking their assigned seats.