It had been only two days since relying on the power of magic, and afterward, relying solely on Rensley’s ordinary intellect and an indomitable will, a week passed in the blink of an eye.
Unfortunately, the superhuman learning ability that manifested when drinking the genius potion didn’t reappear, but Rensley did his best. His mentor, Gezell Jivendad, also shared challenging times with him, not missing a single day, working together until midnight.
On the day of the exam, Rensley woke up early in the morning and took a clean bath. To concentrate throughout the long exam, he felt the need to preserve his stamina, so he cleared the tasteless meal. As he continued eating, the food of Aldrant now felt somewhat edible.
The exam venue was the Duke’s room. Originally, it was heard that the exam would be held in the castle’s chapel. However, today, to avoid drawing attention from others, a special exam was decided to be held in the bedroom.
After finishing the meal, Rensley tidied up his surroundings. He opened all the wooden doors to let in the light and, braving the cold, aired the room for a moment.
Prepared, Rensley was about to pull the cord by the bedside. Pulling it would signal the Knight Commander’s arrival, not Lady Samlet, as agreed for today.
Knock, knock.
At that moment, someone knocked on the door. Before Rensley could respond to enter, the door opened, revealing the man he expected to see standing there. Rensley hurriedly walked toward him.
“Your Grace, isn’t it time for the exam?”
“I will go immediately. It hasn’t started yet, right?”
“Yes.”
“Please wait calmly. You’ve worked hard, so you will surely pass.”
Duke Gezell’s expression was like an unwavering straight line, a silent plain where not a single breeze stirred.
Even though it was the same today, his eyelashes were soft. Now that Rensley, who had come to recognize each small difference in his face, could see it, he couldn’t help but smile at the feeling of truly becoming his apprentice.
‘Right. Maybe it’s really a miracle to pass in just a week.’
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Feeling warm-hearted with an unfounded optimistic view, mischievousness suddenly flickered within him.
“Your Highness, can you lend me your hand for a moment?”
Gezell slightly raised his eyebrows as if not understanding the reason but extended his hand without a word. Rensley cleared his throat and, wanting to show his sincerity, wrote something with his finger.
<I will definitely pass and repay you, Master.>
“Hahaha.”
Rensley was surprised, his eyes wide open. This time, there was no room for misunderstanding or suspicion. Although it was a brief moment, the Duke laughed audibly.
Even after that short laughter, a shadow of a smile lingered on his face. Responding to the prank first and then surprising Rensley with a gaze, he spoke.
“Yes, I will pray for that too.”
“Yes… Yes!”
Rensley replied, slightly stumbling.
The ceremony time was approaching. After a brief exchange of greetings, the Duke headed to his office. Even after closing the door, Rensley felt like he was floating on soapy bubbles for a long time.
‘Really handsome. I already knew, but when he laughs like that, he’s incredibly handsome.’
To cool down his flushed face, Rensley slapped his cheeks with his palms several times. Yet, he found himself feeling awkward. Why did his face turn red at the sight of another man, handsome or not? It was undoubtedly because his mind somewhere was trying to malfunction due to not meeting and interacting with people properly these days.
‘Once I pass, I’ll be free. I may not be as free as His Grace, but I won’t be too far behind, right? Courageous and handsome Knight Rensley Maelrosen might attract confessions from beauties. Wake up. Focus only on the exam from now on.’
Phew. Rensley took a deep breath and gripped the long rope. Then, a gleam appeared on his raised wrist.
A golden light in the form of a bracelet. Rensley, who wasn’t wearing any accessories, furrowed his brows and looked at his wrist.
“What is this?”
Like sunlight reflecting in a mirror, the briefly shining beam disappeared the next moment. He looked out the window, but it was still too early for the sun to rise brightly.
For a while, he examined his wrist, turning it left and right, but the light did not appear again. Even if it was an optical illusion, could it be a good sign? Rensley shrugged his shoulders and pulled the cord energetically.
Unable to relax, he stood in front of the desk, nervously pacing back and forth, when he heard footsteps approaching, gradually getting closer. Due to the confinement-like life he had been living in seclusion in his bedroom, where he rarely met people for a while, he became sensitive to any signs of approaching individuals.
The footsteps of Lady Samlet approaching were light and lively. The Duke moved almost silently. The Knight Commander’s steps were wide and confident. Rensley stood at attention, waiting for the man who might become his superior.
“Good morning, Sir Maelrosen.”
“Did you sleep well, Commander?”
As soon as the door opened, he politely greeted, and, in contrast to when they last met, he was casually dressed, perhaps because he was in charge of overseeing the exam. After removing the metal armor, He was only wearing a leather armor over a shirt. In his hands, he held a few sheets of paper and a small pocket watch.
A written exam. It had been a long time since he felt this way since the age of twelve. Even the arrogant children of the Cornian royal family, who would freeze and sit quietly in front of the teacher, were the same when taking exams.
He recalled the classroom with many books and a slightly dizzying smell, the royal teacher who sternly distributed exam papers, and the unique quiet and tense atmosphere before the exam, which could only be felt just before the exam. It was a time he never liked, but perhaps it had become something irreversibly distant. There was a strange sense of nostalgia.
“How is your physical condition? Will it not be a burden to proceed with the exam?”
“No, there’s no problem.”
“Please take a seat. Although it may be more nerve-wracking to take the exam alone, think of it as a privilege to be in a comfortable place.”
He knew well or not. Rensley nodded and sat at the desk. Taking a deep breath, he reviewed the knowledge he had memorized until yesterday. He had never worked so hard at studying before.
Preparing for an exam for a year by studying for only a week seemed like an extravagant story. It might have sounded like boasting if it were someone else’s story. However, just the fact that he had passionately worked towards a goal was fulfilling. The time itself that he had spent with those who sincerely helped and supported him was precious to Rensley, who had never experienced such an opportunity.
Anton, who had been looking at the watch, finally moved. With a rustling sound, the exam paper was placed in front of Rensley.
“Begin.”
Rensley quickly picked up the pen. Starting with the first question, he began to read rapidly.
The first question was about the emblem of the Aldrant royal family. The silver patterns embroidered on the Duke’s cape. No, initially, he thought it was a griffin, but it turned out to be a fantastical creature, a manifestation of an illusionary horse. A mythical beast with wings attached to wolves or lions, actually non-existent creatures.
The question asked about the meaning of the sentence, the number of feathers on the split wings, and the shape of horns, teeth, and claws. It was crucial for a soldier or knight to accurately memorize the symbol of the faction they belonged to.
“Aldrant’s emblem is a depiction of the summoning beast that only the one who becomes the king can command.”
“A summoning beast? Does that mean His Grace the Duke can also summon a beast?”
“Of course. However, it is a magic permitted only when absolutely necessary. It is not used unless to prevent the invasion of enemies.”
Remembering the conversation he had with Gezell, Rensley calmly answered the first question. It would be really appreciated if the difficulty level continued like this…
The next question was about the Battle of the Ramparts that took place about fifty years ago in Aldrant and the strategies used during that time. Rensley took a deep breath, concentrating his mind. The battles at the ramparts in Aldrant’s history were frequent, and each time, the circumstances were slightly different, making it quite difficult to distinguish and memorize.
However…
Rensley easily and confidently wrote down the answers. Moving on to the next question and the one after that, there were no significant obstacles.
Surprisingly, the contents of the books he had read so far were perfectly stored in his mind, and Rensley only needed to retrieve them and arrange them appropriately.
Anton, who was supervising the exam with sharp eyes, froze as if surprised. Rensley’s forehead wrinkled slowly.
‘Odd. Did I really become a genius?’
Could it be that Rensley Maelrosen was originally a gifted student with a sharp mind? Although he used to think he couldn’t study on his own during class and found regular lessons tedious, the special lessons that had continued for a week were challenging but always enjoyable. He neither schemed nor slacked off, consistently giving his best within the given time, without any regrets. After drinking the magic potion for only two days, he never touched it again. Therefore, this was solely the result of Rensley’s effort.
It might have been that he had the talent for studying all along, but he didn’t realize it. Perhaps he just hadn’t encountered a good teacher to help him bloom. The slightly strained expression on his face brightened significantly, and with a smile, he quickly continued writing down the answers. The feeling was good.
That bracelet is doing something I’m sure. 😅
But how did that appear? Someone’s doing? 😏
So excited!! Thank you for your efforts. 💕
the bracelet is a shipper👻😂 (just sayin, not a spoiler👾)
Thank you for your support ☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆
Awwww, I’m so proud of Rensley, indeed, the Duke is a great and attentive teacher