Chapter 29: Preparing for the Simulation Exam
The golden light of dawn crept slow through the tall arched windows of the Royal Academy's Grand Hall, sneaking in like it was shy about waking everyone up. Dew still hung on the glass outside, making the sun's glow break into little sparkles that danced across the smooth marble floors. The hall felt big and empty at first—high ceilings that made voices echo soft, walls lined with old banners from the empire's past fights, hanging straight and faded but proud. Mana lamps along the edges glowed low and blue, like night lights for grown-ups, adding a calm hum to the air that you could feel more than hear.
Lucian Azrael Von Blackstar stood in the middle of the bunch of students, his ashen-white hair picking up faint bits of gold from the light, though his eyes—deep and black like the bottom of a quiet pond—stayed heavy and flat. He yawned small, rubbing the back of his neck where it itched from the stiff collar of his uniform. The other kids around him looked half-asleep too—hair messy from quick combs, uniforms buttoned wrong in spots, some holding half-empty bottles of that mana-caffeine drink that tasted like bitter tea but woke you up fast.
'Why the hell did they call us this early?' he thought, blinking against the light. 'It's not even seven yet… no, wait—six?'
He glanced up at the big mana-clock built into the far wall, its numbers glowing soft blue, ticking away exact. Six o'clock sharp.
Lucian frowned a bit, that tired pull settling deeper in his chest. 'Class starts at eight. What kind of madness is this? Don't tell me…'
His mind ran quick through what he knew—the game's events from his first transmigration, the real memories from his second life. 'This can't be the Simulation Exam, right? It shouldn't happen until Friday. But it's Wednesday.'
He let out a slow breath through his nose, feeling the air move cool over his face. 'So this is what happens when someone like Celestia becomes a regressor too. The butterfly effect's already in motion.'
Around him, the students mumbled low, shifting on their feet—some yawning big, others whispering "Why so early?" or "I didn't even eat breakfast." Their uniforms looked rumpled, like they'd rolled out of bed and thrown them on, hair sticking up in spots, a few still clutching pillows they'd grabbed on the way. It was that bleary, "too early for this" feel you get when school pulls you out before the world's ready, making everyone look a little younger, a little more lost.
Then, the heavy oak doors at the front creaked open slow, the sound big in the quiet.
A tall woman walked in with steps that were even and sure, like she owned every inch of the floor. Her long dark-blue hair fell behind her like a wave at night, smooth and full, and her amber-orange eyes caught the light sharp, giving off that look of someone who'd seen a lot and come out stronger. The click of her heels on the marble echoed clear, each one landing like a period at the end of a sentence.
It was Professor Clarice Weldenbud, the deputy head instructor for the Royal Academy—the one who ran the Simulation Examinations with an iron hand but a fair heart. Every kid straightened up without thinking, shoulders back, eyes up front, like their bodies knew to listen even if their heads were still foggy.
Clarice stopped right in the middle of the raised platform up front, hands clasped behind her back neat. Her gaze moved over the room slow, like she was looking at each face—taking in the tired eyes, the rumpled clothes, the way some kids shifted nervous on their feet. It wasn't mean or judging; it was just... seeing.
"Good morning, students of the Royal Academy," she started, her voice firm but warm, carrying easy to the back without yelling or using any mana boost. "I assume you're all wondering why you're here this early, still rubbing sleep from your eyes."
A few nods went around, some kids muttering "yeah" under their breath, others just looking relieved someone said it out loud. Clarice's face didn't change much—her tone got a bit sharper, though, like she was cutting through the fog.
"The reason," she went on, "is because the Simulation Exam has been moved up ahead of schedule."
Gasps hit the air like a wave—kids' eyes going wide, mouths dropping open, a few "what?" slipping out loud. The room buzzed for a second, hands grabbing arms, heads turning to friends like "Did you hear that?"
Clarice raised one hand quick, palm out flat, and the noise dropped fast—everyone freezing, waiting. "This year, the administration decided to push the schedule forward for one simple reason: things don't always go as planned."
She paced slow along the front, her heels clicking even, like a clock keeping time. "In the real world, fights, plans, and staying alive don't give you a heads-up. Bad guys don't wait for you to get your rest or line up neat. You have to adjust, ready or not."
Lucian let out a small breath inside, keeping his face even. 'Still the same speech as before, but damn… it hits harder when you're half-asleep.'
Clarice's eyes caught a kid in the front trying not to yawn, her look narrowing just enough to make him snap straight. "I expect every one of you to treat this exam like your life hangs on it—because if you can't make it through a fake fight, how will you handle the real thing outside these walls?"
The quiet after that was thick, no one moving, the weight of it sitting on everyone's chest like a heavy blanket. A girl in the third row bit her lip hard; a boy next to her gripped his knee white-knuckled.
Clarice kept going, her voice clear and to the point. "The Simulation Exam will have three parts—each one checking how you fight aware, work with your team, and handle your mana."
A low hum started up again—kids leaning in now, some excited, most nervous, but all listening close. Even Lucian tipped his head a bit, pulling up what he knew from before.
She waved her hand light, and a glowing circle popped up next to her—a flat image in the air showing a big forest scene, trees thick and dark, with floating blue walls around the edges like a bubble keeping it all in.
"Part One: Working as a Team." "You'll get put in groups of three. Each group goes into a made-up place—like this forest here. Your job is to find and grab the Mana Core—a special crystal hidden somewhere in the fake area. The group that gets it without everyone getting knocked out wins the first part."
Lucian nodded to himself small. 'Still the same rules as before. Guess they didn't change this one.'
Clarice waved again, the picture shifting to show fights—spell circles lighting up blue, swords swinging fast, shadows of bad guys popping up like ghosts.
"Part Two: Fighting It Out." "In this part, you'll face fake enemies—beasts, raiders, or dark mages made by the mana's trick system. They'll change based on how strong you are and what you try. You either take them down or hold out till the time runs out."
The talk got louder—kids getting jumpy, some saying "No way" low, others looking determined. Clarice ignored it, her eyes glowing a faint orange with her own mana, like she was pulling the words from deep.
"Part Three: Team Against Team." "The groups that make it through the first two parts face off one-on-one. It's about working together, changing plans fast, and trusting your team. You win by outlasting and outsmarting, not just hitting harder."
Lucian breathed out deep. 'So it's still a survival setup. No changes there. Guess the only difference is the damn schedule.'
Clarice's voice got a little softer then, like she was talking to friends instead of a room full of kids. "For the ones who do really well, you'll get extra points, a bump up in your class rank, and a chance to join special groups run by the empire's top fighters."
Then her look got hard again. "For the ones who don't make it… I don't need to spell it out, do I?"
Everyone went quiet fast, no one daring to shift or whisper.
Clarice gave a small smile, like she was happy with the hush. "Good. Then I assume you all get it. You have thirty minutes to find your teams. Pick smart—how well you work together decides if you make it or not."
The glowing picture blinked out. The second she turned, the hall turned to noise—kids jumping up, rushing to grab friends, voices overlapping in a big mess of "Team with me?" and "Wait, what about you?"
Lucian let out another breath. 'Here comes the circus.'
He watched it start up around him—rich kids sticking with other rich kids for the connections, regular folks banding with who they trusted from the train or dorms, the go-getters hunting for someone strong or smart to boost their chances. It was that same old scramble you see in any group thing: nerves making people clingy, hope making them picky.
Then, his eyes went to a spot he knew would happen.
Silvan Hemrick Van Lumina, the Crown Prince himself—Celestia's twin brother—made his move already, heading straight for a girl with red hair that stood out like fire in the crowd, her ruby eyes sharp and ready.
"Lady Amelia Eileen Orientalia," Silvan said with that prince smile, all smooth and sure, like he practiced it in mirrors. "May I have the honor of teaming up with you for the exam?"
Lucian smirked small to himself. 'The same old simp, huh? Even with Vennie at his side, he still goes after Amelia. Idiot.'
Amelia blinked quick, her voice polite but no-nonsense. "I apologize, Your Highness, but I already have a team."
Sure enough, behind her stood Claire Manhattan, the ginger-haired girl from the train, and Johnathan Almek Leonborne, the protagonist of the first game—both hanging close, ready to back her up.
Lucian almost laughed out loud. 'Rejected. Again. Same timeline pattern as before. The universe truly loves its irony.'
He didn't even need to look to know what came next—a cold snap in the air, and the sharp click of heels on stone.
Serene Veronica Le Ardenia stood a few steps off, arms crossed tight, her red eyes flashing hot as she stared at Silvan.
Lucian smirked faint. 'And there it is. The inevitable fury. Just like my second life.'
Then, before he could take a step, a soft and familiar voice called from close by.
"Lucian."
He turned a bit. Celestia Silveria Van Lumina stood right by the side of his desk, holding her books tight against her chest like they could keep her steady. Her long white hair caught the light from the window, shining soft like it was made of silk, and her silver-gray eyes had that little spark of hope in them—the kind that made Lucian's chest tighten quick, like a hand squeezing too hard for a second.
"Would you… be my teammate?" she asked soft, her voice holding on even though it shook a little at the end.
The room got quieter fast at her words. A few kids turned, eyes going wide, whispers starting up behind hands. The princess of the empire asking him—the Blackstar guy everyone talked about like he was trouble—to team up? That was the kind of thing that started rumors before lunch.
Lucian met her eyes for a beat. "...Sure, Your Highness," he said simple, his tone polite and even.
Celestia blinked, then smiled small, the corners of her mouth shaking just a touch. "Please, Lucian… just call me Silvie," she said quiet. "Like before."
Her words carried that old weight from their past life—of memories he didn't want to touch, but couldn't ignore.
Lucian paused, then nodded slow. "...Alright, Silvie."
For a quick second, her eyes went soft, shining with that mix of happy and sad.
As they turned to sign up their team at the front table, Lucian's thoughts drifted off again, quiet and far.
'I'm not dumb enough to miss her feelings. She's still holding onto our past life… just like before. Maybe this time, I'll help her heal and make her move on.'
He breathed out light.
'But knowing Silvie, she's as obsessive as Vennie. If both of them are regressors… then things might turn ugly again.'
He looked up at the big mana chandelier hanging overhead, its lights reflecting faint in his dark eyes.
'Well… let's just survive this exam first.'
The hall kept buzzing around them—kids rushing to pair up, voices overlapping in that frantic way you get when time's short and stakes feel high. Lucian signed their names on the sheet with a quick scratch of the pen, Celestia next to him quiet but close, her shoulder almost brushing his. The clerk nodded them through without a word, too busy with the line to ask questions.
As they stepped back into the crowd, the professor called time— "Thirty minutes up! Teams locked—move out to the grounds!"—and the hall turned to a stampede, kids heading for the doors in a wave of bags and chatter.
Lucian walked with Celestia toward the exit, the sun waiting outside to hit them full. She glanced his way once, that small smile still there, like she'd won something small but real. He didn't say anything, just kept his steps even, but inside, the quiet felt a little less heavy for a minute.
The doors swung open to the courtyard, the Training Grounds pulling them in with its wide dirt paths and hot air, and the exam waited—fate's next turn, ready or not.