While standing together with the other academy representatives, AmaLein watched the arenas where the first-year students were fighting. Based on his and ShegoLo's estimates, only seventy percent of those present would pass the trials. Was that a lot? No. That was the number the academy aimed for. If more passed, that was good too, but the experience of previous years showed that around seventy percent, give or take, usually managed to survive the tests.
AmaLein occasionally glanced at Aluric. He was curious how he would handle the trials, especially the second one. He couldn't help him without drawing attention, so AmaLein could only hope that the goddess Hes was watching over him.
"This year has many talented mages, especially those capable of using more than one element. But the swordsman wing isn't looking as bright, isn't that right, AmaLein?" Academy Director Suga Tin suddenly asked, pulling AmaLein from his thoughts.
"You are right, Director. This year, as usual, there are fewer swordsmen. That is why we combine weaker mage classes with swordsman classes during training," AmaLein answered with a trace of sadness in his voice.
What he said was true. Technically, the two wings were meant to exist separately without mixing students. In reality, it was the opposite. To prevent weak mage classes from shrinking even further, they were merged with the half-empty swordsman classes.
"I was told at admissions that two princes and one princess from the Kray Empire enrolled with us. Yet I only see Prince Nreu and Princess Heya. But where is Prince Aluric? Did he run away?" Suga Tin asked while examining the arenas.
He had been given descriptions of all three, but had only found two.
AmaLein wondered how to explain things without revealing anything. Prince Aluric was here—but had changed beyond recognition. Even AmaLein himself had barely recognized him yesterday.
Unconsciously, he glanced toward Aluric and saw him stepping down from the arena. At first AmaLein thought he had lost, but then he looked toward the arena itself and saw a dark elf kneeling there.
"Oh, look at that. This time, nine out of ten dark elves will remain with us," Suga Tin said in surprise, watching the arena Aluric had just left.
"Meifi lost? He had incredible talent in fire magic. Who was he fighting?" ShegoLo joined the conversation, surprise clear in her voice.
"If I'm not mistaken, he fought a student named Trey. According to the blood stone, he has a Mage Hunter talent," AmaLein said, quickly inventing a believable explanation—or rather, half of one.
"A Mage Hunter? A very rare talent. And he has no magical talent? He seems to have something of dark elf blood in him. Where is he from, AmaLein?" Suga Tin asked with growing interest while studying Aluric.
"Suga Tin, unfortunately I don't know the answer to that question. But I'll go ask him while he waits for his next match," AmaLein quickly replied, not waiting for a response before heading toward Trey.
While I waited for my next fight, I could feel the gazes of some people on me. Most of them belonged to light elves and one dark elf who hadn't taken his eyes off me.
Could he be my next opponent?
He wore a mage's uniform, which made him a troublesome enemy for me.
After two more fights, my turn came. I had no sword, nothing I could use as a weapon.
As I stepped onto the arena, I saw that same dark elf climbing up from the opposite side.
"Half-breed, surrender now. Otherwise they'll carry you out of here on a stretcher—if you even survive," the dark elf said arrogantly instead of greeting me.
Tilting my head, I looked at him and concluded that he had indeed mistaken me for a half-elf. I wasn't sure whether to be happy or disappointed.
"I'm not a half-elf. I'm human," I answered calmly, just as my fencing instructor had taught me: in battle, it wasn't enough to know how to fight. Your mentality mattered too. If it was weak, you could lose even a battle that should have been yours.
The dark elf clicked his tongue irritably and began chanting a spell.
The moment I saw that, I ran toward him.
I still wasn't used to my new body, so when I reached him and threw a punch, all he could do was watch as my fist rushed toward his face.
After the first strike, I didn't stop. With my other hand, I drove a punch into his chest.
He tried to block, but when I heard the cracking of his bones, I began to wonder about my own strength.
I didn't want to kill him—that could lead to consequences for me.
So instead, I lunged for his neck.
Before he could react, my hand was already around his throat, forcing him down to his knees with a sharp yank.
"I surrender… don't kill me," the dark elf whispered.
He had completely lost his will to fight and now genuinely feared for his life.
Hearing his surrender, I released his neck and touched his emblem. A crack spread across it, marking his defeat.
Turning my back to him and ignoring the stares of the other students, I stepped down from the arena.
I knew the trial wouldn't end with one fight.
Double-tapping my emblem and confirming my suspicion, I raised my eyebrows in surprise when I saw the name of my next opponent.
Trey (Aluric) vs NreuVictories: 1Defeats: 0
I was stunned.
I hadn't expected to fight my brother.
Was this fate?
Without realizing it, anger began rising from deep within me, and a red tint started creeping into my vision.
Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to think.
Should I lose on purpose?
Could it be that the Emperor had intentionally sent me here so that my defeat to my brother would serve as a small stepping stone for him?
But he couldn't have known for certain we'd face each other.
Lifting my head, I began scanning the crowd for Nreu, but there were too many students.
"We need to talk, Student Trey," a voice said behind me.
Recognizing it, I turned and saw AmaLein looking directly at me.
I nodded and followed him.
Many students stared at us and whispered. With my newly sharpened hearing, I could hear far too much of their chatter, and from their conversations alone I could already feel a headache coming.
Once we reached a quiet corner of the arena, AmaLein stopped, studied me, and placed a hand on his chin before speaking quietly to avoid being overheard.
"We have a problem. The academy director is asking where Prince Aluric of the Kray Empire disappeared to. He knows you were supposed to be here today, and when he didn't see you, he asked me.
We can't tell him the truth about you.
And I hope I'm wrong, but I think you've caught his interest."
After dropping that pile of bad news on me, AmaLein stared into the distance where the director and the dean of the magic wing stood.
"But the worst part is that he asked where you're from. And that's why I'm here."
Hearing all this, I started thinking.
The director asking about me as Aluric was only half the problem.
The bigger issue was that he had become interested in a student resembling a half-elf.
He could easily check the records of yesterday's admissions, and I doubted there was any half-elf listed there without magical talent.
Did this mean I really had to lose to my brother?
If I failed any test, I would be barred from studying at the academy, and the director's interest in me would disappear.
But then what?
Return to the Empire? Impossible.
And I wasn't prepared to survive outside its borders.
"What options do we have?" I asked AmaLein.
Not seeing a solution myself, I needed to hear what he could offer with his experience and knowledge.
"The simplest option is to admit that you are Aluric, and that your transformation was caused by becoming chosen by Goddess Hes," AmaLein replied immediately.
But when he saw my expression darken, we both understood what that would mean.
If such news got out, my life would no longer be my own.
It would become a life stripped of freedom—essentially slavery.
"And what other options are there besides that and intentionally failing the trial?" I asked, since both possibilities were extreme.
"If I understand correctly, information about you exists in admissions, in the storage records where you received your room, and in my dean's office where your talent was checked. Correct?"
I nodded, not yet understanding his point.
"We can create a new identity for you. One unconnected to Aluric.
The documents your court mage submitted are little more than recommendations.
The professor who checked your talent won't say anything.
The storage records shouldn't be a problem either. Student files are rarely checked.
And even if they are, people will likely assume you live in that room because Prince Aluric disappeared—or that he simply gave you his key before vanishing after realizing he had no magical talent."
AmaLein finished his proposal.
A new identity…
It was actually a good solution.
But then another problem came to mind.
"When I touch my emblem, both of my names are displayed. Couldn't that eventually lead anyone searching for Aluric straight to me?" I asked.
AmaLein studied my emblem thoughtfully.
"If you pass all the trials, all of you will receive the academy's main uniform, where the talent emblem is replaced by the academy crest.
But this uniform still has to disappear.
It could lead interested people to you."
I nodded.
That left one final issue: where was I supposedly from?
As I understood it, AmaLein could alter my records—name, age, homeland.
I didn't know which countries had the highest dark elf populations, so I hoped he could guide me.
"Since you resemble a dark elf, why not use that to our advantage?" AmaLein asked, surprising me.
"You probably don't know this, but half-bloods who resemble you are seen among elves like a glaring white stain.
Relationships between elves and humans are undesirable.
So I suggest choosing a nation where people like that mostly stay hidden: the Orc Kingdom of KuDja, the Human Empire of Jorial, or the Kray Empire."
"Put down the Jorial Empire," I answered after a brief pause.
"If we list Kray, it might attract the exact attention I'm trying to avoid."
AmaLein studied me for a moment, then nodded and pulled a form from his ring.
"Drop your blood onto this form so I can present it to Director Suga Tin and avoid further questions."
He handed me the form and a dagger.
After cutting my hand and watching a drop of blood activate the seal, I returned both items.
As he turned to leave, I remembered something.
"Dean—or should I say AmaLein? Do you happen to have a training sword? I'll return it after the trials."
AmaLein turned back.
"First of all, why do you need a sword? And when we're alone, you may call me AmaLein. Around others, it's Dean."
"My next opponent is my brother," I answered while looking him straight in the eyes.
"And I doubt he'll hold back.
Also, as I understand it, the final test is monster hunting.
Unless you'd prefer I kill them barehanded."
AmaLein stared into my eyes for a few seconds, then touched his ring and handed me a simple sword in a plain sheath.
Both sword and scabbard were ordinary—perfectly suitable for the final trial.
"Good luck, Student Trey. Don't make me regret helping you."
AmaLein walked away, his voice cold.
I could only shrug at his final words.
I still didn't understand why he had decided to help me.
But that was a question for later.
Right now, it was still too early.
I was still far too weak.
After AmaLein returned and handed something to the director, I remained where I was, waiting for my next battle.