I Became the Academy’s Munchkin Sniper

I walked along the mountain path that led to Artena Academy. There was no need to worry about losing my way. 

The mountain I was walking on was famous among mages. 

The mana concentration was just right. Various medicinal herbs and experimental plants grew there, training dungeons formed on their own, and it was a place abundant with elemental spirits. 

It possessed all the conditions that were loved by mages.

That’s why the magic tower affiliated with Artena Academy had spent a considerable budget to create a path. 

The rumors about the mountain were well-known even among the common folk. One of the famous sayings was, ‘All roads in Magic Mountain lead to Artena Academy.’

At that moment, people must be gathering at the numerous branching paths, all aiming to take the entrance exam for Artena Academy.

I looked up at the darkening sky. 

The sun was setting, and the moon was rising. 

There wasn’t much for me to do during this ongoing march. 

I simply walked, observed nature and the sky, paused to listen to the chirping of insects, and tried to ‘accurately’ predict the distance to Artena Academy.

[Distance Remaining: 1 km]

My ability, Clairvoyance. 

It displayed text in the air, giving me various pieces of information. It appeared to show whatever I was curious about.

Even without the display, it was obvious. The brightly lit buildings of Artena Academy were just ahead, and the paths were slowly converging into one.

“There’s really not much left now.”

With just 1 km to go, I could push through without resting. I walked steadily. 

Along the way, I didn’t see anyone else arriving. There weren’t many of us latecomers, commonly known as the ‘crazy ones,’ who arrived the night before the exam.

Chirp! Chirp!

“You sure it’s okay for you to come this far?”

The little one perched on my shoulder chirped again. It had followed me after I shared a bit of food with it. Even though I told it there wasn’t any more…

Ignoring its pitiful chirps, I continued walking, and soon enough, I reached the entrance of the academy. 

The sign for [Artena Academy] shone brilliantly. Nearby, carriages bearing the crests of various noble families were parked, and people were strolling around, chatting and laughing.

This was the place where the brightest minds of the land gathered. The main stage of the game.

Seeing it in person left a strong impression. I looked around, wondering if I might spot one of the main characters, but I didn’t see anyone.

“I know where I need to go.”

Though my stomach ached and I was hungry, the first priority was to register for the exam.

The noble lords had likely already sent in their applications by mail, skipping the first round to take the exam directly, but I wasn’t so fortunate. 

Having fallen from the rank of a count, I was no different from a commoner now.

“Those here to register for the exam~! Over here!”

Kindly enough, there was a sign along with a place where people were lining up. 

I quickly went there and completed my registration in just ten minutes. 

With that, the first part of my plan was cleared. I mentally scratched off the ‘Participate in Artena Academy’s entrance exam’ item with a white chalk.

Yay! How exciting.

“… Not really.”

Having taken care of the urgent task, the fog in my mind cleared, and reality hit me hard. It felt like I was just left standing all alone in the middle of the road.

After paying the exam fee, I had no shillings left, and I had already eaten all the bread I brought along the way. 

The shops around me glowed with a golden light, and the people were chatting away, full of joy for some reason.

It was a world far distant from mine.

I couldn’t help but feel a bit sad.

“…”

I quietly left through the front gate of Artena Academy, realizing that getting in wouldn’t be easy. After all, those who passed the exam walked on a different path from the beginning.

I headed towards the dark Magic Mountain. Suddenly, I felt emptiness on my shoulder and turned to find the bird was gone.

It must have left to find its nest.

It was quite far from here, but I hoped it was doing well. I had been thinking of heading that way anyway.

“If I’m lucky, maybe we’ll meet again.”

I looked forward to our next meeting.

———-

Late evening.

In front of Artena’s main gate, a coachman and a group of guards bowed their heads to a young girl. Although she waved her hands repeatedly, it didn’t stop them.

“We are truly sorry.”

“No, no! It was totally fine.”

“No. This is unacceptable. We will not accept any payment for this commission on behalf of the Adventurer’s Guild.”

They had not only arrived late but had also put her life at risk. The guards recited their code of conduct for a failed mission and handed over a marked seal.

“Here is the proof. As the client, you are entitled to compensation from the Adventurer’s Guild. If you go to the Artena Academy branch, you can receive appropriate compensation.”

“Yes. Thank you. Take care!”

The guild appeared determined to grovel to the ground in apology.

Feeling burdened by the situation, Lumina hurried into Artena Academy.

“Whew. I really was fine. Right, everyone?”

As she walked, she found herself in the garden. Sitting down on a nearby bench, Lumina set down a wooden suitcase as big as she was.

Surrounding her were a myriad of colorful spirits.

[No. This was the right thing to do!]

[Isn’t she just too kind?]

“Haha. Even if you say that…”

The elemental spirits chirped angrily on Lumina’s behalf. Feeling embarrassed, Lumina looked away, but finally, Gale, the high-ranking spirit of wind, spoke up.

[Lumina, you are far too merciful. If it had been any other noble, they would have thrown a fit and demanded even more compensation.]

“Really…?”

[Absolutely.]

Gale was resolute and made its point. The wind, which was shaped like a tiger, moved as if nodding in agreement. 

High-ranking spirits like Gale were intellectual beings who had spent centuries in the human world, and the nobles it had encountered were often just as it described.

But Lumina was different. Even as a noble, she was humble, approachable, and loved humans. These qualities were what made her beloved by the spirits.

Feeling shy, Lumina twirled her hair and shrugged it off.

“Well, everyone has their way of doing things, and I have mine, right? Let’s just think positively. And Gale, didn’t you say I didn’t have to repay that man?”

[That’s because…] 

Gale had opposed it because there was no certainty that the person who had helped her was indeed that man, and it didn’t want him to use that assumption to make unreasonable demands. In this world, an ideal, mutually beneficial relationship was rare.

It would have been easier to view it as a fortunate coincidence, but the ever-optimistic Lumina wanted to express her gratitude.

[Do you have any proof that this man is your benefactor?]

Gale’s question was logical.

“Well, the light element was still lingering around that demon, wasn’t it? If that man has control over light elements, doesn’t it make sense?”

She saw through it easily.

Lumina wiggled her fingers with a knowing look, and Gale sighed deeply, admitting defeat.

[You mentioned he used fire, didn’t you? How many people are there who can infuse a weapon with pure ‘element’ and ‘traits’? The possibility is slim, so I concede.]

“Right? You’re so good, Gale knows when to give in.”

[Yes. However, for this to be possible, that man would have to be at the level of a Master, one of only seven in the world. And if he really were a Master, wouldn’t he want to keep his identity hidden? Masters live beyond the reach of the mundane world.]

“Mhm. Mhm I see~”

[Your gratitude might not even mean much to him. Wealth, power—these people already have everything.]

“But there’s still a chance, right?”

[… Indeed.]

The wind brushed past Lumina’s hair, a bit sulky, and the gentle breeze that had been sweeping the area began to settle down.

“Huh? What’s this? The wind suddenly stopped.”

“Yeah. I thought it was getting a bit chilly, but it feels nice now.”

“So shall we head to round two?”

“Sounds good!”

People walked around in the embrace of their cloaks and looked around curiously. Lumina stood up, dusted off her skirt with her fingertips, and mumbled to herself.

“Seems like it’s gone? Alright, everyone. Shall we go register now?”

High-ranking spirits often influenced nature just by their presence. Gale belonged to that category, and Lumina knew how fortunate she was that he took time to stay with her. Though, his tendency to get sulky so often was a bit of a problem…

Lumina headed straight to the registration booth and quickly confirmed her participation in the Artena Academy entrance exam. They informed her of the time and location for the second test. 

Bowing slightly, Lumina left the building.

“Was it Flune Inn?”

The inn she had reserved was quite a distance away. As she walked there, her thoughts turned to the man she had been talking about earlier with Gale.

‘He was certainly an interesting person.’

Though she hadn’t met him directly, Lumina had been able to observe him. While heading to Artena Academy, she had synced her vision with Phryne, the spirit she had sent ahead. 

The synchronization had only lasted a short time since it became more difficult to maintain the longer it went on, but during that brief moment, she had noticed something special about him.

He had been sitting on a rock, looking utterly hopeless, but then suddenly recovered. 

Thinking Phryne was an animal, he even shared what little bread he had left with her, talked to himself and occasionally answered his own questions in a way that was quite amusing.

Even if he wasn’t her benefactor, he was interesting enough that Lumina wanted to befriend him.

‘He was probably heading to Artena Academy to take the entrance exam, right?’

His destination had been Artena Academy. Gathering at the academy during this time could only mean one thing. If he was indeed taking the exam, she figured they could become friends. 

It would be great if he turned out to be her benefactor, but even if he wasn’t, he appeared like someone worth knowing.

‘Shall I take a look and see where he’s at…?’

He was still in the mountains. The fact that he was walking up the steep paths of the Magic Mountain towards the academy was quite remarkable. Most people took carriages along the fastest routes.

“Huh…?”

Lumina synced her vision with Phryne again. To her surprise, the surroundings were familiar—it was the registration area of Artena Academy, the very place she had just been! 

It appeared he had already arrived. Judging by his presence near the registration booth, he was also an entrance exam participant.

Excited, Lumina smiled to herself.

‘Shall I go meet him?’

She started walking quickly, tracking his location through Phryne, who was following him as he headed somewhere. 

“What’s this? Is he going to an inn? Phryne, follow him without getting caught.”

His destination was outside Artena Academy, and as Lumina watched him head back into the Magic Mountain, she gleamed with curiosity and quietly followed him.