NOVEL NEXT Chapter 50
Chapter: 50
Everyone gathered in the Soul Academy’s conference room looked completely worn out.
The issue was that the entrance exam was interrupted due to an accident.
From that day on, all the professors at the academy worked tirelessly day and night for nearly a whole week to resolve the incident.
In terms of text, it could easily fill a whole novel, and after a series of hardships, the professors succeeded in finishing the exams after two weeks.
Now, all that was left was to choose the final candidate for the special admission, and everything would be over.
In the conference room, professors were all showing off who had the longest dark circles under their eyes, desperately wanting to finish the work quickly.
Among them, the headmaster of the academy, Judy Albert, let out a weak voice as if he were dying after clearing his throat.
“The next candidate for discussion is Lady Lucy Allen from the Allen family. She is one of the victims involved in this incident, and since she’s quite famous, I believe everyone is aware of her. Professor Luca, may I ask the reason for your recommendation?”
“Yes. Of course.”
Standing up, Luca scanned the room with bloodshot eyes and began to speak.
“The reason I am recommending Lady Lucy Allen for special admission is…”
What he said was what everyone expected.
Overwhelming Meryl from the Baines family.
Demonstrating excellent leadership during the dungeon strategy process for the entrance exam.
Saving all party members during an unexpected situation due to Agra’s Curse.
“If someone with such achievements is not to be considered a special admission, then who else could?”
Other professors did not rebut Luca’s fiery words.
Everyone shared a similar thought.
It was true that Lucy Allen had caused a lot of trouble in the past, but that was all history.
What she displayed now was sufficient to elevate her to the divine ranks of the continent.
“It is true that Lady Allen has shown sufficient results to qualify for special admission, but…”
However, someone interjected.
It was Molly, the vice principal of the Soul Academy.
She met Luca’s sharp gaze but casually presented her opinion as if it were nothing.
“It’s important to understand that the special admission system allows those who did not pass the exam but displayed outstanding skills during the practical test to qualify.”
“I know that, vice principal. So, doesn’t that make Lady Allen even more suitable?”
It was a well-known fact that Lucy Allen did not excel in academics.
According to her former tutor, she had no desire to study at all.
Even if she sought redemption, she couldn’t possibly pass the entrance exam after just a year of studying at the Soul Academy.
Thinking this way, the Combat Studies professors nodded in agreement with Luca’s opinion, but others disagreed.
Professors dealing with theoretical subjects were making subtle expressions.
“No. Lady Allen easily achieved scores sufficient for regular admission without needing special admission.”
Molly resolved the doubts bubbling among the Combat Studies professors.
The idea that Lucy Allen had achieved remarkable scores was utterly unbelievable.
“Excuse me?”
As Luca blinked in surprise, a professor in charge of Korean literature raised her hand.
“Lady Allen scored 87 in the language exam. That’s a score good enough to be in the upper tier,”
Then, following that, a history professor chimed in.
“For history, she scored 98. She made a mistake on a problem regarding modern events.”
“Her score in Magic Studies is relatively low, at 68. It’s barely hitting the average.”
Finally, the Dungeon Studies professor sighed and added.
“For Dungeon Studies, we’re currently debating how to score her.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because 100 points don’t seem sufficient.”
The Dungeon Studies professor said this and shared one of Lucy’s answers from the exam with everyone.
“To start with, let me explain that this is a descriptive question about how to deal with a horde of undead.”
‘The brain-dead trash undead are annoying because they’re sloppy but tenacious like bugs.’
“Wait. Hold on a second.”
As soon as one of the Combat Studies professors blurted out the first sentence of the answer, he interrupted.
“Did Lady Allen really write that?”
“Yes. That’s exactly what I’m reading. If not, why would I use words like trash and sloppy?”
“…My apologies. Please continue.”
The content relayed through the professor was indeed filled with vulgarity, but aside from that, it was a pretty decent answer.
What to be cautious of when dealing with undead.
How to respond when variations arise.
What the best combination to conquer a dungeon primarily made up of undead would be.
Lucy Allen’s answers were so precise that they could be believed to have come from someone on the frontlines of a dungeon conquest, practically perfect in their own right.
However, that was it.
Up until that point, nothing particularly unusual stood out.
“Now, this is the important part.”
‘Undead are so mindless that if there’s no command entity, they’re just trash huddling together like Medusa’s snake hair. Even a rather stupid dungeon lord knows this and usually places a command entity among the horde of undead.
…The command entity, a high-level undead, doesn’t just rely on its own vision to command. It has a few of the trash beneath it to convey the battlefield situation, and it uses that to relay commands.
In other words, if you take out those trash that deliver information, you can turn the command entity into a fool unaware of the battle situation. To find them…’
By the time the Dungeon Studies professor finished speaking, silence fell over the conference room.
What was written there broke the common knowledge they were accustomed to.
“Is this really the idea presented by Lady Allen?”
The intensity in Luca’s bloodshot eyes increased.
This was far too groundbreaking for a student to come up with.
“Yes. I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s true.”
“That’s impressive. If what Lady Allen wrote is true, dealing with the undead will become much easier.”
It was common knowledge to eliminate the command entity first when dealing with a horde of undead.
Once the command is lost, the undead become a disorganized mess.
However, upholding this common knowledge is quite difficult.
High-level undead often possess superior intelligence compared to ordinary humans.
They understand what dying means.
Therefore, high-level undead never reveal themselves on the frontlines.
Attacking the command entity hiding behind the undead horde is practically impossible, making the strategy of dealing with the command entity theoretically sound but practically futile.
However, using the method Lucy suggested changes the narrative completely.
It creates a means to disrupt command without having to hunt the command entity.
“Also, there are many other radical ideas written by Lady Allen in her test paper that seem far too extreme for a noble young lady who hasn’t strategized a dungeon before.”
“Is this not the end?!”
“Yes. That’s why I said even 100 points wouldn’t be enough.”
The previously quiet conference room was gradually becoming noisy, which Molly attempted to suppress with a cough.
“By this point, it should be clear, right? Professor Luca. Lady Allen is not a candidate for special admission.”
“Understood.”
Lucy Allen had achieved sufficiently high scores in written tests, and her practical test performance was nothing short of the top tier.
She was practically already accepted into the Soul Academy.
“At this point, the problem isn’t whether she passes, but rather what rank she places overall.”
Luca said this while sitting back down.
*
“Then, let’s get started, young lady.”
‘Ready?’
“Bring it on, sloppy.”
As I positioned myself, Karl swung his sword.
The speed of his attack was so fast I couldn’t keep up with it visually, but that’s okay.
I have the Iron Wall Skill.
Following what the skill indicated, I lifted my shield just as the sword collided with it.
I felt a jolt in my arm as I blocked the sword.
This guy hasn’t been taking it easy on me lately.
What if he ends up hurting his master’s face like this?!
[Girl. Now's the time!]
Grimacing, while deflecting Karl’s attacks, grandpa spoke up.
As I heard his voice, I quickly muttered a prayer in my heart.
‘To the Lord Jushin, who cherishes Elliot, may you deliver miracles so that the devil’s attacks cannot reach him.’
Just then, a divine barrier formed in front of me as my magic seeped out.
Karl frowned when he saw it, but the already swung sword couldn’t be taken back.
The sword bounced off the barrier, creating an opening.
I dashed through the gap without a moment’s hesitation and swung my mace.
Did he think it was too late for him to counterattack?
Rather than countering my strike, he opted to dodge.
I could see his gaze intensely focused on my movements.
[Now! Shine!]
‘When the world was about to be filled with darkness, all the gods gathered and cried out for light, and a beam of brilliance poured down from the heavens.’
As I silently uttered the prayer in my heart, light erupted from my skin, and when I opened my eyes again, I saw Karl stagger back as he was blinded by the flash.
Yes!
Having confirmed Karl was dazed by the flash, I exaggeratedly moved my feet.
Sure, even if Karl was in a confused state, he’d still sense my presence.
It was so definite that he couldn’t help but suspect it was a trap.
My intentions landed right where I wanted.
After I lifted my mace, Karl didn’t move.
This was my chance.
Finally, I had the opportunity to hit that knight who had been bothering his master without knowing his place!
Just as I slammed my mace down with all my might, Karl moved his hand.
Clang!
I could have sworn I swung it with force, but my mace bounced back, and the Iron Wall Skill warned me of danger.
But it was already too late to react.
I waited, wide-eyed, for the incoming attack.
However, a glimpse of Karl’s sword did not touch me.
As I looked at the sword that had barely stopped in front of me, Karl withdrew it.
“Excellent work, young lady. I genuinely thought this time might be dangerous.”
‘Don’t lie to me.’
“Sloppy. Do I look like a fool who would fall for sweet talk?”
“I’m sincere, young lady!”
No matter what I said, I couldn’t trust the knight who just kept nodding.
[You idiot. I told you to stay calm, especially during opportunities.]
‘Sorry.’
[Let’s do it again.]
‘Yes!’
With grandpa’s urging, I readied myself once more.
Then, Karl also lifted his sword from the opposite side.
“Young lady!”
At that moment, a maid rushed in from afar, calling my name.
Wondering what was happening, I lowered my weapon and waited as the maid handed me a letter.
‘What is this?’
“Sloppy maid, what’s this?”
“It’s a letter from the Soul Academy!”
The Soul Academy?
If it’s a letter from there, it can only mean one thing.
A notification regarding my acceptance.
So, this letter is what determines my fate?
I took a deep breath, opened the letter, and checked the contents.
And upon reading what was inside, I froze.
“Lady! What does it say inside?”
‘Uh, it says I got accepted, but…’
“I did get accepted, but… what in the world is this sloppy academy thinking, asking me to deliver a speech on behalf of the new students?”