Saintess? Not Anymore! I'd Rather be a Destroyer-Chapter 348 - 285: Test

Back in the city, Aurianna walked forward, fully aware of the strange, fearful stares directed at her.

People instinctively moved aside, parting the way as they recognized her.

"It’s Princess Aurianna Vanluad. I thought she vanished after becoming a Saintess," someone whispered.

"I heard she wiped out an entire country on her own. What a demon," another muttered, their voice laced with unease. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Aurianna paid them no mind. Whispers followed her everywhere, but they no longer mattered.

She arrived at the registration desk, her expression unreadable.

"I came to apply as a candidate for the Mystical Academy," she stated calmly.

The attendants stiffened, feeling uneasy under the weight of her dead, icy blue eyes.

"Y-Yes, of course!" one worker stammered, scrambling to process her request. In mere minutes, a card was placed in her hand.

"Please enter that building to proceed," the worker instructed.

Without another word, Aurianna turned and walked toward the designated building.

"The Devil Princess? Why the hell would she want to go to school?" someone whispered.

"I wonder the same. That woman slaughtered so many people, yet she faces no consequences. I hate her."

"She’s beautiful, though," another admitted in awe.

"Are you insane? Why don’t you try your luck and see if she decapitates you?" someone scoffed, followed by a nervous chuckle.

Aurianna finally reached the Grand Hall, a colossal chamber filled with over a hundred thousand people. The huge crowd murmured amongst themselves, but as she moved toward her seat, conversations hushed. Some gazes were mesmerized by her beauty, while others burned with hatred the moment they recognized her.

Minutes passed. Then thirty. The hall gradually filled to capacity.

Finally, movement stirred on the grand stage. A beautiful, brown-skinned elf stepped forward. A floating microphone materialized before her.

"I welcome you all to the Mystical Academy entrance examination program. I am Luera," she announced, her emerald-green eyes gleaming as they swept over the crowd.

A powerful voice suddenly boomed through the hall.

"And I am Draek!"

The crowd turned as a towering figure strode onto the stage—a dragon-man. His long tail flicked behind him, and massive, curved horns crowned his head. His sharp, peach eyes surveyed the gathered students, a smirk playing at his lips.

"To begin the exam, you will all take a written test," Luera announced, her voice echoing through the grand hall. "Since we understand that many of you come from different backgrounds, some without formal education, you will each receive a memory stone. You will have twenty minutes to absorb all the information within it."

A low murmur spread through the crowd. Some of the more finely dressed individuals frowned, clearly displeased.

"Let me make one thing clear," Luera continued, her green eyes sharp. "Any form of cheating will result in immediate disqualification. Your noble lineage, wealth, or family influence mean nothing here. If you dare to threaten the staff, you will be permanently banned from ever entering this academy."

Her words sent a wave of unease through some of the students, but no one dared to challenge her outright.

At her signal, small glowing orbs floated toward the examinees, transforming midair into polished stones. As soon as the students touched them, knowledge surged into their minds, burning itself into their memory.

When the twenty minutes elapsed, Aurianna remained perfectly composed, her gaze steady as she observed those around her. Some clutched their heads in frustration, struggling to retain the flood of information, while others exchanged nervous glances.

Without warning, exam papers materialized in front of each student, followed by desks and pens.

"For those who cannot write, you may speak your answers aloud," Draek announced, his deep voice resonating throughout the hall. "Your words will be transcribed onto the paper. A magic barrier has been placed to ensure that no one can overhear another’s responses—unless I permit it." A slight smirk tugged at the corners of his lips.

"Now, you may begin! You have one hour to complete the test!" Luera declared before she and Draek vanished into thin air.

The tension in the room thickened. Some students hurriedly scribbled their answers, while others hesitated, their minds still processing the knowledge from the stones. A few tried to suppress their panic, their hands trembling over the parchment.

Aurianna calmly picked up her pen, her eyes scanning the questions. They were complex, designed to test not only memory but their understanding and logic. Yet, for her, it was nothing difficult. With steady movements, she began writing. Compared to the work Eva gave her this was easy.

Meanwhile, in a room overlooking the examination hall, some people observed the students through a screen.

"Hohoho, I wonder how these children will behave with no adults monitoring them," an amused voice mused.

"They won’t dare step out of line," another replied. "They know what’s at stake."

"Still," Luera’s voice chimed in, her tone carrying intrigue, "I wonder... which ones will make it into the academy?"

"Hard to decide," Alfred muttered, his tone calm yet firm. "Our goal is to select only the best 1,000 candidates from this continent and move on. The same will be done for the Nobolia Continent, Graias Continent, Leaf Continent, Talia Continent, Nile Continent, Star Continent, Falkania Continent, Decidra Continent, Dragon Continent, Blothou Continent, Iphox Continent, and Croll Continent. Additionally, we’ll be selecting from the People of the Sea and the Sky Lands. That means we will have 21,000 new students this year."

He crossed his arms, his eyes sharp. Though he looked perpetually furious—his furrowed brows and deep frown making him seem unapproachable—Alfred was a man of discipline. His long gray hair, tied neatly into a ponytail, swayed slightly as he leaned forward. Despite his age, he was tall, fair-skinned, and physically fit.

"I’m choosing Andrew August," Draek stated with a nod. "A quiet but respectable demon teenager. He’s quite the genius, and I’m interested in taking him as one of my private students."

Alfred smirked. "Well, I’m more interested in the girl—Aurianna Vanluad."

Luera raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And why her?"

"For starters, the sheer, abnormal amount of magic she possesses. She’s trying to suppress it but it’s still leaking. Lower level people would be unable to feel it but for Grand Humans like myself she’s terrifying, far beyond what a child her age should be capable of," Alfred explained, his fingers tapping against the table. "She also single-handedly took down some Grand Humans who were running a massive slave operation. Not to mention, she destroyed an entire country."

Luera’s eyes widened in shock. "She did what?"

"Oh, and did I forget to mention?" Alfred chuckled. "She’s a Grand Human herself. And she achieved that at the mere age of thirteen. Not to mention, she was a Saintess of the Church of Paige. That girl is a walking monster." He leaned back, his grin widening. "I consider myself lucky she even passed by to register for the exam. She’s already overqualified."

Luera’s expression darkened. "A Grand Human at that age? That shouldn’t even be possible! How??"

"That’s what everyone is wondering," Alfred admitted, shaking his head. "But no one knows how. She’s just a genius."