Accidentally Squashed It

Delyan was in a rather good mood.

Being the chief examiner for new student admissions... this was a great assignment. Not only could she flaunt her authority in front of the freshmen, but if she managed to spot promising talents early and bring them into her own academy, it would count as a major achievement. On top of that, she could also earn academic credits.

Besides, Delyan herself quite enjoyed the feeling of being the center of attention.

Right now, she had even exposed someone’s silly little trick right in front of everyone, earning her the adoring gazes of her juniors.

The only thing that struck Delyan as odd was the reaction of the black-haired man’s companion—the female elf. Instead of looking embarrassed or angry, she was laughing so hard she could barely stand straight.

"Hahaha! Xia Lun, did you hear that? You have to take the entrance exam too... Hahaha! I can’t breathe!" Liyana was practically wheezing with laughter, while Aina covered her mouth gracefully, suppressing a chuckle.

Naturally, Xia Lun wasn’t upset. His lips still carried that gentle smile.

"So your name is Xia Lun? Quite the ‘heroic’ name," Delyan remarked, sizing up the black-haired man before her.

Given the existence of the legendary Hero, countless parents had named their children Xia Lun. Delyan didn’t think much of it.

"A real hero wouldn’t resort to such underhanded tricks... You’d better take the test properly. I look forward to seeing you in the academy." Delyan waved her hand dismissively. Xia Lun’s demeanor was naturally likable, and even after this incident, she didn’t dislike him.

Xia Lun didn’t offer any explanation and simply retreated into the crowd.

"What now, Xia Lun? Should I call Wolund over?" Aina instinctively looped her arm around Xia Lun’s.

"No need. Let’s not cause too much of a scene. We’ll just take the test like everyone else," Xia Lun declined with a smile.

Aina blinked. She had a feeling that if Xia Lun took this test, it would cause an even bigger uproar.

"Hey, what about me? I haven’t studied much magic. If I don’t pull some strings, what if I fail?" Liyana suddenly pointed at herself.

Everyone around them was dressed in robes, while she stood out like a sore thumb in her light armor.

Many eyes instinctively turned toward her, marveling at the elf’s breathtaking beauty before shyly looking away—a display of youthful bashfulness unique to boys their age.

Xia Lun: "Didn’t she say it already? If you fail, you go to a different branch."

Liyana: "So we’d be separated?"

Xia Lun: "So be it."

"Hey! Xia Lun, you’re so heartless! Aren’t I your sworn brother? Brothers should share a dorm room..."

Aina suddenly became alert: "Liyana, I’ll be the only one sharing a room with Xia Lun. You’d better get your own."

"Why? When we camped in the wild, we all slept together..."

"Times have changed..."

Xia Lun probably never dreamed that one day, they’d be arguing over dorm arrangements.

"Alright, newcomers, it’s time. Follow me." Delyan addressed the hundred or so people in the square before striding through the gates of Olifandor without a backward glance.

Once inside the campus, Xia Lun was surprised to find that the already dense mana in the air had intensified even further.

Staying in a place like this for long, even without dedicated training, would gradually increase one’s mana reserves.

"Now I understand why some of you humans, despite your short lifespans, can still reach unimaginable heights," Liyana mused.

Compared to long-lived races, humans were undoubtedly at a disadvantage when it came to their potential upper limits.

For long-lived races, strength accumulated naturally over time—that much was undeniable.

Humans, however, were constrained by their lifespans, unable to reach higher realms.

But resources could compensate for this quite well.

Delyan led the group down a long corridor and into a grand hall.

Before them floated numerous crystal orbs, each engraved with intricate patterns—these were mana detection devices.

"Come here."

Aina gently tugged at Xia Lun and Liyana’s sleeves, and the two leaned in.

Aina placed her palms on their backs, and a magic circle swiftly inscribed itself onto them.

"A spell to falsify mana signatures," Aina whispered playfully, blinking. "Your actual mana would shatter these things."

Xia Lun needed no explanation—Aina knew his current state better than anyone. As for Liyana, she was an elf with over a thousand years of accumulated power, not someone to be underestimated.

Delyan demonstrated by cupping a crystal orb in her hands, causing it to emit a dazzling red light.

"This is a mana detector. The color represents elemental affinity, and the brightness indicates mana quality... If any of you are as strong as Headmaster Wolund, give us a heads-up first—you’ll break the orb."

The crowd burst into laughter.

Then, a freshman raised their hand and asked curiously, "Senior Delyan, has any new student ever broken a detector before?"

"Yes," Delyan’s expression turned solemn. "Just last year, there was one—a warrior who wanted to study magic at Olifandor. He got too nervous, squeezed too hard, and shattered the orb. It caused quite a stir. After that..."

Delyan suddenly grabbed one of the orbs beside her, lifted it high above her head, and slammed it onto the ground with a resounding crash.

"Boom—" The sharp sound echoed through the hall.

Everyone stared in shock.

Then, the orb slowly rose back into the air, completely unharmed despite the impact.

The floor bore a shallow dent, but it began repairing itself at a visible pace, soon leaving no trace behind.

"After that, the upgraded mana detectors became much harder to break."

The hall fell silent, save for Delyan’s boisterous laughter.

"Hm? Miss Elf, what are you doing?" Delyan suddenly noticed Liyana lurking at the back, looking rather shifty.

"N-Nothing, ahahaha..." Liyana scratched the back of her head, laughing awkwardly.

Her right hand discreetly slipped a cracked, dimly glowing orb into her spatial ring.

With so many detectors here... surely no one would notice one missing...

Delyan felt a twinge of suspicion but didn’t press further.

"Liyana..." Xia Lun sighed in exasperation.

"I couldn’t help it! She said these things were sturdy, and I got competitive. You know how I am, Xia Lun—I have a strong drive to win... Who knew I’d accidentally crush one?"