Strongest Noble's Daughter Uses Water Magic

Practical Entrance Exam Pt. 3

After the astonishing display of magic by Leia, the rest of the applicants had taken their turn in displaying their magic to the rest of us. There were some who had displayed their spells quite well, especially amongst the nobles, but compared to Leia, they were not all that impressive.

I was still baffled by her performance. Not only did she have so much magic in her, she casted her spell without a chant, which is what gives spells the form they were to take. To cast a spell without a chant... Leia had to be a powerful fire mage, at the very least. Although, there was still one thing that bothered me about her magic, how her flames had acted, and how she reacted upon seeing them. They were so similar to how it was with me and my magic, but that could not be possible. Surely Leia had proper training with her magic as a high-ranking noble. I would ask her, but looking back at the expression she had when she casted her spell, I decided against the idea and remained silent.

Eventually, the first part of practicals was over, and we all stood on the sidelines, giving Edward our full attention.

"Okay, time for the second half of the practicals, that being weapon combat," he announced. "In this part of the exam, you will be paired randomly by your ID number. Once you are called up, pick out any weapon you would like to use from the selection set on the table, meet your opponent on the field, and introduce yourself."

"Even the commoners?" a noble boy questioned.

At that question, Edward sent a glare his way. "Is there a problem in learning the names of your future peers?"

The boy trembled at his glare and answered, "N-No, sir! No problem here!"

Edward hardened his glare for a moment, before moving on to the exam, as he took out what seemed to be a ballot box. "As I was saying... When you hear your number get called, pick out a weapon, and meet your opponent on the field. Pay attention, cause I will not repeat the numbers once called," Edward warned, taking out two pieces of paper from the box. "Numbers 152 and 046 up front."

At his call, two students walked up and chose a sword before heading towards the field.

"Number 152, Marshal Law."

"Number 046, Natalie Epsilon."

"The rules are simple. You spar until one is defeated. No magic allowed," Edward further instructed. "All right. Begin!" As soon as he shouted that word, the pair began their spar.

The same thing happened to the next several pairs of students. So far neither I nor Mindy, nor Azalea nor Leia were called up. There were some commoners who were called, all who used various weapons other than a sword. Thankfully, the bladed and pointed part of each weapons were more or less blunt, so no blood was spilled. However, it still left some heavy injuries, especially towards the commoners. Though they did have a bit of experience in the weapons they selected, against the nobles, who have been taught how to use weapons from professional instructors... it was quite clear who the victors of each spar was.

"Numbers 211 and 040," Edward called.

"Good luck, Mindy," I said to my harpy friend.

"Right, milady. I won't let you down," Mindy nodded. 

As she walked away from the sidelines, though, rather than picking up a weapon, she simply made her way to the field.

"Huh? What is that monster doing?"

"Lord Edward clearly said to pick up a weapon and then head to the field. Then again, with those arms, I doubt she's able to use a weapon in the first place."

"No kidding. She should just fly away like a pest she is."

From the corner of my eyes, I noticed Leia and Azalea sending unamused looks to the nobles speaking bad of my close companion.

"Those guys..." the latter silently growled.

"I feel even more disappointed in them as a fellow noble..." the former muttered.

"It'll be fine," I told them, to the pair's surprise.

"How can you say that?"

"Because once the battle starts, it will be enough to shut them all up." The pair were even more confused at my words, in which I simply sighed in understanding. "Well, just watch and you'll see."

On the field, Mindy stared down against her opponent, a noble wielding a sword.

"Hmph. So, the one who gets to slay the monster roaming around the academy is me. I feel honored," the noble said. "My name is Samus Rozweld. It will do you some good to memorize that into your head, monster."

"I have a name like any of you humans. And it's Mindy Caribbean," Mindy retorted and introduced. The noble, Samus, held back a laugh at her introduction, in which the harpy noticed. "What is so funny?"

"Oh nothing. Just the fact that you think a monster such as yourself has the right to be given a name. All you are is a monster. Nothing more, nothing less. I don't know who it was that named you, but they are definitely no noble. If anything, for them to be friendly with a monster makes them nothing more than bugs. Nay, something even lower then mere bugs," he insulted.

I sighed at his insult, feeling quite sorry for the poor boy, for he had said the last thing that should ever be said in front of his opponent.

"Take that back..." Mindy spoke in a low tone.

"Huh? Did you say something, monster? Then again, it's not like a monster-"

"Shut up," the harpy interrupted. "If you're not going to apologize, I will just make you."

"Begin!" At Edward's call, Mindy swung a wing upward, sending a dusty gust of wind toward her foe, who immediately shielded his eyes from the dust. While he was distracted by the dust, Mindy flew toward the noble and gave him a good kick to the gut, followed by a smack down to the face. She did not end it there, as the harpy grabbed the human with her feet and soared upwards.

The moment she did that was the moment I felt more pity for her foe, as there was no doubt he will have a fear for heights after this. As this went on, the other nobles on standby all gave out shouts with what was happening.

"Hang on! That has to be cheating!"

"Forget not using weapons, she clearly used magic!"

"Hey, Lord Edward! Why aren't you stopping this spar?!"

I could only sigh at their childish view of reality before glancing over at Edward, who only stared at what was happening in the air. This made me turn my attention back to the fight as well, just in time to see Mindy diving down with Samus still in her hold.

"Hey uh... Isn't that dangerous?" Azalea asked me.

"I am very much so sure that will kill him," Leia said.

"He won't die. Physically speaking," I informed, increasing their worries for the soon-to-be victim.

True to my claim, however, before Mindy hit the ground, she made a perfect ninety degree turn upwards, gliding so close to the ground at high speed, with Samus still hovering above ground himself. The harpy then tossed the noble toward us, revealing the boy completely knocked out, pale and with foam coming out of his mouth.

"Winner: Mindy Caribbean," Edward announced so indifferently.

His declaration shocked and angered the noble applicants.

"What do you mean 'winner'?! That monster cheated!"

"Yeah! This is supposed to be a combat of weapons! She broke the rule!"

"Not only that, but she clearly used magic!"

A magic circle appeared in Edward's hand, as my brother summoned a large fireball, silencing the rioting voices.

"It seems there is some kind of misunderstanding amongst you children. Very well, I will make things clear now," he said. "Firstly, I know I said this is a weapon combat, and I know I said you may pick out a weapon of your liking from the table. However, I said 'pick out a weapon you would like to use'. I never said you definitely need to select and use a weapon set out for you. For monsters, as well as some crossbreeds, their weapons are a part of their bodies such as fangs or claws. Mindy Caribbean fought using her talons and her wings, which are her weapons of choice. As for the claim that she used magic, if you are referring to the heavy breeze she sent out with her wings, an action that is especially possible for harpies like her, then all the more reason for you to not be accepted into this school. We have no need for narrow-minded fools in this school. In fact, it is narrow-minded fools that plague this world more than anything else. If you refuse to be open-minded, you might as well find another school to attend."

Harsh as his words were, they were more than enough to silence the nobles, some who started glaring at Mindy as she made her way back to me.

"I have returned, Lady Levi," she said.

"So I see," I replied, patting her on the head. "You did good back there."

The harpy lightly flapped her ears in joy at my compliment.

Several more spars had passed after Mindy's. Amongst them, Azalea had fought against a low-ranking noble, who was using an axe, while she used a lance. In several games I had played in my previous life, I had honestly thought she was at a disadvantage with the weapon of choice, but she proved to be able to hold her ground quite well against a heavy-hitter. Unfortunately, it still ended in her loss, when she tripped on something on the ground and was suddenly being stared down at her foe, with the blunt, bladed part of his axe to her neck. Though, as it would actually turn out, she was the true winner of that battle, for the noble had sneakily casted a weak Earth Magic that made a lump on the ground, one that made Azalea trip and lose the spar. In turn, it also resulted in the noble's disqualification from the exam.

"Number 212 and 213. Step up," Edward called.

At his summon, Leia and I looked at each other, baffled that we would be facing each other in the exam. Our puzzled expressions were quickly replaced with smiles, as I held out a hand to her.

"May the best fighter win," I said.

"Agreed," she said, accepting my handshake.

After we selected our weapon, the two of us walked to the field, prepared to do battle with one another.

"I know we already know each other, but since our examiner insisted us to do introduction, I'm Levi Caribbean," I re-introduced, holding a lance in my hand. "And you are?"

Leia, who was holding a sword, had a saddened expression on her face when I asked that, confusing me. "... If I tell you my full name, you promise we will still be friends, right?"

Her questioned confused me even more, as I answered, "Of course we'll still be friends. Besides, I don't know much nobles to begin with. Whatever house you're from, we will still be friends. Unless if, of course, your family is against you being friendly with a commoner."

Leia had a troubled expression on her face at those words. "Mmm... That's kind of hard to say myself, really... But I trust you on your word, at least."

I nodded in acceptance to her trust. "So, what is your name?"

"My name is Leia. Leia Anberibca."

I felt as though time stopped when she re-introduced herself. What did she just say her family name was?

"You're... what...?" I breathed out.

"Begin!" Edward shouted, interrupting our conversation.

As soon as he gave the signal to start our spar, Leia charged at me. Once she was close enough, she swung her sword, in which I blocked with my lance.

"Now you know who I am. That's why, as an Anberibca, I cannot lose even a spar!" She swung her blade at me once more, prompting me to continue blocking her strikes.

As I continued to block her hits, my mind only replayed the words that came out of her mouth. Specifically... the one about her family... My family...

Bad enough they decided to kick me out of the house, removed me from the family, but they went as far as to replace me completely? Without even telling me?! I know they think so low about water affinity magic, but that gave them no right to just say nothing to me about things as important as this! I... For the first time since I was reincarnated... I was furious.

While I was still lost in my thoughts, Leia knocked the lance right out of my hand. As she moved to position her blade somewhere on me to signal the end of the spar, I hastily removed and tossed my cloak at her, blinding the noble. Taking that small chance, I hastily moved into her blind spot, as she swung her sword at my cloak, bringing it down only to see me gone from my spot. Before she could turn to see where I was, I closed the distance between us and placed one hand on her sword arm, tightly gripping the handle of her sword, and delivered a harsh headbutt to her face. The attack caused her to tumble back in surprise and release her grip on her weapon, leading to a change in its ownership to me, as I pointed the tip at Leia, and my disarmed lance landed right by us, blade embedded into the ground.

It was silent as soon as our battle had ended. No one, not even Edward, who was our referee, dared say a thing. I could only guess why for the examiner. To think he was the type who was not willing to out his own sister, especially when she is not even his sister by blood.

'I see how it is...' I thought, sadly lowering the blade.

"I forfeit," I said, dropping the sword and turning to the sidelines, specifically to Mindy. As I passed Edward, I asked, "I assume there are no other exams after this?"

"You'd assume right," he answered in an indifferent tone. "You may leave."

I could only nod in response and continued to my harpy friend. I heard Leia calling out to me, but ignored her, and grabbed Mindy by the wing and made our way to the door.

******

As soon as we were out of the academy, making our way to home, Mindy pulled me deep into an alley and placed both her wings on my cheeks.

"Lady Levi... A-Are you okay?" she asked.

"... How can I be...?" I asked back, tears forming in my eyes, and trailing down my cheeks. "I... I knew I was hated by them the moment my affinity was revealed... But to think it was bad enough to replace me..." I could not say any more than that, and could only silently cry, as Mindy did what she could to comfort me.