Book 4 Chapter 11
Episode 85
“Students whose names are called, come forward.”
While everyone's hearts pounded, the name of the new sun of <Delaiten>'s first-year class was finally announced.
“Rain Ludwig, Christa Worden, Cayden.”
The audience began to murmur.
Did a whopping three top students emerge from this final exam?
To explain this result, Rain Ludwig's evaluation scores must be listed.
[10]
[10]
[8]
[8]
[10]
[10]
[10]
[10]
[10]
[9]
Although he received the most 10s, preferences in the artistic aspect were bound to vary, so two 8s also appeared, summing his total score to 95 points.
“Rain Ludwig also reached the highest score ever!”
“He's tied with Christa Worden!”
“Seven professors gave 10s…!”
While those scores drew exclamations from everyone, there was a girl openly expressing discomfort.
“That, that, that wretched person… tied with Rain? Rain's magic was much more amazing?!”
As Kasena Page muttered in a voice that simply couldn't believe it, Madellia placed a hand on her head.
“The world of magic is always a cold place… I want to say that, but I'm not sure if this can really be called a tie.”
“…?”
“Kasena, you'll be a president someday, so I'll tell you in advance: midterm and final exams have different scoring methods.”
If this had been the subject of a midterm exam in the first or second semester… Rain Ludwig would have taken the top spot. Because.
“Rain received seven 10s, which means it's fair to say that seven out of ten professors gave Rain bonus points.”
“Really?”
“Yes. If it had been a midterm exam, Rain would have been the top student, with an overwhelming difference in bonus points. Oh, don't tell anyone about this.”
He's truly a formidable individual with a terrifying future.
To surpass Cayden, famous as the genius of Harimun, and be on par with the Young Lady of Worden, in such an unfavorable subject…
And to think, if the scoring method had been different, he would have surpassed both of them.
“Then what! Even if it's a co-valedictorian this time, why is that guy Cayden included?”
“There's no co-valedictorian in <Delaiten>. Only one sun can exist for each exam.”
Since there was a tie in the final exam, it would now conclude in a cruel, if not brutal, manner… Elin Ludwig also bit her lip.
“Good heavens~ It's going to a runoff vote?”
“What's a runoff vote, Auntie?”
“It's a method only used when there's a tie in the final exam.”
A runoff vote was a method where the three students who reached the valedictorian deciding round voted for each other to determine the top student.
“In this case, only the students who achieved the co-valedictorian score can receive votes…”
The third-place student, eliminated from the top competition, only gains the right to vote.
It was created with the intention for the students who reached the final round to elect the student they themselves recognized as the valedictorian, but most of them vote for themselves…
“It's something that might happen once every twenty years, if at all.”
Nora Redon curved her lips into a smile, as if genuinely interested.
“What's most important now must be Cayden★ He's already sad about being eliminated.”
This is precisely why Madellia called it a cruel method.
Since most valedictorian candidates vote for themselves, the valedictorian is decided by the vote of the third-place student who was eliminated from the top spots.
The assistant, who had explained this method simply and clearly to the students, arranged the three students in a triangular formation.
“When I count to three, please raise your right hand and point to the student you believe is most suitable to be the valedictorian. Of course, you may also vote for yourself.”
Fluffy clouds shone white and drifted across the sky. It was far too serene a day to hold such a breath-taking vote.
“Three.”
A subtle tension flickered in the eyes of the students as they glanced at each other. So much so that even the onlookers held their breath.
“Two.”
Professor Caroline stopped breathing and closed her eyes tightly. Professor Elin tapped her foot intermittently in impatience.
“One.”
And the next moment, all three students raised their hands simultaneously… making the eyes of the audience, who had been holding their breath awaiting the results, widen in surprise.
“Hmm…?”
“Oh…?”
There were four fingers.
One of them pointed to Cayden.
Another to Christa Worden.
And the remaining two… were pointing to Rain Ludwig.
“Cayden chose Rain Ludwig…?”
“Christa Worden did too…?”
“And Rain Ludwig… both of them?”
The assistant, receiving bewildered gazes from the professors, quickly approached Rain Ludwig.
“Student Rain, who did you choose?”
He had no choice but to ask.
No, Rain had raised both hands, pointing to Cayden with his left and Christa Worden with his right.
Then Rain Ludwig tilted his head, as if wondering why it was strange.
“I thought both of them were more suitable than me to be the valedictorian, so I did this… Is it not allowed?”
“In a runoff vote, you can only choose one person. Can we take it that you voted for Student Christa Worden?”
The rare sight of all the students in the final round voting for each other, and the peculiar behavior of the top student… Assistant Professor Kyle felt a lump in his throat.
‘I never thought the day would come when I'd see such a heartwarming scene in a runoff vote.’
Truly a golden generation. Not just their skills, but the character of their members too… Excellent, beyond compare.
“Alright, that's enough. No matter how Student Rain's vote is tallied, there will be no change in the result.”
As Kyle raised the boy's hand, his image was magnified most largely on the 'clairvoyance' screen for all to see.
“Right here, the valedictorian of the 1st semester, 1st year, class of 1388, has been decided!”
The boy standing there had black hair and red eyes. He was once scorned with the derogatory epithet 'Genius (Calamity) Prince.'
Once, once, once upon a time.
But now, in the midst of the Dragon's Blood Arena, where all passion and ambition converged, at the peak of the magical realm.
“Rain Ludwig!”
The silence that had settled among the audience, who had been watching the voting results with bewilderment, was broken, and thunderous applause erupted.
“Woooooah!”
“Ludwig has conquered <Delaiten>'s golden generation and claimed the top spot for the second consecutive time!”
“Amazing, class of 1388! Even until the final vote! We'll continue to support you!”
Elin Ludwig and Seri Ludwig, who had briefly doubted their senses, then burst into pure laughter and embraced each other.
“Auntie, Auntie! Big brother won! Big brother won!”
Brym Ludwig, who had been happily looking down at her son and applauding, had to wipe away tears as she saw her husband's image superimposed on her son's back.
‘Cayven, our son has once again reached the top today… just as you did.’
In Professor Caroline's closing eyes, a mix of bitterness and pride flickered with an empty sigh.
‘Yes, Christa. If this is your choice… as your teacher, I can only support it.’
Rain, who had suddenly become the center of all attention and cheers, looked at Christa with a bewildered expression.
“Hey, why did you vote for me? You said you'd definitely take the top spot this time.”
Then, hmph, Christa abruptly turned her head and folded her arms haughtily.
“Don't mess with me. Even without saying it, I'll definitely take that dragon bone accessory. When I'm truly convinced that I've decisively beaten you.”
If she had won this runoff by even a single point, she would have taken the top spot without hesitation.
But this, this wasn't it.
Even in the preliminaries, wasn't it seen as an overwhelming victory for Rain Ludwig? Taking a victory like this wasn't to her liking.
‘But… I'm frustrated.’
I'm frustrated with myself for not reaching the top spot here.
But more than that, the helplessness of inwardly believing that Rain Ludwig is more deserving of the top spot than I am, is so frustrating… it makes my teeth clench.
It was then, as she bit her lip hard enough to taste blood, trying to hold back her tears.
“Christa!”
A voice, immensely welcome yet disconcerting, reached her ears.
A crowd in the stands was vigorously waving their hands at the girl.
Since they weren't wearing clothes emblazoned with their family crest, not everyone recognized their identity, but Christa already knew who they were just from their voices.
“Dad, Mom… and my sisters? What, why did you come here?”
That's why, in a heart-pounding confusion, she was drawn to approach them as if enchanted.
“Why did we come, you rascal! Why ask when you already know!”
“This big sister came to personally cheer on her brilliant little sister!”
Speaking in an un-noble manner when excited was a family trait. Her father, with a round face and warm features, smiled gently.
“Well done, Christa. You were truly magnificent.”
Magnificent?
What's so magnificent?
She hadn't taken the top spot again, despite boasting so much upon entering… She tried to say that, feeling a tearing pain, but.
“You have a truly splendid daughter, Duke.”
“Looking at the young lady, the future of the Worden family feels incomparably bright.”
“I'm from the Magic Alliance Information Processing Department. If you don't mind…”
Seeing the direction of the applause suddenly shift from Rain to herself and her family, she was left speechless.
Watching her father and mother surrounded by many dignitaries of the magic world, receiving praise… it was a sight she had never imagined before.
Eva Worden, the eldest daughter of the Worden family, smiled faintly, looking proudly at her sister.
“See? Straighten your shoulders, you brilliant sister. You were truly magnificent today.”
If she had known her family would come, if she could have shown them her becoming the top student, it would have been incomparably better.
She couldn't straighten her shoulders.
She couldn't raise her head.
But the girl straightened those heavily-felt shoulders and lifted her head. Because such hardships, such sorrows, were already familiar to her.
- If a genius travels ten li a day and rests, we can travel ten li without resting. What if a genius crosses the sea on a sailboat? We can follow by rowing a raft.
It's natural to be weary.
It's natural to be in pain.
Nevertheless, I will go this path to the very end. Because someday, I will surely catch up to them.
“Yes…!”
Rain, who had been watching Christa's back as she answered with feigned cheerfulness, hiding her tears, now turned to Cayden.
“Why did you vote for me? No matter how I look at it, what that guy made was cooler.”
Then Cayden took out a portable notebook and scribbled with a pen.
[Your Highness's magic was more impressive to me.]
“Why?”
[Because I could vividly feel your voice embedded in the magic.]
Then, as he snapped the notebook shut, he let out a faint, almost imperceptible chuckle before turning towards the Harimun faction and his father.
“Sigh…”
Rain scratched his head. He certainly felt good about getting closer to Lista's letter, but it also felt somewhat unsettling.
It feels like I'm stepping on promising juniors.
If I hadn't been here, Christa would have been the valedictorian long ago, and that guy Cayden would have been second-in-command… Ugh, I don't know.
“They're all magnificent, all three of them.”
Just as Lillian Karain was clapping with a wry smile, Dadan Karain, who had been sitting in front, suddenly stood up.
“Are such words coming from your mouth now? Magnificent? A loser who has brought shame to the name of the faction!”
And he swung his arm wide, fiercely slapping Lillian's cheek.
“With such a weak mindset, how do you expect to reach the peak! You pathetic excuse for a man!”
But old Dadan's hand, unlike before, failed to reach Lillian's face. Because Lillian snatched his wrist in mid-air. Dadan's hand trembled, perhaps from the crushing grip.
“You don't need to worry, I'll reach the peak on my own, so just watch.”
“You, you brat…!”
“But not in your way. I will stand at the peak in my own way.”
Lillian flashed a cold smile, then let go of Dadan's hand and stood up. And without looking back, she left the stands.
As Dadan fumed and pointed his finger, the young scholars of Rivendell had to constantly try to hide the smiles born of triumph.
Meanwhile, Vice President Felix Drake, leaning against the railing of the stands and watching the valedictorian deciding match, chuckled and turned to his side.
“The momentum of the first-year juniors is unbelievable. At this rate, won't there be a student council president even more outstanding than you?”
Then Balencidis, who had been watching the match beside him, gave a mysterious smile.
“We'll have to see about that.”
Of course, I won't be able to see that end with my own eyes…
From this very day, Rain Ludwig's name would carve a powerful path in the magic world under the moniker of a 'New Star.'
Just as his father and his grandfather had.