Surviving the Magic Academy With Just Intelligence Stats-Chapter 46: What Do I Say

When Astera and her team finally broke through the dense forest into the clearing, they came to an abrupt halt. Before them stood an unexpected sight - a surprisingly well-constructed shelter that seemed entirely out of place in what was supposed to be a grueling entrance examination. The structure, while modest, displayed careful planning and solid execution.

"There’s actually such a building here?" Astera muttered, her eyebrows rising in surprise. Around her, the other team members exchanged confused glances. The infamous entrance exam of Crono Academy had always been known for its brutal nature - students fighting for survival against monsters and each other. Yet here was evidence of students apparently having enough leisure time to construct proper accommodations. Had the standards truly fallen so far over the years?

However, these thoughts quickly gave way to more pressing concerns as her eyes swept across the clearing. The scene before her was almost comically tragic - unconscious bodies scattered about like pieces on a poorly played chess board. One student slumped against a tree trunk, another sprawled several meters away, and two more collapsed on the opposite side of the clearing. The strange spacing between them raised questions, but there was no time to ponder the peculiar arrangement.

"This is the place," Astera declared, her voice carrying the authority of her position. "Look for Ambrose Rothschild."

Her elite team moved with practiced efficiency, spreading out across the clearing in a coordinated search pattern. Within seconds, one of her subordinates called out, "President! That one there seems to be Ambrose!" He pointed toward one of the unconscious forms.

Astera pulled a photograph from her pocket, comparing the image to the unconscious youth. The match was undeniable, but something about the situation felt off. How had they all survived yet ended up unconscious? If a monster had attacked them, why leave them relatively unharmed? The scenario defied logical explanation. Had the monster eaten to its fill and thus left them here? But that didn’t make sense.

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With a slight sigh, she gestured to Celeste. "See to their injuries."

Celeste Whitehaven approached Ambrose with an almost reverent air, her hands clasped as if in prayer. As she reached out toward the unconscious heir, a hand shot out of nowhere, grasping her wrist in an iron grip.

"Keep your hands to yourself, you damn cultist!" The voice was sharp, hostile. It was Minghua, she had hidden herself when she detected people approaching, preparing for a sneak attack. But it turned out it was just the kids from the academy.

The sudden appearance of Minghua sent Astera’s team into instant battle formation, their movements synchronized with practiced precision. Astera herself felt a chill run down her spine - she hadn’t detected any presence, despite her B-rank capabilities. Even A-rank individuals couldn’t typically evade her detection. Either this person possessed an extraordinary stealth talent, or...

Celeste looked up at her captor, trying unsuccessfully to free her hand. "Who are you?" she demanded, maintaining her dignity despite the awkward position.

"Don’t put your dirty hands on the young master," Minghua growled, mimicking hualing, but it wasn’t really mimicking, after all, they were the same person.

Recognition dawned on Astera’s face, and she quickly signaled her team to stand down. This must be one of the Rothschild family’s personal knights - it wasn’t uncommon for great houses to train young warriors and later assign them as academy escorts for their heirs. Although personal knights or guards were not generally allowed into the academy, it was a different thing if they came in as students. The monster’s absence suddenly made sense - a Rothschild knight, even a young one, would have little trouble with a mere B-rank creature.

"Don’t misunderstand," Astera said, adopting a diplomatic smile. "We’re here to help."

But Minghua just looked at her, wondering if she had seen her somewhere before. She then released Celeste’s wrist while maintaining an unwavering stare that clearly communicated there would be no negotiation regarding access to Ambrose. "You can help the others," she stated flatly, scooping up Ambrose in a princess carry before walking away. The rescue team parted before her like water around a stone.

Astera watched them go, noting Celeste’s obvious frustration with wry amusement. The church representative’s attempt to curry favor had been painfully transparent - but then, the Rothschild family didn’t survive and thrive by being easily manipulated.

As Minghua carried Ambrose away, her thoughts turned darker. The cultist’s healing abilities would have been useless anyway - Ambrose’s condition stemmed not from injury but from blood loss, and not just any blood loss, but blood consumed by a skill, meaning there was no wound to heal. She needed to wait for her own healing ability’s cooldown to end, though she wasn’t certain it would even work in this situation. The thought of him dying upon her next revival, dragging her along into death due to their blood oath, spurred her to focus. With her extensive knowledge of blood manipulation, she didn’t believe that she couldn’t find a way to restore blood. There was definitely a solution - she just had to find it.

…

High above the Crono Academy grounds, Friedrich Rothschild hovered motionless in the air, his golden eyes fixed on the scene unfolding below. Through the shimmering portal, he watched as Hualing emerged carrying his unconscious son, followed by the other students. Even from this distance, his enhanced vision could make out every detail of Ambrose’s pale face.

Relief washed over him as he confirmed his son’s survival, but it quickly gave way to a deeper ache. His hand twitched with the urge to descend, to check on Ambrose personally. The instinct to protect, to be there for his child, warred with a gnawing sense of shame. After several tense moments, his fingers curled into tight fists, knuckles white with restraint. He forced himself to turn away, preparing to depart.

"Leaving already?" The familiar voice of the Academy Principal cut through his thoughts. It wasn’t weird for her to talk to the Rothschild’s head in such a manner, after all, both of them were once classmates, together with Victoria. "Won’t you go to say hi?"

Friedrich kept his back to her, his voice tight with barely contained emotion. "And say what?"

"Huh?" The confusion in her tone was evident.

"And say what when he asks about his mother?" The words came out harsh, bitter. "Should I just say that I couldn’t protect him and now I can’t protect my wife too?" Without waiting for a response, he shot upward at incredible speed, vanishing into the distant sky with a thunderous crack of displaced air.

The Principal remained floating in place, a sad smile playing across her features. "You still haven’t changed," she murmured, before descending toward the dungeon entrance.

As her feet touched the ground, her demeanor shifted to one of absolute authority. She addressed the gathered instructors with clear, commanding tones: "I want everyone to get to work! Use all means possible - I want to know exactly what we’re dealing with here!" Something like this had just happened in the academy’s entrance exam. As the principal, she had to find an explanation for the affected noble houses.