There was excitement in the Grand Training Grounds of the Royal Academy.

Thousands of students crowded around scores of training arenas.

Some stretched their muscles.

Others perfected their sword forms for the last time.

Some mages meditated, flowing mana within their bodies.

Instructors and examiners watched all this from the high stands.

Today...

Everything would start right here.

Jennie Queens stood near the edge of Arena Seven.

In her hands was an ordinary wooden training sword.

She looked at it.

Then sighed.

"My goal is simple."

Beside her, Princess Lilia adjusted her gloves.

"To win?"

Jennie shook her head.

"To fail."

Lilia blinked.

"...Are you weird?"

"Yes."

In her hair, Excalibur said.

"Master."

"What?"

"Please keep in mind your definition of ’failure’ differs greatly from others’."

Jennie frowned.

"I understand."

The sword was silent.

In some way...

This worried it even more.

An instructor entered the arena’s center.

It was a middle-aged knight with many scars on his arms.

His voice reached far.

"The Sword Examination is rather easy."

"You have to show your basic skills with a sword."

"No killing."

"No crippling."

"No senseless destruction."

Jennie nodded.

These seemed to be reasonable rules.

Many names were called.

Many students went ahead.

Some showed elegant techniques.

Some depended on physical strength.

Some totally embarrassed themselves.

Laughter and applause resounded in the arena.

Finally...

"Jennie Queens."

Jennie went forth.

Whispers started instantly.

"That is a maid of the princess."

"Why does she take part in the exam?"

"I heard she is markless."

"Does a maid know how to handle a sword?"

Jennie ignored all this.

She stood in front of the examiner.

The knight looked at her uniform.

"A maid?"

"Yes."

He smiled.

"Show me your basics."

Jennie thought hard.

Poor position.

Weak swing.

Ordinary footwork.

Simple.

She stood with a stance.

Intentionally crooked.

Her grip looked slightly uncomfortable.

Even Lilia hid her face.

"She acts..."

Jennie swung.

Intentionally slow.

As she tried.

Unfortunately...

Years of instincts betrayed her.

Unconsciously, her wrist moved.

Unconsciously, her legs stepped.

Unconsciously, her shoulders lined.

The wooden sword drew an elegant arc in the air.

Elegant.

Easy.

Beautiful.

The arena was silent.

The examiner’s eyes widened.

"..."

Jennie blinked.

"...Did I do anything wrong?"

The knight moved slowly.

"Repeat that."

"Oh..."

Jennie did what he wanted.

She tried to make even more mistakes.

Unfortunately...

She got even better.

The second blow smoothly flowed to the third.

To the fourth.

Without her noticing, she performed an ancient sequence of blows.

Long forgotten technique.

The wooden sword never went fast.

Yet each move was perfect.

With no unnecessary expenditure of energy.

With no superfluous move.

Just perfection.

The examiner unconsciously swallowed.

He had studied the sword for thirty years.

Yet...

He could not see any flaw.

Above the arena...

Some instructors rose from their chairs.

"Who is the teacher of that girl?"

"This is not modern swordsmanship."

"This looks... much older."

Jennie slowly put the sword down.

"...Is that acceptable?"

The examiner coughed.

"...Very."

Jennie sighed.

Good.

That was average enough.

Lilia stared at her in shock.

Average?

The sword examination finished.

Students headed for the Mana Evaluation Hall.

A giant crystal column stood in its center.

Almost six meters tall.

Covered with shining runes.

It estimated mana quantity, control and affinity.

The instructor explained.

"Put one hand upon the crystal."

"Release your mana naturally."

"The crystal will record your results."

Jennie looked at the giant crystal.

Then at her own hand.

Absolutely not.

If she released even a bit of her real mana...

Then the whole academy would vanish.

She carefully locked almost all her Mana Core.

Then locked it again.

Then once more.

For security reasons.

Excalibur said quietly.

"Master."

"I am being cautious."

"And this statement has produced unlucky results in history."

Jennie ignored him.

One by one students approached.

The crystal emitted various lights according to affinity.

Fire.

Water.

Wind.

Earth.

Lightning.

Light.

Darkness.

Each one got applause.

Then came the turn of Jennie.

She put her hand on the crystal.

Carefully.

Gently.

She released the smallest portion of mana she could release.

The crystal was silent.

For one heart beat.

Then for two.

Jennie smiled.

Perfect.

Suddenly...

The entire crystal started to shine with bright silvery-blue light.

Not because of the power.

But because of perfection.

Mana flowed through all the runes in absolute equilibrium.

Without a single fluctuation.

Without a single mistake.

The instructors gasped.

"Incredible control..."

"I have never seen such refinement."

"Not even among the senior students..."

Jennie’s smile vanished.

"...What?"

The examiner wrote excitedly.

"Exceptional mana regulation!"

"Near-perfect circulation!"

"Remarkable efficiency!"

Jennie wanted to cry.

I have used almost nothing!

How did that happen?

Excalibur replied calmly.

"Master."

"What else?"

"It seems that your desire to seem ordinary exceeded the ordinary."

"..."

Jennie silently cursed all her decisions in life.

Later in the afternoon...

The examination results were hung on a huge notice board.

Hundreds of students rushed to it.

Cheers were heard.

Some celebrated.

Others despaired.

Jennie slowly headed towards the board.

Not hoping too much.

Certainly...

Certainly she had achieved the ordinary rank she desired.

She found her name.

Then froze.

Overall Rank: 8th

"..."

"..."

Among more than a thousand applicants.

She was eighth.

"I have failed..."

She whispered weakly.

"...in failing."

Surrounding her, students began to murmur.

"The maid is eighth?"

"Impossible."

"Who is Jennie Queens?"

"How did a markless girl achieve that?"

Far away in the courtyard, some academy professors looked at her with growing interest.

"One girl..."

said an old sword instructor, smiling.

Another professor adjusted his glasses.

"Watch her carefully."

None of them knew...

Jennie wished they would stop doing exactly that.

Because from now on...

Her ordinary life in the academy was finally over.