Chapter 5 : Entrance Examination Notice
The moment the bell rang for the end of class, Ailiya barely had time to pack her books before a crowd of curious classmates surrounded her.
“Are you really Miss Winter’s servant?”
“How did you manage that? Lady Liliane doesn’t let anyone get close to her!”
“What does she like? Does she ever get mad?”
Questions bombarded her like a barrage, leaving Ailiya flustered and stammering:
“Uh… I… I’m just…”
Just as she was about to drown in the sea of enthusiasm, a discordant voice cut through from nearby.
“Hmph, a bunch of naive fools. No matter how close she gets to Lady Liliane, she’s still just a maid.”
Ailiya looked over and saw it was Isabella, the golden-haired girl she’d bumped into before.
She sat with her two friends—Charlotte and Beatrice—watching with disdainful eyes.
Ailiya realized they were in the same class.
Her face lit up with delight, as if seeing old friends, and she called out loudly:
“Oh! It’s the three noble ladies who complimented my clothes last time!”
“Who—complimented—you?!”
Isabella slammed the desk, standing with a flushed face, her pointing finger trembling.
“That was sarcasm! Sarcasm, do you get it, you bumpkin?!”
Wow, she’s so worked up.
Is this how nobles in the capital show friendliness—so passionate and intense?
The classroom’s atmosphere grew tense and noisier with her outburst.
At that moment, a cold, commanding aura spread from Ailiya’s front.
Liliane, who’d been focused on her documents, finally looked up.
She said nothing, her indifferent violet eyes merely sweeping over the crowd around Ailiya.
As if petrified by a spell, the classroom fell silent instantly.
The excited students, caught in Liliane’s gaze, shrank back like choked ducks, scurrying to their seats in a flash.
Ailiya’s mouth dropped open.
What… what was that? An emperor’s aura? Clearing the room with one look? That’s way too powerful!
“Ailiya.” Liliane’s cool voice rang out.
“Here!” Ailiya straightened like a soldier called to attention.
“Follow me.”
Liliane stood, grabbed her documents, and strode out of the classroom.
Ailiya didn’t dare dawdle, hurriedly gathering her books and jogging to keep up.
The two walked through the ornate corridor, stopping before a room labeled “Training Room One.”
Liliane swiped her student badge on the lock, and the heavy door slid open silently.
The room was vast, its floor made of special energy-absorbing material, walls etched with complex defensive runes, and the air tinged with faint magical energy.
“From today, your maid training officially begins.”
Liliane tossed her documents onto a nearby table and turned to Ailiya.
“Lesson one, and the most important: don’t embarrass me.”
She walked to a long table holding an exquisitely detailed silver tea set.
“Pour tea,” Liliane ordered.
Pour tea? That’s it? Too easy. Ailiya sighed in relief, reaching for the teapot.
“Wait.” Liliane’s voice stopped her mid-motion.
“In the Winter family’s hospitality etiquette, pouring tea follows thirteen precise steps. First, the cleansing spell to ensure spotless hands. Second, warm the pot with a minor flame spell to exactly seventy-three degrees, with a margin of error no more than one degree. Third, hold the pot with thumb and middle finger, wrist tilted thirty degrees upward to show respect to the guest…”
Ailiya’s jaw dropped, the teapot feeling like a thousand pounds in her hand.
Is this pouring tea or pouring my life away?! It’s just a drink—why make it as complicated as firing a magic cannon?!
“…Twelfth, pour the water in a perfect parabolic arc without a single splash. Thirteenth, finish with a slight, elegant wrist spin to symbolize lingering conversation. Now, begin.”
The next hour was pure hell for Ailiya.
She either got the water temperature wrong or mixed up the gestures.
When she finally memorized the motions, the tea stream wobbled like a squirming worm.
Her worst attempt came when she tried the minor flame spell, lost control of her magic, and the teapot let out a “puff” of black smoke, smudging Liliane’s pristine white sleeve.
The training room’s temperature seemed to plummet to freezing.
Liliane stared at her sleeve expressionlessly, then lifted her eyes to Ailiya, who stood trembling.
“Well done,” she said slowly. “In five minutes, you invented thirteen new, incorrect ways to pour tea. I’m not sure whether to praise your creativity or admire your stupidity.”
It’s not my fault! Who makes tea this complicated?!
After countless failures and Liliane’s merciless critiques, Ailiya finally managed to pour a cup of tea that wasn’t utterly embarrassing.
She was drenched in sweat, feeling more exhausted than after kneading dough all day at the bakery.
Seeing her disheveled state, Liliane seemed finally satisfied.
She picked up the tea but didn’t drink, setting it aside.
“Remember, this is just the beginning.” Her tone grew serious. “St. Freya Women’s Academy is a cradle for elites and a brutal proving ground. All new students, regardless of status, must take the formal entrance exam in one week.”
“E-exam?” Ailiya’s heart sank.
“Correct.”
Liliane’s gaze was sharp as a blade.
“The exam has two parts. First, a theoretical test covering magic history, runology, basic potion-making, and all first-year required courses. Second, a practical magic test assessing your mastery of basic spells and precision in mana control.”
She paused, enunciating each word:
“Fail either part, and you’re expelled immediately—no exceptions. That’s St. Freya.”
Ailiya’s legs wobbled.
One week? To learn all that? I don’t even know how to chant spells! This is basically a death sentence!
Her face fell: “Um… Lady Liliane, I’m just a maid. Do I really have to take this exam?”
“Of course.” Liliane’s reply was resolute. “I, Liliane von Winter, don’t keep useless people by my side. If you can’t pass the basic entrance exam, you don’t belong here.”
She stepped closer, leaning slightly, her violet eyes reflecting Ailiya’s panicked face.
“When that happens, the crystal mines will welcome you warmly.”