Magic Robot Aluminare - Chapter 4.2

“Well then, we’re starting the magic practical skill test! What you have to do is simple, turn toward the prairie and fire your magic at full power. As we look at it we’ll determine your score.”
“Any question?”

One of the student that surrounded the professor raised his hand.

“What?”
“Isn’t there a method by which you’ll determine our score? For example, basing on it’s flashiness or on it’s activation time”
“I can’t tell you the scoring criteria. The kind of magic you’re going to choose is also part of the test.”
“I got it”

Hmm, it’s going to be hard to chose.
When grading common magic, roughly three criterion exists.
Those are power, speed and accuracy.
Of course Power, they look at how much destructive power the released magic does possess. Or, if it’s an operation system, how much volume can you operate at once becomes the criterion.
If it’s speed, the magic invocation’s speed is examinated. With a simple magic, it’s possible to quicly activate it but if you are able to quickly activate a great magic, your point would correspondingly increase.
And finally, accuracy.
Where, what scale, which power, beyond what’s specified, the closer you are to the specified numerical value the better your score becomes.
If this time, to the prairie, at full power, it has been decided that it’s to be done at maximum power, if this is the case,  it doesn’t change much from a power and speed examination.
However, if one were to activate one’s magic and miss a targeted location in big way, that person would be subjected to a deduction of points.

“What do you think?”
“it’s difficult. First of all, there’s no clear criteria for the magic itself.”
“Indeed.”

If one’s best magic differ according to the individual, there’s an infinite variety of magical disposition. The emission system, the bestowal system, the enhancement system, the auxiliary system. Within all the existing magic, it’s impossible to categorically determine what’s average.
In case of the sword, you might actually be able to examine the strength by exchanging a few shots but, if it’s magic and the weaker side defends he’ll be scattered away in no time.

“For the time being , let’s observe the situation. I’m sure that someone who’s confident in his skill should come to attack[TN: it’s not clear if it’s to attack the test or the mc]”
“I wonder if there’s such a carefree child in here?”

Just as I surmise my prediction, a voice raised towards me coming from one group.

“Hey, is it alright for you to not be the first one? If you later on stand out like earlier from your shabbyness.”[TN: If you have a better way to translate this sentence: 後からだとさっきみたいにしょぼさも目立つぜ; I’m all ear]

I see, he’s a child that’s really easy to understand. Because my sword skill was completely worthless, he’s surely thinking that my magic will also be useless.

Well, if it’s a commoner, he would usually prioritize sword skills, because he’s a noble, he has trained his magic since his childhood and of course, a commoner’s magic is weak, right?.
Leila, became angry at those words, as she turns her sharp stare toward him and started to talk. I held her in with my hand.

“what?”
“Don’t because it’s just right. It looks like everyone are waiting and seeing so they will not move, I’ll become a clown for them.”
“I see”

Leila immediately understood the meaning of I said, a smile float on her lips.
As we speak to one another in a low voice, he became unable to stomach it, that one group became agitated.

“Are you secretly consulting with a woman? Wanting to become a knigth while being protected isn’t that asking for too much? Huuh?”
“””That’s rigth, that’s rigth “””

Oh, What easy-to-understand children.

“Sorry. the spot where I got hit by the professor is still aching. If you have that much confidence, please go first?”

While saying so, I lightly embrace Layla by putting a hand on her shoulder. Then, Leila also place her head on my shoulder and wrap her arm around my hip.
No matter how you look at it, we look like a couple in love.
Sure enough, the members of that group while pointing with their eyes lightly clicked their tongues. The sharpness in the other classmates increased a little. Well Leila’s beauty that can favorably be compared to Anjou.
However, as something akin to a good feeling do it’s work, but Layla’s personality is quie good. To perfectly match my improvisation in this way.

“I got it! I’ll be the one to heartily laugh in the end so you better watch it! Professor, I’ll be the one to go”
“Good, Do it”

That one stand line up to the professor, to activate the magic.

“Flame Bomb, Triple Installation. Open! Go!”

As the prairie is covered by the violent sound and a flash, a cloud of dust is rising in the distance.
Hmm, a triple activation of the explosion system huh?. Indeed, there’s no way of complaining about it’s power nor it’s speed. He has something to be proud about. As one would expect, because we’re only aiming to become an aluminare’s pilot, there’s no shabby person being proud like in a manga.

“Does he only know how to boast?. It is a triple, but it has speed to a certain extent. It’s a combat oriented technique”
“Well, with just that level he looks like he was overdoing it a little bit.”

If you look at the boy who shot the magic, he’s breathing heavily with his hands on his knees. It seems to be quite fatigued with that one shot.
It looks like the magic method exert a lot of burden on the mind of the practionner. In my case, From long ago I’ve mostly haven’t been exhausted due to using magic, even Anjou when she first started to learn magic, she was out of breath from floating a little bit with Flare Booster.
In term of physical endurence there’s no problem, so it’s strange to be out of breath. According to Anjou, it’s seems to feel like losing strenth from the whole body. It seems close to the sensation of when you have a cold.
The boy glares at us, goes back down to the group. So, he received a gangbuster welcome from his comrades.
Well, it’s a typical welcome from young males. Oh, he fell…

“Now, the next person!”
“I will go!”

Inspired by the first person, the student that were waiting-and-seeing released their magic one by one.
The majority of students emit a high-power technique of triple activation, rarely there are those who use power in the quadruple avtivation.
Apparently, this is the level of magic of those called “elite” . And, as for my magic wether it is its power or its overlapping activation, if I do it at full power it’ll be over-kill.
Well, I do not intend to ridicule myself here. Because of my sword skill the difference got wide. I do not want to be removed because I held back.

“Well, It’s about time.”
“No, I’ll be the one to go”

Just as I was trying to stand up, Layla suppressed my shoulder, stands up earlier and headed down towards the professor.
I who missed the timing, still in a half-rising position, ended up following that back with my eyes.
Since I can’t help it, I once again sit down on the prairie looking at Layla’s magic. I wonder what the magic of someone who placed first in sword skill would look like? I’m slightly looking forward to it.

“Su–, ha–… Here I go. Ice World, Octuple Setup. Start!”

Immediately after, the blade swing and explosion, the prairie became such a mess due to the large amount of water and wrapped in frost in an instant.
Frost columns stood in the grass, Icicles that seemed to reach the Dome’s roof rose. Since it’s going near the ceiling, Those icicles will bbe close to thirty meters.
In a blink of an eye, a part of the prairie changed into a world of ice.
At the sight, the students and also the professor were speechless.
I, therein, was the only one clapping my hands.

“Great. It’s an octuple activation magic with a wide area specification. Isn’t the launch place perfect also?”[TN: think remote activation]

The total number of icicles is eight. In other words, you can say that the center of this magic are those icicles.
Those icicles are lined up at a regular interval in the prairie, spring up just at the distance where the area of effect doesn’t cover. It proves that she understands her own magic’s power and perfectly controls it. Moreover, you can’t any sign of fatigue in her.
It wouldn’t be weird for this to receive a perfect score.
But oh dear, she’s done it.
Those who hasn’t released yet released any magic are several people, including me. First of all being shown such a scene, you can’t help dwarfing right?
I see, I found reason why she had to do it before me. Layla, you want to crush me huh.
Just as I change my line of sight from the magic to Layla, I let a small smile float on my face in order to let Layla notice it.
Even if we became friend, it will not change the fact that we are competito—–rs, huh? While moderately crushing any opponent that’s likely to produce a high score, using a pawn to come up with a helpful move.
Really, they expend all their strength in order to become an aluminare pilot.
But—-

“Well, I’m next”
“I’m so sorry. I got too excited”

As I’m halfway down towards the professor, shamelessly thus says Layla.
She needs a little spanking.[TN: I could use punishment but this one is funnier]

“Well, it’s just a good performance in my eyes.”
“Really, Good luck then”
“Just watch”

Finally the professors recovered their faculties, each were trying to acquire the score attributed to Layla’s magic, preparing for my examination.
The gaze’s somewhat anxious.
Well it would seem so. I’ll do it after the current magic. Normally no matter what kind of magic it is, if it look stale, it’s not unlikely to lose points. Normally—[TN: these dashes are not typo’s they were in the raw]
Sorry but I’m not normal. Those icicles that Layla erected, I’ll have to use them.
Using home-court advantage is also important as a strategy.

“Are you ready?”
“Yes, any time is fine.”
“Well then”

I’m going to use the same range system high powered magic as Layla. Naturally using sextuple activation which is my limit.
On top of that, the only magic that can use those icicles can only be this one.

“Air Squash, Sextuple Setup. Start!”

The magic has been invocated. It’s magic that crush down by dropping the atmosphere from high up in the sky.
If is this one, even if it doesn’t cover the entire area of Layla’s magic, the portion where the icicles sprung up will all be under the are of effect.
Only immediately after the invocation, no change appears in the surroundings. Two seconds, the moment three seconds passes the professor suspiciously frowns his brows,with a loud smashing sound, the icicles that could no longer withstand the weight of the atmosphere broke.
Some that couldn’t withstand such force cracked from the center , again some other, to gradually be scrapped away from the top.
However, every one of them crumble down as their ice is being crushed.
Along with the thunderous roar, icicles fall down, those were smashed while making snapping sounds. And the dropped atmosphere caused the crushed air to become a squall rushing this way.
The sudden intense wind, everyone lied down on the ground pinning their face down. As I invoque some magic I control the flow of the wind that’s striking me, and controls the wind that’s striking me. If I don’t do it, it’ll become painful.
And after about a minute, my magic was completed. What remained is a sparkling fairytale-like space from the fragments of the broken icicles floating in the air, sparkling while reflecting the sunlight.

“Well, it look like this”

If you look at Layla, she vacantly left her mouth open, looking at the ruin of icicles. And whether or not she noticed my gaze, she glares at me.

“I won’t let myself be easily crushed”
“… Oh Well, I might have to do a little re-evaluation of your ability.”
“It’s alright for me to stay the worst in sword technique. Since I seriously can’t”

While cracking jokes, we were wwaiting for the professors to revive.

After 5 minutes, the professors thought was restored. And he calls for the next student, no one is trying to do it. Well it’s natural. To the remaining three people, I’m sorry.
Due to compromises in turns, the test couldn’t proceed at all, the professor became angry and  made the remaining student release their magic at the same time.
Just like the other students, it’s a high powered triple activation magic. As expected, if three person release at the same time, it turns into a little show. Well still, their points will be deducted for angering the professor.

“Well, with this, this morning’s subjects are all finished. This afternoon you’ll perform the written test in the classroom. The starting time’s at 01:00 p.m. Lateness is strictly prohibited, you’ll be immediately disqualified. So be careful. Then, dismissed”

The professors turn back to the school buildings while discussing about their impressions from the magics from some time ago.

“Now, it’s finally noon, huh?. Leila what are you going to do for lunch?”

The Academy has also been enhanced with a school cafeteria and a school store as for the cost, it’s surprisingly free. It is included in the admission funds and tuition fees.
I, because of the recommendation, am exempt from tuition fees, which is substantially free. Now, I do not sleep with my feet pointing to captain Baudouin.

“I’m going to the cafeteria. And Eldo?”
“I’m also going to the cafeteria. Do we go together?”
“Yes”

We face towards the cafeteria. While dumbfounded gazes from the students are aimed at us.