Fiona's power stunned everyone.The training dummy, which should have merely served as a target, collapsed as if struck by high-tier magic.
"…What exactly did she just do?"
No one understood what had happened—except for Kairos, who immediately picked up on the rhythm and analyzed it.
(Her threads... they're not just connecting objects. It's like she can embed commands into them.)
He recalled Fiona's earlier conversation with the examiner and quickly concluded that her ability only worked when there was a physical medium to carry the command. She had fought up to Level 5 dummies before changing tactics and switching to long-range magic.
(So, one command can be embedded into one object. And she probably can't stack them...)
Kairos kept analyzing. She might be able to issue a command that knocks down an opponent even with a light touch—but it had clear limitations. For instance, she couldn't embed multiple commands into the same item. A command like "fall upon contact" wouldn't coexist with "never miss" in one object.
Noticing that Kairos was watching her closely, Fiona let out a faint smile.
(So this is… the you from the past. Seeing you up close like this… you're cuter than I expected. Hehe.)
(But anyway, better wrap this up quickly.)
Suddenly, she unleashed a high-tier spell. The audience gasped. Among all the applicants, only Fiona could cast specialized magic even before officially enrolling.
Then, the announcement echoed through the arena.
"Fiona Elvareth, 5 minutes and 42 seconds. All 10 levels cleared!"
Excited murmurs spread through the crowd. Kairos, after seeing the results, quietly stepped forward to prepare himself.
(Just as I thought… she excels in both weapon handling and Core usage. Her control is flawless.)
As he made his way to the arena, Fiona gave him a soft wave. Kairos responded with a polite nod.
(She's probably just being courteous… her family is also a high-ranking noble house, after all.)
He waited patiently until it was his turn, then stepped confidently onto the testing field.
"Are you ready, examinee? You may begin the test!"
Without a word, Kairos launched forward, striking the first dummy with blinding speed.
(That young lady went all out… In that case, I should show what I can do too.)
Level 7… Level 8… Level 9… Level 10…
The crowd watched in awe. Kairos dismantled all ten dummies like they were toys—especially the Level 10 dummy, which he defeated barehanded, without using magic or weapons.
"Kairos Arkelis, 1 minute and 40 seconds. All 10 levels cleared!"
A roaring cheer erupted. The arena shook with excitement.
Watching from below, Fiona couldn't help but mutter under her breath:
"At that level… I look totally ordinary in comparison, don't I? You shy noble prince…"
She sighed quietly and walked off, a bit sulky.
After the exam ended, the scores were posted. Some passed, some didn't—tears and cheers alike filled the air. Kairos scanned the board and found his name listed under Room One, just like Fiona.
(That girl… should I try talking to her? Or maybe just greet her since we're both from duke families…)
Though he could analyze battles from every angle, Kairos was hopelessly awkward when it came to social interaction—rendering all his other talents seemingly useless.
"All successful applicants, please proceed to registration to receive your uniforms and room keys!"
The announcement snapped him out of his thoughts. He hurried off to register, not wanting to overthink it.
Upon entering his dorm room, Kairos dropped onto the bed immediately.
"Phew… I'm beat. This academy's actually pretty great. Private rooms, free meals… The royal family really built this place to find true talent."
He mumbled to himself, alone.
"Commoners give it their all to get in, so everyone here is skilled. Noble brats who just talk big won't last long… Good riddance to those boring 'noble looks down on commoner' tropes."
Meanwhile, Fiona…
"Just three more days until classes start, huh…"
She gazed out the window, letting her thoughts drift.
"How should I approach this… Say hi casually? Or just try to get close right away?"
The girl who had turned back time to change fate… was on the verge of finding her answer.
And so, the day of the new semester arrived.