“Fio, I’ve already spoken with the Mage Guild. You won’t have to take the written exam like a beginner—you can go straight to the practical test.”

On the way to the Mage Guild, Leon filled Fio in.

Fio had changed into the little mage outfit Leon gave her. She really did look like an unremarkable apprentice mage.

“You’ve already pulled strings for me?!”

Fio marveled at how quickly Leon got things done.

She had to admit, she was a little impressed by Leon’s plan. It was incredibly bold.

Leon actually planned to infiltrate the Mage Guild himself…and help Fio rise through the ranks, conquering the guild from the inside!

The Mage Guild was an important organization in the kingdom. If Leon used his strength to bring other organizations under his control, he’d have the power to stand against the Donghui Kingdom. And once he revealed that he was the Dragon King…

Who’d dare stand in Leon’s way then? This man’s ambition was downright terrifying.

Dragons were natural-born mages thanks to their racial talents. Even Fio, a lazy good-for-nothing who never studied, couldn’t possibly be all that weak with her bloodline.

If Fio had guessed right, Leon was about to tell her to show off her strength, but not too much. Someone with no clear background who was too powerful would draw suspicion—

“Fio, don’t go overboard. Just do enough to get by.”

Just as she’d thought! Convinced she’d figured out Leon’s intentions, Fio gave him an I-get-it look and raised her thumb.

“Don’t worry. I know how much to show.”

“That’s a surprise. You’re actually being obedient for once.”

“Hmph… Dismantling the Donghui Kingdom from within really is a convenient approach. You truly are a fiendish man. I’m starting to think a little more highly of you.”

“Huh?” Leon blinked. “Never mind. You’re so motivated for once, so I won’t question it.”

...

When they reached the Mage Guild, Fio saw a beautiful girl in a mage’s robe. Her figure was just as good as Vivian’s, and the glasses she wore only emphasized her intellectual air.

“Lord Leon!!”

She seemed to be anxiously waiting for someone. The moment she saw Leon, her expression changed, and she hurried over.

“Roland. Long time no see.”

Leon greeted her stiffly, but Roland was overjoyed to see him. She clung to his arm without hesitation.

“Roland, calm down. Aren’t you about to get engaged?”

Leon pushed her away, just as he’d pushed Aili away.

“Hmph~ Lord Leon, my family’s forcing me into it. It’s not what I want at all, so please don’t misunderstand.” Roland gave him a bashful smile. “My feelings for you have never changed.”

“I-is that so…”

“While you were away training for those four years, I trained hard and got a lot stronger too. I must’ve caught up with you by now! Keep an eye on me during the mage test later, okay?”

“Roland, you’ve gotten stronger too, huh?”

Fio watched them flirt from the sidelines. Honestly, she was practically burning with jealousy.

Leon, you shameless flirt! Going after another woman again—and yet again, she was beautiful!

He’d barely arrived and already had a girl throwing herself at him. What was he, some kind of walking aphrodisiac? But—

Leon glanced at Fio and, for some reason, gave her a smile that was unexpectedly genuine.

Fio jumped. What was wrong with this guy? Was he showing off how popular he was with women again?

“This is great, Roland. You’ve really helped me out of a tight spot.”

Leon said this as he patted Roland on the shoulder, then whispered something in her ear. Fio couldn’t hear a thing.

Those two…they seemed to be discussing something. Watching them, Fio felt something was off, as if she were being schemed against.

“Mm-hmm! It’s fine,” Roland said. “It’s no trouble at all.”

Then Roland looked at Fio. Her narrowed eyes seemed to hide something—she definitely didn’t have good intentions.

This mage looked kind of familiar…like Aili. Unused to being stared at, Fio nervously looked away and raised her staff to shield her face.

“Come on, Fio. Let’s go inside,” Leon said.

“Hm…? Oh, right!”

Fio answered and followed the two of them into the Mage Guild.

...

When they arrived at the testing ground, Fio saw an old man with a head of white hair standing in the center. He looked advanced in years, yet gave off an unfathomable aura.

“Greetings, Great Sage.”

“Mm. Hello, Roland.”

Roland greeted the Great Sage with the utmost respect. He gave her only a mild response.

“That’s the strongest mage in the Donghui Kingdom—the Great Sage,” Leon quietly told Fio. “For hundreds of years, he’s been among the strongest fighters in the human world.”

“So there are humans this strong?” Fio said in surprise.

Fio had no real grasp of how powerful people in the outside world were. She was such a shut-in that she knew little about this world, so for now, Leon was her only point of comparison.

If Leon could beat her, then this old man—whom Leon himself called powerful—had to be far beyond her level! He looked so calm, as if he could see through everything. He was just like one of those hidden masters who seemed ordinary but were unbelievably powerful.

“I heard Roland say her strength is pretty close to yours. Is she strong too?”

“Well…four years ago, she and I were about even. She’s trained a lot over the past four years, so she might’ve surpassed me by now,” Leon said. “After all, she’s one of the Donghui Kingdom’s most celebrated young mage prodigies.”

After hearing all this, Fio reconsidered how much strength she should show.

“Now, let’s begin the mage rank assessment. First, everyone here will have their mana capacity tested.”

The Great Sage tapped the ground with his staff. His powerful, magic-infused voice rang through every corner of the room, and a crystal pillar rose from the ground, marked with rows of squares.

The Mage Guild mages assisting nearby called everyone over to line up.

Fio wasn’t the only one taking the test. There were other mages too, and the Mage Guild staff directed them to line up and take the mana capacity test one by one.

They poured mana into the crystal pillar with all their might. The marks on it lit up one by one, and the number of squares filled determined their capacity rank.

Roland’s result was Transcendent, a rank above High. When everyone saw it, they couldn’t help exclaiming in admiration. Even the Great Sage praised her.

Then it was Fio’s turn. Leon told her, “Don’t get a score that’s too low,” and sent her over.

“Oh? A little mage who hasn’t even come of age dares to take the elite test?” The staff member found her amusing. “How old are you, little miss?”

“Can we start?”

“Sure, but—be careful, little miss. This thing’s been acting up lately. If you’re unlucky, the testing crystal might explode~” The staff member kept on babbling.

Fio didn’t feel like answering him. Instead, she tried to work out where she stood.

Leon ≈ Roland

If Roland’s mana ranked Transcendent, then going all out, Fio should be around High, right? Good. That’s what she’d do.

Having finished her calculations, Fio—who had no real sense of how strong people were—poured all her mana into the testing crystal.