The first evaluation was finally over.

Knightley naturally ranked first overall.

Hindrasta performed surprisingly well, taking second place.

She compensated for her lacking intelligence scores with perfect marks in physical ability assessments.

Merylda scored high in theory but performed somewhat poorly in physical evaluations as expected.

Still, she wasn't completely uncoordinated or weak, managing to avoid the lowest scores.

Physical fitness only needed to be raised to a basic level anyway. And I had separate plans in place, so it wouldn't be a major obstacle.

At this rate, my envisioned team of Knightley-Hindrasta-Merylda could handle assassination, infiltration, and intelligence gathering respectively.

Good. Things are taking shape.

I immediately summoned the children. The meeting place was a café in the shopping district.

I ordered a plate of cream cake—my favorite—and waited for them.

Knightley arrived first.

She had never once been late for an appointment.

"Welcome."

Seeing the cream cake on the table, Knightley snorted.

"I see you've stopped eating in secret now?"

"How did you know I ate in secret?"

"I know all about how you always shoo me away first, then take it out of the cupboard to eat. I see everything."

"Haha. Busted. Sit down."

Knightley sat in the chair, crossed her legs, and folded her arms.

"I heard a new special student arrived? What's the deal?"

"What deal? I know you've already heard all the rumors."

"Valedictorian from a public academy. Administrative deputy of Tatanoko Village. Personally recruited by the Principal. What kind of bizarre combination is that?"

"Daughter of a powerful imperial duke. Fled an arranged marriage to join the Special Mission Academy. Insolent attitude in front of the esteemed Head Combat Professor."

Knightley's face reddened at the direct hit.

"Anyway, what's her deal?"

"She's a special student, like I said. You've already said everything. That's all there is to it. She was brought in because she has the ability. And she's older than you."

"Sister or not, we're in the same year, so what does it matter? Why did you call me here?"

"About this competition. I want to select the academy's representative team in advance."

At those words, Knightley uncrossed her legs and straightened her posture.

"Representative team?"

"If my prediction is correct, the Security Office will likely hold a competition for all imperial academies. Then what happens?"

"They won't accept all applicants from each academy but will select representative players or teams. So I'll be on that representative team?"

Knightley asked with an excited voice, unable to maintain her usual arrogant and cold expression.

Honestly. She acts like such an adult on the outside, but she's still just a kid.

"Well, that depends on how you perform."

"I ranked first in the self-assessment for the competition. What more is there to say?"

"It's not just about you alone."

At those words, Knightley's gaze changed.

"Who else is a candidate?"

"Here she comes."

I pointed to Hindrasta, who was approaching with a disgruntled expression.

Seeing her, Knightley's face instantly crumpled.

"Pink-head? She's a complete blockhead!"

"She may be a blockhead, but she's physically capable. You two will work well together."

"I don't want to do anything with her. She's rough and ignorant, probably because of her mercenary background."

"At least you can communicate in a common language. Hurry up, don't dawdle!"

When I shouted, Hindrasta grumbled but quickened her pace.

"Why are you bothering people after hours?"

Hindrasta spoke in somewhat awkward formal speech. I had thoroughly trained her to use formal speech in front of others.

"Sit down first."

"Oh, cake! Ouch!"

When she reached out with her bare hand, I slapped the back of it. Knightley laughed incredulously.

"Did you grow up with monkeys in some jungle? Even if you were a mercenary, don't you know how to use utensils? And how dare you try to eat first when the professor is right here?"

However, Hindrasta completely ignored Knightley's scolding as if she couldn't hear anything and asked me:

"So why did you call me? Don't tell me it's just to feed me cake? If so, I'm grateful."

"Pink-head. I'm talking to you!"

"Let's eat first, shall we? I was just getting hungry anyway."

Regardless of what Knightley was saying beside her, Hindrasta paid no attention and continued speaking only to me.

I'd heard from other professors that Hindrasta never communicated with other students except when necessary, and seeing it in person was quite a spectacle.

As expected of a dragon. Typical of a self-proclaimed supreme race that treats humans like insects.

Still, you're going to be on the same team now, so that attitude is problematic.

"Hey, Sophie. Why don't you at least greet Knightley?"

"Who? Knightley?"

Hindrasta blinked as if she genuinely didn't know. I couldn't believe she didn't even know her name.

When I pointed to Knightley beside us, Hindrasta finally glanced at her.

"You're Knightley?"

"You don't know me?"

"I recognize your face, but I don't know your name. Not interested either."

"How is that possible?"

"Why should I know your name? You're just another academy student, aren't you?"

"Hah..."

Knightley turned her gaze away as if she didn't want to exchange any more words.

Regardless, Hindrasta licked her lips and pointed at the cream cake.

"Professor. The cake."

"We're still missing one person. We'll eat when everyone's here."

"There's someone else? Is it one of the graduating students?"

Knightley mentioned the names of some top-tier students.

"No, it's someone completely new. She'll be handling intelligence operations."

"So it's me, this pink-head, and another person as a team? Honestly, I don't think that's too bad."

"Weren't you insisting on going solo until recently? What changed your mind?"

"If it's her, I'm fine with it."

Knightley gestured toward Hindrasta with her chin.

"I'm sick and tired of random people trying to ride my coattails, but at least she has guaranteed skills. She won't be deadweight."

Knightley, like Ismera, is surprisingly rational and accepts things if they make sense.

So contrary to my expectations, she doesn't strongly resist forming a representative team with Hindrasta. That's fortunate.

Just then, I spotted Merylda in the distance.

"Hey, Merylda! Over here!"

"Hello, Professor Dian."

Merylda stood before us and greeted me politely with her hands clasped together.

Then she turned to Knightley with a warm smile.

"Hello, Knightley."

"Huh?"

When Merylda suddenly addressed her by name with such a friendly greeting, Knightley opened her mouth in surprise.

"You know me?"

"How could I not know the academy's celebrity? A duke's daughter and top student. That's impressive."

"Oh, um... yeah..."

Knightley's ears turned red. Merylda's compliment seemed unexpected.

Smiling slightly, Merylda then looked at Hindrasta.

"Hello, Sophie."

"..."

As expected, Hindrasta, being the great and mighty dragon she is, gave no response to Merylda's greeting.

"Don't bother with her. She's incredibly rude. Don't waste your effort."

At Knightley's words, Merylda smiled and bent down to meet Hindrasta's eye level.

"Hello, Sophie? I'm Merylda, the special student who's joined your academy. Nice to meet you."

Merylda extended her hand with a gentle smile.

"Let's shake hands."

"Huh."

Hindrasta let out a scoff as if this was her first time experiencing such a situation and looked away.

Then Merylda reached out, grabbed Hindrasta's hand, and shook it.

"Nice to meet you, Sophie."

"What are you doing?!"

"Isn't it polite to return a greeting?"

Merylda said kindly while shaking her hand.

"And we'll be seeing each other often, so we can't stay awkward."

"Why would I have to see you often?!"

"Because I was also summoned by Professor Dian."

Hearing those words, Knightley's eyes nearly popped out.

"Professor?! Don't tell me we're working with her? She's from a public academy!"

In response to Knightley's intense reaction, Merylda smiled brightly and said:

"Even at a public academy, I learned everything I needed to, Knightley. Don't worry too much."

"But they don't teach you how to kill people and infiltrate at public academies. And your physical condition probably isn't good either. Even if the Principal personally brought you in, this kind of favoritism..."

"It's not favoritism. I took the same evaluation as you did. That's why Professor Dian called me."

Merylda cut off Knightley's words with her gentle demeanor.

"Although my physical condition may be inferior to yours, I can certainly play a supporting role from behind."

"So you're saying you'll handle intelligence? But what about the fact that I scored highest on the recent evaluation?"

"I heard. You got 41 points. I was just one point short, so I came in second."

"R-really...?"

Knightley stumbled over her words for a moment, surprised by the narrow margin.

Then, regaining her composure, she retorted:

"Still, I scored higher!"

"You've had years of intelligence training while I'm a complete novice, so considering that, the one-point difference seems quite significant."

Knightley was left speechless by Merylda's gentle comeback.

Now that I look at her, Merylda seems incredibly assertive.

It's impressive how she established dominance over Knightley and Hindrasta at their first meeting, despite seeming unremarkable.

Anyway.

"Children. May I speak now?"

"Yes, Professor."

Merylda sat demurely in her chair.

I carefully looked over the three students seated around the table.

A duke's daughter who fled an arranged marriage to become the academy's top student.

A dragon banished for a thousand years for causing trouble.

A career rookie who waited ten years for the Hero.

A truly mismatched combination of bizarre backgrounds.

These are the children who will become our Royal Special Mission Academy's representative team for the competition.