How To Survive Clichés

Chapter 4

The dormitory assignment test involves finding a box containing a mana orb from among hundreds floating in the air within a time limit.

At first glance, it sounds simple, but locating and grabbing the box with the mana orb amidst a rapidly spinning vortex is no easy feat.

The test evaluates four abilities:

1. Mana sensitivity
2. Magical talent
3. Reflexes
4. Mana control

Here’s a breakdown:

– Which box contains the orb among hundreds?
– What magic was used to capture the box?
– Was the time limit adhered to?
– What color did the orb inside the box change to?

If the box does not contain an orb, the candidate fails the test and cannot be admitted.

Even if one manages to find a box with an orb, the most crucial part is the last evaluation criterion: mana control.

The orb’s color changes according to one’s mana control: the richer and more vivid the color, the higher the control is deemed; the paler and more faded the color, the lower the control.

If the color changes even slightly, the candidate passes, but if it remains transparent, they fail.

“……”

Given Damian’s personality, she expected him to start with “Hadn’t this been agreed upon with the family?” and continue with “Whether you like it or not, I don’t feel well, so I’ll join the dormitory.”

Her instincts would have definitely told her the same.

‘Why isn’t he saying anything?’

Her instincts had always been a tremendous help in making judgments and decisions throughout her life, and they were always correct, whether it was about people or magic.

But this time, something felt different.

‘What is this?’

The issue lay in Damian’s attitude.

Soon, his inferior magical skills compared to his family’s reputation would be publicly revealed.
Moreover, due to mana deficiency, he was sure to embarrass himself by coughing up blood or collapsing in front of commoners. Despite this, his demeanor was strangely calm.

No, rather, he looked as if he didn’t care, or was even mildly annoyed.

“Damian?”

When Principal Wenemir called him again, as if urging him, his lips slowly parted.

“Fine.”

She barely managed to keep her jaw from dropping.
‘I thought he would refuse.’

Even if he did refuse, there was a way.
If they let it slide, student backlash would force the school to conduct the test anyway.

Considering the situation, atmosphere, and the target, it was the best course of action.

‘Did I misjudge?’

If so, this was another problem.

She had sworn to be the shadow protecting her sister for life.

Failing to correctly assess an opponent before that made her unqualified.

She glanced stealthily at the podium and then looked at Principal Wenemir, changing her thoughts. Her blue eyes sparkled with interest.

Wenemir pursued only ‘fun.’
This entire situation was a clever move, knowing she enjoyed unpredictable circumstances. Thus, her instincts and judgments couldn’t be wrong.

“Good. So, does anyone object? Let’s not drag this out and start immediately! The test is to find a box containing a mana orb and bring it back within five minutes. And remember, you must use magic!”

Damian nodded lightly.
Students aware of his reputation chuckled softly.

Whooosh!

In the meantime, at Principal Wenemir’s gesture, boxes materialized in the air, swirling chaotically around Damian in an instant.

Zztzztzzt!

And so, Damian disappeared into the massive vortex.

How much time passed?

As time passed with no sign of Damian, Yuri Elloa felt a bit relieved. It seemed he could be expelled relatively easily. The only sounds in the hall were the wind and the clattering noise of the rapidly spinning boxes. The remaining time was about 10 seconds. As the time dwindled, the vortex began to subside. When the time limit expired, the vortex disappeared completely, revealing Damian’s silhouette. All eyes focused on him.

* * *

“……”

In the original story, Damian brought back a box containing an orb that was transparent with a faint white tint. Due to this slight difference, he managed to get assigned to a dormitory, but the students realized the rumors about him were true. Right after the test, Damian collapsed, coughing up blood. The rumors about his poor magical talent and mana deficiency were true. These two facts tormented Damian immensely. His inferiority complex caused problems, and later, he almost died after getting beaten by Yoo Suho.

Furthermore, Yoo Suho received a quest to properly discipline Damian. Although he disliked hitting the weak, Damian’s behavior deserved punishment. Damian was a wicked and rebellious person, someone Yoo Suho was utterly sick of. However, I didn’t want to get hit. To avoid such a situation, I needed to perform well in the test.

I folded my arms and observed the boxes moving in the air. They were all the same black color. I followed the flow of mana. It wasn’t too hard to discern which boxes contained orbs. The problem was that there wasn’t just one mana orb among the hundreds of boxes. The vortex was designed to confuse anyone trying to follow the flow of mana, making it difficult to pinpoint which box held the orb. Some boxes with detectable mana moved faster than average, while others alternated between slow and fast speeds. In contrast, boxes with no mana moved at average or slower speeds. The boxes overlapped and diverged, creating a tangled web of mana movement. The irregular motion resembled endless waves. I simply stared at the black waves.

“Hm……”

It should be around here somewhere. One box, slightly higher than my waist, stood still as if broken. When I bent down for a closer look, I saw a hint of blue amidst the black. It was a color you’d expect to see in deep ocean waters. There was no mana sensation from inside the box.

“…Found it.”

That was the box I was looking for. It was special. Anything with mana placed inside it could not be detected unless the box was opened. Even Principal Wenemir, who created the box, couldn’t tell. She enjoyed ‘fun’ and ‘pranks.’ She had made numerous contraptions within the school, such as opening the gym door at a specific time to reveal a sports field or creating mirrors that showed the opposite of what they reflected.

The intention behind this box was simple. It looked immobile, and even if someone took an interest, the lack of mana sensation would deter them from touching it. If an orb was inside, who would think to take it? Additionally, it wasn’t easy to touch. The box appeared still, but if touched without caution, it would spin too fast to catch again. Wenemir’s small curiosity led to the creation of this box, which eventually faded from her memory since no one ever retrieved it.

My reason for retrieving the box was straightforward. Besides the orb, there was something else inside it.

‘Might as well put this in. A fragmented mana core. It’s a bit too valuable for a freshman, but they won’t find it easily. Who will end up with it? Oh, this is going to be fun―’

Mana Core.

There wasn’t exactly no way to treat mana deficiency. The problem was the speed. The rate at which mana leaked before, during, and after using magic varied, so you had to match the speed and supply an equal amount of mana simultaneously to be free from mana deficiency.

Even though what was inside the box was a fragmented mana core and it was a one-time-use item, I couldn’t afford to miss it. I thought about how to do it while going through the tutorial on the train.

‘What if I use fire magic?’

Fire and wind don’t mix well, so that was out. Besides, with my current state, I wouldn’t last long, and the fire would go out quickly. The same went for water, electricity, and ice.

‘The most likely choices are wind or telekinesis….’

If I recklessly tried to retrieve it with wind, the airflow in the vortex might change, causing the box to move at an uncontrollable speed. I needed a way to extract the box without affecting the airflow.

I found a way by thinking about the combination of basic and applied magic.

‘What if I create a barrier with mana to block the airflow and use telekinesis to move it, isolating the space?’

…With my current level, it would be fortunate if the barriers didn’t get swept away.

‘What if I let the wind flow from the mana-created barrier?’

If I could block the flow for just a split second… that would be enough.

I immediately put it into action, and during the tutorial, I could only maintain it for 1 to 2 seconds at most.

“…It’s worth a try.”

I flattened my mana and shaped it into barriers to block the vortex’s flow. It was important to make them not too thin and of an appropriate thickness. Even this much was already draining my strength. It was natural, as my mana wasn’t replenished like during the tutorial. I had to use telekinesis to pull the box from the front. I drew spells on the five surfaces except for the front one with my mana.

Just before completing the spells, leaving only one stroke, I simultaneously inserted the five surfaces into the vortex. Controlling them was crucial as there would be no second chance if they got swept away or mishandled the box. The process was complex and exhausting, but it felt easier than during the tutorial.

“Phew…”

I took a breath and then infused a consistent shape and speed of mana into the five spells, completing the last stroke. The spells were finally activated, and a chilling wind blew from the five surfaces, blocking the vortex’s flow in the area containing the box.

Despite my increased mana capacity, I could only maintain it for 3 seconds. But that was enough.

I hurriedly used telekinesis to retrieve the box. The box vibrated in midair as it escaped the vortex. For a brief moment, the boxes above and below lost their original flow and collided, making a loud clattering noise. The noise made my head throb, and I frowned instinctively.

As I hastily grabbed the box with trembling hands, the vortex slowly disappeared. I sighed deeply. I was utterly exhausted.

‘Maybe I should invest in stamina this time…’

Just as I thought that, the vortex vanished completely, and Principal Wenemir stood before me.

She looked bewildered for a moment, then realized the nature of the box and gave me a look as if to ask how I knew. I just handed over the box without a word.

‘I can’t say I saw it in the novel.’

Meanwhile, the students began to sneer and laugh. It was because no mana could be sensed from the box.

“What did I say? He’s a nobody.”

“They call themselves a magic family, but they’re nothing special. He picked a box as empty as his own mana.”

“If that guy passes, I know who I’m partnering with for combat class this semester.”

At that moment, Principal Wenemir’s astonished voice echoed through the hall.

“What the—!”

The students all turned to look at the box.

“What is it?”

“Is he getting expelled before even transferring?”

“Show us quickly!”

Hearing this, Principal Wenemir chuckled and floated the box into the air so everyone could see inside.

Everyone was shocked.