Chapter 35 – Making a Name (3)

Why were people wild about magic engineering, and why did they revere magic engineers?

It was because magic engineering was the only flame that melted the cold of the ice age, and magic engineers were the only fuel that kept the flame burning.

Thus, that the Immortal Ember is revered, and that Herman Melville, who opened the era of Grand Magic Engineering, is worshiped with religious devotion…

“People believe that magic engineering and magic engineers save their lives, and that is the absolute, unchanging truth of this era living through this ice age.”

Just like a famous maxim of a certain leader, it was solely for that reason.

That was also why the magic engineer qualification exam week was regarded as the largest annual event, and the day of results announcement and license issuance was designated as a public holiday.

The birth of a new savior.

That was precisely the reason why the citizens, who were the driving force that moved the Ember, ran out into the streets with one mind and heart.

It meant it was not a strange thing that the citizens had been camping out in front of the Magic Engineering Department bulletin board since the day before today, the day of results announcement.

“Who on earth will place first?”

“Do you even need to ask? It will obviously be Lady Leona Melville.”

“It is not a given. I heard that a genius who has already published ten papers also participated in this exam?”

“I have never heard of him. Where is he from?”

“What was… his name again? It was an Ember located around the fiftieth line.”

The citizens sitting huddled together along the roadside so as not to interfere with the examinees… no, the prospective magic engineers who would come to check their grades.

They chattered noisily over who this year’s top scorer was.

Although becoming a magic engineer was a great thing regardless of the rank, it was certain that ranking them was an interesting topic of conversation.

Especially this qualification exam was even more so.

Because the number of examinees had increased as the Immortal Ember could transport more examinees from farther distances with the invention of the Offroader.

The level of the examinees also rose along with the increased number.

Among them, there were a few strong candidates expected to take first place.

“Still, it must be Lady Leona, who was personally taught by Lord Herman Melville.”

First, Leona Melville, the granddaughter of Herman Melville who graduated at the top of the academy.

“They say that this year, even that closed-off Magic Ember sent an examinee for the first time. I heard his name is Balthazar Emberheart.”

Second, Balthazar Emberheart, the descendant of the predecessor Grand Magic Engineer.

“They say the Ember of Progress has also produced a rarely seen outstanding magic engineer candidate. Adras Crow, I believe.”

Third was Adras Crow, the successor of the Ember of Progress.

However, besides them, with talented examinees flocking from hundreds and thousands of Embers, the ranking was bound to shift according to public opinion every time.

However, there was one person who kept shouting the name of someone whose name no one mentioned… no, whose very existence was unknown.

“You guys are talking nonsense. Obviously, the top scorer is our Will Ford!”

The owner of Namiya Bookstore, Namiya Peloy, who visited the Magic Engineering Department along with the Ford siblings, was indeed that person.

“Wahaha! Will Ford? That is a name I am hearing for the first time in my life.”

“That’s right, Namiya. The rumors that you are raising kids beyond your capability were widespread, but have you gone blind?”

“Could that brat possibly be Will Ford? It’s not even funny!”

People burst into laughter and ridiculed Namiya.

“These people, if only they knew what our Will Ford invented…!”

The moment Namiya, flared up by that, was about to rush forward in anger.

“Sister, please stop, I’m so embarrassed…”

“Yeth, thith. It’th embarrathin!”

She was suppressed by Will Ford, who stopped her with a red face as if he were embarrassed himself, and Williana Ford, who chimed in with slurred pronunciation due to licking ice cream on this cold day.

Having spent only a week together, they had already become close enough to call each other sister, brother, and sibling.

“You people, let’s see whose words are correct later!”

As the huffing Namiya finally calmed down, Will Ford scanned the surroundings with worried eyes.

‘Why isn’t he coming? He is definitely not someone who would break a promise.’

The nameless man who had declared that he would become a leader and protect the Ford siblings.

There were only ten minutes left until the report card was posted, but the man was still nowhere to be seen.

“Did something happen to him…”

Although people were clamoring that this year’s top scorer was Leona, Balthazar, or Adras, the boy was certain of the result.

That the man was indeed the top scorer.

Thus, it was all the more strange.

Because even though that confident man would know he was the protagonist of this exam, he was not showing up.

It was certainly not because he thought the result was a foregone conclusion.

The man had agreed to exchange names with the boy today, and had even made a bet with an examinee named Ian Draco, risking gold coins and his life.

The man had a reason to absolutely come here.

At that, the boy recalled a passage from a novel, the only book that was not a magic engineering text, titled ‘I Became an SSS-Class Magic Engineer’.

“The protagonist always appears at the very end… is it something like that?”

Since the world did not always run according to common sense and reason, he thought that might perhaps be the case.

However, Namiya’s subsequent words were sharp.

“What? Protagonist? Did something happen? You’re talking absolute nonsense, really.”

“Huh…?”

“No doubt you are talking about that lanky guy, but would that guy even come here?”

“Sister, what do you mean by that? Do you have an inkling?”

“Of course, I saw it all!”

“…!”

What on earth did she see?

For a moment, the boy grew anxious.

“I saw him at the bookstore, holding a magic engineering book and lecturing presumpously without even knowing what level you were. He chattered away so conceitedly, so would he come here unless his skin was incredibly thick?”

“…”

The boy felt relieved.

“That person is not the kind of person you think, sister.”

“Not that kind of person my foot. When he stubbornly barged in to leech off our house, I coldly—”

It was at that moment when Namiya’s mouth, which had grown talkative as her walls broke down, was about to run wild.

“Everyone, please take a step back. The report card will be posted!”

As it became nine o’clock, the official start of the daily routine, the doors of the Magic Engineering Department finally opened.

Five magic engineers in research coats emerged from inside and headed straight to the bulletin board.

In that moment when the report card in their hands began to be posted on the bulletin board.

“…”

The racket from just a moment ago vanished without a trace, and only a silence where even the sound of an ant crawling could be heard enveloped the street.

*Rustle*— *rustle*—

For a brief moment, only the sound of paper fluttering was heard.

“The posting of the report card is complete. Please follow the instructions of the police for safe viewing.”

The posting of the report card ended.

The magic engineer’s word ‘viewing’ was awkward, but no one nitpicked.

Because the names hung over there were bound to be the names of those who would draw the brilliant future of humanity.

In that way, the first person in line, who had waited in front of the Magic Engineering Department for a whopping four days, checked the report card.

“Hey, who is it! Who is the top scorer of this exam!”

“Are you a mute? Hurry up and speak!”

“If you’re not going to talk, get out of the way quickly! Can’t you see we are waiting?!”

Countless urgings poured toward him.

However, as if he did not hear the impatience of the people behind him, he stared blankly at the name hung at the very top and muttered a strange name that did not roll off his tongue.

“Ailen Vail…? His place of origin is the Nameless Ember?”

Everyone’s prediction went astray.

“As expected…”

Except for just one person, the boy Will Ford.

That moment was a miraculous one where the street, where thousands and tens of thousands had gathered, was once again dyed in silence.

* * *

One hour before the results announcement.

Since the distance between the library and the Magic Engineering Department was not very far, I set out leisurely.

However, I did not expect people’s interest to be focused this much on the results announcement day, which was not even the issuance day.

Right, it meant I had miscalculated.

“Can’t you see the exam slip here? Let me pass!”

Even when I shouted while holding the exam slip next to my face like a college student who had just turned twenty undergoing an ID check, the people had no intention of moving aside.

Strictly speaking, there was probably no space to move aside because there were too many people, though.

“A yellow-hair showing off to check grades. Stop playing the fool and get out of the way!”

Perhaps because I was a yellow-hair, they did not even seem to think that I could be a proper examinee.

In the end, I had to break through the crowd by force, and it was only a whopping hour after the opening time of nine o’clock that I could stand in the report card waiting line.

But then…

‘What is it? Why is everyone looking this way?’

The surrounding gazes were strange. No, not just the gazes, but their breathing had also grown rapid.

“The armband…”

“Then, that person…?”

“No doubt about it… it’s him.”

It was not an illusion.

This vast crowd was staring at me with a strange excitement.

Even the other examinees standing in the waiting line, and examinees with extraordinary talent like Leona Melville whom I had seen at the debate…

“…”

I knew.

That I was the top scorer.

There was no way not to know.

Since I was the only intermediate-advanced in the continent.

I knew in my heart that the result was a foregone conclusion.

I knew in my head that the gazes looking at me would have changed from before.

I had already visualized this situation hundreds of times.

However, facing it as reality was indeed different.

“Whew…”

The air, atmosphere, gazes, excited breathing that I could feel vividly on my skin at this moment, and my name that began to be quietly whispered in people’s mouths…

“Ailen Vail…!”

Someone quietly murmured.

That tiny shout became a boulder dropped onto a lake and swallowed the crowd in an instant.

“Ailen Vail! It’s Ailen Vail!”

“He’s the top scorer! This year’s top scorer has finally shown himself!”

“Ailen! Ailen! Ailen! Ailen!”

Was my name a dam to them?

The people began to chant my name as if they had waited only for this moment.

However, since I had not checked the report card yet, I was not shaken.

‘I must not look light. Nor must I look arrogant.’

This place was a spot to engrave me, Ailen Vail, in the minds of the crowd.

That ‘crowd’ could be ordinary citizens, businessmen, magic engineers, politicians, or…

‘Perhaps the Embers of the entire continent.’

Therefore, I must not be looked down upon either.

Because I, who would one day become a leader and stand before the world, had to always be confident.

Straightening up!

I straightened my back, squared my shoulders, raised my head, and pointed my gaze upward.

I wanted to act bold like that, but.

Tremble, tremble—

As both of my fists curled slightly with joy, the gradual trembling was something I could not control even with my will.

In that moment, I faced the gazes of the examinees parting like the Red Sea.

“Please go first.”

“…”

“It has long been a custom to yield the turn to the top scorer. If there is someone leading the salvation of humanity at the very front in the distant future, the one who stands at the very front now would be him.”

‘So there was such a custom.’

It was something I had not seen in the books.

However, I accepted their intention in silence, gave a short nod, and walked down that path.

“It is the march of the top scorer!”

“Woahhh!”

In that way, amidst the praise and respect of countless people, I was finally able to face the report card.

[First Place – Ailen Vail / Nameless Ember]

“Lord Ailen Vail, I sincerely congratulate you on becoming a magic engineer.”

Even though I was wearing a yellow armband, I could receive the polite congratulations of the police.

I wanted to scream at the thrill rising from my toes, up my spine, to the top of my head, but there was still one thing left to check.

[Second Place – Will Ford / X]

“Will Ford. So your name was Will Ford.”

The boy’s name, Will Ford.

We finally came to know each other’s names.