Overpowered Archmage Doesn’t Hide His Talent

Chapter 158:

Translator: MarcTempest

Proofreader: naturallyInconsistent

Chapter 158 I want to participate in the group selection. 

Even after the open recruitment expanded its scope beyond the students, Flan’s popularity did not wane. 

Flan had selected the first-round winners, and they were very few in number. In the magic department, only Yushia, Trixie, and Becky made the cut.

And now, in the waiting room of the magic department, the first-round winners were busy with the glow-in-the-dark puzzle.

“Will this fit here…?”

Becky carefully moved the puzzle piece, and with a thud, the piece snapped into place. 

Yushia nodded her head with a satisfied expression.

Yushia had brought a jigsaw puzzle with a total of 1024 pieces. 

For those who had been waiting, there was nothing else to do, so the puzzle became a pretty good pastime in the waiting room.

“Now it’s Trixie’s turn…”

Everyone’s eyes turned to Trixie. 

Surprisingly, Trixie was also joining in the fun.

The blue-haired girl showed a careless expression as she manifested her psychokinesis. 

The sound of the piece fitting in was impeccable as always.

“…Trixie?”

But Yushia called Trixie cautiously.

“Why.”

“You’re not supposed to use magic, you know.”

Yushia puffed up her cheeks with a firm expression. 

She was not merciful when it came to the puzzle.

Trixie responded dryly.

“I forgot.”

“You have to take a break for one round. You understand, right?”

“Yeah.”

Trixie nodded her head as if she was annoyed. 

On the other hand, Becky shook her head from side to side.

“Trixie is weaker at puzzles than I thought.”

“No, I’m not.”

“What do you mean, no? You keep putting them in the wrong places, and you forget the rules even though Yushia tells you several times.”

“…”

Trixie did not give any answer.

She had a reason why she couldn’t focus on the puzzle, but she couldn’t tell them.

Becky tilted her head as she matched the next piece.

“Right? You would have snapped back at me if it was normal, but you don’t even react this time.”

“Fine. You guys do it.”

Trixie finally got up from her seat. Then Yushia tilted her head slightly and added.

“Trixie, are you upset…?”

“No.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Really really?”

Trixie let out a deep sigh. 

She couldn’t get out of this conversation anyway. 

The more she denied it, the more it seemed like she was.

She felt frustrated. She wasn’t really upset. She was just deeply immersed in another worry.

“Oh, by the way, Trixie.”

Then, Becky grabbed Trixie who was about to leave.

“What.”

“…”

But she couldn’t say anything when she met her eyes. 

Trixie narrowed her eyes, and Becky scratched her cheek and said the next words.

“About you and Flan… Contract marriage? You’re sure it’s just a contract, right? Right?”

First of all, it was a relationship that was only contractual.

The previous lord Isaac insisted that Flan and Trixie at least pretend to be engaged for  a while to protect his family, but now that the succession issue was resolved by verification, there was no need to maintain the contract marriage.

But.

‘What is this?’

Yushia and Becky looked at her with more serious faces than ever. 

She hesitated to answer as she looked at their expressions.

“Why do you ask?”

“I’m just curious. That’s all.”

“Think what you want.”

Flan.

Trixie also had a lot of worries about him. 

She turned away after saying that, but Yushia and Becky ran after her and grabbed her.

“Tri, Trixie. Don’t be like that. Let’s do the puzzle together.”

“Yes. Trixie, we need to have the same number of people. Right?”

In the end, Trixie was dragged back to her seat by the two girls’ strong force. 

She had no interest in the puzzle, but she fiddled with the puzzle pieces for no reason.

‘Why am I doing this.’

Trixie wondered why she was here in the first place. 

The reception ceremony was not an event organized by the academy, so she could have ignored it.

But when she came to her senses, she had already applied, and when she closed and opened her eyes, she was inside the waiting room. 

Why? 

She tried to focus on the puzzle to shake off this worry, but it was useless.

‘I need to check.’

That was the conclusion.

Yushia nodded as if she understood.

“Maybe it’s a selection criterion?”

“Criterion?”

“Yes. Like, if you win a duel, you pass.”

“That’s possible.”

Becky nodded her head.

“Most of the other groups are composed of knights. They might have called us for that reason.”​It was then that the speculation spread like wildfire. ​Knock knock─​A different knock from before, with a remarkably steady rhythm.​Everyone’s eyes naturally turned to the door. The next moment, the door began to open at a moderate speed.​The heat of Reheln Hill seeped into the room. But no one cared about that.​He was always tall and sturdy. He entered with the same steady footsteps.​“Are you all here?”​Soon after, Flan stood in the middle of the space.

“I’m Flan, the mage.”​His attitude and atmosphere were more serious than usual, so everyone waited quietly for his next words.​But at that moment.​This time, without even a knock, the door opened with a bang. Everyone’s eyes moved to the door again.​“…!”​And everyone’s eyes widened. 

The shock did not spare the mages or the knights.​Whether they knew the magnitude of the shock they received or not, the one who showed up calmly looked at Flan.​A towering height and a muscular body that anyone could see was a knight’s. 

She didn’t care about the heat of Reheln. 

The Knight of Flickering Flame, Scarlet Judith.​The silence was broken by Flan first.​“What’s going on, Scarlet?”​Then, Scarlet answered his question.​“Me too.”​The knight said with a serious face.​“I want to participate in the group selection.”​The concept of sound disappeared.​No one made any sound.​Everyone except Flan showed confusion on their faces, and they looked back and forth between Scarlet and Flan.