“Team assignments are as listed on the exam tickets you received in advance. Now, move out!”

At Colonel Star’s command, everyone headed to the simulation room.

I’d been wondering what those letters on the exam tickets meant. So that’s it.

Sword was assigned to Group B.

The room we were led to was lined with a ton of simulation machines.

As expected from Earthguard’s top elite academy.

The best facilities, courtesy of their abundant funding.

The fifty of us in Group B followed Colonel Star to the next room.

“Alright, the exam starts in sequence, so Group B is up in an hour. Until then, feel free to strategize within your teams. Dismissed.”

With an hour until the exam, it looked like time for a strategy meeting.

Colonel Star left, leaving just the examinees in the room.

The fifty examinees took their seats.

Silence naturally enveloped the room—after all, these people were both allies and rivals.

But one boy stepped forward.

“My name is Blue Tasmania. My father is a count.”

Everyone’s attention focused on the boy at the podium.

(Man, being able to take the initiative like that in a situation like this is impressive…)

Something Sword could never do.

Proactive, or whatever you want to call it. The class president type, maybe.

“We’re all aspiring Holy Knights, which means we’re comrades—but also rivals. I get that. But we can’t win without working together. So, how about this: if no one else wants to step up, let me take command.”

And just like that, Blue declared he’d lead.

Fitting for a count’s son. I didn’t know much about nobility, but judging by everyone’s reactions, he was a big deal.

“No objections!”

“If a count’s son is taking charge, we’re all for it!”

“No higher houses here, so that works!”

In Earthguard, nobility really was something special.

Baron was the lowest rank, and count seemed two steps up. Military promotions topped out at baron, so he was probably purebred nobility.

Blue was swiftly decided as leader.

Then he walked straight toward Sword.

“Nice to meet you, Sword. Fighting alongside Prince Road’s knight is the highest honor. Looking forward to it.”

“N-No, the pleasure’s mine! I’m no good at strategy stuff, so this is a huge help!”

“…I see. No good at it, huh.”

Blue looked down and smirked.

Sword couldn’t see it, but Blue quickly lifted his head and flashed a friendly smile.

“You’re the prince’s knight, so you must be strong. But leave the commanding to me this time. I may not measure up to His Highness, but I’m top-tier in strategy exams.”

“That’s reassuring! Please do!”

The strategy was hashed out next—team divisions, positioning, all decided in short order.

Sword wasn’t great with this stuff, so he figured he’d just follow orders.

…

“Time’s up! Give it everything you’ve got!”

The hour passed, and at Colonel Star’s shout, the fifty in Group B headed to the simulation room.

He seemed to wink at Sword, but who cares about a middle-aged guy’s wink.

Probably just doing this gig so he could watch with a drink in hand.

They dove into the virtual world, and the fateful Holy Knight exam began.

“Mountainous terrain. A map I’m familiar with.”

The drop zone was a mountain range.

Mountains, rivers, ruined buildings—a classic, straightforward stage.

Just as we’d been told in advance.

A quick scan showed white KOGs all around.

Uniform color for easy identification, I guess.

“Alright, stick to the plan!”

Sword followed orders and crossed the mountain alone to hold position.

“Now then… I was told to wait for the signal. Guess I’ll hang tight.”

Sword’s role: unleash his overwhelming destructive power in a rear ambush.

Hold position early game—that was Blue’s instruction.

And Sword bought it completely.

“Blue seems like a decent guy.”

Sword wasn’t one for mind games.

…

“Heh heh heh.”

“Something up, Blue?”

This was the front line.

Blue and his handpicked subordinates gathered here.

The count’s son had stacked the room with his own people.

“Nah, it’s just… he fell for it so easily. Hilarious.”

“You mean Sword Silfield?”

“Yeah. Talking to him confirmed it—he’s just a naive goody-two-shoes. Sure, his combat prowess is supposed to be insane, but he’s just a knight. Tactics mean nothing against strategy. On the battlefield, he’s nothing but a grunt.”

Sword had fallen right into Blue’s trap.

A boy who trusted people over doubted them was easy pickings.

Stuck on the battlefield’s edge, unable to rack up any achievements.

“Blue! Enemy sighted!”

“They’re here? Good! Stick to the plan!”

Blue, desperate to score feats for Holy Knight status.

(If we follow the strategy exam playbook, we can’t lose! I’m a genius!)

Blue Tasmania.

The Valhalla Academy strategy exam top scorer.

But he didn’t get it.

A boy who’d only fought on paper didn’t understand the battlefield, even in simulation.

Nor that he wasn’t a genius—just a talented student.

…

“Has it started yet?”

“Oh! Prince Road! We’ve been expecting you. Right this way!”

This was the monitoring room where the proctors watched the battlefield on screens.

Colonel Star wasn’t drinking for once, at least during the exam.

In came Road Earthguard, as pre-arranged.

“So, how’s my knight doing? No issues for him, I’m sure…”

Road glanced at the battlefield and fell silent.

“Hey, Star. What the hell is he doing all the way out there? Don’t tell me that’s the strategy. Even I can’t make sense of this.”

The battle had begun, yet one KOG idled alone on the edge.

The monitor displayed the pilot’s name.

Sword Silfield.

“I-I don’t…”

Road took in the whole field.

Letting out a massive sigh, he slumped in his chair and stared at the ceiling.

“…Haaah. You really are…”

…

“No orders yet? Man, I wanna fight already.”

Just one knight, blissfully gazing at the sky like his lord.