Chapter 7: The Practical Exam and the Prince’s Gaze

The day of the monthly practical magic exam finally arrived. 

The main arena of the Royal Magic Academy was packed with hundreds of students seated in rows across the circular spectator stands, creating a buzzing chatter that filled the air. In the middle of the open field, ten giant magic circles had been set up, each surrounded by a transparent barrier to contain wild energy surges. 

I sat in the participant row alongside other first-year students. The silver-trimmed academy uniform felt slightly tight around my chest, worsening the tightness amidst my wildly racing heartbeat. 

*Why does a practical exam have to be watched by the entire grade level?! Isn't staying quiet in class way more peaceful? If I accidentally make a mistake or my magic explodes weirdly, Alicia's reputation as a genius villainess will instantly shatter!* 

Those panicked screams swirled inside my head, while outwardly, I maintained a flat, cold face, staring straight ahead with stiff posture like an ice statue. 

"Next participant, Lady Alicia Valerian!" 

The examiner's voice boomed through the magical megaphone, cutting through the busy murmur of the arena. 

Instantly, the loud whispers in the spectator stands died down. All eyes locked onto me. There were curious gazes, awe, and even jealous stares from a few noble students who disliked me. 

I stood up slowly from the participant seat, straightened my robe collar with calm movements, and walked down toward magic circle number one in the center of the arena. 

Inside, I wanted to cry my eyes out. 

*Please, Alicia's body... unleash that cool ice magic like yesterday! Don't embarrass me in front of the prince and the heroine!* 

As soon as I stood in the center of the magic circle, Professor Orion Grandis—acting as the chief judge—raised his right hand to give the signal. 

"The exam begins. Destroy the giant stone golem target before you using advanced elemental magic within ten seconds." 

Before me, a massive three-meter-tall stone golem suddenly rose from the ground, growling softly with glowing red eyes. 

Without wasting time, I raised my right hand, closed my eyes for a fraction of a second to tap into the body's residual muscle memory, and thrust my palm forward. 

*Bzzzt— Cratshhh!* 

In the blink of an eye, a mini snowstorm exploded from my palm. A massive, razor-sharp pillar of ice shot forward, violently slamming into the stone golem's chest until it shattered into pieces of glittering ice dust under the sunlight. 

The arena fell dead silent for a full three seconds, before thunderous applause and cheers from the spectators erupted. 

"Incredible! One strike and it's smashed to pieces!" 

"Lady Alicia's ice element control is genuinely on a completely different level..." 

Professor Orion nodded slowly from the judges' box, jotting down a perfect score on his transparent slate. "Ninety-nine out of one hundred. Good job, Lady Alicia." 

I took a deep breath, lowered my hand slowly, and put on a haughty expression with a raised eyebrow, as if to say *'such a thing is barely anything at all'*. 

Yet inside, I was patting my chest in utter relief. 

*Safe! I survived! Nothing exploded!* 

However, as I turned around to walk back to the participant rows, my eyes accidentally locked with someone sitting in the special VIP stands reserved for nobility and royalty. 

Prince Leonhardt Arcelion sat right there. 

The raven-haired youth was not joining in the applause like the others. Instead, he stared intently at me from afar, a subtle, meaningful smile curving the corners of his lips. His sapphire-blue gaze felt so piercing, as if it could pierce right through the cold mask I had struggled so hard to build. 

To the prince's left, Elena Rosehart was also clapping softly with emerald-green eyes sparkling wide in pure admiration. 

Cold sweat suddenly seeped down my back once again. 

*Why are both of them staring at me like that?! I feel like moving to the edge of the world right now!*