"Hmm... my mental health score doesn't feel very high," Merka said as Turing finished answering the last question, looking at the scroll of paper.

【Why did I answer like that?】

【I could have answered better.】

Is it because I want to be cared for? Do I want to be cared for because of mental health issues?

"But I scored full marks," Merka said, resting her face on both hands with her elbows propped on the table, looking at Turing.

"Why?" Turing puzzled.

"Because I am responsible for ensuring that your mental condition reaches a state of fulfillment."

"So I just scored full marks," Merka smiled warmly.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Erisburg, Leiblitz Academy, final exam day, early winter

"Use the pink one. Mom always uses pink, isn't it more formal?"

Yanling was busy in the background, while Turing, in her nightgown, stood in front of a huge wardrobe holding a pink military-style dress and a coral-red one, comparing them to each other.

"No, no. It's not about the color at all. Missy is still too young," Yanling briskly pulled out a tight whitish military uniform from the wardrobe and handed it to Turing.

"Avoid extravagance for exams, white is the way to go. Madam's style is still too early for Missy."

Yanling's playful and confident words almost made Turing believe them.

However, at school -

"Ugly duckling, why are you dressing like me?"

As Turing watched Diana walk away without even turning her head, she thought to herself,

【I shouldn't have worn white.】

The content of the end-of-term exams at the academy varied for each grade, but it always consisted of two things: magic skills and magic capacity.

Although it was possible to graduate without passing the exams, the results were closely related to the qualification to participate in the fireworks festival competition.

In other words, to achieve a certain rank, one had to obtain a recommendation for the competition.

This year's first-year exam was called "Iron Smoke Blooms."

Based on the main theme of Acadia Flame Magic, many exam scores were replaced with the temperature and burning state of the spell casting.

It could be said that the intensity of a person's flame magic was their magical prowess.

An iron rod forged using a special technique, called "Lake Mother," became famous for its terrifyingly low thermal conductivity and extremely high heat resistance.

Lake Mother was wrapped in low-quality paper that would crumble once heated, and thus became known as iron smoke.

As long as the examinee held one end of the iron smoke and continued releasing magic, the iron smoke would burn slowly from one end to the other, just like an ordinary cigarette.

The scattered ashes floated in the air, burning like a flower blooming.

By measuring the length of the burnt paper, one could determine the candidate's level of magical control and magical capacity.

"So, I secretly replaced the thickness of the paper on Turing's iron smoke. It won't break at all. She definitely won't be able to pass the exam."

McNius Society's Diana sat down next to the tinkering Diana, looking pleased.

"What? How did you manage to do that...but never mind that, it won't work anyway."

Diana glanced at Turing, who was standing alone not far away.

"If her iron smoke doesn't burn at all, it will cause problems when the teacher checks. It might even implicate us."

Diana played with her smoking pipe, her eyes squinting as if emitting a faint light.

"McNius Society, go remind Turing about this and take her to the teacher."

"Let the others use this key to open the arsenal, and when she goes in, lock the door. If she dares to come out, a group of three or four people will pummel her. But she probably won't be able to come out."

Diana took out a key to the door, which was nothing out of the ordinary for a class leader.

"I don't need to say more about the specifics, right?"

As Diana gave orders, the surrounding girls were a bit dumbfounded.But out of trust in Diana, they still planned to do as she said. The girls next to Diana discussed for a moment and quickly took action.

"Turing, the teacher told me that your iron smoke seems to have been sent the wrong inferior goods, so she asked me to take you to the office."

Nervously, McKenzie walked up to Turing, looking both unnatural in her demeanor and speech.

But Turing didn't pay attention to these details and quickly checked the iron smoke. "Oops, the paper seems to be a bit thick."

"Right, come with me quickly." While Turing hadn't yet carefully thought about the cause and effect, she was already being pulled away by McKenzie.

McKenzie's body swayed like duckweed in the corridor, and sweat twisted on her forehead like a snake.

At this moment, McKenzie's embarrassment was both nervous and fearful.

What was she afraid of? Why was she worried about Turing's grades?

[She is Diana's person, how can she worry about me?]

[But why did she take me to the office? Even if my paper has problems, it is impossible for the teacher to be wrong, right?]

[Could it be that the teacher is now in cahoots with them?]

In silence, Turing lowered her gaze.

[I will ultimately have to rely on myself.]

With a sway, Turing withdrew her hand from McKenzie's grasp.

[The equipment in the engineering library should have spare items, I have to hurry.]

Turing turned into a flash of white light and, without waiting for McKenzie's reaction, swiftly arrived at the engineering library, only to find that the door was unexpectedly unlocked.

[This is the place.]

[Hurry, search for it, where can it be...]

Turing, who had never even dared to leave her own little study table in a mess, had made a mess of various magical instruments scattered all over the floor.

The whole engineering library had become a mess because of Turing's arrival, and in no time, there was hardly any place left to stand.

However, Turing's impulsive actions did not last long.

[Found it.]

Suddenly, with a "click" sound, the entrance, the only source of light in the engineering library, was shut, leaving the library in complete darkness.

With a tense atmosphere in the college and a gloomy, silent engineering library, the two spaces were instantly completely separated.

"They're coming, phew... Turing must have been locked up, right?" McKenzie finally arrived, but a little late.

There were a lot of precious and secret instruments in the engineering library. To prevent theft or any unauthorized behavior by teachers, the library doors and walls were not only thermally insulated but also had hardness that could withstand power saws and explosions.

There was simply no one who could break through head-on— at least that's what McKenzie and the others thought.

"Metal clanging..."

Turing's faint footsteps were gradually approaching and finally stopped at the door. The tense atmosphere made everyone gulp nervously.

"Even if it's Turing, she couldn't possibly... When we all beat her last time, she didn't dare to fight back."

A girl whispered to the person next to her for encouragement.

"McKenzie, are you in there?" Turing asked, but there was no response.

"Why are you all trying to stop me even if it means giving up your own qualifications for the exams?"

"Do you all hate me that much?"

"Why? Why are you asking why?" Unexpectedly, McKenzie didn't provoke or insult her anymore.

"Perhaps it's because Diana's hatred towards you?"

"Perhaps it's because our parents' fear of your family and your mother has been passed on to us?"

"Perhaps it's because we envy your talent?"

"Turing, asking why is a sign of immaturity."

"I can prevent you now, which demonstrates my value!"

There was silence from inside the door for a moment, and then came a response.

"Fine, do as you wish, but I won't hold back anymore."

"I hope you know that I wasn't born powerful."

"I just had to become powerful."

"McKenzie, let me show you what the McNeuse family can do.""You will never see it in books."

The walls, the air, the moisture – everything that was just within reach of Turing became carriers of heat. It was a terrifying, indescribable, and incomprehensible kind of energy, or rather, a vortex that was brewing in the astonishment of the onlookers outside the door.

"Incandescent spiral."

The chilling heat ceased its ascent, and a sudden void, accompanied by abnormally twisted spiral patterns, appeared on the door of the mechanical library.

The central part of the door, unbelievably, evaporated into thin air.