The Infinite Gold of Audrey
Chapter 2: The Royal Academy Entrance Exam
Morning sunlight covered the grand gates of the Royal Mage Academy of Valerion.
Thousands of young mages had gathered for one purpose.
To pass the academy entrance exam.
The academy was the most prestigious institution in the empire. Graduates often became royal mages, generals, or powerful adventurers.
Standing among the crowd was Audrey.
He wore simple black clothing and looked completely ordinary.
But inside his mind…
[INFINITE GOLD SYSTEM ACTIVE]
Balance: ∞ Gold
Audrey sighed quietly.
"I still can't believe this thing is real."
Around him, the crowd murmured.
Most of the examinees were men.
And just as always—
The moment they noticed Audrey, their expressions darkened.
"That guy again…"
"Why do I feel irritated looking at him?"
"His face annoys me."
Audrey scratched the back of his head.
This curse again…
It had been like this his entire life. For some mysterious reason, every man instinctively disliked him.
But before the situation could escalate, someone waved from the distance.
"Audrey!"
It was Lyria, the silver-haired mage he met the day before.
She ran toward him happily.
"You actually came!"
Audrey smiled.
"Yeah. Thought I'd try the exam."
Several male students immediately glared at him.
"Why is she talking to that guy?"
"He doesn't deserve her attention."
Audrey sighed again.
Every single time…
The Test Begins
Suddenly, a loud voice echoed across the courtyard.
A tall man wearing royal robes stepped forward.
"I am Head Examiner Arkan."
The crowd fell silent.
"You will face three trials today."
He raised three fingers.
Magic Control Test
Combat Trial
Mana Capacity Measurement
"Only the strongest will enter the academy."
The gates behind him slowly opened.
Inside was a massive arena.
Excitement filled the air.
Trial One: Magic Control
Each student was required to create a basic spell.
Fire, water, wind, or earth.
When Audrey's turn arrived, he stepped forward calmly.
The examiner looked at him.
"Name?"
"Audrey."
The examiner nodded.
"Show us your magic."
Audrey raised his hand.
He had studied basic spells for years.
But his mana was average.
Nothing special.
He whispered quietly.
"Wind blade."
A small blade of wind formed and struck the target.
Score: Average.
Some students laughed.
"That's it?"
"Pathetic."
Audrey shrugged.
Fair enough.
He never claimed to be a genius mage.
But the exam wasn't over yet.
Trial Two: Combat
Students were paired for a sparring match.
Audrey's opponent was a muscular young noble named Darius.
The moment Darius saw him, his eyes narrowed.
"You… I don't like you."
Audrey sighed.
"Yeah, I get that a lot."
The battle started.
Darius charged forward aggressively.
But Audrey dodged calmly.
He wasn't powerful, but he had excellent reflexes.
The fight dragged on longer than expected.
Eventually, Darius grew frustrated.
"STOP RUNNING!"
He launched a powerful fire spell.
Audrey jumped aside—
—but accidentally tripped.
The crowd gasped.
However, Darius lost his balance while attacking and crashed into the wall.
The judge raised a hand.
"Winner… Audrey."
The arena erupted with confusion.
"He won by accident?!"
Darius stood up furiously.
"I hate this guy!"
Audrey scratched his head.
"Sorry?"
A Hidden Watcher
High above the arena balcony, a young man watched the exam.
He wore royal armor and had sharp golden eyes.
His name was Leon, the empire's most talented prodigy.
He was widely considered the future hero of humanity.
Leon looked down at Audrey coldly.
"That boy…"
For reasons he couldn't explain—
He felt overwhelming hostility toward him.
"I don't like him."
This moment would mark the beginning of a rivalry that would one day shake the world.
(Because years later…
Audrey would stand before this very man again.
And in the final battle of the age—
He would kill the Hero Leon…
…and the Demon King)