The Royal Military Academy's Impostor Owns a Dungeon [BL]

Unfortunately for the proud dwarf, who had been fully expecting at least a few compliments from her so-called friends about how convenient this step had become, none of that happened. Just like everyone else, they’d become far too captivated by what was unfolding before them to spare any attention for her.

Cece simply scoffed as she rolled her eyes at both Gisella and Amelia, though on whose insistence was it that they couldn’t visit the workshop much in the first place?

According to her conscience, it was definitely not her and her great attempts at shooing them away so she could concentrate with the kiddos.

Riiiiight.

Ah! No matter!

Because in truth, even she wasn’t immune to the same sensation. It didn’t matter how many times she’d witnessed the same scene. She still found herself completely captivated every single time.

As Ollie continued his work, the previously questionable-looking smelters, now perfectly attuned to their ingenious Zelunium gong, began producing a thick stream of luminous molten metal. It flowed steadily into the continuous casting system, where blazing billets emerged beneath curtains of what was, unbeknownst to everyone else, spiritually cooled water.

To the untrained eye, it might’ve seemed as though the audience had simply been mesmerized by the satisfying sight of molten metal taking shape. In reality, however, the seasoned master mechanics and even the aspiring ones were focused on something else entirely.

Beyond that absurd opening performance, what truly held them spellbound was the fact that they’d never once seen an examinee perform this particular stage of the manufacturing process.

Normally, examinees arrived with their materials already refined. Several times over, when possible. Many even went out of their way to purchase the highest polished grades they could afford so they could devote the examination entirely to assembly and calibration, which by normal standards would’ve already taken several sessions to complete.

The annual licensure exam had actually become so notorious and dreaded that if the examinees could buy already screwed-in parts, they would’ve done so to increase their chances of surviving the test.

And yet here was this cadet Oliver Mylor, who, by some insane stroke of genius or maybe a death wish, had decided to start all the way from the refining stage.

Was he seriously planning to go through the entire alloy production process and still finish everything within three days?

Was that even remotely possible?

That was, of course, assuming what they were witnessing could even be described as alloy production anymore.

Several of the more observant master mechanics, along with the traditionally trained dwarves, gradually began tilting their heads as they watched.

Something wasn’t right.

One elderly master rubbed his eyes in disbelief before muttering under his breath.

”Where’s the ferrochrome?”

His brow furrowed even deeper.

”And the molybdenum? The manganese? Something...?”

None of it had been added.

Before he could continue thinking, the elderly mechanic beside him abruptly smacked him across the shoulder with his cane.

”You old fool!” he whispered furiously. ”Why didn’t you wake me up during impurity removal? I’ve already missed it! Do you have any idea how long it’ll be before I get another chance to see something like this?”

”You were awake.”

”I was contemplating with my eyes closed!”

Before the two old mechanics could begin arguing in earnest, another master hissed at them to be quiet.

”If you keep talking,” he warned, ”you’re going to miss something even more important.”

Everyone immediately turned their attention back to Ollie, who was, by their standards, about to do something rather scandalous.

Instead of allowing the newly formed billets to proceed through the cooling stages every mechanic and blacksmith expected, the busy cadet had already begun hot rolling them.

”?!”

The realization struck almost everyone at the same time.

Now they were certain. They really hadn’t missed anything due to their own negligence!

Instead, Oliver Mylor had intentionally skipped them.

Confusion swept through the mechanics.

What kind of material, short of high-grade monster parts, could possibly withstand being processed without undergoing proper alloying?

Those who actually understood smithing became more bewildered with every passing second. Even the self-proclaimed experts on Star Net had begun arguing over Ollie’s seemingly improper refining process, while the instructors from the Royal Military Academy quietly broke into cold sweats as they gradually realized what was happening.

Instructor Falco leaned in, his voice so quiet it was almost swallowed by the noise of the arena.

”Is this... supposed to be happening?”

Instructor Moore, who hadn’t managed a proper night’s sleep in days, answered in an even softer voice.

”No. Not really.”

His stomach churned as his eyes remained fixed on the testing grounds.

Still, panicking even more now wouldn’t accomplish anything.

If there was one thing he could do besides hoping his student hadn’t somehow gone completely off the rails, it was to see how the one person who would’ve known more than everyone else was reacting.

Moore instinctively turned toward Cadet Luca Kyros, who hadn’t been all that difficult to find.

For under that rather concerning sign was the black-haired youngster who didn’t even look worried in the slightest.

If anything, he looked positively delighted.

His eyes sparkled with excitement as he watched Ollie work, his expression carrying not only unmistakable pride but complete trust in what his sworn brother was doing.

The sight alone steadied Moore’s trembling hands.

He slowly turned back toward the blonde inside the testing grounds.

Watching Oliver now, it was honestly difficult to believe this was the very same student who’d once looked ready to run for the hills every time he so much as mentioned any sort of test.

Of course, one could argue that Luca’s expression wasn’t exactly the most reliable thing to judge by. There had always been cadets who would’ve happily watched a fellow examinee crash and burn if it meant improving their own ranking. Moore himself had encountered more than a few during his younger days and knew all too well what it was like to keep his guard up, no matter how friendly someone appeared.

Those two, however, had never been like that.

Anyone who’d spent even a little time around Luca and Ollie knew that much.

If Luca could watch this with complete confidence, then perhaps Moore had been asking himself the wrong question all along.

Instead of wondering what steps had been skipped, maybe he should’ve been asking why those steps had become unnecessary in the first place.

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