Sakuramoria Auto-translated

— With your height, you need to be good at earning money, not just showing off your teeth, — Shera commented good-naturedly on Vail's appearance.

— And I see you're an expert on height, — the guy replied jokingly. — Want to give me a few lessons on earning money? Look, I'll agree, — Vail quickly realized he was talking to top students who received the highest scholarships. — Besides, you're some of the smartest here. Congratulations on your high scores, by the way!

But I need to ask the teachers about it, thanks for the information. 🙂 — she nodded to the guy with a slight smile.

— No problem, always happy to help. Feel free to ask if you need anything!

Why are you looking for me... you're right here.

I should have said that I wasn't looking for you.

After walking around and looking at different options, Varya was ultimately considering the hammer and the saber, looking at them helplessly. Only the saber was familiar to her among all the choices. Varya could imagine how to hold it, and she had also seen what possibilities it offered in the hands of stronger fighters. It was the only weapon that felt familiar and understandable.
The hammer is Dante's weapon. It must be powerful. It feels good in the hand. If you strike with it, it will be devastating. But... can you defend yourself with it?

It doesn't matter... Sir Duncan, what does he want from them? Varya felt overwhelmed. People always seemed to want something unclear from her. Constantly. But what did she want?
What, exactly?
Right now?
To stand on the battlefield like this, and for enemies to fall to their knees at the mere sight of her. And for friends to thank the gods that they are standing behind the girl, and not in front of her. And then she would gracefully swing her weapon, huge and gleaming, and all opponents, no matter how strong they are, would be reduced to nothing but dust, and even Mana would not save them.

Varya, her deep blue eyes sparkling, picks up the scythe, the weapon of Abelia, and walks away from the armory.

Throughout the ceremony, Gideon sat silently with a stony face, only occasionally reluctantly joining in the applause. The song and speech of Levia did not impress him much, but he still noted her effort, with which she desperately tried to overshadow her inexperience in such matters. If she doesn't lose her enthusiasm, she will eventually learn to truly inspire.

During Nira's speech, he carefully observed this person. Words themselves are easily manipulated, and careful selection is not so difficult, so they should not be trusted; he was interested in the emotions with which the girl delivered her speech - it is in them that the soul lies. They were bright, but ambiguous. He wondered what he himself would say if he were in her place. In fact, it doesn't matter what - the point is that at the same time, an even more radiant smile would shine on his face than hers; he would feel like a hero who had unraveled the system and brought it to its knees, along with all those who had not coped with this task.

When the speeches were over, Duncan suggested that everyone take combat uniforms and weapons. At that moment, the students were faced with a choice of their destiny, because weapons save lives... And end them. The question is only who will be more capable and lucky, and this, among other things, depends on the right choice. Gideon found it a little easier than the others, because he had made his choice even before arriving - he thought, remembering the pistol and rapier he had brought with him. From the point of view of readiness for combat activity, he did not need a third weapon at all.

But for someone interested in modern technology, to pass by such a weapon as a rifle, a marvel of weaponry compared to the rest of the sticks and pikes, is simply unforgivable. Its power was undeniable; together with it, a powerful and dangerous opponent was equal to a puny musket, which could be crushed with a light movement of the hand. Some nun nearby said that she already had a weapon, so she would not take another because greed is a terrible vice. However, in Gideon's case, this is not greed. For someone who understands the progressiveness of this weapon and its potential for research, possessing it is an honor. Only a fool would refuse such an honor.

However, it was not difficult to figure out some things in order not to indulge in illusions. Despite its external technological sophistication, the rifle had a number of drawbacks. Bulky, complex reloading, strong dependence on the quality of the cartridge and the cleanliness of the barrel... Gideon was not sure that he really wanted to entrust his life to it in battle. However, as an object of research, it is an extremely valuable specimen. So, in addition to the combat uniform, he also takes a third weapon, and which of them he will thoroughly study and ultimately use in battle - he will figure it out as he goes. The extra one can always be hung on the wall in the room as a decoration - anyway, with his meager scholarship, he is unlikely to be able to buy anything else for this purpose.

“It seems you’re the only one who hasn’t made up their mind yet,” Duncan commented, addressing Leila, “the opponents on the battlefield won’t wait for you.”

- And I see you're a master of growth, - the guy replied jokingly. - Want to give me a couple of lessons on earning? Watch out, I might just take you up on it, - Vale quickly caught himself, remembering he was talking to the top students who received the largest scholarships. - Besides, you're some of the smartest here. Congratulations on the high scores, by the way! 
- Don't mention it, always happy to help. Feel free to reach out if you need anything!

— What was that about growth just now? 
One of the students who hadn't chosen a weapon approached the group.

— A man's charm lies in his fiery heart and the depth of his soul!
— What's your name, boy?
— Boy?!.. — The guy was about to protest but stopped himself. — Before you stands Ignatius Varlong! Future master of magical sciences!
— Hmmm... — Shera gave the guy an appraising look. — I wonder, how exactly does the temperature of your heart correlate with second-to-last place on the exam?
— Pfft! Some written test aimed at common folk is incapable of assessing the performance of my perfect mind!
— Is that so... Well, with your external parameters and personality traits, magic certainly wouldn't hurt. Maybe you'll at least learn hypnosis, otherwise you won't find yourself a girl. 
— Those superficial girls who care about trifles like height don't interest me! — The "mage" wouldn't give up. — Clearly, they're empty people who don't deserve the attention of a worthy man. Right, friend?
The question was obviously directed at Vale.

For a while, Varya stood in a trance, getting used to the new weapon and actively swinging it. It seems that fighting invisible opponents helped her calm down.
Refiteyka finally woke up, sighed, and looked around for Yukka.

Lost in thought, Leila carefully examined each of the weapons offered to her. Several of them immediately piqued the Taiman's interest, but unfortunately, she had to limit herself to just one. She even regretted not bringing something similar from home, which would have made her choice easier. Despite all its advantages, Leila immediately dismissed ranged weapons. They were too heavily dependent on weather conditions. It would have been nice to have one as a backup, but it seemed it wasn't meant to be. Gradually eliminating various options, the Taiman narrowed the list down to three. The first was a claymore, similar to the one used by her neighbor. The main advantage of this weapon was that sparring with Ixora would allow Leila to progress faster. They could learn from each other's mistakes together. At the same time, the second option, a saber, was more familiar to the Taiman herself, as it was her father's favorite weapon. She practiced with this weapon at home. The third option didn't have as many practical advantages; it attracted Leila with its imposing and exotic appearance. It was something new and unusual. It was a scythe, chosen by one of her classmates, a Colossus girl who was as formidable as the weapon she had chosen.

— It seems you're the only one who hasn't decided yet," Duncan commented, addressing Leila, "the opponents on the battlefield won't wait for you.

Duncan's words brought Leila back to reality. It seemed that while she was weighing all the pros and cons of her potential choice, the rest of her peers had already made up their minds. — Please excuse me," Leila said, slightly bowing her head. With a deft movement of her hand, she took a saber from one of the weapon racks, making her choice. It might not be the most interesting, but at least she knew how to use it, and there was something familiar and comforting about it. If she suddenly wanted to practice with a scythe or a two-handed sword, she could always borrow them from Ixora or the Colossus girl for a while. Of course, assuming that they wouldn't be given the opportunity to take a spare weapon for themselves later.

For a while, Varya stood in a trance, getting used to her new weapon and actively swinging it. It seems that fighting invisible opponents helped her calm down.
Refiteyka finally came to her senses, sighed, and looked around for Yukka.

Yukka was standing to the side, talking to a stranger who was unfamiliar to Varya.

"Sweetheart!" the girl blushed. Remembering her neighbor Varya's romantic plans, she decided not to embarrass her and instead looked for Vita.

Varya finds Vita busy practicing with a glaive.

-- An unexpected choice, -- he remarks. -- I thought you would choose the blade.

— I thought the same, but looking at the others, I decided it was too obvious a choice. If there are too many swordsmen among the students, our warriors will adapt to their fighting style more easily, which could put me at a disadvantage. And, I confess, this weapon — she shakes the glaive in her hands — somehow appealed to me. What about you? I didn't know scythes were used as weapons.

-- Well, Abelia and Risha use it. And I think it's like this:
*Shows a swing.*
-- You can easily chop through spines with it. And it's very difficult to dodge...
-- Although, in reality, I chose it based on intuition," Varya sighed.

— True warriors are never misled by their intuition, so you definitely made the right choice. Whew, I can't wait for next week!

— Those superficial girls who care about trivial things like my height aren't interesting to me! — the "mage" persisted. — Clearly, they are empty people who don't deserve the attention of a worthy person. Right, friend?
The question was obviously directed at Veil.

— Actually, what matters most to our lovely number one is the ability to earn, not height, as I understood from our conversation, — Veil replied. — And it's easy to combine that with passion and depth of soul, not to mention magic and hypnosis, which I'd better not joke about, hehe. As for the test, I think our future successes will be judged not by such questions, but by deeds, so you're putting the brakes on our wizard too early, — the young man said, addressing Shere.