LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 29
Chapter 29
—–CROW—–
The rain was pouring down, and my body trembled with chills, but I didn’t have time to dawdle.
If I didn’t want to be discovered as a drowned corpse, I needed to ask Headmaster Tia to fix my dormitory as soon as possible.
I got out of the damp, rain-soaked bed and headed for the closet. Fortunately, the rain hadn’t seeped in this far, so my uniform was safe.
“It’s expensive for a reason, I guess.”
I couldn’t change now since I was completely drenched, but I could do so after drying off.
“Should I ask Lucia to borrow her shower facilities?”
“No, am I crazy? Asking Tenebris for a favor for something like this?”
My drenched body seemed to be dampening my mind as well. I didn’t know why I kept trying to incur debts over trivial matters. I was mentally and physically exhausted. I needed to find Headmaster Tia before it was too late. I was also curious about what had happened to
Since I was already wet, there was no need for an umbrella. I simply felt the pouring rain on my skin as I headed towards the academy building.
Arriving at the Headmaster’s office:
“Headmaster, may I come in?”
I knocked, standing in front of the door.
“…”
I could sense someone inside, but there was no response. What was she doing? In situations like this, it was best to come back later, but I couldn’t retreat. I couldn’t keep standing in the rain, could I? It was too cold and miserable.
“I apologize for interrupting you while you’re busy, but do you see this? This is what happened because of the ceiling you destroyed yesterday. You’ll fix the dormitory, right?”
I opened the door and entered to see Tia sitting at her desk, resting her chin on her hand. She looked different than usual. There was a bandage on her usually soft cheek. An injury. The [Dragon Emperor] was injured. Her blazing eyes were slitted vertically.
Wait, what was going on? This was bad.
“I’ll just come back later.”
…Sometimes, getting rained on wasn’t so bad. It had a certain sentimental charm.
* * *
The midterm exams had begun. Naturally, the written exams came first. It was only logical, as starting with the practical exams could result in numerous casualties. Anyway, I was going to be busy this week and next.
“The midterm exam for Intermediate Magic Theory will consist solely of a written test. The practical exam will be held during the final exams.”
Professor Aira was explaining the exam outline. She seemed to have gotten used to me recently, as she avoided making eye contact when facing my direction. It was hard to call it getting used to me, but as long as it didn’t disrupt the class, it was fine.
“Mmm… So, everyone has reviewed the practice questions I handed out, right?”
But today was a little different. Professor Aira was incredibly conscious of me. I wondered if I had done something wrong and activated [Observation], but there were no significant findings. However, I could tell she was thinking something different from what she was saying.
“The applied questions will be based on those.”
In short, she had twisted the questions to a degree that ordinary students couldn’t even imagine.
“I heard that last year’s exam was difficult, so I considered the students’ average this time.”
It seemed like she had heard complaints about the difficulty last year and intended to hear them again this year. My existence probably had a significant impact on the average she was referring to.
“Even your seniors in the current second year were able to solve them without much difficulty, so you should be able to do even better this time, right?”
Subtly trying to impress upon me the level of last year’s students was a bit much. What was I supposed to do with that information? More importantly, were last year’s seniors *really* able to solve those questions? It sounded like she intended to crush the students’ self-esteem with the exam.
“If you’ve studied consistently, you should all be able to solve them.”
Consistently.
Right, she meant it was impossible to solve them by cramming. One would need to pour in a lifetime of accumulated knowledge and a flash of insight just to understand the questions.
“There will be partial credit, so even if you encounter a problem you can’t solve completely, try to solve as much as you can.”
Perhaps I was the only student who could fully solve a single question.
“W-Well then… Fighting! I believe in you all.”
Professor Aira made a small fist and encouraged the students with a hesitant gesture. In reality, she was probably praying for a miracle, not believing in the students. From her perspective, I must have looked like an inspector checking the difficulty of the exam and the students’ intellectual level.
“I’ll distribute the exam papers now.”
Professor Aira and her teaching assistants began placing the exam papers face down in front of the students. The sheer volume of questions was overwhelming at a glance. Eight pages? Was she planning some kind of time attack?
“You have one hour.”
Seriously? Could this be solved in an hour? It seemed like it would take everyone else an hour just to read the questions.
“Begin.”
As soon as Professor Aira announced the start, the students hurriedly flipped over their exam papers. And with similar speed, their heads dropped. I leisurely unfolded my exam paper and understood their reaction.
“…”
From question number one, the exam was terrifying. There was a difference between intermediate and advanced magic, like the difference between two and three dimensions. If intermediate magic was like drawing a picture in the air, advanced magic was like constructing a building. And the exam paper was filled with countless pictures piled up, forming a three-dimensional structure.
Strange… Wasn’t this the Intermediate Magic Theory exam? This seemed like the kind of question that would appear in at least Intermediate Magic Theory 3.
I could tell at a glance. This was the essence of magic, poured into creation by Professor Aira. Solving it would be a tremendous achievement, but it was too strange for a mere intermediate magic theory exam. The effort required to create these questions was dizzying. She must have spent countless nights burning through her mana. Yes, until her mana ran out, in other words, until she ran out of M…
Let’s just solve the questions.
* * *
[Erosion Blade 20%]
The written exams were more or less over. The difficulty was so high that focusing on them had easily pushed my [Erosion Blade] past 20%. I was getting uneasy, as my mental resistance seemed to be weakening.
I was walking down the hallway, replaying Professor Aira’s questions in my head, when…
“It’s Prince Oz…”
“Ah, that’s him…”
“Don’t go near him. You might get killed.”
There were a lot of unsettling gazes today. Did they think the increased difficulty of the exam was my fault? No, there were too many wary glances for that to be the only reason. I was used to being watched, but this blatant scrutiny was a first. Perhaps due to the increased [Erosion Blade], it was making me feel irritable.
“Ah, Oz, you’re here.”
“Hmm? Were you looking for me, Arieta?”
Just as I was about to head off to reduce the [Mana Dominator] stack because I couldn’t stand the students’ stares any longer, I ran into Arieta. As always, she was walking cautiously, accompanied by the
“Yes, there’s something I wanted to ask… If you’re not busy, could you spare me a moment?”
“Yes, I’m free. What is it?”
Arieta wore an apologetic expression. But the
[Erosion Blade 23%]
Insolent bastards. Did they know who I was?
As I scanned the disciplinary committee students glaring at me with [Observation] activated, Olivia stepped forward.
“I apologize for the rudeness, Prince Oz. But please understand. Some of our juniors are among the first-year disciplinary committee members.”
Ah, were they angry because I was in a party with Arieta? Being in a party with the Saintess must be considered an honor for a cleric, so they might be jealous.
“Hmm? Come to think of it, Arieta, you said you didn’t have anyone to party with last time…”
“O-Olivia?”
“…Yes, Saintess.”
At Arieta’s urgent call, Olivia stepped forward. Was this what power looked like? Compared to my hollow title, it was incredibly enviable.
“Prince Oz, that’s a misunderstanding. Among the clerics dispatched from the church this year, there were no paladins, so it couldn’t be helped. They were all support-type students.”
Was that so? But the intensity of the glares from those fools was quite intimidating. Were they really support-type clerics?
“Come to think of it, I think I’ve seen that guy over there somewhere… I definitely saw him somewhere swinging a mace the size of his head…”
“That must have been for self-defense.”
“No, it was the size of his head.”
“Self-defense.”
“Hey, you, weren’t you one of the guys who charged at me and got beaten up during the last practical training?”
“Let’s stop there, Prince Oz. Shouldn’t we get to the main point? We have business with you as the disciplinary committee.”
Was Olivia annoyed with me? Was the main point that troublesome? Come to think of it, Arieta was making an uncomfortable expression. Had I done something wrong? There were too many possibilities, so I couldn’t figure it out.
“Please be honest with us. Prince Oz, who are you planning to kill this time?”
“…?”
I had no idea what she was talking about. Why would I kill anyone? Despite my appearance, I hadn’t killed anyone yet. I was a softhearted person.
“Arieta, could you please explain what you mean?”
Arieta scratched her cheek apologetically and stepped closer.
“Well… Many students are worried because you’ve been practicing magic every night recently.”
Ah, she was talking about my attempts to lower the [Mana Dominator] stack.
“It’s just practice.”
“I think so too, but considering the current circumstances, many students are worried that you might be practicing to kill someone.”
“…”
“Um… Would it be alright if I asked you the reason?”
Right, hearing it that way, I understood their concern. But it was truly just a coincidence of timing. Who could have predicted that [Mana Dominator] would develop a pity system? I was the most surprised.
“Ah… Could it be? S-Saintess?”
As I was contemplating an excuse, Olivia, as if she had realized something, called out to Arieta. She had a bitter look in her eyes, and I couldn’t understand what she was thinking.
“Perhaps Prince Oz is…”
“Ah… B-But still, that’s…”
“However… So it would be best not to pry too much…”
As Olivia and Arieta whispered to each other, their expressions towards me grew increasingly bitter. What was it? Why were they looking at me like that? What were they talking about?
“Prince Oz, we are aware of the situation between you and the Fist King.”
“…”
Oh, really? I had no idea. Was there some famous anecdote everyone knew about? No one had ever explained it to me. If it was that well-known, why didn’t I know? Was it because I had no friends?
“What happened between me and Alexios?”
“Oh dear… That was presumptuous of me. Please forgive me…”
My genuine question was met with an apologetic response. No, tell me what happened. I wasn’t angry, so just tell me. Even the clerics who had been glaring at me earlier lowered their heads, seemingly realizing their mistake. What was it? What was going on? What had happened?
“We didn’t mean to disregard your intentions. Although we think it was excessive… Surely you had your reasons.”
They weren’t disregarding my intentions, but they were choosing to ignore my words? Why were they talking amongst themselves and coming to their own conclusions? Couldn’t they share information related to me with me?
“The Saintess also hopes things will work out between the two of you.”
“…?”
At Olivia’s words, I glanced at Arieta, and she nodded slightly. I hadn’t said anything, yet the conversation had concluded.
“Then, I’ll be going now, Oz.”
“No, but…”
“See you at the practical exam. I’ll do my best to be of assistance.”
“Ah, yes.”
With those words, Arieta and the clerics turned around as if to leave. So, no one was going to tell me what had happened? If I hadn’t been maintaining Oz’s usual arrogant facade, I would have said something.
“Oh, speaking of the Fist King, I just remembered.”
“What is it?”
“The Fist King asked me to relay a message to you last time, when he was surrounded.”
Why were they telling me this now? Wasn’t this a matter that could directly affect my life? Please, I just wanted to know what had happened between me and him. Everyone was acting as if they understood the situation and were choosing to remain silent, but I was the only one left in the dark. It was frustrating.
“He asked me to tell you that ‘he is no longer the same as he used to be.’”
“I see…”
I didn’t know how he used to be, so I didn’t know how to respond. Had he been beaten up by Oz in the past? Was it a severe beating? Was it so bad that people were reluctant to even mention it?
“Please be careful.”
One problem after another. Well, it was a problem I couldn’t avoid forever. Considering his blatant hostility, I would eventually have to settle things with Alexios.
* * *
All the written exams were over, and the final practical exam, conducted in parties, had begun. The rules were mostly the same as the previous practical training, but there were a few differences. First, it was conducted in parties, not individually. The protective magic imbued in the cloaks also varied in strength depending on each person’s role, and instead of prohibiting the use of advanced magic and above, my magic’s power itself was penalized. That’s why I was given a bracelet-type magic tool that regulated the power of my magic, preventing it from exceeding a certain level. It was likely designed that way to ensure everyone fulfilled their assigned roles, but… the design of the magic tool was terrible. It looked like something used for dark magic. Moreover, judging by its effectiveness, the penalty was also stronger. Seeing Arieta wearing a rabbit-shaped mask that covered her mouth, it seemed that all the SSR-rank individuals were penalized this time as well. Wait, why was Arieta’s mask so cute, while my bracelet looked like this? I could feel Tia’s malice.
“Hehehe, with Master and the Saintess, there’s no way we can lose, right? Victory is guaranteed.”
“Ultimately, the evaluation is based on individual roles, so *you* need to do well.”
“As long as I attract attention, I honestly don’t care.”
Eleanor was incredibly honest today as well. Her blatant desire was surprising. Seeing her speak so confidently made *me* feel embarrassed.
“…If you want to repeat your first year, suit yourself.”
“I did well on the written exams, so there’s no need to worry. Master tends to think I’m stupid.”
She boasted that those who usually performed poorly claimed to have done well on this exam. It seemed like most of those who were actually good had messed up. I did reasonably well. At least in magic-related subjects, no one could match me.
“I really did well! If you’re really that doubtful, how about a bet…?”
Just as Eleanor was grumbling…
“Huh…?”
My vision suddenly turned red behind her.
[Spatial Barrier Lv. 1]
*Boom!*
The [Spatial Barrier] I deployed a moment too late crumbled instantly. But the opponent’s attack didn’t stop. It was a consecutive attack, exploiting the weakness of [Spatial Barrier].
“Gah!”
But buying that brief moment was enough. Baekyang’s ice shield blocked the flames, emitting steam. The moment [Spatial Barrier] collapsed, Baekyang raised the ice shield and blocked the surprise attack. Thanks to Lucia’s thorough training, Baekyang’s reaction speed was incomparably faster than before.
“Ah, I really hate this! I want to go home!”
Baekyang, struggling to block the attack, screamed in fear. She also knew who the opponent was. Wasn’t he the one who had traumatized her? It would have been harder to *forget* him.
By the way, I had been ambushed despite having [Observation]. Had I been careless?
“Found you at last…”
No, it wasn’t carelessness. The opponent’s approach speed was simply too fast for even [Observation] to catch.
“Oz.”
There was one thing I hadn’t anticipated. I hadn’t considered the absurd possibility that the opponent would charge in alone, abandoning even their party members. Seeing the opponent, I knew I was wrong.
[SSR Fist King]
Alexios
It was a foolish judgment. An underestimation. The opponent was already a force of nature.
“Isn’t this foreshadowing a bit too fast…?”
An encounter right at the start of the exam? What was going on? I could blame Olivia, but I had anticipated this to some extent. Alexios had been provoking me constantly. I had been lucky to avoid him until now.
The [Fist King] was undoubtedly overwhelmingly strong. He possessed incredible physical abilities, so much so that my [Observation] couldn’t capture his movements. The only consolation was that the penalties for both sides were more severe than before.
“Raise your shield properly, Baekyang.”
“…Can we even run away from the Fist King?”
“What are you talking about?”
“We have to catch him here.”
[Erosion Blade 23%]
This encounter was, in a sense, a golden opportunity.
—–CROW—–
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