How to Survive at the Academy Chapter 138

End of Semester Assessment (2)

A large bulletin board in front of the student plaza. The notice about the final exam was written at length.

The final exam varies depending on the subject, but is usually divided into a written exam and a practical exam.

There are cases where only a written test or practical test exists for certain subjects. Well, anyway, if you want to get high grades, it’s pretty important to get good grades without being biased in one place.

However, if you go often, you will see students who record overwhelming grades only with practical skills. There are always exceptional cases.

This is because, unlike written grades, there is no upper limit on practical grades, which is also related to the academic tradition of giving preference to students with exceptional talent.

This is especially true in fields that are highly influenced by innate sensitivity or talent.

For the combat department, there are things like the use of magic weapons/combat sense/survival in combat. The magic department has classes in elementology/spiritology/monology, and the alchemy department has herbal medicine/ministry/composition.

It is important to balance written and practical grades up to the middle and upper grades, but there are many cases in which students who are at the top of each grade have overwhelming practical grades.

The most representative person is Jenika Failover, the current 3rd grade immovable head.

The practical score received in the field of Animism overwhelmingly overwhelms the sum of written/practical scores in all other subjects.

Because I am diligent, I constantly study other subjects, but to be honest, if I get that level of grades in the spirit arts field, I can play around the top even if other subjects are below the middle level.

Surprisingly, Lucy Meiril, the senior in the second year, has excellent written grades.

If you read a book slowly, you can memorize it in an instant. It’s just lazy, but not stupid. Rather, it is exceptional.

Not to mention the practical field. Ordinary students can’t even compare it with only the practical grades they received in the element science class.

Wade Calamore, the first-year senior, also benefited from practical performance, and Dyke Elphelan, the senior acting member of the student council currently led by Tanya and the senior senior of the fourth year, is known as a master of practical combat swordsmanship.

“Hmm…”

Checking the exam schedule, I was chewing on a piece of beef jerky.

I took into account the points I had accumulated in class, the grades I received in various practice classes, and my reputation among professors.

“Ed, the Ministry of Magic’s elemental science test was scheduled just yesterday. They say it’s going to be a test of magical power sensitivity… Also, there’s a mock duel with the faculty.”

“Not with the students… with the faculty…?”

“Well, that’s what I heard…”

If you think about the lineup of elementary science professors, none of them are easy opponents.

Eskin, a senior elementology professor, Dolona, ​​a veteran professor, Kaleid, who was recently reinstated, and Claire, who is still an assistant professor… .

I don’t know who will come out, but the only person I can rub against is Claire, who has been teaching for less than a year.

actually… It is absurd to say that professors should win in the first place.

Professors who have studied for several decades in each field of study, even if they are not specialized in combat, cannot be dealt with at the level of students.

However, it is not a test designed to win. It means more to try with all one’s might.

I was lost in deep thought as I made estimates here and there.

“Ed, what are you thinking so hard about…?”

“Yenika, it’s unfortunate… For the time being, you and I are enemies.”

Hearing this, Jenika hiccupped.

you and i are enemies Before even pondering the meaning properly, Jenika hardened her expression.

“Huh…? Why? Why? Why? Why are we enemies?”

“No, I’m not going to take it that seriously… I’m also going to aim for the top of the grade this time.”

Once you sit at the top of your grade, the perks that come with it are enormous.

Among them, the most mouth-watering benefit is full tuition waiver.

I somehow manage to go to school with the money I got through the Glockt Scholarship Foundation scholarship and the deal with Lortel, but now I really can’t afford these huge tuition fees. There is also a limit to how much you can fill with undergraduate scholarships.

I desperately wanted to sit in the top seat and receive tuition benefits.

Previously, I was behind in ability and could not even dream of a senior position, but now it is different.

I can handle high level spirits without the help of a ring, and I know how to use elemental magic, even middle level magic. In addition to my actual fighting skills, the written test was my main specialty from the beginning.

“The senior position…? Ah… you were talking about s*xual competition…!”

Compared to the fiercely competitive competition for seniors in other grades, the competition for seniors in third grade is not as complex as expected.

This is because everyone below the undisputed No. 1 Jenika Failover was at an equal level.

Of course, I can’t beat Jenika in the field of spiritism either.

It is a monster that can summon even the highest level of spirits if you give up on your personal safety. Of course, I wouldn’t do that in the test.

However, I get pretty good grades in the fields of elemental science and monster science.

In other areas, such as magic history and magic engineering, where the proportion of memorization is high, I have overwhelmingly higher grades than Yenica.

Now that I can deal with high-ranking spirits, the gap in my grades in the field of spiritism must have narrowed a lot.

If so, there is room for grades in other fields to make up for this gap.

“Hmm… I’m sure, I’ve never felt a sense of crisis before… If it’s Ed, if you’re not careful, you could really lose the top spot…”

Yenika shook her head, then smiled happily and opened her chest.

“I’m not going to lightly give away the top spot…! The people in my hometown of Pulan are proud and happy just for the fact that I’m the top spot…! I can’t disappoint you…!”

friendly competition. Words are pretty, but reality is cruel.

In the first place, due to the way Sylvania Academy grades are calculated, it is not easy for the name of the senior to change as the grade goes up.

Students with overwhelming talent are overwhelmingly quick to achieve even.

-Kaang!

At that moment, from the podium in the student plaza, a sound that seemed to draw attention was heard.

The bluish-haired secretary of the student council had hit the iron podium handle with a cane. For a moment there was silence among the students.

The clerk spoke without missing the timing.

“Is Ed Rosteiler, Ed Rosteiler of Year 3, present?”

It looks like it’s looking for me. I made a puzzled face and raised my hand tightly.

“This is a call from the student president. Please visit us right away at Obel Hall.”

* * *

“It’s over.”

I feel like I’m being treated like a boss.

I had that thought while entering the Obel building and being guided to the student council president’s office.

It seems that Tanya had previously instructed the student council members to bring me politely.

From the students guarding the first floor of Obel Hall to the students passing by, I nodded and greeted, which made me even more uncomfortable.

Until the beginning of last year, my classmates looked at me like they were looking at me like a bug, but I felt deeply moved when I realized that my perception had changed.

“My father forgave Ed brother, so I’m going to return to the family soon and talk slowly…”

Tanya, who was sitting in the grand student council president’s office, greeted me warmly.

However, the words that followed were not very pleasant.

“It’s an auspicious thing.”

“Just by looking at your expression, I can tell you don’t think so…”

The chance for restoration has come to the excommunicated fallen aristocrat.

It was a situation in which it wouldn’t be strange to dance together, but it was a situation where neither I nor Tanya could be happy.

Creffin Ross Taylor has already tried to kill me once.

I carefully hid my tail and left no physical evidence, but Tanya and I were well aware of that fact.

“First of all, I thought I should inform my older brother, so I called him as soon as possible. What do you think?”

“Now that this has happened, I think I should send an answer…”

I swept my chin down once and fell into deep thought.

Kreffin Ross-Taylor’s plan to assassinate me failed.

If that’s the case, why aren’t you trying to assassinate me again and trying to appease me this time?

The first thought that came to my mind is the possibility that I have not yet fully recovered to the point where I can use the magic of the evil god that adjusts the law of cause and effect.

The causal coordination magic that was used when he tried to assassinate me the other day is difficult and difficult to use as the effect is certain.

However, it would be embarrassing to leave me alone in Sylvania until the next assassination opportunity.

So, there was a high possibility that he was thinking of inviting him to the mansion.

If that’s the case, accepting this offer without thinking is just suicidal. It is to walk into the opponent’s mouth.

Nonetheless, I was smart.

“Then let’s go back to the mansion together during this vacation.”

“…”

Tanya looked at me with worried eyes.

“Brother, it would be nice if the contents of this letter were true, but…”

“I have an idea too, Tanya. For now… let’s go back and try to understand my father’s intentions.”

* * *

When I came back in front of Obel Hall, Jenika was waiting for me.

It is very peaceful to see him dozing on a bench under the shade of a tree in the midday sun.

When I sit next to him and tap him on the shoulder to wake him up, he wakes up and laughs.

Anyway, she is a girl who has the energy to make people feel at ease.

Since it’s the exam period, time will be tight, and even though I’m in the middle of announcing that I’ll take the senior position right away, I’m still waiting for that person.

I was well aware of his good nature, but at this point I was rather worried.

“I have something to stop by the Ophelis Hall, so I have to go.”

“Ophelis Hall? Why is it there? In the first place, Ed can’t even go in.”

“Well… I’m going to ask Mr. Bell. I’ll be able to get in for a while through the back door. But asking Bell to let in the two of them will be a burden to Mr. Bell, so Jenika, you should go back to the camp.”

“Yeah, what… Let’s cook some food. You’ll be back around dinnertime, right?”

I nodded, said hello to Yenika, and headed towards the Ophelis tube.

Suddenly, there is a lot of work to do.

Preparation for the exam should go ahead as planned.

Even if you don’t make it to the top spot this semester, you can work harder and aim for the top spot next semester… It hurts too much to pay 20 gold flen coins, the tuition for one semester. I wanted to see a match within this semester.

So, while thoroughly preparing for the exam, I had to check the things I needed to prepare in case I returned home after the exam.

“Hello. Is there a maid by any chance?”

After asking the low-level maid standing guard at the main gate of Ophelis Hall, I sat down near the garden and waited quietly.

The maid who was on guard went to call the head maid right away, probably knowing that I was quite close to Bell Maia.

First of all, going back to Ross Taylor Mansion is a really risky choice.

It is completely within the domain of Krepin Ross Taylor. Since everything revolves around Krepin, there is no way to know where and in what way he will die.

I want to use everything I have right now to subjugate him, but unfortunately, the timing just isn’t right yet.

If I hadn’t hastily subdued him, who received the full support of the imperial family, I would rather become a traitor on my side. Since his position in the imperial family is still strong, it is necessary to wait until that position is shaken.

However, the biggest variable is that Princess Penia, who should have cornered him, is not showing any movement.

He didn’t even become student council president in the first place. Still, since I’m still hostile to Crepin, I wanted to show some action, but… Oddly enough, Princess Penia was silent.

Unexpectedly, Princess Fenia seems to want to maintain a quiet life. Has she had many changes of heart?

If that’s the case, I have no choice but to bring down the crepe myself.

Only by sacrificing a human and making a contract with an evil spirit and exposing his true identity to the whole world, who is conducting forbidden research, can he create a justification for subjugating him.

To secure that physical evidence, there is no surer way than to directly enter the Ross Taylor mansion and investigate it.

Whether it was the location of the secret laboratory or the testimonies of the servants, there was a need to collect and undermine Crepin’s prestige.

“What are you doing, Master Ed?”

“I’m sorry you must be busy, Mr. Bell.”

“No, the things I need to check today are almost finished. However, it’s a strange feeling to see someone who doesn’t come around here very often.”

After leaving the company, he doesn’t come near the Ophelis Hall unless it’s a special occasion. It’s because he’s hectic just taking care of the work piled up in the camp.

“That… is it okay if I go into the Ophelis Hall for a while?”

“Inside Ophelis Hall…? Not in principle, but since Ed is a trustworthy person, it doesn’t matter much. I can take one person at my discretion.”

“I see, thank you….”

“Still, I’d like you to clarify the matter, albeit as a courtesy…”

There’s no reason to hide it.

When I told him about my business, at first he nodded as if that wasn’t a big deal.

However, Bell looked at her chin for a moment and thought about it, then spoke as if asking for a moment.

Eventually, when I said something to the junior maid nearby, the maid was startled and ran up the stairs of the Ophelis Hall.

It’s not a big deal, but it feels like making a fuss.

“It’s raining, so we’d better go in through the back door. The front door has a lot of eyes.”

“I’m in no position to complain.”

“I hope you stay by my side all the time. It’s a passageway for maids, so if you go alone, Ed, you’ll get some attention.”

Nodding my head, I followed Bell Maia to the back door of the Ophelis Hall.

After going around the large building of Ophelis for a long time and reaching the back door, the appearance of the door is more familiar than I thought.

Come to think of it, I remember escaping through this door when Lortel occupied Ophelis Hall and caused a commotion. I realize now that it was a passage for maids.

An aisle where women dressed neatly in maid clothes pass here and there. I am the only man

“Come to think of it, the exam is coming soon. Are your preparations going well?”

“Ah, yes. I’m a bit greedy this time, so I think I’ll put in more effort than usual.”

“I see. Master Ed’s achievement rate is so famous, you’ll get good results. I heard that there are a lot of changes in the elemental science faculty lately, wouldn’t that be a variable?”

In that way, the story of the test goes on and on.

She is usually so reticent that she never throws up a topic first, which is odd for people who know her.

However, after thinking a little, I was able to infer the intention without difficulty.

From a while ago, the gazes of the maids were fixed countless times. From my point of view, my very existence in a space like this is unnatural.

So Bell consciously kept talking to me.

As long as she maintains her walking posture while having a casual conversation with the head maid in charge of this Ophelis building, there is no reason to be suspicious even if she looks somewhat suspicious.

“If you go this way, you will reach the main hall. It is also the way for ordinary students to go.”

“I owe you.”

“It’s nothing.”

Even though I came out to the main hall where the students go, I can still feel that the maids here and there are looking at Bell Maia. After all, she is the top manager in charge of this facility.

It’s hard to realize it again because I usually humble myself and don’t reveal myself.

I trudged up the stairs, and Bell Maia quietly followed. When I reached the third floor and turned the corner, a long hallway came into view.

“Hey, Master Ed. I have something to tell you.”

“yes?”

“Are you going to take a break from camp when this exam schedule starts?”

“Well, at least basic stuff.”

“okay.”

I wondered why he was asking this question, but I didn’t ask too much because I thought there must be a reason for everything.

And as I was about to go down the hall again, the bell stopped me again.

“Then… is there any problem with the school schedule?”

“I’m usually digesting it well, so there’s no problem.”

“I see… I see… but…”

And so Belle Maia continues to procrastinate on unimportant topics whenever I try to cross the aisle.

It feels like it’s delaying me from crossing the aisle.

“If I stay here too long, it will only interfere with Mr. Bell’s work, so I’ll do my business and leave.”

“No, please wait, Mr. Ed. This is a very important question.”

“What else?”

“Hmm… that’s really hard to put into words. Can you give me a minute to think about it?”

What the hell is it that is such an important topic that you are thinking about and spinning around like this?

Still, I thought there must be a reason for all of Belle’s stories, so as I waited, I heard the door slamming in the far room.

A sweaty maid came out of the room in the middle. She was the maid Bell had just sent up.

With a strangely refreshing expression on her face, she walked away with light steps and disappeared on the other side of the hallway.

“No. I’ll tell you more later. Let’s go to business.”

After that, Bell let me go.

When I opened my axe eyes and looked up, Bell skillfully closed her eyes and bowed her head. She was back as a maid, graceful and well-behaved, as always.

I wanted to deal with the things I had in mind for now, so I moved on again. I passed Tanya’s room that I glimpsed in the middle, and moved on to the next room.

Anyway, if you’re going to the Ross Taylor Mansion, you’ll need to pack a lot of insurance. Because that’s where life and death can really be dangerous.

So, I decided to write that down in my reply to Crepin.

Thank you so much for giving me this new opportunity after being excommunicated. Tears flow when I think of that grace.

After being excommunicated, I always tried to be a better person while reflecting on my sins. As evidence of that, her magic skills improved a lot, and her body improved. And he has built up his wide network of contacts to the point of being a member of Ross Taylor.

I want to thank my father for forgiving me, and I want to show my growth.

I want to prove my skills in front of him and introduce my father to a colleague with whom I have become very close.

Using that as an excuse, I was thinking of accompanying someone who would fight alongside me in the event of an unexpected situation.

Speaking of the most reliable person, there is no need to even explain who it is.

-smart.

Knocked on the door. Looking at the room nameplate, it clearly read ‘Lucy Mayrille’.

Then, after waiting for a while, the door opened. The figure of Lucy sticking her head out behind the open door more timidly than I thought… It was completely different from what I expected.

“…hi.”

There is a shine flowing through the cleanly combed white hair.

The snow-white frilled pajamas, which reveal neatness, go well with Lucy’s petite figure.

I couldn’t feel the crazy look that I usually see at all, but rather, it was more like a girl than I thought.

At least the part where you can find the usual appearance is the hat that is hugging tightly as if it is strangely embarrassed.

“Oops, you’re in your room dressed up as usual. Sorry for disturbing you. You’re resting… as usual…”

Bell Maia’s tone, which strangely emphasizes the part ‘as usual’, is unusual.

“I’m resting, sorry, Lucy. You don’t seem to be coming to camp these days. Are you busy?”

“Huh? No…”

It’s a strangely crawling voice, so I feel like I’ve done something rude.

Well, it’s a little rude to come to visit me while I’m resting in my room.

Aren’t we usually very casual? The habit of tossing and throwing whenever there is a chance remains, so there is no awareness that it is rude even if it is rude.

So I tried to treat it comfortably as usual, but Lucy’s strange hesitation made me feel very uncomfortable.

Maybe he thought that going to the room was crossing the line. Isn’t this a bit unfair to me, going in and out of my camp as if it were my own home?

Still, this time I’m in the position to ask, so let’s keep the minimum courtesy.

“It’s completely different from when you’re at camp. You’re usually like that when you’re resting. It’s surprising, Lucy.”

“Uh… well…”

“It suits you quite well. I was surprised.”

It was a car to throw compliments to lighten the atmosphere and get to the point.

As she covered her face with the large witch hat and took a step back, I felt awkward and waited patiently.

“So… you said you had a business… what is it, Master Ed?”

Bell Maia appropriately intervened and represented Lucy’s will.

I opened the door slightly more, looked at Lucy, and spoke directly.

“Lucy. When the vacation ends after this exam, let’s go to my parents’ house with me.”

“…what?”

“And let’s greet our father together.”

“…”

“…”

Along with Lucy, there was momentary silence as if even Bell Maia was at a loss for words.

Lucy sucks in her breath as she pulls her hat down, and Belle checks her ears again and again to see if she’s heard something wrong.

… After seeing the expressions on their faces, I realized that the way I spoke was a bit wrong.