Chapter: 291
One of the Dungeon Studies Professors at the Soul Academy, Jesel, let out a long sigh as he examined the dungeon set to be used for finals.
“…This has become way too difficult.”
There’s no way this can be used as an exam. If the other Dungeon Studies professors see this, they’d surely poke fun as if he had some vendetta against the first-years.
Damn old fogies. If they know so much about dungeon design, why don’t they create their own questions?
Just because he’s young, they shove him into this role and then criticize every time he tries to make a test.
Honestly, I wish they would just drop dead.
“Hah. How did the dungeon design end up like this?”
Until lunchtime today, it was a perfectly decent dungeon, but why had it turned into a magic dungeon that even professionals couldn’t tackle?
Thinking this over, Jesel quickly realized the cause of the problem.
It was his awareness of Lucy Alrn while designing the dungeon that led to this mess.
Lucy Alrn.
The top of the first-year class at the Soul Academy.
Not just an average student, but a monster who had long since surpassed her peers and was rewriting the academy’s history as a genius.
And she happened to be a student in Jesel’s Dungeon Studies course.
Remembering her arrogant tone and annoying giggle, Jesel unconsciously tightened his grip.
When Lucy first enrolled at the academy, Jesel had thought highly of her.
Ignoring the rumors surrounding her, he had simply etched her impressive performance during the entrance exam into his brain, convinced she was destined for greatness and wanting to help her grow.
However, this resolve didn’t last long.
“Is this something you call a question? Seriously. Clearly lacking in skill if you’re asking such low-level questions.”
By the time the academy semester started, and within just this week, Lucy Alrn had become a target he was determined to put in her place.
“Why wouldn’t I sleep? There’s nothing to learn, it’s boring, and there’s not even anything to watch!”
“Did you think I wouldn’t know this? Ha, look at that smug face like you believe you’ve asked a sharp question. It’s just pathetic.”
“A professor not knowing this? Seriously? Wow. How did you even get your position?”
Throughout the semester, Jesel desperately tried to catch Lucy letting something slip.
He attempted all sorts of comments to point out just how clueless she was.
But no matter what he tried, he was always met with that condescending gaze and a tone full of pity.
“What? You want me to tell you why this conclusion came to be? Just spit it out. Come on, Alrn Professor~ Please teach this pathetic self-proclaimed professor~”
Lucy Alrn wasn’t just arrogant; she was a genius with the talent to back it up.
“Argh! I’m so infuriated!”
Recalling the past, Jesel yelled as he ripped his dungeon design paper apart and scattered it into the air.
All the horrid stuff he had thrown into that dungeon just to make Lucy suffer has become useless. He might as well use it for venting his frustration.
“That bitch. If she knows dungeons so well, she should make her own… Ah.”
Yeah, let’s see her try to create a dungeon.
There’s no way I could evaluate it, so I’ll just use hers as the exam.
Sure, she’d start with all kinds of sarcasm, but I can endure that.
Thinking about her coming back with a dungeon that could hardly compare, I can hold on till then.
“Excuse me, Professor?…”
While staring into space and venting, Jesel was interrupted by the worried voice of a teaching assistant.
Turning his head, he glared at the assistant with bloodshot eyes.
“Assistant Professor.”
“Yes!”
“Right now, go tell Professor Kal that I have something to relay to Lady Alrn.”
Lucy Alrn, let’s see how well you can do this.
*
The story relayed by Kal was as follows.
Right now, my level far exceeds that of the first years, so I cannot be fairly assessed in the Dungeon Studies class.
Thus, I’ll trade my final exam score for creating a dungeon for the Dungeon Studies class instead.
“You seem to be troubled in many ways.”
Kal, who relayed this message, wore a bitter smile while defending the Dungeon Studies professor, but no matter how I think about it, this feels like a clear dump.
He’s just passing the buck because it’s a hassle for him.
Does the Dungeon Studies professor have a slave or what?
If he found making problems too tedious, he could’ve asked his assistant to whip one up instead of throwing me into the mix.
I really don’t get it.
“Are you going to refuse?”
Did Kal’s confused head tilt suggest he thought I was declining? He said he’d talk to the Dungeon Studies professor.
‘No, I’m in!’
“A smart pup would be able to sniff this out better. You’re wasting the title of ‘pathetic pooch’ on yourself.”
He’s giving me a chance to create a dungeon myself!
And not just any dungeon from the screen, but a real one that would be used in an exam!
Why on earth would I refuse this!?
Even if there’s a price, I’d happily hand over everything I have for the chance to make a dungeon and secure a good grade!
This is like a dream come true!
I can’t believe it’s finally happening after wanting this for so long.
Right now, I’ve got dozens of gimmicks floating around in my head.
Since it’s a dungeon created by the academy, I can’t just cram them all in.
But that’s okay. The quality of a dungeon isn’t measured by the number of gimmicks.
“What’s got you smiling so brightly? Something good happen?”
While lost in thought about what kind of dungeon to create, Arthur, just finished with his duel, suddenly spoke up.
“Isn’t it funny how the confident Third Prince got totally owned by me?”
“Shouting victory while struggling through defeats? What nonsense are you spouting! If you hadn’t thrown away your sword at the last moment, you would have lost!”
“True. The Third Prince did well—just not better than me.”
“You would have lost had you slipped even a bit!”
“Yeah, I just got lucky and won. Wow. This is exciting.”
I couldn’t help but blink at Arthur and Frey’s banter, watching as Frey ruthlessly mocked Arthur with his deadpan face.
Frey. Wasn’t he always more prone to saying silly things rather than directly provoking someone?
…Could it be because of me?
Did I corrupt him with my way of expressing sarcasm during our duels?
I remember he teasing me during the first semester finals.
Realizing I might have unintentionally created this monstrosity, I took a step back.
“Let’s duel again! This time I won’t hold back!”
“Not interested. Just too boring to fight the weak Third Prince.”
“Are you afraid of losing to me?!”
“Yep. So no thanks.”
“Y-Y-Y-You! Frey Kent!”
It was Kal who stepped in to mediate between the two’s quarrel.
He held Arthur’s sanity in check as he assured them both that their duel was even, and either could win.
Sure, Frey added a few more words, but even I couldn’t beat Kal’s authority as he spoke.
In the end, Frey couldn’t help but agree with Kal’s words.
As time passed and Arthur regained his senses, he let out a long sigh and returned to the earlier conversation.
“Lucy Alrn. Why were you smiling just now?”
‘Well, about that…’
“I’m creating the dungeon for the final exam instead of the self-proclaimed professor who’s clueless on how to be one. Thinking about all the clueless ones who’ll be rolling around in there made me smile.”
“…What? You’re creating the final exam dungeon?”
Arthur turned to Kal, looking for confirmation of my story.
As Kal nodded in understanding, he once again faced me and took a deep breath, his voice now serious enough to be unrecognizable.
“Lucy Alrn, I have one request. Please do not set the difficulty according to your standards. If you do, it could result in a catastrophe where the entire first-year class fails.”
As the atmosphere got tense, I wondered what kind of advice he was about to give, only to find my worries unfounded.
‘Of course, I know.’
“Does the poor prince think I wouldn’t know most of the first years are just pathetic losers?”
“I could guess! But do you have no common sense?! It’s obvious! With you creating something that’ll be impossible for even third-years to pass, just thinking about it is terrifying!”
Arthur raised his voice as his concerns grew in volume and noted various warnings.
Don’t let it become life-threatening. Don’t create trauma from a dungeon. And remember, other exams await.
I understand that such advice comes from worrying about me. So I know I should listen closely.
But come on.
There’s a limit to how much you can gently nudge someone. Cross that line, and it’s troublesome. You start to understand a tyrant’s mind.
“I understand! I’ll say this once…”
“Poor prince♡ You sure talk a lot like a girl♡”
“…What’s with you? Why are you raising your mace?”
“Looks like the poor princess wants to be saved, so I thought I’d help out♡”
“Ugh. I intended that as a warning, but I might have overdone it. I apologize. So could you please put that deadly weapon down?”
“Eh♡ You don’t need to be polite♡”
“Sorry! I’m sorry! I’ll do anything, so please let her go!”
“Glad you’re happy. If I’d known sooner the poor prince wanted to become a girl, that would’ve been wonderful♡”
Taking a step forward with the mace on my shoulder, Arthur franticly raised his voice towards Kal and Frey.
“Don’t just stand there—help me! At this rate, I’ll be—”
“Sorry, Third Prince. It’s her wish,” Kal said, shrugging.
“Lucy’s not weak or scary. My bad.”
“You heartless fiends! I’ll never forget this day!”
Arthur shouted in anger, pulling out his sword and taking a step back.
“Such a shy adolescent. You sure are skittish, huh? Taking off running from an angel like me♡”
“Yeah! She’s definitely an angel! An angel who came to announce my doom!”
Oh, what an exaggeration.
Don’t worry, Arthur. I won’t kill you.
I’ll just check whether you’ve been slacking off while I wasn’t looking.
You can roll around until the last moment!
Got it?
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