Chapter: 113
A lot of students had already gathered in the plaza.
The exams at the Soul Academy were a significant turning point that determined whether one could move up to the next grade.
Any student belonging here couldn’t help but keep their eyes wide open.
It seemed the grades hadn’t been posted yet, yet there were truly many diligent people about.
Just then, while Arthur was thinking this, someone grabbed his shoulder.
“Hey, little brother. Did you come to check your grades too?”
The voice that called Arthur belonged to his older brother, Cecil Soladin, who was known for being warrior-like among the palace’s officials.
“Brother.”
“Hello, Your Highness, the Second Prince.”
Arthur just stared blankly at him, but Joy standing beside him was different.
She politely greeted Cecil with great skill.
Cecil had mentioned that there was no need for such formality at the academy, but his upward-curved mouth revealed that he was pleased with Joy’s pretense.
After exchanging light small talk, Cecil then turned his head toward Arthur and grinned.
“Hey, little brother. How do you feel? Do you think you’ll be the best this time?”
This seemed to be a question about whether Arthur had done well on the exam, but not really.
Cecil wouldn’t genuinely be asking about Arthur’s well-being, would he?
After all, he had lost terribly to Lucy Allen last time, could he win this time?
The provocation was clear, given the smile plastered on his face.
If it had been Arthur before his match with Lucy, he would have been caught up in that provocation, letting emotion seep into his voice.
Losing the top position back then had been a complex all on its own.
But now was different.
Lucy Allen was not beneath him; she was an opponent who he would eventually surpass. This realization allowed Arthur to laugh at Cecil’s taunt.
“Well… I did my best, but I don’t know the results.”
“…Hmph. Is that so?”
Was the reaction lukewarm compared to what he expected?
Cecil clearly revealed his disappointment and then said he had to go check his own grades before leaving.
Really.
With a body close to that of a fearless warrior, his insides were so small.
Cecil was certainly not fit to be a king.
As Arthur watched Cecil’s back disappearing through the crowd with his subordinates, he dismissed him from his mind and focused on a professor arriving with a gigantic paper.
Finally, he had come.
What kind of grades had Lucy Allen achieved this time?
Had she been struck by pride?
Or had she, again, dazzled the world with her talent?
Oh, how curious!
Show me!
Reaching the center of the plaza, the professor hung the paper on the bulletin board.
The first thing displayed was the first-year grades.
The name written at the very top was…
‘Lucy Allen’
The name Arthur had predicted.
Ha.
Hahaha.
Was she a genius, after all?!
Could she really dominate everyone beneath her just by her innate talent without even attending professors’ classes?!
It was utterly incomprehensible.
To have enough power to sway even Frey Kent, the continent’s greatest genius swordswoman, yet…
To possess the intelligence capable of conquering the Soul Academy without studying at all.
Was this truly a being that fell within the category of humans like me?
I had my own pride as a genius, but they say there’s always someone above you in the sky!
“Wow! Wow!”
Just when Arthur was in awe upon seeing Lucy Allen’s name at the top again, a sudden exclamation burst forth beside him.
It was an expression too excessive for Joy, who usually tried to maintain a noble demeanor.
What kind of grades had you received to react this way?
Seeing how delighted she was, it seemed she hadn’t made a critical mistake.
Glancing away, Arthur turned his gaze back to the grades, only to see another name below Lucy’s and his eyes widened.
Though it was infinitely distant from a prince’s grace, he couldn’t help but act this way.
The name there was something out of his expectations.
‘Joy Partlan’
“I ranked second! I think this is the highest grade I’ve ever received!”
Arthur Soladin’s name was written below at third place.
What… What is going on?
Joy won against me?!
How?
Did I make some sort of mistake?
Was there an error in the grading process?
Countless thoughts swirled in his mind, but Arthur couldn’t utter them aloud.
The sight of Joy so happy beside him made it impossible.
Not wanting to seem petty in front of a friend, he forced a smile.
“Congratulations, Joy.”
“Thank you, Your Highness!”
*
I woke up suddenly, having dreamt of being chased by spirits, and found myself staring at a bare wall before toppling forward.
I’m tired.
I should’ve just gone to bed early and not acted up last night. The source of my fatigue was my first study session last night.
After the midterms, Grandpa kept nagging me all day to start studying quickly.
I suggested, now that the exam was over, I should rest a little, only for him to retort, “Did you take the exam? I did!”
Against that claim, I had nothing to say.
[Surely, if you keep postponing like that for a day or two, you’ll end up never doing it! You need to start now!]
Unable to endure Grandpa’s nagging, I went to the academy’s library and picked up a children’s book to start from the basics.
I had no general knowledge to speak of before even starting to learn something.
I had to begin from what the bright, innocent children learned.
Initially forced by Grandpa’s demands to crack the book open, I found studying to be unexpectedly fun!
The point when studying starts to turn boring is when reading each word begins to hurt your head.
In terms of math, when learning addition and subtraction, it shouldn’t be a struggle at all.
Plus, every time I solved such basics, Grandpa praised me, calling me a genius, and I involuntarily got absorbed in it.
As a result, I fell asleep after dawn.
That time, I most likely regained consciousness just in time to sleep, but I couldn’t have slept for long.
Let’s see.
What time is it? 7:10…
I’m late!
In a hurry, I started getting ready to head out.
First, I needed to fix my hair, which was a mess because of my sleeping habits…
‘Why didn’t you wake me up?!’
[Isn’t it wrong to wake someone who’s sleeping peacefully? The training we do every day isn’t mandatory.]
‘That’s true!’
Even if it’s not mandatory, there’s still a pattern to it!
Originally, I start training at dawn.
Since I trained with the knights of the Allen family, it naturally became that way.
At first, I trained alone after coming to the academy, but it wasn’t long before Frey and Joy joined in.
The three of us hadn’t talked about it, but we woke up at the same time every dawn to train.
By now, I’m sure they’re already at the training grounds.
Surely they’ve started training on their own, right?!
As I left the dormitory, running toward the training grounds, I noticed people gathering in the academy plaza and tilted my head.
What was going on?
There shouldn’t be people gathered there unless something was up!
Ah! Today is the day grades are posted. Right, I had temporarily forgotten amidst all the chaos.
…Even if I go now, I’ll still be late, so it won’t hurt to be a little late, right?
I mean, the two of them will surely be training on their own.
Slowing my steps, I tiptoed to peek at the bulletin board.
Tragically, I was about one to two heads shorter than other students.
Just tiptoeing wouldn’t be enough to see over their shoulders.
Sigh What can I do?
I really didn’t want to resort to this, but with no options left, I poked the side of the person in front of me.
The male student blocking my view frowned and turned his head.
“Who…?”
Yet, his fierce expression vanished the moment he saw my face.
“Hello. Could you please step aside?”
“Brat. Can you disappear? Standing in my way is annoying.”
“Yes! Of course!”
As the male student shouted in a voice close to a scream, everyone’s gaze turned toward me.
Realizing my presence, people began to step back one by one, creating a path in the middle of the crowd.
This is the miracle an Apostle of Armadi can perform!
Cutting through the waves of people.
No powers like that to Armadi, you say?
Who cares!
Since I’m the only Apostle of the Shoddy God here, my powers translate to the Shoddy God’s authority!
Having gotten used to the whispers around me, I ignored them and moved forward to finally see the grades.
‘Lucy Allen’
‘Joy Partlan’
‘Arthur Soladin’
‘Jack Burrows’
Checking the four names sprawled at the top, I suddenly wondered if I had misread and checked again.
But nothing changed.
Huh?
Why is Joy in second place?
Am I still half-asleep?
‘Grandpa, is this a dream?’
[Do you think it is? Wake up.]
‘Right?’
But why is the Foolish Young Lady second?!
She has no such ability!
Who are you!?
Tell me the truth!
Did another possessor appear besides me?!
The Foolish Young Lady can’t possibly rank second without making any mistakes!
[Quest Clear!]
[Rewards are being distributed.]
[Inventory function unlocked!]
While I was dumbfounded at a situation I couldn’t comprehend, I got a notification sound.
The Shoddy God certainly does reward things sincerely.
I can check how Joy ranked second later; for now, let’s look at the rewards.
I opened the inventory window and found the familiar view from endlessly playing the Soul Academy, which calmed my heart.
Yes, this is it.
This is a game, and it’s sexy.
Trying, I placed the ring I was wearing into the inventory window and watched in awe as it disappeared from my hand and populated the window.
Thank you, Lord Armadi. I truly appreciate your actions.
Please continue adding these convenient features.
Please.
And stop adding useless features like log windows.
– Ding.
[A new quest has been issued!]
Are they giving me another quest since I cleared one?
What’s this one about?
What will you give me?
Is it as useful as the inventory function?
Or is it something that helps raise the favorability of others?
Even if our Shoddy God tries to give me another Shoddy ability to mess with me, I can solve that easily.
I just hope the rewards will be something decent.
“Lady Lucy Allen.”
Just as I was about to check the quest, someone called my name.
Who is it?
Generally, the academy students don’t even like approaching me.
Are they trying to start a fight?
If so, I’ll show them what a Mesugaki really is.
I mentally loaded harsh words and turned my head, only to freeze in place at the sight of the person behind me.
‘Wha…?!’
“Nice to meet you. I am Cecil Soladin, the Second Prince of the Soladin Kingdom.”
Cecil Soladin.
The Second Prince of the Soladin Kingdom, competing against Arthur for the throne.
Before he grows through his personal story, he’s a simple-minded and petty character unfit for being a king.
Wow. I almost had a severe accident.
Thank goodness I quickly covered my mouth; if I’d said his name, it would have been a disaster.
For good reason, this person has the nickname of ‘Pitiful Prince’ among users.
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