Chapter: 294
From the moment Professor Jesel handed Lucy the materials to draft her dungeon, he made a firm decision.
No matter what kind of dungeon Lucy brought, even if it was decent for someone creating their first one, he’d do his utmost to tear her down and get back at her for all the usual humiliation he faced.
After all, no matter how talented Lucy might be, she’s still a student.
She lacked practical experience in conquering dungeons, and it’s not like she’s ever conceptualized one before. How good could she really make a dungeon, anyway?
Surely, there would be numerous flaws, and Jesel could just point them out one by one while relishing in Lucy’s gradual deflation.
He was genuinely looking forward to it. The important thing was that even if there were plenty of flaws to point out, he shouldn’t address every single one.
Just the glaring ones would do.
If he pointed out a problem, she’d probably counter him, right?
Then he could smash her rebuttal with his superior knowledge and zip her mouth shut.
After that, he’d feign kindness to that haughty little brat while sharing some insights.
Then, in a few days, she’d come back with revisions, and he’d point out further issues.
This repeat cycle would continue until the deadline loomed, and he’d have to say that this work was a bust.
What kind of expression would that little brat, Lucy Alrn, have then?
Hah, just imagining it releases all the pent-up stress!
“Uh, um. Professor Jesel, I think it might be better not to poke the Young Lady Alrn…”
Her assistant tried to dissuade him, saying it wouldn’t end well if he targeted Lucy Alrn, but Jesel didn’t pay any mind.
“How many times must I tell you? That was a justifiable eviction protocol!”
It was an incident where some common idiots had the audacity to mess with nobility.
It could’ve ended with a few heads rolling, and thankfully, Lucy Alrn’s leniency kept things quiet. Otherwise, the academy atmosphere would’ve turned chillingly tense.
“And you see, thanks to that incident, I can now do this without worry.”
If Lucy was a monster like the rumors suggested, would she let that incident slide so easily?
Absolutely not.
She’d be running riot, demanding severe punishments for the culprits and bringing the academy’s higher-ups to their knees.
Considering that she’s recently been cozying up with Duchess Partran and the Third Prince, it’s entirely plausible!
But Lucy didn’t do that.
She was content evicting the offenders and kept her mouth shut.
“While Alrn may be an utterly insufferable brat, she’s no troublemaker.”
If someone insulted her through rightful means, Lucy Alrn would definitely retaliate, but she’d never try to kill him.
Jesel was thoroughly convinced of this.
“Please, don’t just stick to dungeon research. You should step outside sometimes. Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to hear you spout that nonsense?”
It was painful seeing his assistant so terrified. She was a great researcher, but why was she so clueless about reality?
“However…”
“Honestly, if Alrn was as frightening as the rumors say, would the Saintess be so fond of her?”
“…Oh. That’s a good point.”
Hearing his assistant’s voice, which clearly hadn’t considered this, Jesel let out a deep sigh.
“Hey, Professor, can I ask you one more thing?”
“What is it?”
“Then why did these rumors spread?”
“Because there are still plenty of people who despise Lady Alrn.”
A person with exceptional abilities often stirs envy among others. And Lucy not only exhibited her brilliance but also didn’t shy away from treating others dismissively.
She’s built up a long history of ill will, and it’s no surprise that rumors about Lucy Alrn spiraled out again within the academy.
Just look at Jesel; he’s causing this uproar just to get one over on Lucy.
“Serves her right.”
“That’s true.”
“Anyway, as long as we don’t cross any lines with Lady Alrn, we should be fine.”
After reassuring his assistant, the next morning, Jesel was in his office early, checking various things when the door swung open, and Lucy Alrn made her entrance.
“Yikes, you’re looking particularly shabby this morning, Professor. If you’re going to live life as an old maid, at least manage your appearance! I hope that’s not how you take care of yourself!”
“…Thank you for the advice, Lady Alrn. So, what brings you here so early? I doubt you’ve already finished the dungeon, so do you have questions?”
“Don’t evaluate me with your pathetic standards, alright? While a dullard like you could never imagine it, a genius like me could finish a dungeon in a day.”
“Impressive, indeed, Young Lady.”
Jesel genuinely smiled, praising Lucy, who claimed to have completed a dungeon in a single day for her first attempt.
Well, that’s a surprise!
It’s clear she’s just thrown a bunch of nonsense together to fit the criteria, and just because it rolls doesn’t mean it’s any good!
It’s just like first-year students drawing haphazard magic circles and acting all smug when magic actually happens.
Oh boy! I can’t wait to see what nonsense that paper in her hand holds.
I’ll just give some half-hearted critiques to keep her from getting too cocky.
“Could I have a look?”
“It’s going to be a masterpiece that someone as dumb as you could never fathom. Just watch and learn. Puhuhuhu, but I guess the level difference makes it impossible for you to learn?”
Normally, Jesel would have been gnashing his teeth at Lucy’s arrogance, but today was different.
With that chaotic dungeon in her hands, whatever she said would come back to bite her in the end.
Alright, at least the specifications are correct. Even running it through the simulator shows that it’s properly constructed. Looks like she put some effort into it.
I was half-hoping this section would be off, but it’s a letdown.
Still, there’s plenty left to inspect. Let’s take our time here.
So it’s a small dungeon, but each time you surpass a gimmick, the scenery changes.
This could indeed lead to efficient resource use. It’s a method that makes dungeon creation more difficult, so not many employ it.
Hmm, the first puzzle is easy enough for anyone to clear.
Is it a hint for how the following dungeons will unfold?
The same goes for the next one. If anyone read the textbook once before the exam, they’d solve it easily.
Wait… what’s this? It’s… normal?
No, I mean not just normal. It’s well-constructed to the point that it’s near flawless?!
She adhered strictly to what was taught, and the dungeon’s structure is sound. It even fits the standards for student evaluation.
Insane! A first-timer made such a polished dungeon?!
Is this for real? Is she really a genius?!
…No. It’s still early days.
Who knows what kind of twisted stuff awaits later.
Right, beginners often pack their initial stages with effort and slack off on the rest. That has to be what’s happening here.
As Jesel squinted, trying to find a flaw.
“…Huh?”
His eyes, which had been flowing smoothly, suddenly froze.
Could it be an enemy that can only deal damage at specific attack timings?
Looking at the hints and enemy gimmicks in front of him, it certainly seemed like that—unless there’s a glitch?
Finally, I’ve got material to work with…
Ah! You need to hit specific parts in a certain pattern!
This is going to be tricky. One hasty move could easily lead to death.
If there’s no one calm enough to observe, they’ll likely fail here.
The next one is an enemy with a gimmick that needs to be incapacitated.
It gives sufficient cues ahead of time and patterns that are easily understandable, so that’s fine.
And the next?
A counterattack mechanic?
They’ve thrown in an enemy that should be dealt with swiftly; if you reckless attack, you’ll end up in a pickle.
This is a bit cruel, isn’t it?
If I were a first-year tackling this dungeon, I’d definitely be cursing up a storm.
Looking at this dungeon, which is unexpectedly well-made, Jesel momentarily lost sight of his original intent.
After all, here’s a person who has reached a professorship after years of research about dungeons.
With such an interesting dungeon before him, how could he not be absorbed?
“…How on earth is this meant to be conquered?”
About an hour after starting to tackle the dungeon created by Lucy, an exasperated voice slipped from Jesel’s lips.
Sure, the gimmicks have become increasingly diabolical, but this is just over the top.
While it may be manageable for a certain caliber of opponents, your average first-year students would struggle big time.
They wouldn’t stand a chance at getting through this. For an exam question, it’s outright disqualified.
“Alrn Young Lady, this…”
With that judgment, Jesel pointed out the issue, prompting Lucy to narrow her eyes.
“Do you really think so? You can’t see a way to conquer it?”
“…There is?”
“Hmm~ you can’t even figure this out? That’s okay! You can’t help it—you weren’t born brainy like me, right?”
Jesel bit his lips until they bled at Lucy’s snickering laughter and refocused on the dungeon.
He needed to see if Lucy’s words held any truth.
“No matter how threatening you glare, it won’t help. Just say, ‘Oh Alrn Young Lady! I’m just a dumb little fool far beneath your level and can’t comprehend anything! Please help me!’ Then I, being the kind person that I am, will tell you what you need to know.”
“…No thank you, Young Lady. I can manage just fine.”
“Go ahead and try that. Your pride will just be shattered, that’s all.”
As Lucy ordered her assistant to fetch tea, Jesel continued to ponder.
Surely there’s a way to take down the enemies, regardless of their strength?
Where might it be?
How am I supposed to figure this out?
Despite running through numerous clues, no answer had come.
Is something actually out there?
Or was she just pulling my leg with all that nonsense?
No, maybe there’s an oversight even she hasn’t considered.
Well, let me confirm once and for all. I’ll check if I’m right and then…
Huh? Wait a sec.
Could this be it?
Instead of merely using the infinitely repeating dungeon as a gimmick, it’s actually a clue in itself?!
“Insane.”
When he finally reached the end of the dungeon.
Jesel let out a hollow laugh, leaning back in his chair and staring at the ceiling.
Ugh. Damn it.
How is it that, instead of simply belittling Alrn Young Lady, I’m left here feeling my own jealousy dissolve and being filled with admiration instead?
“Your Ladyship.”
“Why? Is it too hard for you?”
“No, I verified what you added at the end. If there are infinite chances, the difficulty becomes irrelevant.”
Sure, minor problems may arise, but those are issues Jesel could handle.
She’d decided to submit this dungeon as a problem for their final exam, no matter what she had to do.
“However, I’d like to discuss the patterns and movements of some enemies.”
“A discussion?”
“To put it simply, let’s maximize the quality of the dungeon.”
If you have a gem that could shine brighter with a little polish, there’s no reason not to refine it, right?
As Jesel spoke with a warm smile, Lucy raised an eyebrow in surprise before chuckling along.
“Wow, so you can say something clever, huh? I thought you were just a simpleton.”
“Haha, well, I’ve put a lot of time into being here.”
As Jesel and Lucy engaged in their ongoing discussions, her assistant watched from the side, praying for the souls of the first-year academy students faced with that exam.
And he prayed for his own soul to survive grading that disastrous exam too.
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