Episode 7. Thank you~ Sucker (2)
In the gymnasium, there was a huge glass wall to observe the situation in the exam field. Whenever the exam was held, the area around the mirror became bustling.
There was a magical device called the ‘Observer’ floating around the exam field, showing the situation. As it observed and divided into several screens, the situation was displayed on multiple screens.
Each situation was reflected on the glass wall.
Observers are like drones that detect each happening and move to the corresponding locations. Some screens were moving rapidly, indicating that highlights were already emerging.
– What’s that? Did the staff get wrecked?
– Usually, when durability is compromised, it ends up like that. Where did they buy that from?
– That’s harsh. They got scammed into buying weapons.
– Tsk tsk tsk. Went to the wrong store.
A scene where a novice tried to use magic but the staff exploded was reflected on one screen. Among the novices, there were sighs of pity.
It might seem unfair from afar, but it was his own fault. That staff was just something he obtained through bullying.
‘Got you.’
The erosion rate, previously at 44%, dropped to 0%, providing clear evidence of Ludical’s deception and shock.
Deception and illusionary swordsmanship shared mechanics, each enhancing the other. The greater the victim’s shock, the more proficiency gained.
Therefore, witnessing Ludical’s deception, Radon couldn’t help but feel gratified. Is this the true satisfaction that scammers experience?
‘But what can he say to me?’
Of course, he might come to blame me for providing the trash staff, but there’s no way. I’m also someone who fell for the staff scam.
I’ve wandered around the shops hundreds, even thousands of times while playing this game. It’s a piece of cake to distinguish between a forge selling good weapons and a bad one.
There are more than one or two shops that camouflage themselves as stable working environments but end up ruining equipment. The gear I handed over to them is nothing but cheap stuff made in such places.
If it were about money, I could have sold a giant catfish caught in the lake to a fish restaurant to compensate. Despite Jenny’s anger reducing the price due to the damage she caused, the quantity made up for it.
Even if those guys come to argue, I can just brush it off as me being scammed too. There’s no confirmation.
– Maryd!
– Finally started moving.
– That lunatic?
Suddenly, the novices started focusing solely on one screen. There, a girl with pink hair was casting spells while fluttering her hair.
A white tower devotee and one of the top students in magic and class A. Maryd Ryudsiehl. She is also one of the playable characters and one of the protagonists’ companions.
“That fellow is no less than Jenny.”
There are magic towers in various places in the empire. An organization formed by great magicians who are astonishing to hear about. The largest and most powerful among them is the White Tower Ryudsiehl, led by the esteemed Ryudshiel family, with Maryd inheriting their formidable bloodline. Maryd’s talent is unquestionable.
“But the problem is…”
Despite such prestigious lineage, Maryd is a free-spirited character. Always wearing an optimistic expression, she goes around with mischief in her eyes, making it hard to know what she’s thinking.
You can tell just by watching her cast spells.
Laughing wildly, she unleashes elemental magic all over the field, showing immense madness.
“Because of her personality, she’s been involved in many accidents within the game.”
From accidentally damaging the staff’s belongings to casually cutting off half of the principal’s lush hair.
She was a popular character because of that unique silliness, but… I don’t really want to get involved with her.
“Dealing with that is not my job, it’s all up to the protagonist, right?”
Finally, the magic test ended, and as expected, Maryd took first place.
Fellow students congratulated Maryd, but they did so from afar, as if confronting a virus carrier. It was treated like a time bomb, as usual.
Finally, the exam with combat approached. Those who finished the exam with magic started to move up to the second floor.
“Radon, you damn kid!!”
Among them was a student with bloodshot eyes coming towards me.
It was Ludical. Sure enough, he yelled while pushing the broken staff towards me.
“Can you see this?”
“What?”
“Don’t know? You gave it to me!”
Dropping the staff to the ground, Ludical grabbed my collar. His face contorted fiercely, but I didn’t feel particularly scared.
“Why are you suddenly doing this? I just went to the shop as you told me and bought practice weapons.”
“This weapon is causing trouble now, it’s your fault, damn it!”
“Then don’t blame me, go to that shop and sort it out, shouldn’t you?”
“What do you think I’m…!”
At that moment, Breed joined in to restrain me. He also ordered me to buy a weapon. Suspicion was inevitable.
“Tell me straight. Did you deliberately purchase faulty items to deceive me? Is that what happened?”
“Why has everything suddenly turned out like this? This wasn’t what I anticipated. I’m also a victim here! I’ve been scammed!”
I acted with all my might, putting on a ridiculous expression to appeal to my own unfairness. Passing students began to take an interest in my struggle.
“You’re the scammer, you bastard! Where did you come from with your lies!”
“It’s true! How many times do I have to say I didn’t know!”
In truth, I knew when I made the purchase. By pretending not to know, the erosion rate could only decrease.
“This guy, to the end…”
“This can’t be resolved through words.”
Thunk!-
I was suddenly slammed to the ground by a sudden force. They looked down at me, slowly revealing their madness.
“How can you have the nerve to scam us when your family is in such a rough spot?”
“Even if someone as lowly as you gets hurt, your parents won’t even bat an eye, huh?”
If I were truly Radon, it would have been a deeply hurtful remark. They finally seemed to cast off their human facade and reveal their true colors.
It was a moment where they were about to pin me down like last time and trample on me.
“Stop!”
A deep, booming voice suddenly cut through. Even the murmurs around, which couldn’t be considered just a single person’s shout, fell silent.
“What are you all doing now? Didn’t I just tell you to alternate between the battle class and the magic class?”
“P-Professor…”
“Even now, can you consider my words as insignificant?”
Professor Radiant approached with purpose. Feeling as if I was being chilled to the bone, I realized that this wasn’t the time for the students to act like this.
“S-Sorry.”
“We’ll switch soon too.”
Breed and Ludical also tried to escape like escaping from a snake’s den.
“Wait, you two stay. And Raddon, you too.”
But Radiant ghosted them, stopping them in their tracks. Once caught by Radiant, known as the devil of the battle class, there was no way their legs wouldn’t stiffen.
“What’s the reason for this commotion?”
As Radiant, who stopped them, asked, they trembled and spoke. In the midst of that, I sighed at their attempts to distort and fabricate some facts to lessen their punishment.
“It seems Raddon was sent on an errand by you.”
“T-That… Because of diligent training, the weapon broke.”
“Of course, since we didn’t have money… I asked Raddon, that guy, for a favor. To buy some practice weapons. We were planning to pay later.”
Asking for a favor my foot, threatening while hitting and sending a shuttle. How blatantly they showed their intentions to escape while pretending to be pitiful.
But do you guys know? You’ve met the wrong opponent.
“But that bastard deliberately bought such rubbish for us!”
“It’s not us who should be punished, it’s him…”
“So what if he did.”
Radiant suddenly cut off his words.
“Yes…?” They responded with dumbfounded expressions.
“You guys broke the practice weapons because you couldn’t take care of them, and you went overboard because you didn’t know how to save your own property. Why blame everything on this guy?”
“T-That’s…”
“And why, out of all the students, did you specifically ask this scammer for a favor? Unless you’re an idiot, asking him for such a favor itself is foolish, isn’t it?”
Each word from Radiant twisted the students’ guts. And it wasn’t over yet.
“You noble kids don’t have money? That’s obvious. How could you have any money left when you’re fooling around all the time!”
“…”
“It’s all your own doing, yet you’ve escalated the situation to this point because things aren’t going well. Your parents would be truly distraught if they heard about this!”
“Surely…”
“I’ll note it in your records. Saying that you shifted your responsibility to other students!”
Darkness fell over the students’ faces. It’s too late to apologize now. All that’s left is for the news to reach their homes.
“But Professor… What if my sword also breaks during the test? Will you replace it…?”
“No. I won’t. It’s all your responsibility!”
“…”
Even Breed’s request for a sword replacement was harshly rejected. They exchanged places with infinite despair.
“And Radon! How long will you keep lying! Aren’t you just being taken advantage of by these insignificant guys because you only show your appearance!”
Ah… Now it’s my turn. Since I had nothing to say as the real Radon, I accepted it as it was.
“The one who deceives others is even better at being deceived! Got it!”
“I understand!”
Listening to that sermon, I descended to the first floor. Descending the stairs with Professor Radiant, I caught the attention of the waiting combat class students.
In such a situation, Radiant said to me.
“By the way. You didn’t happen to forget to bring your practice weapon, did you?”
Radiant looked at my completely empty hands and said, “No way. I have my weapon separately.”
“Where is it? I don’t see it at all!”
He really persisted until the end.
Well, everyone else is carrying at least a junk-like sword, as if they picked it up from a dumpster, and I’m the only one empty-handed.
In the end, I had no choice but to show it. I don’t know what kind of reaction I’ll get from this…
“This is mine.”
I took out something resembling a small rod from my pocket. But as I extended it like I was going to throw it, its length suddenly increased.
It was a portable fishing rod that could be carried in a pocket.
“Raddon… I hope I’m not hearing a joke right now.”
I expected that kind of reaction.
To everyone else, it looked like a flimsy stick that could break at any moment.
-Hahaha! That crazy guy!
-Are you in your right mind? Did you deliberately want to come last?
-How are you going to use swordsmanship with that? Even though you’re in Class C.
-Scammer Raddon. Fail confirmed!
-Fail! Fail!
The students’ reactions were all the same. Since I brought a thin fishing rod as equipment, everyone had the same reaction.
Except for one person.
Gulp
Only Jenny, who had experienced its power herself… nervously swallowed her dry saliva.
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