Chapter: 473
In the game called Soul Academy, there are mainly two ways to increase your intelligence.
First, you can more or less forcefully raise it by using potions, skills, items, quests, and so on.
I’ve tried this method several times, but it’s been a failure due to realistic problems. Given that I’m not fond of studying, it’s also a way that I keep attempting.
The other method is the straightforward approach. Investing time at the academy into studying gradually increases one’s stats.
It’s not too different from me enhancing my physical abilities through arduous training.
When this was still a game, raising your intelligence to a certain level wasn’t that hard.
You just had to push a button to study a specific subject, and the character would take care of the studying all by itself.
The difficulty wasn’t in the act of raising intelligence itself, but rather the issue of efficiency.
But once it turned into reality, that’s when the story changed. Just like I have to move my body to enhance my physical abilities, I had to attend classes and study to increase my intelligence.
In the early weeks of the semester, when I still viewed this world more as a game than reality, I didn’t really pay attention to raising my intelligence.
Having been more or less forced into the Holy Knight profession, I thought I only needed to raise the necessary stats.
So, during classes, I simply slept the whole day and didn’t bother studying for exams, focusing solely on cheap tricks to get by.
However, over time, things changed.
No longer could I think of this world as just a game, and as someone who began to feel like a person rather than just a character, I simply couldn’t accept an intelligence of 58 anymore.
No! Just think about it!
It doesn’t matter if a game character is a complete idiot!
What does that have to do with the game?! The character just has to play their role!
I don’t care how much of a fool that guy acts like!
But reality is different!
I can’t live as an idiot in reality!
This is a matter of my pride!
[Well, you should have studied from the beginning.]
‘Grandpa, it’s been less than a day since you told me not to get lazy!’
[Did I? I don’t really remember.]
‘Ah, yes. I’m sure you don’t. It’s about time you start slacking off. I’m just glad you’re in a mace and not drooling all over the place.’
<... Sorry for being rude. Just hit me reasonably.>
Having easily subdued Grandpa, I headed to Avery. Dirty personality aside, she’s diligent about self-development. She must have all the exam topics figured out.
“…Um, Lady Rumli hasn’t returned from outside yet.”
But Avery wasn’t in the academy. One of the young ladies staying with her said she went to explore a dungeon outside.
If a commoner coaxed her, I guess Toby must have said something to Avery.
“Exam topics?”
“Yeah, just a bystander.”
Next, I chose Visi, but her class syllabus was very different from mine.
So, just her wouldn’t help me gather what I was looking for.
“Hah. Useless. You’re gonna have to live as a bystander for life.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“Oh, and take this.”
“What is it?”
“A dungeon where it’ll be nice to have a bystander like you, as useless as you are.”
“Oh, um, thanks?”
“There’s something useful for a terrible bystander like you, so go during vacation. If you’re planning to stay on the ground forever, it doesn’t matter whether you go or not.”
Desperately searching through my narrow network, I eventually had to resort to my final option.
“Exam topics?”
When Joy heard my question, she tilted her head.
“Don’t know?”
“No, I know everything.”
“Then what is it? Are you hiding something from your rival? I didn’t think you were such a sneaky person.”
“It’s just that it’s the first time Lucy has asked something like this, so I was surprised. I wouldn’t hide anything from Lucy.”
Surprised? Why? They all know I don’t normally study, right?
I sleep at my desk every class; how would I know about the exam topics?
Joy quickly told me the scope of the material I was clueless about without hesitation.
To keep all of this in her head, Joy is more of a model student than she looks.
“By the way, Lucy, what’s going on with the barrier?”
“The headmaster said it’s too incompetent to do anything about it for now.”
“Really?”
The thought that it was difficult to do anything right now made Joy noticeably more cheerful. It must have been quite burdensome to revise the barrier.
After telling Joy to practice, I returned to my dorm and opened my book.
Alright! Now, it’s really just study! This time, I’m definitely breaking free from being an idiot with an intelligence of 58!
With a firm resolve, I opened the book and about thirty minutes later, I sneakily spoke to Grandpa.
‘Help! Heeeelp!’
[Help? What word is that again? My dear is being foolish.]
‘You’re sulking!? You’re sulking from just that much!?’
[Hmm? Sulking? Did something happen?]
‘Forget it! Don’t say anything! You think I have anyone else to ask for help besides you!? I’m lonely!’
What, you’re sulking over just that?!
How could such a narrow-minded person become a hero?!
Isn’t there anything in the scriptures about generosity?
Oh right, all the priests serving the Shoddy Pervert God are like that!
…Except Phoebe!
I said I didn’t need it in a fit of anger, but as soon as I tried looking for someone to help me, I felt lost.
Anyway, I’ve been maintaining first place through various tricks up until now.
Who would believe it if I suddenly shouted that I know nothing!?
I can’t even clearly explain the situation because of my Mesugaki Skill!
What should I do? What can I do?!
The best option is to bow my head to Grandpa, but I really don’t want to!
If I do that, he’ll get all cocky and start gloating!
I can’t stand that! Just imagining it makes my stomach turn!
[If someone bows their head and says sorry, their memory might come back.]
Hearing Grandpa’s teasing, I suddenly got up and closed the book and headed outside the dorm.
Then, I stealthily slipped out of the dorm and knocked on Joy’s dorm door.
“What is it now, Lucy?”
“…”
“Lucy?”
“I came to check if the fool was slacking off. So, come on, fool. Rattle off what you’ve learned!”
*
Seeing Lucy frowning next to her, Joy broke into a warm smile.
Lucy is leaning on me now? I never would have imagined that before. I was the one always receiving help from Lucy.
“Hey, fool.”
“…Yes?”
“Do you know your expression is super disgusting right now? You totally look like a Sloppy Fox.”
“Me? My expression looks like that!?”
Upon hearing she looked like a beast who had given up on humanity, Joy hurriedly regained her composure and checked the page Lucy had opened. She needed to redirect the conversation and focus on studying!
“Hmm?”
Is there something to be troubled about in that part? We learned this in first year, didn’t we?
It’s slightly deepening, but given Lucy’s grades in first year, she should definitely know this!
“Lucy? What don’t you understand in that part?”
Upon hearing Joy’s question, Lucy pursed her lips.
Joy has spent a long time with Lucy. While she didn’t say it directly, it wasn’t hard to guess what Lucy was thinking.
“Are you saying you don’t know anything?”
“…”
“…Why?”
After winter vacation, Lucy’s honest emotions were showing on her face, laced with embarrassment.
She wasn’t joking; she truly didn’t know what was written there.
Realizing this fact, Joy began to question if she was dreaming.
It can’t be!
Lucy, who maintained the top spot throughout her first year in the academy,
How could she not possibly know that content?
Lucy isn’t an idiot, and there’s no way she would forget something like that in just a few months!
The growing questioning curiosity struck joy dumb when she saw Lucy, who stood there in silence.
Lucy, the person Joy knew, was always confident in any situation, someone who would become even stronger in the face of her shortcomings.
So why couldn’t she say a single word?
Something must have happened.
It’s definitely clear.
Something must have happened.
Otherwise, the Lucy who always took first place would never forget this.
What increased Joy’s doubts was the fact that Lucy often jumped headfirst into danger.
Just not long ago, she willingly risked her life to move forward, didn’t she?
Joy vividly remembers that scene, and it made her suspect if Lucy had come back from some dangerous encounter this time.
Right. Last time, she broke through the ceiling of the dungeon where Lord Erginius was!
How could something that even the Great Wizard couldn’t fathom be easy to find!?
She must have gone through something to secure it!
“Lucy! You!”
As Joy was about to ask what happened again, she thought about why Lucy was hiding her dangerous experiences and clenched her lips.
Lucy doesn’t want to worry them, so she’s hiding her struggles.
But is it really right to pry into that?
Isn’t it just tarnishing Lucy’s sacrifice?
Having read countless novels, Joy’s rich imagination spins a tale in her head.
Lucy, who jumped into danger alone, lost something and tried to hide it, but eventually felt the limits of her endurance.
Thus, she pondered and sought out someone to rely on for help.
“Sniff.”
“…Huh?”
“Whew!”
“Eh? Fool, why are you suddenly…”
“Lucy! If there’s something you don’t know, ask me anything! I’ll do my best to help you!”
“Um… uh, okay. Do as you like.”
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