<237 - The Insecure Oknodie>
A big match between the top Oknodie of the Upper Class First Year and the Second Year Seniors!
Hearing the rumors, the students dropped everything they were doing and rushed to the
“Second Year, not that great, huh?”
“I saw Oknodie wreck the Second Year Lower Class seniors in the midterms last time.”
“Those guys are different. They’re Second Year Intermediate Class.”
“There’s an Intermediate Class?”
“That starts from the second semester of first year. They gather students with good grades from the Lower Class and those who pass the entrance exam into the Intermediate Class.”
“Still, they’re just a bunch of rejections who couldn’t make it into the Upper Class, right? Even if they are Second Years, I bet Oknodie can easily win.”
The Second Years chuckled at the clueless complaints from the First Years.
“Hey now, juniors, if you don’t know, just stay quiet and you’ll be fine.”
“Not everyone who dropped from the Upper Class is a nobody. Some with Upper Class level skills ended up in Intermediate Class after losing against other Upper Class in exams.”
“There are also cases where people were downgraded to Intermediate because they lost too many points.”
The First Years couldn’t hide their confusion.
“Losing points means getting put in the Intermediate Class?”
“You didn’t know? You have to pay a class maintenance fee with points every semester to stay in the Upper Class.”
“Whhhaaat!?”
“If you don’t have points, you can’t maintain being in the Upper Class, let alone be promoted from the Lower Class. In fact, getting into Second Year is impossible without points!”
“So what if you don’t have points?”
“You have to come out for supplementary classes during vacation to earn points and do everything at the Academy that gives points.”
As the First Years perked up, the Second Year seniors subtly lowered their heads and, in hushed tones, beckoned the juniors in.
“Club activities give a lot of points? If you join the Mountaineering Club, we get to go to good places with the professors and earn plenty of points. Want to join?”
“Hey, don’t sell it to the kids. The Mountaineering Club is just a crazy group that goes around hunting Boss Mobs. Better to listen to the Healing Camp Department.”
“Don’t sell it while complaining! You guys are part of a medical support team that just hangs around in flower fields and does emergency treatments on the battlefield!”
Crab Mentality.
The Second Years, worried about others getting ahead like crabs in a bucket, pulled each other down.
Ultimately, the First Years were left with sour expressions, and none of them signed up with the seniors.
“So who exactly are these Second Year Intermediate Class seniors we’re up against?”
More interested in the Oknodie in front of them than any club activities, the students were filled with anticipation at the possibility of watching the legendary Oknodie lose!
“Lycan is a master of Barrier Magic. No matter what attack Oknodie throws, it’ll be impossible to shoot down his airplane.”
“Jeras is a genius in Energy Magic. His attribute-less attacks will force a combat situation that prevents attribute defense.”
“Miini is unmatched when it comes to shrinking spells. She’ll bring an unbelievable number of spells that others couldn’t even dream of.”
In summary, there’s an incredible defensive master who’ll ensure the airplane can’t be shot down, and to counter that, you’ll need to avoid attacks using exceptional mobility.
And on top of that, there’s a wild card—a powerhouse whose abilities are utterly unpredictable!
“Hey, seniors! How about we each make a bet before we start?”
“A bet?”
“Each of us bets 10,000 points on who will win, with the referee notarizing it. What do you say?”
Instead of feeling intimidated by the overwhelming lineup, they provoke with a bet!
Jeras’s pride was clearly ruffled.
“I was just going to play with my cute juniors, but it seems we need to take this seriously now.”
“What about the other two?”
“Count me out… I’m not confident I can beat Miini.”
The Barrier Magic expert, Lycan, stepped back.
Miini, adorned in a robe with the academy’s signature gold trim, held a haughty expression.
“20,000 points.”
“!”
“If you don’t have that kind of guts, you’re better off not starting. My skills are not ordinary.”
The crowd’s buzz escalated.
“How much confidence does that senior have?”
“Isn’t that excessive? Trying to gouge 20,000 points from a First Year?”
“No—rather, it makes them realize reality. A bet of 20,000 points is too significant for a First Year to take lightly.”
“While acknowledging the difference in levels, it’s still a hefty amount that doesn’t overly hurt their pride. A bet of 20,000 points isn’t something anyone would take lightly.”
“Is it mercy then? Even so, it’s a shame… I really wanted to see Oknodie lose.”
Isabel’s anger flared up, making her roll up her sleeves.
Grrrlll, with muscles from cooking and training bulging, she was stopped by Oknodie.
“It’s okay, Isabel.”
“They’re looking down on you.”
“Well, then we can make them put their points down, too.”
“…Are you sure?”
“Of course!”
Isabel confidently approached the referee instructor.
“Could we allow spectators to bet points and predict the winner?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Calculating distribution points is a hassle.”
“…How about you take 1% as a fee?”
“I said it’s annoying.”
No matter the issue, the instructor remained unmotivated!
And he had his own reasons for lacking motivation.
“I’ve failed my advancement exam to Fourth Year for three years running, so I’m earning points as an instructor. How many points do you think I need to advance?”
“How many?”
“Ten million points.”
“…Excuse me?”
“The 1% off those kids’ petty bets wouldn’t change a thing in my life.”
The shocking amount left the students in disbelief.
“How much gold do you need for ten million points?”
“100,000 gold coins.”
“That’s insane.”
For commoners who tremble even at spending a single gold coin, that’s a sum they couldn’t even fathom, and even nobles couldn’t dare maneuver significant amounts unless they’re top-tier aristocrats.
Only families seriously dedicated to support could barely manage the leap to Fourth Year!
“If the instructor isn’t interested, I’ll take care of this.”
“You are…?”
The instructor’s face crumpled.
“Is this the Student Council?”
“I’m Nalbi, a festival event coordinator from the Student Council. I’ll notarize this in my name. My fee is 5%.”
“Do as you wish.”
As the instructor stepped back, Isabel immediately placed her Magic Watch on the Mana Board offered by Nalbi.
[Isabel bets 17,800 points on Oknodie being first.]
“I put my entire fortune on the line. If you’re confident in Oknodie’s victory, this amount will seem like free money to you, right? No coward should back down.”
“W-why should we bother with such a bet? That’s foolish.”
“Right? What if, by some stroke of luck, Oknodie actually wins—it’s just a loss for us!”
The whining of the cowardly First Years went unheeded as Jeras, watching quietly, exploded with anger.
“Am I saying I could lose to a First Year by luck?”
“T-that’s not it!”
“That’s the implication!”
“Ahh? Do you think your life is just about festivals and nothing more afterward? Want to ruin your academy life?”
“Eek!”
“If you don’t want to die, bet on me or Miini. Those who just chatter while avoiding responsibility will not be left alone.”
Students who have even a smidgen of talent often face jealousy or rivalry.
Jeras had had that experience, and the audacity of the First Years, who ignored Oknodie yet tried to pull back when it’s betting time, deeply annoyed him.
“Fine, I’ll bet.”
“Then just do it…”
[Nox bets 3,500 points on Jeras being first.]
[Baiden bets 2,700 points on Miini being first.]
As points started pouring in, other spectators opened their pockets.
━━━
Current Odds for First Place
Total Points: 196,000 points
Oknodie: 48,700 points at odds of 4.02
Jeras: 55,200 points at odds of 3.55
Miini: 92,100 points at odds of 2.12
━━━
A staggering payout tied to a mere 100 point individual event!
The number of participants quickly increased.
“If Jeras wins, the payout is 3.55 times, right? I should join and help him.”
“I’ll interfere with Oknodie’s plane.”
“Isabel joined to help Oknodie. If she can, so can I.”
Oknodie had only Isabel as a supporter.
In contrast, Jeras and Miini each had two helpers.
Additionally, the two First Years, Nox and Baiden, pulled into the betting scheme, aimed to disrupt Oknodie.
In total, ten participants.
With the situation being practically 2 against 8 for Oknodie!
“Oknodie. What spell should we use to assist you?”
As Isabel tried to discuss strategy to help her, Oknodie responded.
“Just do whatever you want, Isabel!”
‘…Does she not need my help?’
Hiding her disappointment, Isabel looked at the number of spells Oknodie was using for his airplane.
When she blinked her eyes, she couldn’t believe what she saw and rubbed her eyes.
That wouldn’t change the outcome of her findings.
‘The First Years only get praised for managing three spells, yet here’s Oknodie with over ten!’
At a glance, it seemed that Oknodie had far more spells than the Second Year Miini’s airplane!
