The overly talked-about and eventful midterm exam had finally begun.
The given time is 2 days.
There are 10 questions on the exam.
Aside from the submission deadline, there are no specific rules for the test…
“I will be here for the next 48 hours. You can come and submit your answers anytime before then.”
Talking between students is allowed.
Taking the exam paper out is also okay.
Almost all actions that are prohibited in other tests are allowed in this exam.
However, one must be cautious about the grading system of the midterm exam.
If there are too many students scoring the same and exceeding the number designated for a certain grade, that grade will be left empty, and everyone’s grade will be lowered.
For example, if everyone scores the same.
Then it’s not like everyone is first, but instead, they all drop to the lowest grade together.
Thus, this exam requires not only understanding of the subject but also cooperation or deception among peers.
The best case is to obtain the answers to problems I don’t know from other students and raise my score.
On the contrary, the worst case is having multiple students tie, causing grades to drop.
“Hey, hey. Gather around.”
“Do you know this problem?”
“I think this is…”
At first, the students were silent, solving the problems like a regular exam, but one by one, they started to chatter.
Still, Ludwig did not interfere at all.
He didn’t even pay attention.
Then, some students completely banded together to cooperate.
Those guys were the ones badmouthing me behind my back.
It seems they intended to crush me with group intelligence.
But that wouldn’t be easy.
They must raise the top score with just the right number of people, but amongst them, which fool would willingly share their answers and get a low grade?
A betrayer is bound to appear due to the very structure.
In the original story, the low-ranking nobles, forced to be underlings, had a joyful rebellion that shattered their trust.
This time, I was curious to see what kind of scene they would present.
‘The difficulty… hmm. Have they gone crazy?’
I tried to solve the problems at least once. I tried.
Questions 1 and 2 were a complete giveaway.
If I hadn’t dozed off during class, anyone could solve them.
But from question 3, I started to hit a wall.
It wasn’t unsolvable, but the real challenges clustered after question 5.
The wording of the problems got shorter as the difficulty rose exponentially.
“What, what are you looking at?”
“……”
When I glanced at Erica, she was holding the exam paper up, blocking my view.
The spell engraved on the exam paper’s mana couldn’t be seen anyway, so what was she doing?
She should have focused on securing the spell instead.
It was time to use the tricks that Ludwig had allowed.
In truth, I was going to use them even if he hadn’t allowed it.
‘She’s teaching me all the answers.’
Erica’s spell security was indeed a mess.
With just a little effort, I could quickly extract all the content.
Since Erica was almost like a fool in psychological warfare, the likelihood that she was trying to trick me was near zero.
If I get it wrong now, I’d be getting punished for slacking off.
Thanks to Erica, I quickly figured out the answers up to question 5.
The problem was that I lacked mana to write the answers on the paper…
This was actually an advantage.
If I didn’t scribble on the exam paper, there was no worry about someone stealing the answers.
“Hmm. What’s wrong?”
“……No, nothing.”
I tried to sneak a peek at Iris’s answers for cross-verification, but I was quickly blocked.
She had poured a massive amount of mana into her security.
If I used Selection and Concentration, I might have been able to break through, but I decided to give up.
I wasn’t about to waste my precious skills over confirming Erica’s answers.
Iris also seemed stuck on question 6.
Using Selection and Concentration on solving the problems myself seemed more beneficial.
‘Can I solve them all?’
I had 48 hours left.
I could use Selection and Concentration for a total of 15 seconds over three days, 5 seconds each.
Of course, with the probability high that I would use my abilities in tomorrow’s combat magic exam, I might not have a single second left then.
5 seconds would usually allow me to solve any problem, so I was practically guaranteed to get 3 answers.
The crucial issue would be whether I could solve the remaining 2 problems…
How many perfect scorers would actually emerge?
I distinctly remembered Hertlocker scoring full marks and taking first place, but I couldn’t recall the average score at all.
Or maybe it was because I didn’t narrate it.
While the probability of perfect scores was extremely low, I couldn’t dismiss the possibility that the group colluding to sabotage me would cause a ruckus.
For now, my aim was perfection.
Even with a perfect score, I might end up barely making it.
If I failed and missed both questions, well…
I’d be dropping out then.
‘Let’s give it a try.’
Whether by stealing answers or solving them myself, I was determined to give it a shot.
Thus, having steeled myself and focused properly—
‘Um. This isn’t working.’
After an hour, my head felt like it would explode.
I found no signs of solvability at all.
Apparently, the same was true for others.
Even peeking at their exam papers, nobody had touched question 6.
“I’m stepping out.”
“Me too.”
“You don’t need to announce it explicitly.”
Perhaps deciding that nothing was going to be resolved today, they started pouring out.
Erica seemed to be pulling her hair, struggling, and, oh…?
She had solved up to question 10?
“Ha ha. Surprised, are you?”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
“Don’t pretend. I’ve finished all the questions.”
“Wha, what! You’re really done?!”
Erica’s shout made me wince.
That was probably boastful talk.
She must have scribbled some random spell and made it so no one could see it.
“If you’ve finished, why not submit? That way, the risk of someone copying would be eliminated.”
“Huh? Copy, copy?”
“……”
Only then did Erica finally focus intently on her exam paper.
Was she finally ramping up her spell security…?
“No, it’s fine. I want to review a bit more before submission.”
“You seem confident that you won’t be deciphered.”
“Why don’t you give it a shot? I’m heading home first.”
With a grin, Iris rolled up her exam paper and left the exam hall.
Despite being a brilliant magician, Iris’s abilities were slightly lesser compared to Erica.
She probably only solved up to question 5, just like Erica.
There was no need to waste my skills checking empty answers.
But when is Erica going to leave?
“……”
“……”
As the remaining students gradually left, soon only the two of us were left in the exam hall.
In this vast exam hall, just the two of us…
It felt like a space waste, and I thought about moving, but decided against it.
There was no reason for me to move at all.
Just as I was thinking that, Erica seemed ready to leave and said—
“Ugh! What’s with you! It’s so spacious, yet you choose to sit right next to me?”
But that was my miscalculation.
Even after an hour passed, and then two hours, Erica remained right next to me.
When I consciously stopped focusing on my exam paper and leaned back, closing my eyes, Erica would sneak glances at me.
Even with my eyes shut, I could still see you, silly.
“You can go first, Erica.”
“Huh! What are you saying? Do you think I’m waiting for you?”
“Weren’t you?”
“No way! There’s a limit to delusions too, you know. Unbelievable.”
“Then how much longer do you plan to stay?”
“Um… about an hour?”
“I see. I’m leaving first.”
“What?!”
I stuffed my exam paper into my bag and jumped up.
It was cute seeing her look up at me with a bewildered expression, unable to stand up.
Her face seemed to say, “Are you really leaving?”
“Is there a problem?”
“Uh, no… just.”
As she dropped her head, I stifled a laugh and stepped out of the exam hall.
Soon, a loud sound followed by hurried *thump-thump* footsteps came from behind.
“Haah…! Haah…!”
“Weren’t you supposed to stay for another hour?”
“I just remembered my dinner plans! I totally forgot!”
“Let’s leave it at that then.”
“What do you mean by “leave it at that”? I’m serious!”
This tsundere noble lady seemed intent on escorting me home.
“Wow. There really are suspicious outsiders around.”
As I concentrated, I sensed several dubious individuals lurking about.
They weren’t there in the morning.
Had I just not noticed?
I made my way toward the mansion, feeling tense.
Thanks to Erica sticking close by, there thankfully wasn’t any ambush.
“Thank you.”
“What are you thanking me for…?”
“I should also escort you home.”
“Aren’t you an idiot? How will you get back without me… ugh.”
Only then did she realize she had slipped that out, covering her mouth.
Her face turned red in an instant, and without a word, she bolted away.
I got some help from you.
What a grateful friend.
“Have you arrived? You must have taken a long time with the exam.”
“Haha, that’s…”
When I opened the door, Emilia greeted me with a bright smile.
Even knowing it was an act, seeing her cheerful demeanor lifted my spirits.
I didn’t intend to ramble, but soon I was explaining the entire exam.
Ah, is this how Emilia extracts information?
Being aware didn’t help me escape.
She was quite terrifying.
“Wow… that’s a big deal. There’s another combat magic exam tomorrow, right?”
“Yeah. It seems the exams overlapped by chance.”
“Isn’t this too unfair? Shouldn’t you ask to postpone the combat magic exam?”
“Haha. We just have to endure it.”
“Did you choose to double major knowing all this, Hainkel?”
“No, it was a mistake. I inadvertently checked both majors on my admission form.”
“So you make mistakes too, Hainkel?”
“Of course.”
What was so funny, Emilia giggled.
The chit-chat could stop here; now I needed to focus a bit.
“I’m heading into the exam to solve it now.”
“Okay. If you have time to sleep, should I come and tell you?”
“No, I’ll sleep on my own.”
“You’ll end up staying up all night again…”
“Don’t worry.”
Leaving the puffed-cheek Emilia behind, I headed towards the underground training room.
I planned to stay in that training room all day, except for the combat magic exam tomorrow.
To put it bluntly, even if a meteor spell fell on the mansion, at least that training room would probably remain intact.
The safest way would be to stay locked up inside during all the exam times.
Of course, that was assuming I would solve all the problems myself…
I hoped I wouldn’t need to go out to eavesdrop on Erica or Iris’s answers.
Maybe I’ll try to get some help from Trie or Aintz tomorrow.
Unlike Erica and Iris, those two had established a decent trust relationship with me, so I wouldn’t have to worry about being led astray with lies.
Trie would be of no help, but Aintz was considered a genius prodigy when it came to magic, so I might get unexpected ideas.
“For now, let’s try question 6… I’ll attempt to solve it myself.”
I’ve got my pride, after all.
At least one problem should be solved without aid or skills.
I began to concentrate desperately.
…Of course, after 3 hours, I had no results whatsoever.
*
-To the Countess Lichtenburg’s aide
-I have prepared a reward that might interest the Countess. Do you know that Schlus Hainkel is currently taking his midterm exam? The rumor has it that it lasts for 3 days…
“Hmm.”
It was a letter from the Crow organization.
Madam Lichtenburg read through the letter with a mildly intrigued expression.
In summary, it was a proposal not to disrupt Schlus Hainkel’s exam.
Perhaps by imprisoning him for the duration of the exam or damaging the exam paper to disqualify him.
The methods that Jin suggested were quite varied.
“Schlus Hainkel…”
That damn fellow.
Last time, he charged me an outrageous fee for a request.
Knowing that I hold a grudge against him, it was clear that Jin had proposed this.
“I’m not doing it.”
However, without a hint of hesitation, Madam Lichtenburg tore up the letter and tossed it into the stove.
It wasn’t fear of retaliation from Schlus Hainkel.
If it were Jin, who understood client confidentiality better than someone like Henderson, I wouldn’t be found out.
No, it was because of Julia.
That bastard Schlus was truly hateful and revolting, but…
Thinking of Julia made me unable to seek his death any longer.
The reason why Julia had started having nightmares every day and crying suddenly was because of that man.
Perhaps he knew why Julia’s face resembled that of the Iceburg noblewoman who died long ago.
“I can’t kill him yet…”
At least I couldn’t do it until I learned that secret.
