Butterfly Effect

The weather was gloomy from morning today. The sky was full of dark clouds, but it didn’t rain refreshingly. I’m in the mood where I’d rather it rained.

I don’t know if the weather makes people depressed, or if it’s because the promotion exam is just around the corner. I felt that the atmosphere of the academy was heavier than usual.

Even the atmosphere in the club room was different. Aria and Kane, who were usually the loudest, were quietly studying for the exam, so a quiet atmosphere was naturally maintained. For some reason, I felt like I was the only one who couldn’t blend into the atmosphere and was floating, so I felt a sense of alienation for the first time in a while. It’s a slightly welcome loneliness.

Unlike the other members, I wasn’t particularly nervous about the exam. I don’t have a strong conviction that I can get first place in the promotion exam, but I’m not at the level where I’m worried about failing.

I had additional points from the triathlon, which I won jointly, and I was confident in the practical evaluation even without using space magic.

But I couldn’t break the concentrating atmosphere that had come after a long time, so I returned to the island beyond the closet alone. Even if I didn’t study for the promotion exam, I couldn’t waste time being lazy. The things I had to do were piling up. The materials for the improved portal that I had asked Estelle to make had arrived in the morning and I had moved them to my house.

After opening the box and taking out the materials, I started making the improved portal according to the formula written in Patouga’s magic book.

I calculated the mana consumption and set up the circuit as I had practiced in my head in advance. I installed an artifact to fix the space coordinates, and adjusted the arrangement of the passages by entering the runes written in the magic book in order.

Hundreds of lines look like a surface at first glance. The most important formula part is over. The rest is a boring repetitive task of connecting the marked lines with mana.

Because it was a prototype, I excluded time-consuming design elements and focused only on efficiency. It looks crude, but the performance will be certain. When I was about to make another one in the same way, someone knocked on the door.

,Ross, wanna go eat dinner?

,Yeah. I’ll be right out.

I dropped everything on the desk to the floor and put it in the space warehouse I summoned, then got up from my seat.

***

The next day.

After all the classes were over, Lykan, who had appeared for the closing remarks, tapped the podium to draw attention.

,This is about the promotion exam, so listen carefully, everyone. This promotion exam will be different from last year. Simply put, there will be changes in the exam.

The quiet classroom instantly became noisy at Lykan’s sudden words.

,Su, suddenly, what does that mean…! You should have announced it at least a few weeks ago!

A male student shouted that it was absurd. If you were a student who had practiced based on last year’s promotion exam, you would be upset by the sudden change. As if agreeing with the male student, several people in the classroom voiced their dissatisfaction.

Kwaang―――!!!

The podium was smashed by Lykan’s fist. It was completely smashed to the point where it couldn’t be fixed.

,What do you bastards think the promotion exam is―!!!

The classroom instantly became quiet at Lykan’s intense shout. The male student who had stood up and shouted tried to quietly sit back down, but Lykan, who had a tenacious side unlike his large muscles, wouldn’t miss it.

,Arek! Aren’t you going to answer!

,Th, that’s…

The male student called Arek was flustered and didn’t know what to do. As Lykan’s disciple, if I were to give him a tip, the best thing to do in this situation is to quietly get scolded. Pointless excuses will only lead to more scolding. But it seems Arek didn’t know that.

,Bu, but the promotion exam has never changed before. Club seniors all said that it’s good to study for last year’s promotion exam! They said they prepared for the promotion exam that way too!

Lykan smiled at Arek’s words. I could instinctively tell it was a dangerous smile. My experience of being beaten every day under the guise of training sends a warning. As expected, Lykan grabbed Arek by the collar and lifted him into the air.

,The promotion exam is an important exam that evaluates a student’s year. It’s not a trivial exam that uses petty tricks! It’s an important place to check if you’re ready to move on to the next grade and receive learning!!!

While Lykan turned his head and glared at the other students with dangerous eyes, Arek’s head shook weakly from side to side. Could he have fainted from the roar…?

,Even if the type of exam changes, the knowledge you’ve learned and the sweat you’ve shed will remain intact. Anyone who makes weak excuses just because the exam method has changed doesn’t even deserve to take the promotion exam!

Lykan tapped Arek’s cheek, who had fainted, and only then did strength enter his head, which had been weakly tilted.

,Are you thinking of giving up on the exam just because the exam method has changed?

,N, no!

Lykan sighed and released the collar he had been holding onto at the sight of Arek waving his arms and desperately shaking his head.

,I didn’t think it was necessary to inform the students that it was different from the existing exam. Dealing with variables is also a skill. But the other professors think differently, so I’ll explain to you fairly, even if only briefly, how the promotion exam has been changed.

Everyone nodded as if they had decided to accept it and began to focus on Lykan’s words.

,The written exam will proceed as planned. What has changed is the practical exam. The special practical training that took place in the first semester received good evaluations, so this time as well, you will be evaluated in individual dungeons using snow globes. You just need to use the theories you’ve learned in class and your own experience and skills to get out of the dungeon. There is a time limit, and you will wait in the order you clear the individual dungeons, and when the number of people is met, you will immediately enter the cooperative dungeon. The first-year combat department will have the written exam on the morning of the first day. The practical exam will be held in the afternoon of the second day of the promotion exam. Any questions?

When Lykan finished the long explanation and asked, the surrounding students raised their hands as if they had been waiting. Lykan gestured to one of them, and the female student lowered her hand and asked.

,Then is the existing team battle replaced by the cooperative dungeon?

Lykan smiled at the female student’s question and looked at me for some reason.

,Yes, the headmaster has taken measures to prevent one person’s overwhelming skill from dropping everyone, like in the last survival exam. The place where you are evaluated for a year cannot end in vain.

The eyes of the surrounding students turned to me. It was a look that said, ,Is it you again?, so I scratched the back of my head for no reason. I was flustered because it seemed like the existing flow had changed a bit. It seems my actions have become a variable in the flow.

Lakar, who was sitting next to me, muttered, ,As expected, club president… you even changed the exam., so I turned my head slightly, pretending not to hear, feeling embarrassed for no reason.

There were still many students who raised their hands to ask if there were any other questions. As expected, it’s an exam related to failing, so everyone is focused.

The one Lykan chose was Lakar, who I didn’t expect to raise his hand. He’s not the type to ask questions, so it was a bit unexpected.

,What exactly is this cooperative dungeon?

Lykan shrugged at Lakar’s question.

,I don’t know because the information hasn’t been released yet. Just because I’m a professor doesn’t mean I know everything. However, there is a cooperation score on the evaluation form, so I think you’ll be clearing the dungeon in a party like in the special practical training.

Someone threw a question without being chosen by Lykan.

,You said that you enter the cooperative dungeon in the order you clear the individual dungeon, so doesn’t that mean that people who clear it later due to lack of skill will be more disadvantaged? They’ll be grouped with similar latecomers?

That’s an excellent point. I was a little 기대했다 about what kind of answer Lykan would give.

Lykan, who heard the question, answered immediately with an obvious face.

,That’s why you have to work hard. Don’t be mistaken. It doesn’t matter even if you’re grouped with latecomers. This exam is not about competing with others, it’s an absolute evaluation. You don’t get anything special for passing first. You can get a sense of accomplishment, though. Latecomers will only fail if they fall behind the standard set by the academy. The result of failing is a failing exam.

Lykan clapped his hands as if to ease the heavy atmosphere and added.

,There’s no need to be anxious looking at the backs of others who are ahead. It’s an important exam to see the one step you take. If it’s you guys I’ve been watching, you don’t have to worry about failing, so just reduce mistakes.

I smiled bitterly. In the end, Lykan’s words mean survival of the fittest. But everyone here is someone who entered the academy in that way. There will be no one who hasn’t adapted.

After the closing remarks, when Lakar and I were about to leave the classroom and head to the training ground. Someone blocked my way.

It’s Estelle, a small girl whose crown of head is clearly visible because of the height difference.

,Ro, Ross… It’s, it’s urgent. I, I need to talk to you for a moment…

Estelle, who was stuttering with a red face as if she was having trouble breathing, looked really desperate. I told Lakar, who was looking at me and Estelle with suspicious eyes, to go to the training ground first, and went into an empty classroom with Estelle.

After checking that no one was in the hallway and closing the door and turning around, Estelle, who had taken out a black cat mask from her arms and put it on in the meantime, said.

,The vacant seat of Confession has been filled.