Ch.14Mock Exam (2)

Two days later, I boarded a spaceship for the first time in my life.

I was heading to a place called Ergos General Academy to take a mock exam.

However, there was one problem.

“Sonia.”

“What is it?”

“How do you pilot a spaceship?”

Sonia grabbed the back of her neck. She looked down at me with a displeased expression for the first time in a while.

“Pretending your blood pressure is rising when you’re just an android.”

“My hydraulic pressure feels like it’s rising.”

“You’re really something else.”

Sonia explained the controls one by one. Thanks for the kind explanation, Sonia!

For reference, most of the spaceship’s functions are automated. If you’re not going to operate it manually, you don’t need a license.

It was fascinating. In the era I lived in, autonomous driving was just beginning, but even then a license was essential.

I suddenly became like an orangutan. I had the urge to touch or press unfamiliar things.

“Please don’t touch anything carelessly. If you cause any more accidents, the master will be furious.”

“I won’t do that.”

“I think you would, young master. This won’t do. I’ll go with you.”

Sonia climbed aboard with me. The spaceship wasn’t large. It was compact like a small car and designed for one person, so with Sonia joining, we had to sit pressed together.

This created the question of whether I should wrap my arms around Sonia or if she should wrap hers around me.

“Young master, you sit in front.”

At Sonia’s strong insistence, I had no choice but to sit in front. After being beaten up so much lately, it gave me chills to turn my back to Sonia, but I had no choice. It was also more comfortable for me this way.

“Lean back comfortably.”

Sonia grabbed my shoulders and pulled me back. I felt something soft against the back of my head.

“Hmm.”

It’s silicone.

It’s silicone.

[─ The God of Wisdom and Curiosity sighs.]

Blushing over a mere lump of silicon would make me less than human. That would be a disqualification from humanity.

“Don’t think strange thoughts.”

“I wasn’t.”

“Tell me what you were just thinking.”

“What is a semiconductor?”

“You’re full of nonsense.”

“Are you going to keep talking to your master like that?”

After spending so much time with Sonia, we’d started exchanging jokes like this. At this rate, there was no boundary between master and servant.

No, I think there never was one to begin with.

“Anyway…”

A 21st century Korean who fell into a space opera world, navigating interstellar space with an android in a maid outfit.

“What kind of situation is this?”

“The engine has started. Please stay still.”

Whoooosh!

Soon my body was pulled forward. From a stationary reference frame to an accelerating one. The scenery of the world pushed back behind me.

Once we left the orbital space where gravity (actually centrifugal force) was acting, a vast canvas unfolded.

A space already streaked with black crayon by someone. It was different from the night sky viewed from Earth.

“We’ll arrive at our destination, Ergos, in 10 minutes. By the way, if you go a little further from there, you’ll reach Stellarium.”

Sonia, possessed by a GPS, was chattering away, but I wasn’t really listening.

I was more worried about today’s mock exam.

What if I’m exposed?

[─ The God of Wisdom and Curiosity reminds you what happens if you don’t pass and warns you to be careful.]

Failure means destruction. And the mock exam will be the only indicator that can predict my demise.

I couldn’t help but be nervous.

600 seconds passed quicker than expected.

Sonia and I successfully docked with the cylindrical vessel. A sleek, clean gray-white dock welcomed us.

[Ergos General Academy]

[Mock Exam External Applicant Reception]

“We should go there.”

“Let’s go together.”

Sonia stuck close to me wherever I went.

Honestly, it’s embarrassing. It makes me look like I can’t do anything on my own.

Moreover, Sonia’s outfit stands out. Service androids usually wear plain, monotonous suits, not this kind of outfit.

– What’s with that person?

– They dressed their android in an old-fashioned maid outfit.

– Isn’t it for that purpose?

– Really? Ugh, disgusting. He must be completely insane!

My ominous predictions were not wrong. People lined up at the academy entrance looked at us and whispered.

Oh foreign gods. Why do you bring such trials upon me? I cannot bear these pouring gazes with a sober mind.

Just make me go crazy for now…!

“Sonia, let’s take off your headband and remove the ribbons. That would make you look a bit better.”

“No. The frills and ribbons are crucial matters.”

“Why?”

“Because they’re cute.”

Oh foreign gods.

Enduring the embarrassment, I lined up at the waiting area crowded with people. Being a mega-sized academy, there were many staff members.

Thanks to that, the line moved quickly. I registered for the mock exam and transferred 80,000 credits to the designated account.

“The payment has been confirmed… Oh, Eidel von Rheinland?”

The teaching assistant’s eyes widened like 500 won coins when she confirmed the account holder. I went inside before things could escalate.

“…Huh?”

A familiar voice came from right in front of me.

“Y-you, why are you here…?”

It was Seti who appeared before me. She almost dropped the coffee cup she was holding. Her expression showed how surprised she was.

I was just as surprised.

“What about you?”

“Well, I attend this academy…”

What a coincidence. I hadn’t paid attention to what Seti was doing outside, so I didn’t know.

Wait. That means Seti might know Edward…

“Ha, really. Just my luck. Of all people to meet before the mock exam, it had to be this bastard…”

Seti glared at me and spewed curses. I was used to this treatment by now. Ignoring it, I asked:

“Do you happen to know Teacher Meyer?”

“What?”

“Or should I call him Assistant? Anyway, someone named Edward.”

“Why do you want to know?”

“So you do know him?”

“……”

“He’s the person who’s been tutoring me for my interview.”

“Huh?”

Seti’s face crumpled. Before she could say anything, Sonia interjected.

“Come to think of it, miss and Mr. Meyer never met at home, did you?”

“Sonia, didn’t you know anything about this?”

“I didn’t know you two were acquainted. I also just found out today that miss is enrolled here.”

“I can understand why I didn’t know, but why didn’t you?”

I asked. Sonia stretched her neck and stared at me intently.

She moved her lips.

“Because I’m exclusively assigned to you, young master.”

“Being my exclusive doesn’t mean you should ignore my sister.”

“Taking care of just you is exhausting enough.”

Alright, alright. It’s my fault for having a lengthy conversation with this blue-haired beast.

Following the teaching assistant’s guidance into the classroom, I saw Edward teaching mathematics to students.

He looked incredibly happy. In contrast, most of the students listening to his lecture were as pale as dying people.

“Oh, Eidel, you’re here?”

Edward greeted me casually. Seti’s expression crumpled like a discarded piece of paper. She seemed quite shocked by Edward’s attitude toward me.

Edward approached with casual steps and said:

“Hey, Seti. Your brother saved me, you know? Now I can pay next semester’s tuition too.”

“No, that’s, with my money…”

Seti tried to say something but sighed and gave up.

Sonia went to wait in a corner, and I sat in my designated seat. Students began gathering around.

Seti and Edward continued their conversation at the front by the blackboard. It was too noisy to hear what they were saying.

After finishing their conversation, Seti approached me with a sullen expression…

“If you take money from my account without permission again, I’ll really kill you next time.”

…said that, and went to her seat at the back.

“……”

Threatening to kill me seems a bit much.

Still, I was glad her expression seemed more relaxed than before.

Yes, it looked fine for about 10 seconds.

Until that voice was heard.

“Hello, Seti. Seeing you again today?”

When I turned around at that slick voice, Seti was fuming again.

“…I thought you weren’t taking the exam. Why are you here?”

“Well, I thought it might be fun to participate after all. There’s a certain charm in watching fools struggle.”

“If you’re going to take the exam, go sit in your seat.”

“You’re so cold.”

Seti retorted sharply, but the girl didn’t leave.

She had platinum-white hair. She wore a white scarf around her neck and created a color contrast with a black cardigan. With a light pink hairpin holding back her bangs, her forehead was clearly visible.

Her overall appearance resembled Seti’s. The atmosphere was almost identical. They could be called sisters.

But there was a difference.

A difference in class that was hard to describe.

Her violet eyes, gleaming like ripe grapes, glared at Seti and then glanced at me. Despite her petite stature, her gaze exuded a threatening aura like a wolf on the hunt.

“Hmm, golden eyes. Golden eyes are rare, could you also be from the Rheinland family?”

The girl chuckled and addressed me.

I rolled my eyes to read Seti’s expression.

Don’t talk to her.

Don’t get involved.

That’s what she seemed to be saying.

I think so too.

I know very well who this girl is.

Of course, I clearly remember the main villains who betrayed humanity.

In a normal situation, I would have left immediately. She’s that dangerous. And she’ll become even more dangerous in the future.

But now there’s another problem.

The very big problem that she’s disrupting my sister’s exam preparation.

“Why aren’t you answering? How boring.”

“…Zernya Adelbein.”

“Oh? You know my name?”

“How could I not? When the news keeps promoting you as the star of Adelbein.”

The Adelbein family is both Seti’s maternal family and this girl’s paternal family.

Since Seti’s maternal family and my maternal family are different, we’re ultimately strangers who aren’t quite strangers.

Anyway, if I had to pick the biggest characteristic of the Adelbein family as portrayed in the story, I could say this:

They have nasty personalities.

“Well, that’s not strange. There are as many people who recognize me as there are stars in the Milky Way.”

Zernya narrowed her eyes as she continued.

She sat next to me. Bad luck. Her assigned seat was right here. But misfortune can also be fortune.

Without delay, I opened my mouth.

“Have you been bullying my sister?”

I asked directly. Zernya seemed surprised for a moment. Soon she twitched her eyebrows and began to chuckle.

“Ah, I see. So you’re that problem child of the Rheinland family. I was wondering.”

“……”

“Oh, right. This isn’t meant to be mockery. So don’t get angry, okay?”

Get angry? No way.

I was actually relieved.

Because Zernya, this woman, acts exactly the same whether in fiction or reality. She picks fights with anyone who seems beneath her, just like the rich villainess in chaebol dramas. That’s actually her position too.

Just then, the exam supervisor was entering. Seti had already returned to her seat, and teaching assistants including Edward began distributing the mock exam papers.

I silently accepted the exam paper and electronic answer sheet. Through the sound of rustling paper, the girl’s voice emerged from the seat next to me.

“Eidel von Rheinland.”

Zernya called my name.

“I heard you’re the troublemaker called the wrath of Rheinland, but it seems you still want to enter the academy?”

“……”

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean it with bad intentions.”

How would the original Eidel have reacted here?

He probably would have hit the back of Zernya’s head. No, he might have done something even worse.

I wasn’t that kind of madman. Like any other normal person, I silently opened my exam paper while Zernya kept needling me.

“Please check if there are any printing errors.”

“This is easy. All solvable problems.”

Zernya nodded her head and acted smug. Without turning her head, she twisted her lips while keeping her gaze on me.

I ignored her.

I gripped the pen and scribbled a few times to get a feel for it. I slightly raised my head to check the clock. Not much time left until the mock exam started.

When I didn’t react, she distorted her smile even more.

“You try your best too.”

She whispered beside me.

“I’ll crush you.”

To that, I gave my only response.

“Sure, crush me.”

[─ The God of Wisdom and Curiosity is shocked.]

“W-what did you just say?”

Ding-.

As her haughty expression stupidly contorted, the bell signaling the start of the mock exam rang.