Ch.58Midterm Exam – 1

The memory of taking a midterm exam had stopped quite a long time ago.

There was no time to take any exams during my first possession period, and after returning to my original world, I had to take a leave of absence due to severe trauma.

While I did have tests during private tutoring at the mansion and the academy entrance exam was technically a test, taking a standard midterm exam like this was something from quite a distant past.

If I combine the time I lived in the first world and the time I’ve lived in this world, it’s probably a little over 30 years.

“It wasn’t particularly difficult.”

And that was my impression of the midterm exam I was experiencing again after decades.

There was no butterfly effect from my actions that dramatically changed the exam questions, and thanks to what I’d been doing all along, I was able to solve the problems quite smoothly even without Priscilla’s help.

“Yes. It was nothing special. Everything came from what we studied.”

Aria nodded beside me.

“So I should take that to mean you memorized the entire textbook?”

“What? When taking an exam, isn’t it obvious that you need to memorize everything covered in class? How can you take an exam without memorizing the textbook?”

“……”

She memorized the entire exam material, which amounted to 200 pages—truly behavior befitting a romance fantasy protagonist. And there must be more than just one theory exam.

“…I’m trash.”

Although I was the one being addressed, the person who actually took damage was someone else. It was Brunhild, who would have had no connection to Bellium Academy if she hadn’t been chosen by the holy sword.

Having buried her head on her desk as soon as the exam ended and sinking into endless self-loathing, Brunhild received the finishing blow upon hearing those words.

“I told you to study. Did you think you could get good scores after sleeping through every lecture?”

Perhaps because she hadn’t been able to grow at all because of me, she hadn’t changed much compared to when we first became friends, even after two months. I should start giving her some experiences soon, but I need some visible demons for that.

“I did study for a week before… That’s why I’m even more shocked. I didn’t think I wouldn’t be able to solve a single problem.”

Well, for whatever reason, she did try pretty hard at the very end.

But given that this is the Empire’s top academy, the difficulty level of the problems was tremendous, so her few days of dabbling were far from enough. Actually, Brunhild was being quite shameless here, so I had nothing to say to her.

“M-maybe that’s possible? Since Leona has been completely avoiding studying, it’s natural she couldn’t solve any problems… And… well… A-anyway, someone like you could definitely score a zero, right?”

“Aria, you’re the worst.”

Meanwhile, Aria tried to offer comfort but ended up stabbing Brunhild’s heart with her festival of nonsense. Doubly depressed, Brunhild clung to my side.

“The next exam is… Wide-Area Annihilation Magic. You don’t have to take it, right, Miss Mira?”

“Yeah. They said I could take it regardless of whether my grade is already confirmed, but I’m going to skip it. If I participate, it would be cheating. Why provoke others unnecessarily?”

While everyone is struggling to get even slightly better scores, having someone who’s guaranteed a perfect score come in just for fun? Even I wouldn’t look kindly on that.

“Hmm… Then if I get a perfect score, I’ll be tied with you, Miss Mira?”

“You’re confident, aren’t you?”

“Of course. I told you before. I won’t lose next time.”

Aria stuck out her tongue slightly and smiled. She had been dejected after seeing me last time, but whatever happened since then, she seemed to have regained her confidence.

Perhaps the first exam was easier than she expected, which explains her reaction.

“By the way, what about lunch? The cafeteria should be open, but it’s kind of an awkward time to eat, isn’t it?”

Since the exam was held at the same time as regular lectures and took an hour and a half, we had half the usual time free. At 10:30, it was still an awkward time for lunch.

“I’m going to my room to prepare for the Wide-Area Annihilation Magic exam. What about you, Leona? Want to study with me?”

“…I think I’ll just go to the club room and get some sugar.”

“Then I’ll go with you! I can help you study, right? With four and a half hours, I can memorize an entire book!”

“Ugh.”

Aria casually uttered words that only geniuses of the century could say, and dragged the disgusted Brunhild toward the dormitory. She didn’t forget to wave at me as she left.

After seeing them off, I went to find Priscilla, who was in my room’s bed, having finished the exam in just 10 minutes despite the allotted time of an hour and a half.

When I submitted my exam paper after just 10 minutes, the professor gave me a meaningful look, but after I perfectly explained the solution process for a couple of problems, they let me go with a weary expression.

“Was I helpful?”

“Yes. Extremely.”

“…I’m glad. Yes, I’m really glad. Thank you for letting me help you, Mira…”

Priscilla thanked me for allowing her to help, even though she was the one providing assistance. I accepted her gratitude, but with a bitter taste in my mouth. I wondered if Priscilla would ever be able to reduce her dependence on me.

“Mira! I got two problems right?”

“…How?”

“I just held the holy sword and drew whatever came to mind, and somehow it worked? I was surprised too. I was like, ‘Wow, this actually works?'”

“Isn’t that just the holy sword helping you because it couldn’t bear to watch anymore?”

“Do you always have to say things like that?”

The day after Brunhild finished her exam, somehow getting two problems right—whether through the holy sword’s help or incredible luck.

Having completed the morning exam without any issues, just like the first day, I was preparing for the practical combat midterm exam.

This time, it was a real combat test, true to the subject name. While until now it had been more like semi-non-lethal duels, today we would be wearing special magical tools created by the chairman and fighting as if it were a real battle.

Another difference from usual was that the scale of the duel would be enormously expanded.

The times for the midterm and final exams of practical combat are announced to all students, and since they are always held in the Colosseum, anyone who wishes can observe from the audience seats.

‘It’s called an exam, but it’s practically a tournament.’

Of course, this only applies to first-years; from the second year onwards, exams return to being conducted normally.

Since students are most competitive right after admission and it’s a limited-time event that serves as a spectacle, the attendance rate of second and third-year students is also quite high.

‘Though I think there are other reasons for the high attendance rate…’

As I was thinking about those “other reasons,” Brunhild, who had been fiddling with the holy sword at her waist, asked a question.

“Aria. Does this really help improve skills? Won’t people make more mistakes due to nervousness?”

“That’s what they say. I guess since everyone who got admitted here has a high self-awareness, most people actually perform better in situations like this. That’s the conclusion the chairman reached after observing students for decades.”

“Well, after watching for decades, I suppose you’d develop some confidence. But what about the people who don’t fall into that ‘most’ category?”

“The chairman said that if someone can’t perform to their full ability just because there’s an audience, then this path isn’t for them in the first place.”

“…That sounds like an irresponsible statement, but why does it make sense?”

Brunhild made a face of peculiar acceptance. Aria, having finished her answer, came closer to me.

“Do you know how the match-ups were arranged?”

“Not really.”

“They say they considered weapon compatibility, magic affinity, and individual grades to ensure everyone can demonstrate their full abilities. Oh, and apparently they made a special exception this time.”

“Exception? What kind of exception?”

“They arranged it so that Leona and Miss Mira meet at the very end?”

“…That was approved?”

“The chairman personally suggested it, saying both of you have skills too valuable to meet in the middle. They even asked the first-year students while you were away, and no one objected. Everyone seems to think it’s the right decision.”

“……”

With an expression of peculiar acceptance like Brunhild’s, I took my seat in the first-year waiting area. It was a spot where Priscilla, sitting far away, could see me.

Priscilla had been sitting in the audience looking quite depressed, but as soon as I appeared, she fixed her gaze on me and grinned broadly.

Rosaria was on standby near the Colosseum, ready to be deployed at any moment in case holy healing was needed.

Usually, they invite high priests from the Starlight Order to observe, but since the atmosphere was unsettled, Rosaria personally volunteered. The academy, of course, welcomed her with open arms.

—By the way, did you hear about this, Mira? They say you can bet on who will win among the first-years in this exam, but you and the hero were excluded from the betting pool.

—I have so many questions, but first, let me ask why we were excluded.

—Because you’re both too overpowered. The odds were so skewed that people would lose money even if they bet correctly. I heard they might open a one-time betting opportunity if both of you make it to the finals?

I smiled as I recalled yesterday’s conversation. Personally, I think that’s the real reason for the high participation rate among second and third-years.

It’s a legitimate gambling opportunity that only comes four times a year within the academy, which they tacitly allow because being too strict with students isn’t good either.

Judging by the fact that I was excluded along with Brunhild the hero, it seems rumors had spread among the second and third-year students as well.

“Ah, ah! Welcome to the Colosseum, everyone! You are about to take the midterm exam for the practical combat course!”

Jake, standing in front of a voice amplification magical tool—basically just a microphone—shouted with booming volume. “Everyone,” he says, but this is still an academy.

Anyway, the first-years were so excited by the situation itself that they didn’t care what they were called and let out fierce cheers. The second and third-years, who had their money on the line, were the same.

“Everyone received a magical tool when entering, right? That’s a special item created by the chairman that objectively quantifies and displays the damage you receive! If you take damage above a certain threshold, you lose, so keep that in mind! It also incorporates top-tier defensive magic, so feel free to fight with full power!”

It sounds like a cheating device, but the reason it’s only used for student exams rather than in actual combat is simple.

The entire Colosseum was built specifically for this magical tool.

Given its cheat-like options, it can’t function properly without this level of support. There’s no way such a thing could be used in actual combat where the battlefield constantly changes.

“Well, I’m off! See you in the finals, Mira!”

Brunhild, who was in the first group, stepped forward energetically. I was in the very last group.

“Miss Mira.”

While I was watching everyone find their opponents in overlapping spaces to conduct the exam simultaneously—there were quite a lot of people—Aria approached me.

“Would you like to make a bet with me?”

“I’ll at least hear what it is. If it’s something unreasonable, I won’t do it.”

“If we keep winning according to the bracket, Leona and I will meet in the semifinals, right?”

“That’s how it would go.”

“The bet is whether I can beat Leona or not.”

Slightly surprised by the unexpected content, I looked to the side.

“I’ll bet that I win.”

Aria was smiling in a way completely different from usual—perhaps even slightly eerie.

“What about you, Miss Mira?”