Ch.9797 – Bad Kid

<97 – Bad Kid>

“Waaaaaah.”

“Don’t cry, Titosoga!”

“Everyone’s only scolding me, and the spotlight I thought would make me popular just gets me bullied, waaaaaah.”

Titosoga was crying so pitifully that anyone watching would feel sympathy for her.

“That’s because they’re idiots! They’re fools who would blame the victim when a kidnapper commits a crime and then doesn’t get paid on time!”

“But the professor isn’t a kidnapper.”

“She kidnaps our grades and demands assignments if we want them back.”

“I guess that’s true…?”

Titosoga finally stopped crying.

“From now on, you shouldn’t cry when you feel sad. How are you going to survive in this harsh academy if you do that?”

“*Sniff* Okay. I’ll try to be stronger.”

I successfully managed to comfort the crying Titosoga.

“Oknodie. When you have time, behind this…”

“Sorry. I have ‘Basics and Understanding of Mana Usage’ for third period.”

“What about fourth period?”

“Fourth period I have ‘Ranged Weapon Mastery’ class.”

“And fifth period… you have ‘Adventurer’s Night Activities’ class, right?”

“Yes.”

Titosoga looked at me like I was the most pitiful person in the world.

In my opinion, any student who attends lectures back-to-back starting Monday deserves such a look.

“Oknodie. Actually, I was planning to skip fifth period classes from this week.”

“Really?”

“But I’ll try to be brave one more time. Today I’m definitely going to attend the Adventurer’s Night Activities lecture without fainting.”

“…Wouldn’t it be better to just drop the class at that point?”

“No! I’m definitely going. I can’t let Oknodie attend that scary lecture alone. We’re friends!”

I wondered who was really worried about whom, but anyway, Titosoga parted with newfound courage.

She was a friend with a beautiful heart who found strength and determination in helping Oknodie through hardship rather than focusing on her own struggles.

If I were a meta-chasing player, I wouldn’t have cared if Titosoga got bullied and eventually expelled.

But veteran players care more about what feels right than optimal performance.

That’s why I have no choice but to help Titosoga!

[You have strengthened your friendship with the pitiful Titosoga through appropriate communication and comfort.]

[Speech Experience +3]

[Good Kid Experience +1]

My steps felt a little lighter as I headed to the next lecture.

* *

[You have perfectly memorized 5 formulas and 20 basic combinations for collecting mana puzzles.]

[You are rewarded with 100 points.]

[Memorization Experience +3]

[Mana Arts Experience +3]

My light footsteps turned into heavy sighs.

This was because Professor Warerd had assigned a mountain of homework.

“Memorize all 20 formulas. We’ll have a pop quiz in the next lecture. Also analyze 5 cases where each formula was used. While you’re at it, it would be good to collect one actual substance where each formula has been applied.”

Dorothy asked.

“Professor… the assignment is due next Monday, right?”

“The next lecture is on Wednesday, so why would I need to extend the deadline?”

“I think the workload might be a bit much…”

“If you knew how much more homework I could assign, you wouldn’t think that.”

Dorothy’s face turned pale at the professor’s chilling words, and she clamped her mouth shut.

‘We almost saw Dorothy become Titosoga 2.0!’

With Dorothy’s spirit broken, Rozini, an apprentice mage from the Red Tower, lit up with fire in her eyes and protested.

“Professor. We’re not just taking this class; we’re taking other classes too. We don’t have time to complete all these assignments. Couldn’t you reduce them a little?”

“Who told you to take other classes?”

“What??”

“Nature magic is the best magic. Natural science is the supreme discipline. You don’t have enough time to prepare because you don’t accept this fact and take other useless classes.”

“But if we don’t earn credits, we can’t advance to second year.”

“That’s fine. Research students who join a professor’s lab can take upper-level courses without advancing a grade. It’s entirely possible with just a recommendation letter.”

The crazy professor revealed her true colors in just the third lecture.

Demanding that freshmen who had just started adapting to academy life in their second week mortgage their entire future to the professor and live as slaves!

As Rozini’s face turned as red as her tower’s color with rage, Sandcooker, an apprentice mage from the Yellow Tower who had already become the professor’s assistant, spoke up.

“Professor… you didn’t recruit us as assistants with that intention, did you?”

“Is that wrong?”

The students realized.

How cruel and merciless a professor obsessed with the ruthlessness of nature could be.

But Sandcooker, true to his reputation as a mentally tough Yellow Tower apprentice mage, didn’t lose heart and clearly continued making his point.

“What’s done is done. We completed our course registration before hearing Professor Warerd’s excellent lectures. Please show mercy and consider this the inexperience of freshmen.”

“Hmph. How foolish. But you know a bit more than last year’s freshmen. I’ll be generous. You don’t have to do the assignment of collecting actual substances where formulas have been applied.”

One assignment was reduced.

Clap, clap, clap.

Whistle!

Sincere applause erupted in the classroom.

I clapped too.

I genuinely admired Sandcooker for having the courage to stand up to the professor.

“Students who still want to do it can, though.”

The students laughed, thinking it was a joke.

“Who would do that when we barely have enough time as it is?”

“Right. We were just told we don’t have to do it.”

“Don’t you think that’s absurd, Oknodie? No one would do such an extra assignment.”

I awkwardly smiled and avoided Dorothy’s gaze.

“Oknodie?!”

Sorry, Dorothy.

I can’t resist bonus points.

* *

Unlike the relatively mild atmosphere at the end of the Understanding Natural Magic lecture, the end of Monday’s fourth period “Ranged Weapon Mastery” class was as horrific as the “Developing Insight” class.

“Due to the heavy rain warning today, we’ll substitute with an indoor lecture.”

Students practiced archery, throwing knives, or shooting guns with targets set up indoors.

Professor EveningShooter, who had been pushing the curriculum insanely fast with racing competitions from the second lecture, seemed quite displeased with this indoor substitute.

“Since today’s lecture was relatively easy, I’ll assign homework instead. Everyone wear this bracelet on the arm you use for ranged weapons.”

“Professor, what is this?”

“Ah, this is an automatic recording bracelet. It only comes off after you’ve completed a designated number of shots and throws. The usage is simple. Instructor, demonstrate.”

The skilled instructor pressed a button on the bracelet and aimed a laser at the wall.

When he pressed the button again, a virtual target appeared at that location.

“Aim at the target and hit it. The closer to the center, the higher your score. You need to accumulate 1000 points each at distances of 50m, 100m, 150m, and 200m.”

“To prevent casualties, it won’t work on living beings or near them, so don’t whine that it’s broken. That is all.”

The target scores range from 10 points to 0 points.

A proficiency training assignment requiring an enormous number of shots or throws—at minimum 100 each, but potentially over 1000 times if you can’t finish!

Students were beginning to realize they should worry about dying from overwork.

“Oknodie. Even if we stay up all night, there won’t be enough time to complete this. Isn’t there some way?”

“Oh? Then I’ll tell you a method!”

“Really? Is there a way to cheat?”

“Climb to the highest place you can find and create targets below you. That way you can shoot many arrows with minimal effort!”

“Ooh, that’s a great idea. So where is such a place?”

“Mountains and cliffs?”

“…Have you seen what it’s like outside?”

This guy, typical lower-class student, trying to take the easy way out.

“If you want to do the assignment easily, you have to make some sacrifices!”

“Finding mountains or cliffs while running through that downpour and avoiding giant crabs seems much harder?!”

“Morb, you’re being too dramatic.”

“Argh! I’m so angry. So angry!”

Morb pounded his chest in distress.

[Your cruel advice has terrified the lower-class students.]

[Intimidation Experience +3]

[Bad Kid Experience +1]

Why?!

I was just giving friendly advice!!

* *

After the eventful lectures ended.

When dinner time came, I ran into a very annoyed Isabelle.

“Oknodie. Leaving me alone with this huge king crab.”

“I’m sorry. Hehe. But I couldn’t leave Titosoga alone, could I?”

“If only you couldn’t speak, I wouldn’t dislike you.”

Isabelle sighed lightly, ruffled my hair roughly, and pointed to the table.

“Come help pull off some legs. The pincers are too hard, so we need more people to break the legs.”

Students taking the “Developing Insight” class had gathered with the sole determination to eat the king crab’s meat and were all struggling to break the legs and shell into pieces small enough to fit in the steamer.

“Okay.”

Those who don’t work shall not eat.

That’s a good saying.

As I hummed and snapped the legs with my hands, the second-year senior sitting next to me gaped in shock.

“Hey…”

“Yes?”

“We haven’t given out the steel scissors for cutting the legs yet… did you just break that with your bare hands…?”

Why would I need scissors?

“You can just tear them off with strength, right?”

[Students around you are terrified as you show off your strength.]

[Boldness Experience +1]

[Bad Kid Experience +1]

…Why does everything I do make me a bad kid?

I’m starting to dislike the system’s output messages today.

If this keeps up, I might actually become twisted?