Chapter 27

“This is the last group, right? It’s late, but there’s a sense of achievement in trying to find the answer until the end. Perfect score. Good job, Myo.”

Miraculously, the first test was concluded with the group that scored a perfect score at the last moment. I chuckled at that group.

No matter how I looked at it, that group seemed to be the one that belonged to the author of the first test cheat sheet I read. Since they were one of the only two groups that got a perfect score with my method, I’m sure they were right.

‘Even an extra experiences what’s bound to happen.’

But as extras, that was as far as they went. Luck only comes once, twice in a row is too much to ask for. So, the next test had to refer to a different cheat sheet.

Anyway,The current atmosphere was almost like that of a funeral. Especially the groups that scored zero were all looking dazed as if they had received a huge shock. Still, there were groups that managed to pull themselves together despite their shattered mental state.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. We’re not the only ones who scored zero.”

“Yeah, we can make up for it in the next test.”

“Let’s fight again.”

A positive attitude is good. But I want to say one thing to them.

…………Sorry, but it’s a one coin game.

Clap, clap.

Professor Karen applauded.

“Now, all the students who scored zero, please go sit at the back. We need to proceed with the next test.”

The students’ reaction to her words was as if they were thinking, ‘What strange thing is this professor saying now?’

“Huh?”

“What do you mean by that?”

Students immediately bombarded her with questions. Professor Karen repeated Nonchalantly.

“Students who scored zero, please quickly go sit at the back so as not to interfere with the next test.”

“No, aren’t we supposed to take the test together?”

“No, that’s not it, students who scored zero are not qualified for the next test.”

“What, what did you say?”

Boom.

It wasn’t a joke those who scored zero must have really felt like the sky was falling in their minds.

As if it wasn’t sad enough to score zero, they’re also not qualified for the next test?

It’s like being hit again where it already hurts. Of course, they had no choice but to protest vehemently.

“How can you say such a thing, Professor?”

“That’s right! It doesn’t make sense to proceed like that!”

“Disqualification? That’s unheard of!”

The test had so many zeros that the momentum of their numbers was frightening.

The problem was that Professor Karen was not someone who would blink an eye at such protests.

“What doesn’t make sense? According to the school rules, it’s entirely up to the professor how to conduct the evaluation.”

“No matter how much discretion you have, that doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want, Professor. It should be within the bounds of social norms………….”

Oh, someone’s learned. But the opponent is Professor Karen. Once she’s made up her mind, neither logic nor emotional appeals will work on her.

“It’s okay. It won’t exceed that level. So, everyone, please quietly go and sit at the back.”

“I can’t accept this!”

“If you can’t accept it, then go through the formal complaint procedure with the academy later. If there’s any responsibility to be taken, I’ll take it all.”

She even went so far as to say that if they wanted to complain formally, they should do so.

When the professor says this much, the students have no choice but to give in. The funny thing is, there was actually someone who later made a formal complaint to the academy. The result was ‘no problem,’ but,

“Professor!”

“NOW ALL THE STUDENTS WHO SCORED 0 SIT AT THE BACK AND BE SILENT.”

There it was. The infuriated Professor Karen. Her mouth was smiling, but her red eyes flashed with a chilling light. It’s definitely not a mistake to feel a chill down your spine. She was blatantly exuding her presence.

But in fact, the presence wasn’t the important thing. Is it not scary when someone who’s always been gentle suddenly becomes serious? There’s nothing scarier than that. Only then did the students who scored zero quiet down.

They sensed the ominous atmosphere. Eventually, they went and sat at the back with gloomy faces. Almost half had disappeared, making the examination hall feel as empty as if it were the first time.

The expressions of those who remained were not good either. They must have been alerted that they could end up like that at any time. Internally, they might have breathed a sigh of relief, but their faces were filled with more tension.

“Then let’s start the second test right away.”

And so, the second challenge began.

“As you all know, I majored in elemental magic. And I’m teaching you elemental magic.”

The students still didn’t grasp what she was saying. Professor Karen continued.

“What is the essence of this interesting elemental magic? The answer is simple. It’s the sense of feeling the element itself. Arrangement? Structure? Formula? Those are just secondary parts.

It was a universally known statement.”

Just as one must learn to crawl before learning to run, one must be able to feel the elements to begin elemental magic. So, it’s definitely an essential foundation, but the students couldn’t help but question why she was bringing it up all of a sudden.

Why?

Because everyone here can use elemental magic, and of course, they all have the sense to feel the elements.

“So, this time, I want to test if you can distinguish the elements by sensation. The seven elements.”

A test to distinguish elements. The students reacted as if they were thinking, ‘You’re testing that?’

It made sense. Fire is hot, water is wet, earth is solid, electricity is thrilling, wind is fluttering, light is bright, and darkness is dark.

That’s such basic and obvious common knowledge. With that knowledge alone, distinguishing elements is a very simple task. It’s not something worth testing. But of course, Professor Karen wouldn’t bring up such a basic topic.

Knowing this, the students were busy speculating about the real intent of the professor’s test.

“Come on, one group at a time from the front. Let’s start right away.”

This time, she decided the order herself. Naturally, the faces of the groups in front frowned, and those in the back looked relieved. There’s nothing good about being called first for a test they don’t even understand.

“Come out quickly.”

“……Understood.”

The first group reluctantly came forward. Professor Karen said to them, who showed signs of nervousness.

“From now on, I will create seven elements. You have 30 seconds to observe them and 30 seconds to discuss and answer what element it is. Simple, right?”

Soon, energy flowed from her hand. The energy was precisely divided into seven energies and fixed in the air.

But.

“What, what is this?”

The leader of the first group asked her with wide eyes. The energy was definitely felt. But there was no form. It was literally formless. So, it was impossible to know what it was.

“It’s an element.”

“……This is an element?”

“Yes. It’s a formless element. But even though it’s formless, the essence of the element is still intact. Try to feel and distinguish it.”

Formless elements. That’s something everyone might have heard about at least once. It’s a term used to describe elements before they fully take shape, briefly mentioned in elemental magic textbooks.

But that was it. No student had seen it directly, let alone expected such a problem to come up.

Why?

Because it was just a passing part that would never be included in a test. So, the students couldn’t help but feel ridiculous and dumbfounded.

“No way, you want us to distinguish formless elements?”

“That’s too much, isn’t it? It’s not an important part.”

“They’re just trying to ruin our grades on purpose, aren’t they?”

The students burst out in dissatisfaction. But Professor Karen’s expression remained calm.

“Not important? That can’t be. This is a sufficiently important and meaningful test. Does any student know what that means?”

As if anyone would know. Except for me, who had seen the cheat sheet, everyone else must have thought so, but there’s always an exception to the rule. That person raised their hand. It was Elaine, the top student of the second year.

But the thing is. I had already raised my hand. Since I had caught the professor’s eye, I was planning to make a more definite impression.

“Uh, what?”

“Both of them?”

“Why Max?”

The atmosphere became strange because of me. The top student of the grade and the worst troublemaker raised their hands at the same time. Could there be a more awkward scene than this?

Elaine, who raised her hand with me, seemed surprised and couldn’t hide her astonishment.

Ah, I see. Let’s take this opportunity to improve her image. I sent her a friendly smile.

But.

She quickly turned her gaze away as if she had seen something creepy. Sorry, honor student. My bad. I shook my head, and someone looked at me with a very interested gaze.

I didn’t need to see who it was. Of course, it was Professor Karen. She pointed at me. Probably more curious about what answer I would give than Elaine.

“Student Max, tell us.”

I started to answer with a relaxed face.

“According to a paper published in the renowned magical journal MCI in the 10th month of the year, formless elements are the substances closest to the pure essence of elements. Therefore, distinguishing formless elements is a good way to test the fundamental sense of feeling elements. In fact, the Light Tower, among three other towers, has verified its effectiveness and plans to introduce it as a basic test for their affiliated magicians.”

A fluent explanation. I simply recited what I had read in the cheat sheet, so it had to be fluent.

But the reaction of those who didn’t know? They had to be astonished.

Students looked at me with disbelief, as my intellectual capacity was not supposed to produce such an answer. Even Elaine was frozen in shock.

Sorry.

That was originally your answer. I smiled inwardly. Anyway.

Professor Karen’s voice broke the momentarily bizarre, frozen atmosphere.

“Excellent, excellent. That’s a very good answer.”

She seemed very pleased, repeating ‘excellent’ three times. Her eyes were like those of an older sister looking at her proud younger brother. Honestly, it was a bit much. Maybe I made too much of an impression. In that situation, Professor Karen asked me again in a subtle voice.

“Do you know who the author of that paper is?”

Knowing the intent of the question, I smirked. Then I answered.

“Karen Mayfield, Professor Karen.”

“That’s right. It’s my paper.”

Professor Karen nodded with satisfaction. She continued.

“Well, that’s not important…”

…Wasn’t it important enough to ask?

“Everyone heard, right? About the meaning of this test…”

A test listed in a prestigious journal, written by the professor herself. And that same person is conducting the test in her class? There was no room left for objections. The students had to accept it.

But.

“Wait a minute! Something’s off! This smells fishy!”

“Max No… I mean, Max can’t possibly give such an answer. Could the test information have leaked beforehand?”

New suspicions arose among the students.

Hey, hey.

I understand the sentiment, but you’ve gone too far. You shouldn’t cross the line. Professor Karen’s voice turned cold.

“Are you suspecting and insulting a fellow student without any evidence? Can you take responsibility for those words?”

It was the first time the students saw Professor Karen so serious. It must have been an unacceptable remark. The atmosphere froze instantly.

“That, that’s…”

The students who had blurted out their doubts were now scared and didn’t know what to do.

Pressed by Professor Karen’s formidable presence and realizing their serious slip up, they apologized.

“I’m sorry.”

But.

“Apologize to the person concerned, not to me.”

Professor Karen spoke sternly. So the students had no choice but to apologize to me.

“I’m sorry.”

“…Sorry.”

I showed magnanimity befitting the heir to a count’s estate.

“It’s okay. Anyone can make a slip of the tongue.”

But my generosity, so different from my usual attitude, only made their faces stiffen more. Tiring. So tiring.

“You’re lucky Student Max accepted your apology so generously.”

“……Yes, Professor.”

Professor Karen settled the situation and then said.

“Now that everyone seems to understand the meaning of the test, let’s start again.”

‘…Impossible.’

Elaine couldn’t take her eyes off Max. The notorious troublemaker who had once committed a serious act of rudeness against her. Since then, she had tried not to have any contact with him. But now, she couldn’t stop thinking about him.

Why?

Because she couldn’t understand.

‘He read that paper…?’

MCI journal. It’s one of the top three authoritative journals in the magical academic world. Naturally, the level of papers published is high. Most of the papers are too difficult for academy students to even understand. Of course, Professor Karen’s paper mentioned earlier wasn’t academically challenging to understand.

A top student could understand it. But that’s not the issue. The problem was that she had seen that difficult journal. No one reads a journal expecting to understand only 10% of it, which 90% can’t understand.

But Max? It doesn’t make sense. No, it’s even doubtful whether he has the magical knowledge to understand Professor Karen’s paper.

‘But that answer…’

Without a clear understanding, such a confident answer would be impossible. So it was even more incomprehensible.

‘It’s strange. Too strange…’

Then did Professor Karen take a bribe and give Max a hint beforehand? No, that’s even less likely. Considering her personality and her position, it’s impossible.

Who is she?

She’s a genius magician, the pride of the Mayfield family, one of the ten great magical families on the continent. Professor Karen, with such a reputation, has no reason or possibility to do such a ridiculous thing.

In the end, all questions return to square one. There’s no clue to a convincing answer. Or maybe just one.

‘He’s been hiding his skills?’

“That’s ridiculous.”

Elaine shook her head and dismissed that answer.

“What are you thinking about?”

Suddenly, to her friend’s voice. Elaine snapped back to reality.

“Oh, just thinking about this test…”

Her friend smiled wryly.

“That’s reassuring, friend. We’ll just try not to be a burden.”

Her friend was also one of the top talents in the royal class.

But even such a talented friend became infinitely humble in front of Elaine. There’s an insurmountable wall between a talented individual and a genius.

“Hey, don’t embarrass me by saying that.”

Accepting her friend’s words, Elaine thought. She decided to keep a close eye on Max for the day.