Chapter 93: Midterm Exam (4)

I made a mistake. A completely ridiculous mistake.

I had believed that I was somewhat familiar with the basic ethical norms that are commonly accepted among humans.

I had thoroughly studied them 500 years ago, and after my reincarnation, I had lived for 10 years without any major issues.

So, I thought I had successfully integrated into human society.

Because of this, I didn’t study morality in particular.

After all, any problems that might arise at the level of a 15-year-old would surely be basic matters of etiquette.

I didn’t even realize that this was the arrogance that would lead me to ruin.

“I know what you’re thinking.”

Sion spoke with an uncomfortable expression.

“You’re probably thinking that I forgot about the racial differences and answered based on the values I held during my time as the Demon King. Am I wrong?”

-“Huh? No, that’s not it?”

“No.”

Sion was not that foolish.

She was aware of the vast differences between the values of the Demon Race and humanity.

If one were to take a moral test based on the Demon Race, who routinely betrayed and killed without a second thought, it would obviously lead to disaster.

That’s why Sion had used the mindset of the noble and virtuous hero, Lier, whom she knew well, as her benchmark for the test.

Even with that, her score turned out to be a disaster.

“After hearing this, you’ll probably be astonished by how absurd the answers were. The things presented as correct were so one-dimensional and short-sighted.

I’ll now go over the questions one by one and you can try solving them yourself.”

-“Alright. I’ll listen.”

Exia was also curious.

What kind of questions had been on the test to result in such a pathetic score of 53?

Typically, when situations like this occurred, it was often due to Sion’s unique way of thinking, but her frustration seemed genuine.

“Okay, let’s start with question 3.”

Sion cleared her throat and said:

“Question 3. When you encounter a symbol depicting two snakes crossing, what is the most appropriate action to take?”

1. Ignore it and continue on your way.
2. Report it to the nearest religious order or Inquisition.
3. Immediately track down the original owner and stab them.
4. Put it in a drawer and keep it safely stored.
5. Immediately burn the object, leaving no trace.

What’s the answer?”

-“Uh…”

The Holy Sword, after hearing the question, thought for a moment.

A symbol with two snakes crossing was clearly associated with the followers of the Evil God Zairef.

These were the malignant cells of the continent that needed to be eradicated.

Given that, the answer was probably…

-“Option 5? Since their symbol must be destroyed on sight.”

“But what if you destroy a valuable piece of evidence by doing that? Wouldn’t you be helping the cultists instead?”

-“Hmm? Oh, you’re right. We can’t just throw away clues recklessly.”

Exia reconsidered and then turned to the next most sensible option.

-“Option 3?”

“Yes! You think so too, right?!”

Sion jumped up, looking at Exia as though she had found an ally, her face full of relief.

-“Eh? You think 3 is the answer? But… isn’t it actually wrong?”

“That’s right! The answer key says 2 is correct!”

-“What?!”

Now it was Exia’s turn to be shocked.

-“Wait a minute. If the cult has already infiltrated the religious order, what do we do then?

The followers of Zairef often disguise themselves as local clergy to infiltrate… if that’s the case, wouldn’t we be walking right into the tiger’s den and offering them evidence on a silver platter?! That’s far too complacent!”

“Exactly?!”

-“Yes! And even if the local church isn’t corrupted, it would take time to organize a proper response team after the report is made.

In the meantime, what about the villagers being sacrificed through human sacrifices and other horrors? Isn’t it urgent that we deal with it immediately?”

“Exactly!!!”

Sion nodded vigorously.

She had thought she was the one who was wrong, but even the Holy Sword was now agreeing with her.

This was outrageous.

To think that the score had been cut down for such ridiculous reasons—she would be furious too if it were her.

When did the church become so soft?

-“Anything else? What other questions are there?”

“Just wait a moment.”

Sion turned the page of her test paper, looking at the next question.

“Alright, next is question 5.”

“When someone spreads baseless slander that damages my reputation, what is the most appropriate action to take?”

1. Spread false rumors in retaliation.
2. Ignore it and wait for the rumors to die down.
3. Go to the nearest legal authority and sue for defamation.
4. Gather a mob and lynch the person in a dark alley.
5. Immediately throw your gloves at them and challenge them to a duel.

What’s the answer?”

This time, Exia didn’t hesitate.

-“Option 5!”

“Wrong! That’s an incorrect answer!”

-“Eh?!!? Why?!”

This one really didn’t make sense.

Wouldn’t it be obvious to settle it through a duel? After all, her reputation had been ruthlessly slandered.

So, what else was she supposed to do?

-“Wait, if it’s not option 5, what is the correct answer?”

“Option 3. It says you need to go to the judicial authorities and ask for arbitration. The textbook teaches that ‘private retribution is never acceptable.’”

-“??? But that takes forever to process! What about the damage done to us in the meantime? People will keep calling us cowards!”

“Who knows?! All I know is the answer sheet says 3!”

Sion growled, clearly displeased with the changed values.

It felt absurd that she couldn’t deal with someone who had been slandering her with malicious intent.

How much tougher had the world become?

She longed for the past.

-“No more! I can’t take it anymore! What’s the next question? Tell me!”

“Hmph, don’t rush me. Let me look.”

Ignoring the impatient Exia, Sion flipped to the last page of the test and read the final question.

“Question 20. This time it’s a subjective question.”

“A debate is raging across the continent about whether to abolish the system of hanging executions. Choose a side—either for or against—and explain at least two reasons.”

-“Hanging executions, huh…”

She knew this was a form of capital punishment where the condemned person was hung by a rope.

She had seen it a few times, so she understood it well.

-“What did you write? Was it in favor or against?”

“I was in favor.”

-“Really? What’s the reason?”

“First, hanging is an excessively filthy and dishonorable method of execution.

As you know, a body that dies from strangulation has its anus open after death, causing waste to leak out.

It’s extremely unhygienic. Moreover, the person being hanged thrashes about and goes mad until they die, which is a very unpleasant sight to witness.

It would be better to cut off their head with a sword or guillotine, which is a quicker, more dignified way of carrying out the execution.

Wouldn’t that preserve the dignity of the condemned?”

Exia nodded.

-“That’s reasonable. What’s the other reason?”

“Second, if hanging is such a dishonorable death, it should only be given to heinous criminals or cultists who deserve it.

From that perspective, hanging is too merciful.

There are countless other punishments that would inflict the appropriate amount of pain, like burning at the stake, breaking on the wheel, or being drawn and quartered.

There’s no reason to choose hanging. Don’t you think?”

-“Mm…”

Exia hesitated for a moment.

She realized that Sion and her values differed greatly on this issue.

She believed that if someone wasn’t truly evil enough to deserve a painful death, they should be sent off quickly and without suffering.

But Sion’s reasoning wasn’t entirely without merit.

After all, the church burned heretics on the cross for similar reasons.

-“I don’t personally agree with this opinion, but it doesn’t seem like logic that would be marked wrong. Is it wrong, though?”

“Yes. When I looked at the example logic written on the answer sheet, I was shocked.

It said something like ‘Once a person is dead, they cannot come back, so even if their innocence is later proven, there’s no way to undo it.’

Isn’t that more in line with the argument for abolishing the death penalty rather than supporting hanging? Why confuse the two?

Do you understand?”

-“Yeah…”

Exia tilted her head, looking puzzled.

Neither of them knew the long passage of time that had passed until Sien reincarnated as Sion.

They didn’t know what changes had occurred during that time.

Nowadays, no country on the continent would carry out executions like burning at the stake or beheading.

The only socially accepted form of execution is hanging.

In modern times, hanging = execution.

It’s no longer widely practiced except in cases of major national upheaval, and even then, it’s often the subject of debates led by clergy concerned with human rights.

The moral exam they had been discussing was, in fact, centered on that very debate.

But Sion and Exia didn’t know.

They couldn’t have known.

Sion had jumped forward 500 years and lived most of her life locked away in a royal palace after reincarnation.

Exia, too, had spent most of that long time in a temple.

That’s why they were ignorant—because they hadn’t experienced the 500 years of change in thought and ethics that had taken place during that time.

Ethics change and evolve with the times.

What was once common and accepted in the past is often seen as taboo today.

However, Sion, who came from the Demon Realm where the concept of ethics didn’t exist, couldn’t have grasped such subtle logic.

That was the biggest oversight and irreversible mistake she made in dealing with this exam.

-“Something seems off… The modern Elpidion seems so much stricter. Is this really the same world I knew?”

“You’re right.”

Sion sighed.

But there was nothing to be done now.

The damage had already been done.

Time couldn’t be reversed, not even for a demon king.

They had no choice but to accept the results humbly.

Yes, humbly…

click!

Just then, Sion bit her lip.

“No, no! I can’t accept failing the moral exam!”

She could fail any subject—language, math, history, magic, swordsmanship, anything—because the hero’s role is to wield a sword, not a pen.

But moral studies, moral studies… that was a matter of principle!

In her mind, the consequences of this event unfolded like a panorama.

Sion, the hero of the continent.

The star of hope, a savior who descended once more after 500 years.

To think she would fail in moral studies of all subjects! While everyone else passed?

She could already see it.

Her reputation as a hero would plummet immediately, and Sion would become the laughingstock of the people.

For the rest of her life, she would be cursed with the label of “a hero with below-average morality.”

Her carefully cultivated image as a “holy and noble saint” would crumble, replaced by the image of a hypocrite or a fake.

That couldn’t happen.

She couldn’t let that happen.

No, it couldn’t end like this. Not after all the effort.

“I have no choice. I’ll take drastic measures.”

-“Eh? What drastic measures?”

Exia blinked in confusion.

What more could they do? The exam was already over.

-“Wait… are you going to protest about the answers? If so, I can—”

“No, that’s uncertain. I don’t know if it’ll be accepted.”

Sion shook her head.

If she only had to convince one teacher, she could use [The Eyes of the Ruler], but to change the answer that had already been announced, she would have to persuade all the students who had seen it.

But the students had already accepted the new ethical standards as common knowledge.

It would be impossible to change their minds now.

“So, I’ll use a more reliable method. I’ll change my score without needing anyone else’s help.”

-“Eh? Is there such a method? What is it?”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it?”

Fortunately, the answers had been announced right after the exam.

Before the teacher even had a chance to collect the test papers.

Which meant Sion’s paper hadn’t been graded yet, and the results hadn’t been recorded.

In other words, Sion still had a chance.

She had an opportunity to turn her score from 53 to 100.

And the method? It was simple.

“Before grading starts, I’ll sneak into the teacher’s office at night and swap my test paper with a perfect one filled only with the correct answers! That’s the only way… this is my only chance!”

Saying this, Sion gripped her test paper tightly, crushing it in her hands.

Her eyes burned with determination.