episode_0031

A few days have passed since the difficult midterm exams ended.

All the cadets who had hoped to be selected immediately after the midterm exams were keenly aware of the strength of the top students as soon as the retests were over.

This also meant that the status of senior officials had fallen.

Maybe that’s why, Steven heard from Alos that the atmosphere among the top students was different than usual during this retest. I wanted to see it too…

It was a regrettable situation for me, who couldn’t even try to enter the examination room due to Sarah’s strong opposition.

I sighed.

This is too much… Even if I look, nothing will change.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel even a little disappointed. Still, I didn’t regret not going because Sarah had asked me to.

rather.

“They said the rankings would come out today, so you’re definitely going to be number one.”

“I thought you could survive in that situation.”

“We wouldn’t have even thought of it.”

It was even sadder that Ad’s status, which was in the same group as mine, rose.

Of course, I’m not jealous of Ad’s rising status.

I just wonder why it got so high.

‘I contributed too! I worked hard too!’

This voice will never reach those many children, but I still vented my anger inside.

It’s definitely not jealousy.

absoluteness!

“Let’s eat lunch together later.”

“Maybe… Let’s have tea together next time… ”

“Let’s be in the same group as us for the next test.”

Edd’s expression quickly crumpled at the continued flattery. Isn’t that dangerous?

The moment he thought of that, Adga let out a deep sigh and opened his mouth.

“Stop it.”

“… ”

At Aud’s cold words, the cadets around him were so shocked that they froze in place.

‘It looks good.’

I knew it. I just overturned the table and…!

“Teacher, it’s time to come in.”

‘?’

An answer that was completely unexpected came out of Ad’s mouth. Who are you?

“Ah, it’s already time… Sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

The cadets carefully left the place so as not to offend Adrian and went to their own seats.

‘What is this feeling?’

I looked at my watch, feeling resentful that I couldn’t express these feelings.

The clock moved to exactly eight o’clock and at that very moment the paper rang.

Knock knock.

The teacher opened the front door of the classroom with incredible timing, and several students who followed him came in. Among them, there were a few familiar faces.

“All be quiet.”

The teacher immediately stood in front of the podium, checked the students, and then continued talking.

“The results of the retest show that two students, including the ones in front of me, will be following the princess this time. Everyone applauds.”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

A few seconds after the cadets’ applause ended.

The teacher nodded at the students standing in front of the blackboard. Then the students in front quickly moved to their seats.

“Ahem… Then let’s get to the main point. As you all probably know, this is not the overall ranking, but the rankings for the written and practical exams. I will post the overall rankings on the bulletin board later, so check them out.”

“Yes.”

“Okay. I’ll put it on the board now. If any students have questions, come to the teachers’ office at any time.”

“What exactly is this ranking?”

“First place has been decided, so the next question is… ”

“Maybe Robart will do it this time too?”

The teacher stuck the first piece of paper on the blackboard amidst the students’ guesses.

⌈

1st place Adriovent

2nd place Logs Avance

3rd place: Labes Asrio

.

.

.

⌋

“Just sleep, what is this… ”

“Isn’t this wrong?”

Cadets reacted as if there were names that shouldn’t exist.

‘No, I worked hard too!’

“This is the practical ranking. And what I have to add now is the written ranking.”

“Yeah, I got it because someone did all the practical work for me.”

“Of course, your handwriting probably sucked. You’re definitely lower than me.”

“There’s also talk that this guy got to 11th place through cheating.”

‘I heard everything… It was the same last time…’

A sigh came out along with anger. But I guess no one will understand…

All the students looked at the handwritten ranking list that the teacher had posted.

⌈

1st place Logs Avance

2nd place Cecilia Olett

3rd place Adriovent

.

.

.

⌋

“… ”

A classroom filled with static.

The cadets looked incredulous.

“Did you check everything? I’ll say it again. If you have any questions, please contact the principal’s office… ”

“Teacher.”

“What is it?”

“I think the ranking is wrong.”

“… What’s wrong?”

The teacher looked at the student who opened his mouth with a calm expression.

He didn’t say anything, but the pressure in his eyes made the cadet tremble and lower his head. Oh… I felt that last time too.

“I think the number and ranking are wrong.”

“… I don’t know what the question is about, but there is nothing wrong with the ranking.”

“That’s ridiculous… ”

‘I told you, can you hear me?’

“Then I wish you would at least disclose the score.”

“… Okay. Then I will reveal each person’s score in the overall ranking. If no one says anything, I will take it as everyone’s agreement.”

“… ”

“Yes, it will take some time, but I will fix it and post it on the bulletin board today.”

“Yes.”

The teacher sighed and made eye contact with me, who was sitting in the back row. Hmm…

‘sorry?’

“Then let’s move on to the next story. You all know that next week’s birthday of the Seven Great Gods is a holiday, right?”

“Yes.”

‘What? Are we having a holiday? ”

Well then, I guess it would be good to just rest and relax for a while.

“I’ll tell you later, but don’t forget that the escort knights are leaving on this day.”

‘…yes?’

What about my holiday?

***

-You worked hard today too. Escort knights, come to classroom 6 by 4 o’clock.

Thud thud.

“Hey, come quickly!”

“… Uh.”

“Why is that loser acting like that?”

“I don’t know. From what I can hear from the muttering, it sounds like he’s doing that because he has no holidays?”

“Sigh… ”

Kadira sighs and looks at me pitifully. Next to her, Sarah looks at me in the same way.

Those physical monsters will probably never know why I was so discouraged.

The day when humans feel the greatest happiness is a holiday.

A holiday like that, the only hope in an exhausting and difficult life.

Who wouldn’t feel discouraged when they are forced to escort someone to an unknown location from which they might return alive?

Those two who don’t even know my heart. You are the real devils.

“Both of you stop. If you do that, Logs will be wronged.”

‘Really… there’s only you, Lina.’

“You’re saying that Logs didn’t have a single holiday?”

‘…Like before, Lina seems pure.’

“I’ve been thinking about this since last time, but I think Lina likes that punk too much.”

Sarah also fought back against Kadira’s protest.

“Yes, people may have improved, but their true nature remains.”

‘What are you talking about…’

“Is that so?”

‘Why do you agree again!’

Ah… I don’t know anymore.

Just follow them quietly, listen to them roughly, and escort them roughly. They’re all strong to begin with, so they don’t need someone like me.

… Then is it really necessary to go?

Even if I rationalize everything else, I just can’t seem to get away with not having holidays. I’m going crazy.

The voices of Kadira and Sarah fighting again in front are heard getting fainter and fainter.

‘It would have been okay if I hadn’t worked a little harder.’

If I had ignored Kadira and gone straight to Adnan, I wouldn’t have won.

Why are you making a fuss like this by making promises that don’t even make sense?

Should I just run away? I’ve been treated like a loser up until now anyway, so is my reputation going to get any worse because I’m missing something like this?

My head was filled with all sorts of worries. But what changed was the speed of my steps.

“What is he doing?”

“Huh? Hey! Hey!”

widely!

It felt like someone had hit my forehead with a blunt object. Was that crazy wall this painful?

But what stood before me was a guard wearing epaulettes.

“Ah… Sorry.”

“Please identify yourself.”

“Yes?”

Bam!

The guard quickly swung the spear he was holding at me. Huh?

I barely managed to avoid the window, but this is clearly a murder. This guy.

He tried to kill me.

“Please identify yourself.”

He glared at me with unchanging eyes.

Was it because I hadn’t even been attending the Academy for half a year and didn’t know there was such a strict place? Or did this person just have a grudge against the Academy?

Is this how you usually treat cadets wearing academy uniforms?

The moment when you open your mouth after a brief war of nerves with the guard.

“These are the people chosen to be the princess’s escort knights. Here are their name tags.”

Lina explained to the guard on my behalf. After that, Sarah and Kadira also came forward and showed their name tags.

‘What the heck, you guys!’

“No matter how suspicious the face looks, I think it’s dangerous to aim a spear at it.”

‘…’

“I was just following the order not to let in any cadets without name tags. You, where’s your name tag?”

“Here it is.”

I quickly took the name tag out of my bag and showed it to him.

“Um… ”

‘Why are you looking at me so intently?’

“Avanche Logs?”

“Folding.”

“… ”

‘What’s the problem again?’

The guard looked me up and down for a while without saying anything, then clicked his tongue and handed me back my name tag. No, I did something wrong to the royal guards too…

Ah… there’s an interrogation room there.

I nodded with realization. I guess I don’t have to worry about it.

“Is it okay if I come in?”

“… Okay. Go in.”

The guard gave a curt answer, as if reluctantly giving way, and at the same time fell away from the door he was guarding.

When I turned my gaze towards Lina for a moment, she looked quite dissatisfied.

But if we continued on from here, it would have been a bad situation for us, or at least for me, so I quickly took Lina inside.

“Let’s go in quickly, kids.”

Squeak…

Inside, most of the seniors were chatting with the kids who had arrived earlier. Among them, the fighter they had fought in the last game of tag was sitting far away.

‘The name is… ah… I asked Steven, so I know… ‘

That’s right, Ripley Elijah.

It’s a pretty gender neutral name, but Steven told me it’s definitely a guy’s. I guess it came up without falling.

Certainly, with that skill, he had enough skills and power to advance.

“… ”

As I looked around, I saw Lina sticking her mouth out like a duck and grumbling.

“Now let’s calm down, honestly, I did some things wrong.”

“But… If he was an ordinary student, he wouldn’t have been able to avoid it. Then… ”

Lina stopped talking and lowered her head. Seeing her like that, Sarah patted her on the back.

“Lina, the reason the guard is like that is because he is a loser. Look at his face. Who would think he is a student of this school?”

“?”

“Yeah, Lina. If it were me, I would have killed you already.”

“… Really?”

“No! Kids, what have you been thinking of me for so long?”

“… An old, ugly-looking bastard?”

“You deceitful little bastard?”

‘Wow! How can there not be even one good word?’

I turned my gaze to Lina, the last remaining one, with a trusting expression.

“… ”

She lowered her head quietly once again. I was wrong to expect that.

“Anyway, that’s why, so don’t worry too much.”

“Yeah.”

‘So please don’t be convinced by that.’

Sarah, who saw that Lina’s mood had lifted, smiled and walked between the children who were already sitting and sat down.

Following her, Karira and Lina sat next to her. Then me too…

I immediately took the seat furthest from where the teacher was.

The kids immediately started chatting with the kids around them. It’s lonelier than I thought.

But there’s no need to sit in front and leave an impression. But.

“Why are you here”

“I sat in the back seat to block the children’s view.”

“Really? Then I can’t help it.”

“… I won’t lose next time.”

“What, what did you say?”

Squeak.

“Hello, gentlemen. You are the disciples that the bastard acknowledges.”

A man came in leisurely and stood right next to where the hologram was.

“I am Jess Liams. I am the leader who will explain to you what to do and the plan for today.”

“Please take care of me.”

“Okay. Then, should the two cadets behind you come forward and listen?”

‘…yes?’

No, what day is it today? What the heck!