episode_0035

Sending the bewildered Kaeren away on the magic ship.

There was a brief hiatus, but the survival midterm exam resumed quickly. The students’ mood was not bad either.

This was because the reputation of Kaeren d’Este, who had caused the commotion, was not very good.

“The youngest knight is disqualified? The guy who monopolized that small spring and spent the whole day washing armor?”

“That’s really fortunate. You said that hunting was hard because you kept yelling at me like a knight?”

“It’s convenient if you use it in reverse. The prey will run in the opposite direction of where the guy is screaming. But it’s no use anymore.”

Honestly, I don’t think a guy wearing full plate armor would have been able to survive normally in this kind of weather.

The students who had gathered like that naturally dispersed.

Meanwhile, I watched the backs of Beatrice and Milia secretly taking the supply boxes.

Even so, Beatrice seems to be quite used to survival.

‘Milia.’

A student to watch, a name to remember. Not just now, though.

A year later, when the protagonist becomes a second-year student, Milia becomes the center of a key event. In a slightly negative way.

But for now, it’s just spreading rumors, so there’s no need to bother with it. Just be careful.

‘By the way, I thought it would be another accident, but surprisingly, I made a profit.’

To be honest, compared to what I’ve been through so far, this is just normal and doesn’t require any special expenses.

Above all, it was a great achievement to have the opportunity to meet Julius and extort money from him.

I saw off the examination administrators and professors who kept bowing their heads to me and the chairman and went back to their work, and then I whispered quietly in the chairman’s ear.

“Chairman, you did a good job earlier.”

“Eek!?”

“… … Chairman?”

“Ah, ahem. Sorry. I didn’t expect that… … Anyway, it worked out just like the Finance Minister said.”

“Thanks to the CEO.”

It’s true. How did I stop the chairman from punching me right when Ruth pointed her sword at me?

He desperately gestured with his hands behind his back, which he had put in his pockets. Please bear with it. Even if you’re a 6th grader or something, if the chairman throws a punch, you’ll all die.

Above all, by expressing that anger in front of Kaerne, he was able to effectively pressure him and get what he wanted.

The chairman was also becoming an excellent financial director(?).

‘Sir Julius.’

He wasn’t a character that appeared directly in . He was just a character who was mentioned as important when recruiting the youngest knight, Caerne d’Este, as a companion. Of course, this only applies to the Academy part that I played.

A 7th-rank inspector, a royal knight, and one of the richest men in the kingdom.

Aside from my desire to meet him, I don’t know much about Julius. I only know his personality and information from the description in the game or from Kaerne’s dialogue.

Rather, if it’s that part.

“Chairman, are you by any chance acquainted with Sir Julius?”

“Well, I guess so. When I used to hang out with my younger brother, that guy who was my disciple was there with me.”

… … younger brother?

Did you have a younger sibling?

“Ah, you mean younger sibling, Countess Claudia. I’m a little, very little older than her, so we decided to call her that when we briefly went together.”

“Uh… …yes.”

You’re calling the 8th-rank inspector, Baek Byung-baek, your younger brother right now? Wouldn’t Risha be shocked if she heard that? I’m starting to wonder about the chairman’s past.

But the Baekjeong I know is an old man with white hair? The chairman is older than him? What is this? If you look at the skin and other factors, the chairman’s body is closer to being young than he has stopped aging.

Is this the Banrohwandong from that martial arts novel or something?

“Anyway, I see him every time I go to the palace, but what is that guy Julius?”

“… … ?”

“Hogu?”

“Yes?”

Did a hogu just call someone a hogu?

I felt a brief sense of cognitive dissonance, but I was able to collect my thoughts after seeing the somewhat embarrassed expression on the chairman’s face.

therefore.

Julius is the kind of person who even calls the chairman a fool? And yet he’s the richest man in the kingdom?

Isn’t that great? How did you get so rich?

“I’d like to meet you when this is over.”

“Didn’t the Minister of Finance know about that and ask to meet?”

“Yes, but I didn’t think I would be evaluated that way by the chairman.”

“… … Hmm, should I like this or get mad… … .”

“If you like it, please do so.”

Anyway, I met Hogus after the midterm exam on the deserted island. As I was about to return to the island with the chairman who seemed to be strangely looking at my cheek, two people caught my eye.

One of them is the main character.

‘What’s been going on since a while ago?’

Beatrice, while carrying the supply box with Milia, keeps glaring at me. What on earth is she thinking?

But you didn’t know what the main character was thinking in the first place, right? So let’s pass for now.

The remaining one was Professor Circe.

“Professor Circe.”

“… … … … .”

“Professor?”

Why have you been so nervous since earlier? You probably hate me a lot, but you’re afraid of the chairman so much that you’re trying to hide behind me.

No, why on earth are you doing that… …

“… … Wait a minute.”

“… … … .”

“What’s your rank…?”

The magical power felt from Professor Circe is quite weak. This was not a change that could have occurred simply due to fear.

I’m no magician, but I know when this happens.

Downgrade.

A rare phenomenon that occurs due to life-threatening injuries or extreme trauma.

Circe was originally a 6th-grade wizard.

It was a 5th grade… … … but.

“Professor Circe, why didn’t you tell me earlier? Did you hate coconuts so much that you had to downgrade?”

“… … Yes?”

“Then, starting today, I’ll have tropical fruits. I’m a little tired of coconuts.”

So what?

Anyway, if you just rest for a few months, the downgrade will be resolved on its own, right? Things will go back to normal, right?

Of course, it is questionable whether Professor Circe, who has had to take a 98% cut in her annual salary and devote every day to research on hair loss medication, will be able to recuperate for several months.

However, because of this year, the chairman shed tears, and when I briefly calculate the profits that could be gained from research on improving healing potions, I feel furious, so I have no reason to be considerate.

He patted Circe on the shoulder, who seemed at a loss for words, and returned to the chairman, who was smiling proudly for some reason.

“Chairman? Did something good happen to you?”

“… … Actually, I had a goal I wanted to achieve on this business trip. It was a bit of a personal goal. ”

“Did you have something like that?”

“Honestly, I could do it anytime, but it’s not something I can force myself to do… … I held back a few times from the point where I could have definitely done it.”

“What the heck is that?”

By the way, the chairman’s gaze towards me has been a bit sticky lately.

Even when Beatrice took out the clock artifact, I did have that kind of imagination, even though it was really self-conscious.

Could this be…?

“That’s a tropical fruit!”

“… … Are you talking about fruit?”

“I just want to eat everything! If I eat too much, the students won’t have anything to eat!? So I was holding back, but then the finance director said something! Yes, that’s right!”

“Aha.”

Shit. I really need to work on my self-consciousness.

Well, how much is the age difference between the chairman and I? Why would he see me as a potential lover? It’s not just two or three times the age difference, it’s more than six times the age difference.

I used to think I was quite tactful when it came to rationality, but I guess I need to give up that idea.

While I was feeling awkward for no reason, I stopped by the chairman again and asked him one thing before returning to the island.

“But Mr. Chairman? How are the ‘preparations’ going?”

“Are you ready to plan? For now, it’s going smoothly. I don’t know much about the academy, but I have some knowledge about this kind of thing. I’m sure I can get the date right. ”

“That’s good. Because impact is important.”

There will probably be a lot of complaints and protests from students after the exam is over, but they all have their own reasons.

However, it wasn’t just my idea, but I also included the plan that the chairman himself proposed. When I first heard it, I thought the chairman had just lost his shit because of stress, but after hearing it all, I understood.

Moreover, in this plan, she returns not as a ‘Chairman’ who lacks ability and is a coward, but as the ‘strongest person in the kingdom’.

Since he is an expert that no one in the kingdom can question, we have no choice but to believe him.

With those thoughts in mind, I hugged the chairman and returned to the small island. It was evening, so I dozed off without realizing it. When I came to, I was already in bed.

“Ah.”

“Are you sleeping well, Minister of Finance?”

“Ah.”

I’m so embarrassed.

Even this time, my forehead was a bit wet, not my cheeks, but I thought it was impossible to sleep with drool running down my forehead, so I asked the chairman.

“… … Did you notice? I was just kidding. I secretly put sea water on you. ”

That’s what it was. So the wetness on my cheeks until now wasn’t from my drooling, but from seawater?

After realizing that I was being completely manipulated, I stayed up late drinking with the chairman to get revenge on him.

… … This time, I was the first one to fall asleep. How can I drink over 20 bottles of alcohol and still not get drunk at all? Is this level 8?

As a side note, this time the wet spot was the nape of my neck.

Why on earth do they only put seawater in these areas… … …

*

A week has passed.

Although the number of commoners is the largest, Grandis Academy also has a significant number of students who were raised as nobles.

When you throw those students on a deserted island, give them only a basic survival kit, and tell them to survive for a week, it’s obvious that this isn’t a normal test.

Because of this, there were quite a few students who gave up halfway through, but there were also quite a few students who completed the course.

And those students.

“Is this water? Is this really drinkable water? It’s not the kind of water that would give you diarrhea all day if you didn’t boil it, right!?”

“Oh my gosh, meat. Meat! Grilled meat! Oh my gosh, it’s so good… … !!”

“Hey, hey! If you go over there, you can wash up! They even give you soap!”

“Crazy! Me first!”

“Finally free!”

The Academy was shedding tears of joy at the dinner and shower facilities prepared in advance by the orders of the Minister of Finance.

Complaints? Of course I have. Protests? Of course I want to.

But in a situation where I didn’t even have the strength to make a sound while surviving like a beggar for a week, I gathered the students who passed the exam on the largest island and held a feast.

Regardless of complaints or protests, I drink as much water as I want, eat as much food as I want, and wash my dirty body cleanly.

There is something called the peak end effect.

It means that no matter how difficult the process was, if the ending is good, it is interpreted positively. The most famous example is reminiscing about one’s military days.

A week? Of course it was tough. But there are no students here who gave up in the middle. Those who gave up in the middle are in a nearby port city, and the only ones here are the students who persevered and completed the race.

The conversation that naturally unfolded was also about the exam.

“Did you see Baron Valentin give up while crying? Shouldn’t a nobleman easily do something like this? It was a bit unsightly.”

“Honestly, I didn’t do it because I did it, but it wasn’t to the point where I couldn’t do it at all. If I can’t do something like this, can I really call myself a student at Grandis Academy?”

“So I killed that boar with a sword! With an arrow! Huh! I hunted it alone!?”

“You almost got hit by that boar.”

“Anyway, it’s okay because I didn’t get hit! I’m strong because I survived!”

Whether they liked it or not, they were students who lived on a deserted island and stuck with each other. There were incidents of looting and such, but there were many more cases where they became close friends with their teammates or allies.

Those students gathered together and told their tales of the week’s adventures, and laughed and made fun of the dropouts who weren’t there.

Complaining is good and protesting is good, but I wonder if it is really necessary to do it in this atmosphere. For now, why don’t we eat and talk as much as we want, and then when we return to the academy, we can talk about it later?

But that thought.

“Chairman?”

“Suddenly?”

“Students, thank you for your hard work. I think there must have been a lot of talk because this was your first time taking this type of test. Nevertheless, I sincerely congratulate you for completing the difficult test.”

The chairman’s words that lightly lifted the mood.

“So, additional scholarships will be awarded especially to the finishers this time.”

“””””Waaa …

It’s not a large amount, but it’s compensation that seems to relieve some of the hardships.

and.

“Hey everyone, do you see anything on the horizon over there?”

“Uh… … ?”

“What’s that? It wasn’t there before?”

“… … Wait, isn’t it really big? How far is it from here to the horizon that it looks so big… … ?”

“It’s a Kraken.”

“… … … Yes?”

“Wait a minute! Is that really the Kraken? A 7th-grade monster!?”

“Hey, isn’t it coming this way!?”

“Save me!”

“Students, there is no need to panic. The most important fact right now is that Kraken is surprisingly delicious.”

“This, Chairman… … ?”

“Everyone, take a good look.”

The students panicked for a moment when they saw the Kraken suddenly appearing and approaching at a rapid pace.

The chairman lightly subdued the students with force and then walked leisurely across the sea.

Because they were so relaxed, the students looked at the chairman instead of getting confused or running away.

“Are you walking on the sea… … ?”

“Can anyone do that?”

“People can’t do that. Only people like the CEO can do that.”

“What does that matter! The Kraken is over there───”

“It’s been a while since I’ve hunted a kraken.”

Phew!!!

The chairman, smiling gently, leaps up from the surface of the water, creating a huge splash.

The aftermath generated a sizable wave, but it amazingly avoided the island where the students were located, creating something of a spectacle.

The figure of the chairman, who jumped so high that he could barely be seen if he raised his head, sparkled.

[Kuuu!!!!]

“Hmm, it’s a young one? Normally, I would have you bring your parents.”

Ganggi (罡氣).

It is the standard for dividing the 5th and 6th grades, and is like a sword for martial artists.

Even a 7th-grade martial artist can only grant strength to his fists, and the chairman’s entire body, including the island where the students are located, is covered in the form of a protective shield.

The students, the test administrators, and the professors who had heard about it in advance were all speechless at the scale that was beyond imagination.

“Still, I guess I can feed the Finance Minister some nutritious food!”

[Ugh, whoa!?]

Kkwuddudduk!!!!

An ear-piercing roar. And the sight of the Kraken bursting like a balloon.

A level 7 monster with a single leg that is over 30m long and a body length that is well over 100m even if it is not an adult.

A disaster of the sea that is almost as big as a castle, and cannot be compared to even the size of a building.

He was killed by one punch from the chairman.

The chairman, who was familiar with the sinking Kraken, which was spewing blood and ink, lightly manipulated it with his sword and brought only its legs.

“Hmm, the waves are a bit high?”

slam!!!

He lightly waved his hand to dispel the tsunami created by his previous punch, then returned to the students and smiled.

They shout out brightly from the dozens of bridges that each rival a tower on the shore.

“Come on, let’s eat!”

“”””… … … … .””””

Of course.

None of the students who were on the island expressed any complaints or protests after returning to the academy.

Moreover, the chairman’s Kraken hunt was observed along with huge waves even in the port city where the quitters were.

“What was that sound just now… … ?”

“This is the sound of our CEO defeating the Kraken. You remember the deal, right? ”

“… … From now on, we will provide free magic lines to Grandis Academy. Thank you for the Kraken subjugation.”

“There’s more.”

“Huh?”

“There’s still the reward money from the Kraken subjugation that you gave me, right?”

“… … … .”

It was a truly satisfying result for everyone, including the fact that a certain finance minister received the free rental of a magic ship and the cost of slaying the Kraken from the nobles of the port city.

“… … … How on earth did he die?”

Just to the regressor.

It just raised questions that couldn’t be solved.