Even a Scoundrel Gets Tired

200 – Group Project (2)

Professor Rupel’s radical declaration that

the final evaluation would also be conducted in groups

sent waves of shock through the student body.

As everyone understood it,

the final evaluation was never meant to be a group affair.

The midterm evaluation, yes, that was

always a group project, meant to assess

harmony and teamwork amongst the students, and, at the

same time, to ease any lingering awkwardness.

But the final evaluation considered none of that.

The sole criterion was

the student’s individual strength.

By the time the final evaluation

rolled around, factions had already

formed amongst the students.

There was simply no need, the reasoning went,

to further assess their teamwork.

This unspoken rule

had never once changed since the Academy’s

founding.

After all, the Academy’s

primary aim was the fostering of potent individual strength.

However, the students, surprisingly,

adapted quickly to the altered evaluation method;

truthfully, it was likely unavoidable.

There wasn’t a soul here, most likely,

who hadn’t witnessed the mid-term assessment debacle.

If, despite such an incident, the evaluation had continued in a similar fashion,

well, that in itself

would certainly have been problematic.

Even in this day and age, overzealous parents abound.

They’d surely harp on about the Academy’s safety,

nitpicking at every little thing,

bothering the professors to no end.

And even that wouldn’t be enough;

they might well demand the assessments cease altogether.

So, the professors must have,

in their own way, put some thought into this change.

And in a manner where no fault could be found,

especially concerning matters of safety.

“As before, you’re free to form your teams

as you see fit.”

“Ooh…”

“Then, shall we…”

Yes, to be frank,

no fault could be found with regards to safety.

How could writing a single report

possibly be dangerous?

“However, teams must not exceed

four members, and any member’s absence

will result in the lowest possible score.”

And upon hearing those words,

I, who was once a university student myself, a lifetime ago it seemed,

promptly lowered my head and buried it, *thump*, into my desk.

‘Shibal…!!!’

“Uh…uh? Jennison? Why all of a sudden…”

Ignoring the agitated flitting of the Saintess beside me, frantic as to why I was suddenly like this.

*

Oblivious to my gathering gloom, the Professor pressed on, face unchanged,

continuing his dreadful tales.

The evaluation criteria,

the timeframe – from when to when.

Details of little interest,

tediously he spun them out,

and I, burying my head once more, sought sleep.

After all, for me now,

an academy graduation meant nothing.

The other students, each seeking

to inherit their houses,

or perhaps craving a stronger power,

remained enrolled,

but I, already bestowed with a title

directly from the Emperor,

was ill-suited to carry on my house.

Objectively judging my current strength,

it was clear that instead of

lingering within these academy walls,

I should seek out a new master.

It was boastful to admit, but my fighting style was…unconventional.

‘The most promising prospect is

that person the Duke introduced from the Arena…’

For anyone else, perhaps, but considering the man had been introduced

by Duke Charlotte, whose hands

were stained with the blood of hundreds,

whoever he was, his strength

was as good as proven.

And the fact that so much time had passed

since I received this letter of introduction

without news of his demise,

meant he likely still lived.

A figure involved in almost all of the Empire’s

There, amongst the dregs of villainy.

That alone was practically proof of his ability.

Forget about ordinary criminals.

That place was truly reserved for those driven mad by murder and…

pleasure.

‘…So then, one of those people

is going to be my mentor?’

“And furthermore, exploration locations are restricted to those the Academy specifically designates.”

“Ehhh?!”

“No, Professor…that’s…!!”

“Quiet. Did you think the Academy’s final

assessment would be so lenient?”

So saying, he slammed his head down on the desk, and

Professor Rupel’s thunderbolt

of a statement struck the other students like a physical blow.

Honestly, no matter

how you slice it, it’s the Academy’s final assessment.

They wouldn’t want to accept reports from

students who just ran around having fun, now would they?

Designating the location

was actually a given, in a way.

They had to know how much the students’ combat abilities had grown, after all.

“And now, I will announce the exploration

locations carefully selected by the Academy.”

“Ah… please, anywhere but a Gate…!”

“I’d rather it be a Gate,

maybe we could find some relics.”

“Keep dreaming. Do you honestly think we

can clear a Gate by ourselves without

the professors?!”

Hearing Professor Rupel’s words,

the students’ mood became increasingly heated, and

“No, ah… why all of a sudden…”

“Tch… Why not just let us

decide on a place ourselves?”

Each secretly grumbled,

muttering this and that,

but no matter what, we were just

mere students, after all.

It was a foregone conclusion from the Academy’s side; there was no turning back now.

Before long,

the students, as if they’d never voiced their discontent,

settled quietly in their seats,

awaiting Professor Rupel’s next words.

Hoping, if even just a little,

for an ordinary location to be named.

“The first…is the Tomb of Knights on the Hest Estate.”

“Eh…EHH?!”

“W-wait just a moment, Professor.

Is that truly the case?”

The instant Professor Rupel’s unwavering words finished,

not only the Saintess beside me, but also

the various noble students around us,

became of one mind, echoing his statement.

Clinging, in truth, to a frail hope

that the Professor had perhaps misspoke.

“That’s absurd… are we

to go there, now?”

“N-no, especially considering there are so few holy magic users…”

The Tomb of Knights,

I myself had only heard of it once before.

A gate from which exceptionally powerful undead

emerged, to such an extent that

without a skilled user of holy

magic,

entry was deemed impossible.

And amongst them,

the constantly appearing

dullahan, known as headless knights,

lent the gate its name, Tomb of Knights,

remaining one of the gates yet to be fully subjugated.

‘Even if combat isn’t the objective…to send mere students

to such a place…?’

“The second…well, this one

seems to be harder than I thought.”

“H-harder?”

“More so than the Knights’ Necropolis…?”

“The second location is the Ancient Forest, situated within the Renarnia domain.”

The Ancient Forest, the second site named,

was rife with every manner of beast and plant-like

monstrosity, and overflowing with

insectoid fiends, a creature women

detested most of all.

So perilous was this place

that rumors circulated throughout the Renarnia domain,

claiming entry had been

outright forbidden.

As another site that promised no easy exploration was revealed,

the students’ faces began to resemble

death masks more and more.

Oblivious, it seemed, to their growing dismay,

Professor Rupel continued to recite the following names,

‘…Guess I’ll just have to settle for whatever’s left—’

“The final location… the Colosseum.

Now, let the team formation commence!”

‘…Oh?’

The moment the Professor’s booming command

fell, the students who had been still until then

began, as if they had been waiting for this,

to seek out their respective friends and form teams.

The primary goal was to snag their closest companions,

and to recruit those students

who ranked highest academically.

Thanks to this,

the area around me, which had been quiet just moments ago,

was instantly filled with the voices of other students.

Ah, not because of me, of course.

“Saintess, would you consider partnering with me?”

“Nay, Saintess? You won’t

regret it if you move alongside me.”

“Saintess, I have always been

a devout believer of the Order…”

It was because of the Saintess seated beside me.

To even attempt to enter the Knights’ Necropolis,

the easiest of the locations, it seemed,

one needed access to her exceptional holy magic.

The user was indispensable, certainly,

and she possessed both skill and character without flaw.

She appeared momentarily disconcerted by the sudden

throng, though, sadly, this phenomenon

wasn’t hers alone.

“Princess Sylvia, I beseech you, grant me

the honor of accompanying you to the Ancient Forest…”

“Lady Isabella, join with us

to brave the Scorch Pit…”

“Albert, won’t you venture with me to the

Desert Tomb? I assure you,

it will prove a most worthwhile experience…”

Nearly all the top students

in Class A were experiencing

the very same thing.

Well, they *were* popular, so it was understandable.

After all, one’s safety was practically guaranteed

in their company.

On the other hand, there were also those students

who remained untouched by the flurry,

myself among them, though it wasn’t as though

*no one* approached me.

On the contrary, I even noticed a few

glances that were quite… well, favorable.

And only after slowly meeting

each and every one of those gazes,

did I realize that I, too, had now

achieved a certain level of renown

within the Academy.

For good, not ill, of course.

‘Master Jennison, would you perhaps consider joining a team with me…’

‘Oh my, Master Jennison… if you

haven’t yet found a team, I could…’

Honestly, the proposals were tempting.

It wasn’t as if I could avoid

the semester finals anyway,

Rather than randomly team up with blokes I hadn’t even met before,

it seemed better to join forces with the ones

who were at least somewhat well-disposed toward me.

However, I had no choice but to refuse them all.

Blocked by an extremely practical reason.

‘Like those b*stards would be so keen

to go to the Arena with me…’

For the record, watching the

Saintess get swept up in the crowd

and flustered was quite…no, rather enjoyable.