NOVEL NEXT Chapter 65
<65 - This isn't a joke>
Professor Raeb, a Magic Studies professor from the Empire.
He was not pleased with the Dragon Principal’s modest-friendly academy operations.
To think that even the uncivilized commoners, not just the Empire Nobles, are benefiting from the substantial funding he paid in the Empire.
“It’s completely unacceptable. I cannot allow redistribution of wealth or promotion to the higher classes. Especially not in my Magic Studies class.”
Thus, he submitted the exam.
A pop quiz with ridiculous scoring opportunities.
An exam entirely favorable to the Empire Nobles.
“What’s this result?!”
Isabel – 19/20
Yufi – 18/20
Masugaki – 17/20
The Second Princess of the Empire, Masugaki, who grew up receiving strict education from the Imperial family.
The Saintess raised under the education of the Pontifical Seat, chosen by the one true god, Sophemia.
Above these supposed pride of the Empire, the name of an uncivilized commoner with neither the status of an Empire member nor noble blood sits at the top.
“While I can understand that Your Highness and the Saintess bear grave responsibilities, what on earth is this result? You expect me to accept this?!”
Average Group A – 14.2
Average Group B – 13.7
Even in average scores, the capabilities of the Empire’s up-and-coming students fell behind the insignificant ones from the border.
The abilities of the Empire students in Class 981 were not lacking. In fact, their average score was higher than in previous years.
Under normal circumstances, a passing score of over 10 would have been deemed excellent for the Empire students, while a score over 5 would have been seen as impressive for border students.
And therein lies the problem.
A surge in average scores exceeding double from previous years.
Raeb realized the abnormal change.
“The exam papers have been leaked.”
There were no signs of a break-in.
The problem paper and answer sheets all maintained their protective enchantments.
Yet, a thorn in his side made assurances of safety impossible, a nuisance present in this academy.
“Bronze de Estrada. A cocky criminal dabbling in rogue games. This is your doing!”
To make a professor from the Empire Nobles lose face like this would equate to a death sentence back in the Empire.
“I will never forget today’s figures.”
*
“Hey, you got hold of the exam paper and shared it with everyone in Group A. Aren’t you concerned?”
Titosso complained with a face that screamed disappointment.
Isabel swiftly tucked the paper behind her back.
“Well, it is a shame, so I won’t show it.”
“Ah, come on! Just show me more! Quickly! I still haven’t memorized the questions and answers!”
“Then just stop whining and quietly look.”
Isabel shared the pop quiz question paper and answer sheets with the students attending the Magic Studies class.
Of course, that was thanks to Oknodie’s effort, and she was also the one who received the papers from Oknodie.
“Are you sure it’s okay? You could earn a ton of points by showing it to students from the Empire.”
“The person I’m closest to in this Magic Studies class is Isabel!”
Friendship takes precedence over benefits.
This was a common sense among adventurers, but immense profits can break even that understanding.
Isabel, who knows very well that not all adventure groups are made up of good people like the Esornia Expedition Team, found Oknodie’s kindness all the more dazzling.
In a world overflowing with scum who betray and sell out their comrades for a few coins, it was miraculous for a noble-born assassin like Oknodie to retain such a pure heart.
“Thank you…”
“Hehe, no problem!”
*
Professor Bronze felt pity for Oknodie, who handed over potentially profitable exam papers and answer sheets to a friend for free.
The advantage of being a rogue is that it can yield a lot of money.
He wanted to let them experience that advantage through a practical exercise where they’d distinguish between real and fake goods.
“Guess which one of these three pieces of paper is the real exam paper. The student who answers the most questions correctly will receive this exam paper and answer sheet as a reward.”
“However, the exam is not just about finding the real one, but also about identifying why the others are fake.”
Starting with a crude question paper made of nonsensical writing, moving onto papers that only differ in font, and finally papers with different paper qualities until gradually revealing ones that closely resemble the original.
The students realized how many factors they needed to consider to determine the authenticity of an item, naturally grasping the elements required for ‘Developing Insight.’
However, there was already a student showing exceptional talent, nearly at the level of completion.
Of course, that student was Oknodie.
“No way. We’ve been through similar practice in the second year, yet we’re getting beaten by a first-year?”
“If you’re at the same level as an active adventurer, then even you must not be performing poorly. The problem lies with the opponent.”
Isabel consoled Bixton.
Unlike the first stage where everyone passed, the difficulty sharply increased from the second stage.
By the fourth stage, Isabel and Bixton barely managed to stay afloat.
“Are you really a first-year? You’re nailing this too much.”
“Your skills are simply surprising. It’s hard to believe you’re the same student who failed last year with such sharp insight.”
“Of course. I’m the heir of the Lizna Trading Company, so I have confidence in my insights.”
“Impressive! Any secret tips?”
“The embarrassing experience of becoming the heir of the trading company with my name makes me study harder to avoid feeling ashamed. Why don’t you try setting up your own company like the Jezel Trading Company?”
“Haha. Sounds like your parents love you dearly. I’ll pass since I’d feel embarrassed.”
Bixton’s female friend Lizna fell out in the fifth stage alongside Jezel.
“…Tsk. I was quite confident in my eye for details.”
“…I agree.”
The silent swordsman Sing and the reticent second-year senior.
These two quiet men fell out in the sixth stage.
As a result, the question and answer sheets belonged to Oknodie, the only one to pass the sixth stage.
Even if the students possessed balanced skills and talents, finding the original among magically altered counterfeits was nearly impossible if blocked by dispel spells.
“Then we can just cast a new magic! The already enchanted forgery has no capacity left for further enchantments, so paper that doesn’t have magic on it must be fake.”
“That’s correct. However, how did Oknodie find the real one without casting any magic?”
“Um… by intuition?”
Knowing the right answer was on the right side, Oknodie mumbled, but Professor Bronze, fully committed to raising her as his apprentice, nodded satisfactorily, thinking that having a good instinct is indeed the trait of a good rogue.
However, her tendency to give things away easily to those around her without securing any gain may reflect the virtuous side of her rogue nature, but it doesn’t satisfy the need for wealth.
“I’ll need to investigate the relationships next time and target items related to professors who don’t have any personal bonds with the students.”
If he wanted to avoid hearing rumors about a noble from the Empire failing to guard a single exam paper, he certainly wouldn’t spread them.
The next theft targeted wouldn’t be too hard either.
“Perhaps it would be good to get something that aids in growth as well.”
Should he aim for the herbal medicine professor’s Phungnyuhwan?
Or target the growth potion of the alchemy professor that promotes height?
Professor Bronze, possessing playful mischief like Oknodie but with an adult’s stature and chest, smiled pleasantly at the thought of preparing for the next lecture.
*
After the second period of Developing Insight, during the lunch break.
As promised, they gathered again in the cafeteria for the principal’s lecture time arranged for the dropouts.
Oknodie was astonished to see everyone had brought tons of flags.
“Wow. How did you all manage to bring ten flags each?”
“I stole them.”
With Hestia’s blunt reply, even Oknodie, who usually doesn’t get flustered, blinked.
“Huh?”
“We all stole them together.”
Lotto replied, looking strangely relieved somehow.
“You’re joking, right?”
“I didn’t steal anything.”
Jigoku declared proudly.
“I shot them with a gun instead.”
Though fearing he would regret asking, Oknodie couldn’t help but ask.
“What did you shoot? Training dummies?”
“What else? The classmates with flags.”
“Whhaaat?!”
“Are you stupid? Why would we shoot at training dummies? We barely have time to collect flags.”
“It’s strange from the start to beat and shoot!?!”
Looking around the cafeteria, Oknodie noticed students who looked like they had been hit in the face—hiding their faces and trembling.
“Come on, follow me.”
“Why? I already checked there’s no hidden flags.”
“They said that each flag gets you a bullet hole, so they surrendered everything.”
This was the ridiculous response from Hestia and Jigoku, the upper-tier strength of Class 981’s first-year students.
“Apologize!”
“To weaklings like them?”
“Isn’t that weakling the one who should apologize? Should they be sorry for being our classmate of such a low caliber?”
“Are you going to live this academy life just today? Sure you got the upper hand in combat-related lectures this time, but if a strategic class comes up next time, you two might get utterly humiliated.”
“Me? By those weaklings?”
Jigoku let his imagination run wild.
“Are you going to hit them with an encyclopedia?”
“… There’s even an exam where you specify the opponent and win a knowledge duel for scores; the loser loses points.”
“Ah, that’s troublesome.”
Eventually, the three obediently followed Oknodie to apologize to the students with bruises on their faces.
“I heard there was an incident with my teammates last night. I’m sorry.”
“Is that something you say after beating someone to a pulp…? Thanks to you, I can’t even enjoy my karaage for lunch and am stuck eating just rice porridge.”
“Wow, that’s really harsh.”
It’s too much to beat someone to the point they can’t even eat.
Glaring at her teammates with intense eyes, Hestia seemed awkward, lowering her head.
“I’m really sorry.”
“Then give me back the flags.”
“Huh? Why would I return the flags?”
“Didn’t you come to apologize?”
“I already apologized.”
Who’s returning the flags?
Just apologizing only.
“I’m kidding. I’ll return them.”
“Phew…”
“Each for 100 points.”
“Haha. Is that a joke too?”
“I’m not kidding.”
This isn’t a joke at all.