NOVEL NEXT Chapter 97
97 – Bad Kid
“Hing-ih-ing!”
“Don’t cry, Titosso!”
“Everyone’s just making fun of me! They said I would be popular, but instead, I’m just getting teased, hing-ih-ing.”
Titosso cried so sorrowfully that it made the viewer feel pity.
“That’s because they are fools! They’re the type who get upset because the kidnapper didn’t deliver the ransom on time—blaming you for it!”
“But you’re not a kidnapper.”
“If you want to kidnap my grades and get them back peacefully, just turn in your assignments!”
“Really…?”
Finally, Titosso stopped crying.
“You shouldn’t cry just because you’re sad. How are you going to survive in this treacherous academy like that?”
“Sniff. I get it. I’ll try to be stronger.”
Mission accomplished! Titosso was calmed down.
“Oknodie. When you have time, back here…”
“Sorry. I have a class in the third period for the [Fundamentals and Understanding of Mana Usage].”
“How about fourth period?”
“Fourth period is also [Ranged Weapon Mastery].”
“And fifth period… we have the [Night-time Activities for Adventurers] class, right?”
“Yeah.”
Titosso looked at Oknodie like they were the most pitiful person in the world.
Honestly, students taking back-to-back classes starting from Monday deserved that look.
“Oknodie. Actually, I wasn’t planning on attending the fifth-period class starting this week.”
“Really?”
“But I’ll muster up courage just this once. I promise I won’t faint in the Night-time Activities for Adventurers class today.”
“…Shouldn’t that mean you should just drop the class?”
“No way! I’m definitely going. I can’t let you handle that scary class alone. We’re friends, after all!”
Who’s worried about whom? Regardless, Titosso mustered up courage and parted ways.
Rather than focusing on their own struggles, they drew strength from helping Oknodie’s difficulties, showcasing their kind-heartedness.
If they were a hardcore performance player, Titosso wouldn’t care if they were bullied and expelled.
But for veterans, whether they want to is more important than performance.
That’s why I couldn’t help but assist Titosso!
[You comforted the poor Titosso through effective communication and solidified your friendship.]
[Speech Experience +3]
[Good Kid Experience +1]
My steps toward the next lecture felt a bit lighter.
*
[You have perfectly mastered the five formulas for collecting Mana Puzzles and twenty basic combination techniques.]
[You received 100 points as a reward.]
[Memory Aptitude Experience +3]
[Mana Technique Experience +3]
The lightness in my step turned back into a heavy sigh.
Professor Weird had given an avalanche of assignments.
“Memorize all twenty formulas for next class. We’ll have a pop quiz. Analyze five examples in which each formula is used, and it would be great if you could also collect actual materials that apply those formulas.”
Dorothy asked.
“Professor… We only have until next Monday for the assignment, right?”
“Why would I delay the submission date when the next lecture is on Wednesday?”
“Isn’t that a bit too much work?”
“If you knew how many more assignments I could give you, you wouldn’t think that.”
Dorothy’s face turned pale at the professor’s chilling words.
‘That was close, Titosso #2!’
While Dorothy’s spirits sank, Rosgini, an apprentice mage from the Red Tower, sparked up in protest.
“Professor. We’re not just taking this class; we have other classes too. We don’t have time to deal with all that homework. Can you lighten the load a bit?”
“Who told you to take other classes?”
“Uh??”
“Natural magic is the best magic. The study of nature is top-notch. If you disregard that and attend useless other classes, of course, you won’t have enough time to prepare.”
“But if I don’t complete my credits, I won’t be able to advance to second year.”
“That’s okay. Students in my lab can take higher-level classes without leveling up. As long as you get a recommendation, it’s all possible.”
The crazy professor revealed their true colors after the third lecture.
To a new student who just began to acclimate to the academy after two weeks, being told to live as a slave in debt to the professor’s whims was horrifying!
As Rosgini’s face turned bright red with rage, Sandkooker, now the professor’s teaching assistant from the Yellow Tower, said:
“Professor… you didn’t pick us as teaching assistants for that purpose, did you?”
“Why not?”
The students realized.
Just how ruthless and merciless a professor, enamored by the sheer brutality of nature, could be.
But Sandkooker, known for their strong mentality, continued to express their thoughts clearly.
“What can we do now that we’ve already enrolled? We signed up for classes before hearing about your great teachings, Professor Weird. Please show some mercy acknowledging the inexperience of new students.”
“Hmph. They’re foolish. But at least they know a bit more than last year’s first-year students. I’ll let you off. You don’t need to collect materials that apply the formulas.”
One assignment was reduced.
Clap, clap, clap!
Whee!
The classroom erupted in sincere applause.
I clapped too.
Because I genuinely respected Sandkooker for having the courage to stand up to the professor.
“However, students who want to can still collect them.”
The students thought it was a joke and laughed heartily.
“Who would even do that if they had time to spare?”
“Right? They just said we don’t have to do it.”
“Don’t you think that’s a strange thing to say, Oknodie? No one would actually do that extra assignment.”
At Dorothy’s words, I awkwardly laughed and looked away.
“Oknodie?!”
Sorry, Dorothy.
I can’t resist those bonus points.
*
Unlike the relatively mild atmosphere of the [Understanding of Natural Magic] class, the end of the Monday fourth-period [Ranged Weapon Mastery] class could be compared to the horrors of the [Developing Insight] class.
“Due to severe weather warnings, we’ll replace today’s class with an indoor lecture.”
Inside, students practiced shooting arrows or throwing projectiles at targets.
It seemed that for Professor Evening Shooter, who was rushing ahead with racing records since the second hour of class, this indoor replacement lecture was far from satisfactory.
“Today’s lecture wasn’t too difficult, so instead, I’ll assign a task. Everyone, wear these bracelets on the wrist of the side you’ll use for ranged weapons.”
“Professor, what’s this?”
“Ah, this is called an automatic recording bracelet. It only detaches from your wrist after you’ve completed a specified number of shots or throws. The usage is simple. Instructor, please demonstrate.”
The skilled instructor pressed the button on the bracelet and aimed a laser at the wall.
Then, upon pressing the button again, a virtual target board appeared at that position.
“Score points for how close you get to the center of the target. You need to collect a total of 1,000 points from distances of 50m, 100m, 150m, and 200m each.”
“To ensure no accidents with living beings or near them, it won’t activate there, so don’t whine if it seems broken. Understood? That is all.”
The scoring for the target site ranges from 10 to 0 points.
This is an incredibly high number of shots or throws required for proficiency practice—at least 100 and possibly over 1,000 before you can finish!
Students slowly began to realize they should be worrying about working themselves to death.
“Oknodie. If we try to clear this, we won’t have enough time even if we stay up all night. Is there a way?”
“Really? Then I’ll tell you a way!”
“Really? Is there a cheat?”
“If you create the target site from a high location, you can shoot a lot of arrows easily without using much strength!”
“Whoa. That’s a great idea! So where would that be?”
“Mountain or cliff?”
“…But look outside?”
Come on, not the typical lower class student trying to take the easy route!
“To do the assignment comfortably, you have to endure that much!”
“Trying to run away from Giant Crabs through torrential rain seems way harder than looking for a mountain or cliff!?”
“Mobs just whine too much.”
“Aaaah! I’m so mad. I’m really angry!”
The mob pounded their chest in despair.
[Your cruel advice frightened the lower-class students.]
[Intimidation Experience +3]
[Bad Kid Experience +1]
Why?!
I was only being kind with my advice!!
*
After a tumultuous day of lectures wrapped up,
I encountered the now fuming Isabel at dinner time.
“Oknodie. Leaving me all alone with this giant King Crab, huh?”
“Sorry! Hehe. But I couldn’t just leave Titosso alone, right?”
“If you can’t even say that, then that’s just mean.”
With a light sigh, Isabel ruffled my hair and pointed at the table.
“Come tear off some legs. The claws are so tough, I need more people to get at the legs.”
Gathered students eager to feast on the King Crab’s flesh were struggling to break the legs and shell into a size suitable for boiling.
“Yes sir!”
He who does not work, shall not eat.
It’s a good saying.
Singing a tune, I broke off the legs with my hands when the second-year senior sitting next to me opened their mouth in disbelief.
“Hey…”
“Yeah?”
“We haven’t been given the steel scissors needed to cut those legs yet… so how are you tearing them apart with your bare hands…?”
Why would I need scissors?
“Just tear them off with strength!”
[The surrounding students were filled with fear at your display of strength.]
[Boldness Experience +1]
[Bad Kid Experience +1]
…Why do I keep getting labeled a bad kid?
Today, those system notifications are really getting on my nerves.
Keep this up, and I might just go rogue!