The Conjurer of the Academy

Chapter 44

“Alright, we’ll start the exam when the bell rings. This is the last written test, so hang in there just a bit longer.”

The test paper made of recycled paper was spread out on the desk. With subjects like Korean, English, Mathematics, and research areas already completed, the only test left was ‘Monster Physiology.’

‘Seo Geum-bi is really something.’

Although I had mechanically memorized answers for hunter-related subjects from the game, Seo Geum-bi’s notes were incredibly helpful for core humanities subjects like Korean, English, and Mathematics, which were simplified in the game.

The notes clearly summarized essential formulas and grammar and analyzed past exam questions by type. It was practically foolproof.

Ding~dong~ding.

“Begin the exam.”

With the sound of the bell marking the start, everyone promptly grabbed their exam papers, including myself.

Choose the option with a different ecological trait:

1) Ruin Rabbit

2) Lava Wyvern

3) Splitting Sewer Rat

4) Aila Seed

5) Black-nosed Boar

The Ruin Rabbit is a D-rank monster that tends to gather in dry deserts.

The Lava Wyvern, as its name suggests, lives in the heart of active volcanoes with a classification level quite high from A to A+.

The Splitting Sewer Rat is also a D-rank monster. Due to its habit of carrying a large number of offspring inside its body, it appears to split endlessly even when killed.

The Aila Seed is a B-rank monster found in the Amazon rainforest, while the Black-nosed Boar operates in dark swamps and is classified as a C-rank monster.

‘It’s number 2.’

Unlike the other monsters that move in groups, only the Lava Wyvern has the habit of being solitary. Identifying the correct answer was a piece of cake.

‘Although it’s not widely known yet, Lava Wyverns also do group up.’

Whenever I see this question, I feel an urge to point that out, but answering according to the examiner’s intent is also a skill.

No point in being the one to point out lesser-known facts and earn myself a reputation as a know-it-all.

‘Come to think of it, we nearly died taking one of those down.’

The Fossil Exploration Club offers an opportunity to visit volcanic regions after showing high performance for two years, and the Lava Wyvern is a hidden boss encountered there.

Defeating it drops rare artifacts and weapons that significantly increase fire resistance.

‘Well, this is just a basic question anyway.’

I continued solving the problems without difficulty. While the multiple-choice questions in Monster Physiology were relatively easy, the real challenge lay in the essay questions.

27. Among the monsters that use mana as an energy source, describe examples of those whose power organs are protruding from their bodies, along with their habits, in 500 characters.

Essay questions in this subject resembled university-level problems rather than simple short answers. Moreover, the professor for this class was known for being stingy with partial credit, requiring near-perfect answers.

[You seem to answer quite smoothly.]

As I was writing my answer, Yomi looked over the exam paper with interest.

‘Well, I’ve tackled these countless times.’

Having written answers to the point of exhaustion, the integrity of the exams in the role-playing game was notorious, and it didn’t allow for a simple copy-paste in the answer fields. I had to manually write down each answer during the exams.

‘Looks like I’m nearly done. Just a review and I should be finished…’

Within less than 30 minutes, I managed to fill out all the answers. As I was about to review my work, I inadvertently caught sight of Cheon Tae-seong at the front of the room.

‘He must have finished too.’

Even if I claimed to know the entire content of the exam, Cheon Tae-seong, who could masterfully navigate such a difficult test, truly deserved the title of a prodigy. He had put down his pen and was now staring blankly out the window.

‘Now that I think about it, about that question I answered earlier…’

As I was reviewing the problems, a sudden memory hit me.

“There was an error found in one of the questions, so everyone will receive credit for question number 7.”

I recalled how the Monster Physiology professor, usually so stern, had been hastily traveling between classrooms, sweating as he made this announcement.

‘What happened back then?’

As my gaze shifted unconsciously towards the classroom door, a silhouette appeared beyond the window glass.

The door opened and the Monster Physiology professor stepped halfway into the room. It’s commonplace for professors of each subject to move around during the exams, answering questions or addressing errors found in the test questions.

“If there are no questions, I’ll be going.”

Just as the meticulous-looking professor was about to close the door and leave.

“Any questions?”

He gestured towards the only student who raised their hand. As a result, all eyes in the classroom turned in that direction.

“Question number 7.”

Faded eyes and hair. A fierce gaze mixed with an expressionless face made it impossible to know what he was thinking.

“Did you even think before making this question?”

With that one sentence, the already heavy atmosphere plummeted.

“What, what did you just say?”

The startled professor furrowed his brows. He probably had never experienced such an insult in his long teaching career.

“Among the monsters listed in the options, there’s one whose ecological trait was recently corrected in reports.”

“Corrected reports? I don’t see how there could be multiple correct answers.”

The flustered professor examined the test paper but seemed unable to find anything wrong.

“Sigh…”

Cheon Tae-seong let out a sigh, as if frustrated.

“Haven’t you been keeping up with recent academic journals? They mentioned that Lava Wyverns have been observed moving in groups on several occasions.”

“What, what are you—”

“Check your facts next time before making the questions.”

The atmosphere was now completely dead. The students were frozen, unable to move.

‘What a madman.’

This is what makes Cheon Tae-seong so terrifying. There’s no hint of superiority or any guilt for overstepping his bounds in his expression.

Such wording and attitude are natural for Cheon Tae-seong.

“…Alright. I’ll check it out.”

The professor looked aggrieved but couldn’t say anything further. After all, Cheon Tae-seong was the future chairman of the Tae-seong Group, and scolding him recklessly was out of the question.

‘So that’s why it was marked correct for everyone.’

When I played as Han Yu-seong, I was in a different class, so I didn’t know what was happening next door. Now I understood the expression and situation of the usually strict Monster Physiology professor during that time.

“Does anyone else have any questions?”

The professor’s voice was barely audible as if trying to cover up the embarrassment from earlier.

‘But if they mark everything correct, it only narrows the ranking gap.’

The issue was that marking all options correct would reduce the score gap between students, which was critical for someone like me who needed to care about rankings.

“Excuse me.”

I slowly raised my hand.

I had no desire to be a show-off, but to protect my rank, I had to speak up.

“What is it now?”

With a face as if about to cry, the professor glanced at me.

“I also have a question about number 7.”

“You too…?”

I nodded lightly toward the anxious professor.

“While it’s true that reports mention Lava Wyverns moving in groups, it’s only a few isolated cases. I believe it’s too early to generalize based on those instances alone, so I don’t think the question is necessarily incorrect.”

“…So…”

The professor didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he glanced over at Cheon Tae-seong.

“…”

Cheon Tae-seong remained silent.

Instead, he turned his head and stared directly at me. Without any change in his expression, his sharp gaze pierced through me.

‘What is this supposed to mean?’

If I had been too afraid of Cheon Tae-seong to speak up, I wouldn’t have raised my hand in the first place. I leaned toward Cheon Tae-seong’s direction.

“Is turning your back allowed while the exam is still ongoing?”

The moment I mocked Cheon Tae-seong.

Chills ran down my spine.

His expression didn’t change.

However, the atmosphere became more intense, as if the shadow on his glaring face had grown darker.

“Fine… Since number 7 seems to be a matter of debate, we’ll mark all answers as correct.”

In the end, the professor decided to side with Cheon Tae-seong but seemed slightly relieved to have a student supporting him.

“Everyone, give it your best until the end.”

With those words, the professor left the room. I could hear the same frantic sounds of him running between classrooms, just like in the game.

Ding~dong~ding.

“The exam is over. Collect the papers from the back.”

Immediately after the test finished, sounds of relief or frustration echoed from everywhere.

‘Is he going to come over?’

Even though the exam was over, I couldn’t let my guard down. I was worried that Cheon Tae-seong might approach me over the incident, but fortunately, he didn’t even move a muscle from his desk.

Bang!

Without a moment to relax, Choi Tae-min entered the room. Judging by the even darker circles under his eyes, he seemed to have had a hard time preparing the exam questions.

“Everyone, you worked hard on the exam. If this were an ordinary academic school, I’d say you could go enjoy yourselves now…”

Choi Tae-min gave a soft chuckle as he looked at the students.

“Unfortunately, you still have the practical exam left.”

Groans filled the classroom. Choi Tae-min smirked as he observed the students.

“The practical exams will begin tomorrow. Although everyone here should already know the rules, the exam proctor will explain everything in detail.”

Now, only the practical exams remained.

Babel’s exam curriculum is so well-known that everyone takes it seriously. Of course, adapting to the new environmental conditions each year requires more than just knowledge.

“If you score well, your dorm assignment might change for the second semester. Additionally, it’s an excellent opportunity to catch the eye of prestigious companies.”

The reason students were so obsessed with their grades was simple, just as Choi Tae-min said. They desired better living conditions immediately.

And in the near future, to secure a position at better corporations as formal hunters, they needed to build their resumes diligently from now on.

‘Life as a racehorse is the same everywhere.’

Even within the game world, the race to excel is the same. The school itself promotes this.

Lastly, Choi Tae-min added.

“Oh, and as you all know, there have been a lot of unsettling incidents at the school recently. Stay focused and carry out your duties as students.”

Choi Tae-min tapped his finger on the podium. It was his usual gesture before ending a session.

“Alright, dismissed.”

* * *

I was just as exhausted from the consecutive all-nighters. As I was heading back to my dorm to take a breather.

“…”

Someone blocked the doorway.

With half-opened eyes, I looked straight ahead.

“Do you need something?”

Standing in front of me was Cheon Tae-seong.

He stared at me quietly, just like before, and then finally spoke.

“You, what’s your name?”

“Seriously? We’ve been in the same class for a whole semester, and you don’t even know my name?”

As I retorted sarcastically, Cheon Tae-seong’s eyebrow twitched.

“So, what’s your name?”

“Seol Ha-baek.”

The moment he heard my name, Cheon Tae-seong turned away as if nothing had happened. Before stepping out of the door, he glanced at me sideways.

“I’ll remember that.”

Chills ran down my spine.

Knowing the true meaning behind his words, I felt a shiver run through my body.

In short, Cheon Tae-seong was sending me a warning.

‘He means he’ll kill me one day.’

No, calling it a warning would be an understatement. It was more like a murder forecast.