The Perfect Score

The midterms span three days total. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.

According to the gallery folks, the answer sheets from each day’s exam get distributed the same day, so you can check your mistakes right away.

That’s why, the Friday right before exam week, I went to see Teacher Rapori.

“Popo? Here for another magic favor?”

“Yes!”

“You already used it last week… Are you sure about the money, little friend?”

“No problem!”

Truth is, the three hundred thousand coons I’m about to spend are basically my last savings. After this I’ll be flat broke until next week’s allowance.

But it’s fine. With this future diary, I’m about to earn five million coons. A solid value investment. Totally worth it.

“……”

“W-why are you looking at me like that…?”

Teacher Rapori, still seated, stared at me for a long moment. Then she spoke.

“Little friend?”

“Y-yes?”

“…Cheating is bad, you know?”

“……”

So she knows about the diary after all. Makes sense—she peeked at it during the movie theater incident. She has to realize it shows the future.

“Are you… going to report me?”

I asked with a tense face. She’s a teacher. If she knows about the cheating, she might turn me in. That would mean instant execution and a gallery reunion ending. I can’t accept dying without even getting laid. I swallowed hard.

Then—

“Popo, it’s all right, little friend.”

“Huh…?”

“I’m a mage before I’m a teacher. My policy is to keep a customer’s secrets.”

“……”

She smiled sweetly while saying something that sounded exactly like a corrupt teacher leaking exam questions for bribes.

“Besides… I find male students who do bad things rather charming.”

“I-is that so.”

“Yes. So don’t worry and sit down.”

Tap, tap.

She patted her lap with a suggestive look in her eyes. I climbed onto her legs with slight caution.

‘I can’t fully trust her… but I need the money right now.’

She has no reason to lie. If she wanted to stop the cheating, she wouldn’t need to say all that. And if she does report me, I can just burn the diary. Painful, but necessary to survive.

Squish.

“Popo, I’ll finish quickly, okay?”

Stroke, stroke.

With my head buried against her chest, Teacher Rapori gently patted me while whispering.

After that—

“Ugh, heek…!”

I cast the magic on the diary.

My plan went perfectly and smoothly.

‘Ellie… wrote everything down so carefully.’

Not just the answers—detailed explanations for why each answer was correct. Thanks to that, the diary that usually had one page a day was now packed with several pages.

All I have to do is memorize it over the weekend. Shouldn’t be too hard. Most questions are multiple choice anyway, so besides a few short-answer ones, memorizing won’t be difficult.

“Alright… time to burn through this over the weekend.”

From Friday evening onward, I devoted every second to memorizing the answer sheet.

Then—

“……”

A sudden thought struck me.

“This school is seriously messed up…”

I’d felt it before, but the idea that all the real human girls could die before graduation in a world where you have to find them… If this were a real game, I’d give it 0.5 stars and write the longest, most scathing review possible.

…Wait, is that why possession is a cliché?

Anyway—

‘Other students can fail and die too…’

That means I’m worried about Ellie. I can use her future diary to get the answers, but Ellie herself might still fail. The diary entries for the exam days didn’t mention her test results at all. She probably spent all the space writing down answers and couldn’t fit it in. The diary only predicts up to six days ahead—exactly until Thursday, when exams end. So I have no way of knowing Ellie’s results.

“No choice…”

That Friday evening, instead of just memorizing, I started copying the exam questions and answers from Ellie’s diary into a notebook.

The next morning, Saturday—

“Huh? This is for me…?”

“Yeah, I organized some predicted questions. Trust me and try memorizing them.”

I handed Ellie the notebook I’d prepared the night before. Honestly, “predicted questions” sounds suspicious, but Ellie will probably study them seriously anyway. Because I made them for her. Embarrassing, but I was confident.

And—

“Thanks… Ares.”

Ellie smiled shyly, cheeks flushed, looking genuinely moved.

…I wonder what today’s diary entry will say. Looking forward to it.

‘At least now I can relax.’

Ellie won’t fail anymore. If she memorizes everything I gave her, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she’ll score at least ten points above failing. Since I didn’t include the short-answer parts, her chances of getting a perfect score and becoming top student are low. A perfect solution all around.

“……”

But one thing still nagged at me. Actually, not a thing—one person.

“Hmm…”

After parting with Ellie, I returned to the dorm and rolled a pen between my fingers, thinking. The ones who’ll be in trouble if they fail are me and any real human girls. Monsters don’t count. No need to worry about them. They’re monsters, after all. No reason for me to look after them…

“Here.”

“Huh? What’s this?”

“Predicted questions. …Trust me and memorize them.”

“Predicted questions?”

Around lunchtime on Saturday, I handed Lana another notebook. She stared at it blankly for a moment, then glanced up at me.

“Why are you giving this to me…?”

“Uh, well…?”

“……”

“……”

Why? Because… I mean…

“Ares… do you like me?”

“W-what?!”

“If you didn’t like me, you wouldn’t hand over a handmade question set like this.”

“That’s because…!!”

“You like me…?”

Lana looked up at me softly and took a step closer. She was getting nearer. Her body, her eyes looking up at me with flushed cheeks.

“N-no, that’s not it…!”

“It’s not?”

“Kgh…!”

She’s a monster. Confessing to a monster is a dead end. She’s trying to lure me into confessing so she can kill me…!

And in that moment, for some reason, NightRat’s voice echoed in my ears.

“W-well, memorize that well!! Study hard for the test!!”

I spun around and bolted. Or tried to.

Grab!

“Eek!”

“……”

Lana caught my hand tightly. I could’ve shaken her off with force, but I couldn’t. If I did, she’d fall because she was already leaning toward me. So instead—

I caught her in my arms.

“Wait…”

“Thanks, Ares.”

Lana hugged me tightly and spoke.

‘Uwaa… so soft…’

The softness and warmth pressing against my chest. The feeling of her arms squeezing me gave me an odd sense of security, and my heart raced uncontrollably.

Then Lana lifted her head and looked up at me softly.

“I’m really, really happy…”

“Kgh…”

Is this an act? If so, she’s incredible. For a moment, I almost believed she was a girl who actually liked me. No—right now, it really felt that way.

“Hehe…”

“……”

Lana stayed like that for a while, hugging me tightly with her face buried in my chest. Like she was listening to my heartbeat.

Then she pulled away, smiled softly, and held up the notebook.

“I’ll definitely memorize this problem set you gave me.”

“Y-yeah…”

“Ares… you have to get first place, okay?”

“……”

“Because I want to give you a present.”

“……”

After parting with Lana, I returned to the dorm. The irritation in my chest had vanished without a trace. Only peace and a racing heart remained.

“A present…”

Somehow, I felt even more motivated than I had about the five million coons.

Time flew by. The weekend and Monday. I spent every ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠moment memorizing the answers. I didn’t forget to check the future carefully either. The answers might change if the future shifted. Fortunately, that didn’t happen, so I was able to memorize smoothly.

And then exam day arrived.

The exam went incredibly smoothly.

‘It’s literally just the diary contents…!’

Not a single discrepancy. I double- and triple-checked even after finishing, just in case, but every question matched the diary exactly.

Long live the Spirit of Strength! Long live Ellie’s diary! At this rate, letting Ellie have the key to my room wasn’t such a bad deal after all.

“A~res, how was the test?”

“Eh, so-so.”

“Hehe, you look really confident though?”

After the first day’s exam, on the way home, Lana leaned in close and whispered.

“You really want my present that badly?”

“……”

Seeing my reaction, Lana giggled happily.

…What is that present, anyway? She said it was just an example when she bit my hand last time.

‘Don’t tell me… she’s planning to do the same thing she did during the doppelganger incident?’

No, no, getting bitten isn’t really my thing. But imagining Lana’s lips and tongue nibbling all over my body… didn’t sound so bad either.

The next day, the second day’s exam was perfect too, as expected.

‘Easy, so easy.’

Since I’d confirmed the first day matched the diary, I solved everything quickly, did a double-check, and rested. No tension at all. I just waited for the exam to end.

“Ares, how was it…?”

“Pretty good. How about you, Ellie?”

“Yeah, me too. …Oh, right. The questions you told me all showed up, so they were super helpful!”

“Really?”

Fortunately, Ellie seemed to be doing well too. She must’ve memorized everything I gave her without missing any.

“Thanks, Ares…”

Ellie blushed slightly and glanced at me.

“When the exam’s over… I’ll repay you.”

“Eh… really…?”

“Yeah.”

Ellie nodded with a shy smile. Repayment? What kind? Suddenly, the memory of Ellie pulling me into her chest on the bed flashed through my mind. Gulp.

‘I hope the exam ends soon.’

Thanks to the future diary, midterms had turned from hell into heaven. I was happy.

And the next day—the final exam day.

‘Easy, so easy, easy.’

Click.

I pressed the pen, retracting the tip. I’d already finished everything. Double-checked perfectly. …A perfect score. First place. I was certain.

“Good work, everyone. Go home and rest well today, have fun. That’s all.”

““Thank you for your hard work!!””

After the last period’s papers were collected by the proctor, the midterms were over. All the students looked excited.

“Heh, hehe…”

Of course, I was extremely excited too. Five million coons. Lana’s present. Ellie’s repayment. Somehow, after finishing the midterms, I had both a fortune and two beautiful girls on either side? For today, this Wonder Academy felt less like a horror academy and more like a miracle academy.

“A~res, let’s go together.”

“W-wait…! T-today, with me…!”

I watched with amusement as Lana and Ellie bickered fiercely, then headed home. That’s when—

“……Huh?”

“……”

I felt a gaze and turned around. There stood a girl staring at me. It didn’t feel like she was secretly watching because she had a crush. No—rather, she was glaring at me with dark, menacing eyes.

‘What the…’

What is it…? I tried to guess the meaning behind her gaze. I hadn’t done anything wrong. I’d never seen this girl before. So she probably just bombed the exam. Seeing a guy flanked by girls bragging about doing well would naturally make her glare. That’s what I thought.

As expected, I became the top student.

“Goodness, I never thought my class would produce the top student… Everyone, applause.”

Clap clap clap clap clap.

Friday. During morning assembly, I was congratulated on being first place and received the scholarship. Among the clapping students, Lana and Ellie looked especially happy as they watched me.

‘I did it…’

Amid everyone’s cheers, I clenched my fist. Five million coons…! I really earned it with my own hands. The thought that I could use magic freely for a while almost brought tears to my eyes.

“Teacher Rapori!!”

“Popo?”

After school, I ran straight to Teacher Rapori.

“Little friend, I heard the news. You’re first place? Congratulations.”

“Haha, th-thank you.”

Jiggle, jiggle.

Teacher Rapori patted my head while leaning down. Thanks to that, her massive assets swayed, revealing their pudding-like softness. Mesmerized by the movement, I snapped back to reality and pulled the puppet doll from my bag.

“Teacher…! More importantly, about this! Can you revive it with my magic?!”

“Popo…? So you came for magic, not praise? Hmm…”

She took the doll and examined it closely. Then she smiled and nodded.

“Yes, this is an artifact too. You can restore its power with your spirit magic. …Shall we do it now?”

“Yes…!! Please!!”

I beamed at her words. Done… I can summon the doppelganger again… Of course, if it escapes it’ll be trouble, but I can just lock it safely in my dorm room. Or ask Teacher Rapori for a method. Anyway, with this, for a while I can enjoy—

“Heh, heek…”

“Popo, all done. Want to rest a bit today since you’re excited?”

“Haa, no… right away…”

I pulled myself from Teacher Rapori’s soft embrace. Her chest feels nice, but the doppelganger is more important right now. But—

“……T-teacher?”

“Popo? What’s wrong?”

“……This, is it really done?”

“Yes, perfectly.”

The puppet doll… still looked exactly like a doll.

“Uh, th-then, is there a separate way to use it…?”

“Yes, if you wrap a body part of the person you want to curse around the puppet, its power will activate.”

“…It doesn’t turn into a person’s appearance or anything?”

“Popo? It doesn’t have that kind of power?”

“……”

I trudged down the sunset corridor. Empty. I’d come all ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this way dreaming big, trusting in the doppelganger’s power… Well, it was all thanks to cheating with the future diary, but still.

“Haa…”

I felt hollow. Ah, I won’t be able to taste that again. Those fun times with Fake Lana and Fake Ellie.

“……Sigh.”

No choice. Pull yourself together. So what if I can’t touch them anymore?

“Yeah… I still have… Lana’s present and Ellie’s repayment…”

I still had dreams and hope. Of course, there was the risk that they might cross the line if their eyes went wild, but Lana’s gift and Ellie’s reward were worth that risk.

“Damn it…!”

I spat out my regret mixed with curses and headed outside the school. Since exams were over, I planned to laze around in my room.

“Ares.”

“……Yeah?”

Just then, someone called from behind as I walked down the corridor. I turned my head. It was the same girl who’d glared at me yesterday. The girl whose name I didn’t know.

“Uh… who…?”

“You don’t know me?”

“No…?”

“……”

The girl stared at me expressionlessly, yet menacingly.

“……”

This bastard. A monster… The thought flashed through my mind.

‘No, calm down… Monsters only kill according to the rules at night…’

I tensed my legs, ready to run at any moment. That’s when—

Grin.

The girl smiled. Her lips twisted grotesquely upward.

“Ares.”

“……”

“You got a perfect score this time, right?”

“……”

I didn’t answer. But the girl continued on her own. And then—

In the silence, she spoke to me in a chilling voice.

“━━You cheated, didn’t you?”

“……”

Oh, fuck. I muttered the words quietly in my chest.