The Angel Missing from the Exam (7)

Refri recognized the examinee who raised his hand. Arrogant expression that suited his slicked-back hair. The blond young man in the stylish suit had a pin engraved with the White family's crest on his tie.

'Jack White.'

The superhuman who would become Britain's greatest hero in the future. The problem was that he was the next head of the prestigious noble and superhuman White family, with a strong sense of chosen superiority and arrogance. Fortunately, he wasn't ignorant of honor.

'He looks even more insufferable because he's young.'

Refri glanced around Jack. The examinees from European superhuman families who had taken the test with him were all ignoring him or growling at each other with hostile glares.

'Their team must've fallen apart during the first exam. As expected, this entrance exam doesn't require teaming up.'

That was probably what the professors wanted. To screw over the examinees who tried to team up.

Professor Klein looked at Jack White with pity, shaking his head a few times.

"Why don't you rest for ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a bit, young master?"

"Pardon?"

"In truth, the question about who wants to go first only applied to these three here. Those of you who entered the passage need to rest. You did well."

Klein chuckled softly. Jack bit his lip in anger.

"Then, I'll go first."

"Why? Why are you in such a hurry to take the exam? Ah, could it be... something happened in the previous exam that tarnished the young master's reputation? So you're rushing to fix it..."

"......"

Klein covered his mouth and bowed his head.

"Oops, my mistake. I didn't think it was actually true."

Then he looked back at the three top scorers from the first exam, including Refri.

"Does anyone among you want to go first? No one?"

When no one answered, Klein clapped once more.

"Then let's rest a bit."

Hahaha—the professor's laughter filled the hall.

The break time wasn't anything special. With Klein's clap, water to drink and bite-sized foods were placed in the center of the hall, accompanied by potions that barely escaped being called cheap knockoffs.

'Damn it... How dare a mere academy professor treat me, the heir of the White family, like this...'

Jack kept fuming over the humiliation, unconsciously seeking an outlet for his anger.

'Damn, twisting the exam like this so shallowly? Judging skill with something like that?'

His dark inferiority complex turned toward the three who had perfectly passed the first exam. Rivals he couldn't help but envy, compared to himself who had barely passed while abandoning all dignity.

However, Yumari was the lady of the far more powerful Seocheon Yu family than the Whites, and the cat clan who made assassination their livelihood was too dangerous to touch. That left only that frail-looking boy, just one...

"What? Is this for real?"

Jack eyed the data sent by his subordinate with suspicion.

Refri, Korean orphan with no connections, unaffiliated with any faction. Wealth practically nonexistent. Moreover...

"Estimated to have recently awakened as a superhuman?"

Crumple—Jack's fist, filled with rage, crushed the paper in one go.

Jack strode straight toward Refri.

"Hey!"

"...Calling me?"

Refri tilted his head. Seeing that, Jack felt his anger slightly subside.

'What kind of guy is this...'

But memories of the hardship and humiliation from the previous exam flooded back, refilling Jack's head with fury. He'd endured such disgrace to escape that passage, yet this guy had lucked out by just heading toward the water.

'A guy like this shouldn't be highly rated. So what I'm doing is justice...!'

Jack lowered his voice and shoved Refri against the wall.

"Ugh."

"You... drop out of the exam."

"...Why should I?"

He said loudly.

"Why? How did a weakling like you tie for first in the first exam? Skill? No way. Just luck."

"Luck is skill too."

"Oh yeah? Wearing cheap threads like that, you're pretty lucky. Didn't have the skill to be born into a good family? Or the luck to meet better parents?"

"You!"

Jack casually tossed Refri aside. And muttered.

"I know all about it. No backing, no family... and you're a lowly peasant serf worrying about tomorrow's meal. But out of mercy, if you drop out right now and crawl back to your dirty rat hole, I'll cleanly forget about you."

Jack sneered at Refri, who lay fallen and unable to rise.

"But if you keep challenging the exam without shame, I'll deliver justice upon you in the name of my family."

Jack laughed. Venting on this kid should improve his mood, he thought.

However...

'I feel bad...'

What was this unpleasant feeling? The expression looking at him innocently unknowing, holding back anger at the insults. The pained face fallen. The heavenly beautiful boy Refri was enough to evoke sympathy just with those changing expressions.

'Damn...'

Yes. What Jack felt was guilt.

Meanwhile, the three girls watching the commotion. One was a black-haired girl taller than her peers, with small horns. People called her the Mari lamb of the Seocheon Yu family. Yumari was furious at Jack. She hadn't even considered telling Refri to drop out herself, and nearly rushed first to smash Jack's head.

A person with a heavenly scent, possessing fragile beauty. Yumari never wanted to see such a person suffer again.

But she held back. If Refri learned the dirty truth of this world and left because of this, Yumari could close her eyes to it. Though her fists would keep trembling...

Hongwol watched the scene from inside a box. And wagged her tail, thinking it was good. In the end, if Refri was cornered, the only one he could lean on was her, right? Refri had no family. So... that winter night, the deep bond they formed meant no one else for him to rely on.

And Soya was a bit surprised.

'Not even that? Wearing cheap threads ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like that, you're pretty lucky. Didn't have the skill to be born into a good family? Or the luck to meet better parents?'

Chewing over what Jack had spouted earlier. Soya sank into thought.

'That kid wasn't even silver-spoon...'

He wasn't even silver-spoon; calling him dirt-poor wouldn't be off.

Yet...

'Yet he says no reward... when he needs cash right now too...'

Soya always prided herself on viewing the world objectively and understanding most things... but she couldn't understand this situation. Truly a strange boy.

After the commotion passed, it was time for the exam to resume.

"So, who will go first..."

"I'll go first."

Again, the first to raise his hand was Jack White. To restore his tarnished honor, there was nothing he wouldn't do.

"Very well. The young master will go first then. Enter the attribute room of your choice. If you're too injured to escape, don't hesitate to tear off the bracelet."

Jack nodded once and headed to the gray room without hesitation.

"Gray room. Typical White family."

"He'll last at least three minutes. Damn nobles."

Refri listened to the whispers behind him and closely examined the gray room Jack entered.

'Gray magic is definitely netherworld magic. As the next head of the White family who uses necromancy, he'll handle three minutes easily.'

...What a headache. Already so much to worry about, and now he had to deal with Jack exploding out of nowhere.

"Good! Three minutes almost up. And the young master's consciousness is fine."

No idea when he'd brought tea and scones, but Klein quietly enjoyed tea time while watching the room.

"Three minutes passed. You pass the exam."

As expected, Jack easily surpassed three minutes. He just needed to exit the room, and it was over.

But Jack didn't come out even after three minutes.

"...Ho. Trying for the recommendation letter, are you?"

Klein happily bit into a scone.

3 minutes 20 seconds... 3:40... 4 minutes... And 4:10. At 20 seconds... 30 seconds, something happened. The gray room's door opened.

He'd failed to last five minutes and burst out.

Jack's condition bursting out was miserable. Most of his skin was gray-stained from netherworld magic poisoning, and cloudy bloody tears flowed from his eyes.

Of course, Jack had overdone it. To make up for his disgrace in front of the European superhuman families' heirs, to get Professor Klein's recommendation letter that no one had ever received...

That was the only way to protect his honor. With that single thought, he'd pushed too far. To the point his life was in danger.

He tried to tear the bracelet, but no strength entered his arm.

"He...lp..."

But no one helped. Professor Klein just shook his head, ignoring him, and the examinees who knew him were busy mocking his state.

Competition had made them cruel.

'Knew it from when he showed that pathetic sight earlier.'

'Why not tear the bracelet? Thinks we'll help?'

'Ha, that's the next White head... Pathetic.'

And most didn't care about the situation. They couldn't help anyway. No reason to. One dropout was good for them.

A few looked with pity, but no one moved.

Jack hated these ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ignoring gazes. But he was powerless.

"Help..."

Tears welled in Jack's eyes. He felt the gray magic gradually eroding his magic core. If it fell, no healing could fix it—not even at a superhuman hospital without major surgery. Any delay, and he'd become a powerless cripple unable to use magic.

Then...

'What if he becomes a total cripple?'

'What? Good for us. No more worrying about the White bastard.'

Crying wasn't manly. Not honorable. Ugly. So Jack held back tears. No matter how much they welled...

Then suddenly, a commotion from afar.

"Move!"

"What?"

"Tch, the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠first exam top scorer acting all high and mighty."

A boy was running over. Small stature barely pushing through the crowd, doing his utmost not to be late, rushing to him. Jack couldn't hide his surging emotions.

Of course, Refri's thoughts were different.

'Angel Power!! That's my Angel Power!!! Before that gold-spoon tears the bracelet and flees, heal him to farm Angel Power and get repaid with fat cash!'

Refri rushed to Jack with all his might.

Jack felt toward this Refri... beyond mere gratitude...

But Refri was thinking elsewhere.

'Pizza, chicken, jjajangmyeon, sweet-and-sour pork, sushi...'

Things to order the moment money came. Refri, who hadn't had proper takeout in at least five years including his past life. Truly poverty angel Refri...

'Can't miss this chance!'

A chance to get both Angel Power and money. Refri stood before Jack with a genuinely worried expression (fearing his Angel Power and money might be lost).

Jack, seeing this beautiful boy truly worried for him, regretted his earlier actions deeply. The mark Jack left still lingered on Refri's neck.

Seeing that mark, Jack...

Refri muttered in a voice full of relief.

"...I'll heal you right now."

The netherworld magic eroding Jack's body began to surrender and dissipate before the true heavenly power. Jack White's body healed bit by bit, but perfectly.

And with it, the rising status window messages.

Refri smiled brightly at the thought of gaining a large amount of Angel Power and funds.

"Good thing."

Truly fortunate. That Jack hadn't fled. So he could tear into chicken while eating pizza. Gotta have spaghetti too since it's Western food.

"Really fortunate."

His face bloomed into a full smile.

Jack stared at the boy who, after such unfair treatment from him, perfectly healed him and smiled saying it was fortunate.

"Sob. Sniff. Sniff..."

Jack cried.