Chapter 284
Chapter 284
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 284
Chapter Title: How to Steal the Protagonist's Woman
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During the entire weekend, every student on campus remained on edge, their minds filled with a persistent and anxious curiosity about what the upcoming practical exam might actually involve. The first-years, in particular, had even more reason to feel uneasy compared to their seniors; it was their very first practical evaluation at Schutra, and since most of the spring semester classes had focused heavily on abstract theory rather than hands-on magical practice, the pressure was immense. As a result, the psychological weight of the practical weighed far more heavily on them than on the experienced upperclassmen.
‘Well, I suppose that is purely from a first-year perspective. The third-years are likely thinking about their final certifications and upcoming careers.’
And honestly, I couldn't care less what those third-years were thinking about. The real issue currently occupying my mind was the lack of intelligence on the exam itself.
‘Armonia, still no word from the higher-ups?’
‘...’
The dean had definitely prepared the practical exam questions well in advance, yet even as the deadline loomed, he showed absolutely no sign of revealing them to anyone. Even if he did eventually share the answers, it wouldn't be something we could access immediately through our linked system. Zodiac didn't just manage one mission like ours, so even if the dean passed the questions to them, it would typically take about two days for that information to filter down to us. At least if we managed to get the answers, we could solve the problems a bit late but smoothly enough to pass. But...
‘If we don't receive the data by the final deadline, we're going to be totally screwed.’
The specific exam questions themselves would become clear the very moment the practical session officially started, so that wasn't my primary worry. But not knowing the correct answers in advance? That was a fundamentally different story. I was fairly certain that Louis had aced the written exam on elemental affinities, so if an insane gap opened up during the practical demonstration, winning the written part wouldn't mean squat. At best, it might sour his mood for a few minutes when the prelim scores dropped, but the final showdown between Louis and me would be decided by our overall combined rankings.
If I managed to place in the top five, I would technically win the bet—but there was a catch: even if I placed fifth, if Louis claimed the first-place spot, he would still win overall. The guy had insured his own victory just in case, likely out of an ironclad confidence that he would claim the top spot regardless of my performance.
‘The way he's clinging to that first-place rank... the guy truly has some serious and annoying competitive fire in him.’
‘Why did you have to bring up the sleeve incident again... the whole scene felt incredibly awkward.’
Thanks to that memory, my mood soured before the session even began. On Monday morning, I arrived early at the designated lecture hall, waiting for the practical instructions to commence. Having spent the weekend without any major romantic run-ins with Luna had left me feeling a bit empty, but I knew that once the exams were finally over, we could head out and have all the fun we wanted. I figured that Luna bonding with her new friends over exam talk was important for her long-term social standing at Schutra. I used to think that going solo was always the best path, but being dragged into Armonia's world and rubbing elbows with people has taught me one thing: human connections genuinely matter.
‘Luna can party as hard as she wants after the results are in anyway.’
I was lost in those somewhat lecherous thoughts when a familiar figure entered the hall. Amid the dense crowd of students, he stood out like a shining beacon of aristocracy.
‘Huh? I honestly thought he'd be far too embarrassed to show his face before the exam started, but he actually came.’
Louis slunk in, glancing around nervously as if expecting a trap, but his oblivious and loyal fangirl followers latched onto him almost immediately.
"Louis!? Are you really okay? We were so incredibly worried about you!"
"Haha... thank you all for worrying, I'm doing just fine now."
Louis glanced toward me—or rather, toward Luna sitting near me—with a long sigh of relief, then shot me a demonic, hateful glare for a split second. It was the same look he gave when he caught that TA harassing Luna before. Why on earth is he looking at me with that much venom? It's not like I've openly molested Luna in front of him—yet.
‘...If our relationship ever officially leaks later, I'm definitely going to make a show of groping her ass right in front of his face.’
The random goal of publicly declaring Luna's plump ass as mine right in his face actually fired me up quite a bit. But enthusiasm aside... I decided that for the sake of the mission, the urge to provoke him one more time was too strong to resist. I approached Louis's noisy entourage and greeted him with a smirk.
"So, did you have a particularly good weekend?"
"..."
Louis bared his teeth like a cornered animal and glared at me, choosing to say absolutely nothing.
"What's the matter? Was it a bad weekend after all?"
"...I had a perfectly great weekend, thank you. I am feeling in peak condition for the practical."
He seemed to be being very careful not to get rattled by my words this time. I reached out and patted his shoulder as he sat there.
"That's good to hear. You'll need to work incredibly hard on the practical part. Since you completely bombed the written exam, who knows—if you nail this, you might actually have a shot at winning."
"What did you just say?"
Louis shot up from his seat, glaring daggers directly into my eyes.
"Who exactly are you claiming bombed the written exam?"
"Huh? Didn't you bomb it? I thought that was why you were dragged out crying."
"You little commoner bastard... "
He barely managed to swallow a curse, quickly scanning the room to see who was watching. The girls in his group stared in shock at our interaction, and he calmed himself down with a visible effort before speaking again.
"...Fine, I admit that I had a minor slip-up on one single subject. That does not mean I 'bombed' the entire week."
"Oh? So that isn't considered bombing in your world?"
"...What exactly is it that makes you act so insanely cocky when you have nothing to your name?"
I realized that not just Louis—even the other students wouldn't be able to understand my confidence. In their eyes, making an enemy of his prestigious family was a suicidal move.
"Maybe I just believe in my own potential?"
"... "
Louis looked completely dumbfounded at my nonchalance. But despite his obvious anger, I could tell he was starting to mistake my genuine taunts for simple, desperate bluffing.
"Hmph... Keep living your life in that delusional bubble. You can provoke me all you want—but in both written and practical scores, a commoner like you will never beat me."
He was thoroughly convinced that I had scored worse than him on the written part. It made sense to him... since the scores hadn't been released yet. But I hadn't come over to be swayed by his words; my only job was to keep the pressure on.
"If you've already failed the written portion, are you really so sure you can manage to ace the practical?"
"This absolute bastard... "
Louis's face flushed a deep red as his patience finally hit its limit. Watching that pale, handsome aristocratic guy turn ghost-red from pure rage felt oddly satisfying to me. I decided it was time to wrap up our little chat.
"Anyway, I wish you the best of luck on the exam. And please, try to avoid any more embarrassing public outbursts during this practical session."
I began to turn away to leave with a final, mocking smirk.
"Hey, wait a minute."
Suddenly, Louis reached out, grabbed my wrist in a tight grip, and yanked me back toward him.
‘Agh, why is this guy always so physical? It’s so annoying...’
But Louis wasn't trying to be romantic—he gripped my arm hard and spun me around to face him.
"What is it now?"
"If..."
"...?"
He ground his teeth together, hesitating for a moment, then forced the words out with a fierce intensity.
"If it turns out that I finish this practical exam slower than you... I will grant you one single request, as long as it doesn't cause direct harm to my family's standing."
"Oh... really?"
The offer wasn't tempting at all. Honestly, I had a nagging suspicion that I might actually lose the practical part without Armonia's help. The written part was easy—just a matter of copying data. But a practical demonstration? I might actually tank it. Biting on this new bet could lead to some shady counter-condition from him, making the situation far more risky than it needed to be.
‘I think I'll pass on that offer.’
I decided to focus solely on maximizing my practical score for the ranking.
"Nah, I'm good."
"...What? Are you seriously turning me down?"
"We've already got a perfectly good bet going, Louis. I don't want the extra hassle. I just took the written exams as best I could—I'm not interested in any more games or timing contests with you."
"Wh-what!? You dare treat my offer so lightly!?"
His outraged shout drew every single eye in the hall once again. Not wanting to deal with any more of his drama, I simply walked away.
"L-Louis... please, just calm down... he's right, it's not about who finishes first."
"R-right! You should just focus on your own performance!"
The girls in his circle tried their best to soothe his mounting rage. But the more they tried to comfort him, the more he seemed to boil with resentment. What was more shocking to him than the rejection itself was how I had treated his serious offer as if it were nothing more than childish nonsense. Even in a supposedly classless place like Schutra, he had never imagined being treated with such blatant indifference. Grinding his teeth together, he finally made a decision.
"Listen to me... if..."
"...?"
"If I somehow manage to finish this exam after that commoner guy... then I will personally invite all of you to stay at my family's grand estate as my guests."
"Oh, my goodness... Louis, are you serious!?"
The girls were caught between a state of shock and pure joy, but Louis completely ignored their reactions. His eyes had already drifted elsewhere.
‘Luna...’
Luna had just entered the hall, greeting me with a slightly grumpy but beautiful smile. The warm smile she had always reserved for him was gone, replaced by a haughty pout meant only for Suho—and Suho was staring back at her as if she were his most prized possession. Suho leaned his face in close toward hers.
‘...? Are they actually whispering together in public?’
A fresh surge of fury washed over him; he nearly charged over to them but forced himself to hold back. He had been getting too many pitying looks from the other students lately. He wasn't going to give them any more ammunition just because of a mere whisper. As he endured the humiliation, Suho suddenly shot him a mocking smirk—making sure it was out of Luna's line of sight.
‘...What the hell was that look for?’
Louis puzzled over the smirk—until Luna suddenly jolted in surprise, her hand flying to her cheek. She began scanning the room in a panic...
‘...What on earth is that about?’
Upon spotting Louis watching her, she seemed to panic and started playfully smacking Suho's back. It looked like she was scolding him for something, but the entire situation made no sense to Louis. Even so, a deep, cold hatred began to boil inside him. Their vibe together screamed that they were a couple.
‘...This won't end with just smashing you in the exams. After we graduate, I swear I will kill you for real.’
Grinding his teeth so hard it hurt, he turned his attention back to the girls in his entourage.
"Y-you are absolutely insane, Suho!?"
Luna whisper-scolded me as softly as she could so that the nearby students wouldn't be able to hear. I just grinned back at her mischievously.
"C'mon now, no one actually saw anything."
"Louis was looking right at us!"
"Nah, from his angle, he probably just thought it was a very close whisper."
"... I can't believe you."
She checked on Louis again—he had finally sat down and was chatting with the girls, still clearly aware of our presence but having apparently missed the quick peck on the cheek.
"Phew... honestly... I really thought you had something important to say to me..."
I had whispered to her that I had some vital words to share, then—using my body to block Louis's view—I had given her a quick peck on the cheek. She had been completely startled by the move. I tilted my head at her grumbling, teasing her back.
"What's the matter? Do you not like it when I kiss you?"
"Ugh! You are impossible!"
"Ow! Hey!"
Unable to resist her frustration, she began to pinch my side until the practical session officially started, using the pain to vent her nerves.
..
..
Time passed, and the moment for the practical exam finally arrived. I still had absolutely no questions or answers provided by my system.
‘Yeah... I just hope it doesn't come to that.’
In the main auditorium, I stood blankly as the official briefing for today's practical began. It wasn't the dean this time, but rather the elderly professor from the previous session who stood at the podium to explain the rules.
"The practical examination will run for a total of five consecutive days starting from today."
She explained that we would each enter Rahu's Tower via the school's specialized branch; every student would be assigned their own private room. Our task was to detect and correctly interpret the specific mana flows within the room, then draw the corresponding magic circle on the white board provided. Some might wonder why we were given five days for mere mana detection, but there was a catch: there were five separate flows total, and each one had a strict 24-hour interpretation limit. If you failed to solve one in time, that specific task would be marked as a failure, and the system would move you to the next one. Each room was equipped with a basic bathing area, a toilet, bedding, and simple rations. While luxury-loving students might find it spartan, it was perfectly livable for a five-day stay.
"However, you do not necessarily need to spend all five days within the tower to finish your testing."
"...?"
As the students looked puzzled, she provided the answer promptly.
"If you solve a flow correctly, the next one will appear in exactly one hour. Therefore..."
"... "
"If you are fast enough, you could technically finish the entire exam today."
It was easy to say, but exceptionally rare in practice. The problems were scaled for a five-day maximum difficulty—no one was expected to clear them that quickly. Except for a few elite individuals...
‘Louis is definitely going to aim for first place in speed...’
The score wasn't just about "solving well"—if you drew the correct circle, the flow would vanish, and the next would appear an hour later. Therefore, the fastest finishers would be ranked highest in the class.
‘...From her explanation, it sounds like the dean isn't actually crafting the flows live as we go.’
That meant the full professors must already have the questions in their possession. Otherwise, they couldn't possibly run the simulation.
‘...Even if it does arrive, without a corresponding answer key, the raw data might be useless to me...’
As I was stewing over the lack of info, the professor wrapped up her briefing.
"I wish all of you the best of luck. You may proceed."
..
..
"Please proceed to your assigned rooms. This exam lasts for five days—once you are inside, no exit is permitted until all five flows are either solved or failed."
We clustered before a professor who seemed to be the official in charge of the tower entrance, getting our final room assignments. Escape was only possible by solving the problems or in the event of a true emergency. If an emergency occurred, we were instructed to write the word "HELP" on the board—this would lead to instant disqualification, but TAs would immediately burst in to perform a rescue.
"The first mana flow will initiate approximately 30 minutes after your entry. Now, go on. Do your absolute best."
I eyed Luna as she entered her assigned room next door to mine. And I noticed Louis was positioned in the room right across from her. Was it lucky or unlucky? Our rooms—mine, Luna's, and Louis's—were essentially consecutive in the tower layout. We couldn't peek at each other's work anyway, so I supposed it wasn't a big deal... I shot Louis one last challenging glare, then turned and whispered to Luna.
"Make sure you ace this exam, Luna."
"You too, Suho. I believe in you."
She then turned and offered Louis a similar, albeit more formal, encouragement.
"Louis... good luck on your flows."
"...Yeah, thanks. I got it."
As his expression softened at her kind words, I made sure to smirk at him visibly. I mouthed the word clearly so he couldn't possibly miss it:
-S-L-O-W-P-O-K-E.-
"You little commoner... "
I bolted inside my room before I had to hear the rest of his outburst.
‘Ah... this isn't quite as fun as the summer break plans, but messing with his head really hits the spot.’
Since he was already my enemy, I figured I might as well torment him into a state of total ruin. The heavy door auto-locked behind me with a solid thud. Finally safe from Louis's glare, I took a moment to survey my surroundings.
"Whoa... this place is absolute heaven compared to the student dorms."
As I was marvelling at the luxurious bedding and the private bath—
Pfshhh!
‘Huh? What was that? Has the exam started already?’
It was weird—the first flow was supposed to start after 30 minutes. As my doubt began to rise, a calm, familiar voice spoke from a chair in the dark corner of the room.
"If you're saying that, it means I really need to spruce up the student dormitories, doesn't it?"
"... "
"After all, comfort and quality of life are vital for the growth of my students."
The dean rose from his seat, smiling at me with an inscrutable expression. Panicking inwardly, I immediately called out to Armonia.
‘Armonia! This guy definitely has some secret plans. Get the warp drive ready, just in case!’
But there was no answer.
‘Armonia? Captain? CEO? Your star employee is in immediate danger here!’
Still, there was absolutely no response from the system. Confirming my visible fluster, the dean dropped his kindly, grandfatherly smile. His eyes sharpened with a terrifying intensity as his voice turned grave and commanding.
"Now that the interferences are gone, we can finally talk alone, can't we?"
"... "
...I was completely fucked.