Chapter 83: Midterm Exam 3
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 83: Midterm Exam 3
The Academy professors were gathered in the faculty office, meticulously grading the first-year students' exam papers.
Scratch, scratch.
Grading as a group wasn't exactly efficient, but it was a necessary precaution. In the past, a certain professor had been caught accepting a bribe to tamper with a student's results. Ever since that scandal, the faculty had made it a strict rule to grade everything together.
Scratch, scratch.
"Should I give at least some partial credit for this?"
"Hmm, wouldn't it be better to give nothing at all?"
"Right? It looks like they just wrote a bunch of fluff because they didn't know the answer. It would have been better to keep it concise, even if they only knew a little."
Aside from the occasional exchange of opinions, the only sound filling the quiet office was the rhythmic scratching of pens. However, that silence had been briefly shattered earlier.
It happened when they reached Clara’s exam paper.
‘This is truly incredible! How did she even think of this?’
‘Even as the one who wrote the question, I didn't expect an answer this brilliant.’
Lucas had managed to get every multiple-choice question correct, but what truly astonished the professors were Clara’s descriptive answers. They were so accurate and professional that even the professors found themselves double-checking their own reference materials.
"Haah..."
Elicia, who hadn't budged an inch and had remained focused on grading even while the others made a fuss over Clara, let out a heavy sigh.
As she exhaled, several nearby professors flinched.
Because Elicia didn't socialize, they didn't know much about her personally, but they knew one thing for certain: Elicia was terrifyingly strong. Once, a professor had commented that her attitude was arrogant; she had responded by wordlessly slamming him into a wall.
Consequently, no one dared to strike up a conversation with her. Well, except for one person.
Idra, who had been close with Elicia since before they joined the Academy, approached her with a bright smile, completely ignoring the dark aura radiating from her friend.
"Commander, why the long face? It’s been a while since I’ve seen you sigh like that."
"Idra, I am a professor here... Haah, never mind. Just look at this."
Idra took the exam paper Elicia handed over while rubbing her temples. The name written at the very top was Loki.
"Hahahaha! Hahaha!"
After skimming the paper, Idra clutched her stomach and burst into a fit of laughter that threatened to shake the very foundations of the faculty office. The other professors stopped their work and stared at her, wondering what could possibly be so funny.
"Ah, my stomach hurts! Haha! Do you guys want to see this?"
Idra handed Loki’s paper to the professor next to her. Curious, the others gathered around.
"Uh... it looks like he got every single multiple-choice question wrong?"
"...It looks that way to me, too."
Since they had been grading non-stop, they could tell at a glance. Loki hadn't gotten a single multiple-choice question right.
"But it looks like he wrote quite a bit for the descriptive section?"
Though the multiple-choice section was a disaster, the descriptive answers were lengthy. They were packed so tightly that one might assume he’d earned at least some partial credit.
The professors scanned the text Loki had written.
““““......................””””
The faculty was left speechless.
The descriptive question asked about the principles and structure of Earth-attribute magic. To this, Loki had replied:
[By the time Professor Elicia reads this, you’ll probably be right in the middle of grading, wouldn't you? I am always grateful to Professor Elicia, who works so hard for our sake. In the future, I will...]
It was a rather touching letter—or it would have been, if it hadn't been written in the answer section of a midterm exam. Similar messages filled the other descriptive slots as well.
"Haah..."
While Elicia let out another deep sigh and the other professors walked on eggshells around her, Idra was the only one rolling on the floor, clutching her sides.
"Hahahaha! Isn't this just a personal letter addressed to the Commander?"
As Idra continued to cackle, another professor stared intently at Loki’s exam.
"By the way, even if he was just guessing on the multiple-choice, it’s actually quite difficult to get every single one wrong. Do you think he missed them on purpose?"
"It’s so disastrously off the mark that it makes you wonder, but why would he do that?"
"And Loki has the best attitude in class, too."
"That’s true. Unlike the other students, he’s never once talked during a lecture."
Unlike Elicia’s classes, which were 100% practical combat, the other professors taught theory. While other students would occasionally chat or doze off after lunch, Loki never spoke or slept, listening intently to every word.
"He’s also the student who asks the most questions."
"Is he like that in your classes, too? He asks the most questions during my lectures as well..."
"Um... but at this rate, won't Student Loki be expelled?"
As the professor pointed out, if grades were too poor, a student could be held back or expelled.
““““Hmm....””””
However, Loki’s talent was far too precious to lose. From the Academy entrance ceremony to his duel with Prince Rophri, he had handled various magic tools with ease and utilized Innate Magic during combat.
"We still have the practical exam left, so let's wait and see for now."
The midterm evaluation combined the scores of the written and practical exams. While the written portion was important, the practical carried much more weight. It was common for rankings to be overturned during the practicals, but the problem remained: Loki currently had zero points.
Thud!
While the professors debated his fate, Elicia suddenly stood up.
"I'm going out for a moment."
"I don't even have to ask where you're going to know the answer," Idra said, stopping herself from asking.
In the hand of the departing Elicia, a certain student's exam paper was being slowly crumpled into a ball.
* * *
Loki - [0 Points]
After checking my rank and score, the students I was friendly with approached me. I expected to be in last place, but I didn't think I'd get a literal zero.
"Loki, did you make a mistake? Or did the professors mess up?"
"Pushover, did you forget to write your name or something?"
Lucas and Sepia seemed unable to fathom that I had actually taken the test and failed every single question.
Hey, listen. In life, you can end up with zero points sometimes, okay?
Because Lucas and Sepia spoke so loudly, the other students nearby began to look at me with genuine pity.
"Oh no. He must have forgotten to write his name."
"He wears that weird mask, but he always listened so intently in class."
"That's true. I've never seen him talk or sleep during a lecture."
"I wonder what score he would've gotten if he'd just written his name properly?"
"He probably would've done well, right? It's so sad he got a zero just because of a clerical error."
No, guys. I just guessed on everything and got them all wrong.
Before I could tell them the truth, the other students started offering words of encouragement.
"Hang in there!"
"Yeah, you'll be fine if you crush the practical!"
"That's right, don't be too discouraged!"
This was starting to make my already tiny conscience hurt.
"Thank you for the encouragement! I'll work hard and make sure not to make this kind of mistake next time!"
By "this kind of mistake," I meant guessing in a straight line instead of spreading my answers out. Technically, I wasn't lying.
* * *
I was currently kneeling in a corner of the Academy grounds with my hands raised high in the air.
I had fled the area because the students' encouragement was becoming too much to bear, only to be intercepted by Professor Elicia while I was wandering around.
"Do you know? For the first time in Academy history, a perfect score of 100 was achieved on the written exam. And it came from the Special Class."
"Oh! That's great news. I saw that on the bulletin board earlier!"
"And for the first time in Academy history, a score of zero was achieved. This, too, came from the Special Class."
"Ah, that is truly tragic news. I was in such a hurry earlier that I didn't check who was in last place."
Flick!
"Ow!"
Professor Elicia gave me a finger flick. It wasn't incredibly hard, but it wasn't weak either—it was the perfect, stinging amount of force.
"I heard from the other professors. They say you listen intently in class, so why are your grades in this state?"
Ah, so that's why everyone thought I'd do well.
"I did listen intently. I just didn't understand a single word they were saying."
Honestly, how was I supposed to know the structure or principles of magic? It wasn't like I could start from the basics; the level they taught at the Academy was extremely advanced. It was impossible to even ask the professors questions. If a teacher is teaching calculus, I can't exactly raise my hand and ask, "How do you do addition?"
Even if I started studying now, it would take at least three years to catch up to the other students.
"Haah... The written exam is already over. You must take first place in the practical exam."
"Is there a prize if I get first place?"
Professor Elicia picked up a stone from the ground and squeezed her hand.
Crumble.
The stone turned into fine dust and blew away in the wind.
"There is a punishment if you don't."
"I will definitely take first place!!"
To be honest, I was planning on taking first place in the practical even if she hadn't threatened me.
"Professor Elicia, do you know why one shouldn't cheat on a written exam?"
At my random question, Elicia furrowed her brows.
"I don't know what nonsense you're about to spout, but I'll answer. Cheating is against the rules."
"Exactly. Guessing the answers on a test isn't exactly solving them with your own skill either, but it's allowed because it doesn't break the rules."
"So? What is your point?"
"I'll show you, Professor. I'll use every trick in the book—as long as it doesn't break the rules—to take first place in the practical."
I said it with as much flair as I could muster.
"Loki."
"Yes."
"Don't try to sneak your arms down. Put your hands back up."
Hmph.