Chapter 88: Midterm Exam 8
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 88: Midterm Exam 8
"The exam is already over—"
[Clara Adelian eliminated. 2 hours and 33 minutes remaining until the end of the exam. However, as only Loki remains, the practical exam is now concluded.]
The announcement that the practical exam had truly ended echoed through the forest, cutting Clara off mid-sentence.
"Just like you said, Clara, it’s over. With my victory, that is."
I looked at Clara as I spoke. I realized then that even a dazed expression looked beautiful on someone as striking as her. Her stunning red eyes were wide with shock, and her slightly parted lips revealed a tongue as crimson as her gaze.
Anyway, I actually pulled it off.
When I first gave up on the written exam and laid out the plan for the practical, my first thought had been: Will this actually work?
My plan consisted of three main parts.
First, infiltrating the monitoring room where I could track the entire forest and every student's location.
Second, scattering Bluetooth magic tools throughout the forest so I could broadcast fake announcements whenever I wanted.
Third, draining the stamina of the other Special Class students as much as possible.
This was the most effective way for me to secure an overwhelming first place in the practical exam.
Clara’s mouth slowly closed, then opened again as if she were struggling to find words.
"What on earth is happening..."
As she spoke, Clara’s eyes began to flutter shut. She started to stagger, her strength failing her.
Uh-oh. That looks dangerous.
Seeing her stumble, my body reacted instinctively. Clara finally lost her balance, and just as she was about to collapse onto the forest floor—
Grab.
Fortunately, having moved the moment she started swaying, I managed to catch her. She didn't hit the ground.
If there was one very small, truly minor problem, it was that I hadn't caught her by the arm or hand.
"..."
"..."
Clara stared at me in silence, her eyes now wide open. Then, without a word, her gaze shifted down to my arm wrapped around her waist.
My arm was encircling her, and naturally, my hand was gripping the area between her side and her stomach. That awkward middle ground.
Hmm, she’s firmer than I thought.
Despite being held in such an embarrassing position, Clara didn't seem flustered; her face didn't even turn red.
"Let go. Now."
On closer inspection, it seemed she was a little embarrassed. While her face remained pale, her ears were burning as red as her eyes.
"You would’ve hit the dirt if I wasn't here. Isn't my arm better than the muddy ground?"
"Hands off."
Clara squirmed, clearly wanting to escape my hold as quickly as possible, but—
Squeeze.
"Ngh."
When I tightened my grip on her side, she stopped struggling and glared at me.
"I know you want to get away, but just stay like this for a moment. You don't even have the strength to stand right now, do you?"
"..."
Clara remained silent, as if I had hit the nail on the head.
It wasn't that she was out of mana. She had used a lot of mana before fighting me and had fired off numerous spells while running away, but Clara’s mana reserves weren't so shallow that they would run dry from just that.
The reason she was this exhausted was...
It must be because of that last spell she used.
It seemed she wasn't quite ready to handle the power she’d learned from the Tower Master yet. Later on, she’d probably be able to spam that magic with ease, but for now, it was a heavy burden.
"Ugh... at least loosen your grip."
Clara groaned, still glaring at me.
Ah, I forgot to relax my hand.
"Just a moment."
Loosening my grip, I pulled a chair out of my Pocket Dimension and carefully lowered Clara into it. Once seated, Clara rubbed her side, looking as if my firm grip had actually hurt.
"Just what do you keep in that Pocket Dimension of yours?"
"I always carry various things. They say a well-prepared man is popular with the ladies, don't they?" I said with a shrug. "Oh, would you like a blanket so you can rest comfortably?"
"I don't need it."
I pulled another chair out of my Pocket Dimension, placed it next to Clara, and sat down.
"Then shall we have some tea until the professors arrive?"
Once seated, I produced tea and teacups from my Pocket Dimension.
"I don't need tea. Just explain. Why are you still here after being eliminated, and what was that announcement in the middle of the exam?"
"Hmm. If you drink this tea, I might just tell you."
I poured the tea into a cup and handed it to Clara.
"..."
Clara looked reluctant, but realizing I wouldn't tell her unless she drank, she finally took a sip.
"How is it? You like it, right? It's delicious, isn't it?"
"..."
Clara didn't answer, silently taking another sip.
"The professors will be here soon, so I'll keep it brief."
I didn't bother mentioning that I’d planted a location-tracking magic tool on the professor who escorted me out just to get back into the monitoring room. Instead, I showed her the Bluetooth microphone and explained how I’d made the fake broadcasts, just as I had to Gashurin.
Since Clara was smart, this was enough for her to understand the situation.
"So... I was in the palm of your hand from the very beginning." Clara muttered in a low voice.
"If you had thrown that last spell at me instead of the ground, the result might have been different."
"That's just a hypothetical. The reality is that I lost to you. That's all."
"I suppose so. Then, in the end, I beat you in this midterm, didn't I?"
Clara frowned at my words.
"What kind of nonsense is that? You only beat me in the practical exam."
"Just as you said, I am quite handsome, aren't I?"
"Sigh... What was your written exam score? No matter how much more the practical is worth, you got a zero."
Ignoring her words, I pointed a finger at myself.
"I'm first place."
Then I pointed at her.
"And you're second."
"..."
Clara took another sip of tea, seemingly unwilling to even engage with me anymore. It seemed she really did like the tea, though. I poured more into her nearly empty cup and spoke again.
"So, according to our promise, since I beat you in the practical, you have to grant me one wish, right?"
"I never made such a promise."
"Aww, come on. Think back. We definitely made that promise. You're not pretending to forget just because you're embarrassed about losing to me, are you?"
"Stop talking nonsense."
"It's not nonsense, it's the truth! Just think about it."
"I could think about it a hundred times, and I still never made such a promise."
"Clara, I didn't realize it until now, but you're quite stubborn," I said, shaking my head.
"...O Fire... my will..."
"Whoa! Clara, you're not chanting a spell right now, are you?!"
"Tsk."
Our bickering continued until the professors arrived.
* * *
A few minutes before Loki and Clara started bickering.
The moment Loki held his sword to Clara’s back, the professors had sent out the broadcast that the exam was over.
"Sigh... That brat actually won."
"I know, right? To be honest, I started thinking he might take first place halfway through, but I never imagined he’d win like this at the very end."
Before Loki had left the monitoring room to catch Clara—while Lucas and Sepia were still in the middle of their fight—Loki had spread another piece of false information.
[30 minutes remaining until the end of the exam.]
When Loki first pulled out the dolls, the professors thought he was just going to make them scream again.
"To think he would exploit the fact that we didn't provide a separate timer..."
"If he had suddenly said the exam was over, Clara might not have believed it. But since he kept saying there were 30 minutes left, then 10 minutes... she had no choice but to be deceived."
That was what made Loki’s actions so terrifying. From the professors' perspective, it was absurd, but from the students' point of view, it was only natural to believe the announcements.
The professors watched Loki and Clara, who were now sitting in chairs and drinking tea. Because of the magic Clara had unleashed earlier, they could see them, but they couldn't hear a thing.
"They’re bickering quite well. I’ve never seen Student Clara talk like that before. Do you think there’s something going on between them?"
"Something going on?"
"You know, that kind of relationship!"
Just then, a young professor chimed in.
"What? I thought for sure Loki and Sepia Rivayden had something going on."
"Where did Student Sepia come from all of a sudden?"
"I saw Loki and Sepia Rivayden walking to school together and chatting quite intimately..."
"Eh... Are you the type who thinks people have 'something going on' just because they talk?"
"No, I’m telling you, the atmosphere was definitely different!"
Another young professor jumped into the fray.
"Wasn't it Johanna who had something going on with Loki?"
"Isn't Student Johanna a bit of a stretch?"
"I saw them with my own two eyes, sitting on a bench and talking intimately the other day!"
"Isn't that just because they're both in the Disciplinary Committee?"
"The fact that he was even allowed into the Disciplinary Committee, which never accepts anyone, is proof enough!"
"Stop writing fanfiction."
"You're the one writing fanfiction, Professor!"
Meanwhile, the middle-aged professors, watching the 'dignified' debate of their younger colleagues, chatted while sipping the tea Loki had given them as a gift before he left.
"He certainly gets involved with a wide variety of people."
"Indeed. The Marquisate of Rivayden, the Duchy of Adelian, and even the Duchy of Freya... 'wide variety' doesn't even cover it."
"You don't think he's involved with Her Imperial Highness the Princess too, do you?"
"Hahahaha! Oh, surely not."
"Right? Even as I said it, it sounds ridiculous. Hoho."