Chapter 31
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 31: Group Projects Are Luck-Based (2)
The academy's 1st year, 1st semester final exam is a group exam with other departments.
When the final exam starts, a mission is given, and students from combat-related departments like Knight, Magic, and Theology Departments gather one by one to form a group and perform it together.
Therefore, unlike the midterm exam where individual capability was prioritized, communication ability and cooperation are emphasized in the final exam.
But there was something more important than that..
It was definitely luck.
An irrational structure where even if I do well, if teammates do poorly or have no intention to cooperate, I also suffer damage for the reason of lack of teamwork.
This point was indeed the reason students avoided group projects.
Furthermore, since the group to take the exam with is drawn purely randomly, 1st years disliked this exam the most.
However, the fortunate thing was that they announce the formed groups and give assignments 6 weeks before the exam starts, so there is time to coordinate.
After training ended, I went to check the group lottery notice with Alicia, Kairin, and Asel.
While heading to where the bulletin board was, Male Lead Candidates passing by just in time also joined, creating a group of a whopping 9 people.
‘….Why is Senior here?’
The two Male Lead Candidates belonging to non-combat departments had announcements for them so let's say that's that, but the 2nd-year senior shouldn't have anything to see here…
“It's severe.”
“Indeed…”
While Alicia and the 6 Male Lead Candidates chattered among themselves, Kairin and I watched that appearance from a step behind and worried about the future of the continent.
Although they are people who look a bit lacking because of the Curse of Romance Fantasy, if there is one good point, thanks to the high name value of each person, other students looking at the bulletin board tactfully made way.
Thanks to that, we could look at the bulletin board comfortably without rubbing against other students.
Since there were so many students, it took some time to find our own names, but we could discover our respective names before long.
Kairin, Alicia, Kyle, and I all ended up forming groups with people we didn't know.
And the remaining two among us, Asel and the Mage, were…
“....Peon, same group.”
“.......Don't hold me back.”
Surprisingly, piercing through atrocious probability, they became the same group and were making expressions blatantly disliking each other.
“Asel, Peon, you two are in the same group? How can there be such a coincidence?”
“Haha, indeed..”
“Ha…Ha…”
Whether they do or not, Alicia congratulating the two people who became the same group with her unique positive circuit.
Since Asel, a skilled person of the Knight Department, and the Mage, a skilled person of the Magic Department, are together, she must think it worked out well.
At her words congratulating purely, the two couldn't even keep a straight face and just laughed awkwardly.
“Come to think of it, Mr. Ethan is in the same group as Mr. Tauric?”
“Oh, is he someone you know?”
“Yes, he is an outstanding priest. His character is excellent and he is very faithful, but well…. However…”
“However?”
“Ah… It's nothing…!”
…..I became anxious.
Just what kind of person is he for the Saintess to show this reaction.
Still, since he is an outstanding priest guaranteed by the Saintess, he won't hold me back in terms of skill, right.
I decided to emulate the Saintess and run a positive circuit.
Well, if worse comes to worst, I can just abandon the final exam.
A situation where I already received good grades during midterms.
Since I won't become an imperial civil servant, it didn't matter even if I gave up the final grade.
Afterward, we parted ways to meet our respective group members.
I went to meet the Theology Department group member first.
Because thanks to being an acquaintance of the Saintess, receiving her advice, I could roughly infer his location.
According to the Saintess, he was usually either in the prayer room or the fitness training room.
I headed to the nearby fitness training room first.
“Brother! Just one more! Just one more!”
“Heueuk…! Keuaaaap!”
“Good! Really just one more!”
“Keuaaaak!”
Entering inside, muscular Theology Department students were exercising there.
Students possessing solid bodies not losing to the Knight Department regardless of gender.
It was an appearance befitting reserve Holy Knights who would uphold the Goddess's will at the forefront.
I approached a student resting briefly and asked.
“By any chance, do you know who Mr. Tauric Lumen is?”
“Brother, for what matter are you looking for him?”
“Because I ended up in the same group for this final exam.”
“Ah, if it's that. The friend over there is Tauric.”
At the place he pointed, there was a muscle man doing bench press with several huge discs stuck on both sides.
Muscles squirming every time he moved the bar and breath pouring out heavily.
I could know the moment I saw him at a glance.
This person is a powerful Holy Knight.
‘Wait, did Alicia say he was a Holy Knight?’
No…? She definitely said he was a priest…
A priest with that physique?
Of course, just because one is a priest doesn't mean they only heal from behind as commonly thought, but with that physique, I naturally thought he would be a Holy Knight.
I approached him who was taking a break after finishing a set.
“Mr. Tauric Lumen, is that correct?”
“Correct. I am Tauric Lumen. Who are you, Brother?”
“Nice to meet you. I am Ethan Ibres of the Knight Department who became the same group in this final exam.”
“Oh, the groups have already been announced. Nice to meet you, Brother Ethan. Could you wait a moment? I will wash up and come soon.”
When I nodded, he organized the exercise equipment and headed straight to the changing room.
Waiting for about 10 minutes, he came out after finishing the shower.
“By any chance, the other person is?”
“Thanks to receiving the Saintess's help, I came to see Mr. Tauric first.”
“Oh, you were a friend of the Sword Saintess. Come to think of it, I have heard about Brother Ethan. I heard the Saintess requests spars every time?”
“That is correct.”
Sharing brief conversation, we headed to the Magic Department.
In the Magic Department, there were quite a few people who came to find group members like us.
Since the academy was also giving help to match groups easily, the process of meeting the remaining group member wasn't that difficult.
“H....Hello...”
A small female student greeting shyly with a blushing face.
Hugging a staff as big as her body tightly trying to hide her body, but with a thin staff, there was no way that would work.
Showing such an appearance with a cute look, I almost stared inadvertently, but I received the greeting before she became more ashamed.
“Hello. I am Ethan Ibres of the Knight Department who will be together for this exam.”
“Nice to meet you, Sister. I am Tauric Lumen of the Theology Department.”
“I… I am Estelle Arcadia of the Magic Department…!”
The Magic Department group member who joined last was a cute mage.
A small build about 150cm, soft light green hair, and sparkling sky-blue eyes.
Adding a shy appearance to that, she was like a lovely doll.
For now, the first impression of the group members was very good.
A reliable priest who seems like he can also play the role of a Holy Knight if necessary, and a polite mage unlike a certain rude mage.
I'll know the details after coordinating, but even if the two people's skills are a bit lacking, since I liked them in terms of character, it seemed we could become a good team.
Fortunately, all three of us had no particular schedule, so we decided to go to a cafe and talk briefly about each other.
After arriving at the cafe, we ordered a drink each and sat down.
Since the mage group member seemed somewhat unfamiliar with this atmosphere, I stepped up first and introduced myself.
“I will greet you once again. I am Ethan Ibres of the Knight Department. My weapon is a spear and my realm is Aura User.”
“Nice to meet you, Brothers. I am Tauric Lumen of the Theology Department. I mainly use healing and strengthening type Holy Magic. Please take care of me.”
“H…Hello. I am Estelle Arcadia belonging to the Magic Department… I am a Star-attribute (Astrology/Stellar) mage and 4th Circle…!”
Jackpot.
Me as a spearman, a priest to give heals and buffs, and on top of that, a Star mage with strong destructive power.
First of all, I liked that the party's stability was high.
Although the Knight Department is named Knight Department, there are also archer or assassin types, so one cannot unconditionally stand in the vanguard, and the Magic Department's roles also vary widely depending on major attributes.
Since the Theology Department is also largely divided into priests standing in the rearguard and Holy Knights standing in the vanguard, the combinations that can come out when combining all three were endless.
If unlucky, an archer, mage, and priest gather creating a group with no vanguard, or a shield bearer, Holy Knight, and a mage specialized in protection magic combine creating a group with zero firepower.
Our group was the opposite case.
Basically, I take charge of the vanguard, but since Tauric uses a mace and shield as main weapons, he could share the burden of the vanguard, and Estelle supplemented the firepower lacking in the two of us.
Looking theoretically for now, it was an incredibly solidly formed combination.
Furthermore, the mage Estelle's realm is 4th Circle.
Usually, a 3rd Circle mage is considered about a low-level Aura User in knight terms, and 4th Circle is considered mid to high-level Aura User depending on proficiency.
Since 5th Circle is considered equivalent to Expert, 4th Circle at student level is clearly top-tier.
The Saintess said Tauric is also a skilled priest, so our group was a group where balance was destroyed in a good way.
Since I succeeded overwhelmingly in team luck draw, I conversed with them with a very comfortable smile.
We spent time talking about each other and parted ways, and a few days later, the academy gave an assignment to perform with group members.
It was a method of completing a desired mission and receiving points according to the difficulty of that mission.
Since it was a structure evaluating with the highest score among assignments submitted within the period, we decided to try a simple mission first and coordinate our teamwork.
Since the combination was so good, it seemed we could perform assignments above our skills, so it was a first mission anticipated in many ways.
However, in the joy of picking special-grade group members, I ended up forgetting.
“Kyaaaaaaak! Dodge the magic! I'm sorry! I'm soooooorry!”
“Dirty heretics, surrender your bodies to the Goddess's mercy!!!!!!!!”
That the Goddess had never been on my side.