Midterm Mayhem and the Principal's Probe
There are professors... but the principal's here too? A week after the team performance evaluation ended, midterms arrived.
The problem is, in this Academy, midterms and finals don't seem all that important. Back in my day at boys' high school, those exams were basically 60% of your grade. We staked our lives on them, you know? But these kids? They just ace it by nailing the daily performance evaluations. Full marks, no sweat.
Speaking of which, my master here. She goes to the library and just reads novels, no studying whatsoever. Wonder if she'll do okay on the test...
'Hiiing... I don't know a single thing...'
She solves the first two easy ones up front, thinking, "This should get me a pretty decent score, right?" Then she hits the third problem and bam—full 'Hiiing... I'm screwed' mode. Brings back memories. Me and my buddies would cram at a study cafe late into the night, but we'd just chat nonstop, zero focus. End up at a PC bang playing games till dawn, then drag ourselves to the exam the next day all bleary-eyed. Good times, good times.
These days, I hear the curriculum's totally changed for kids now. No matter the world, schools are the real problem. Schools, man.
Ten minutes left. Eighteen problems to go. She's only done those first two—nothing else. She skips to the back hoping for easy ones, but nope, all blanks. Even the essay questions look like someone just cleaned in there, spotless.
That's why you guys shouldn't waste time on weird novels about picking up girls. Study instead. Not that I can talk—back in high school, even if someone told me to study, I'd just boot up a game.
That's when Lur goes all "Screw it, all or nothing!" and starts wildly punching in answers.
"No, Master! Random guessing will tank you! Just stick to one number all the way!" I bellow from the shadow realm. But sweet, innocent Lur just gazes at the test with those pure eyes, like "Hehe, feels lucky this time."
My heart sinks. I know how this ends, and it's heavy. I can't even look at her bright little face.
"Aaaah! I should've jumped out and stopped her! Problem is, I don't know those answers either!"
This is an area I can't help with. If it was fighting, I'd throw myself in. But math? I failed my master!
These brutal school bastards encourage public shaming by plastering the rankings on the classroom door like a giant billboard.
"Liz... I suck at studying... Waaah..."
In the end, no plot twist. I even prayed to God for one, but looks like He's still mad 'cause I killed an angel.
"No, no. If you try hard, you can do it. For finals, I'll help you!"
"Really...?"
"Of course! I'll get you to second place! First is non-negotiable, though."
"Thanks..."
The whole class turned into total chaos, naturally.
"Hey, Eunhasu! You said in the cafeteria my brain's on dog-shit level? Haha, take a look! Who's the dog-shit now?"
"Damn... Forgot to write my name, class, and number on the test—got a fat zero, ya fart?"
"Shoulda kept track yerself~"
"Gonna smash that mouth of yers?"
"Think you can catch me?"
"Get over here!"
Teren and Kim Eunhasu bolted down the hallway chasing each other. Most others were just bummed or thrilled, nothing more.
Whoa... Guess 'cause exams are a small part of the grade, no one's freaking out. Back in my boys' high days, we'd seriously plot teacher assassinations. Some even whispered about mass murder—spiking the soup with bleach. But hey, all's well that ends well. Means there are more areas like performance evals where I can help Lur.
"Just let's all bite the dust! Gonna drop a meteor on this damn Academy!"
"What?"
"Rock in the Sky! Gonna smash every punk here! I'm done!"
"N-no! Eunhasu, my bad!"
Urgh. Yeah, that's the middle-school boys' high vibe. Luckily, Eunhasu had set a trap for Teren, and the wolf boy walked right into it.
"Gyyaaaaah!"
Lur giggled watching them. Good thing she'd already forgotten about the rankings by dinner.
After midterms wrapped and we awaited the next performance eval, the principal suddenly barged into Class 1.
"P-Principal?"
"A-attenTION! Salute the principal!"
"Hello, Principal!"
What the hell is this Academy? Aren't professors and the principal totally separate? The principal lords over the professors?
"How'd everyone do on midterms?"
"..."
"Hahaha, hope you all got the scores you wanted."
The whole class buzzed like waves the moment Principal Nelson appeared.
"Principal's hot as hell."
"I... might be into older guys now."
"That's beyond uncle level. He's over 200, right?"
"Guess I'm a gramps fan from now on."
Even Lur stared wide-eyed at him. Liz poked her unguarded cheek and said,
"Doesn't he look like that uncle from the novel?"
"Yeah... I wondered why the heroine fell for a guy like that, but now I kinda get it..."
"Lur's type confirmed."
"Still... guys my age are way better."
That's right! Thanks to Lur's solid tastes, the principal's out instantly. 200? Try immortal sage grandpa who's lived ten times that. No way she's dating that fossil while I'm around.
"The reason I'm here is about what happened during the team performance evaluation a week ago."
Ah... crap. Why dredge that up now? Haha... just let it slide, please.
"This incident involves our students' precious lives, so we need to swiftly uncover and resolve the cause."
The other kids nodded along, but sigh... what now? No way they'll pin it on me, right? As long as Zeke keeps quiet, we're good!
"Students called over the intercom, please come to the principal's office for a chat!"
"..."
"No class while this happens—total free time!"
"Yeeesss~!!!"
The others cheered in unison, but Liz and I couldn't muster joy. Please, Liz, just say nothing and it'll blow over! You know I love you, right...? Hope so...!
"Free time means we can play outside, yeah?"
"Yeah! Just gotta hit the principal's office!"
The boys swarmed out like ants. Lur and Liz stayed, reading novels borrowed from the library.
One by one, names were called, sent to the principal's office like a judge's bench. Eventually, even Liz got dragged in.
"Come back safe...!"
"Lur, help yourself to my jelly!"
"Hehe, jelly's yummy..."
Lur savored her sweet free time like candy, but to me, it felt like the executioner's block closing in.
What if they ask Lur if she saw me wreck the Instant Area? She'll stop loving me! Nooo!
I scanned for the aura I'd felt when the principal entered earlier. Focusing on it, I eavesdropped.
Ah, should've just tracked Liz's aura—easier. Haha, the Demon King panicking over basics.
"Straight to the point: Do you know anything about the Instant Area incident? Blue giant's feet, earthquakes, craters, sinkholes, aura of terror—anything."
Crap. It's definitely about my rampage.
"...No idea."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"..."
Nelson eyed Liz, then beamed.
"I see. Have a good day, Miss Liz!"
"Thank you, Principal."
Phew. Liz said zip. Next up...
"Miss Lur, to the principal's office, please."
My master's turn. Don't worry. She thinks it was a dream—thanks to the Constraint. Should be fine.
Lur marked her novel with a bookmark and tottered cutely to the office.
"Hello, Principal..."
"Hello, Miss Lur. Have a seat."
Lur sat, and the principal spoke.
"Reports say your summon destroyed the Instant Area and attacked Zeke. Anything to add?"
Huh...?