The Genius of the Heroine's Little Brother

The next morning.

Today was results day.

…I passed, right?

No—of course I passed. That much was a given.

The real question was the top spot.

Had I actually taken first?

The practical exam, I was sure about. Not just sure—with a performance like that, it had to be a perfect score no matter how you sliced it.

But the written exam…

"…Ugh."

I didn't even want to think about it. I'd guessed on more questions than I'd actually solved.

What if the written scores drag me down…?

The second that thought crossed my mind, my chest tightened for no good reason. Miss the top spot and the entrance ceremony speech went with it.

That would be a bit of a shame.

I scratched my head vigorously and pushed open the door of the lodging Geukwang had arranged for me.

Cold morning air brushed across my face.

Mixed into the clean air were the smell of freshly baked bread and the bustling presence of merchants already setting up shop at this early hour. I drew in a light breath, and the restless tension in my chest eased just a little.

The capital had a completely different atmosphere from yesterday. Until then, the streets had been full of people wound tight over the entrance exam. Today, they were packed with people waiting on the results.

One noble sat inside a carriage, tapping his fingers in agitation. A pair of parents patted their child on the back, murmuring that everything would be fine right up to the last moment.

The examinees, on the other hand, all wore the same stiff, frozen expressions.

"…Everyone's really wound up."

It wasn't as if I were immune. I'd been fairly confident about first place, but you never really knew.

What if the written exam docked me a ton of points…?

The thought left a bitter taste in my mouth.

"…Nah."

I shook my head at once. I'd one-clicked a golem straight into the dirt on the practical. There was no way I wasn't first.

Bolstering myself with that, I set off at a leisurely pace.

After walking for a while, the academy's massive main gate rose into view.

There were several times more people than yesterday. Examinees, parents, nobles, servants—and even ordinary citizens who'd come just to gawk at the results. It was the kind of scene that made the phrase "no room to set your foot down" feel like an understatement.

"Excuse me, coming through!!"

"What was our son's number again?"

"I heard the competition was insane this year too, right? You know—they're calling it the Golden Generation!"

Voices erupted from every direction.

I squeezed my way forward through the crowd. Fortunately, my small frame made slipping through surprisingly easy.

Hmm. Being a little kid has its perks at times like this.

Chicken skewer in one hand—I didn't even remember buying it—I chewed as I walked.

Munch, munch.

A towering wall of white marble. And in front of it, a magical display screen. Nothing had appeared on it yet, but countless people were already staring at nothing but that blank surface.

A moment later—

A deep, resonant hum of mana rolled through the air, and the screen took on a blue glow.

The noisy plaza fell silent as if someone had flipped a switch.

Then bold lettering rose across the display.

In an instant, hundreds of eyes locked onto the screen.

"It's up!"

"Here it comes!"

The list began to scroll upward, one name at a time. With every line that appeared, joy and despair split the plaza in two.

"Yes!!"

"He got in! That's my boy!! I'm so proud of you!!"

Some parents pulled their children into tearful embraces.

"Uwaaa… I failed…."

"It's all right, sweetheart… You can always try again next year, can't you…?"

One girl sank straight to the ground. Her father came over and patted her shoulder, but for a long while she couldn't even lift her head.

Pass or fail. The difference was a single name—and the weight of it could not have been more different.

I stared blankly at the scene, then suddenly thought:

This is exactly like a university admissions results day.

I'd never actually gone to university. But it looked startlingly similar to something I'd once seen in a Reel.

Anyway, where does the top student show up?

I took another bite of chicken skewer and looked up at the screen.

Munch. Munch. Hurry up and show it.

Then it happened. Once the full list had finished scrolling, the screen went dark for a beat.

And lit up again, brighter than before.

A brief hush.

Then ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a single name filled the entire screen.

Ooooh.

A sound of pure admiration slipped out of me before I could stop it. Top of the class even after torching the written exam that badly.

As expected of the Combat Faculty!

From this moment forward, any attack on the Combat Faculty will be considered an attack on me personally.

Apparently the practical exam carried an overwhelming weight in the scoring. All that effort one-clicking a golem into oblivion had paid off after all. The corner of my mouth curled up of its own accord.

And right beneath it, the name of the runner-up appeared.

Oh—the original novel's male lead.

The Empire's Crown Prince!

Kinda feel bad for snatching first place out from under him.

Third and fourth place scrolled up in turn after that, but people's attention was already somewhere else entirely.

"Lee Rowoon? Who's that? I've never heard that name."

"Which ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ducal house is he from?"

"Strange name… An Eastern Continent noble, maybe?"

"Wait."

Someone's eyes went wide.

"Isn't that… the little kid from yesterday? The one from the practical ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠exam!!"

"So it wasn't rigged after all? That's impossible!"

Yikes. Busted.

At those two remarks, a few gazes began drifting around the crowd one by one.

It wasn't that I had zero attention-seeker in me, but I had no interest in getting tangled up in a hassle this early. I'd planned to save the real spotlight for the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠entrance ceremony speech.

I took another casual bite of chicken skewer, as if nothing were going on.

Munch.

Then I, too, started craning my neck and scanning the crowd.

"Hmm… where is he…? That little kid…?"

Even the muttering was flawless. The middle-aged man next to me even chimed in.

"Yeah, where did he go?"

"…Right?"

With a completely shameless face, still chewing my skewer, I slipped out of the crowd while pretending to look for the top student.

Hmm. Perfect acting. Maybe I should join the drama club later.

Everyone's attention was still glued to the results board, so getting out was easier than expected. I quietly peeled away from the throng and headed straight for registration.

Hmm, still pretty empty. Good call moving early!

A little later and the registration line would have stretched on forever. This was where experience from my previous life really shone. I hadn't survived hellish rush-hour subways and endless queues as a Korean for nothing.

First, wrap up registration. Then check out the dorm. And meet the roommate.

Hope they're a good friend. Hehe. As long as they don't snore, I'm fine.

Jangling the tuition pouch Geukwang had handed me, I made for the registration office with a tune humming out of me on its own.

I was currently sprawled out on my dorm bed.

And… there was nobody here…!

Looks like the roommate was running a little late.

Well, waiting was something I was used to. Back in the Tower, I'd spent more hours than I could count waiting on someone.

I killed time rolling around on the bed, then sitting at the desk and spinning the chair in circles. After a good long while of that, the sunlight pouring through the window had already turned a deep red.

Hmm. They might be spending one last stretch of time with their family outside. Once you're enrolled, you won't see them much for a while. I'm the big brother here, so I'll be understanding.

…Or so I thought.

Then something odd caught my eye.

One bed.

One desk.

One chair.

One wardrobe.

…Wait.

Why was there only one of everything?

I slowly looked around the room—and froze solid.

Come to think of it, in the original novel the male lead who'd taken the top spot had been given a single room as a special privilege.

"…"

"…Ah."

I'd completely forgotten!!

No, I'd been really looking forward to this. My first same-age friend since coming to another world.

Sneaking late-night snacks together, getting caught by the dorm supervisor for talking too loud, cramming through exam season side by side—that kind of ordinary school life!

I'd wanted to try it at least once.

Isabelle felt more like an older sister. And Geukwang… yeah.

No matter how I looked at it, neither of them was friend material.

In the end, I was alone again. I let out a long sigh and flopped back onto the bed.

But then.

Lying there staring at the ceiling, I looked around the room again—and my thoughts shifted a little.

……Hold on. My dorm room.

It's huge?

Was this the top-student privilege talking? The size of the place was no joke.

The bed was big and solid, and the desk was large enough for two people with room to spare.

There was even a sofa, plus a separate little sitting area. And inside the bathroom, there was a full bath attached.

……Why is there a bath?

This was closer to a private annex for noble heirs than a student dormitory.

Wait, how had I not noticed any of this? I must have been so fixated on the roommate that it never registered!

Pitter-patter.

Before I knew it I was scurrying over to the window on quick little steps, buzzing with excitement.

A massive floor-to-ceiling window. Not a single scratch on the frame, and the glass—faintly threaded with mana—caught the sunset and glittered.

Of course. It looked like they'd poured real money into a room fit for the top student.

I turned my gaze outside, and the academy's nightscape spread out at a glance.

A black sky pricked with stars, magic lamps lighting up the streets one by one, students still training on the grounds even at this late hour—and the enormous magic tower rising from the heart of the academy. Every piece of the view fit into a single frame.

The tower even had its lights on, which only made it feel more imposing.

Huh? Why are the lights still on? It's ridiculously late.

Hmm. Apparently the teaching assistants under the academy's magic professors are being subjected to serious abuse. My condolences.

Anyway.

Not having a roommate was a little disappointing—but a room like this was more than enough to forgive it.

As expected, money is a wonderful thing. Money is the best! Thrilling! Always fresh!

I threw myself onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling. Starting tomorrow, real academy life would begin.

There'd be the entrance ceremony, meeting the professors, making new friends, right?

"…"

And.

I'd have to give the top-student entrance speech.

"…Should I just run for it?"

I did seriously consider it for a second.

I was originally twenty-three years old. I was not the age to chicken out over a mere entrance ceremony speech!

…I was just a little nervous, that was all.

I briefly fretted over what I was supposed to say, then gave up almost immediately.

Well, tomorrow-me will figure something out, right?

With that thought, I pulled the blanket close and shut my eyes.

Sleep well tonight.

Because starting tomorrow—

Academy life was really about to begin.