Summer Break Derailed by Math
Summer vacation had finally begun at Jewelry Academia, Class 2-A.
This was an elite class even among the academy's top students, boasting not just two magical girls but even the heiress to a world-renowned conglomerate.
But no matter how exceptional the students, they were still just kids. With a certain event looming, their hearts couldn't help but race with excitement.
"What are you planning to do over break, Lady Diamond?"
"Great question! For me, I've rented out the villa overseas and…"
"What about you, Ravi? What're you gonna do for fun?"
"Hmm, who knows? Probably just roll around at home!"
Summer vacation. The event that let students finally turn away from the heavy burden of studies after wrapping up the semester.
Short it might be, but Jewelry Academia's breaks spanned two full months each for summer and winter—a luxurious long vacation worlds apart from other schools.
Students could still come to school during break for as much self-study as they wanted, of course. Though hardly anyone would squander their hard-earned free time on more studying.
Either way, most of the class was buzzing with high spirits at the prospect of vacation.
But there was one lone soul who couldn't accept this reality at face value—
"T-t-t-tremble tremble tremble…"
"Amber, why are you shaking like that?"
"T-t-t-tremble tremble tremble tremble…"
She trembled like some high schooler who'd just spotted a blue monster, her head drooping low.
It was utterly incomprehensible behavior right before vacation, but once you learned what was about to happen, you'd understand Amber's freakout just fine.
Scraaaape—
"Quiet down and take your seats, everyone."
Moments later, Class 2-A's homeroom teacher entered, silencing the room before rattling off various announcements.
"As you all know, summer break starts in three days… but don't get too slack. Keep in mind that you're students of Jewelry Academia and act accordingly."
A few students nodded along to the teacher's drowsy lecture.
Just three more days to endure, then sweet summer freedom. That thought had them actually paying attention to the teacher's words for once.
With a deep sigh at how they only listened up in moments like this, the teacher pulled a thick stack of papers from a brown envelope.
"Alright, time to hand back those final exam papers from last time. Come up when I call your name. Anything under 40 is a fail—two weeks of makeup classes for you."
"…Urk."
Makeup classes for failing grades. That was the true culprit behind Amber's bizarre state.
Even during vacation, minus weekends, she'd have to blow nearly ten days straight on studying again.
'I worked so hard to get this far… why'd the last one have to be math…'
She'd scraped by just above failing in every other subject, but math—the one she struggled with most—had to be the holdout.
Hitting 40 or higher here would take a miracle.
So Amber prayed. To every god under the sun.
'Please, just let me pass with 40… please, just 40… please, just 40…'
Right on cue, the teacher began calling names, and a few students stepped up to claim their papers.
"Next, Diamond—90 points."
"Hehe! A snap for someone like me!"
She grinned triumphantly, her massive chest jiggling with the motion.
Amber bit her thumbnail, seething with pointless envy.
'Diamond's got those huge tits and good grades? How unfair is the world?'
Breast size and grades had zero correlation, but to Amber, it sure felt unfair.
"And Sophia—95. Top of the class again, as expected."
"Yes. Thank you."
She accepted her paper with a small smile.
Her mother's condition had improved lately, it seemed, softening Sophia's demeanor noticeably.
(A few boys got lured in by that smile and tried confessing on the first day of break—only to get shot down cold. But that's a story for later.)
"……."
Anyway, as the pile of papers on the desk dwindled, Amber's heartbeat quickened in tandem.
The cool AC air only amplified the chill in the atmosphere—or so it felt to her, like she was on death row.
And at last, her name was called—
"Next up, Amber. Hmm…"
The teacher's troubled gaze on her paper said it all.
Amber could already predict what came next.
"28 points. See me in the staff room later."
"Gaaahhh!!"
"Screaming won't change a thing."
That day, Amber's summer ended.
The Silver Unit executive had fallen into the makeup class swamp for the second time since her first year.
Wonder how her sister Lapis or Citrin—who'd tutored her before—would react to this.
Ciiiiirrrrr—
Was that a shrill cicada or a soft one? Either way, perfect BGM for summer vibes.
Amber trudged to the podium amid the chorus of nameless cicadas outside the window, snatching her 28-point paper.
"Finally, Ravi… 19 points. You too, staff room later."
"Eeeeng?!"
"Screaming won't change a thing."
That day, Ravi's summer ended.
As always at Cafe Eclipse.
I called out to Amber, who was staring blankly at the drifting clouds like she'd come crashing back to reality.
"Why the death glare since morning?"
"Argh, homeroom teacher's such a buzzkill."
Something unfair must've gone down in class.
"…Coffee?"
"Sounds good. Black, please. I'm trash not even worth sugar for."
Whatever nonsense that was. But she asked, so black it is.
"Cough cough! Ack!"
Told you, don't order what you can't handle…
"What the hell? What happened at school?"
Lips sealed tight, she shoved an exam paper my way.
'She mentioned finals last time. Got 'em back today, huh?'
Looked like math from the problems. I glanced at the score—
"…28 points."
Twenty 4-pointers, four 5-pointers.
In other words, 28 out of 100 on the test.
"Dude, even blind-guessing line by line would've netted about this."
"I studied pretty hard, though…"
"Cramming on exam day doesn't count. Should've hit the books regularly."
At this rate, she probably skipped even that. Can't fully blame her if other subjects were the same, but…
"Failing grade, right? You gonna graduate on time?"
"…Makeup class, retake, pass 60 and I'm good."
"60, huh."
Tough ask for a 28-scorer. Either the school's brutal, or as the world's top academy, this is standard.
"I passed 40+ on everything else! Practical was solid too, but math screwed me!"
"Okay, calm down."
Jewelry Academia exams split into written and practical.
Mana factored in, so they emphasized hands-on over arts or PE filler.
'She's amazing aside from the brain thing.'
Friendly enough to chat up strangers, mana control rivaling magical girls.
As Lapis's little sister, her talent was top-tier.
Glancing back at the paper out of pity, familiar math jumped out.
"The set of all real numbers… sets and propositions, huh. You guys cover upper/lower math in second year."
"…Huh?"
She looked up at my mutter, face weirded out.
"Jade-senpai, you know this stuff?"
"Know it? Nah, just leftovers from way back."
Not all of it, though. Junior year, I ditched studies for dessert-making obsession.
"Th-then, senpai, tutor me? One-shot the retake, makeup's done in a day…"
"Doesn't matter to me, but better teachers than me exist."
Her pal Sophia, for starters.
Word was she aced this exam too—head bowed in plea, she'd agree in a heartbeat.
"Mmm… but Sophia's swamped lately. Heads home right after school."
Oh yeah—Ravi and Citrin helped her mom beat the illness. Family time makes sense.
Factoring that in, who else to beg…
"Your homeroom teacher. Handles math, right?"
"Alone with teacher?! I'd die of awkward!"
"That bad?"
Met him at parent-teacher once—no bad vibes. Kinda lax at first glance, but cared more for students than anyone.
'Popular type, any era.'
But if she's this awkward, can't push it.
"Fine. Bring textbook and notes after closing, starting today."
No guarantees, but effort now could hit 60. Retakes recycle problems anyway.
"You're the best, senpai! Marry me!"
"Cut the crap."