Making My Junior Study
After texting Amber to haul ass to the designated address, about thirty minutes later.
"Whoa, this is a real prison..."
"Long time no see, Jade!"
Two high school girls came down the stairs to greet me, their expressions polar opposites.
Amber looked terrified, while Diamond seemed thrilled... or so I'd take it.
"You got here faster than I expected."
"I flew here using magic!"
When I got kidnapped, it took longer, but these two must've taken the shortest route by air, arriving even sooner than anticipated.
Flying with a snap of mana beats driving a car. Modern tech must be weeping.
"Anyway, never mind that—right now."
I immediately grabbed Amber's hand and dragged her toward a nearby cell.
"Wait, wait, wait! What're you doing, shoving me into a prison cell the second we meet?!"
"You had a pretty good idea this was coming. Give up and go in quietly."
It was a prison cell, sure, but the toilet and shower were curtained off, so no need to worry about prying eyes.
"...You've got some guts. To think you'd remodel the Brilliant holding facility on a whim."
"You kidnapped me twice, so this is the least you can do."
Amber glanced around the interior before tossing out the perfectly reasonable question for the situation.
"Why'd they even build a prison like this underground in the first place?"
"It's a detention center for isolating anyone who rebels against Brilliant or plots ingratitude."
"Eek... Sounds brutal just hearing about it."
At Ruri's polite explanation, Amber's face darkened a shade. With torture devices straight out of a historical drama hanging nearby, it was no wonder.
"Even so, this is overkill. Studying all day and all night."
"You little punk. You begged to go to school back in the day, so I busted my ass getting you transferred in. Then you flunk, and even after I tutored you for days, you bomb the retake too. Mutter mutter..."
"Oh man, he's seriously pissed."
"Anyway, supplement classes at school during the day, study here at night. Retake's in about a week, right?"
"Wai—!"
I could see her trying to say "wait," so I quickly pressed a finger to her lips.
"Pass the exam, and I'll let you out for real. Not planning to lock you up all vacation."
This was all for Amber's own good. A bit forceful, maybe, but we had that promise from a year ago—no real room for complaints.
"But... studying cooped up in such a cramped spot feels off."
"What do you mean, 'no'? You think Korea's cram fever—classes from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., self-study till 10 p.m., then hagwon till you drop—is a joke?"
"That name keeps coming up—what even is that country?"
"The one I lived in."
Even during breaks, kids get glued to hagwon for intensive courses. Plenty drop out midway from the grind.
Compared to that, this is a cakewalk.
I picked up a Jewelry Academia textbook and flipped through it casually.
This world seemed to major in language arts, math, and history.
Makes sense—magic over science, so schools skip tech.
Priority one: drag Amber up to average. At least 60% across the board.
But she was still making excuses, refusing to give up.
"It's summer break, but I'm swamped anyway? So, um... Ah! Silver Unit stuff!"
"Silver Unit? What company is that?"
"...Lady Diamond, please don't mind."
Even cornered, spilling our secret with an outsider right there? Come on.
"Just told Lapis, and she approved no problem. Skip work for now—focus on passing."
"You told my sis?"
An exec-level flunk in an evil org? Embarrassing. Not just the boss—Crystal and Citrin backed me up too.
"Hey, Jade? I'm a little mad too, but... locking her in prison? Isn't that too much?"
"Right, right! Even Diamond agrees!"
"You stay quiet."
"Yes, sir."
I got Diamond's concern. If a friend of mine got jailed for studying, I'd worry first.
If she'd flunked despite trying her best, I wouldn't say this. I'd comfort her efforts.
But with help from me and Diamond, she hadn't even tried—
"Amber, you slacked off five days ago, saying you basically got it all."
"......"
"I asked if you were okay, and you said you're strong in practice, no worries—munching chips in bed."
"......"
"You even scarfed the pudding I had stashed in the fridge for a special day—"
"Okay, stop! You're scaring me—cut it out!"
She grabbed my pant leg with a teary face, desperately shutting me up.
Diamond and Ruri watched with expressions saying this was indefensible.
"Tch."
Mountains more to say, but piling on felt wrong. Time to cool off.
"...You going quiet and clicking your tongue is even scarier."
"You got in—now graduate. Perfect timing with break. Build from basics, no more flunks."
"Ugh."
Amber finally shut up and pulled her pencil case from her bag.
And so began Amber's special training to conquer the retake once more.
Not just the flunked math—all her borderline subjects would get tutored by Jade and Diamond.
"Let's see. In 896, which nation marched north to expand into the Koral continent's sphere?"
"Um, the Dong-Jernia Empire!"
"Close. Dong-Jernir Empire."
Days of basics in a special classroom by day, review drills in the cell by night to build exam strength.
Of course, we ensured enough sleep to spare her eyes, massages for stiff muscles—health first.
But Diamond still wasn't sold, approaching Amber.
"Amber, you really okay? Locking you up here and forcing study... I never imagined."
She couldn't forgive the flunk, but this extreme? No way.
Yet the one who should suffer most wore a fulfilled smile, reassuring Diamond.
"I'm fine, really. Diamond, you worried about me?"
"Yeah. Even if he's your boyfriend, this seems too harsh."
"Boyfriend? Oh, right—that setup..."
Amber muttered under her breath, too quiet to hear.
Back when Jade was kidnapped to Brilliant Mansion, she'd boldly played girlfriend to spring him.
"Getting scolded was scary, but... him taking me seriously? Kinda happy."
"...Taking you seriously?"
No lie there. Short time entangled, but events had let them understand each other deeply.
"Feels good, somehow. Like he's really seeing me."
"......"
At Amber's words, Diamond glanced at Jade making midnight snacks in the corner kitchen.
He'd been visiting this cell daily, bringing balanced lunches or meals for her sake.
"Sure, the food's great, but he studies my blind spots and teaches me? Makes me happy... Better than being ignored, even if it's nagging."
"Hm."
True concern, seeing her straight on. An alien sensation to Diamond.
She felt cherished, sure—her Brilliant CEO dad and secretary mom indulged their cute daughter.
But that level of devotion to others? Impossible for normal folks. Diamond felt a twinge of envy.
"I said I wanted to study at the academy, so no backing out now."
"Oh yeah, you transferred in as a first-year. I'd wondered—makes sense now!"
Mid-chat about Jade, he soon approached with snacks.
"Oh yeah, what about Ravi? Heard she took the retake with you 'cause she crammed too."
"...Passed first try, exempt from supplements."
"You gotta escape next time." Amber gazed at her senior handing over a warm coffee cup, suddenly thinking.
Less playtime with the retake grind, but this fulfilling break? Not bad at all.