Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Dream of Academic Improvement (3)
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Basic Magic Theory, Basic Alchemy, Geography, Composition, National Literature.
Every subject except Basic Swordsmanship and History and Social Studies.
Subjects I'm sorely lacking in. Pretty much all of them, really.
Geography and National Literature are the only ones I can manage somewhat.
Geography's doable if I think back to high school classes, and National Literature's a breeze since Leonard's already fluent in the kingdom's standard tongue.
The other three, though? Straight-up mountains.
Composition with all its noble flourishes and rhythmic patterns feels utterly alien to me, and don't get me started on Basic Magic Theory and Alchemy.
'What even is this.'
I stare at the books, but nothing sinks in.
It's not that I'm thick-headed; I genuinely can't grasp any of it.
Worse still, even Leonard's original stubborn brain can't make sense of it.
Meaning Leonard himself had no clue either.
What an idiot. How the hell did he even get in?
"Leonard. Have you memorized it all?"
"......I'm working on it."
With the semester's comprehensive evaluation looming, I know understanding the principles would be ideal.
But for me, facing a retest in just a few days? No chance.
Luckily, the only pop quiz subject was Basic Alchemy, so cramming that should do the trick.
'Cinnamon one finger joint, half a ginger root, half a galangal root...... Grind instead of slicing......'
Brute-force memorization like this won't stick past a week, but for a lightning cram before the retest? Perfect.
"Wrong here. Memorize it again."
Plus, with the best tutor around, even rote learning starts picking up speed.
"Miss Taylor...... needs to try a bit harder."
"Crispy grilled......"
Charlotte wasn't making much progress.
She seemed weak at memorization subjects, constantly pouting and burying her nose in her notebook, only to fail the quizzes left and right.
She was barely scraping by after passing Layla's tests somehow, hanging on by a thread.
But we were definitely improving.
Studying in the library with Layla's help, even sacrificing weekends.
Layla griped at first, but teaching others apparently helped her own studies, and soon she got even more enthusiastic than us.
"Having to do this on the weekend too."
"Same."
A lazy Sunday afternoon.
Taking a break from the library, Charlotte and I sat side by side on a bench, basking in the sun.
Just soaking in the warmth like this makes me want to turn into a tree right here.
This damn academy.
Can't they just let me swing a sword?
'And I need to train too.'
I hadn't touched sword practice in days.
Even back at the dorm, I'd study alone late into the night, ignoring my shaky legs.
Bottom line: no time.
No practical exam scheduled yet, so that's a relief, but I can't slack off.
"Charlotte. Two days till the retest."
"Yeah......"
"Feeling confident?"
"......No."
Charlotte pouted.
Truth be told, we didn't have to stake our lives on a pop quiz.
Pop quizzes are spur-of-the-moment tests, like a day trip—no big planning needed.
You can wing it and be fine.
But this is Kingswell.
Pop quizzes don't count toward grades, but fail the retest? Supplemental classes await.
If you bomb even a simple pop quiz, it's a sure sign you'll tank the semester eval too.
Professors here take immense pride in their prestigious academy—they won't stand for it.
More importantly, isn't it time to shed this blockhead image?
Why else would I diligently do academy service, endure the whispers, and grind through classes?
All to escape my wastrel rep.
And the ultimate goal of ditching blockhead status? Survival, obviously.
Failing a pop quiz retest would drag my rep even lower.
That path leads to Amelia chopping my head off.
"I don't want supplemental classes......"
Charlotte mumbled dejectedly, head down.
I'm treating this like life-or-death, but she seems to have her own reasons too.
"Hang in there. You can do it."
"......Yeah."
I didn't pry into her story.
Charlotte Taylor: top of A-Class, yet an original character not in the novel.
Curious as hell what her deal is, but no need to risk blowing our rapport with nosy questions.
Put simply, we're not that close yet.
Even if I'm her only friend.
"Time to head back."
"Already......?"
"......A bit longer?"
"Yeah......"
We sat on the bench a while longer, zoning out in the sunshine.
"Leonard! How long are you gonna rest forrr!!!"
"Going now!"
But our Spartan tutor with fire in her eyes cut it short.
What a pitiful life.
Leonard showing up at the library nonstop.
Amelia caught wind of it vaguely, then learned the truth—her expression turned complicated.
He bombed a pop quiz and was getting tutored by his fiancée, Layla.
'......Fiancée?'
Amelia's brow furrowed.
In past loops, right after getting booted to Wisteria Dorm, Leonard always got dumped by Layla.
He'd rage against it, but the Winthrop family and Layla stood firm, forcing the breakup.
'Why this time......'
This life felt totally different from before.
Their engagement held, Leonard holed up in Wisteria but roamed the academy freely, and now he was studying hard over a mere pop quiz flop.
"Sigh......"
Amelia rubbed her temples, sighing.
Headaches from Leonard had plagued her for days already.
Ever since he whacked that bully in class, she'd secretly dug into him.
Still no juicy intel, but investigating made her realize how little she knew about him.
Five regressions.
Leonard was always just "someone to cut down."
No need to obsess over him.
His fiancée Layla, though? Different story.
In the first loop, she fell to evil—a real pain.
Top freshman in Magic Department wasn't for show; she hurled destructive spells at Amelia relentlessly.
From the second loop, Amelia pulled her to the good side early, so that version of Layla faded from memory.
But hearing Leonard and Layla study together sparked alarm.
What was Leonard scheming?
Dragging Layla to the Dark Crusade?
But in the first loop, Layla fell right after Leonard died.
Before that, she'd fought the Crusade tooth and nail.
So her fall stemmed from his death?
Would anyone turn evil just because an ex-fiancé died?
"......Tricky."
Amelia rubbed her dry eyes.
Days of obsessing over Leonard had wrecked her sleep.
If something useful turned up, fine—but all she heard were his suspicious antics.
Yet amid the frustration, a strange feeling bubbled up.
Until now, every loop started the same.
Leonard ousted from Golden Dorm, Amelia taking his spot, academy life kicking off uneasily.
That weary, hopeless cycle felt like it was peeling away, just a layer.
Amelia's heart fluttered faintly, unnoticed even by her.
"Tomorrow......"
Basic Alchemy prof said retest in a week—probably tomorrow.
Staring blankly at the calendar, Amelia bolted upright in bed.
Not that she cared.
Villain Leonard's test results? Irrelevant......
"Hmph. He'll flunk again anyway."
But if he passed boldly?
Maybe she could hope for small changes in this hellish loop.
Tuesday.
An ordinary academy day for other students.
"Whoa, Blackmere."
"Who's that with him?"
"Y'know, that commoner girl who trails him."
"Oh...... Swordsmanship Department?"
Not for me.
'Tests are murder for me.'
Today: Basic Alchemy retest.
Decides supplemental classes—and maybe a tiny rep recovery from classmates' mockery.
"Grrr....... Grrrrr......!"
"Charlotte, calm down. Battle hasn't started yet."
"Grrrng......! Woof woof!"
"Smells like ink....... Thicker than blood."
Charlotte and I marched with do-or-die resolve.
Good deeds might help image more, but after the bully incident tanked mine further, I needed to show diligence.
Why grind academy life so hard?
Not for others—for my survival.
'I want to live.'
To live.
"Kwaaang! Grrrng!"
"Kyaaah!!"
"W-what?!"
After days of grueling marches, Charlotte had half-beastified.
But her eyes were clearer than ever.
No usual foggy daze.
"Ah, sorry. She's on edge right now."
Dragging Charlotte by the scruff, we reached the classroom amid stares.
I sat the growling Charlotte beside me and caught my breath slowly.
Breathing steadies.
Body hypersensitive—nerves on edge, feeling even faint breezes on skin.
"Huff, huff......!"
That's...... Charlotte's snorting.
Throughout class, Charlotte and I glared at Professor Julia with gleaming eyes.
She flinched at our gaze and hurried on with the lesson.
"Other cadets, review today's material. And...... those set for retests from last week's pop quiz?"
The moment.
Charlotte and I shot up simultaneously.
Stares converged instantly.
Burden some other time; now, laughable.
'I'm at peak right now.'
Layla's Sparta smacks had awakened my brain for memorization.
"Take your tests. 20 minutes, same as before. Ready?......"
Flipping the paper, we charged into solitary battle.
Charge!!!!!!!
Vision's gone white.
Where......
"You both worked hard. Barely scraping 50s......"
Ah, right.
"......We passed?"
"Yes. No need for supplemental classes. But try harder."
We...... did it.
I met Charlotte's eyes.
Beast mode faded; she met mine.
"We......"
"......Yeah. Passed."
When the going gets tough, the tough get going.
"Basic Alchemy!!! Mess up again and you're dead meat!!!"
"Cadet Leonard Percival Blackmere! Mind your language!"
Dreams do come true.