Chapter 23
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Academic Debates Aren't Scary
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A balmy morning.
Pastel patrolled the shops around the academy.
She checked for anything suspicious like secret stockpiles of awakening agents or large-scale illicit distribution, visiting each shop one by one.
"Any troubles here?"
The tax-dodging merchant, who was only troubled by Pastel's visit, gave her a small box with an awkward smile.
"A little token from our shop."
Click—the box brimmed with gold coins.
Whoa whoa whoa.
Is this the thrill of a thug collecting protection money?
How much tax evasion did these folks do to hand over stuff this readily?
She itched to flip through their ledgers but held back.
Curiosity kills!
The student council didn't pull evil stunts like revoking the academy-approved shop rights to boot out merchants.
Even though they had the power to.
She closed the box and tucked it away.
"No issues here!"
Yep yep!
Pastel nodded with a smile, bobbing her head.
The merchant nodded back with a smile, bobbing his head.
Peaceful daily life!
The merchant casually spoke up.
"I hear the Magic Tower's coming? I can't watch, but I'll cheer for Your Ladyship's academic debate."
Academic debate?
Nooooo.
Not a peaceful daily life!
A harsh trial descends on innocent Pastel, who only went around collecting bribes!
Nooooo.
I just wanted that top written exam title.
Pastel flailed out of the shop, flailed into the skewer stand, and flailed as she ordered chicken skewers.
"One chicken skewer, please!"
Nooooo, academic debate.
She took the skewer and sprinkled mana stone powder over it.
Grabbed it with her kingly maw and yanked it sideways—nom nom.
The crispy skin crunched, then juicy meat filled her mouth with chewy delight. Charcoal smoke lingered.
Whoaaa.
So good it made her forget whatever agony she'd been in. What was bothering me?
Peaceful daily life!
The owner smiled kindly.
He topped the satisfaction bribery rankings by offering free skewers to student council members instead of gold or bullion—an absolute legend of an owner.
"Tasty?"
"Yes!"
"Heard you're doing a debate? Eat up and do great. I'll cheer for you!"
Cough.
Not a peaceful daily life...!
Pastel felt like she might choke.
No one knows.
I don't know a single thing right now.
She'd gotten the topic in advance.
—Discuss the progressive nature of revelation as seen through the Old and New Testaments, from the perspectives of continuity and differentiation.
Some bizarre topic like that. Pastel had received it and just gone "Nooooo!"—utterly clueless, and no one knew she'd just tossed it aside.
Nooooo.
Total crisis!
A senior mage from the Magic Tower stood at the airship railing, looking down at the docking area. He spotted the academy staff come to greet them.
Among them, a pink-toned girl who seemed to be trembling noticeably.
Craft.
The mage's eyes narrowed.
So Melissa hadn't taken top written exam spot this time.
Melissa Camelot had received systematic education as heir to a frontier marquess house from birth. After her talent for grand archmage was recognized, she'd gotten empire-level support too.
In contrast, Pastel Love Craft was infamous in high society for being a dimwit from birth. Barely literate, or so they said.
Melissa and Pastel weren't even comparable from the start.
The Craft mansion's extraction ritual and massacre had just happened recently—Pastel Marquess awakening from her dimwit state.
Academy enrollment right after snapping out of it.
Her total proper study time in life: barely a few weeks.
No brainer who was superior between such a Pastel and Melissa.
Pastel Marquess would have to go all-out to avoid humiliation.
No way they'd let the marquess fail the entrance exam—they'd pass her somehow—but it'd be a lifelong joke.
Yet the immediate entrance exam produced an unexpected result.
Pastel Marquess crushed Melissa Camelot with overwhelming margin for top written exam spot.
Rumors said her combat practical was zero, but with her frail body just out of dimwit state—muscles not even developed—it was obviously impossible.
The senior mage stared straight at the pink girl. Still trembling, but he wasn't fooled by the Craft family's signature innocent look.
Overcoming empire-top elite education for future grand archmage with just weeks of study to claim top written exam.
Utterly absurd intellect.
Why are those pink monsters always like that? Is it really due to their brutal tradition of kin-slaying for succession?
Academy info lockdown was tight, so hard to track Pastel's moves since. But vice student council president as freshman said it all.
The empire's top intrigue house—intellect remained ironclad even in ruin. Terrifyingly so.
Never step on a Craft's shadow.
The senior mage stepped back from the railing.
But she has gaps.
He stared at the rookie mage who'd debate Pastel.
"Scholarship is an ivory tower built by countless geniuses. Can't overwhelm it with one person's arrogant intellect and talent."
That monster could conquer the tower. But Pastel Marquess lacked the time.
Understanding without time has holes; logic gets biased. Unhammered learning is mere stubbornness.
"Debate isn't competition or fight. But this exchange stakes academy and tower pride. Press any gaps subtly."
Humiliate her in public.
Academy and Magic Tower vied for imperial budget—not exactly friendly.
The rookie mage looked confident.
"Melissa's not the opponent—some ex-dimwit? Top written must be fluke. Not scared at all. I'll crush her quick."
The senior mage furrowed his brow.
"Don't be rude to Marquess. Got a death wish?"
"Ah... no......"
The rookie mage deflated.
Nooooo.
Shiver shiver.
Pastel sat in the staff seats at the auditorium, hands trembling.
Time, stop passing.
Just freeze like this forever.
Grant me time-stop powers, please.
The world wouldn't abandon me like this.
Surely the Demon King hid time-stop powers in the dorm basement.
Did I miss the chance waiting out summer break construction just to skip the library?
Did I throw away top written exam fate with my own hands?
Gasp, too realistic.
A kid hating library obviously couldn't be true top written!
Guh.
Retribution had come at last.
Pastel grasped the truth of all creation.
Meanwhile, combat topper Melissa took the stage opposite the enemy mage. They exchanged graceful bows, then leveled wands.
Duel started—magic bolts crossed in rhythm. Mage dodged lightly with steps, swung wand repeatedly. Light and fire bolts clashed and burst.
A quiet, composed exchange of spells.
Whoaaa.
Mages duel that politely?
So aristocratic.
I swing swords great too!
Swish swish.
Clashing bolts gradually increased. At some point, the tower mage couldn't up the count anymore.
Dodges multiplied—then a light bolt struck his wand. It flew, hit the floor. Silence fell.
Victorious Melissa lightly lifted her skirt hem in curtsy.
"A fine match."
"The pleasure was mine."
Opponent bowed back.
Auditorium filled with student applause.
Whoa.
Mages are so elegant.
What were those sweaty, brutish swordfights all about?
Dustin! Leonard!
What'd you expect from me!
You guys were too thuggish.
For top written me, elegant magic suits better than sweaty martial arts.
Guh, wait...
I'm not even real top written—skipping library. Magic won't fit.
Nooooo.
Retribution strikes.
Still nooooo-ing, Pastel was pushed by staff hand onto the stage. Sat in the chair.
Auditorium packed with academy students and tower staff.
Nooooo.
Moment of Pastel's intellect exposure!
Moderator stepped forward.
"Today, we'll lightly debate revelation's progressive nature from God—continuity and differentiation. Exchange event, so enjoy relaxed."
Hand pointed at Pastel.
"Our freshman rep: Pastel Love Craft. She'll focus on continuity."
Auditorium erupted in huge applause.
Nooooo.
Retribution's requiem!
Everyone welcomes top written's social death.
Greetings and order done.
Hm. Called academic debate, but just formal exchange event. Casual chat vibe works.
"First debater Pastel, please begin."
Paraphrase moderately and repeat after me.
Nooooo.
To examine revelation's progression, first grasp salvation history. Salvation history is God's salvific acts from Genesis to now...
She mindlessly mouthed along.
Nooooo.
Within this framework, we gain consistent insight into God and temple's covenantal relation. Old-New differences from gaps are mere illusions from human intellect limits...
Blah blah blah and such.
Nooooo.
I don't get it at all!
Can't follow the topic one bit!
Is this retribution's requiem!
Thus, Old and New Testaments are continuous, forming consistent theme. That's all.
Moment of Pastel's intellect exposure!
Pastel's mouth corners slackened.
Don't get it at all.
But Demon's here.
Hehe.
Life's easy.
Rebuttals and audience Q&A passed, applause rang.
Pastel skipped off stage lalala.
"I'm top written Pastel~."
Pink girl hopped hop.
"Just a smarty-pants kid~."
Twirl, hop hop.
"Combat zero so bad at it, but okay~."
Cuz head smart.
Whoaaa.
The debating mage hurried after, eyes sparkling with respect.
"How'd you achieve such scholarship so quick? Any secret?"
Huh?
Secret?
Pastel pondered seriously.
Then blurted the secret that popped up.
"Talent."
Hehe.
Mage awed.
"Can I too?"
Hmm.
Pastel pondered deeply, then wagged finger.
"Hard."
Patted self.
"Me, super ultra genius."
Great and fantastic.
Mage gazed with genius-seeing eyes.
Too objective?
Hehe.
Pastel grinned to lounge.
"I'm top written Pastel~."
Hop hop.
"Just a smarty-pants kid~."
Pastel sang, then startled self.
Guh.
Okay to broadcast weakness like this?
Nooooo.
Death game targeting smarty-pants kid's weakness begins.
Eeee.
Heel clicks.
"Craft."
Turn—blonde blue-eyed girl. Crisp mage robe draped her.
"Melissa!"
Pastel's eyes went round.
"You talking first! How long's it been? So happy! We're besties after all!"
Melissa snorted.
"You're the only one calling one chat 'friends' in this world."
Pastel's jaw dropped.
"Whoa whoa whoa! Cool! Me too! Ahem! You're the only one in this world."
Gasp.
Totally cool.
Melissa facepalmed.
"Anyway, Craft. Impressive knowledge as expected. Others might buy your innocent look, but I saw through. You hide deep thoughts."
"Guh, really?"
How'd she know I'm smart?
Hehe.
Pastel bashful.
Melissa eyed coldly.
"No word of you taking external commissions. So filling semester report with research results?"
Huh.
Semester report?
Smooth voice echoed.
"Lost written exam, but won't lose semester report. Research topper's me—note it now."
Pastel's eyes rounded.
"What's semester report?"
"Mocking me? Craft, you're on self-study system. Submit before term end—whatever. Research topper's me, got it? Excuse me."
Melissa turned.
Heels faded.
Eh.
Semester report?
Self-study system.
One academy system to shake 'officer training camp' prejudice.
Opt-out students skip classes if submitting term reports.
Fill via external commissions or personal research. Low quality? Rejected, forced classes plus makeup.
Good family kids entered post-top homeschooling, so top students mostly self-study.
Thus rankings used report scores—no big diffs.
Eh.
Play-and-eat Pastel blanked.
Then jolted, screamed.
"Demon! Demon! Demon! I did nothing!"
Nooooo.
Like remembering vacation homework day before end!
Relax. Was gonna mention soon anyway. Grab fitting external commission, knock it quick—report fills easy.
Pastel paused.
Ooh.
Demon indeed.
Grin grin.
"Then report's all combat commissions? Combat topper?"
Yep. Suits you.
Huh.
Top written to research topper? No—evolving to combat topper?
Pastel scowled, imagined.
Imagined Pastel had game-like top written title overhead.
Flicked finger—slapped on combat topper title.
Combat Topper Pastel.
Pastel's dumb face magnified.
Meeh.
Meee meh.
Guh, total idiot look!
Worse cuz pink pink!
Top Written Pastel?
Super evolved~.
Idiot idiot Pastel!
Meeh.
Nooooo.
Pastel clutched head.
Never, no way.
"I need title defense!"
Pastel is smart kid!
Lose intellect title, others misunderstand!
Hm. Filling report with research from now? Topper tough. Future grand archmage results even I can't match quick.
"Fine! Life too easy for Pastel! I'll handle!"
Oh?
Pastel thrust arm up.
"For research report ideas, heading to Demon Realm first!"
Demon Realm, Demon Realm.
...Why Demon Realm?
"Academic research! Academic research! Student council launches Demon Realm survey for smooth student scholarship!"
Personally snag research ideas too!
You just wanna smuggle on the side too—
Pastel yelled hasty.
"Depart~!"
Toward research topper!