Chapter 103
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: The Deserted Island Exam
As summer approached and the first semester drew to a close, the atmosphere at the academy grew heavy.
The mid-term exams, the final hurdle before the summer break, were looming.
Among the academy's tests, the mid-term and final exams held at the end of each semester were special.
They were the only two opportunities in the year to change one's ranking.
Lower-class students could advance to a higher-ranked class, while upper-class students could be demoted if their performance faltered.
These exams determined a student's rank for the next six months.
Thus, as the exam period drew near, the academy began to overflow with a tension akin to the moments before a battle.
This was true for all grades, but it was especially intense for the first-year students.
“I only got a low score last time because I wasn't trying, not because I'm not good enough.”
“I took it lightly because I didn't really understand the rankings and classes… but this time will be different.”
It was because they couldn't accept the initial class rankings they had received.
While the upper-class students had come to terms with their ranks, those in the lower and middle classes refused to acknowledge theirs.
That their skill level truly belonged there.
They wanted to prove in the upcoming exams that they had only been placed in a lower class because they hadn't prepared properly.
As this tense atmosphere, like walking on thin ice, persisted, the written exams—the first step of the mid-terms—finally concluded.
However, the tension at the academy did not subside.
The breakdown of the mid-term exam scores was as follows:
Written Exam: 30%.
Practical Exam: 50%.
End-of-Semester Sparring: 20%.
But the nature of the second test, the practical exam worth a staggering 50% of the total score, had not yet been revealed.
Just as the students, with bloodshot eyes, were waiting for the school's announcement, the location of the practical exam was finally disclosed.
Professor Malvern, the homeroom teacher for the advanced class, commonly called Class A, spoke in a dry tone.
“The location for this practical exam has been decided: a deserted island off the southern coast. The themes are survival, distress, and melee. It will last for two weeks. Subspace items are prohibited, and you may not bring more than three kilograms of food. Please keep these points in mind…”
With this information revealed just three days before the practical exam, the first-year students were thrown into a panic.
“Karl! What should we pack? No, we have to start preparing right now…!”
“We have to pack survival gear? Damn it, this wasn't on the list the upperclassmen gave us…”
“I'm from the south, so maybe this will be easier for me? No, if I don't know what's on the island…”
Those who rushed to the commercial district were the lucky ones. But the students who had prepared for the exam based solely on the advice of their seniors could only cry out in despair.
Meanwhile, a few who had lived in similar environments smiled, but they were a small minority.
Amidst the clamor that overtook the academy, Allen moved about leisurely on his own.
「Why are you so relaxed? Aren't you going to prepare?」
“It has nothing to do with me.”
「Did you prepare in advance? Huh? I haven't seen you getting ready.」
Allen gave a short reply to her curious question.
“I don't plan on participating.”
「Why? Aren't your grades important? Come on, you're just giving up because you couldn't prepare, right? You shouldn't do that. You'll regret it later.」
“Is that from personal experience?”
「Studying is incredibly important for a civil servant!」
Allen shook his head with a bitter smile at Vestla's joke.
“No, I've already prepared for the practical exam. It's just…”
*I just needed some time away from Julius.*
Allen swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue. He couldn't say it. It would feel like he was running away.
He briefly opened the black book.
In it, he saw the past Julius, who had completed the ruin practicum without any major incidents.
『──Julius knew where the practical exam would take place. A deserted island survival. Since it was in the original story, he had prepared in advance...』
He had thought the location might change since an incident had occurred, unlike in the first timeline, but the result was the same.
The stage for the practical exam was a deserted island in the southern sea, and he had prepared to go there long ago.
However, after the recent incident, the emotional burden on Allen had grown, and he needed some time to sort through his feelings.
But was that the only reason? If asked, there was only one answer.
‘I don't know.’
No, in truth, even Allen couldn't quite understand his own emotions.
“Because I need a catalyst to reveal more of my strength.”
That was his excuse.
To act as if he were calculating and moving according to plan, just as always.
「Why the sudden change? You usually refrained from even using your sword unless it was a chaotic situation.」
“The theme… yes, it's because I learned the theme.”
Allen had thought that with his skills, he could at least reach the heels of the Eight Strongest.
‘But what was the result?’
The Eight Strongest were on a different level. The Dragon's Heart he had struggled to obtain, the giant's body that could overwhelm most opponents—to them, these were merely traits, not threats.
What good was a vast amount of mana if he didn't even have time to cast a spell?
The principles behind the techniques that deceived even predicted movements within his sensory range were something Allen had never even heard of.
He had been underestimating the Eight Strongest.
“My skills might be unparalleled among my peers, or even against most people, but they're nothing to the truly powerful. If that's the case, there's no need to hide everything.”
The reason he had hidden his giant's body until now was simple.
He was worried Julius would become wary of his strength. But what about the skills of others?
He recalled Maria's appearance when she fought the ancient monster.
Even if Julius had expected it, Maria's skill was beyond anticipation. If so, Haizel was likely not an opponent to be taken lightly either.
「But what does that have to do with not participating in the practical exam?」
“Because most students hold a certain fantasy about the position of a disciple to one of the Eight Strongest.”
There's a difference between predictable and unpredictable strength. Allen's growth rate was fast, but it fell within the realm of predictable strength.
“So, I'm going to use that. Disciples of the Eight Strongest have the privilege of being exempt from exams.”
When they return after completing their practical evaluation on the deserted island, Allen will no longer hide his physical abilities as he did before.
“Even if I grow stronger in a short period, they won't suspect anything. Because I've become a disciple of one of the Eight Strongest, they'll convince themselves that there must be some special method involved.”
Just as no one would believe a noble had committed theft, they would fit Allen into the fantasy they secretly wished for.
All Allen had to do was show his true strength.
「…That's a very you-like way of thinking.」
She sighed, as if she had grown very accustomed to Allen's methods.
‘But… I really do need to improve my skills.’
He had to widen the gap, to elevate his skills even further. He had realized this after being toyed with by the Beast King and the Queen of Shadows.
If I undergo two weeks of special training with the Beast King, won't my skills improve to a decent level?
Harboring such hopes, Allen descended the dark basement stairs.
*Clomp, clomp—*
The training ground prepared for the Eight Strongest when they visited the academy.
The walls and ceiling, built with an orichalcum alloy that was normally impossible to obtain, glittered with a golden light that filled his entire vision. A training ground of unbelievable size for a basement greeted him.
In the center of that training ground, a man opened his eyes.
“Disciple, what took you so long? Do you have any idea how long this old man has been waiting?”
It was the Beast King.
***
A clear sky looked down upon the earth.
Rain on a day like this was a rarity. But the students felt as though the brilliant sun was seeing them off on their journey.
The sky was that clear, completely spotless without a single cloud.
“Julius, what are you thinking about?”
Anastasia's voice brought Julius back to his senses.
“Oh, nothing... It's just a little hard to believe my brother is skipping the exam.”
“Indeed. I still can't believe he's become the Beast King's disciple.”
“Mm…”
*That's not what I meant.*
“That's true too.”
For Julius, the news that Allen was skipping the exam was even more unbelievable than him becoming the Beast King's disciple.
He could understand skipping other activities, but the mid-term and final exams were mandatory for all students.
However, the news that he was exempt as a privilege for being a disciple of the Eight Strongest jogged his memory.
‘Right, there was a rule like that in the original story.’
Though it was never actually used in the story, since neither Zaqnir nor Gaion ever took on a disciple.
‘Becoming a disciple is a little surprising, but…’
It wasn't that shocking. He had realized Allen's talent back when Allen had doggedly kept pace with his own growth, which was fueled by serendipitous encounters and the talent of his possessed body.
‘He's also the only person I've met whose talent changed on its own.’
Julius still remembered the day Allen's talent had turned black.
Thanks to that, Julius realized that a person's talent could change, but he had never found anyone else whose talent had turned black like Allen's.
That was one of the reasons Julius looked out for Allen, even though he wasn't a main character in the original story.
‘Maybe it's also because he's my new family.’
If he had come to the deserted island, I was willing to let him have one or two of the hidden opportunities here, but…
“If he can't make it, he can't make it.”
“Julius? Who can't make it?”
He turned his head to see Irene approaching with a smile.
“We were just talking about his brother.”
“Lord Allen?”
Anastasia sighed, as if tired of her interruptions, but still answered Irene's question.
“Yes, since he will be absent this time.”
“That's amazing. At his age, to already be…”
“Julius! You jerk!”
“Whoa!”
Irene frowned at being interrupted and turned around. There, clinging to Julius's back, was the woman she hated most.
A woman in a revealing, skimpy outfit, attached to Julius.
Abelin.
“You said we'd go together and meet at the main gate!”
“Well, Dongdong was hungry…”
Julius offered a lame excuse, nudging his bag with his elbow. But Dongdong, who had apparently developed some sense, had already fled to Anya.
“Dongdong, why are you back again? Hmm? Is the young lord getting scolded again?”
Julius wanted to glare at them with a look of betrayal, but he couldn't even turn his back with Abelin staring daggers at him.
“Always using Dongdong as an excuse.”
“Uh… sorry?”
Irene, who was watching this with jealous eyes, unintentionally blurted out the name she usually had for her in her thoughts.
“Sl…”
“Such crude language.”
“…Gah!”
Irene shuddered at the breath she felt on her ear and stumbled back.
“Your Highness!”
“I told you to call me Helena, didn't I?”
“And didn't I ask you not to do that!”
“It is a lord's duty to mind their vassal's manners, is it not?”
Helena scoffed as if to ask what the problem was, turning her head haughtily. Frustratingly, Irene couldn't say a word back to her.
It was thanks to her that she was even able to come here.
At the very least, she couldn't afford to get on her bad side at the academy.
“Still…”
All she could do was mutter a small word, filled with gloom, anger, impatience, and resentment.
“Did I not say you could speak your mind?”
Even though Helena said this, Irene kept her lips tightly sealed. Just as Helena was about to say more, someone's voice conveniently interjected.
“There's no need to waste energy before we've even started, is there?”
“My former fiancée.”
“Catherine!”
Helena stepped back with a sullen expression, as if annoyed by another interruption, but Irene hid behind Catherine with a joyful face, as if she had found her only ally.
“You have a lord-vassal relationship. Wouldn't it be nice if you got along a little better?”
“I was always sincere.”
“That's the problem.”
“Ugh, you're so noisy. I'm leaving, so stop talking.”
Helena quickly walked away, afraid Catherine would start nagging her.
Watching the chaotic scene, Mateus turned with a weary expression to the man watching beside him.
“…Quite the chaotic scene, isn't it, Mr. Veljek?”
“I'm just envious…”
When Mateus looked at him with a bewildered expression, Veljek's rough face was filled with deep envy.
“To have so many women flock to him… Is it all about looks? My face is just too lacking.”
“…If your mother heard you say that, she'd be very sad, Mr. Veljek.”
“My mother abandoned me.”
“……Uh, well…”
*Should I curse his mother to comfort him?* After pondering for a moment, Mateus made an excuse about needing the restroom and quickly fled from his side.
As Veljek was left alone, he noticed a man with melancholy eyes watching Julius's group.
“…Young Lord.”
Veljek glanced over and saw it was Byron, who was said to have served Julius since he was in his territory.
The one who was afraid of women.
“Sob… To think I have no choice but to leave my master alone.”
He could only watch from a distance, as if he couldn't bring himself to approach them.
‘…Still, I'm probably better off than Byron.’
Veljek thought to himself with a satisfied smile.
Just then, Julius, having finished his conversation with the women who had approached him, noticed Veljek and Byron.
“Ah, why are those two standing so far away? They're not coming over here.”
“Maybe they're just very self-aware?”
“No, that's a little… harsh.”
Despite his words, Julius couldn't deny what Abelin said.
In his eyes, Veljek and Byron were both the same.
“Preparations for the large-scale teleportation circle are complete! We've received word that the southern side is also ready, so all students, please prepare yourselves!”
“It's finally ready…”
Julius watched the professor shouting at the students with serious eyes, recalling the deserted island episode.
‘First thing I need to get… I'll head to the center of the island and take the most important thing for myself.’
After that, I can collect the hidden pieces scattered around and rack up points.
His memory of the original story was crystal clear, making moments like this incredibly convenient.
“Alright, we're departing!”
A wide expanse of space rippled, enclosing them within a long, drawn-out oval.
The large-scale teleportation to the deserted island had begun.