Episode 287
Episode 287
"This was a fair duel. I believe even the professor will understand."
Lee Han spoke those words.
Professor Thunderstep had done his utmost in creating the exam, and Lee Han had done his utmost in solving it.
A fair match between them.
Such contests should leave no lingering resentment.
'He doesn't look like he understands, though.'
Professor Thunderstep's expression was absolutely not that of a mentor graciously accepting his student's victory.
His panting, furious demeanor seemed to be saying, "Just wait until next semester's exam."
Yoner realized once again that people could speak volumes without uttering a word—their expressions alone sufficed.
'Is this really okay?'
At this rate, they might have to make a Philosopher's Stone next semester...
For a moment, Lee Han muttered under his breath.
"...But I couldn't just deliberately fail to make it."
"......"
Yoner looked at his friend with pitying eyes.
It wasn't that Lee Han failed to grasp reality.
He understood—he was just deliberately turning a blind eye to it!
Professor Flüwörk glanced at the entering students and spoke in a slightly apologetic tone.
"What should we do? Unlike the other professors, my exam won't be very exciting."
"Wh-what kind of exam is it?"
Instead of answering, Professor Flüwörk swung his staff. Instantly, exam papers, quills, and ink bottles appeared on the students' desks.
"A very traditional exam—solve the problems and write the answers."
"W-whoooooa!"
"Professor! Thank you!!"
"There's no one like you, Professor!!"
"!?"
Professor Flüwörk was startled by the students' ecstatic reaction.
Why on earth?
"So this is what Lee Han meant when he said sitting down to study was the happiest thing."
Gainando spoke in a choked-up voice.
Instead of running around left and right, they could just sit quietly and move their quills.
'That wasn't what I meant, though.'
As the students took their seats, the exam papers flipped over.
Question 1. Given that the following statement is true, select all options that must also be true from the choices below.
-Imperial Mage Tadingo is attempting to summon and contract five demons. Among them, the demon Zelkruo cannot be contracted unless it is done before the demon Voluda...
Lee Han felt a wave of calm wash over him as he looked at the densely packed questions.
His reaction was the exact opposite of his friends, whose expressions darkened.
'Not too difficult.'
"I-I've been tricked by Lee Han. Riding a horse would've been better..."
Gainando whimpered beside him, but Lee Han pretended not to hear and ignored him.
Muhadin, a priest of the Sisenja Order that revered knowledge and scholarship, offered a brief prayer before gripping his quill.
Though they didn't boast about it, students of the Phoenix Tower generally had above-average grades.
Even though, as priests, they ruthlessly abandoned lectures they had no interest in, their diligence in studying was evident from their performance.
Among such students, Muhadin was particularly renowned for his erudition and sharp intellect.
Naturally, for him, an exam like Basic Imperial Language and Logic was no more than a relatively easy obstacle—something he could clear without much difficulty.
'If only all the other exams were like this.'
Muhadin had no interest in dodging spells while riding a horse.
Nor did he care about subduing summoned spirits by swinging his staff.
All Muhadin wanted was to sit down, read, and study.
For him, this kind of exam—something he hadn't encountered in a long time—was deeply satisfying.
'This is Question 3, right? Hmm... Oh. Am I solving this too quickly?'
Muhadin was surprised to realize he had already finished half the exam. He lifted his head.
The hourglass in front of him showed that there was still plenty of time left.
'I can afford to take it a bit slower—'
Thud.
Lee Han stood up from his seat, submitted his exam paper, and bowed.
"Thank you for the semester, Professor."
"I should be the one thanking you for meeting an outstanding student like you from the Wardanaz family."
Professor Flüwark replied in a cheerful, bright voice. Lee Han felt slightly moved.
"The bureaucrats are the pillars supporting the empire, shouldering its burdens."
"Oh dear, there's no need to go that far... We're just glorified errand boys! Not something a Wardanaz student needs to concern themselves with."
Lee Han stepped outside with a slightly darkened expression.
In his improved mood, Professor Flüwark failed to notice the changed atmosphere in the lecture hall.
Muhadin snapped back to attention and bowed his head.
'...I must be solving these too slowly!'
Dukma from the White Tiger Tower, of House Jay, exchanged glances with his friend.
-Ready?
-Of course.
Their preparation had been for the <Basic Imperial Language and Logic> exam.
To be more specific, it was preparation for cheating—but in a way, cheating preparation could also be considered exam preparation.
Cheating was pointless in most other lectures, but for exams like <Basic Imperial Language and Logic>, it was perfectly effective.
'We prepared thinking we could at least cheat in one lecture, and finally!'
Had Lee Han heard this, he would've said, "You pathetic brats, just study during that time," but the White Tiger Tower students were dead serious.
Fortunately, Professor Flüwark didn't seem to have taken major precautions either.
It was a golden opportunity.
'We successfully sat behind Wardanaz naturally.'
'Now all that's left is to peek without getting caught.'
As the exam progressed and some time passed, Dukma felt the moment had come. He pulled out a small telescope with a blue lens from his pocket.
An artifact purchased at great cost from a Black Turtle Tower student.
With this, Wardanaz's exam paper would be...!
Thud—
Lee Han stood up from his seat and submitted his exam paper at the front.
The two students were dumbfounded, at a complete loss for words.
"???"
"???????"
'He's done already??'
'This soon??'
'What kind of monster...?!'
'No! Come back!!'
No matter how much they screamed internally, Lee Han didn't return. Gainando, sensing their gazes, startled and shouted.
"These bastards! They were trying to peek at my exam! Professor! These guys were trying to cheat off me!"
"N-no, that's not it!"
"We were just surprised! Just shocked and staring, that's all!"
The White Tiger Tower students had no choice but to abandon their cheating attempt, tears welling in their eyes.
With Wardanaz gone, the only person left to copy from was Gainando, making the whole effort pointless anyway.
"Total scumbags, I tell you! Those bastards tried to peek at my exam!"
"?"
"??"
The Blue Dragon Tower students tilted their heads in confusion at Gainando's words.
More surprising than the fact that White Tiger Tower students had tried to cheat was that their target had been Gainando.
"Why him of all people?"
"W-well? Maybe they studied even less than Gainando?"
"Is that possible?"
"Dunno. Those White Tiger Tower guys are disgustingly lazy with studying."
"Must've been truly desperate..."
"I'm off to take the Healing Magic exam now."
"Ah. I'll come too. Wardanaz."
"I should go as well."
The students (forcibly) enrolled in Healing Magic moved along with Lee Han.
As they headed to the lecture hall, they grumbled lightly.
"Even so, forcing us like this... We have other exams too."
"Unimaginable, right?"
Instead of responding and getting hurt by his friends' words, Lee Han simply offered a gentle smile.
"Ah. Wait a second."
"What's up?"
"I need to stop by the tower. Left my Illusion Magic book."
"What are you talking about, Wardanaz? The Healing Magic exam is now."
"Yeah. Right after this is the Illusion Magic exam."
"......"
"...Uhh, should we go get it for you?"
Lee Han ignored his friends' consideration and headed toward the tower alone.
'Actually, the Illusion Magic exam isn't that concerning.'
Among the remaining magic exams, the most dreadful one was undoubtedly the Enchantment Magic exam.
Positioned right at the very end of the submission period, it had been weighing heavily on students' hearts throughout the entire finals week.
In comparison, the Illusion Magic exam...
'It's the epitome of a reasonable exam.'
After retrieving his book from the tower, Lee Han headed to the first-floor west lecture hall of the main building.
There, the Healing Magic exam awaited him.
'Healing Magic doesn't seem too difficult either.'
From what he'd heard from Professor Garcia, Healing Magic fundamentally required a considerable amount of time and practice before it could be used on actual people.
Given that, the scope of possible exam questions for first-year students would naturally be limited.
Lee Han anticipated that the test would likely be in a written format, similar to <Basic Imperial Language and Logic>.
"Wait. What are you doing there?"
"!"
Two familiar seniors were approaching from the direction of the lecture hall.
Phil and Chil, the two seniors in charge of Healing Magic.
The fact that seniors who normally shouldn't be visible were appearing meant only one thing...
"Are you here because of the exam?"
"Correct."
"I thought you'd be surprised, but you're not?"
"Pardon?"
"Don't freshmen usually get startled when they see seniors? That's how it was for us."
Phil spoke with a puzzled expression.
Einrogard students would always get shocked when they became second-years.
That was when seniors who had been invisible until then would start casually wandering around.
"That's not important right now. Follow us. The exam location has changed."
"Did something happen?"
"A third-year probably blew up the lecture hall during their exam."
"Wasn't that a different lecture hall? I thought it was an artifact made by second-years that exploded."
"......"
Listening to these spine-chilling stories, Lee Han followed the two seniors.
What kind of insane school is this?!
"Come to think of it, your friends came earlier. Why are you alone so late?"
"I forgot my book and went back to get it."
"Ah. That's... Oh no. I forgot mine too. Wait a moment."
Apologetically, Phil turned back the way he'd come. Chil shrugged his shoulders with an exasperated expression and said,
"Let's wait a bit. Sorry about this."
"It's fine. There's plenty of time."
As Lee Han stood in the hallway preparing to take out his book, Chil glanced around and opened the door to one of the lecture halls.
"Don't read standing up. Sit down and read."
"It's okay... Thank you."
"What's with the formality?"
Chil's gaze as he looked at Lee Han was filled with pity.
Having to attend every single lecture, and now Healing Magic too...
Not even bearing all the world's curses could be as torturous as that.
If a senior couldn't show this much kindness to such a junior, they deserved to be cast into the hottest depths of hell.
Grrrr...
Squeak...
"?"
Entering the lecture hall, Lee Han was puzzled by the sounds of animals groaning.
Looking around, he saw stacked cages containing animals either bandaged or sitting with pained expressions.
"What's this?"
"Ah. These are injured animals rescued from nearby villages. They're for this semester's final exam."
"!"
Lee Han was shocked.
Not just because of the animals, but because they'd so casually revealed the exam questions.
'Is this allowed? Or is it because it doesn't make much difference?'
Though somewhat flustered, since the exam was about to start and it seemed acceptable given the nature of Healing Magic, Lee Han said nothing.
"So the exam is about healing these animals?"
"That's right. If you're interested, you can even practice in advance. I'll supervise you."
Lee Han was slightly moved by the senior's consideration.
Letting him practice for the finals beforehand...
In this dog-eat... no, in challenging academic fields, there existed a strong bond between suffering students.
"Are you really sure it's okay?"
"Yeah. Most examinees won't be able to heal them completely anyway, so we seniors will have to finish the job. And since I'll be right here, it's fine even if you make mistakes."
There was a reason Chil was offering this special privilege.
Because this wasn't actually the first-year final exam—it was the second-year final exam.