Chapter 45
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: The Mage of the Four Seasons Council (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Yes, just as you said, Lady Miriel, her talent in one area is truly impressive, but that freshman is... rather quite lazy, isn't she?”
The voice of Miriel's follower carried a faint hint of mockery.
“That's why her attendance and assignment scores took such a hit. The demerits from Linea Hall are enormous too. Her conduct score is at the absolute bottom of the academy because of it.”
Miriel unconsciously suppressed a burst of laughter, covering her mouth with her teacup.
Fair enough—she'd more than earned those points. Others might cause one incident on that scale once in their academy life, if at all, but she'd racked up several in just over a month since enrollment.
“Definitely... devastating.”
Miriel barely held back her laughter as she forced out the words.
In categories where even average mid-to-upper-tier students could count on full points as a baseline, Lunaris had thoroughly tanked her scores.
“Still, I bet Lunaris takes top spot. Right?”
“...Yes, you're right. I've never seen exam scores that surpass perfect before.”
“Knew it.”
Miriel let out a soft chuckle and nodded.
An academy with a student bearing the title of Grand Mage during her enrollment.
The faculty wouldn't stand by while the student at the heart of that unprecedented honor was downgraded to just a 'normal' one.
The real marvel was that, despite such absurd leniency, no rumors spread among the students—that was the key.
Her exam papers were filled with answers like mini-papers worthy of immediate publication in the Mage Tower's regular journals.
Her ability to develop magitech devices already far surpassed not only second-years but even third-year seniors.
Above all, when it came to magic itself, only one person in the entire academy could match her: Department Head Raymond Cloud.
Laziness as her shell.
Demerits as her shackles.
Bearing all those penalties.
She still reigned at the pinnacle with talent alone.
She was the very talent Miriel so desperately wanted to claim.
Miriel set down her empty teacup and murmured softly.
“Now that Lunaris has proven her worth... it's time for the top students to gather.”
“Pardon? Ah, you mean the 'Four Seasons Council'?”
“Yes, exactly.”
Miriel rose from her seat and stood by the window of the administrative office.
Far in the distance, the faint silhouette of the magic annex came into view.
The very building housing the Maengineering Department's labs.
“This gathering... I'm really looking forward to it.”
Her lips, red as her hair, curved into an alluring arc.
A place where not even the princess bearing Belhart blood could dare interfere.
There, she would finally meet the lazy, aloof gray kitten.
“Somehow, we've made it through another exam period.”
The faculty office right after midterms brimmed with a peculiar sense of liberation.
It wasn't just students who found exam season agonizing.
Professors loathed it just as much.
Especially the junior assistant professors.
“At least fewer students came complaining this time, so it's relaxing.”
“This year's freshmen might fall short on average talent, but they're all good kids.”
“Finals at this difficulty level should be just right.”
In the peaceful atmosphere, casual chit-chat flowed freely.
Then, the professor handling freshman magic theory suddenly let out a deep sigh.
“My head's still pounding.”
“Any issues left? The objection period's long over.”
“Professor, you drew the sweetest gig—freshman magic theory. What's there to pound about?”
“No, it's that one outlier student.”
The professor pressed his temples as if his head ached terribly.
“That... 'Archmage' from the Maengineering Department.”
At those words, every professor and assistant in the room let out a collective sigh of “Ahh...”
“I finally felt motivated, so I put real effort into the last essay question. Even that nitpicky Department Head Raymond praised it as a good one...”
The professor trailed off and abruptly tossed a student's exam paper onto the desk.
It was none other than Lunaris's test paper.
To be precise, a copy.
The original had been tragically torn in half amid the scuffle between the Mage Tower's mages and Department Head Raymond.
“Do you know what that student, Miss Lunaris, wrote as her answer?”
-The question itself does not hold.
It was scrawled boldly on the very last page of the exam, the first line of the answer sheet.
“That's quite the audacious response.”
“At first, even I couldn't believe my eyes. I thought she'd just scribbled nonsense because she couldn't solve it.”
Yet the margins were so densely packed with formulas and theoretical explanations that they lent undeniable weight to her arrogant claim—far beyond what any student should produce.
“She went and wrote a full mini-paper proposing an entirely new magic theory right on the exam, leaving no room for rebuttal.”
He wiped his face, lamenting that he had no choice but to admit he was wrong, his pride in tatters.
This was the backstory behind Lunaris's score that transcended perfection.
“No wonder no one came complaining about that outrageous score...”
“They must've seen this answer and her name, then nodded in understanding.”
Of course, not a single person actually comprehended the answer.
But Lunaris's display of magic lingered vividly in everyone's minds.
“To avoid more embarrassment, I'll have to start crafting the final exam questions right now.”
His colleagues offered sincere condolences for his ordeal.
Even the Maengineering Department professor, who wore a weary expression, sighed deeply as if it were his own problem.
“I'm worried sick myself. I scraped by midterms with lab notebooks and prototype submissions, but finals...”
“Exactly. The department head, oblivious as ever, insists on questions at Miss Lunaris's level. Do that, and every other student fails.”
“At this point, I'd almost prefer the students declare a boycott for finals.”
Laughter rippled through the professors at the self-deprecating joke.
Someone chimed in playfully.
“Haha, if only the Four Seasons Council proposed abolishing finals this semester.”
“Think the grade toppers would pass that? Their grades are their authority.”
“Come to think of it... it's about time for this year's first Four Seasons Council.”
The Council of Four Seasons—abbreviated as the Four Seasons Council.
The supreme advisory body, named after likening each grade's top student to a season.
The highest honor granted to only four students out of the academy's vast enrollment.
Free from interference by staff or outsiders, they deliberated as student representatives on the academy's honor and future.
Their unanimous 'recommendations' to the academy were tantamount to binding 'orders.'
True absolute power.
“Wow, Miss Lunaris as a Four Seasons Council member... it suits her somehow, yet feels oddly off. Haha!”
One professor joked.
“That kid might just propose scrapping all classes and exams. Too bothersome, right?”
“Well, she could propose it.”
The freshman magic theory professor shot back curtly.
“But would it pass? The third-year top student and Student Council President agreeing to such a lazy agenda?”
Given their immense authority, proposals from the Four Seasons Council required unanimous consent from all tops as a principle.
“I know. Just joking around.”
As the idle banter neared its end,
A female professor who had been listening quietly suddenly muttered to herself.
“By the way, will Miss Lunaris even attend the Four Seasons Council?”
“...?”
“She skipped the entrance ceremony, skips lectures... no way she'd show for the council...”
In that instant, the air in the faculty office turned icy cold.
The same grim image flashed through everyone's minds.
The first-ever Four Seasons Council boycott in history.
The imperial academy's long-standing tradition and prestige crumbling at the hands of a first-year freshman.
For these professors, who valued honor above life itself as nobles, this was far graver than the golem incident.
“We must make her attend—no matter what it takes!”
“Come to think of it, Linea Hall's head maid is in charge of her life guidance, right?”
“Summon the head maid immediately. This is urgent.”
“Fwaaah—”
So much happened today... I'm exhausted for real...
Lately, I'd been getting squeezed from all sides.
Tried for suspension once, ended up corrupting a maid and grinding away. Never sticking my neck out again.
At least volunteer work's done today.
Tomorrow, back to skipping lectures and sleeping the days away.
For recovery, early bed tonight...
Feels like forever since I was back in my room.
Meant just one night at the princess's, but blinked and it was two weeks.
Exclusive maid duty's no picnic. Body's comfy, but mind's not. Watching the guards' eyes, Miriel-senior's even more.
...Okay, fine, I fell for that imperial special bed.
One that puts you straight to sleep—total cheat.
Still, nothing beats my room, my bed.
No matter how nice, another's bed is another's.
This familiar fluffiness my body remembers? Peak comfort.
Plus my attachment pillow. Pure heaven.
“Hit the hay now, maid wake-up's in about 14 hours...”
I flopped into bed, pulling the covers up to my head.
Anyone tries waking me? Won't let 'em off... gonna bite...
...Something feels off.
Nape's chilling more than usual—eerie vibe.
Like I forgot some big schedule...
...Nah, just imagination.
Probably trauma from the maid squad's dawn raids chanting 'A maid's morning starts earliest.'
Yeah, sleep on high alert tonight.
Triple—no, quadruple—locking spell on the door, telekinesis traps too...
Then, heavy thuds echoed from outside.
Lots of people returning to the dorm at once? Super noisy.
Who's making racket this late?
Irritated yawn, folded pillow over both ears.
Figured it'd pass quick.
But footsteps drew closer... and stopped right at my door.
Knock, knock.
“Miss Lunaris, may I enter for a moment?”
Familiar voice.
Odette's.
“...I'm sleeping. Tomorrow.”
Mumbled sleepily into the pillow.
No way they'd invade personal time after duties.
...Or so I thought.
BOOM!!
The triple-locked door exploded inward.
“Truly sorry, miss.”
Bright light flooded from the doorway.
Odette spoke to me in a businesslike tone that sounded utterly unapologetic.
“But this is a truly urgent matter. No choice.”
This brazen head maid...! Trampling a lady's privacy! Disqualified as pro maid?!
So absurd, I cracked open bleary eyes and glanced over.
“...”
Way too many people outside.
Not just Odette's maids.
Department Head Raymond and a horde of professors too.
Was gonna blast if it was just a few, but this? Overkill.
“D-don't know the reason...”
I slowly sat up, raising both hands slightly.
“But... shall we resolve this peacefully with words?”