Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 56
>Chapter Title: Let's Welcome Her with Applause!
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A brilliant afternoon sun poured down.
In a classroom filled with dozens of students, where sunlight filtered through slightly open windows, a solemn silence had settled.
The only sounds were the rustle of turning pages and the faint scratch of pen nibs.
Amid this peaceful white noise tickling their ears, the students tackled the exam with unusually serious expressions.
How much time passed like that?
Ding ding ding ding…!
An alarm echoed throughout the academy.
"Time's up. Everyone, put your pens down and raise your hands above your heads. Students at the back of each row, collect the exam papers and bring them forward."
At the supervising professor's command, the students set down their pens, and those at the end of each row gathered up the papers.
Even amid this, the faint hush remained unbroken.
Perhaps still riding the high of concentration, the students wore deeply furrowed brows.
"Professor, all collected."
"Good."
The supervising professor nodded at the assistant's words and left the classroom.
"You all worked hard for the past week. Stay quiet until your assigned professor arrives."
Scrape, click.
The silence shattered right after.
"Wooooah—!"
Cheers erupted simultaneously from every corner of the academy.
"It's over! Finally over…!"
Was the five-day exam that grueling?
The students began releasing their pent-up liberation in their own ways.
Scrape, click!
"It's over! Done!"
"Haa."
Some flung open the classroom door and bolted down the hallway, while others slumped in their seats, exhaling long sighs of relief.
Different actions, but the emotion on every face was the same.
Pure relief.
And why wouldn't it be?
Five whole days.
Two for practicals, three for written.
That was just the test itself.
They'd spent nearly a month preparing for it.
Even diligent studiers found it stifling, let alone the slackers.
As the students savored their freedom.
"Hey, what'd you go with for question 3 theory?"
"Lamiter mana theory for me. What about question 5?"
"With a pen."
"Cut the crap."
The diligent ones gathered in groups of twos and threes, comparing answers.
The answer sheets were already submitted, but they still had their exam booklets to gauge their scores.
Moments of joy and despair.
"Ah! Damn it! I misread the condition! How did I miss that?!"
Some groaned over oversights.
"Right? That's the theory to apply, right? Man, I agonized over that one…!"
Others gained confidence in their shaky answers and beamed.
But not every problem wrapped up neatly.
"That last one, no clue…"
"I did Pulluxen theory on it? But it felt kinda forced…"
Most problems gave you a rough idea just from reading the prompt.
The last one? No matter how many times you looked, it was a mystery.
"Professor Parun's problems are tough, huh… Isn't that stuff not even in the textbook?"
"Who knows. Might be in there, just twisted so we wouldn't recognize it."
As the M2 class students discussed, shaking their heads at the difficulty, they soon did what they always did: took their exam booklets to one particular person.
"Evelyn, did you get the last one?"
It was Evelyn.
Evelyn greeted them with a kind smile.
"Yeah, I did it. What's up?"
"Ah! As expected of Evelyn. We were stumped trying to figure it out ourselves."
"Yeah. Is it from the textbook?"
The students lit up at her response.
Evelyn met each one's eyes in turn, answering their questions.
Even passing professors paused, nodding approvingly at the heartwarming scene.
How could one not smile at someone unashamed of their ignorance and someone not flaunting their excellence?
But.
"Ah-ha! Got it. Thanks, Evelyn."
"Uh, can I ask you for the next exam too?"
"Sure, ask away."
After the students left, satisfied.
Evelyn's eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly.
*Seriously…*
She couldn't help but be annoyed.
Just because she'd humored them a few times, they came swarming, acting all chummy.
It was a hassle every time.
And their backgrounds weren't even worth cultivating ties for.
Mostly kids from shabby merchant houses or nobles on the brink of ruin.
Useless to Evelyn.
The only reason she entertained them was that they were Jenion Academy students.
They were nobodies now, but who knew where or how they'd end up.
"Hoo."
Evelyn shook off her irritation with a soft sigh and neatly adjusted her tied-up hair.
That's when a diagonal conversation from some male students caught her ear.
"Hey, what? You said you weren't studying. Sneaking in some cram time?"
"Nah, this stuff you pick up just from class… Hm?"
A boy lounging back in his chair, full of swagger.
"…Anyway, yeah? You guys should just focus in class like me."
"What a prick."
"Is Dminen smart, or did he study on the sly without us knowing?"
It might've seemed obnoxious, but Evelyn secretly smiled at it.
*First deal: success.*
Dminen von Harimir.
Eldest son of the Harimir barony, owners of vast farmlands, and one of the customers who'd bought her exam answers.
In this deal, the Harimir barony had promised Evelyn priority on deals from their farmlands.
Petty merchants were bidding on grain, but Goldrin would now get first dibs.
*First button's on right.*
Four such deals total.
Two in M1 class, one in M2, one in M3.
Similar payoffs from the rest—what wasn't a win?
But this was just the start.
*If I can build a network across the whole grade…*
Harimir farmlands would be small potatoes.
Connections like that would sprout endlessly every year.
As she secretly toasted her success and dreamed of a bright future.
Scrape, click!
An intruder entered through the front door.
"…?"
The door slammed so loud, all eyes turned forward. It was Assistant Professor Yorbi.
The M3 class co-advisor, notorious among students for being oddly off-putting.
Evelyn glanced over indifferently.
Then her eyes shook faintly.
"…"
Behind Assistant Professor Yorbi.
A group of students stood rigidly, faces uneasy—and all too familiar.
Leading them: M1's Debay.
Two more behind him, all…
*…Customers?*
*What?*
Too coincidental.
Right after exams ended. Just these three, called by Yorbi?
No, not just three.
"Dminen, come with me."
"…Me?"
"Yes, you, Dminen."
Dminen scowled.
She hadn't let customers share info, so they didn't recognize each other.
But he definitely knew Debay's face—that's why he stiffened.
"Uh, why…?"
"Hmm."
Yorbi's eyebrow twitched at the question, displeased.
Soon, a heavy aura settled over the room.
…!
Not overtly threatening in an academy setting, but tense enough.
The lively classroom froze instantly.
"Dminen? Do you know where this is?"
"The aca…demy."
"Then follow an assistant professor's summons quietly."
Dminen walked out, face pale.
Yorbi's aura vanished right after.
Evelyn stared blankly, then locked eyes with Assistant Professor Yorbi.
*…*
Startled, but she barely held her poker face.
His gaze bored into her, drying her mouth.
Then his voice rang in her ears.
[Evelyn, thank you for the letter. You showed great courage. Must've been tough, but well done.]
What letter? What courage?
What's well done?
The nonsense cracked her poker face.
But Yorbi continued.
[It'll all work out, so don't worry. Thanks to you, I padded my record… Ahem. Anyway, it'll be over tomorrow, so rest easy.]
Over? What ending?
Questions burned, but Yorbi shut the door and headed to M3 class.
"This is, what the hell…"
Evelyn watched, dazed.
Her merchant's cool reason clung to sanity, but her mind swirled in chaos.
The real chaos hit the next day.
…Early morning.
First assembly since orientation for Basic Class 1st years.
— 'Ahem. Announcement for Basic Class 1st years. Assemble in the auditorium at first period.'
The sudden call had students tilting heads.
"What?"
"Sudden assembly? Heard anything?"
Some incident?
As students buzzed, someone dropped a tantalizing tidbit.
"I heard something…"
"From who?"
"That guy who books fights when kids scrap. He overheard."
"Yeah?"
Friends leaned in eagerly, others perked ears.
"Cheating happened."
"Cheating?! How?"
"Dunno. He overheard staff."
Short, dismissible gossip.
But the ripple was massive.
Cheating?!
In centuries of academy history?
Sure, it happened.
Top talents entered yearly; some misused gifts.
Plenty undetected, maybe.
But the fallout?
Expulsion minimum.
Academy demanded huge reparations, banned the family for 50 years.
Honor in tatters!
"Real cheating?"
"No wonder Dminen that jerk aced it without studying."
Unproven, but students pegged the summoned as culprits.
Good gossip fodder either way.
Amid auditorium chaos, one person alone.
Evelyn stared rigidly at the stage.
*…How?*
Plan was flawless.
No leaks.
All accomplices, all profited—no traitors.
*Who…?*
No worry for herself. First batch: families Goldrin could control. Debay too.
Just curious.
Did idiot Debay slip?
Possible.
Odds on him… No, dumb but not brainless.
*Then, who—?*
"Ahem, quiet down, everyone. Quiet."
Evelyn's thoughts lingered even as Professor Drauk took the stage.
"Looks like rumors spread. For the unaware: cheating discovered in Basic Class 1st year midterms."
Drauk expressed regret, announced culprits and punishments.
[Mastermind Debay and 3 others - All expelled]
[Academy to demand separate reparations]
Empire law applied to prevent repeats.
As it dragged on, Evelyn's head burned hotter.
*…Who dares!*
The feast was nearly served.
No—sprouts just breaking soil.
Ready to nurture and harvest…
Whoever it was wouldn't get away.
"And actually, this incident… embarrassingly, was uncovered not by academy staff, but a student burning with justice."
Ears pricked.
"Today's assembly also honors that student's exemplary justice."
Evelyn finally glared at Professor Drauk.
Her eyes so fierce, onlookers' legs trembled!
*Who. Who is it. Spill it. I'll use every means, bury them all…*
No matter the family, anyone.
Ten years, decades—revenge would come.
Then.
"Evelyn de Planche, step forward."
*…?!*
"Give this student a round of applause."
It was her.
"Evelyn?!"
"Wow!"
"As expected, Evelyn! Awesome!"
Cheers and praise poured. Auditorium filled with claps.
Everyone chanted her name.
Only Evelyn stared at the stage, face frozen.
*…What the hell is this?*
Her snitching on her own cheating?
Insane.
"I-it wasn't me."
She waved instinctively, but Drauk smiled warmly.
"So humble too."
"N-no, not humble, really I…"
Face ashen as ash, she shook her head.
Didn't want to go up. Wasn't her doing.
What idiot wrecks their own plan?!
But academy mates wouldn't let her.
"Aw, Evelyn, don't be shy. You deserve to boast!"
The ones who'd asked her for answers pushed her onstage.
Students and professors watched approvingly.
"Now, the commendation ceremony."
Drauk gazed kindly at Evelyn, reading the certificate.
Then a voice in her ear.
[Ahem. Evelyn. As per your letter, I arranged it. No need for payment, though.]
She turned—Yorbi winked.
*Payment? What payment? What letter!*
Rage boiled; payment now?
Amid cheers, one soul suffered silently.
Evelyn de Planche.
Tears welled in her eyes…
One student watched her fondly.
"Mm."
Aster, arms crossed, nodded.
Proud as a mother bird seeing her chick fledge.
Why not?
*Looks moved.*
Tearing up at his event.
*Get it now, Evelyn? This is the world's warm gaze.*
Don't stray—walk straight, pure-hearted.
"Evelyn guidance: success."
One more reformed… guided.
The righteous Troubleshooter. Benevolent judge reforming villains.