I Hate Studying!!!
I hate studying!!!
Even though I'd been unconscious for a whole week, I could head straight back to the dormitory that very evening after waking up. My body was fully recovered by then anyway. Before leaving, Cecilia gave me a quick check-up and a few words of caution—that was it.
On the way back to the dorm, friends stopped by to visit, and once I got there, Einshel was bawling her eyes out and clinging to me, but nothing major happened.
At least, not until the next day.
Even before I reached the classroom, I could hear the other students murmuring as they spotted me.
"Demon slayer..."
"Oh, that one? The youngest Sword Master ever?"
"...She looks like that? Isn't she way too young? Looks like her legs would snap if you kicked her shins."
"Wanna test it? She's listening right now. I can tell she's watching."
"Wh-what?! Dude! You should've said something sooner!"
While I was out, all sorts of flashy nicknames had spread like wildfire—Demon Slayer, youngest Sword Master, you name it.
Still, my fragile beauty image held strong, probably thanks to my looks and what I'd shown them. Without that, I'd have been rumored as some war god descending on the academy.
That wouldn't be bad either, but I wanted to be a fragile yet strong beauty.
From the looks of the rumors, I'd ended up as a strong yet fragile beauty instead.
What can you do? I'd swung my Aura Blade around like crazy in front of all those people.
I had shown it during the duel with Lorenzo too, but I'd held back a ton then, so it might not have been obvious.
Against the demon, though? That was full power, two blasts, no holding back.
It would've been weirder if no one noticed.
I'd planned to show off eventually anyway, so I wasn't too thrown.
Just a bit disappointed.
Like eating the strawberry on top of the cake too early by accident—the one you save for last.
As I headed to class amid all the rumors and attention, the usual stares turned my way.
Sixty-six pairs of eyes poured over me—admiration, pity, awe, hate, guilt, remorse.
Hold up.
Most glanced my way for a split second, then dropped their eyes back to their desks.
As if they'd all promised to ignore me.
A fleeting moment of attention, then back to their own business.
What the hell?
Some hidden camera prank for ultimate laughs?
It wasn't like I'd pulled off a mythic hero's feat, but I had saved their lives.
Why the half-hearted reactions?
What happened to my rep while I was out? Did they figure me out?
For a heart-stopping second, I slid into the seat next to Reinhardt and asked carefully.
"Um... Reinhardt? Did something... happen? Or did my father say something...?"
Maybe Dad had scared them off with some lecture. Or another incident had soured the mood.
Something to tank the atmosphere, anyway.
Reinhardt gave me a look like I was a few sandwiches short of a picnic.
"...You don't even know what time of year it is?"
"What time of year? I was bedridden for a week, so I don't know what—"
I tried my killer innocent puppy eyes, but he swatted them away like nothing.
"You could check the academy calendar. Or any calendar."
He seemed snappier than usual. This guy.
"...My apologies. I've been swamped with work lately. I lacked consideration."
Ah. Dad must've been riding him hard, sharpening his nerves.
Fair enough. I'd cut him some slack for that.
So what was it, anyway?
When I pressed, he answered casually.
"It's midterms. Everyone's busy catching up on coursework."
"Midterms...?"
Oh.
Right.
It hit me like a ton of bricks, but yeah—the academy was a school.
With all the sword halls, magic halls, demon worshippers, and me rolling around covered in blood, I'd totally forgotten.
Not some hookup spot for students or a secret treasure trove of opportunities.
"You seriously didn't know, Ilisha?"
Lucia had eavesdropped and barged in, unable to hold back.
"Well... ever since I got here, I've been super dedicated to academy life, right? Ehehhe."
"Dedicated? Dedicated? Bullshit—you're just self-harming!"
Lucia suddenly went nuclear, like I'd scratched an itch, shutting me up.
Couldn't come up with a denial to save my life.
Part physical—my body hurt too much to talk.
Felt worse than before, somehow.
Even though I wasn't doing a thing.
...Anyway, that's beside the point. Who cares when midterms are?
Swordsmanship exam? Youngest Sword Master in the empire—no sweat.
Magic practical? I could wing it on instinct.
Blasphemous to say myself, but this body's overflowing with talent.
Thing is, even in my cocky haze, I'd overlooked something.
The academy had written exams.
Didn't take long to remember.
A few days later.
"To sum it up simply."
Reinhardt scribbled on the blackboard with chalk.
"Ether circulation formulas in basic theory aren't just for rote memorization. That's the bare minimum. You have to know how to modify the structure based on attributes and properties."
Dorothea chimed in from beside him.
"Listen closely, disciple. Even clueless swordsmen benefit from this theory. It'll help your magic too. It's on the exam, so don't force it—learn with joy!"
The quiet study room in the library corner echoed with their voices.
Why us? Because it wasn't just me listening.
Me, Lucia, Ern. We were all in this crash course on exam topics, courtesy of Reinhardt and Dorothea.
Why the crown prince himself? He said:
—If the heroes we're promoting publicly bomb the written exams, what happens to the academy's reputation?
...Or something like that.
Basically, we're propaganda posters now, so our grades better shine.
Lucia tagged along because she fought demon worshippers too and threw a fit about joining.
Sound logic, but their teaching vibe screamed impatience—they couldn't stand watching us flail.
Especially picking on the days I lagged worst.
Shocking truth.
I had zero talent for studying.
Honestly thought I would. The body was a talent machine.
Figured brains came with the package.
...But with me inside? Guess not.
I stared at the blackboard.
White was chalk, black was board.
That was all I got.
For real.
"...Ilisha?"
"Yesss?"
"How far do you get it? Be honest."
Hmm.
How honest we talking?
After a beat, I figured lying here would be dumb. Time for truth.
"White stuff's writing, black's the board?"
Every eye burned holes in me.
Especially the teachers up front. Scorching.
Reinhardt looked at me like I'd dunked a fish head in curry.
Dorothea recoiled like she'd seen a ghost.
"...No, wait, no no. Hold on. Then how the hell do you cast magic? You don't know basic formulas but you use magic?"
She set down her chalk and stepped toward me.
Her vibe went beyond baffled—determined to dissect me, resolute.
Too bad for her.
"On instinct?"
That was all I had.
When I'd mimicked her Light spell on feel alone, she'd gawked like an idiot.
Kept it secret from her, but I'd never grasped the formulas she taught.
Just faked the shape convincingly.
Really did it all on gut.
"...Is that that shocking? Swordplay or magic—it's all ether manipulation at the core, right?"
"No, no way! That's 'cause you're a sword-swinging monkey! Magic isn't like that...!!!"
She clutched her hat brim, reaction epic.
Lucia cackled like it was prime comedy.
Ern, protagonist material, snapped to and asked seriously.
"...Ilisha. Just checking—it's only basic magic theory you can't memorize, right? Empire history, basic math—you get those?"
Sadly for Ern.
"Ehehe, sorry! No clue on those either!"
Reinhardt covered his face and sighed massively.
"The empire's youngest Sword Master, potential hero, this brain-dead. Did your genius body trade IQ for it?"
"Maybe?"
Harsh words, but even I thought so. Had to agree.
Dorothea crouched muttering for ages, then stood with a deep breath.
"...Okay, got it! I misjudged your level, disciple. I'll explain from square one, your speed."
"Ooh."
"Question."
Lucia raised her hand as I oohed.
"What?"
"So we start over from the beginning too?"
"Yup."
"Ah."
"Just in case you're faking it too..."
"Hey, even we know that much!"
"Name one achievement of the Five Emperors."
"Uh..."
Lucia and Ern both blanked.
"...That's not even on the exam—why learn it?!"
It cracked me up. I hugged my arm and giggled.
Good times.
Life-or-death attention was great, but this? Exactly what I'd craved.
Normal school life.
Bloody as hell, but normal-ish.
Not bad at all.
I propped my chin, gazing at the board.
Whatever was scrawled there still looked like alien script.
So what.
With these dedicated tutors beside me.
No—friends.
Whatever it was, I could enjoy it.
...There was a time I thought that.