End-of-semester evaluation (2)

Large bulletin board in front of the student plaza. There was a long notice about the end-of-semester exam.

The end-of-semester exam varies depending on the subject, but is usually divided into a written exam and a practical exam.

There are cases where there are only written or practical exams for certain subjects. Well, anyway, if you want to get high grades in general, it is quite important to get good grades without being biased in one area.

However, if you go there every now and then, you will see students who record overwhelming scores just through practical skills. There are always unusual cases.

This is because, unlike written grades, there is no upper limit to practical grades, which is also related to the school culture that gives greater preference to students with exceptional talents.

This is especially true in fields that are greatly influenced by innate sensitivity or talent.

As for the combat department, it includes things like magic weapon use/combat sense/practical survival skills, the magic department has classes in the fields of elemental science, elemental science, and magic, and the alchemy department has classes in the fields of herbalism/herbalism/mixture.

Although it is important to balance written and practical grades for the upper middle and upper grades, there are many cases where students at the top of each grade are judged by their overwhelming practical grades.

The most representative person is Yenika Palover, the current third-year student and undisputed senior.

The practical score received in the field of elemental science overwhelmingly dwarfs the combined written/practical scores of all other subjects.

Because I am a conscientious person, I am constantly studying other subjects, but honestly, if I have achieved that level of achievement in the field of elemental arts, I can play near the top of the list even if I am at a mid-level or lower level in other subjects.

Surprisingly, Lucy Mayril, a senior in her second year, also has excellent written grades.

If you read a book at a glance and memorize it in an instant, you are just lazy, but not stupid. Rather, it is at an exceptional level.

There is no need to mention the practical field. Ordinary students cannot even compare the practical grades they received in elemental science classes.

Wade Calamore, a first-year valedictorian, also benefited greatly from his practical skills, and Dyke Elphelan, a fourth-year valedictorian and senior member of the student council currently led by Tanya, is considered a master of practical combat swordsmanship.

“Hmm…”

I was chewing a piece of beef jerky in my mouth while checking the exam schedule.

I took into account the points I had accumulated in class, the grades I received in various practical classes, and my reputation among professors.

“Ed, the schedule for the Ministry of Magic’s elemental science exam was just confirmed yesterday. I heard it will be a test of magic power itself… and there will also be a mock duel with the professors.”

“Not students… but faculty…?”

“Well, that’s what I heard…”

If you think about the lineup of elemental science professors, none of them are easy opponents.

Senior elemental science professor Eskin, veteran professor Dolona, recently reinstated Kaleid, and Claire, who is still an assistant professor…

I don’t know who will stand out, but the only person worth comparing is Claire, who has been a professor for less than a year. does not exist.

In fact… it is absurd to say that we should win over the professors in the first place.

Professors who have studied for decades in each field of study cannot compete at the level of students, even if they do not specialize in the field of combat.

However, it is not a test designed to be won. It has a greater meaning of telling you to fight with all your might.

I was lost in thought as I looked around at the estimates.

“Ed, what are you thinking so hard about…?”

“Yenika, it’s unfortunate that it happened, but for the time being, you and I are enemies.”

Yenika hiccuped when she heard those words.

You and I are enemies. Even before she could properly think about the meaning, Yenika’s expression hardened.

“Huh…? Why? Why? Why? Why are we enemies?”

“No, I’m not going to rush into it that seriously… I also plan to aim for the top of my grade this time.”

Once you sit at the top of your grade, the benefits that come with it are enormous.

Among them, the most mouth-watering benefit is full tuition waiver.

I somehow manage to go to school with the cash I received through a scholarship from the Glokt Scholarship Foundation and a deal with Lortel, but now I really feel the burden of these huge tuition fees. There is also a limit to what can be covered through undergraduate scholarships.

I desperately wanted to grit my teeth and sit in the senior position to receive tuition benefits.

Before, I was so behind in ability that I couldn’t even dream of getting a senior position, but now it’s different.

I can handle high-ranking spirits without the help of a ring, and I know how to use elemental magic, even mid-level magic. Written exams, as well as actual combat skills, were my specialties from the beginning.

“Chief position…? Ah… you were talking about sexual competition…!”

Compared to the highly competitive competition for seniors in other grades, the structure of the third-year senior competition is not as complicated as you might think.

This is because everyone was at an equal level below Yenica Palover, the undisputed number one.

Of course, I can’t beat Yenika in the field of elemental magic.

It is a monster that can summon even the highest-ranking spirits if it gives up its personal safety. Of course, you won’t go that far on the test.

However, I get pretty good results in the fields of elemental science and magic science.

In other fields with a high proportion of memorization, such as magic history and magical engineering, I have overwhelmingly higher grades than Yenika.

Now that I can handle high-ranking spirits, the gap in grades in the field of elemental arts has probably narrowed considerably.

If so, there is room to make up for this gap with grades in other fields.

“Hmm… I’ve definitely never felt a sense of crisis before… If you’re Ed, if you let your guard down, you could really lose your senior position…”

Yenika shook her head, then smiled happily and puffed out her chest. .

“I won’t lose the chief position easily…! The people in my hometown Pulan are proud and happy just for the fact that I am the chief…! I can’t disappoint them…!”

friendly competition. Words are pretty, but reality is cruel.

In the first place, due to Sylvania Academy’s grading method, the name of the valedictorian rarely changes as the grade increases.

Students with overwhelming talent even achieve overwhelmingly quickly.

―Kaang!

At that moment, a sound that seemed to attract attention was heard from the podium in the student plaza.

The student council secretary with bluish hair hit the iron podium handle with his cane. For a moment, there was silence among the students.

The secretary spoke without missing the timing.

“Is Ed Rosstaylor, a third year student, here?”

It looks like he is pinpointing me and looking for me. I made a puzzled face and raised my hand.

“This is a call from the student council president. Please come to Obel Hall immediately.”

* * *

“That’s it.”

I feel like I am being treated like a superior.

That thought occurred to me as I entered Obel Hall and was guided to the student council president’s office.

It seems that Tanya had told the student members in advance to politely bring me along.

I felt even more uncomfortable as everyone, from the students guarding the first floor of Obel Hall to the students I encountered while passing by, nodded and greeted me.

Until early last year, my classmates looked at me like they were bugs, but I was deeply touched when I realized that their perception had changed.

“Father has forgiven Brother Ed, so now we can return to the family and talk slowly…”

Tanya, who was sitting in the luxurious student council president’s office, welcomed me warmly.

However, the words that followed were not very pleasant.

“It’s an auspicious occasion.”

“Just by looking at your expression, I can tell you don’t think that way…”

An opportunity for restoration has come to the fallen nobleman who was excommunicated.

It was a situation where it wouldn’t be strange to dance around like crazy, but it was a situation where neither I nor Tanya could be happy.

Crepin Rosstaylor has already tried to kill me once.

Although we carefully hid our tail and left no physical evidence behind, Tanya and I were well aware of the fact.

“I thought I had to let my brother know, so I called him as soon as possible. What do you think?”

“Now that this has happened, I think I should send a reply…”

I rubbed my chin and fell into deep thought.

Crepin Rosstaylor’s plan to assassinate me ended in an attempt.

Then why are you trying to appease me this time instead of trying to assassinate me again?

The first thought that came to mind was the possibility that I had not yet fully recovered to the point where I could use the magic power of the evil spirit that regulates causality.

The magic of causal coordination that was used when they tried to assassinate me last time is as effective as it is effective, so it is difficult and difficult to use.

However, it would be uncomfortable to leave me alone in Sylvania until the next assassination opportunity arises.

So, there was a high possibility that they were planning to invite him to the mansion first.

In that case, accepting this offer without even thinking about it is just suicidal. It’s about walking into the other person’s mouth.

Nevertheless, I spoke intelligently.

“Then let’s go back to the mansion together this vacation.”

“…”

Tanya looked at me quietly with worried eyes.

“Brother, it would be nice if what was written in this letter was true, but…”

“I have an idea too, Tanya. For now… let’s go back and figure out what my father’s intentions are.”

* * *

When I came back to the front of the Obelgwan, Yenika was waiting.

The sight of dozing on a bench under the shade of a tree in the midday sunlight is very peaceful.

When I sit down next to him and tap his shoulder to wake him up, he wakes up and starts laughing.

Anyway, she is a girl who has an energy that strangely makes people feel comfortable.

Since it is exam period, time is running out and even though he has declared that he will take the top position right away, he is still waiting for the person in question.

I knew very well that he had a good personality, but at this point, I was actually worried.

“I have some business to stop by at the Ofilis Hall, so I have to go there.”

“Ophelis Hall? Why are you there? Ed can’t even go in in the first place.”

“Well… I would like to ask Mr. Bell for a favor. I guess we can go in through the back door for a while. Still, asking for two people in would be a burden on Mr. Bell, so Yenika, you should go back to the camp.”

“Yeah, well… let’s make something to eat. You’ll be back by dinner, right?”

I nodded, said hello to Yenika, and headed toward the Ofilis building.

Suddenly there was a lot more work to do.

First of all, preparation for the exam must proceed as scheduled.

Even if I don’t make it to the top of the class this semester, I can work harder and aim for the top of the class next semester… but paying the 20 flan gold coins, which is the tuition for one semester, is so frustrating. I wanted to compete within this semester.

So, while preparing thoroughly for the exam, I also had to check what I needed to prepare for when I returned home after the exam.

“Hello. Is there a maid there?”

After asking the junior maid standing guard at the main gate of Ofilis Hall, I sat down near the garden and waited quietly.

The maid standing guard seemed to know that I was quite close to Belle Maia, so she immediately went to call the chief maid.

First of all, returning to Ross Taylor Mansion is a truly dangerous choice.

That is completely Crepin Ross-Taylor’s territory. Since everything revolves around Crepin, it is impossible to know where and how he will die unexpectedly.

I feel like I want to use everything I have to defeat him right now, but unfortunately, the timing is not right yet.

If I hastily subdue him, who has the full support of the imperial family, I will end up becoming a traitor. As his position within the imperial family is still strong, it is necessary to wait until that position is shaken.

However, the biggest variable is that Princess Fenia, who is supposed to keep him at bay, is not making any particular moves.

I didn’t even become student council president in the first place. Still, since she is still hostile to Crepin, I wondered if she would show some action, but… Strangely, Princess Fenia is silent.

More than expected, Princess Fenia seems to want to maintain a quiet life. Has there been a lot of change of heart in the meantime?

In that case, I have no choice but to bring Crepin down myself.

Only by using humans as sacrifices and making a contract with an evil spirit and revealing to the world his true nature, which is carrying out forbidden research, can we create a justification for subjugating him.

To secure that physical evidence, there is no surer way than to enter the Ross Taylor mansion and investigate it in person.

There is a need to collect everything, whether it is the location of a secret laboratory or the testimony of users, to discredit Crepin.

“What’s going on, Master Ed?”

“I’m sorry you must be busy, Mr. Bell.”

“No, everything that needs to be inspected today has been roughly completed. However, it is a strange feeling to see someone who rarely comes around here show up.”

After leaving the company, I don’t come near the Ofilis building much unless it’s a special occasion. This is because just handling the work piled up at camp is hectic.

“Um… is it okay if I go into Ofilis Hall for a while?”

“You mean inside the Ofilis building…? In principle, it’s not allowed, but Master Ed is a trustworthy person, so it’s not a big deal. I can bring in at least one person at my discretion.”

“I see… Thank you…”

“Still, I’d like you to reveal your business, even if it’s just a courtesy…”

There’s no particular reason to hide it.

When I told him my business, at first he nodded as if it was no big deal.

However, Belle looked at her chin for a moment, thought about it, and spoke as if asking her to wait a moment.

Eventually, I said something to the junior maid nearby, and the maid was so startled that she ran up the stairs of the Ofilis Building.

It’s not that big of a deal, but it feels like they’re making a fuss.

“Since this is an unauthorized visit, it would be better for us to enter through the back door. There will be a lot of eyes watching the front door.”

“I’m not in a position to complain.”

“Please stay next to me the whole time. That is the maid’s passage, so Master Ed will attract some attention if he walks alone.”

I nodded and followed Belle Maia to the back entrance of the Ofilis Building.

As I walked around the large Ofilis building for a while and reached the back door, the appearance of the door looked more familiar than I expected.

Now that I think about it, I remember escaping through this door when Lortel took over the Ofilis building and caused chaos. I now realize that it was a passage for maids.

A passageway where women neatly dressed in maid uniforms come and go. I am the only man.

“So, you have a test coming up. How are you preparing?”

“Ah, yes. I think I’ll be a bit greedy this time and put in more effort than usual.”

“I see. Master Ed is famous for his achievement speed, so you will get good results. I heard there has been a lot of change in the elemental science faculty recently. Wouldn’t that be a variable?”

In that way, the story about the exam continues.

She is usually very quiet and never brings up a topic first. To those who know her, it is strange.

However, after thinking about it a little, I was able to infer the intention without difficulty.

The maids’ eyes have been on me countless times since before. Even from my perspective, my existence itself seems unnatural in a space like this.

That’s why Belle consciously keeps talking to me.

Even though it looks a bit suspicious, if you keep walking while talking naturally with the head maid in charge of the Ofilis building, you can’t be suspicious.

“If you go out this way, you’re at the main hall. This is the route that regular students also take.”

“I am indebted to you.”

“It’s no big deal.”

Even though I went out to the main hall where students go, I still felt like the maids here and there were watching Belle Maia. One way or another, he is the top manager in charge of this facility.

Since I usually humble myself and don’t reveal myself, it’s hard to realize it.

I trudged up the stairs and Belle Maia followed quietly behind me. When I reached the third floor and turned a corner, a long hallway came into view.

“Hey, Master Ed. I have something to tell you.”

“yes?”

“Are you going to stop working at camp for a while when this exam schedule begins?”

“Well, at least you’ll do the basics.”

“okay.”

I was curious as to why they were asking this question, but I didn’t ask too much because I thought there must be a reason for everything.

And as I was about to go down the hallway again, the bell called me again.

“Then… are there any disruptions to your academic schedule?”

“I usually digest it well, so there is no problem.”

“I see… well… but…”

And so, every time I try to cross the hallway, Belle Maia keeps dragging the conversation on unimportant topics.

It feels as if time is stalling, preventing me from crossing the hallway.

“If I stay here for a long time, it will only interfere with Mr. Bell’s work, so I will quickly take care of business and leave.”

“No, please wait a moment, Master Ed. This is a very important question.”

“What else?”

“Hmm… It’s really hard to put it into words. Could you give me some time to think about it?”

What on earth is such an important topic that we’re thinking about and spinning around like this?

Still, I thought there must be a reason for everything Bell was saying, so as I waited, I heard the sound of the door closing in the room far away.

A junior maid, sweating profusely, came out of the room located in the middle. It was the maid whom Belle had just sent.

Smiling with a strangely refreshing expression, he walked briskly and disappeared to the other side of the hallway.

“No, I’ll tell you in detail next time. Let’s take care of business.”

And then Belle happily sends me away.

When I opened my eyes and looked up, Belle was slyly closing her eyes and lowering her head. As always, the maid was back to being elegant and well-behaved.

Wanting to take care of the things I had in mind for now, I started walking again. I passed Tanya’s room, which was glimpsed in the middle, and moved on to the next room.

In any case, if you are going to the Ross Taylor mansion, you need to take out a lot of insurance. Because it is truly a place where life and death can be dangerous.

That’s why I decided to write that in my reply to Crepin.

I am truly grateful that they gave me this new opportunity after being excommunicated. Tears flow when I think of that grace.

After being excommunicated, I reflected on my sins and always tried to become a better person. As proof, my magic skills have improved a lot and my body has also improved. And he has built up a wide network of contacts suitable for being a member of Ross Taylor.

I am grateful to my father for forgiving me, and I want to show him my growth.

I would like to introduce my father to a colleague who I have developed a special relationship with after proving my skills in front of him.

Using that as an excuse, I was thinking of accompanying someone who would fight with me in case of an unexpected situation.

There is no need to even explain who the most reliable person is.

-smart.

I knocked on the door. When I looked at the room nameplate, it clearly said ‘Lucy Mayril’.

Then, after waiting for a while, the door opened. The sight of Lucy sticking her head out from behind the open door, more timid than expected… was completely different from what I expected.

“…hi.”

His neatly combed white hair is shiny.

The pure white frilly pajamas, which show off their neatness, match Lucy’s petite physique infinitely well.

I didn’t feel the mesmerized appearance she always showed at all, but rather looked more like a girl than I thought.

The only part that shows his usual appearance is the hat that he is hugging tightly, as if he is strangely embarrassed.

“You were in your room, dressed as usual. Sorry for disturbing you. You were resting… as usual…”

Belle Maia’s tone strangely emphasized the ‘as usual’ part. It’s not unusual.

“I’m sorry Lucy, I’m taking a break. You don’t seem to be coming to camp often these days. Are you very busy…?”

“Huh? No…”

The voice seemed strangely crawling, so I ended up wondering if I had done something rude.

Well, it’s a bit rude to come and visit me while I’m resting in my room.

Weren’t we usually very flawless? Even if you are rude and are still in the habit of throwing things away whenever you get the chance, you won’t realize that it is rude.

So, I tried to treat her as casually as usual, but Lucy was strangely reluctant and even I ended up feeling very uncomfortable.

I guess I thought coming to the room was crossing the line. I come and go to my camp as if it were my own home, so isn’t this a bit unfair?

Still, since I’m the one asking for a favor this time, I guess I’ll at least show some courtesy.

“It’s completely different from when you were at camp. That’s how you usually spend your days off. That’s surprising, Lucy.”

“Uh… um…”

“It suits you quite well. I’m surprised.”

I was about to throw some compliments to lighten the mood and get to the point.

I felt awkward as she took a step back with the large witch hat covering her face, so I waited patiently.

“So… you said you had business… what is that, Master Ed?”

Belle Maia appropriately intervened and represented Lucy’s wishes.

I opened the door a little further, saw Lucy, and spoke directly to her.

“Lucy. After this exam is over and the break is over, let’s go to my parents’ house with me.”

“…what?”

“And let us greet our father together.”

“….”

“….”

There was silence for a moment, as if even Belle Maia, along with Lucy, were speechless.

Lucy took a deep breath as she put on her hat, and Belle checked her ears several times to see if she had heard wrongly.

…Only after seeing the expressions on both of their faces did I realize that the way I was speaking was a bit wrong.