Episode 72. So, what is your request?
Most of the Academy’s buildings contained dormitories for professors.
You can see it in any building because not only the cadets but also the faculty members are respected. The room was used as an observation seat for the practical exam.
As professors observe the exam, they check for any noticeable changes in students.
To do that, there are more than one or two cadets to observe, but anyway, the observer only broadcasts the most prominent or interesting scenes.
It was a time when there was no need to enter subspace due to the development of magical tools. If there had been no development in the first place, magical tools that could manifest subspace would not have existed.
“….”
It is inevitable that there will be many discussions among the professors who are monitoring the exam.
On the contrary, watching with bated breath was proof that one was immersed in a battle of trials.
“….”
They were watching the fight between Class A and Class C cadets.
A fight that will end quickly.
A scene you don’t need to see.
A waste of time focusing on watching a person step on an ant.
This is a scene where at least one of the three opinions above should come out right away. However, the professors were keeping their eyes wide open at the scene.
And I realized why the Observer broadcasted their fight for so long.
Two cadets who would be considered no match for each other if only the rank tags on their chests were considered, clash with each other.
Black lightning and solar flashes were eager to devour each other.
As time passes and the lightning gets stronger and stronger… a giant snake appears and swallows the lightning.
The light had lost its power, but its user managed to imbue the mace with magic, forming a barrier of light.
I was barely able to block the lightning that pushed the light away, but it cracked. It was impossible to block the snake’s follow-up attack.
The winning team was Class C.
In fact, even before that, it was an amazing fight that made my eyes dilate. Because Class C and Class A can’t give and take equally like that.
Even if it’s Class B, the wooden sword will break and still be there. Otherwise, they won’t even be able to react to Class A’s movements and will have their badges taken away.
As a professor, I have become accustomed to seeing students sparring like that for a long time. However, after a long time, a unique sparring session was taking place.
“Is that really a fishing rod, Professor Radian?”
“That wouldn’t be the case. If Radon ever took out his fishing rod, the Observer would have notified us right away. We’re the ones who set it up that way.”
When Professor Kerix of the Magic Department asked, Radian answered without hesitation.
“If that had been the case in the first place, our combat leader would have noticed it right away. Wouldn’t that be true, Professor Cage?”
Since it was a test for the combat department, it was natural for him, as the authority in the department, to watch. He stared at Radon’s arm, wooden sword, and smiling expression on the screen.
“Are you finally ready to go up?”
He hummed as if he had seen through the other person’s mind.
* * * * *
There were explosions and loud noises going on in the test field. Even though it was selected as the most eerie place, it had changed to the point where it looked like a battlefield.
“Ahahahaha! Freeze! Everyone, freeze!”
Even though the gloomy atmosphere had been diluted, Jenny still froze her surroundings. Her mind was not strong enough to go crazy after seeing something scary.
First, everything in sight, including bats, graves, and trees, was frozen. The cadets who had been caught could no longer endure the cold and threw away their badges and left.
Even though it was a dramatic defensive device, the effect was truly great. Jenny, who was already strong, was now able to control the power of an ice queen who could come out of a fairy tale, so no one could approach her.
Besides, it was a natural disaster for the lower cadets who were running wild without paying attention. If you don’t want to freeze, you have to avoid it.
“Gasp… gasp… is it frozen enough now?”
But the limits of her magical power could not be avoided. Jenny, who began to gasp for breath, looked around at the glacier she had created.
The ominous elements, including the tomb, were covered with ice, creating a new atmosphere.
“Phew~ Now I can finally feel relieved. Then, shall we start the test for real?”
The cadets who had been watching with bated breath at the words that seemed to indicate that it hadn’t even started yet began to run away in a group.
It was as if birds, sensing signs of danger, were fluttering away.
Except for one person.
“What is he really doing?”
Ruska sat on a tree and watched Jenny fight from afar. No, it wasn’t even a fight, she was just decorating the natural scenery.
The sight of her running around with a stupid expression and releasing magic power was just like that of a crazy Mary. And now that she’s finally showing the will to take the test, I can’t help but laugh.
“There are only 10 minutes left. What do you plan on doing?”
I thought about sniping it with an arrow once, but I knew I’d just freeze like last time.
There were also those who attacked him by surprise, so he didn’t have time to pay attention to the other side. There were many badges scattered under the tree where Ruska was sitting.
Krrrr!-
At that moment, a sound reminiscent of a wall was heard. When I turned my gaze in that direction, I saw black lightning rising up like a pillar.
Ruska smiled as she sensed that it was Radon’s magic.
“Thank goodness you’re alive.”
To achieve her secret purpose, Ruska leaped towards it.
* * * * *
After pushing with all my might, Kent collapsed in front of me.
I was the last one standing, but surprisingly, Kent was not out.
He blocked Muto’s charge with a defensive stance that was set up precariously.
“You win… Radon Crowler.”
I managed to raise my head somehow, but I ended up just sitting there. Now that I didn’t even have the strength to move, the outcome was certain.
Kent saw the spirit loitering next to Radon.
“I never thought you’d make a contract with Ju-ryeong. I wonder how you got your hands on it.”
“Just… fine.”
[Erosion rate decrease: -2%]
[+ 200 Credits]
“I guess you have no intention of telling me.”
They are not the kind of people you can easily obtain just by being told. Especially high-level spirits like Muto.
“Anyway, I admit my defeat. Now I’m curious as to why you’re trying to move up to Class A… but why do you keep cheating?”
“You’ll find out when you graduate.”
“… .”
The higher the scale of lying, the more it goes beyond a nuisance to a petty and cowardly act. It’s a tactic that Kent hates the most, and it’s something that the weak often use. That’s why he saw me as a thorn in his side.
However, it is shameless to suddenly aim for my neck with a wooden sword. Furthermore, it is foolish to separate the strong and the weak by saying that they cannot get along.
What would you do if they were your best childhood friends? I personally get offended by this kind of blatant behavior.
“Get ready to bow down when you get back. And gather all the guys who told you that nonsense. Got it?”
“I get it.”
Kent slowly began to close his eyes like a fallen soldier… Silver’s ass!
“What are you pretending to die for!”
“Ouch!”
It was really a useless show of force. It seemed like my trembling hands and feet only loosened up after I hit the top of my head with my fist.
Then he quickly took off the badge. He told me to hurry up and get out because it was annoying.
“Still, it was an honorable death….”
“No, you’re not dying, you’re just eliminated.”
So what, is this an honorable elimination? The concept is not very appealing.
Even when Kent disappeared, he was still focused on maintaining his form. Still, he was highly regarded enough to be a first-year representative, beating out other talented kids. Compared to Lyman or Mary, he was a friend.
There are about 7 minutes left until the test ends. I think it would be okay if I just hide quietly until then.
“You’re also not very good at speaking.”
“That’s right.”
Because I had drawn too much strength, I was not in good shape either. The wooden sword seemed to have lost its durability and became a rag, and my body felt heavy as if I was carrying lead. And then the materialized form of Muto slowly disappeared.
As expected, this guy was using up a lot of his energy to draw out his power. He even used up all his magic power to cause a thunderclap. It was better to avoid confronting him as much as possible.
Swish!-
I turned my head to dodge the arrow that suddenly flew at me. Thinking about it, Kent had placed archers there to catch me.
It seemed that they had judged that I had lost my strength after seeing how I was staggering. And with Muto, the biggest obstacle, gone, there was no one left to stop them.
A hail of arrows flew through the wind. I tried to dodge them somehow, compressing my leg muscles to gain momentum.
Ta-da-da-dak!
Just before they could escape, numerous arrows bounced off as if they were blocked by a transparent wall.
Then something swept through the forest at incredible speed, blasting all the archers away. They were sent flying high into the trees, their badges detached.
The girl who had finished the work in an instant walked leisurely out of the forest. Her glossy black hair and bloodshot eyes looked perfect in this place.
“This is already the second time you’ve come to me for help when you were defenseless.”
I felt a sense of relief when I saw Ruska. Even though I was in the middle of enemy territory with my former cadets as my rivals, I felt reassured whenever I saw Jenny and her.
“You just knocked down the first-year representative? You weren’t just sucking your thumb during the vacation, were you?”
“I told you that before.”
There are now about 4 minutes left.
It was expected that most of the top tiers would be out. Ruska and I sat with our backs against the tree.
“What about the other kids?”
“Jenny survived by being stupid, and Lyman… goes without saying.”
It seems that Ruska was quickly moving around to check the situation here and there.
Most people would be powerless when faced with a weakness, but Jenny survived this haunted house by doing crazy things.
“Anyway, congratulations. Since you’ve defeated Kent, your promotion to Class A is guaranteed.”
“Yeah, now we can catch those who spread false rumors.”
If you come out when I tell you to, I plan to forgive you with a duck’s gait.
Otherwise, what… would the problem that could be solved with a honeycomb escalate to the point where it would be solved with a bamboo spear fishing rod?
I looked relaxed as I reflected on the time I had left.
“There’s only one minute left. This test is going to be easy.”
“Do you really think so?”
Ruska suddenly raises the corners of her mouth and denies what I said. She says what she would normally say coldly with a bright and kind expression.
I held my breath at the strange atmosphere. It was because I felt a strong sense of discomfort at Ruska suddenly showing her fox-like appearance.
And she added:
“Didn’t you say you’d grant any request from the guy you kicked out?”
The words that came out of that smile made my heart shiver.
I just realized what the source of my anxiety signal was and that I had made a huge mistake.
This is because the target of this request is not necessarily limited to lower-ranking cadets.
Of course, the top kids aren’t the ones who have so much free time that they have to catch me and rip me off. Even if there’s only one, they just have to hold out until the timer runs out.
Even if all the guys from Class A came to get me, there’s no guarantee that they’d cooperate completely. That’s because getting me out would be like a fight over a prize.
I only have one badge, and only one person can survive to get it. Even if we join hands at first, we will eventually have to let go and point our weapons at each other.
It is possible to hold out until the moment you let go by using the Muto and illusion skills.
Of course, it would have been terrible if the main character, Lyman, had shown up. He would have killed them all and taken all my badges. However, I expected that someone who had lived for so many years would not get involved in such kid pranks.
“Hoo hoo hoo.”
“… .”
Ruska was holding a badge in her hand, smiling like a lady. It was hers pinned to her chest, but who did it belong to?
I felt my heart pounding with ominous feelings, but… I couldn’t feel the badge.
They say it’s not over until it’s over. I let my guard down because I was taking this person lightly.
“Okay, what do you want?”
I couldn’t help it. I accepted my mistake and asked the winner for his wish.
But it doesn’t really matter, does it? After all, it’s not like we have a bad relationship anymore, so what would I do if she asked me to do something?
“It’s not difficult.”
“….”
“Let’s share a room!”
But the moment I heard those words, my whole body froze.
I was kicked out of the test field with a shocked expression on my face.
Surviving as an Academy Fraudster
