The Academy’s Crude Pink-Haired Martial Artist

Pina was holding her sandwich as if it was treasure with both hands, but then dropped it.

Stella, mimicking Silina’s relaxed posture while sipping tea, suddenly went puht- and spat out her tea, while Yurasia gaped in shock with her mouth wide open.

And Silina furrowed her brows even more.

“…Are you crazy? No… you must be crazy. Only a mad person would boldly say something like that.”

“What’s wrong with what I said?”

“If you’re going to say something like that… please at least read it all.”

Then she started rubbing her temples as if her head was throbbing.

Read it all? Is there even a need for that?

I already knew how to score full marks and finish quickly. Of course, I only thought like that; for now, I decided to read it.

There was a description of Captain-class Monsters.

Their location kept changing, so it was impossible to know.

They were hidden in a way that couldn’t be detected by mages’ sensing magic or warriors’ instincts.

Their rank was that of a superior monster.

Among them, they belonged to the medium-sized category.

Of course, they weren’t real monsters.

The monsters occurring in the mountains during the exam were meticulously crafted illusions created with the assistance of each Magic Tower.

However, they couldn’t be completely dismissed as fake, as they were made to look exactly like real monsters, and if attacked by them, one could even feel pain.

And if you catch those monsters, you gain points, and if you accumulate 500 points, it’s equivalent to catching a Captain-class monster, allowing you to finish the exam immediately and score full marks.

But a goblin was worth only 0.2 points.

I didn’t need those worthless things, so I skipped over that.

Next was the explanation of the bracelet.

The bracelet essentially contains 10 points.

This is your survival right; if you run out of points, you’re disqualified.

Your final exam score will be counted as 0, and you will be expelled early.

And to prevent students from dying of shock, the bracelet has a function to block the sensation of pain once a certain threshold is exceeded.

However, until that point, you can vividly feel the pain, which is emphasized with red, underlined, and starred notes.

If you want to give up, there’s a button for voluntary resignation. Pressing it triggers high-circle illusion magic, making it so that beings below the 8th rank cannot recognize you.

This… must be Adelia’s magic.

And below that it says:

“Aha.”

There was ‘another way’ to earn points.

[All students participating in the exam can ‘transfer’ points to each other.]

To put it nicely, you can transfer points.

Put simply, you can receive points.

And negatively, that means you can steal points from others.

This is probably why Silina asked about the plans, and why she was so taken aback by what I said.

But, well…

“Is there going to be a difference?”

“Did you read it?”

“I did. Well, there’s no rule that says Signia can’t take Frunt’s points, and there’s no rule that says Eliaernes Eustetia can’t take other students’ points.”

“Huh…?”

Silina’s previously tense eyebrows relaxed.

She opened her eyes wide in shock.

“If I can’t take points from other students, it would certainly be difficult. But I can take points from others equally, can’t I? Do you really think I’d just get beaten up by the others and lose my points?”

“…You really… are arrogant, huh?”

“Honestly, even my level of arrogance isn’t that high.”

If asked who the most arrogant person is, it would be Paulo.

If Paulo were here…

From the start, that guy doesn’t accept evaluations from others.

-Who dares to evaluate me?
-I will evaluate you, you idiot. Stop posturing and put your sword away.
-It’s not posturing. I was born with nobility, and just breathing emanates my elegance.
-What about being a lowly beggar? Shut up and put your sword away! Hey! Those guys are running away! Hey! If you guys run away, you’re dead! No, damn it! I’m not killing them, the demons will kill them! Hey! Arisa! Catch those guys! What? Why are you breaking their legs… Damn it! Kaloso!! Stop that crazy chimp girl!

While rescuing the kidnapped kids from the demon realm, when one of the kids asked who was stronger between Paulo and me, most of them said I looked stronger, and that’s when Paulo got mad and pulled out his sword.

Of course, the kids ran away, and it took a long time to get them back together.

That idiot, simpleton.

“And the fact that you don’t deny what I said means you think so as well, don’t you? Of course Eliaernes wouldn’t lose.”

Silina didn’t answer and twisted her lips.

Pina was still looking around nervously, and Stella looked regretful, wondering why she was sitting here.

“Certainly… I can’t imagine the Young Lady losing.”

And Yurasia, albeit flustered, agreed with me.

“Even Yurasia would easily wipe the floor with most kids. So stop overthinking things and let’s just eat.”

I plopped an A-Space Pocket on the table.

I saw two girls sneakily approaching me from the side.

They were Gailan’s friends whom I entrusted the luggage to before we set off.

But where was Gailan?

Looking around, other groups seemed to have gathered.

From the whispers and chatter, it looked like each group was forming plans.

But where was Gailan?

“There, over there…”

“Yeah. I’ll hand over the luggage, but where’s Gailan?”

“Well, um, I heard Frunt said he had something to talk about and took him away…?”

“Frunt?”

I looked around and counted the number of students in Signia uniforms.

Including me, there were nineteen. But Gailan was nowhere to be seen.

“Got it.”

I nodded and started pulling out the luggage the others asked me to manage.

There was quite a lot of it.

“Th-thank you!”

“Yeah. Don’t get hurt and do well on the exam, friends.”

I waved goodbye to Gailan’s friends as they left.

They looked pretty clueless, but they were at least wearing Signia uniforms.

“Do you know them?”

“I was just about to ask you. They’re from your class, right? Do you know them?”

Stella asked, and I responded in kind.

“Well… I do know them.”

“What kind of girls are they?”

“Quiet… friends? Is that the right word?”

Stella tilted her head, seeming skeptical of her own description.

“They always hang out with those two, and your class… Gailan? They usually stick together, but… oh, I saw that girl on the left smoking… though I couldn’t smell any smoke. Do they make it disappear with magic?”

“Well, that could be it.”

“And the girl on the right… um… I don’t know if she’s dating him, but it seems like she’s seeing a really… kinda shady older guy.”

“Gotcha.”

“Why do you sound so lukewarm when you’re the one asking?”

“Should I react passionately then?”

“Honestly, it’s surprising. Just look at Pina and Yurasia; I was shocked.”

As Stella said, Yurasia was staring cautiously at the two girls, clearly surprised.

And Pina…

“Hey? Why are you picking that up?”

She was eating a sandwich she had dropped on the ground…

“Eeek…!”

I snatched the sandwich away from Pina and ripped it into pieces with magic.

“Didn’t you do that before? Do you want to get in trouble or something?”

“Eeek… eeek…”

Pina curled up with her tail wrapped around her head, trembling. Stella hugged Pina while glaring at me.

“Even so, why the fuss? If I picked up food like Pina, would you be mad?!”

“Of course! Why would you eat spoiled food? If you get sick, what will you do?”

“…Are you worried about me?”

“I’m just worried you might spread germs, you idiot.”

I pushed away Stella’s face, watching the two girls return to their seats.

I already knew that girl smoked.

Stella mentioned it was a cigarette, but she said there was no smell. Could she have erased it with magic? That could be possible. But that girl didn’t think of that.

She would think there’s no smell.

But I know that smell well.

It’s the smell I’ve been sick of from 400 years in the demon realm.

Nucleksyrol.

It’s a drug.

A drug farmed and produced by demons.

Nucleksyrol itself is low in odor, so those who have never encountered it wouldn’t know, but someone like me who has smelled it often can recognize it right away.

Of course, I’ve never tried it myself.

Naturally, neither have my comrades.

We weren’t weak enough to rely on drugs.

But other knights, mercenaries, and adventurers were nothing like us. They couldn’t hold on.

Thus, they turned to drugs, and among them, Nucleksyrol was the easiest to obtain in the demon realm.

But why on earth is that tiny girl smoking it? Where did she even get it from?

That older guy, who may or may not be her boyfriend. He’s probably a drug dealer.

Then what about Gailan?

She doesn’t seem to have any connection to that.

Is she unaware? Or does she hang out with them despite knowing?

“Ah, everyone’s gathered, huh? Am I too late…? If so, I’m sorry…”

Gailan returned.

I decided not to ask anything for now.

I’d find out soon enough without having to ask.

“No need to apologize, let’s just eat.”

I pulled out chairs for Gailan and took the dinner we’d be having tonight from the A-Space Pocket.

Starting tomorrow, it’ll be hard to eat smelly food, so what we’re having today is…

“Is that… dinner? Oh my god, what’s all this?”

Gailan jumped up.

“Chick-chick! Eliaernes, you were nagging me about my stuff, and look at what you brought! Why bring all this if you’re going to complain?!”

“Is that pork belly? Hah… you even brought a grill?”

[Wow! Ramen! I definitely thought we needed ramen to create this camping vibe!]

“…Is that tteokbokki? Yup… tteokbokki…”

Stella was muttering to me while licking her lips at the smell of chicken.

Yurasia was swallowing hard and helping me set up, while Pina got scolded again for picking up ramen crumbs.

And Silina seemed to like tteokbokki because she was glaring at the still-uncooked retort tteokbokki like it was her enemy.

“Is it okay… to eat like this?”

Gailan asked hesitantly while helping set things up carefully, and I calmly nodded.

“Anyway, it’s going to be hard to eat smelly food starting tomorrow. We need to eat what we can while we still can.”

“Well… that’s true, but… those kids’ gazes…”

“What do we care about their gazes? We just need to do what we have to do.”

In situations like this, establishing dominance is key.

Those guys were also attacked by professors and had their wagons and luggage taken.

But look at us? Just turning back gives us a spotless wagon. And our stuff. Chicken, pork belly, ramen, tteokbokki. We brought all this safely here.

What they lost helplessly, we possessed. Just that fact alone can shake off some annoyances.

So right now, the key part is…

[Pina looks like she’s going to be really happy eating all the food!]

To have Pina happily devouring all the food by my side.

“Okay, Stella you grill the pork belly. And Gailan, you cook the ramen, and Silina, you’re in charge of the tteokbokki. Pina, you just keep eating what you dropped on the ground. Just put your fingers in it. Got it?”

“Eeek…”

I allocated roles to the girls and glanced at Yurasia for a moment.

“Any comments?”

Yurasia is in danger. Someone must be targeting her.

Why are they targeting Yurasia? Are they coming for me?

But behind me are the Demon Fist, Leona, and the Flame Sovereign.

Eustetia and Muyeong are with me. Are they really going to go for me?

No, they’re not going for me.

They’re going for the people around me.

Behind Pina is Leona.

Behind Silina is the Flame Sovereign, and the disciple of the Flame Sovereign is Stella.

But Yurasia is just a member of the Eustetia Knight Order and my personal knight, without any special backing.

It’s a common ‘accident’ that can happen in the world where a master’s sword could die or become useless instead of the master.

They’re trying to cause that accident.

Then what comes next?

They seem to want to take action against Yurasia and leave evidence that they did it, ultimately trying to provoke me.

Even if Yurasia goes wrong, Leona and the Flame Sovereign can’t act recklessly.

Although they seem like they do as they please, they know their influence and position very well behind the scenes.

So they’re trying to make me act.

If Yurasia goes astray, I’ll be furious and take the first strike. That’s the intention here.

What would happen if I took that first strike?

Eustetia and Muyeong. They would undoubtedly move.

What about Leona and the Flame Sovereign? I’m not sure about the Flame Sovereign, but Leona… will surely be caught in deep thought.

In the end, there’s a high possibility they would break the pact.

What comes next?

The downfall of Eustetia, the breaking of the pact with Leona, and the restraint of the Flame Sovereign.

I may not know the details immediately, but it’s confirmed they’re preparing thoroughly.

The Side Branch, Cartel, Uje, Anton de Herman.

With a faint suspicion, even the Holy Kingdom.

When will they execute their plan?

The finals starting tomorrow?

I can’t guarantee it, but for now…

I need to keep Yurasia in my line of sight.

As long as she stays where I can see her, I can protect her somehow.

But what if, by any chance—ten million chances—it goes wrong?

Even after reaching the conclusion that I shouldn’t strike first?

“What do you want to set up for the dishes?”

“Ah… I-I still haven’t gone…”

“You’re gonna regret it when sleeping.”

“Uh… then please go with me later.”

“I’ll keep watch.”

“Then I’ll keep watch for you when it’s your turn!”

“How about you just try to peek?”

“Ugh… how did you know?”

“…What?”

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