NOVEL NEXT 10 - Or, Will You Take Responsibility?
At Riness Academy, people who came to watch the instructor exam began to talk.
“I hear an incredible monster has entered the Riness Academy instructor selection exam this time.”
“Who? Who on earth is it?”
“Someone called Ariel, a 3-element magician no less.”
“3 elements? Why would someone with 3 elements go to an academy?”
“Hush… what if someone hears you? Don’t forget we’re inside Riness Academy right now.”
“Ahem… anyway, that’s impressive. What’s her name?”
“They say her name is Ariel… I heard she passed Inspector Mellin’s exam with the highest score ever, ranking first.”
“Wasn’t this test done in pairs?”
“That’s right, but the man with her is just a 1-element magician, so people are saying that essentially Ariel did everything alone.”
“Hmm… I guess being a 3-element magician makes it possible to tackle a two-person task alone.”
Ariel, who was watching their conversation from afar, tried to say something.
“For the first stage exam, Mr. Jeff….”
But Jeff grabbed her wrist and whispered.
“There’s no need to step in.”
“Is it okay for people to disrespect you, Mr. Jeff?”
Jeff shook his head and replied.
“Of course it’s unpleasant. But it’s not just one or two people misunderstanding, and most of the spectators around here are babbling similarly, so isn’t it ridiculous to correct each one? Besides, if my employer Ms. Ariel’s reputation rises, that’s also good for me as her employee.”
As he said this, Jeff looked at Ariel with eyes that seemed to expect something. When Ariel tilted her head quizzically, Jeff cleared his throat and said.
“I don’t care what happens to my reputation as long as Ms. Ariel’s reputation rises. It’s right for an employee who has received proper payment to do the corresponding work, and if they did an exceptionally good job, the employer can, in turn, express appreciation for it.”
Ariel then smiled brightly and said to Jeff.
“Come to think of it, I just got angry at people and didn’t properly thank Jeff. Thank you so much, Jeff, for brilliantly clearing the first stage exam!”
The beautifully smiling Ariel tightly held his hand and expressed sincere gratitude to Jeff. Looking at her innocent expression, Jeff thought to himself.
‘I was asking for a bonus since I did the job perfectly….’
When someone is too pure, they don’t understand even if you speak indirectly like this. But even for Jeff, it was difficult to ask for more money from someone who was so sincerely grateful.
Jeff just scratched his head with a somewhat disappointed expression and said as he left the seat.
“The second stage exam will start soon, so let’s go prepare.”
◈◈◈◈◈
“Where are you, Ariel….”
Selina. She was pushing through crowds with worried eyes, searching for her sister.
Elite Magician Selina of the magic tower. For her, the most precious being was her sister Ariel.
Originally, Selina was supposed to assist Ariel in the academy instructor exam. However, because the magic tower suddenly tilted and various artifacts started malfunctioning, Selina found herself in a situation that necessitated overtime and additional work, resulting in her inability to accompany Ariel to the instructor exam.
But the sudden news surprised Selina. She had heard at dawn that Ariel had found an assistant to take the instructor exam with her.
‘I thought she had just found anyone because she was in a hurry….’
She thought Ariel had posted a recruitment notice urgently on the street or somewhere and found an assistant, but the issue was that Ariel had ranked first in the academy instructor exam’s first stage with an overwhelming score.
[Sister! I ranked first in Inspector Mellin’s exam this time! The assistant I found did everything by himself, you know? I think I can really pass the exam this time….]
Selina checked the message transmitted through Ariel’s communication crystal again.
‘Although Ariel is a 3-element magician, her mana utilization is significantly lower… and since Inspector Mellin’s first stage exam tests judgment, inference, comprehension, etc… it means it’s true that the assistant beside Ariel did everything by himself….’
She was anxious. That a mysteriously found man, hastily recruited, could be skilled enough to single-handedly and overwhelmingly rank first in Inspector Mellin’s first stage exam. Where in the world does such a coincidence happen?
It’s like finding an elderly person collapsed on the road by chance and helping them, only to discover that they’re the chairman of a major corporation. Such a thing has actually happened in reality.
‘Surely… he must have approached Ariel with some purpose….’
She couldn’t help but suspect people who might be tracking Ariel. As a 3-element magician, Ariel has excellent magical talent. But due to her mana utilization and inherent panic disorder, she finds it difficult to fully demonstrate those abilities.
In fact, most of the exams she took alone had to receive failing grades due to episodes that occurred midway through. But conversely, if these aspects could be controlled, Ariel could become an excellent tactical weapon. Selina’s sister Ariel is pure. With her personality, Selina judged that she would certainly be unable to distinguish between malice and goodwill, which made Selina tremble with anxiety even more.
As Selina was thinking this and urgently searching for Ariel.
“Sister….?”
A familiar voice came from behind.
“Ariel!”
Selina rushed to Ariel and embraced her.
“Sister… wait… can’t breathe….”
When Selina unconsciously hugged her too tightly, Ariel choked and struggled. Only then did Selina step back with an apologetic expression and examined Ariel from head to toe.
“Ariel. Are you hurt anywhere? Any pain? You didn’t receive any strange proposals, did you?”
Amid Selina’s barrage of questions, Ariel calmly answered one by one.
“I’m not hurt, sister… no pain either… and I didn’t receive any strange proposals… but sister, you said you couldn’t come because you were busy… how did you get here? Is everything resolved at the magic tower?”
Nothing was resolved. Selina had thrown aside all her tasks and rushed here, thinking her sister might be in trouble. When she returns, she will certainly receive a minor disciplinary action. But she smiled and replied.
“I resolved everything just this morning, don’t worry.”
Jeff, while listening to that conversation, muttered to himself.
“That can’t be….”
The magic tower’s problems are solved? Because he had deliberately twisted the elements when releasing Movement, only Jeff could fix it. Therefore, Jeff was puzzled to hear a magician from the magic tower say that the problem was solved.
“Um… who is this person next to you…?”
Only then noticing Jeff’s presence, Selina asked Ariel.
Ariel smiled and said.
“Sister! This is the person who is participating with me in the instructor exam! I almost missed the instructor exam, but luckily I met him at a tavern, and he said he would help me. He even charged a really cheap price of just 300 gold, and he’s very skilled!”
Jeff flinched at her words.
[He even charged a really cheap price.]
Jeff had demanded 300 gold from Ariel to assist with the instructor exam for a day. That’s about 3 million won in Earth currency.
[This is calculated very cheaply. Actually, other magic tower people charge 400-500 gold a day.]
In fact, he had mixed lies into it, intending to negotiate. Even for someone with magic tower experience, the average market price for simple exam assistance would be 100-200 gold. Especially since Jeff had the demerit of being expelled, 100 gold would have been appropriate. Even though he raised it several times, Ariel readily accepted it and said:
[Really? Let’s contract right away then!]
Seeing her respond so innocently made him feel guilty, but having no funds, Jeff finalized the contract at 300 gold, thinking he should earn as much as he could when he had the chance.
[Well, I should just do a good job worth 300 gold….]
Didn’t he help her get the top score in the first stage exam? Although it might be several times more expensive than the market price, it could be said he was delivering full value.
“What? 300 gold?”
Selina’s expression hardened. Selina looked at Jeff.
Jeff didn’t know who Selina was, and Selina also didn’t know who Jeff was. Even though they were colleagues who had worked at the same magic tower, Selina was an elite magician who mainly handled external tasks, while Jeff was a researcher who only worked buried in the magic tower research institute.
“Jeff… Jeff…?”
Selina murmured Jeff’s name for a moment, then eventually spoke as if she remembered something.
“You’re the one who was recently expelled from the magic tower, right?”
Jeff turned his head and pretended not to hear.
“I’m right, aren’t I? Jeff. The researcher who was expelled from the magic tower for lack of achievement, unable to produce even a single result. It was a special case, so I remembered the name, but I’m right, aren’t I? Am I not?”
Selina’s expression became more distorted.
“You say 300 gold is cheap? Even a first-year person currently active in the magic tower would be sufficiently compensated with 100 gold for providing assistance for barely half a day, so why would you, who worked for a year and got expelled, ask for 300 gold… Did you even properly tell her about being expelled? Are you scamming my sister!”
“Sister!”
As Selina was bearing down on Jeff, Ariel shouted at Selina with an angry expression.
“What are you doing, sister… I also know that Mr. Jeff was expelled. He told me directly. Please don’t talk to him like he’s a scammer. If it weren’t for Mr. Jeff, I wouldn’t have been able to take the instructor exam… He’s my benefactor.”
“….”
Selina closed her mouth.
It was also true that Ariel had to find a new person because Selina had canceled the promise midway, and that without Jeff, Ariel wouldn’t have been able to take the exam. Due to her guilt toward her sister, it became an awkward situation to continue being angry.
However, she was somewhat relieved. She had just confirmed that this man Jeff’s goal was not Ariel, but simply money.
“I’m sorry, Ariel. I’ll apologize to Mr. Jeff too.”
Selina stroked Ariel’s head and then moved her aside for a moment. Then she approached Jeff and spoke.
“I don’t know how you passed the first stage exam with the top score, but if you used any cheating, reveal it now. If you pass the exam but then get disqualified for cheating later, Ariel will be disappointed. If you cheated, spit out the money now and quietly disappear, so Ariel won’t be disappointed in you. If you tell the truth, I’ll forgive you.”
Selina’s cold voice. She was already regarding Jeff as a scammer.
Jeff said to Selina.
“I didn’t use any cheating.”
“That can’t be. Someone who was expelled from the magic tower for failing to fill quotas, suddenly has the skills to rank first in Inspector Mellin’s exam? Do I look like a fool?”
“Or.”
Jeff looked at her and spoke coldly.
“If I didn’t cheat, will you take responsibility?”