Since all the academy professors were said to be observing, I expected a certain number of people.
‘Did that many people really doubt me?’
I was taken aback by the lecture hall packed like a sea of people.
Seeing such a crowd made me suddenly wonder:
‘Could Aquila be among them?’
I had a hunch he might show up. But with so many students, it was impossible to tell who Aquila was.
‘I don’t even know if it’s a boy or a girl.’
There were too few clues about that person—whoever they might be.
Just then, a familiar brown ponytail caught my eye from afar.
‘Melin!’
Ever since entering the academy, she had always worn her hair in the same braided style, the little sprout-like ponytail always sitting atop her head.
‘I wonder if she’s been doing well.’
Our schedules hadn’t aligned lately, so I hadn’t run into Melin.
Truthfully, I had been terribly worried that she might’ve gotten caught up in the cheating accusations.
‘…What if Melin got emotional and used spirit magic?’
That outcome had to be avoided at all costs.
If it were revealed that she was the last remaining spirit summoner, her peaceful life would be over.
And the spirits wouldn’t sit quietly while she suffered.
‘I’m sure they’d try to protect her peace using the forces of nature.’
The empire would fall into complete chaos.
At that point, things would be beyond repair. Just imagining it gave me a headache.
‘No, let’s not even think about that.’
Worrying ahead of time was the most useless thing of all.
Taking a deep breath, I scanned the crowd. I spotted a familiar face.
Aaron was here, and so was Lennox…
‘Huh?’
Lennox…?
Why was he here?
Suddenly, I remembered the last thing he had said to me.
“…I’m a fan, Senior Jacqueline.”
I’d flinched when I heard it.
I knew, but he didn’t.
‘That I’m actually the daughter of his mortal enemy.’
Everyone knew about the history between Euclid and Jacqueline.
Among the nobility, the Jacqueline family was mocked as a house without loyalty or honor.
So, I couldn’t feel happy hearing Lennox was a fan of mine.
‘What’s his game?’
It was odd enough that I had a fan, and it had to be Lennox?
As I glanced at him with suspicious eyes, Professor Harry Mackerman came up to me with a cheerful smile.
“Looks like all the witnesses are here. Shall we begin?”
“Yes, let’s.”
Now that it was time for the public test to begin, I felt a little nervous.
‘Still, it’s better than in my past life.’
Compared to the brutal seminars I endured for six years in front of professors, this was more like a talent show.
“Since the academy’s honor is on the line today, I will personally prepare the problems on the spot.”
Principal Albrecht stood up and spoke.
‘On the spot?’
I hadn’t heard about this beforehand, so I was startled. Standing beside me, Albrecht looked giddy with anticipation as he started writing problems on the board.
‘What’s with that face?’
I had a bad feeling about this.
Scratch-scratch. Scribble. Tap.
The sound of chalk clattering continued nonstop until it finally stopped.
“You’ll have 60 minutes to solve the problems.”
After taking 15 minutes to write five problems, Principal Albrecht sat down with a calm expression.
The previously noisy hall became deathly silent, like cold water had been poured over it.
I looked up at the board and thought to myself:
‘I’m screwed.’
The subjects were the same ones found on graduation exams:
Econometrics, Physics, Math, Philosophy, Imperial Studies.
Five questions total, one from each subject—with 60 minutes to solve them.
‘No, the time doesn’t matter.’
The difficulty was insane, basically splitting students into those who could solve them and those who couldn’t.
‘This is like giving college entrance exam questions to an elementary schooler.’
Students murmured, confused by problems that weren’t even in the curriculum.
‘Whether I solve them or not, it’s going to be a problem.’
If I solved them, I’d probably be snatched up as the professors’ precious “pet” (slave), and if I couldn’t, I’d be branded a cheater.
‘Still, the latter is worse.’
Being targeted by professors might be annoying, but failing would ruin my entire future.
I quickly came to a conclusion, took a deep breath, and stepped toward the board.
“…Then I’ll begin solving the problems.”
I picked up the chalk and began solving them without hesitation.
Scratch-scratch. Tap.
I finished the solution with a similar level of detail to Albrecht’s problems. Then I turned around.
‘Hmm, not bad, I think.’
In my past life, I got into college through an essay-based entrance exam, so descriptive answers were my specialty.
And after spending four years as the professors’ voluntary servant, I could practically read their minds when it came to problem-setting.
When I turned with a confident face, the principal looked frozen. Or rather, like he’d been struck dumb.
But I heard his muttered words clearly.
“I didn’t think she’d be able to solve this one…”
“So, you wrote it expecting me to get it wrong?”
Trying to get revenge because I wouldn’t become your academic slave?
As our eyes met, Principal Albrecht shamelessly chuckled.
“Haha, Clemens. I knew you’d solve it wonderfully.”
He clearly hadn’t expected this outcome.
Yet he ignored my death glare and shouted to the crowd:
“All answers are correct!”
As soon as those words left his mouth, the silent hall exploded with noise, like a bomb had gone off.
And two familiar voices cut through the noise:
“Damn it…! You said there’s no way she’d solve it!”
Was that… Count Bentley?
Though I’d never met him before, I recognized him instantly for one simple reason.
From young Clemens’ memories, Count Jacqueline had always despised one noble above all others.
‘For his filthy business practices.’
Count Bentley ran “Ben Transport,” a company infamous for faulty machine parts, bribery, and frequent accidents. He even forced children into labor because they were cheap.
Count Jacqueline, who had great pride in the transport industry, loathed Bentley for this.
But the reason these wrongdoings stayed hidden was that Bentley had powerful backers.
“Count Bentley is a disgrace to the nobility!”
“He looks like a squashed ball of dough tossed onto a pan!”
‘So those weren’t exaggerated insults after all.’
He really did look just like that.
‘So he was the rat in the pot all along.’
His flustered and panicked appearance all but screamed “I’m the culprit!”
But he was no longer looking at me. Pale-faced, he barked something at the man next to him—probably a subordinate.
‘But why would Count Bentley try to block my succession?’
A new question arose.
There was one possible answer: Tara Transport and Ben Transport had always been rivals.
‘Still, that alone wouldn’t justify trying to destroy my succession.’
It didn’t quite click.
If I proved my innocence here, he would face serious consequences.
People only risk big danger if they expect a big reward.
But eliminating a rival company wasn’t a big enough prize.
Then it happened.
“T-This is a lie!!”
A chubby boy screamed, his face a mask of denial. I swallowed dryly.
‘Throwing a tantrum in front of all the professors? Like a moth to a flame…’
I’d only heard rumors of this, never seen it with my own eyes.
And sure enough, the professors were looking at him with disgust.
Principal Albrecht’s gaze was especially cold.
‘Yep, that moth is headed straight for a thorny path.’
But wait… that kid looks a lot like Count Bentley.
As I looked around, wondering if that face was common, I caught snippets of odd conversation.
“Is he really gonna strip?”
“No way… he wouldn’t actually…”
“Still…”
Students were watching the moth-boy and Lennox with puzzled expressions.
‘Does this have something to do with Lennox?’
But Lennox looked completely unfazed.
At that moment, the principal smiled gently and asked:
“Are you accusing the professors here of overlooking cheating, Mr. Louis Bentley?”
His voice was calm, but his eyes were icier than frost.
At that question, I realized something and was stunned.
‘Wait—Bentley?’
So he was Count Bentley’s son?
“N-No…!”
Louis Bentley, who had been zoning out, finally realized his mistake and hurriedly tried to deny it.
But it was too late.
Even knowing he was the son of Count Bentley, I felt a tiny pang of sympathy for his future.
As I left the lecture hall, I passed the ghostly pale Count Bentley and gave him a wicked smile.
After all, isn’t it only right to repay kindness twofold and vengeance tenfold?
