All-Master Player Of The Academy [EN]: Chapter 14

7. The Beginning of Scrutiny – 2

When Ian answered nonchalantly, Blench moved on to the next topic.

“By the way, the written exam is coming up soon. Have you been studying?”

“Kind of.”

That was exactly what he meant.

No matter how much of an Ian he was, there was no way he could keep up with all the intermediate class lessons in just a few days.

Moreover, the lower-classmen’s lessons were far below the intermediate level, so his memories weren’t of much help.

In the end, he had no choice but to study from the beginning.

Of course, if he used Kirke, he wouldn’t need to study, but he didn’t need help with this much.

Isn’t it just about memorizing and applying?

“Then, should we just give up and head to the village today? Some other kids are going too.”

Apparently, those who had chosen to give up quickly, as if predicting their own doom, had decided to gather.

But Ian shook his head.

“I’m the type to hold on to the end.”

“Tch. Then let’s go together later.”

As Blench left with a few others, Ian immediately returned to his room.

He was sitting at his desk studying when he heard a knock on the door, so he went outside.

Ha-ryun was holding a few books and some bread and cookies for snacks.

“Are you going to come all the way here to watch?”

“Ah, no. I was thinking we could study together in the library.”

“If you’re asking me to teach you in exchange for teaching you stealth, I’ll pass. Go learn Aura. Aura.”

Ha-ryun looked dejected at Ian’s reply.

“Are you even good enough to teach that?”

“It’s not something to brag about, but my written test scores are high too.”

‘What about Grahain?’

<1st place.>

Ian chuckled after hearing the information Kirke told him.

“I heard you lost to Grahain on the written test last Heroic Feat [a competition or event to showcase heroic abilities].”

“……How can I beat someone who focuses solely on the written test? Our Salt Marquis family advocates for both literary and military skills.”

He casually swept back his hair and spoke with ease.

“And I’ve prepared properly this time too. I’m going to take first place on this written test.”

“Oh, that’s an interesting story.”

A confident voice mixed with footsteps was heard in the hallway.

Grahain, who had returned from the library with a few new books, adjusted his glasses.

“I wonder if you can take the throne I’m sitting on?”

“You know I’ve always been in the top 4 in the intermediate class, even when preparing for both practical and written exams, right?”

“Hmph. I’ve always been first.”

“That’s only for the written test.”

As their battle of pride began, Ian simply went inside and continued studying.

* * *

The day of the highly anticipated written exam arrived.

Most of the students looked quite gloomy since they had to take written exams all day.

“Haa…… Hey, Ian. Did you study at all?”

“Yeah.”

“I think I’m completely screwed…….”

“Me too…….”

Blench and Balla sighed deeply next to Ian, looking dejected.

Ian clicked his tongue at them.

“I was impressed by your audacity to go out and play during the exam period, but was that just recklessness?”

“Haa…… I should have studied. It was Blench who tempted me.”

“What are you talking about? You wanted to go too.”

“Myaa~ Myamya~ Myaa~.”

Mya-ne waved her cotton-like paws and cried at the two, who were blaming each other.

The two shut their mouths at Mya-ne’s disapproving gaze.

The two, who had walked back like zombies, sat down, and after a while,

Aran-se and Hound entered.

“Put everything on your desk away. Ian, give Mya-ne here too.”

“Yes.”

Aran-se, who received Mya-ne, said seriously.

“We will now begin the written exam. As you all know, cheating is allowed, right? But don’t get caught. The moment you get caught, you’ll be immediately expelled.”

Tension filled the faces of some students who had prepared to cheat.

Instructor Aran-se smiled at them.

“Perfect cheating is also a skill. Try to challenge it. Then…….”

He checked the time and handed out the exam papers.

“Start.”

The exam time was full of tension.

It was even more tense because one person got caught cheating.

But as everything has an end, that tension ended as the sun set.

“Ugh! It’s over!!”

The students screamed as the answer sheets for the last exam, Pharmacology, were collected.

Some were comparing answers, some were passed out.

Others were talking about going to the village to play.

At that time, Ha-ryun approached Ian.

“How was the exam?”

“So-so.”

“If you had learned from me, you would have said, ‘Wow~ I did well.’”

As Ian got up from his seat, Grahain approached.

“How was the exam?”

“So-so.”

“If you had joined hands with me, you would have said, ‘Oh~ I did well.’”

Ian looked back and forth between Ha-ryun and Grahain.

“Did you guys plan this?”

How could they say the exact same thing?

The two looked at each other awkwardly.

“By the way, Grahain, you looked dark when you submitted the answer sheet for Small Unit Combat Studies. How was it?”

“You were a bit late submitting the Alchemy answer sheet, weren’t you?”

“I finished it in 20 minutes and was just doodling on it.”

Leaving behind the two who were fighting for pride again, Ian headed to the teacher’s desk.

“Myaa~ Myamya~.”

“Kyaa~ So cute~.”

“Ian! Ian! Can I give Mya-ne a snack?”

Some female students were completely captivated by Mya-ne’s cuteness.

They were attracting Mya-ne’s attention with their fingers or quills, and they immediately asked when Ian came.

“What does Mya-ne like?”

“She seems to like anything you give her?”

“Hmm. Okay! Mya-ne~ Mya-ne~ Myamya~ Myaa~.”

“Myaa~.”

“꺅~! She answered~!”

Ian, who received Mya-ne back from the girls who were excited and fussing, headed to the temple.

Whether it was a day with a written exam or not, he had to do volunteer work anyway.

When he arrived at the temple, Willis greeted him with a smile.

“Welcome, Saint Ian. Today was your written exam, wasn’t it? How was it?”

Ian thought for a moment and answered nonchalantly.

“It was easier than I thought.”

* * *

A few days after the written exam.

When Ian, who had applied for Dungeon Exploration Studies as a liberal arts class and returned from volunteer work, returned to the dormitory.

The results of the written exam, like the announcement of the survival exam preparation training results, were posted in front of the dormitory.

“Myaa~ Myamya~.”

Mya-ne, who didn’t like the crowd, got off Ian’s shoulder and sat in the flower bed.

Leaving Mya-ne, who was playing with the swaying flowers with her front paws, he pushed his way inside.

“……Hey, Ian.”

Balla, who was watching from the front, asked in disbelief.

“What are you?”

Ian, Grahain, and Ha-ryun were tied for 1st place in Class B.

Moreover, there was no one who received a higher score than the three even when looking at all the intermediate students.

In other words, he had achieved 1st place among the intermediate students.

“You…….”

At that time, Ha-ryun approached Ian and said with a pale face.

“Are you really human?”

It hadn’t been long since he was promoted to intermediate, but he had such a score.

It was hard to believe he was really human.

Ian answered lightly to him, who was surprised.

“I guess so.”

“Anyway, you’re bringing all the commotion with you? You’re going to get a lot of scrutiny from all over.”

As Blench, who came with Ha-ryun, said, the gazes around him were not kind.

Especially the gazes of the rest of the classes except for Class B were intense.

Jealousy, envy, surprise, excitement.

And a sense of challenge.

Ian enjoyed the gazes mixed with complex emotions.

“Hey, Ian.”

One of the gazes moved.

As he approached roughly, Ha-ryun, who was near Ian, took a step forward.

“What business do you have with our class’s student? Ace-win?”

“Who is he?”

Simple information that Kirke had identified was heard.

While Ian was scanning him up and down, Ha-ryun told him.

“The representative of Class C. And…… he’s a guy who wanted to come to Class B.”

“And he’s a guy who admires Instructor Aran-se.”

As Blench, who had joined in at some point, explained, Ian nodded.

“Is that so? I’m Ian Brandon.”

“I’m Ace-win Karza.”

He glared at Ian and said coldly.

“What kind of trickery did you use?”

“Trickery?”

“Or is it not? To suddenly get such a score after coming up from the lower class. Didn’t you do something fraudulent? Like bribing the hunters during the monster hunting.”

‘He came to pick a fight.’

The first is goodwill like the Class B students.

The second is jealousy and hostility like this.

The response to this was simple.

To crush them so they can’t make a peep.

As Ian reached for the hilt of his sword, Kirke reported.

‘I guess so. There must be many nobles inside the academy.’

Among them, there would be families that were almost like enemies.

If such grudges were resolved personally every time, would the academy be maintained?

As Kirke listed a few places, Ian smiled.

‘That’s enough. Since he started a fight with words, I’ll have to return it with words.’

Use the demagoguery of the Olympiad [ancient Greek festival and games].

Ian looked around.

Since there were many people, it wouldn’t be too difficult to incite them by gaining their support and emotions.

That’s why he laughed at Ace-win and opened his mouth.

“What are you talking about, you idiot? Didn’t you hear? Instructor Aran-se and Instructor Hound were determined to find me during this training?”

Ace-win twitched his eyebrows at those words.

“The written test is the same. Whether I studied or cheated. As a result, I got this score.”

“……So?”

“For you to say that with my score is ultimately pointing out that Instructor Aran-se and Instructor Hound are so sloppy that they can’t even catch cheating.”

“……I misspoke. I’m sorry.”

Class B was already annoying.

On top of that, he heard that Aran-se, whom he admired, was trying to bring Ian in no matter what.

That’s why he didn’t like him, and he became jealous when he got good grades, so he misspoke.

There was no point in continuing any further.

He tried to apologize simply and end it, but Ian had no intention of letting him go.

“Do you know this saying? The mouth is a hole that invites disaster, and the tongue is a sword that cuts the heart.”

“Ha, then what should I do? Should I kneel?”

He had no interest in such worthless things.

Ian pointed to the sword hanging on his waist, which looked good at first glance.

He thought it must be a sword with a story, so he smiled coldly.

“Give me that sword.”

The commotion among the Class C students grew.

“Do you know what this is to say such a thing? This sword represents the Karza clan.”

Taking their sword is quite an insult.

‘Ah, really? That’s great.’

That makes me want it even more.

“I want that sword as proof of your apology.”

“Then I cannot apologize.”

He admitted that he had misspoke, but his jealousy towards Ian had not disappeared.

He thought it was a good thing.

Of course, he had heard the story that Ian had killed Isaac.

But Isaac was just a user level, and he was an Expert.

That’s why Ace-win showed confidence, and Blench also warned him and stopped Ian.

“Ian. Ace-win is a strong man at the Expert level. You may be strong, but…….”

“Yes. It’s as that guy says. So I’ll make a suggestion for now. You also misspoke. So how about we compromise and move on?”

As Ace-win said with a faint smile, Ian shook his head.

“What if I don’t want to?”