I Possessed a Character in an Academy Without a Protagonist – Chapter 94

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“Kuh… Hehehe… Hahahaha!”

“Please, pull yourself together…!”

No.

How could I not laugh in this situation?

How could anyone keep their composure?

Emilia was fine.

I had managed to protect myself without losing any limbs.

Yet I had failed to protect the exam paper.

‘Just brilliantly competent, aren’t I?’

As expected of a master of formula concealment.

It seemed they had aimed precisely at the exam paper with a small ignition spell, afraid of getting caught by me if they used a large formula.

If it had been magic with enough output to burn my body, I would have noticed and disrupted it long ago.

Thanks to that, I hadn’t noticed at all until it had completely burned to ashes and crumbled away.

The formula I had engraved in the mana of the exam paper had already detached and floated away freely.

“I’m sorry… It’s because of me…”

“…”

Emilia’s voice had become very subdued.

Her speech had reverted to formal language at some point.

To be honest, it would be a lie to say I didn’t feel any resentment.

Still, this wasn’t Emilia’s fault.

“No. I’m the one who should be sorry. If I had been more alert, this wouldn’t have happened in the first place.”

“No, it’s because I was careless and got captured…”

“If you keep saying things like that, I’ll leave you behind. Do you think you could have handled it even if you were careful when a Crow was your opponent?”

“…”

Finally, Emilia fell silent.

I hoped she wouldn’t blame herself.

I was just glad to see Emilia alive again.

Even if I had to drop out of the Imperial University, I would have made the same choice over and over if it meant saving Emilia.

“I’m so relieved… that you’re okay.”

“Schlus oppa…”

“Hm?”

“Was there something like the professor’s seal on the exam paper?”

“Why do you ask?”

“I was thinking maybe if we could remember the shape, we could forge it perfectly…”

Emilia was still thinking about the lost exam paper.

It was already too late for that.

It was useless.

So I was about to give up when…

“Huh?”

I realized something after pondering Emilia’s words.

Come to think of it, the exam paper didn’t have Ludwig’s seal or signature that should have been there.

Wouldn’t that make it extremely vulnerable to forgery?

No, not just vulnerable – there would be no way to detect it even if someone just made a rough copy.

“Ah…!”

“What? What’s wrong? Hm? Hm?”

I got it.

Since the exam paper was full of mana and convenient for writing answers, I had naturally thought the exam paper was the answer sheet.

But Professor Ludwig had never once mentioned how to submit the answers.

In other words, the form of the answer sheet didn’t matter at all.

As long as the shape of the formula didn’t collapse and become unrecognizable, it didn’t matter what platform it was on.

Ha.

This was ridiculous.

To think that I, the creator of this exam, had only now realized this loophole.

If it weren’t for Emilia’s comment, I might still be standing there like an idiot.

“We don’t need the exam paper anymore. I’m going to run now. Hold on tight.”

“What do you mean we don’t need the exam paper… Waaah!”

I had wasted a lot of time dithering.

I used ‘Selection and Concentration’ on agility and leaped forward in one breath.

Surprised by the sudden acceleration, Emilia’s scream echoed through the plaza.

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“Schlus Hainkel!”

“…”

A chilly silence settled down.

Erica cleared her throat, which was almost hoarse, and looked up at the large mansion.

She had been waiting and calling for Schlus for over an hour now.

But neither Schlus himself nor his attendant had shown their faces.

Were they both out?

It was almost time to submit the exam papers, what on earth were they thinking…

“Is he not accepting escorts on the last day or something?”

Had his pride been hurt after receiving her escort on the first day of the midterms?

No, that couldn’t be.

Schlus had definitely thanked her with a smile.

Although he seemed like the type to put on a humble or fake front, Schlus was the kind of person who would say if he disliked something…

At least, that was how he had seemed from what she had observed so far, though they weren’t very close.

“Ah, really… Where on earth did he go?”

Could he already be under attack?

If so, there was no way to help him from here.

There were only 5 minutes left until the exam submission deadline…

“Damn it… I can’t ruin my own chances too.”

In the end, Erica had no choice but to leave with heavy steps.

Something had clearly happened, but there was nothing she could do.

It was too late to go looking for Schlus now.

If she missed him, she would only end up ruining her own exam for nothing.

“Sorry!”

Erica shouted loudly to Schlus, who might not even hear her, as she ran off.

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“Huk… Hak… Heok… Huk…”

The door of the exam hall creaked open.

Inside, most of the students had already arrived and taken their seats, and Professor Ludwig was sitting at his desk in the center of the platform, staring this way.

From what she had heard, the professor had apparently not left his seat even once during the entire two days.

Erica had heard this from Battle Magic students who had dropped by the exam hall out of curiosity a few times.

Had he held in his bodily functions for those two days?

Erica suddenly found herself wondering.

“Are you submitting your answer, Erica von der Lichtenburg?”

“Yes.”

Erica strode down the steps and held out her exam paper.

The desk was already piled high with exam papers.

Erica briefly glanced at Professor Ludwig’s expression and then turned around quickly.

Iris was gently waving her hand in this direction.

Erica smiled happily and quickly ran over to sit next to her.

“What about Schlus? He hasn’t come yet?”

“No. I haven’t seen him yet.”

“I wonder if something happened to him?”

“Come to think of it, I heard there was some commotion in the old town market area today. Something about a clash between mercenary groups?”

“That…! Could Schlus have gotten caught up in that?”

“Who knows.”

She felt anxious.

Worried that Schlus Hainkel might have to drop out because he couldn’t submit his exam paper.

Of course, that pledge he made on the entrance ceremony day didn’t have any real binding force, but someone as rigid as Schlus might actually keep it.

‘It’s not that I don’t want Schlus to leave school…’

It would certainly be good if Schlus Hainkel disappeared from her sight.

Good, but…

The problem was that she would no longer be able to monitor him.

The only flaw was that she wouldn’t be able to watch the end of the villain who had sold his lifespan to the devil.

So she hoped he would stay in school if possible.

If he left school, Erica felt like she might also drop out and follow him.

She could always take the exam again and re-enter the Imperial University anyway.

“But why do you look so relaxed?”

“Hmm… Do I? I’m actually quite worried too.”

“Liar.”

Iris smiled, resting her chin on her hand.

She really did look overflowing with composure.

Given Iris’s personality, she wouldn’t be pleased about Schlus having to drop out.

It seemed she must have seen an interesting future with her future sight.

Perhaps she had seen a future where he arrived dramatically just seconds before the deadline.

Erica clasped her hands together, hoping that whatever future Iris had seen would come true.

Though she didn’t know exactly what that was.

“But the time is really almost up…”

Professor Ludwig started looking at his watch.

Erica, feeling urgent, also checked her watch.

There was only 1 minute left until the 9 o’clock deadline.

50 seconds.

40 seconds.

30 seconds.

“Hmm?”

Rumble…

At that point, a faint vibration could be felt.

It was a vibration coming from far away.

But that vibration gradually grew stronger and then-

Bang!

The door of the exam hall burst open with a loud noise.

What appeared beyond it was none other than Schlus Hainkel.

“Haa… Huu… Hu…”

Schlus Hainkel, covered in blood from head to toe, gasping for breath.

The students gaped at the sight.

But Schlus, without the slightest disturbance, thudded down the steps and stood in front of Professor Ludwig’s desk.

“Huh?”

Only then did Erica notice the paper in Schlus’s right hand.

That paper was definitely the exam paper.

The exam paper distributed on the first day of the midterms.

But only the end part of it remained.

The cross-section was black, as if it had been burned.

“Kuk kuk…”

Laughter started coming from one group.

Only then did it sink in.

‘Ah. He’s failed…’

Suddenly, all her strength seemed to drain away.

Now she understood why Iris had been so relaxed.

Iris had already known that Schlus had failed the exam.

She had already prepared herself mentally, so there was no need to worry, be anxious, or feel drained like this.

Sure enough, Professor Ludwig looked down at Schlus’s right hand and snorted with a mocking laugh.

There were 20 seconds left until the end of the exam.

“Did you lose your answer sheet?”

“Answer sheet? I didn’t bring such a thing.”

“…?”

Schlus dropped the exam paper with only the end part remaining on the floor.

Then he squeezed his eyes shut.

“I will submit my answer now.”

“10 seconds left until the submission deadline.”

“That’s enough.”

“How on earth are you going to submit…”

Professor Ludwig’s voice, which had been rising in frustration, suddenly fell silent.

Formulas were unfolding in the air of this exam hall.

All around them formulas were deploying simultaneously, surrounding the exam hall.

It was certainly an ingenious method.

No specific method had been given for submitting exam answers.

So it was okay to write the answers in the mana of the exam hall!

‘He memorized all that and brought it here…?!’

Erica looked around in astonishment.

To remember all those complex formulas in his head and unfold them all at once.

Not only was his memory extraordinary, but above all, his magical power was at an unbelievable level.

It would take at least 20,000 mana to engrave all 10 formulas, wouldn’t it?

Moreover, those guys huddled over there were trying hard to disrupt Schlus’s formulas.

To block that and focus on security, he’d need to pour in even more magical power…

Even at a conservative estimate, he’d need at least 50,000 mana.

Whatever Schlus had been doing, he couldn’t have avoided using at least some magic to end up covered in blood like that, which meant he had magical power far exceeding 50,000…

“Wow.”

Erica, who had been estimating Schlus’s magical power, let out an exclamation.

There was no time for complex thoughts anymore.

As she read the flow of magic spread out all around, something amazing was happening.

“What is that…?”

“Wow. It’s beautiful…”

It was a painting.

When she had been busy solving problems and engraving them separately, she hadn’t noticed, but when they were all connected, a continuous picture was being completed.

It wasn’t a very detailed picture, but what it was trying to express was clear.

A green meadow with sheep running freely and the scene of a lone windmill standing tall was spread out in a panorama all around.

“Hm…?”

But there was one place.

There was one empty spot.

It was where the answer to problem 10 should have been.

Well, number 10 was extremely difficult.

Even Erica had barely solved it after racking her brains.

So Schlus wasn’t omnipotent after all.

He couldn’t get a perfect score even after being attacked.

Just as she was thinking this…

“Are you going to submit it like that, Schlus Hainkel?”

“…”

“Three seconds left until the deadline.”

“…”

“Two. One…”

Just before the minute hand pointed to 12.

At that moment, a wave of magical power flowed out and a formula was embroidered in front of the blackboard.

The formula, which spread out instantly and connected with the pictures on both sides, was suddenly completed the moment the hour hand was placed in the center.

Interacting with the formulas on both sides, the picture shown by the mixed flow of magic was none other than-

“Ah.”

A boy wearing a straw hat with a bright smile.

But that appearance looked very similar to someone.

Erica’s gaze, which had been looking up at the blackboard, slowly lowered.

The face of Professor Ludwig, who had slightly lowered his head with a fierce expression, came into view.

It was definitely Professor Ludwig.

His younger self…

His boyhood appearance.

“Time’s up. Go sit down.”

“Yes, Professor.”

Professor Ludwig’s voice sounded strange.

It sounded like he had something in his mouth, or like he was speaking in a rage.

What was certain was that he was clearly different from usual right now.

Unlike usual, he was now showing emotion on his face.

But that was only for a moment.

Professor Ludwig took a deep breath with his head lowered, and soon returned to normal.

To the cold Professor Ludwig, the same as always, with no expression other than a blank or frowning face.

“Good work. This concludes the first semester midterm exams. You may all go home now.”

With that declaration, Ludwig hugged the pile of exam papers on his desk and quickly left the lecture hall.

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[Erica legit be lackin faith in our mc like gurl he aint failed yet my homie even came back from the dead]