Even a Scoundrel Gets Tired – Chapter 47

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
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“Jenison, are you alright?!”

“You’re awake?!”

Lianna and Albert burst into the room, their footsteps echoing down the hallway.

They must have just heard I was awake.

Even though the midterm evaluation was still technically ongoing, they’d run all the way here, their faces flushed, beads of sweat glistening on their foreheads. I offered them each a glass of water.

They bombarded me with questions.

Was I really okay?

Why had I fought so recklessly?

What had happened inside that black sphere?

“I’m fine, don’t worry.”

“R-Really? Thank goodness…”

“That’s a relief.”

“What happened with the midterm evaluation?”

“Ah… well…”

They explained that the Headmaster had managed to dispel the demonic magic, revealing me, unconscious, and Leon’s severed head.

They seemed relieved, but I wasn’t.

The fact that the Headmaster could dispel demonic magic was surprising.

Human and demonic magic systems were fundamentally different, and knowledge of demonic magic was practically non-existent among humans.

But the bigger issue was that the midterm evaluation had been suspended.

Mages, especially powerful ones like the Headmaster, rarely went back on their word.

If the evaluation was canceled, my chances of getting a good grade, and thus keeping the artifact, were slim.

Acquiring artifacts was incredibly difficult.

Clearing Gates was challenging enough, but finding an artifact with the specific abilities I needed was even harder.

And the artifact I wanted was powerful, likely found only in high-difficulty Gates.

I’d planned to use the favor I’d earned by saving the Saint to secure the artifact, but now…

This situation was a mess. I ran my hands through my hair in frustration.

I still had the Headmaster’s promise, but using that leverage would complicate my other plans.

“Albert, what about the grades—”

“Ah, you haven’t heard.”

Albert seemed to understand my unspoken question.

“Long story short, the rankings will be based on the standings when the evaluation was suspended.”

‘…Fuck.’

“What’s wrong, Jenison? I thought you didn’t care about grades.”

“…It’s nothing.”

I needed to talk to the Headmaster. Just as I thought that, the window beside me opened, a gentle breeze rustling the curtains.

A single green leaf drifted into the room, then transformed into the Headmaster.

“Greetings, students.”

“H-Headmaster?!”

“…”

She brushed a stray strand of hair from her face, unfazed by our surprise, and explained her presence.

“I need to confirm your grades.”

She waved her hand, and a stack of documents and a quill appeared. She sent them floating towards us.

The documents listed our evaluation scores and names. She looked at each of us in turn.

“I sincerely apologize for the unfortunate incident during the evaluation and the significant disruption it caused.”

“…!!!”

She bowed deeply, a gesture that shocked us all. She straightened up, her expression composed, and explained the compensation we’d receive.

“First, all students who were still participating when the incident occurred will be compensated. Furthermore, we will be installing a Magi-Blocking barrier to prevent such incidents in the future. And finally, your final grades will primarily reflect your standings at the time of the suspension.”

She reached into a pocket dimension and pulled out something that shimmered with an ethereal blue light.

It pulsed with energy, drawing our gazes. The light split into three smaller orbs, which floated towards us, settling into our hands.

The light faded, revealing ornate glass vials filled with a blue liquid.

“What… is this, Headmaster?”

“It’s a potion that increases mana capacity. It should be quite helpful.”

“Wh-What?!”

“Of course, this is only part of the compensation. You will also receive rewards based on your final ranking.”

Mana was essential for magic. A larger mana pool meant greater power, a significant advantage in combat.

But mana capacity was innate, unchanging. Only special elixirs or rare methods could increase it, and they were exorbitantly expensive.

This potion was incredibly valuable.

But I wasn’t interested. I placed the vial on the floor and looked at the Headmaster.

“Headmaster… my grade…?”

She looked at me, feigning ignorance, then returned to her usual impassive expression and ruffled my hair.

I flinched away, startled by the unexpected gesture, but she ignored my reaction.

“Your grade is excellent. You have nothing to worry about.”

“…Mine?”

“Is there a problem?”

“Well… I didn’t earn that many extra points…”

“A student who single-handedly defeated a Mid-Rank monster isn’t excellent? Then who is?”

Her words were firm, and the others chimed in, agreeing.

–You were amazing! So cool!

–I never knew you were so strong!

They praised me, though their compliments felt… strange, awkward.

I didn’t know how to respond. I hadn’t changed. I wasn’t possessed, I hadn’t suddenly become a different person.

I was still Jenison. The same Jenison they’d known before.

What would they say when I left this room?

Would they whisper behind my back?

Would they approach me with false smiles, seeking favors?

Or would they still doubt me, clinging to the old rumors?

I hadn’t changed, yet they claimed I had.

The Headmaster, who’d previously ignored me, now called me “excellent.”

The girl I’d bullied now praised my strength.

The friend I’d tried to push away had finally broken through my defenses.

Why?

What had changed?

Why were they suddenly treating me with kindness?

I was still the same person, stained by my past.

I’d killed. I’d tortured. I’d manipulated.

My past actions couldn’t be excused, couldn’t be justified. I was a murderer, a monster.

I’d inflicted pain, fueled vengeance, abused power.

Knowing this, knowing the darkness within me, their kindness felt… wrong. A wave of self-loathing washed over me.

Then, a familiar screen flickered into existence before my eyes.

I blinked, startled by the status window’s sudden appearance, and a wave of artificial warmth spread through my body.

The negative thoughts receded, replaced by a strange sense of euphoria, of excitement.

‘…Is it controlling my emotions now? What the…’

“…Cadet Jenison?”

My sudden change in expression must have been noticeable.

The Headmaster stood before me, her gaze sharp. Lianna and Albert leaned closer, their faces etched with concern.

Their scrutiny was unnerving. I tried to brush it off, to tell them it was nothing, but Albert wouldn’t let it go.

“Tell us, Jenison. I can see something’s wrong.”

“…You don’t need to worry about it.”

My voice came out harsher than intended, but Albert didn’t flinch.

“Jenison? What’s wrong?”

“…?”

Lianna and the Headmaster joined in, their combined gazes pinning me down. I had to say something, anything, to deflect their attention.

“It’s nothing. I just have to visit the church.”

““What?””

Their reactions were unexpectedly strong. I looked up, surprised, and saw their wide eyes staring back at me.

“The… church…?”

“Why would you need to go there?”

“Unless it’s for medical treatment, I can’t excuse you from class.”

They demanded an explanation, but I didn’t have one. It was because of the mark on my forehead, but I didn’t know what it meant.

I tried to brush it off, but they persisted. Finally, I mumbled something about needing ongoing treatment, and they seemed to accept it.

After they left, the princess, Isabella, Carlin, and the others came to check on me. I answered their questions patiently, my desire for rest forgotten.

A few days later, fully recovered, I visited the church.

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“…?”

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