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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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The week of the comprehensive exam left the eliminated students in a rather peculiar position.
Out of 183 students, only 96 passed the first stage.
Nearly half were disqualified on the very first day.
Naturally, they sought out the academy administration and their teaching assistants, asking,
“What are we supposed to do now?”
“There are no classes for a week, so you are free to do as you please.”
“Uh, are there any alternative classes or assignments?”
“No.”
They were left to their own devices.
They were even granted unlimited leave to go outside the academy, something normally restricted.
The only rule was that they had to return to their dorms for the night.
And even then, with a relatively late curfew of midnight, it wasn’t much of a burden.
Most students were initially delighted.
“So, we have a whole week off?”
“What should we do?”
“I heard there’s a new play showing in town.”
“I want to try Chef Vivrang’s restaurant.”
They slept in, indulged in leisure activities they couldn’t normally enjoy due to their busy schedules – though they did have free time, keeping up with classes without self-study and training was difficult – went shopping in the town surrounding the academy, and savored delicious food.
But the novelty wore off quickly.
After a few days of complete freedom, anxiety began to creep in.
‘Is it really okay to just do nothing?’
‘I feel strangely guilty…’
‘What if the professors come back and yell at us for not studying?’
Combat, Magic, Support.
Regardless of their specialization, the students began to envision ominous scenarios.
[Welcome back, everyone! I hope you enjoyed your break! Oh my, where have my lovely students gone? I seem to be surrounded by a pack of fattened pigs! Did you enjoy lazing around and wallowing in your incompetence while your more capable peers worked hard and achieved higher scores? Did you enjoy being eliminated because you’re useless?]
[Hmm, I see. Well, I suppose it’s not all bad. If some people strive to overcome their shortcomings, others choose to ignore reality and waste their time, convincing themselves they were just unlucky. It’s your life, after all. Who am I to judge?]
[It’s alright, everyone. We all need a break sometimes. (Stumbles) Oh… I apologize. I’ve been working on assignments day and night, haven’t slept much. Just a few more all-nighters, and I’ll be done. Don’t worry about me.]
The vividly imagined scenarios sent shivers down their spines.
‘I think I’m going to be sick.’
‘He’d totally say that. I’m sure of it.’
‘I’d rather be yelled at directly. The thought of all the girls in class glaring at me…’
More and more students started running laps around the training grounds without being told.
Some voluntarily went to the library or practiced magic at the training range.
When the students eliminated from the second stage returned, interest in the exam intensified.
“What? They threw you into the forest again and made you fight each other?”
“You got stabbed in the stomach? Someone’s going to die in this class at this rate.”
“Even with healing magic, this is a bit much.”
Discussions about the third stage – they briefly questioned whether “stage” was the appropriate term for this exercise – and who would ultimately prevail, ensued.
“Her Highness will win, obviously. She excels at everything in magic class.”
“Come on, being good at studies and being good in actual combat are two different things. Crow Vein took down monsters before even entering the academy. He’s the real deal.”
“Maybe Alphonse Betouare will surprise us. Teamwork is more important than individual skill.”
“Chrom Midas made it to the third stage too.”
“No way he’s going to win.”
Then, the results were announced.
[Winner: Chrom Midas’s team.
Runner-up: Lyla Everblaze Barhardt’s team.
Third Place: Alphonse Betouare’s team.
Fourth Place: Crow Vein’s team.
Each of the top four teams will be awarded a custom-built mansion in the academy’s Special District. The members of the winning and runner-up teams will also receive additional rewards from their respective professors.]
“Chrom Midas won?!”
“He must have cheated somehow.”
“He probably just waited for the other teams to wear each other down.”
“That lucky bastard.”
The students’ reactions were largely negative.
Those who already had a negative impression of the Midas family expressed their displeasure openly.
Even those who didn’t have any particular opinion about the Midas family or Chrom didn’t believe the results reflected true skill.
Mana users were highly valued, and there was a significant gap between noble students who had received training from a young age and commoner students who only started learning magic after entering the academy, with a few exceptions.
While some acknowledged Chrom’s skill after his fight with Caspar Hundreth, the prevailing opinion was that it was more due to Caspar’s incompetence than Chrom’s ability.
Of course, there were dissenting voices.
“Cheating or not, using the situation to his advantage in a four-way battle is a skill.”
“If he was truly incompetent, he wouldn’t have made it that far.”
“Besides, it’s stupid to dismiss the winning team. What does that make the rest of us who lost? Don’t spit on your own face.”
Arguments broke out among the students.
“Why are you defending that commoner? Did he bribe you or something?”
“I’m not defending him. I’m just saying we should acknowledge the results. And the fact that you’re still talking about commoners in this academy shows you’re the one who hasn’t learned anything.”
“So, you’re saying Chrom Midas is stronger than Her Highness?”
“When did I say that? The strongest doesn’t always win. Whether it’s luck or strategy, he won. Let’s acknowledge that.”
After “the son of that notorious nouveau riche family from Sphero” and “that ruthless commoner who beat the crap out of a noble in a duel,” the name Chrom Midas was once again etched into the minds of the academy students.
And amidst all the commotion, Chrom Midas himself was…
“Wow, this is completely empty.”
Facing a crisis that threatened his very identity.
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Before the exam, Thoth’s High-Capacity Backpack had been overflowing with potions, gold coins, magic tools, and various other supplies.
Now, it was noticeably empty.
“Well, I did use a lot…”
Chrom sighed.
He had chugged potions like water throughout the exam, while others used them sparingly, only for serious injuries.
He had thrown Attribute Shards, each costing at least ten silver coins for the raw magic stone, plus processing and material costs, like they were pebbles.
He had even used three Attribute Gems, which he couldn’t even craft himself and had to acquire from external sources.
While the economies and logistics were different, ten silver coins were roughly equivalent to a million won in his previous life.
He had essentially fought his battles by throwing gold into the air.
“And Regret broke most of her equipment. Even her light armor is in tatters. I need to replace all of that.”
A set of daggers, a shield with a shrinking enchantment, the Impact Amplifying Hammer…
Except for the Ancient Guardian’s Longsword and Feldhaus’s Summoning Gauntlet, practically all of Regret’s equipment needed to be replaced.
She had earned it, but the cost still made him wince.
He had to replenish his supplies, replace Regret’s equipment, compensate his teammates for allowing him to use their new mansion in the Special District as his future base of operations, and acquire more stat-boosting drugs for his plan to recruit Lyla.
Money was going to be tight.
He wasn’t broke.
He still had some savings, and Theo Midas regularly sent him a steady income.
But considering the potential for future expenses, he needed to find a way to make more money.
“Oh, and I need to start preparing for the other main events.”
Recruiting and enhancing allies was one thing, but he also needed to address the various death flags in this world and prepare for the machinations of the various antagonists who would soon start making their moves.
Procrastinating would have dire consequences.
“Something that makes money, allows me to replace Regret’s equipment, serves as bait for the princess, and helps me prepare for the future…”
They say if you try to catch two rabbits, you end up with none.
But to survive the upcoming calamities, he had to grab as many rabbits as he could, even if it meant forcing it.
“Alright. Time to raid a dungeon.”
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