Chapter 125 : Chapter 125
Volume 2
Chapter 49 : Human Joys and Sorrows Are Not Shared
The next day, in the last Fundamentals of Magic class before Open Day.
Because the teachers had graded the papers so quickly, this class was, in effect, the time for the results to be announced.
Muen arrived early and took his usual seat by the window.
Resting his cheek on one hand, he gazed at the drifting clouds outside, trying his best to calm himself.
The waiting before the results came out should have been the hardest part, but Muen did not feel that way.
Because he was absolutely certain that he had already done everything he could, so no matter what the result was, he would have no regrets.
In that case, all that remained was to wait quietly for whatever arrangement heaven had in store for him.
As time passed, the students gradually filed into the classroom.
They chatted and laughed in little groups of three or five.
Though they looked calm on the surface, many of them still could not help glancing toward the blond boy by the window.
Muen paid them no mind.
He was long since used to it.
Ariel, who slipped in right at the last moment, shot a fierce glare at the fellow who had once again stolen her seat, then dragged Lia over to the window seats on the other side.
“That Muen Campbell actually doesn’t look nervous at all.”
After sitting down, Lia blinked and looked curiously toward Muen.
“Hmph. What use would it be if he were nervous? He still won’t make it.”
With her arms folded across her chest, Ariel let out a cold snort.
“Do not say that so absolutely. What if he really did score eighty?”
“That’s impossible.”
Ariel looked utterly certain.
During yesterday’s exam, her seat had not actually been that far from Muen’s.
So, just to be safe, she had her Master, who was currently in spirit form, secretly take a look at Muen’s exam paper while Professor Prang was not paying attention.
And just as expected, it had only been seventy-nine points!
Ha! Seventy-nine, not eighty!
This time, I won!
Though the money she would end up winning would probably only amount to the value of an extra chicken leg, a win was still a win!
When the time came, she would definitely gnaw on a fragrant chicken leg while mercilessly mocking Muen Campbell!
Ariel savored the thought in delight.
At that moment, Teacher Flan walked into the classroom and announced to the students,
“Next, I will be releasing yesterday’s exam results.”
The moment her words fell, the classroom, which had still been somewhat noisy, instantly quieted down.
Everyone stared fixedly at Teacher Flan, waiting for the next moment.
In truth, it was only a monthly test.
Its effect on credits was minor, so ordinarily not this many people would have cared.
But this time was different.
Compared to their own scores, they were far more curious whether that Duke’s son who had made such wild boasts a month ago could actually do what he had claimed.
“Teck Rod, fifty-three...”
“Gucci Sloan, sixty-one...”
“...”
“Ariel Bugarde, one hundred!”
“Wow!”
“What?”
“One hundred!”
The moment Ariel’s score was announced, the crowd erupted.
One hundred!
Could someone really score one hundred in a subject like Fundamentals of Magic?
Or rather—had anyone ever scored one hundred before?
Everyone stared at Ariel in shock and could not help drawing in a sharp breath, inwardly marveling that this girl was terrifyingly monstrous.
And under all those gazes, the corner of Ariel’s mouth tilted upward into her signature unruly smile.
Holding her head high and her chest out, she strode toward the podium and accepted her exam paper.
Then she turned and threw a provocative glance at Muen.
You are not the only one who worked hard!
But Muen did not notice Ariel’s glance at all. He merely stared fixedly at Teacher Flan, waiting for that moment to arrive.
“The next one.”
“Muen Campbell.”
The crowd, which had just been roaring with excitement over Ariel’s score, instantly fell silent.
With so many eyes fixed on her, even Teacher Flan grew a little nervous. She paused for a moment, then continued:
“Eighty!”
“Waaah—”
An uproar even greater than the one caused by Ariel’s perfect score broke out, so loud it seemed it might blow through the ceiling.
“It really is eighty?”
“No way, he actually did it?”
“Barely on the line? Could he have cheated?”
“Impossible. Professor Prang personally proctored the exam.”
“In other words...”
“It’s over. See you all on the rooftop.”
After the shocked uproar came the wails of the gamblers.
But Muen seemed unable to hear any of the noise around him.
In his ears, only the two words “eighty points” echoed over and over.
He had done it.
He had really done it.
He had actually, truly done it!
Even though he had kept telling himself to stay calm, to accept any result with indifference—
The instant he heard those two words, he was still too overwhelmed to contain himself.
What was he supposed to do at a time like this?
Cheer?
Cry?
Dance for joy?
Sprint around the academy once?
Or share the good news with a senior as soon as possible?
Ah, right. The exam paper. He had to go get the exam paper first.
Muen walked toward the podium, but Teacher Flan gave a bitter smile and shook her head.
“I’m sorry. Professor Gran accidentally spilled coffee on it, so your exam paper... well... met a heroic death.”
“Huh?”
“Th-that said, you do not need to worry about your score. I graded your paper in front of all the teachers, so there is absolutely no problem.”
Seeing the puzzled look on Muen’s face, Teacher Flan quickly added the explanation.
“I see.”
Muen shook his head helplessly and did not think much of it.
After all, the exam paper itself was not important. What mattered was the score written on it.
A month of effort had not been wasted.
That alone was enough.
“Um... Student Muen.” Teacher Flan suddenly called out to him again.
“You are very impressive. It is not just me who thinks so. All the teachers think you are very impressive too.”
“...Thank you.”
Muen was startled for a moment, then smiled and thanked her before turning away, his steps light.
But just then, a heart-rending scream rang out beside his ear, making him jump.
“No—!”
Ariel collapsed to her knees, her hands braced against the floor.
Despite holding the highest score in the entire class—perhaps even a perfect score unprecedented in history—she somehow looked like the most miserable person there.
Even some of the gamblers who had lost tens of thousands could not help glancing sideways at her, wondering whether this girl had bet even her wife on the outcome.
“Why? Why did it turn out like this? How could I still lose like this?!”
Hammering the floor, Ariel let out a cry from the depths of her soul:
“My meal money, my chicken legs! I do not want to eat black bread—my chest will get smaller!”
Everyone: “...”
Muen: “...”
...
...
“Yay! We won!”
As news of Muen’s score spread rapidly through the entire academy, the mood elsewhere was the complete opposite of Ariel’s despair.
Three adorable little girls cried out in excitement, practically bouncing on the spot.
After suppressing themselves for so long, they had finally reached the moment when they could hold their heads high in triumph.
“Hmph, I told you Student Muen could do it!”
Emma, the girl with twin ponytails, planted her hands on her hips and lifted her chin proudly.
“As his number one fan, there is no way my judgment could be wrong!”
“Exactly!”
“All those people who looked down on Student Muen must be furious now!”
The other two little girls chimed in as well, their cheeks flushed red, as if they were drunk.
But beside them, Senior Fanny was not listening to the three little ones vent their pent-up resentment at all. Instead, she stood there in a daze, calculating silently in her head.
Earlier, after being pestered relentlessly by the three little girls, she had bet the idle five thousand Aemir she had on hand on Muen Campbell.
And now, at twenty times the payout, that meant...
one hundred thousand!
One hundred thousand!
That was by no means a small sum. With that kind of money, the new clothes she wanted, the new paintbrushes she wanted, and even the magic materials she needed for study would all be covered.
But more importantly...
Senior Fanny quietly glanced at the three little girls, who were still beside themselves with excitement, and could not help swallowing.
Those three all came from quite good families, so the month’s allowance each of them had bet must have been at least several tens of thousands.
Several tens of thousands, multiplied by twenty...
Good heavens.
Thinking of it that way, had not these three little girls, in the span of a single night, all turned into... wealthy little ladies?