Chapter 30: Differences

Midterm exam.

A word that students can never enjoy.

It puts pressure on them to study endlessly.

It constantly gives them the mental fatigue of thinking that they might make a mistake.

This is what modern people usually mean by the word midterm exam.

This is the world in this novel where I failed.

So, the exam at Sacred Academy had a slightly different meaning.

“Did you study this time?”

“Of course. You’ll definitely be in the top 20 this midterm exam.”

The passion to rise to a higher rank.

Most of the students here, who had excellent skills, had passion.

It was natural if it was natural.

In this place where the general gap in status was easily ignored, the only means of proving status was the exam ranking.

People with high status originally worked to maintain their positions.

Conversely, people with low status originally worked to rise to a slightly higher position.

The original Sacred Academy was a place where all students worked hard with their own goals.

“But weren’t you almost last in the last written exam?”

“……That’s why you said you studied harder.”

“I heard that last time.”

“Just shut up.”

“Okay.”

Of course, as the pleasant conversation I’m hearing now tells me, it’s true that most students’ written exams were very lacking compared to the practical exams.

Anyway, if you try, you’ll be fine.

Still, it’s better than someone who just sits around doing nothing.

At least that’s what I thought.

Someone who does something is better than someone who does nothing.

Events in this world always start with some kind of trigger.

In other words, if you don’t do anything, nothing happens.

Whether something happens is good or bad.

It happens because someone starts something.

They say that those who challenge are beautiful.

There’s nothing more beautiful than trying for a completely unexpected result.

It was a fact that everyone knew.

The reason why only a few people actually challenged themselves, despite everyone knowing this, was simple: Because they’re cowards.

They were scared.

They were scared that a result they didn’t know might come.

It was a really simple reason.

If you try for a result that will come someday, but the result you get isn’t what you wanted, there’s nothing more disappointing than that.

That was the reason why no one lives a life of challenge.

This was especially the reason why those who had already received such results were scared.

Because they had experienced it.

Because they had realized once that their efforts were meaningless.

Maybe it wasn’t just once.

Because even if they failed, there were cases where they kept trying until they succeeded.

Even if they fell several times, there were people who got up and walked again after falling.

And, if the destination of these people who tried so hard was the destination they wanted, it would be perfect.

Unfortunately, the reality was that most efforts were not recognized for their value and just gave up.

People were afraid of this reality.

Because they were afraid of reality, they lost their spirit of challenge.

There was no need to prove this fact.

Everyone knew it, and I knew it better than most people.

As I was thinking this, Layla, who had been quietly watching me from the side, opened her mouth.

“Your expression is rotten today as well.”

“……It was clearly rude, Your Highness.”

“I see. If it was rude, I apologize.”

Layla was apologizing to me with an expression that didn’t really look apologetic.

As I was watching Layla like that, I couldn’t help but let out the question that was rising in my head.

“Why are you sitting next to me again today? Have you already forgotten that I rejected the princess’s proposal yesterday?”

“No way. How could I forget your cold and emotionless rejection?”

“…… It wasn’t that bad, though.”

“How could you know my heart? If I were to do that, then so be it.”

“….”

I was speechless.

Every word I uttered was met with a counter, so I couldn’t think of anything else to say.

The original Layla I remember wasn’t like this.

She was the heroine who was more outstanding than anyone else, but she had many shortcomings in the beginning.

It was clear that Layla had become strange because she got involved with me too much.

Otherwise, the Layla I knew wouldn’t have made such a foolish expression and teased people.

“Of course, it’s a joke, so relax your expression now.”

….. Maybe.

I can’t be sure, but maybe.

Layla smiled as if she found the current situation very amusing.

“This is probably one of the reasons I sit next to you. Because there’s nothing more fun than seeing your expressions changing in various ways.”

“……Your Highness knows best why my expression changes like that.”

“Of course I know. That’s why I sit next to you foolishly.”

I don’t know if I should call this fortunate.

At least Layla seemed to know how her actions would be seen by others.

“Also, she knows how others see us now.”

“……I’m glad you knew. I thought you didn’t know, Your Highness.”

“There’s no way you wouldn’t know. I’m the princess of the empire.”

Layla spoke with a charismatic voice as if it were obvious.

‘…..Then why is someone who knows that sitting next to me?’

I had to fight to keep that sentence from coming out of my mouth.

I almost couldn’t hold it in.

If I had done wrong, I would have been dragged out for insulting the princess in front of my classmates.

I was praising myself like this and controlling my expression.

“Everyone, be quiet. I’m going to explain this midterm exam from now on.”

“…”.

The professor who had entered the classroom at some point began to gather the students’ attention.

“First, the written exam. The written exam is no different from the exams you’ve experienced so far!”

“…”

“I’ll hand out the exam papers with the questions written on them, so you just have to solve them as you know them. Since you all probably already know, I’ll skip the detailed explanation.”

The professor’s explanation might have sounded very irresponsible to some listeners.

No student questioned his words.

Rather, some students yawned as if to tell him to hurry up and explain the next exam.

There was no student here who was so incompetent that they couldn’t remember the written exam they had taken four times last year and twice this year.

Most students are just better at practical exams than written exams.

It didn’t mean that most students were idiots who only knew how to use their bodies.

After looking around the classroom and confirming that there were no students who wanted to ask questions, the professor continued.

“Next is the practical exam. This is probably what you’re most curious about.”

“…”

“The topic of this practical exam is…….”

The professor kept talking as if he was teasing the students’ anticipation.

‘……Cooperation.’

“The topic of this practical exam is cooperation. Two people who think the same way become a party and take the exam together.”

As someone who had already read the original, this time that stimulated everyone’s anticipation felt boring.

The professor, who never dreamed that there would be a student with such an irreverent thought, continued his explanation steadily.

“You’re probably confused. All the practical tests up until now have been judged solely based on individual ability.”

“…”

“However, when you face monsters in real combat, there will inevitably be situations where you will need help from your colleagues.”

“No, absolutely.”

This test was designed to improve your teamwork so that you can prepare for such situations.

With that as the last remark.

The professor left the classroom without hesitation as if he had said everything he wanted to say.

“……Cooperation?”

“What is this all of a sudden? Suddenly cooperation?”

The inside of the classroom unfolded exactly as I remembered the original.

Confusion.

The bewilderment felt by someone who has encountered something they have never experienced before.

All the students except me were feeling that way.

“…… A cooperation test. I didn’t expect this.”

“……Is that so?”

Layla, who had maintained a calm expression until then, was the same.

“Of course. It’s not like I know the content of the next test.”

“…”

“I didn’t expect that an academy that values individual ability would have a test on cooperation.”

Layla pinched her cheek with her sapphire-colored jewel eyes sparkling.

It was Layla’s habit that only appeared when she encountered an unexpected situation.

As I looked at Layla, I also became lost in thought.

‘……Is there anyone who wants to join me?’

Since my name was ‘Lian Trice’, I could never ask someone to join the same party first.

If there were any people who came to mind, it would be Layla sitting next to me or Ellis sitting blankly, lost in thought, like me.

‘……They’re both no good.’

I couldn’t be in the same party as the two people who were already in the original party.

Then what crime did those who were originally in the party commit?

It’s just that a rascal got involved and took away a party member without even knowing it.

My remaining conscience was firmly shaking its head, saying that it wasn’t true.

It’s true that there was a bet that I had to win this test.

There shouldn’t be a case where someone doesn’t get the grade they deserved.

That’s the only difference.

‘……That was the only difference.’

The only difference between the original Lian Trice and me.

Hypocrisy.

The only difference between the original Lean and me was the trashy hypocrisy that came from the desire to not feel guilty.

“So, this time, you’re really in the same party as me……Lian Trice?”

“…”

Because of this difference.

I ignored Layla’s muttering behind me and approached someone.

“Edgar Tristan.”

“…”

“How about joining the same party as me for this exam?”

A member of Lian’s party in the original work.

My party member for this exam was already decided to be Edgar Tristan.