Avoid Former Co-Workers

28 – 28. Early Semester Assessment (1)

“How did you get there?”

It was a question for Sylvia that appeared out of nowhere.

Even if Michelle is like that, why was she here?

“Ah. Hold on.”

Sylvia hesitated for a moment, inspected her crumpled box, and when she confirmed that the contents were fine, she let out a sigh of relief.

What she took out of her crumpled box was a fountain pen.

“What fountain pen?”

“I’ve been apologizing to people I’ve done wrong, but you’re the only one left. So…”

In short, he apologized to the people with the money he earned today and handed over a fountain pen, albeit weakly.

If she had grown up with a proper education, she would have had many friends around her because of her mild sheep-like personality.

I don’t know how much she must have suffered because of her position as the count’s illegitimate daughter, but there is no disagreement that that is not correct.

I feel sorry for her, and she decided to talk again while accepting a gift from poor Sylvia.

“Thank you. Good luck, Sylvia.”

“I can only give you a fountain pen… But I thought it might help.”

“It’s just a fountain pen. The students appreciate a fountain pen like this. I got that from a friend.”

“A friend…? That’s… Go? Umm… Uh, anyway, I’m glad you like it.”

Sylvia’s face turned bright when she said thank you. No, maybe he liked the word friend.

To Sylvia, Junon adds a strange word to her.

“I like you now more than when you were at the Count’s house.”

“What, what…?”

“At that time, I didn’t feel like a person at all. How should I say, I was like an emotionless mannequin running towards an unreachable goal? Anyway, I like you more for brushing it off.”

“Yes… I see…”

“Tell me if you have any difficulties in the future. I will step in and help you.”

At this time, she gave back Sylvia’s ribbon she wanted.

At that time, I had it as a proof to prevent Sylvia from rushing into it, but now there is no need for that.

Then she wondered if Sylvia’s body was trembling.

“Sylvia…? What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“It’s okay…! I’ll go to the bathroom for a minute…!”

“Uh…? Uh uh, yeah.”

Sylvia snapped the ribbon in her palm and, without meeting her eyes, turned around and ran in the opposite direction.

By the way… That isn’t the bathroom over there.

‘Crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy…! What? Joe, good…? That…!’

Sylvia’s face is as red as a ripe fruit, and even the heat rises.

To cover her face, which was as hot as a ripe apple, Sylvia had no choice but to run away from Junon.

It would have been a relief from Sylvia’s point of view that this face was not shown.

“Junon… Me…”

She’s good, she said. Even though she liked it, she said.

She is much more herself than she was in the past.

Whenever she recalled that word, Sylvia’s face sank, but she returned to heat and ripened again.

“Aww…Why are you doing this…?”

Thinking that Junon would not like this, Sylvia rubbed her cheeks with the palm of her hand and tried to bring her back to her senses.

As time passed, by the time the heat from her skin was gradually dissipating, Sylvia already had a faint smile on her face.

“Thank you…”

Who should really say thank you?

At the same time, Sylvia looked tired and smiled. When she was in the Count’s family, she didn’t smile once, so what could be the trigger for her to reveal her feelings.

─Sylvia! Time is running out! I have to go to the test at 3 in a little while!

It was because of the boy she once bullied, who was calling her name right there.

“Oh, yes!! I’m going now!!”

In her haste to tie her hair back with her ribbon, Sylvia put her ribbon in her pocket and stood up.

There was no reason to use ribbons anymore.

She is a benefactor who changed the whole world, and since she released it, everything has changed.

***

As expected, the evaluation at the beginning of the semester was divided into a written test and a practical test.

In the written test, there were many questions that remained in my memory, so I might have gotten more correct than before the regression.

Actually, the written test isn’t the problem, though.

“The practical test will be conducted as a joint practice. The list will be announced now, so gather by team.”

From afar, Professor Meuniher starts calling out names with a list.

And then the time came for my name to be called.

“Junon, Charlotte,—-.”

The contents of the practical test and joint practice of the beginning of the semester are as follows.

It is a test in which a team of 6 people per position heads to a designated place and collects mana in the badge.

Of course, that designated place was not a place implemented using Talbrut Arc like before.

“The test site for this test is the lowlands of Tvesar.”

As soon as they hear the word Tvesar lowland, the students hum and show different reactions.

Some people wondered if it was too dangerous, and there were a lot of people who wiped their hearts out in nervousness.

The Tvesar Lowland is a land located on the border between Mir Park in the southeast and Alghenib in the southwest.

Unlike Mount Utulum, which is the site for final exams, the climate and nature are mild and there are no major problems.

Then why are the students buzzing?

This is because demonic beasts frequently appear in the lowlands of Tvesar.

It is the only square-shaped area in the Principality of Ardelion that is dented and made close to a pentagon.

A place outside the Principality, but eventually classified as an area outside the Principality due to constant incidents and accidents within the Principality.

That place was the lowland of Tvesar, the testing ground for the initial evaluation this semester.

I don’t know why monsters often appear, but it is said that the ecosystem is already active, so monsters appear every time you defeat them.

It’s like playing the so-called real battle.

This test can be seen as an encounter with a real demon, which can be somewhat dangerous for students who have not yet developed their strength.

There was only one reason for taking this risk and becoming a test site.

“Professor Flokhan pointed out the place for this semester’s initial assessment. He said you’ll be able to show your real skills.”

Even in Professor Meuniher’s opinion, it seemed that the practical classes were placed too late, in the second semester.

Well, there might be other reasons, but he added that it seemed to be chosen as a perfect place for an exam.

If he knew what was about to happen, he would probably deny it outright.

No matter how much he is Professor Meuniher, if you tell him about this, he will also tell you to answer the exam straight away instead of banging on the baton in his sleep.

Well, it’s already spilled water, so I’ll have to try to control it somehow so it doesn’t spread.

In the blink of an eye, our team moved and reached the entrance, where each of us was introducing ourselves.

“Nice to meet you. Let’s work together and achieve good results.”

“Thank you all.”

“Leave the crowd control magic to me!”

“────.”

And the voice reached Charlotte as well.

“I’ve heard of Lady Ashrelt’s achievements. It’s an honor to be selected as the same team!”

“…Yes.”

People on the same team are saying hello one by one, but no words come out towards me.

So, you can intervene from this side.

“Anyway, since I’m a avant-garde, I’m going to tell you to leave later, saying I’m useless? So, I fall first.”

Well, those people won’t mind.

It’s nice that you don’t have to listen to bitter voices while matching. It’s obvious that the other side is also hoping for me to fall into it.

As I thought at first, if I intervene first and fall out, I won’t even run into Charlotte. Isn’t it really three birds with one stone?

Besides, even if I get out of the team and proceed like this, there won’t be any big problems.

-‘If it is not possible to practice as a team, it is okay to go separately, or if you see the necessary talent, you can recruit them from another team.’

It was one of the few test clauses mentioned by Professor Meuniher.

Discord between team members cannot be prevented, so if the consensus is not right, they are allowed to walk apart.

It is said that even if people avoid each other, they will understand if they do not fit each other as much as there is a difference in personality even when they meet.

‘Well, they say that the test is judged by the magic gathered in the badge anyway.’

Thanks to that one clause, even if it is actually a joint practice, it becomes closer to a group assignment rather than a team unit.

And furthermore, it is because of the same reason that the avant-garde is missing and a number of destroyed teams appear.

‘I can go straight to them.’

It went smoothly without any obstruction, so there was no better news than this.

However.

“Would you like to talk to me?”

The only time I realized something was wrong was when someone followed me, and he grabbed me by the shoulder and spoke out.

***

The motto of Charlotte Ashrelt is pretty solid.

Think calmly, boldly throw away what you want to throw away, and definitely take what you want to take.

Simply, such boldness and clean processing ability removed all obstacles in Charlotte’s life.

She believed that there were almost no obstacles that she could not get rid of, and that there never would be.

However, the stumbling block that arose some time ago was not a stone. I still couldn’t get rid of the memory of her that the sharp headache brought.

‘Is this man… The cause?’

Charlotte was suspicious of Junon, who stood in front of her and was in the lead position of the same team.

Perhaps he did some trickery, or secretly hired someone to do witchcraft.

I expected something to burn his hand that somehow caused a skull-shattering headache.

But, how was it in reality?

-‘What? Commons? Who did I ask to investigate?’

-‘Yes. There is only one person with that name in the principality and not in the empire.’

-‘…What’s special?’

-‘I was about to tell you, but aside from being a commoner, he’s a student from Class E who has only learned about defensive magic. Any other nicknames…’

Class E’s bullsh*t. Weakest potential.

If you hear more, just like that nickname, he was a person who didn’t even have the strength to hurt anyone with his own hands.

Proximity Step Potential. A type that attacks with only armor, blocks attacks, and does not show significant strength in using mental attacks or spells.

I had no choice but to come to a conclusion that was too remote to say that I had used some kind of magic as I initially suspected.

Then there was only one thing left.

‘I wonder if he used black magic…’

In the form of incantation, not magic, an ability that completely tramples on human duty and brings about the most evil results.

In the world, it is known that black magic is a power obtained by borrowing the method of a demon or a monster that is the original form of a demon.

Although it was revealed in the history of the Artena Empire, black magic was a power that had nothing to do with Junon.

-‘It’s clean. There have been incidents and accidents since I entered Levant Academy, but there is nothing other than that.’

In the end, I met the person in charge, so the only answer would be to ask him.

There is no other way than to ask him about this memory, which seems to have been ripped out of a single page.

“What is it?”

Charlotte, who was slowly trying to get closer to Junon, is stopped by her hindrances.

“Nice to meet you, Baron Ashrelt!”

“To be honest, what is a baron? You’re still young, so let’s call it Lady Ashrelt. You look old for no reason.”

“Is that so? Ha ha ha.”

Those who hold out their hands while blocking the road ahead.

I thought they were laughing and chatting and saying hello to each other, but it seemed that they were more interested in the other side.

“I’ve heard of Lady Ashrelt’s achievements. It’s an honor to be selected as the same team!”

“…Yes.”

Charlotte received a handshake from a teammate assigned to her team, but she hesitated.

For some reason, it was because I felt so blatantly that I was being treated as if I had been left alone.

Unlike the other four, only one person’s magic power was insignificant, so maybe he was conscious of that and reacted like this, Charlotte guessed.

Did he immediately notice the atmosphere of openly ignoring one person? Willingly opened his mouth.

“Anyway, since I’m a avant-garde, I’m going to tell you to leave later, saying I’m useless? So, I fall first.”

No. I wonder if he will show a slightly dry reaction as if he drank plain water.

He didn’t notice this, he had been beaten every time and experienced it to the point of getting sick of it.

Nevertheless, he dismissed it as if it was not a big deal and stepped forward.

Indeed, he was a formidable human being with only one mental strength, as he had been told that even if he fell seven times, he would rise eight times.

Charlotte tried again to pass through her teammates surrounding her.

And one more time.

“Hmm? Where are you going, young lady?”

“The exam hall is this way. We will guide you.”

“You’d better get out of the way if you don’t want to look bad.”

“Yes? We’re a team… Ugh!”

Chuck.

“Oh, Lady Ashrelt! What are you doing all of a sudden!”

“So you should have got out of the way when I told you to get out of the way? It’s fortunate that I only sprayed water on you.”

“Huh…”

Charlotte, with a tone of voice that said, “I don’t care about you,” Followed Junon, leaving the eyes of the other four behind.

Charlotte, who followed Junon to the end, who was far from her assigned team, touched his arm.

“Would you like to talk to me?”

Looking at Junon’s slightly flinching face, Charlotte straight up brought up the main issue.

“You went up to the 3rd year this time, and the 2nd year E class last semester. Junon, nicknamed the weakest vanguard, is your name, right?”

“…!”

She

Directly stated that she had finished her investigation.

‘It’s difficult.’

The moment Junon checked who was on his shoulder, he was terrified.

How could Charlotte, who had just arrived in the Principality of Ardelion, know her semester and class, her grade, and even her name and nickname?

I didn’t know that unexpected chases would follow one after another in the moment when I was relieved that she would easily get rid of her without any problems.

Thanks to that, it became quite difficult. The time to send the two guys elsewhere is running out, and Charlotte, whom she was concerned about meeting, is right in front of her eyes.

No, but there is no problem. If you just block the entry into the party, there won’t be any ill feelings towards me.

“You can say that’s right, right? I’ve been following you to ask you something, so I’d like you to answer me.”

“…Yes. That’s my name.”

To be honest, I got out of the team saying I’m incompetent, but what the hell is this about?

“Perhaps it is called Tembris…”

─aaah!!!!

At that moment, a scream so loud that it drowned out Charlotte’s voice began to echo from all sides of her.