Having Reincarnated a Million Times I Won’t Let My Guard Down Even in a Peaceful World

25: **She Cannot Study**

Can one’s worth be measured by grades?

I believe that it **cannot**—after all, it’s true, isn’t it? Grades are nothing more than a concept created by adults who fancy themselves as rulers, standing outside the system of this world, to select those who will advance.

True intelligence lies elsewhere, separate from grades.

I do not discriminate people based on their report card evaluations.

Those I consider foolish are ones lacking passion, ones lacking foresight, or ones who belittle others simply because they want to feel superior.

Karina is none of those.

She is a warrior who has earnestly fought against “enemies.”

But I can’t help but think…

Karina is a fool.

“Rex, I have a favor to ask, counting on you. Please teach me how to study.”

At that time, I was a second-year student in middle school, and Karina was a third-year student.

And in this world, the education system becomes more advanced with each passing year—second-year students study based on what they learned in the first year, and third-year students study based on what they learned in the second year.

In other words, there should be no reason for me, a second-year student, to teach her.

However, Karina smiled and said something unexpected.

“Rex, you may not understand because you’re always being recognized as the top performer in the tests. However… there are people in this world who surpass even your imagination. For example, right in front of you.”

On Karina’s report card, there were numerous “1” ratings on a 5-point scale.

“Karina, you keep emphasizing that you’re good at sewing,” Rex said, “but what’s with the ‘1’ in Magic class?”

“We did the summoning ritual together, remember?” he continued.

“But yeah, although we referenced the ancient texts for the summoning circle, I feel like I was the one who did most of the actual work, and Karina just added a few mysterious decorations…”

“In conclusion, Karina is not good at studying.”

I… hesitated about what to do.

It would be too heavy a responsibility for a second-year student like me to teach the third-year students who were preparing for external exams.

I felt sorry for Karina, but I couldn’t bear such a responsibility… I was extremely afraid of taking on responsibility. “Responsibility” is synonymous with “debt.” It is an invisible burden that rests on my back as I walk the path of life.

For someone like me who has set the goal of “living a long life,” less responsibility is definitely better.

But… but, I couldn’t abandon Karina.

If I close my eyes, memories of the year we spent together come flooding back.

Since entering the intermediate division, Karina has brought color to my boring, monochromatic life. I met a comrade. A comrade with whom I can strive together… just that was enough to greatly comfort my heart.

And Karina doesn’t seem to mind physical contact much. When we looked at ancient texts together, our shoulders would touch and my heart would race. During summer, her blouse would become slightly see-through, and I couldn’t help but steal glances.

I know it’s strange to be conscious of such things with a comrade, but I was thirteen… the mind is dragged down by the body, so to speak. Well, you could say it was adolescence.

When the other person is a girl, my favorability would increase by about ten with just one conversation, and by about a hundred with a single touch. And now, I’m starting to think, “Maybe Karina likes me.”

I have no ulterior motives, but…

I really have no ulterior motives…

Seriously, I have absolutely no ulterior motives…

I decided to teach Karina.

Fortunately, thanks to my teacher father, I know what curriculum will be covered in the third year.

It’s the result of my efforts. Although I have good grades now, I don’t know when this miraculous ability might suddenly drop. So, in order to prepare for that, I’m studying ahead to prevent my grades from dropping.

Thanks to my cautious personality, I can handle this abnormal situation of teaching third-year students.

The cautiousness that grew from my unimpressive background of a million reincarnations leads to this study time with Karina. You really never know what will happen in this world.

There are about ten months left until the exams…

Our study has only just begun.