Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Questions And Answers

The noise from the classroom carried down the hallway like a ripple in still water, loud enough to catch the attention of Principal Henderson, who had been making his routine rounds around the school. His sharp ears picked up the mix of laughter, whispers, and hushed gasps, all signs that something unusual was happening.

Frowning, he turned towards the source of the commotion. It was coming from Mr. Rogers’ class. He knew Rogers as a strict, no-nonsense teacher, one who rarely lost control of his students. If his classroom was this rowdy, something serious must have happened.

Without hesitation, the principal strode toward the door and pushed it open.

The moment he did, he nearly collided with Liam, who was just stepping out. Liam instinctively stopped in his tracks, taking a small step back to let the principal enter. His expression was calm, unfazed, as if he had just been taking a casual stroll instead of being kicked out of class.

The entire room fell into an eerie silence.

Principal Henderson’s eyes scanned the classroom, his gaze sharp and observant. He took in the faces of the students—some looking nervous, some entertained, and a few pretending to be serious students, even though their expressions betrayed their curiosity. Finally, his eyes settled on Mr. Rogers, who still had a deep scowl on his face.

“What happened here?” the principal asked, his voice calm but authoritative.

Mr. Rogers straightened, adjusting his glasses as he shot Liam a brief glare before turning back to the principal. “Liam Carter has been distracted in my class. I have been teaching for over an hour, and instead of paying attention, he was busy chatting with his friend. When I tried to send him out, he had the audacity to argue and even pointed fingers at other students, claiming that they weren’t listening either.”

A few students snickered quietly, quickly silencing themselves when the teacher shot them a warning glance.

Principal Henderson’s gaze shifted toward Liam, his expression unreadable. “Is this true?”

Liam met his eyes, not a trace of hesitation in his voice as he replied, “No.”

A heavy silence fell over the room.

Even the principal’s face momentarily stiffened. He had undoubtedly expected Liam to either confirm his actions or at least defend himself in a roundabout way. But no? That was something else entirely. That response didn’t just mean Liam was denying being distracted—it meant he was implying that Mr. Rogers was lying.

The tension in the room thickened.

Mr. Rogers’ face darkened further, his hands balling into fists at his sides. The students exchanged nervous glances, some barely suppressing their excitement. This was getting interesting.

The principal narrowed his eyes slightly. “Liam,” he said, his tone measured, “are you saying your teacher is lying?”

Liam immediately realized how his answer had been interpreted. Oh, so that’s what’s going on in his head, he thought. Without missing a beat, he adjusted his approach.

“What I meant,” Liam said smoothly, “is that I was listening in class, but Mr. Rogers never let me prove myself right.”

A few students raised their eyebrows in intrigue. This was classic Liam. He always knew how to twist a situation to his advantage.

The principal studied Liam carefully. Being taller than the older man, Liam had to slightly lower his head to maintain eye contact, while the principal had to look up. Despite their height difference, the authority in the principal’s gaze was unmistakable.

“What do you have to prove?” Principal Henderson asked.

Liam’s lips curled into the faintest smirk—just enough to show amusement but not enough to be seen as disrespectful. He turned his attention to Mr. Rogers and then to the class.

“Well,” he began, “since the beginning of the semester, we’ve been covering major conflicts in world history. The specific war we’ve been studying lately is the Napoleonic Wars. Under that, the key subtopics we’ve been focusing on include:

1. The rise of Napoleon Bonaparte

2. The French Revolutionary Wars and their influence

3. The Napoleonic military campaigns

4. The Battle of Austerlitz and its significance

5. The Peninsular War and how it weakened France

6. The Russian Campaign of 1812 and its consequences

7. The Battle of Leipzig—the beginning of the end

8. Napoleon’s exile to Elba

9. The Hundred Days and the Battle of Waterloo

10. The Congress of Vienna and its impact on Europe

“Now, if I wasn’t paying attention,” Liam finished, “how would I know all of that?”

A wave of murmurs spread through the class. Even the students who were convinced Liam had been messing around were forced to admit—he knew his stuff.

Dickson, who had been quiet the whole time, stared at Liam like he had just grown a second head.

Wait… he actually listens in class?

Principal Henderson raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. Mr. Rogers, however, remained unmoved. His arms were crossed, and his frown deepened.

“Anyone can memorize subtopics,” Mr. Rogers said dismissively. “That doesn’t mean you were listening to today’s lecture.”

Liam tilted his head slightly, his smirk widening just a little. He had expected this response.

“Well then,” the principal interjected, clasping his hands behind his back, “why don’t we test that?”

The room stilled.

Principal Henderson turned to Mr. Rogers. “Ask Liam questions about today’s lecture,” he instructed. “If he can answer at least fifty percent of them correctly, he can return to his seat.”

The challenge had been set.

Liam’s smirk widened, though it remained subtle, hidden beneath his otherwise relaxed demeanor.

Interesting.

The entire class held their breath in anticipation.

Was Liam about to pull off the impossible?

A deep silence fell over the classroom as all eyes turned toward Mr. Rogers. He stood stiffly, his arms crossed, his gaze locked onto Liam, who remained seated with an air of relaxed confidence. The entire class was waiting for what came next.

“Fine,” Mr. Rogers said at last, adjusting his glasses. His voice was even, but there was a hint of something beneath it—was it doubt? Frustration? No one could tell for sure. “Since you claim you were listening, let’s see if you can actually answer my questions.”

“Go ahead.”

Mr. Rogers hesitated for a second before speaking. “First question,” he said. “What year did the Napoleonic Wars officially begin?”

Liam didn’t even blink. “1799.”

There was a brief pause.

“That’s… correct,” Mr. Rogers admitted, clearing his throat as he moved on. “Next question. What treaty marked the end of the Napoleonic Wars?”

“The Treaty of Paris,” Liam answered instantly.

Some of the students, who were already intrigued, leaned in closer, their eyes widening slightly.

Mr. Rogers narrowed his eyes. He hadn’t expected Liam to get even the basic questions right, let alone so quickly. He adjusted his posture, glancing at his book before speaking again.

“Fine,” he said, his voice losing its previous confidence. “Since you seem to know the basics, let’s step it up.”

He straightened his shoulders and asked, “Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in 1812 is considered one of his greatest mistakes. Tell me, what were the key reasons for his failure?”

Liam didn’t hesitate. “Several factors contributed to his failure. First, the Russian army used a scorched-earth policy, retreating while destroying crops and resources, leaving Napoleon’s forces with nothing to sustain themselves. Second, he underestimated the harsh Russian winter, which led to the deaths of thousands of his soldiers from starvation and frostbite. Third, his supply lines were stretched too thin across enemy territory, making it impossible to maintain an effective campaign. Lastly, the Russian army engaged in strategic counterattacks, forcing the French into a disastrous retreat.”

A ripple of murmurs spread across the classroom.

Even students who had been half-listening to the lecture were now staring at Liam with shock. Some of them turned to their friends, whispering things like, Did he really just say all that? or How the hell does he know that?

Principal Henderson, who had been watching quietly, now raised an eyebrow in clear surprise.

Dickson, who had been watching from the side, had his mouth slightly open. He nudged the student sitting next to him and whispered, “I swear he wasn’t paying attention. He was literally talking to me the whole time.”

The student shook his head in disbelief. “Then how the hell does he know all this?”

Mr. Rogers, however, remained composed—at least on the outside. But inside, his mind was racing.

There’s no way he should know this.

Most students struggled to recall even half of what Liam had just said, and yet he had answered with precision and confidence, as if he had memorized it long ago.

Mr. Rogers adjusted his glasses again, his expression unreadable. “Alright,” he said, forcing his voice to remain neutral. “Next question. What was the significance of the Battle of Austerlitz?”

Liam cracked his knuckles before answering. “The Battle of Austerlitz, fought in 1805, is considered one of Napoleon’s greatest victories. He used deceptive tactics to lure the Russian and Austrian forces into attacking what they thought was a weakened French army. Instead, he had strategically positioned his troops to trap and crush the enemy forces. This victory solidified his reputation as a military genius and forced Austria to sign the Treaty of Pressburg, weakening the Third Coalition against France.”

By now, some students were gaping openly.

One girl whispered to her friend, “Holy shit, I can barely remember what the battle was even about, and he just gave a full-on lecture.”

A boy sitting near the back muttered, “Did this dude secretly study history overnight or something?”

Even Principal Henderson, who had been standing with his hands behind his back, now looked genuinely interested. He had initially thought Liam was just a troublemaker trying to get out of trouble. But now…

Now he wasn’t so sure.

Mr. Rogers’ face remained neutral, but anyone paying close attention could see the tightness in his jaw. He had expected Liam to fail—no, he had wanted Liam to fail. But every question he asked was answered perfectly.

Frustration bubbled beneath his calm exterior.

“Last question,” Mr. Rogers finally said, his voice sharper now. His eyes gleamed slightly as he added, “This one’s difficult.”

He looked directly at Liam before speaking.

“Who was the Russian general that led the defense against Napoleon during the invasion of 1812?”

A smug smirk tugged at the corner of Mr. Rogers’ lips.

This was a trick question. It was an advanced detail that he hadn’t taught the class yet. It was the kind of question only someone who had done additional reading—or was incredibly lucky—would know the answer to.

The students watched, expecting Liam to finally stumble.

But instead, Liam’s eyes glinted with amusement. He crossed his arms and replied, “Mikhail Kutuzov.”

A loud gasp spread across the room.

A boy near the front turned to his friend and whispered, “What the actual fuck?”

Another girl muttered, “I don’t even know how to spell that name, let alone remember it.”

Dickson clutched his desk, staring at Liam like he had just seen a ghost. “There’s no way…”

Principal Henderson, who had remained composed throughout the exchange, let out a slow exhale. Interesting.

Mr. Rogers, however, went rigid.

For a brief second, something flashed in his eyes. Shock. Annoyance. But then he quickly masked it.

He adjusted his glasses, straightened his tie, and said, “Incorrect.”

A sharp silence followed.

Liam’s expression remained calm, but his eyes narrowed slightly.

“No,” he said evenly. “I’m right.”

Mr. Rogers’ lips pressed into a thin line. “No, you’re not. The correct answer is Barclay de Tolly.”

Liam didn’t argue immediately. He simply stared at the teacher, his gaze unyielding.

Dickson, watching closely, whispered, “Dude, I swear I’ve heard that Kutuzov guy’s name before…”

Then, before Liam could respond, Principal Henderson reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. The entire class watched as he quickly typed something into a search engine.

A few tense seconds passed.

Then, suddenly, a loud voice broke the silence.

“Shit, Liam’s right.”

Heads snapped toward the source.

It was a girl sitting toward the middle of the class, her phone screen glowing as she pointed to something on the screen.

“The answer is Mikhail Kutuzov,” she said, her voice filled with disbelief. “Barclay de Tolly started as the main commander, but Kutuzov was the one who led the final defense and organized the counterattacks!”

All eyes turned back to Mr. Rogers.

The teacher’s face remained blank, but the way he clenched his jaw gave him away.

For the first time, the students realized—

Mr. Rogers had been wrong.

And Liam had been right.

****

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