Chapter : 114

“I wish the world would just end….”

Despite Theo’s muttering, the hideout was filled with the scratching sound of quill pens.

Zephyros, who would have normally scolded him for saying such things, and Lucius, who would have smilingly mediated the situation, were silent, busy moving their quills.

The Academy was currently in the midst of final exams.

Lapis Academy was, in fact, called an academy, but it was more accurate to call it a South Korean university.

What would a game developer who graduated from a South Korean university know about a real European academy?

It was an academy in name only.

Swallowing a sniffle, Theo crammed the exam material into his head, memorizing it word for word.

“Who told you to dig your own grave?”

I could neither deny nor refute Zephyros’s scolding.

“Just be grateful that the practice for ‘Understanding Fief Management’ is during the vacation.”

“That’s actually worse.”

I am a poor academy student whose exciting magic lessons with my father have also been decided.

Therefore, my schedule was set for practice during the day and magic lessons with my father at night.

Ah, just imagining it makes me dizzy.

“Still, it’s a good thing you came back safely.”

Sunbae poured a pile of cheat sheets into the hideout.

It seemed quite difficult to memorize all of this.

As soon as he saw the cheat sheet for Basic Elemental Magic, Lucius’s face turned pale white.

He must be thinking, ‘Do I have to memorize all that?’

“Just use it as a reference, just a reference.“

At sunbae’s words, Cian looked like he was about to cry.

In fact, thanks to Lerwon-sunbae, we were really lucky to have gotten the cheat sheets so easily.

Usually, even memorizing all the materials given by the professor was nowhere near enough to prepare for the exam.

“How much will people laugh if the Descendant of the Hero fails….”

It seemed Cian could already clearly picture his future after failing.

Zephyros gave a thumbs-up to the half-crying Cian and said with a smile.

“Don’t worry. I won’t introduce you as my friend anywhere.”

Far from comforting him, Zephyros was fanning the flames.

“Zephi, you know you’re the worse one, right?”

“Heh heh.”

The laughter that rose from his throat sounded somewhat vile.

Is this personality for real?

Who, upon seeing the current Zephyros, would think he was the sub-protagonist of the game?

“I seem to have completely ruined both of your personalities.”

At the wistful muttering, sunbae grabbed my shoulder and asked.

“You’re only just realizing that now?”

I knew, but I didn’t know it was this serious.

I decided to silently pray to the fans who loved the original story.

I didn’t mean to mess it up this much, really.

“You guys still have the leisure to chat amongst yourselves.”

“Do you think we do?”

“Then shut up and study.”

At Lerwon-sunbae’s gentle words, I shut my mouth.

Yes…. For a brief moment, I thought it would have been better if the world had ended.

* * *

If the midterm exams were focused on practical skills, the final exams involved both written and practical tests.

And for various reasons, I, who had missed classes, was now walking a path of hell.

This is why I didn’t want to miss class.

Perish, world!

Just as I was cursing the world, I ran right into Beatrice.

“Hello, Professor.”

“Yes, study hard for the exam.”

Professor Beatrice’s complexion wasn’t too bright either.

If taking the exam was hard, preparing for it was bound to be difficult too.

Professor Beatrice, who had been hesitating for a moment, seemed to recall something and, after a brief pause, carefully began to speak.

“Cecilia, you know the name, right?“

“The sunbae who won a medal.”

How could I not know that name?

Putting aside the time she shouted at Kalen, who was yelling about the lily knight of the academy, to be quiet, she was a figure impossible not to know for anyone familiar with the original story.

If you were to pick one of the popular characters in the game, Cecilia de Lauren would definitely be among them.

If you didn’t know her, you couldn’t call yourself a Lapidemy user.

“Be careful.”

Be careful of what?! Before I could even ask, Professor Beatrice, as if she was done with her business, hopped on her witch’s broom and flew straight up into the sky.

Should I ride the Circle of Wind and engage in a chase?

The moment my contemplation ended, someone gently tapped my shoulder.

“Excuse me—”

A calm voice with a somewhat cool edge.

As she approached, the scent of lilies quietly spread.

It was a sweet yet cold, somehow sacred yet precarious scent.

“Cecilia… sunbae.”

Her sky-blue silver hair shimmered like cold steel under the sunlight.

Even without any adornment, she exuded a perfect beauty, like a garden statue.

Normally, I would have been happy to be approached by such a beauty, but not now.

How long has it been since I heard Professor Beatrice’s warning to ‘be careful’, and I’m already encountering her?

“Do you have a moment?”

No, I don’t.

I wanted to refuse firmly, but at some point, I felt a sharp gaze.

Where I followed the gaze that felt like it would pierce my skin… there were people hiding and glaring at me.

It was the Silver Lily Study Group, Cecilia de Lauren’s unofficial fan club.

If I get rejected, wouldn’t I be assassinated by the Silver Lily Study Group instead of Caelus?

“Of course, sunbae!”

I had no choice, damn it.

What kind of tyranny is this for a first-year student who is already busy preparing for exams?

Suppressing my sad heart, I meekly followed behind Cecilia-sunbaenim as she led the way.

With a blunt face, sunbae took a seat at a cafe not too far away within the academy.

During our walk, I tried to escape whenever a few female students approached and spoke friendly to sunbae, but all my attempts failed.

Arriving at the cafe near the academy building, sunbae nodded her head.

“A drink you want to have.”

“An espresso, five shots.”

The only savior that could save me, caffeine!

Her expression contorted for a moment, as if she had heard a bizarre order, but the drink came out quickly.

The espresso I ordered was as black as poison, and Cecilia-sunbae hid the drink she ordered.

I don’t know the reason for hiding the drink she’s having, so let’s just not pay it any mind.

Downing the caffeine in one go, I felt a little more alive.

“Could you now explain the reason you called me?”

“The reason I called you is….”

Cecilia-sunbae blinked her eyes several times.

Ah, if you’re going to call someone, please just tell me quickly.

The precious time of the exam period, where every minute and second counts, is ticking away.

My legs trembled with anxiety and impatience, but I forced the corners of my mouth up, pretending to be fine.

“Will you spar with me?”

Cecilia-sunbae, who had been hesitating for a long time, finally dropped the bomb.

And the thought that came to my mind upon hearing that bombshell was this.

‘Ah, good thing I swallowed that espresso.’

If I hadn’t, I surely would have sprayed the espresso right in Cecilia’s face.

“Um, Cecilia-sunbae.”

The ‘4D beauty’ that always worked on people. It had now become a genre of its own.

And when 4D beauties were popular, the character who gained popularity in that category was Cecilia de Lauren.

A noble and beautiful woman of the silver lily, but with somewhat lacking social skills, and in contrast, perfect martial prowess.

In fact, it would have been strange if she hadn’t gained popularity. And, such a Cecilia—

‘Spar with me, Descendant of the Hero.’

After winning the medal, she had approached Lucius and proposed it.

But, I never thought she would approach me! I thought she would go to Lucius, the Descendant of the Hero and the medal holder.

How was I supposed to know that being a medal holder held more importance than the title of Descendant of the Hero?!

“I’m a magician, so I’m definitely not as strong as you think, sunbae.”

I can never be the kind of strong person Cecilia wants. On the contrary, I’m hopelessly weak, unlike her expectations.

“Professor Evan is strong too.”

“Who are you comparing with whom right now!”

I stood up abruptly, flabbergasted, and shouted.

“Sit.”

Cecilia immediately stuck a small knife into the table and spat out the word as if scolding me.

That’s a real sword, right? I meekly sat back down in my chair.

I oppose this threat! I barely managed to swallow the words I couldn’t say and felt a little sad.

She’s too violent, is this really a lily knight….

“Please don’t compare the Empire’s best and strongest magician with a mere first-year rookie magician.”

The title of the Empire’s best and strongest wasn’t won in some gambling den.

How dare she compare someone like me to my father.

At my firm denial, Cecilia-sunbae clicked her tongue as if disappointed.

Did she think I would fight her if she used my father as an excuse?

‘I’m curious about the hero’s power.’

The moment Cecilia declared that, Lucius couldn’t refuse her request.

There was no way the Descendant of the Hero could back down after hearing such a thing.

That’s why I mistakenly thought her curiosity was about the hero’s power.

But I refuse!

A fight is absolutely not happening! An unintended accidental death might actually occur!

“…….”

The gaze that was gauging how to make me fight was, as expected, frightening.

“Sunbae, I should go and prepare for my final exams now—”

“Five years’ worth of cheat sheets.”

The moment the five words came out of Cecilia-sunbae’s mouth, my body flinched.

“Lerwon-sunbae or Laurel-sunbae can also get cheat sheets.”

“Even for five years’ worth of cheat sheets from a top student for five years?”

My eyes wavered.

There’s no way such a sweet deal could… exist, right?

No, I can’t fall for it!

Theo Lisitoel, this is cheese on a trap. You must not fall for—

“With reports and notes analyzing the professor’s in-class remarks as a bonus.”

“Deal.”

I grabbed sunbae’s hand without hesitation.

Ah… I feel like I’ve dug my own grave again.

“A good choice.”

On her serene face, a smile as delicate as the tip of a blade flickered.

The moment I saw it, I couldn’t help but realize.

I’ve really been had this time…!

“Good, then let’s fight right now.”

“Aren’t you going to take your drink?”

“It’s fine, I just bought it because I couldn’t not buy it.”

Hey, no way. I have information on Cecilia.

Cecilia, who seemed like she would quietly savor herbal tea in some elegant garden, had the exact opposite taste.

“That’s your favorite, the bunny macaron latte, isn’t it?”

The special drink sold only at this small cafe in the academy was Cecilia’s absolute favorite.

At my remark, her elegant face turned red for the first time.

Oops, this was a secret!

“Could you… explain how you know that?”

Sunbae, her face bright red, held a sword to my neck. I raised both my hands and confessed.

“Please, just spare my life.”

I still want to live, Cecilia-sunbae.

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