Chapter 45

People have decided to call this by the technical term, eokkae-ppang.

Suddenly shoulder-bumped, I ignored the hand offered by the opponent in front of me and got up.

Since the opponent came at me like this, he might suddenly apply force to crush my hand.

Because there would be no Academy student who didn’t know that I was so weak that my hand bones would all shatter under Lucian’s grip.

“Are you okay?”

Okay, my ass, my shoulder is throbbing to death.

I wanted to rain down curses right away, but since it was disguised as an accident, I couldn’t.

Rather, he would be expecting me to get all worked up and go on a rampage right now.

But just taking it is annoying, you know?

“I’m fine, it’s not gentlemanly to point out that your eyesight is bad.”

Serving my opponent a big ‘X you’ with a smile was my area of expertise.

“…Thank you for understanding.”

I hear a bbadeudeuk sound from his teeth.

Did he really think I would just take it? I’m not a pushover like Lucian.

“Let’s see how it is.”

Before I could even give a proper refusal, the nameless guy strode over and grabbed my shoulder.

“!!!!!”

For a moment, a silent scream erupted.

Did I hear the sound of bone crushing? It hurt so much that tears almost came out.

Fortunately, I was somewhat used to pain, so I was able to endure it.

“Should I take you to the nurse’s office?”

Despite the pain, I gritted my teeth at the clear hostility I felt.

It was obvious that he would pretend not to know and hit me on the way to the nurse’s office.

“It’s fine, Ignatz Schreiden.”

It hurt so much that I even remembered the opponent’s name. He was the student who had complained about his grade to Professor Beatrice in the exam earlier.

So, since he couldn’t argue with Professor Beatrice anymore, he’s bullying me in this cowardly way?

“I’m really sorry.”

“And I’m telling you I’m fine. You’re not an idiot who can’t understand what people say, are you?”

For a moment, my words came out harshly.

I hadn’t openly cursed, but in the slowly becoming tense atmosphere, Ignatz took a slight step back.

Lerwon, who was trying to grasp the situation, also approached me as the atmosphere turned strange.

“Theo, are you okay?”

No, I’m not okay. I think my shoulder is dislocated. No, is it completely shattered?

Anyway, I don’t even dare to touch my shoulder.

“You’re not going to tell the professor about this, are you? That’s cowardly.”

Perhaps thinking that the situation was turning strange, Ignatz asked hastily.

“That’s my choice.”

The little bastard is scared that the other professors will find out.

If that’s the case, he shouldn’t have started a fight in the first place!

“I’m just saying there’s no need to make it a conflict between our families, why are you twisting my words?

“Isn’t this not a matter for you to add a word to right now?”

You son of a bitch.

Barely swallowing the true feelings that almost came out, I urged Lerwon to hurry up and go.

Lerwon nodded and helped me up, and we left the place.

Before going to the nurse’s office, I quickly went to the bathroom to check my shoulder, and it was bruised black and blue in the shape of his palm print.

“Hey─”

Lerwon’s flustered face was clear, as if he hadn’t expected this.

“Hahaha.”

As for me, a hollow laugh came out.

Right, since I’ve been hanging out with Zephyros and Lucian lately, I forgot that I’m a human with this kind of terrible durability.

It’s been a long time since I’ve felt so damn crappy.

Gritting my teeth, I swept my hair up.

“Damn son of a bitch.”

Curses just rolled off my tongue.

If this were to be broadcast, about half of it would be bleeped out. After about 10 minutes of spewing curses, my anger finally subsided a little.

If he thought I would just let this go, he’s in for a big surprise.

“Sunbae, let’s go to the nurse’s office.”

I can’t just let this go.

The price for messing up someone else’s shoulder will be very harsh.

Sparks flew from my eyes.

* * *

“Theo─”

Since my father is a professor, I didn’t meet him privately during the exam period.

It was a kind of conscience.

However, that was a story from an hour ago.

The shoulder, completely exposed for treatment, had turned a dark blue color, looking serious to anyone’s eyes.

“Artemia.”

“I thought I should show it to you before the healing magic. Theo wanted that too.”

As the professor who explained that used healing magic, the color gradually faded and returned to its original healthy hue.

As expected, Professor Artemia’s magic skills are top-notch.

“Thank you, Professor.”

Although it had returned to its original color, my father’s gaze as he examined my shoulder was murderous. To the point where if that guy, Ignatz Schreiden, were in front of him, he might even torture him.

“Ignatz of the Schreiden family, you say?”

“Yes.”

After answering my father, I moved my arm around. The throbbing pain still remained, but it wasn’t bad.

“Although he disguised it as a mistake, there was a clear intention.”

“Why?”

My father asked at Lerwon’s words.

“Because I did a little too well on the exam?”

He must have been annoyed.

X-bal, this is so X-ing annoying. He can’t pick a fight with Zephyros, who’s from a ducal family, but since he’s from a marquis family, he thought he could mess with me, from a count family?

If Zephyros or Lucian had been next to me, he wouldn’t have picked a fight so openly.

I barely swallowed the curses rolling around in my mouth. I have to teach that damn bastard that life is a battlefield.

“I can’t just let this go.”

Don’t make a big deal out of it?

From the moment he said that, I’ve been planning to make this a X-na big deal.

“This is a matter of the professors’ authority.”

It had been a long time since I felt my blood boil.

My friends used to call me a ‘mad dog’.

The reason was simple. When I saw red, I would bite anything without looking back and forth.

“Right now, Ignatz has personally harmed a student who got a good score for the reason that he was dissatisfied with the professor’s score. If this isn’t disrespecting the professor, what is it?”

It’s fine to call me petty. But I won’t stand for it.

I was already pissed off enough by the shoulder bump, but to completely mess it up?

If he thought I was a sweet-potato like the protagonist just because I hung out with Lucian, he’s gravely mistaken.

“This is absolutely not something to just let go.”

Even if I can’t get you expelled, I’ll completely mess up your Academy life. No more, no less, just like my shoulder.

“I would like to recommend a disciplinary hearing after the midterms are over.”

It will be a very harsh price, Ignatz Schreiden.

* * *

“Hey, is your shoulder okay?”

“Yeah, it’s fine.”

Because it was treated. After a little time passed, the slight throbbing also completely disappeared.

“Isn’t that guy a crazy bastard?!”

Zephyros, who had been away for a short while during dinner, was fuming after hearing the news late.

“Yeah, he’s a crazy bastard. So, I’m not just letting it go.”

What on earth did he take me for? A pushover or a chump who would just take it? Ah, just thinking about it again pisses me off.

“Does he think his noble title is everything?”

Did he think he could just get away with it because Lisitoel is a count family and he’s from a marquis family?

If so, that was truly ridiculous. To look down on the family whose master is the strongest magician, just because he’s a count.

“We’ll see.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Sunbae already told me everything.”

The information network of a former heir of Golden was tremendous.

In fact, even secret secrets I didn’t want to know were all laid bare, to the point where the thought, ‘Isn’t that an invasion of privacy…?’ flashed through my mind for a moment.

It was to the point where it was scary to wonder if there was anything sunbae didn’t know. Thanks to that, I also have a plan on how to screw him over.

“You know.”

“What?”

“…Never mind.”

I can only hope that the number of Zephyros’s underwear hasn’t been exposed to Golden.

And my own, while we’re at it. Ah, I should include Lucian too.

As expected, Iris was a scary woman.

Ugh, goosebumps broke out on my body and I trembled without realizing it.

* * *

As long as the midterms were still going on, I had to take the exams.

I can’t screw that guy over right now, damn it! How frustrating!

But I can’t screw up my own grades just to screw him over.

“Is your shoulder really okay?”

I nodded at Lucian’s concern.

“Hey, don’t you trust Professor Artemia’s skills?”

“…I heard that if you receive healing magic too frequently, its effect diminishes.”

“What are you talking about─”

I did receive it a lot. At this point, it would be fine to say that the nurse’s office is my home.

I silently turned my head away to avoid Lucian’s gaze. I rotated my shoulder, trying to pretend I was fine.

The ‘Utilization and Understanding of Mana’ practical exam was held in the same training ground as yesterday.

Almost all Academy students take this class. Which means, Ignatz Schreiden also takes this class.

The moment Ignatz tried to approach me, Zephyros approached me first and grabbed my shoulder. The same shoulder that guy had intentionally crushed yesterday.

“Hey, why are you so late?”

“Just. I was checking a few things.”

As expected, power is the best.

The guy who was about to approach me threateningly just opened and closed his mouth, and then quickly backed away as if nothing had happened.

Why did you have to be so petty? Since I’m also quite a petty person, I’m not going to let it go.

Professor Beatrice entered.

“We will begin the midterm exam for the ‘Utilization and Understanding of Mana’ lecture from Imperial standard time 13:30.”

The beginning of the exam was the same as yesterday.

The magitools that monitor student cheating split and followed all the students, and perhaps because I took the exam yesterday, it felt familiar.

“As previously announced, the exam is to analyze the magic I cast and use it in the same way.”

For a moment, the jewel on Professor Beatrice’s bracelet seemed to shine, and a magic circle appeared in front of every student.

The sight of dozens of magic circles appearing at the same time was quite magnificent.

Is this what it means to be a professor at the Academy?

I wondered how many times I would have to practice this magic to be able to do this, and then I belatedly came to my senses.

This isn’t the time to be thinking about such things.

The magic Beatrice used was a presence detection magic.

It seemed to be a method that the professor had developed herself, as it wasn’t the standard method written in the books. It also seemed to have been partially improved to be used more quickly and easily.

Perhaps because of that, it looked a little unstable. If the flow were to be disturbed even slightly, it would disappear.

However, that didn’t mean that I couldn’t use the same magic.

Rather, it was a problem because it was too simple. Because all I had to do was use mana following the ‘visible’ flow.

As I copied the magic circle in an instant, the same magic circle appeared in front of me.

“First place, Theo Lisitoel.”

Professor Beatrice’s surprised voice flowed out.

Hmm? Is this something to be surprised about?

It wasn’t a difficult magic, right? And it was just a matter of drawing the flow of mana in the same way.

What’s so difficult about that─

Huh? Did I make a mistake or something…?

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