Chapter 54
Silvia's declaration: “The exam has already begun.”
The A-Class Students were naturally flustered by the sudden announcement, but their agitation was surprisingly short-lived.
The class with Professor Rian as their Professor in Charge. They were the Students who had enjoyed the privilege of observing him most closely over the past few months.
They remembered the achievements he had made. They remembered the things he had accomplished. They remembered the unconventional path he had shown them.
Professor Rian was someone who rejected the ordinary. He was a Genius Professor who always surpassed everyone's expectations and was never bound by the frameworks created by common people.
“...Indeed. There's no way Professor Rian would have prepared a common Written Exam that's found everywhere.”
Siel's words were filled with conviction.
He was someone who belonged not only to A-Class but also to the Swordsmanship Lecture. He had personally witnessed countless times how uniquely and ingeniously Professor Rian taught his Students.
At the words spoken by the Boy, who was handsome enough to be mistaken for a girl, everyone in A-Class wore a troubled expression.
However, their concern wasn't about whether those words were true, or if Professor Rian was just slacking off and they were overthinking it.
It was already confirmed that this was some kind of exam. They were merely agonizing over what its content could be.
The answer didn't come easily. They tried to analyze the note Professor Rian had left, believing something was hidden in it, but it ultimately ended in failure.
Unable to watch any longer, it was the Second Imperial Princess of the Empire who stepped forward.
“How we respond to a situation like this is clearly part of the exam. I tried to refrain from intervening, but... he must have wanted us to cooperate rather than compete with each other.”
It wasn't about crushing opponents. It was about combining strengths when necessary, and even if they competed, it was in a healthy way. A proper Rivalry where everyone grew together, stimulating each other.
Knowing that this was Rian's ideal, Silvia shared the information she had realized without any hesitation.
“Has everyone forgotten? He always taught us how to fish, not just gave us fish.”
He didn't explain the Mana Reinforcement training gun. Most regular classes were self-study oriented. He only taught about runes once.
A thorough Laissez-faire Approach. Those who didn't understand might call it laziness.
But everyone here knew.
That Laissez-faire Approach stemmed from love.
*My students can learn anything. My students can understand this much. My students can see through my true intentions.*
Endless trust and faith in his Students.
“He even entrusted the exam to us.”
In this day and age, the meaning of exams had become severely distorted.
Exams were supposed to be a “means” to check how well one had learned so far. But now, everyone was treating high scores as the “purpose” of learning.
Therefore, Professor Rian had revived its original intent.
“Solving Exam Questions won't provide any evaluation. You are to evaluate the learning and strength you've accumulated over these past few months with your own hands.”
Professor Rian must have said something like that.
He delegated the authority of the exam to the Students. He entrusted the evaluation of themselves to themselves.
What tasks to set for themselves. How to evaluate the results of those tasks. All free.
It was something unimaginable by common sense, but precisely because of that, Professor Rian's trust felt even greater. *He must have thought he could trust his Disciples with this.*
“Professor Rian would probably even accept it if we wrote down our own self-assessed scores on a blank sheet of paper.”
*His Students would never deceive him with lies.*
He was such an upright Human, believing that wholeheartedly. Therefore, this evaluation was incredibly simple. Anyone could easily get a perfect score. There was no need to stress about their grades like Students in other classes.
But even if an easy path clearly existed. Even if everyone could be happy by taking only that easy path.
“Among the people gathered here, there's no one who would really tuck their tail and choose to run away, right? Isn't that so?”
They couldn't fail to meet Professor Rian's expectations.
No, they had to show results that far exceeded his expectations, and truly surprise him this time.
“We are A-Class Students. Students of the class he personally teaches. Students learning under the most excellent Professor should naturally be the most excellent Students.”
An undeniable truth.
Whether they were Course Students of the Swordsmanship Lecture or Course Students of the Magic Lecture. They had to achieve accomplishments that would overwhelm everyone. Because they were his true Disciples.
“As his Disciples, let's go and bring glory to his name!”
A Female Student shouted that. Silvia finally nodded with satisfaction.
However, this was the prelude to a great journey. In every adventure story, villains who obstruct the Heroes are bound to appear.
“E-everyone! Please, you have to stop here.”
A B-Class Student and Course Student of the Magic Lecture. Cassandra Mayrill spread her arms, blocking everyone.
“You're all seriously mistaken about something. Professor Rian never gave an exam like that!”
A lot of time had already passed. If Professor Scott of B-Class had finished his Practical Exam, they should just be celebrating and having fun.
But here she was, coming all the way to another class to cause a scene.
“I saw it through my Crystal Ball! Professor Rian is currently getting a massage from Beastkin at the Fluffy Club!”
Cassandra declared boldly in front of everyone.
“If you truly care about Professor Rian, you need to get him out of there right now. The divination said that if he stays at the Fluffy Club, he'll get caught up in “complicated” matters...”
However, not a single Student listened to her words. Who would seriously believe Cassandra's prophecy?
Even if it was a prank, she should at least make it sound natural.
How could someone like Professor Rian possibly be surrounded by suspicious Beastkin in a suspicious establishment, experiencing bliss from suspiciously soft hands?
The Mayrills were a rather famous Witch Family. It seemed the current Successor had unfortunately gone mad.
A pitiful Human who couldn't even see his greatness.
Everyone sent her sympathetic glances and left the A-Class Classroom, avoiding Cassandra. Soon, she was left alone.
“Why won't anyone believe me...?”
Prophets were always persecuted in every era.
Only her tearful voice echoed forlornly in the Classroom.
---
The Adventurer, Cole, regretted his Foolishness.
He shouldn't have set foot in the Demonic Realm. There was a reason everyone avoided this place.
Paimon, the 9th Rank. The creator of all Demonic Beasts and a great evil. A land devastated by the Demonic Beasts he created.
Blinded by profit, he had accepted a request he shouldn't have. He had pushed himself to give his Family a better life, but because of that choice, his Mother would lose her child.
No matter how many enemies he killed, they were endless.
Kill one, two appeared. Kill two, four appeared again. Before he knew it, he was surrounded by countless monsters.
*I'll buy time at the front, you guys gather your strength. A gap created by concentrating all firepower at once. Don't miss that small chance, let's all escape.*
He threw himself forward, telling his Party Members that, but the Thief, the Mage, and the Cleric. All of them made a more certain choice than betting on that plan's success.
*Use the foolish Warrior as a Meat Shield. A comrade is just bait to feed the Demonic Beasts.*
All the Party Members had abandoned Cole and fled.
Thump, thump, footsteps vibrated the ground. A giant monster was approaching to crush him.
He had no energy left to escape. The mana for Body Reinforcement was already completely depleted.
He had given away his Healing Potions, thinking the Mage could use them more effectively than his sturdy self, so he had none left.
But what could he resent?
He was the one who had fallen head over heels for the Mage's face. He was the one who had jumped into a death trap, aiming for a quick fortune.
His parents, who couldn't even ask for medical expenses lest they burden their child. He was the one who had boasted of making a name for himself and giving them a luxurious life, making promises beyond his capabilities.
His own Foolishness had brought about all these consequences.
The footsteps grew louder and louder. Close enough to feel the monster's breath.
Cole instinctively knew the approaching end and closed his eyes.
Then, a *thwack* sound echoed.
Blood splattered. But for some reason, it wasn't Cole's blood.
Thick, blue blood. The head of the giant monster was utterly smashed by a Chain Mace.
Someone had defeated the Demonic Beast in his stead. They had definitively ended the life of the monster that was trying to kill him.
Normally, it would be a situation to rejoice, believing salvation had arrived.
But Cole's face turned pale instead. It would have been stranger if he hadn't turned pale.
“In following the will of the Heavenly God, how could I be so negligent as to merely walk on two feet?!”
A creature drenched in blue blood and entrails.
It approached, moving on all fours in a bizarre manner, like a mix of a frog, a huntsman spider, and a tentacled monster.
“Christiana, the most loyal servant of the Heavenly God! Not on two feet, but on four, I shall swiftly traverse the battlefield like a wild dog, proving four times my devotion to you!”
A head spinning wildly, 360 degrees. The Chain Mace attached to her helmet slaughtered enemies.
Cole's hands and feet trembled at the wicked laughter.
...Such a creature couldn't possibly be Human.
It seemed Cole had encountered a terrible Demon.