471 Chapter 471: Theoretical exams and results (1/2)

Let's skip the next month or so and go straight to the exams, because nothing of note happened in between. Not unless you want me to elaborate on training, which…let's be honest, is pretty boring. It was just me telling and demonstrating to Adrian and Melina various sword techniques and magic spells. Well, Melina didn't need much in the way of magic spells because she was already a genius in that aspect, but since I knew wood magic and Adrian was trying to master the Stuart style swordsmanship that possessed tremendous affinity with the wood element, I might as well help him out with that.

Otherwise…nothing happened.

”Good luck with your exams,” I told the both of them before we started our journey toward school one day. As I said, we had reached the end of the month, so about three weeks or less after the whole incident in Lupin City with the Cyclops Rats.

”It's just theory exams today,” Adrian replied dryly. ”No big deal. I'm more worried about the practical exams.”

”Hey, don't underestimate the theoretical exams,” I told him sternly. ”Even if it's just filling out answers on paper with a pen, that doesn't make it any less difficult. They still determine your overall scores, and knowledge is power. The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance. It's good to excel in fighting and magic, but you need the theoretical knowledge to truly master combat and spells. Without theoretical knowledge, you would never be able to learn how to cast your spells.”

”That's true,” Adrian admitted, but he brightened up with a smile. ”Don't worry. I'm confident in my theory exams. I've always scored consistently well on them. I won't say I'm the top of class, but I have no difficulties passing them.”

I nodded, already aware of Adrian's ability. Then I glanced at Melina and smiled reassuringly at her. If Adrian was competent and above average, then Melina was a genius and an elite who frequently ranked at the top of theoretical exam scores. She certainly put in a lot of effort into studying, to make up for her lack of swordsmanship, and to prove to her family that she could not merely meet but in fact surpass their expectations.

As such I was confident that Melina would perform well, and I had faith that Adrian would pass at the very least. I was blessed with two diligent students, who rarely let me down. I didn't have to worry about them flunking, not like all those characters you often read about in shounen manga, who were for some reason always bad at studying.

”What about you, Sensei? You spent so much time training us. Will you be all right with your own exams?”

Melia voiced her concerns. I shrugged, aware that Saint Teresa Academy still required exchange students like me to take exams. We couldn't be seen slacking off and doing nothing while the official students worked their asses off. Besides, some people might abuse the system to their advantage to avoid taking exams by applying for exchange programs, so…yeah, they clamped down on that. Not that I cared. I was used to taking exams, being someone who chose to study for most of his career prior to his death. What could you expect from a study maniac insane enough to apply for graduate school?

”Don't worry about it,” I assured her with a smile. ”I studied consistently, and did all my homework, so I should theoretically be able to pass without any problems. I won't be as good at exams as you, but I shouldn't fail. I hope.”

Melina's eyes widened at my last utterance, but I waved her worries away with a forced chuckle. Even though I couldn't guarantee that I would pass my theoretical exams, I didn't want her blaming herself and worrying herself sick over my own circumstances, so I had to at least fabricate a façade of confidence at least.

”Focus on your own exams. Let me worry about mine on my own, all right?”

”Okay…” Melina didn't look convinced, but she was the student and I was her private tutor. In other words, she had to obey my orders.

”All right, let's go!”

With that, I led the way to school.

*

A week later, right before the practical exams were due to take place, the results for the theoretical exams were out.

After splitting up with Adrian and Melina, I proceeded to the high school section. As usual, I watched the duo break off and proceed to the middle school section before I resumed my journey to my classroom. Even though I was an exchange student, I still took my ice magic lessons with Teacher Einsberg seriously.

I mean, I wanted to master ice magic, so obviously I had to put in as much effort as possible, right?

While I strode through the courtyard leading to the main school building, I caught sight of a large crowd of students in white and maroon uniforms gathering in front of a gigantic holographic bulletin board. The huge hologram hovered in the open, and displayed upon its blue-tinted screen was a list of names that were ranked according to numerical scores.

”Look!” one of the female students pointed the electronic bulletin board to her friend. ”The ranking list for the latest semester exam is out!”

Her friend, a girl with light brown hair, followed her friend's gaze and gasped.

”Wow, Zhao Yan takes first place again.”

Who?

For a moment, I had no idea who they were talking about, even though those names sounded extremely familiar. Then I suddenly realized why I thought I had heard the name before. It belonged to what we could call a celebrity in school.

Nan Gong Zhao Yan was one of the two famous beautiful twin sisters who were often gossiped about and held in high regard as Saint Teresa Academy's twin idols. Come to think of it, I had frequently caught glimpses of Zhao Yan and her twin sister, Ji Yan, when exploring the school premises, but I never actually interacted with them.

The reason was mostly because they were always surrounded by male and female fans alike.

Well, it was none of my business. I stopped and scanned the holographic bulletin board for my name and quickly found it. I was nowhere near the top, of course. Instead, I was ranked a mere forty-eighth. Then again, forty-eighth out of over five hundred second year high school students in Saint Teresa Academy wasn't bad, considering that I was still within the top ten percent. It was unfortunate, but I was neither a genius who could consistently get into the very pinnacle of thereotical rankings, nor was I a hopeless student rooted at the bottom like those shounen manga or light novel protagonists so common in anime adaptations.

I knew that manga, anime and light novel protagonists were often at one extreme end or the other, either being geniuses who were somehow achieving top two rankings or morons who could never study to save their lives, but being stuck in reality, I found myself frequently hovering around the above average mark. Not too bad, but not extremely superb either. Not that I was complaining. Scoring within the top ten percent of my cohort (even if I wasn't among the top ten) was still something to be proud of, after all.

On the other hand, the twin sisters seemed like Mary Sue or villainous characters straight out of a shoujo manga.

”Umm…”

Speak of the devil. Nan Gong Ji Yan had shown up, her trademark twin tails and cute face catching a lot of attention from her schoolmates. One of her friends – and I used the term loosely because it was clear that she was the kind of shallow girls who followed Ji Yan around only because the latter was popular – a girl with a bob-cut, hurried to her.

”Ji Yan, you don't need to look. You're in second place again.”

Was it my imagination, or was there a hint of a sneer in Ji Yan's friend's voice? As I suspected, she was real friend but one of those superficial entourage who tagged along solely to ride on Ji Yan's coattails. What a bitch.