The atmosphere at Witmore Academy was gloomier than usual. That was because the theory exams began today. Perhaps because it was exam day, every student entering the main building looked tense. Of course, the chick-like first-years who had yet to taste the bitterness of exams were an exception.
Ruite was walking along in a slightly tense state as well when he saw the back of a tall man’s head in the distance. Recognizing Chester from behind, Ruite quickened his steps and lightly moved beside him.
“Wh-what is it?”
“I acted with all my might.”
“What?”
“When I sent a reply saying I didn’t think I could go to the luncheon, my parents even contacted me through the dormitory supervisor’s office communication line, you know?”
When the dormitory supervisor’s office said there was a message for him, he had nearly fallen backward in shock. He had thought his parents would accept his reply that he could not go because he was unwell, but apparently not.
At his father’s worried words asking how he could be absent from an occasion where he was one of the main parties, Ruite had gathered every cough he had and did not have and performed the role of a patient flawlessly. His father, completely fooled into believing his condition was no ordinary matter, left him with worried words to take good care of himself and reassured his son that he did not have to attend the luncheon.
“I told you not to worry. I kept my promise, didn’t I?”
“Are you asking me to praise you?”
“How cold. Anyway, you must’ve eaten comfortably since I didn’t go to the luncheon.”
At that moment, Chester stopped dead in place. Then he shot Ruite an extremely fierce look.
“Exams start today. You’re breaking my concentration, so don’t talk to me for no reason.”
Then Chester strode into the building ahead of him.
Ruite looked around for no particular reason. He was checking whether anyone had found it strange that he had quietly spoken with Chester. Of course, there was no need to be this cautious. Nobody would see them standing together and suspect, Could those two possibly be in a political marriage……? But Chester would be wary that even the smallest crumb might have been dropped, so whenever this happened, Ruite naturally checked his surroundings.
Fortunately, everyone seemed too busy fleeing reality from the grim fact that tests began today to spare any attention for their surroundings.
Witmore tests were held twice a year in total, and each round was divided into theory and practical tests. The only distinctive point was that the General Studies Department did not have practical tests and calculated grades solely through theory exams.
Theory exams lasted for three days, while the General Studies Department took them for a total of four days because they had no practical component but more theory subjects to sit.
As for the Department of Swordsmanship and the Department of Magic, their practical tests were held immediately the day after theory exams ended. Since practical grades carried a greater weight in the final grade for both departments, they were extremely important.
During the three days of theory exams, Ruite also exerted every ounce of effort to squeeze out the knowledge stored in his head. The most desperate goal in his current life was having Chester annul the engagement, but to do that, graduating safely from Witmore was nearly just as important.
That was because of the flow of the original story. According to the original story, Chester requested an annulment from Ruite on “graduation day.” But what if Ruite failed due to insufficient grades and could not attend graduation day?
Of course, there was little chance the flow would change drastically from that alone. Even if Ruite could not attend graduation day, Chester might personally come find him and demand an annulment. Still, he did not want to leave even the smallest risk factor behind.
And so, as a result of his frantic effort, he felt he had done fairly well on the theory exams.
“Everyone, good work taking the theory tests.”
Harold tapped the last subject’s exam papers against the teacher’s desk as he organized them. The students, having wrung out every last bit of energy, sprawled over their desks and groaned.
“Who said you could relax? You haven’t forgotten you have the practical test tomorrow, have you?”
Groans immediately burst out. Practical grades were as important as their weighted percentage suggested, so the difficulty of the tests tended to rise with each year level.
Starting in third year, the exam content became completely different from what they had seen in first and second year, conducted in a way that was literally close to “real combat.”
“You’ve probably heard plenty from your seniors, so you should have a rough idea of what kind of test you’ll take…… Tomorrow, gather by the eastern exit by three in the afternoon, not here in this classroom. The details will be announced there. Understood?”
“Yes.”
After telling everyone to manage their condition well, Harold left the classroom.
“Rui, did you do well on the exam?”
On the way back to the dormitory, Colin naturally came up beside him.
“Mm, in my own way?”
“Oh, you sound confident.”
“……I don’t think that’s something I should say in front of you.”
The one with the best grades in the Department of Magic after Chester was Colin Leilgans.
People said Chester had everything, but in Ruite’s opinion, Colin fit those words better. If Chester had one flaw in his personality, Colin was perfect even in that regard.
“Still, I’m worried about tomorrow’s practical. It’s real combat, literally.”
Before they knew it, the two of them had reached the dormitory entrance.
“Yeah, true. I’m nervous.”
“Rui, do you know there’s not a shred of soul in your words?”
Saying that, Colin burst into a small laugh. He busily teased Ruite, saying that at times, Rui acted as though he had already lived through everything the world had to offer.
Colin, imagine learning in advance about a future where you die, and not just die, but meet a gruesome ending at the hands of someone close to you.
A person would have no choice but to become detached.
“When I talk to you, my nerves somehow disappear completely.”
Colin smiled brightly and playfully ruffled Ruite’s hair. Ruite merely narrowed his eyes slightly at the sudden touch and did not avoid it. Just then, footsteps sounded from behind them.
Chester was looking at Ruite with the same expression as always. That sharp gaze really never seemed to change no matter when he saw it.
“Don’t block the way. Move.”
Ruite looked around again. The dormitory entrance was not exactly only right here, so he wondered whether saying they were blocking the way was even accurate.
But when he stepped slightly aside without complaint, Chester brushed past him. Before opening the door and going in, he turned his head and cast his gaze toward Ruite.
“You should probably have a little more tension.”
There was no question whom he meant. From that gaze alone, Ruite could tell that the “you” in that sentence referred to him.
“Did Chester do badly on the exam? He seems to be in a bad mood.”
“Seems that way.”
Ruite laughed awkwardly. It was a relief Colin was cheerful and oblivious. He would never realize that Chester was acting like that simply because he did not like Ruite very much.
“Then I’ll see you tomorrow, Rui.”
“Yeah.”
After entering the dormitory, Ruite parted ways with Colin and headed to his room. Following Harold’s earnest advice, it seemed best to do nothing today, rest properly, and replenish his stamina for tomorrow.
As soon as he entered his room, he tossed his bag into a corner and went straight to the bed. The best thing about Witmore Academy was that every student had a private dormitory room. Because of that, there were no fewer than two dormitory buildings.
They were divided into two buildings: one for first- and second-years, and one for third- and fourth-years. Since they could not have the small number of Omega and Alpha students living together, and operating shared rooms only for Beta students would raise issues of discrimination, it seemed the entire dormitory system was run with private rooms for everyone.
“Ah, I’m tired.”
Sprawled out on the blanket, Ruite groaned and enjoyed his rest. Perhaps because his body had been tense throughout the exams, his shoulders were especially stiff.
Still, once tomorrow passed, the exams would be completely over, so he should be freed from this fatigue for a while.
Hoping tomorrow’s test would pass safely without incident, Ruite slowly closed his eyes.
***
The next day dawned, and the students of Class Three in the Department of Magic, to which Ruite belonged, headed to the eastern entrance at the time Harold had mentioned.
There were a total of three entrances to Witmore’s main building. First, there was a front gate and a rear gate connected to the outside, one each to the south and north, and the remaining entrance was located to the east, where they were now.
Passing through here did not connect to the outside, but rather to a certain area owned by the academy, and this was also a restricted area where entry by unauthorized personnel was prohibited. Naturally, students could not normally come and go here, and were only allowed to enter with a professor’s permission and accompaniment when there was a special reason, such as a test like today.
If one passed through the entrance and kept walking, a dirt road appeared. From this point onward, unlike the clean and beautiful scenery of the academy, the atmosphere changed completely. That was why, when first told that even this area belonged to the academy grounds, most students were surprised.
“Now, is everyone here?”
At Harold’s words, the students standing in three neat rows lifted their heads in unison as though it had been rehearsed and cast their gazes far ahead.
Then, swallowing hard, they quietly stared at the sight spread out before their eyes.