Chapter 18

"…Well, shall we hear your explanation?"

Hmm. It means I have to explain why my grades have improved so much… Can I even do that!

There’s no way I can say that I started liking studying after remembering that I was reincarnated from another world…

"The only way I can put it is that I studied like my life depended on it for the past three months."

I told the truth to the extent that I could explain.

"Hmph. That’s a cliché.

I can’t just accept that as an answer to this evaluation result."

Godorphen sighed deeply and then glared at me sharply.

The air grew tense.

"I believe the true purpose of an exam is to reflect on one’s past behavior through the exam, to introspect from the results, and to strive for further improvement.

I hate the scum who cheat in such a place for self-improvement the most.

I can immediately revoke your qualification on the spot based on my judgment.

Answer with that in mind.

…Don’t think you can get away with a lie!"

"Ah!"

A scream came from a classmate.

Godorphen, the saint?

Just a little intimidation from him feels as oppressive as when my mother is angry.

…Indeed, he’s not someone I can lie to.

I opened my mouth carefully.

"…I have a top-notch tutor… His name is Zold Vainforce.

Thanks to Zold, I’m here today."

I decided to pin everything on Zold.

"Zold Vainforce, you say?

Hmph. I’ve never heard of him.

Do you mean to say that a mere tutor could improve your grades so drastically?"

Godorphen tapped the paper in front of him while staring intently into my eyes.

Of course, the king’s confidant wouldn’t know Zold.

"He’s not a famous tutor.

But he’s undoubtedly top-notch.

After all, I, who used to hate studying, started to study day and night.

…That day is still vivid in my memory.

Zold told me that he could see the glorious future I would grasp.

He said that if I didn’t pass, I would die to apologize.

From that day on, I changed.

In the past three months, I’ve slept only three hours a day and mostly eaten emergency rations for breakfast and lunch.

The rest of the time, I’ve dedicated to self-improvement."

It’s not a lie. I just summarized the key points.

Pik. Godorphen’s eyebrows raised slightly.

"…What do you think about the recently released salami-flavored ones?"

"They’re a deviation from the norm."

I answered immediately.

"That was something I produced."

…

……

It seems my qualification hasn’t been revoked yet… That was close.

I need to be more careful.

"Zold didn’t just teach me exam techniques, but also my heart.

Always in a state of war—

The old tutor often said, ‘This is a battlefield, you know?’

Even though he was old, he spared no time, not even for a five-minute break, and didn’t even go to the bathroom, wearing a diaper, to focus on me…

His back constantly urged me to discard my sweet heart and strive for improvement!"

I’m still not lying.

What I think about his back is my own business!

"An unbelievable story.

To think that a man with such resolve would be content with being a mere tutor in a rural viscount’s territory."

Godorphen stroked his white beard with a suspicious look.

"I don’t know how Zold ended up in our viscount’s territory.

But at the very least, my sister and I… My sister, who graduated from the noble school last year and entered the Advanced Magic Tool Research Academy in the capital, would have had a completely different life without Zold.

In this short period, we’ve shown results.

That clearly demonstrates the capabilities of Zold Vainforce."

I’m not exaggerating at all! It’s a close call!

There’s also the butterfly effect!

No one knows what would have happened to us without Zold!

"Last year, I heard that the Research Academy took a talented girl from Dragoon.

So, that talented girl was also raised by this Zold Vainforce, you say…"

"Kya-ha-ha-ha!

How amusing.

To think that the background of the ‘Furious Rosa,’ who is rumored to neglect even bathing to focus on research, had such a secret…"

Fey licked her lips with eyes that gleamed like a carnivorous feline.

It’s just laziness!

Stop steering the conversation in a dangerous direction!

It was just starting to feel like things were going well!

But then, another unexpected person reacted.

"‘Furious Rosa’?

Could Allen be the brother of the victim of the ‘Red Carpet Incident’!?"

Al looked at me with a shocked expression.

◆

Looking around the classroom, I saw other classmates whispering with surprised faces.

Ah, my head is spinning…

What did that sister of mine do…

"What is this ‘Furious Rosa’ and ‘Red Carpet Incident’ you speak of…?"

Godorphen glared at me, but I don’t know…

I don’t want to hear it anyway, it’s bound to be a bad story.

"Anyway, I swear here, by the name of Zold Vainforce, that I have not cheated!"

"Can you tell us more?"

Ignoring me, Godorphen returned to his kindly old man demeanor and asked Al gently.

"It’s not a proud story for the Endymion Dukedom…

Four years ago, during the royal academy’s exam, the heir of the Endymion Dukedom forcibly approached a certain young lady on the cut-off lawn, and as a result, over 60 candidates from the Endymion Dukedom were sent to the hospital.

Since then, in Endymion, it has been strictly forbidden to talk to people from other regions during the royal academy’s exams…"

I don’t want to hear it.

"I know the story of the foolish son and the unfortunate young lady.

It seems he forcefully tried to make her his concubine, and when she initially refused, he grabbed her arm and tried to force a contract, which enraged her, and she and her entourage were drowned in a sea of blood."

I don’t want to hear it!

"According to the post-incident analysis by the security team, it was clear that the young lady was the victim, but they also raised two staff members who tried to intervene.

The Endymion family, to protect their name, had the foolish son disowned and both sides were punished, which was a very unfair outcome.

The key young lady, who announced on the spot that she would withdraw from the exam, never came forward for any discussion or explanation, which led to such an unfair judgment."

…That sister of mine… She must have manipulated the information to avoid explaining to Mother…

After my awakening, I thought it was strange…

With 10,000 candidates, the cut-off number was 1.5 times higher that year…

It clearly ignored the law of large numbers.

"Due to the impact of this incident, elite knights were assigned to guard the royal academy’s exams from the following year.

At the time, I, who was still the deputy commander of the knights, received many reports and consultations.

This story, which took place at the traditional royal academy’s exam venue, was so shocking that a gag order was imposed, but as they say, you can’t put a lock on people’s mouths."

"Kya-ha-ha-ha! Kya-ha-ha-ha!

Ah, how amusing. I’ve never heard this story before."

Fey laughed with tears in her eyes.

What’s so amusing?

Is there more?

I’m already full.

"I heard that the victim, who still harbors intense anger towards Endymion, is called the ‘Furious Rosa’… I never thought Allen was her brother…"

I can say with certainty.

My sister doesn’t remember who she hit at all.

She probably forgot by the time she got home.

"…Hmm… I see.

The teachings of ‘Always in a state of war’ by Zold Vainforce…"

Oh no, the old man is starting to see something he shouldn’t…

If this continues, it will be irreparable.

"No, no, it’s not a violent teaching, but rather a metaphor for working hard…"

"Despite being the victim, she abandoned her path to the royal academy on the spot without any explanation.

Moreover, boy… You didn’t know until now?

A mere 12-year-old girl swallowed everything inside without even an excuse to her family…

The fact that she climbed from the noble school to the Advanced Magic Tool Research Academy on her own is nothing short of admirable…

I thought it was a disgusting story, but it’s actually quite refreshing."

"No, no, no, if you think about it, the sister who sent over 60 people to the hospital is the perpetrator, and to begin with, there’s no connection between my sister’s efforts in Dragoon and Zold—"

"As you said earlier, nurturing the heart is the most difficult…

I, who have seen many young people in the knights for a long time, understand this deeply.

But once a heart is nurtured, like your sister’s, it becomes an invaluable asset.

As someone who also holds a teaching position, I would like to learn from this Zold Vainforce.

…I want him in this academy."

"Zold Vainforce is from Dragoon?

Don’t think he can be easily taken out?"

Fey, who didn’t even know Zold’s name until just now, suddenly put on a noble air and claimed ownership.

Godorphen glared at Fey.

Fey coolly brushed it off.

The quick-witted A-class classmates, foreseeing what would happen next, quickly jotted down the name ‘Zold Vainforce’ to inform their families.

◆

Thus, a fierce national competition to acquire the legendary tutor, Zold Vainforce, who even made the king’s confidant, Godorphen von Vanquish, want to learn from him, began.

That, however, is another story.

2022/08/03 Revised

I made some minor adjustments to the beginning.