Chapter 4 of the Genius Tamer at the Academy (4/252)

Chapter 4: The Genius Tamer at the Academy

“Huff… Huff.”

I almost made it.

I panted and hurriedly took a seat at the back of the classroom. At the same time, the gazes of the students who had already taken their seats turned towards me.

If I had known it was the first day of the semester, I would have come more quickly.

Unintentionally, I ended up drawing a lot of attention.

Well, considering I was trapped in some unknown cave and almost died, even if I had known, I probably wouldn't have been able to control the situation.

I quickly took a sip of water and leaned back in the hard chair.

Not the protagonist, but a human receiving spotlight not far from the protagonist.

That was me.

I could hear the obvious murmurs even in my ears.

“Is that… Han Shixa?”

“Yeah, right?”

“It seems to be him, doesn’t it?”

Hmm.

“How did that guy advance?”

“Did he beg his way out?”

“Wasn’t he failing his grades?”

I had expected this level of attention.

I shrugged and calmly met their gazes.

As they had guessed, Han Shixa was indeed in danger of being expelled from school.

Whether it was through the family's influence, a bit of money, or a glimpse of potential seen in his overwhelming magic, he had barely survived to the first year through the professors' recommendations.

Even so, with it being a one-time deal, there would be no luck in the second year.

I didn’t want to be overwhelmed by the urgency.

I took a moment to look around.

The wooden blackboard and the well-polished desks.

The atmosphere recreated the world of the original work, a blend of modern and medieval elements, which made me roll my eyes for a moment.

With this wretched body.

What should I do to survive on this high-end and dangerous stage?

There were many things to think about, not just to admire.

I should maintain a sense of ease but not become lazy.

“Let’s see, failing the first exam of the semester, right?”

“Ugh… Surely, we won’t be assigned to the same major, right?”

“Wouldn’t he go to the Spirit Law major?”

“I doubt he can even get near it, let alone pass.”

From the idle chatter, it seemed the second-year opening exam to determine majors was approaching.

My top priorities were clear.

First, survive.

Second, graduate from the school.

Even though Ardel Academy is a brutal field of competition, I had to graduate from here.

Why?

Because I need to survive.

No matter how much of a useless trash Han Shixa was, having grown up in a wealthy family, he had been expelled due to his countless trolling acts.

If I flunk out and get expelled, I would probably be kicked out of the family without a trace.

I shouldn’t count on family support.

Instead, a diploma would be a solid way to earn a living.

Ardel Academy graduates are welcomed with open arms in most places due to their status.

For me, dropped into an unfamiliar world, it’s a professional career I can’t afford to lose. I need to secure my diploma, even if it means barely passing.

Instead of getting entangled with the main characters and being dragged into their war.

Very quietly.

Please, quietly.

While living this way, I need to block all the scenarios where Han Shixa dies.

“Why did he die?”

I tapped my fingers on the desk and muttered softly.

A line from the original work flashed through my mind.

Han Shixa did indeed die after doing all the bad things.

That’s true, but...

There’s something definitely suspicious about it.

“I need to be careful.”

‘Living quietly’ now has ‘living cautiously’ as a passive skill.

I still don’t know exactly why Han Shixa died.

I need to understand the unresolved plot points from the ongoing original work.

The reason I’m already thinking with a not-so-functional brain is simple.

“...”

I don’t want to die.

Selfish, violent, and incompetent.

The third-rate villain extra, Han Shixa, was buried alive in a terrible agony.

Rather than dying from overwork twice, I don’t want to face such a death.

I forced myself to look calm and lifted my head.

The sound of the professor’s shoes echoed in the hallway.

Creak.

The classroom door opened.

* * *

“Hello, Professor!”

A strange sense of authority that immediately focused the students.

The professor, with a square suit and an almost artificial gait, walked to the lectern.

The smile on his lips was calm, but it felt forced.

His dark blue hair and unique attire made him look like a gentleman from medieval England.

His sharp eyes, which seemed to pierce through the students, scanned the room.

One person came to mind.

“Isn’t that Professor Grin?”

“Yeah, he’s known to be very strict.”

“Seeing him here, he must be in charge of the second year?”

“Wow, his exams are no joke.”

Right, Professor Grin from the Magic Department.

He looks strict, and he is.

It’s not that his personality is inherently bad, but...

He loves his students too much, to the point of being overly demanding?

The difficulty and strictness of his exams are so high that even the protagonist, Lee Han, was impressed.

In the original work, the opening exam was also set by him.

“Alright, focus.”

His low voice immediately silenced the students.

Thud, thud.

Professor Grin stood in the center of the lectern, his shoes making a sound.

“This year’s advanced students are quite impressive.”

“...”

“I found your advancement materials quite interesting. Some of you are already showing great potential...”

He continued, sounding quite proud.

Of course, it’s natural.

The author must have filled this year with main character-level characters.

However, the high level of this year’s students is not good news for me.

It means my position is precarious.

Ardel Academy, with a 6-year curriculum and a notoriously intense program, is more like a brutal survival competition.

Out of all these students, only about 10% will graduate with meaningful achievements.

The higher the level of my competitors, the smaller my chances of survival.

“This is brutal.”

What, exactly.

How am I supposed to compete with main character-level students?

If the original plot unfolds, the blackened Han Shixa would grow rapidly and aim for the early villain role, but I need to live quietly without drawing their ire, which is practically impossible.

I need to become strong purely, without using any shortcuts.

Surviving is as tough as the conditions.

Professor Grin’s calm voice continued.

“Of course, there were also many students who did not meet the standards.”

Cough.

Professor Grin’s gaze subtly turned towards me. Then, a cruel statement followed.

“From the second year onwards, as you all know, students who lack ability cannot stay.”

I barely made it through the first year, but from the second year onwards, there’s no room for error.

The upcoming opening exam.

If I fail this, my degree is at risk.

Of course, it wasn’t just aimed at me. More than half of the students here are expected to fail the second-year advancement.

Looking around, I saw several students already nervously biting their nails.

Professor Grin retracted his gaze from me and raised his cane.

“So, let’s announce the schedule for the opening exam to assess your abilities.”

As soon as he finished speaking,

Puff.

A light burst from the cane Professor Grin raised.

“What... is this?”

The surroundings buzzed with excitement.

This was the evaluation method for the opening exam that would determine my first survival.

* * *

“Eh... eh?”

“Wow, what’s this?”

A magical announcement.

Like a transparent holographic window, the announcement for the opening exam floated in the air.

How complex must the spell be to create such a detailed image?

Not just a flat scene, but a detailed and dense announcement floating in the air, something I’ve never seen before.

This is the level of Ardel Academy.

Seeing something from a novel in such a direct way feels different.

I chuckled and quickly read through the announcement.

“Ah, like this...”

Choosing three subjects from various options.

However, there are quotas for subject selection, so not everyone can choose what they want. There doesn’t seem to be anything else to pay special attention to.

A very ordinary announcement.

But knowing the exam content, I swallowed hard.

The first opening exam was notoriously difficult.

I remember the written part being particularly hellish. Just as I was worrying about how to do well on a nearly blank magic test,

Professor Grin spoke.

“Once you’ve confirmed, let’s move on to subject selection. It’s first-come, first-served, but the order is random.”

Poof.

With a simple gesture from Professor Grin, the floating announcement disappeared without a trace.

“...!”

The students, with wide eyes, turned their gazes towards Professor Grin.

Not only because the opening exam is extremely difficult, but also because being assigned to a subject you’re not confident in would be disastrous.

Many students choose their majors before even entering the academy, or during their first year.

By this time, most students have already decided on their strengths.

“Please.”

“I hope it’s not just theory.”

“I want herbology...”

“I’m not confident in spirit law.”

From students praying with their hands together to those nervously biting their nails.

Professor Grin looked around and reached into a large wooden box.

“...”

Choosing subjects quickly is clearly advantageous.

The students’ eyes sparkled, looking at the wooden box. I, too, turned my gaze that way.

At least 80% of the subjects are beyond my current capabilities.

I haven’t even completed the regular curriculum at Ardel Academy, and the most I’ve done is hold a pen in Korea.

There’s no way I can properly cast magic in a few weeks.

Luck plays a significant role in life.

And I’ve always had good luck.

Ah.

If I had good luck, I wouldn’t be in this situation now.

Anyway.

I just hope for good luck this time.

Professor Grin, with an unreadable expression, pulled a ball from the wooden box.

“Hmm.”

His eyebrows curved as if he had found something.

His calm voice slowly spoke.

“The first chance goes to...”

I remember this scene.

“Student Han Shixa.”

Everyone’s gaze turned towards me.

* * *

The first opening exam of the second year.

I had read this scene in text form before.

The opening exam is brutally difficult.

But having the decision in my hands is a significant advantage.

“Have you decided, Student Han Shixa?”

Professor Grin looked at me with a burdensome gaze, as if urging me to choose quickly and move on.

The other students had similar reactions.

“Whatever he chooses, it’s all the same, right?”

“Exactly. He’s just pretending to think.”

I’m not thinking; I’m reading, you guys.

Ignoring the blatant disregard, I quickly scanned the subject names.

I immediately ruled out subjects I didn’t understand.

“Hmm.”

There aren’t many easy subjects.

What’s easy for Ardel Academy students isn’t necessarily easy for me.

Maybe it would be better if Han Shixa came back and took the exam?

Even though he was a complete idiot, he passed the opening exam!

Since I’m not yet familiar with the activation of magic, I’ll pass on practical subjects.

I’ll also pass on subjects that require a lot of physical activity.

And subjects not mentioned in the original work.

As I scrolled down, I started to see some familiar subject names.

Though they look hellishly difficult, one was considered the only sweet spot in the first opening exam.

The reason is that it was one of the areas where Professor Grin didn’t set the exam questions. Since it’s a theoretical subject, studying might help.

I’ll keep this in mind.

“Phew.”

“Choosing mathematics? Didn’t they not teach that in the first year?”

“Whatever. He’s just setting himself up for failure.”

Being the first to choose, the attention is quite burdensome. I shrugged and turned my gaze away.

I know better than anyone that if I don’t choose the other two subjects carefully, I’ll be in danger of expulsion.

I need to be cautious.

If I don’t have the ability, I need a solid strategy.

“Hmm...”

Let’s look at the remaining two...

While pondering with my chin in hand, some interesting subjects appeared.

Hmm?

This... might be worth a try?