45 – The End of Spring
Sometimes, there are moments when even coincidences feel intentional.
On a day when it unexpectedly rained while he didn’t bring an umbrella, he failed the exam because of a single mistake, and he only spills food when wearing bright-colored clothes.
If you find yourself in such a situation, there is only one thing you can trust.
Yourself.
And Gustaf Mah was nothing but a human full of self-deception to believe in himself.
“Oh, damn it…”
Nothing.
Flip, flip. No matter how many times he turned over the exam paper, the result was the same.
Not a single problem matched the cheat sheet.
Veins popped on his forehead.
Whether Gustav knew it or not, the professor standing at the podium began to encourage the students in a kind tone.
“hehehe. I knew that none of you were listening to my lectures. That’s why I made the questions easier. Guess who studied.”
And it was true.
From Noble mtl dot com
The questions on the genealogy were long and complex, demanding obscure knowledge for their corresponding solutions.
But the exam paper in front of them had a relatively concise structure, allowing for easy answers to be written down.
The increase in the number of questions was just a trivial matter. There was a reason why the model students and a few competitors were able to smoothly write down their answers.
“So, my dear students, don’t just sit there, try to solve at least one question.”
The professor said this and sat down on his chair.
Meanwhile, Gustav Mahh took a deep breath.
His face contorted with a surge of shame.
He had never experienced failure in his life. The minor hardships of a student level were usually solved with a little effort and money.
Even the biggest obstacle, the entrance exam for the Federal Magic University, had somehow been passed, and he had believed that his path to success would continue without a doubt.
But that belief was shattered by a single etiquette exam.
If it had been like Gustav’s usual temperament, he wouldn’t have been surprised if he had raged inwardly.
But he silently put down his pen.
A thought suddenly came to him.
Perhaps it was not just because of his father’s recommendation for admission to the Magic University. Perhaps it was to make his unworthy child experience the hardships of life.
“……”
Soon, Gustav regained his composure.
Those who do not make an effort. Perhaps they should accept the results.
Still, as I picked up my pencil again, thinking about trying to solve it once more, a sudden curiosity arose.
The probability of being selected as the wheelchair handler had now become extremely low.
So then.
Who on earth will be the one to claim victory in this match?
*
The exam has ended.
The students of the magic university, who had gone through a short yet long week of exams, seemed to spend their time in their own ways. Generally, resting, playing, or resting while playing seemed to be the norm.
Werner seemed to have chosen the third option, as he immediately went to the Nokturne Club with a bottle of alcohol in hand.
On the other hand, I didn’t have the energy for that.
“Ugh….”
The storage room.
A narrow room where my scent began to permeate. A bed just big enough for one person.
I lay on the bed, indulging in relaxation.
I didn’t want to think much about my exam grades.
The main reason I dedicated myself to my studies was for the sake of learning itself.
Receiving high grades was just a secondary factor, and university exams had many ambiguous aspects, making it difficult to determine whether you did well or not.
Even if you scored 80 out of 100, you could still be in the lower range, and even if you scored 60, you could still be at the top in university exams.
So, I didn’t care about the scores.
However, there were a few points I wanted to address.
In the [Understanding Literary Genres] exam, which I had studied moderately for, literary works that I had memorized sweetly while learning Provya years ago were overwhelmingly included.
Contrary to expectations, the most challenging subject, [Calculus I], was overshadowed by Louise’s [Type 2 Magic Practice], which boasted the highest level of difficulty.
“….”
When recalling [Type 2 Magic Practice], a shiver ran down my spine.
Regardless of excellent lecturing skills, who would have thought the exam would be that difficult?
As I let out a deep sigh, I realized it was already time for dinner.
“Oh, brother! Come here quickly!”
Unlike usual, the dining table was livelier.
Susan, Lena, and Ellie, along with Sally, were all gathered together.
“Oh, Eugene. Long time no see. How was the exam?”
Louise was present as well.
Since the beginning of the semester, Louise had faithfully followed Susan’s rule of “drop by at least once this week,” and accordingly, she had come to stay overnight tonight as well.
So, this was the fourth time meeting Louise at home.
Each time, I got to know more about her, and the most shocking thing was that Louise inherently disliked wearing clothes indoors.
Although she dressed properly today, it was bothersome that her clothes didn’t stay in place and kept slipping off.
I wonder if I’ll get used to this if it happens several more times.
I concentrated on maintaining eye contact and awkwardly smiled.
“After setting such a difficult exam, you say something like this?”
“hahahahaha, sorry.”
“Eugene, quickly sit down. The soup is getting cold.”
I sat in the empty seat at Susanne’s urging.
Fortunately, this time I could avoid the awkwardness of sitting next to Louise, dodging her armrest duties. Instead, I had to sit next to Lena.
“…….”
Lena silently scooped up the soup and brought it to her lips.
It was a remarkable development. Just a few months ago, she used to glare at me like a cat if I dared to approach within three steps.
Maybe we’ve become closer as a family.
Seeing the shadows beginning to cast over her complexion, it seemed like new worries were looming, and I wished I could offer advice without hesitation.
Tonight’s dinner menu included Scotch eggs and salad, among other things, all diligently prepared by Susanne in anticipation of Louise’s arrival.
I carefully cut through the crispy coating with a knife and then tasted the meat and perfectly cooked egg together.
“…!”
Juices burst forth.
A delicate blend of seasoning and spices. Plus, the softly boiled egg added to the overall taste.
Even after over ten months in the Federation, Federation cuisine never failed to impress me.
Some may complain about the taste of Prussian traditional food, but that’s just talk from those who’ve never been hungry. Being able to enjoy meat dishes itself is a blessing.
I devoured the food absentmindedly, and it was when I lifted the water cup that Louise’s voice slipped in between the harmonious laughter.
“Eugene.”
“Yes?”
A pleased expression appeared on Louis’ face.
Suddenly, encountering such an expression seemed to make people uneasy for some reason.
As I tilted the cup, Louis opened his mouth again.
“Spring is slowly coming to an end. Don’t you have any news in that area?”
“?”
I didn’t understand.
As I grinned with water in my mouth, Louis, supporting his chin with both hands, smiled even more contentedly.
“It’s about love. Love.”
He stopped talking, turning the conversation.
“Splurt—”
“Oh. Why are you spitting water like that?”
“Cough. Cough. No, it’s just that you suddenly said something like that.”
Fortunately, water didn’t splatter on Lena’s side. The floor got a bit dirty, though.
As I was about to leave my seat and wipe the floor with a towel, Louis scratched his head as if he found it rather uninteresting.
“Well, considering you have a clean image, I thought maybe. It’s a bit dull.”
“Dull, you say.”
“What’s more interesting than this? Dorothy is too stiff, so I gave up, and the rest are all too young to be such entertaining company except for you.”
“Oh, now that you mention it.” Louis suddenly recoiled and turned his head.
Lena, who suddenly found herself face to face with her older sister, widened her eyes.
Perhaps it was an animalistic sense detecting danger.
“Lena. Are you also turning nineteen now?”
“Why, why do you ask?”
“How are you feeling?”
Once again, Louise’s expression softened. While she had a resolute intellectual appearance when standing at the podium, it was surprising how different someone could be inside and out.
Lena crouched in front of Louise like a herbivore in the presence of a carnivore, pulling her body close.
The trembling of her pupils was pitiful.
“I’m not interested in romantic relationships.”
“It’s okay. You can honestly tell your sister!”
“It’s true…”
Lena’s eyebrows curved, and soon a deep sigh escaped her small lips.
“I have a business to run, graduation is around the corner, so I’m busy with my own affairs. Unlike my sister Dorothy, I don’t have much appeal, so there are hardly any approaching me.”
“Huh? Not having appeal, what nonsense.”
“Anyway, that’s how it is. But I’m more curious about my sister.”
“!”
Louise’s face, which had been smiling, stiffened.
Having predicted that the problematic word would come out of Lena’s mouth, the awkward topic came to an end.
In front of Louise, secretly wiping away tears, I sank into my thoughts.
Graduation.
The reason for Lena’s dark expression is probably derived from that.
In my case, life was about charging forward ignorantly after seeing just one magic. But for an ordinary nineteen-year-old in the Federation, it’s a time to seriously contemplate the future and career.
Considering Lena’s abundant potential, she must have many things to ponder.
How can I help?
Mental support is a given, and if I can provide material assistance, it would be the cherry on top.
It was a regrettable night when I became unemployed.
#June 5th. Clear.
The weekend has ended, and it’s time for professors and teaching assistants to finish grading the midterm exams.
I received generally decent scores, but that’s only in the context of a relative evaluation. Looking at the absolute scores, they weren’t exceptionally high.
Of course, the examiner didn’t expect everyone to get a perfect score. But from the perspective of someone who studied tirelessly, saving even sleeping hours, it left a somewhat unsatisfactory result.
Still, I now have a rough understanding of how the Federal Magic University operates.
As the final exams approach, I made a resolution not only to improve my academic achievements but also to boost my grades.
Understanding Literary Genres.
Just before the lecture ends.
Professor No, holding the grade sheet, spoke up.
“Well then, I’ll announce the exam scores. Those called, please come out, confirm your grades, and then you may enter.”
Simultaneously, the atmosphere in the classroom underwent a sudden change.
What’s happening?
In the confused atmosphere of the car, I recalled memories of the past when I saw the intense gazes of some male students.
The wheelchair specialist!
To me, it was just a simple test result, but to them, it determined who would be Yuriya’s exclusive companion in the competition.
I absentmindedly glanced at Yuriya.
A relaxed expression.
It seems my assumption that they would be displeased with being assigned to the wheelchair specialist was just my mistake.
It has nothing to do with me.
I only received a morning greeting from them once. And if a wheelchair specialist student were to appear, there would be even fewer interactions between us.
I waited with a chubby expression for the roll call to begin.
“But, everyone. You’re being a bit too much.”
Professor No, instead of doing the roll call, started a different discussion.
“Even though I made the exam so easy, the scores are so dismal. There’s only one perfect score. As a professor, I’m a bit sad.”
Perfect score.
As soon as that phrase was mentioned, the male students’ gazes became even more hostile.
A student, who seemed to have mustered up the courage, asked a question.
“Um, Professor.”
“Why do you ask?”
“Who got the perfect score?”
A sudden question.
Not knowing the students’ circumstances, Professor No awkwardly scratched his cheek.
“Hmm… Well, you’re not supposed to openly discuss grades. But since it’s a perfect score, I guess it’s fine.”
From Noble mtl dot com
Professor No chuckled gently and replied to the exceptional student with a warm smile.
“You’re Yu Jin Oslo, right? That’s the answer. From now on, I’ll address you by your name.”
Oh. It’s a perfect score.
I lightly smiled at the unexpectedly good news.
Simultaneously, the sharp gazes of eleven male students, and the curious glances of many others who were well aware of the circumstances, all turned towards me at the back of the room in an instant.
“…?”
What’s going on?
Trying to find a reason somehow, I suddenly recalled the expression Julia used.
― I’ll be partnering with the person with the highest midterm exam score among those taking the [Understanding Literary Genres] course.
“Huh?”
The person with the highest score.
Julia Muller hadn’t limited the eligibility to those male students.
In the next moment, in the midst of the ongoing roll call.
Julia Muller, pushing her wheelchair herself, began approaching my seat at the back of the classroom.
As mentioned before, Julia was adept at handling the wheelchair on her own, and the distance between us had become close enough for us to distinguish the color of each other’s irises in the blink of an eye.
Chestnut-colored locks fluttered.
With a captivating smile, Julia Muller extended her hand to me.
“Yu Jin, would you be my assistant?”
Almost like a proposal, her slender figure.
And I replied curtly.
“No. I don’t want to.”
“A weekly pay of 200 pounds.”
“……?”
“A signing bonus of a thousand pounds. How about that?”
The following words were like whispers, and except for me, who could vaguely understand from the shape of their mouths, the surrounding students couldn’t hear them.
In other words.
The students who didn’t know the circumstances before and after were shocked by the scene.
“I will do my best.”
Like putting a ring on a ring finger, or like a knight’s swearing-in ceremony.
I kneeled down and carefully held Yuriya’s outstretched hand with both of mine.
What kind of deal was made during that time will remain an eternal secret.
