Since leaving Pedica Forest, days passed without any particular incidents. Helmut had integrated well into academy life, concealing his claws and presenting himself as an outstanding and exemplary student. Not ordinary but not too abrasive, like a smooth stone.
It was one day before the final exams.
"Do you know a woman named Margaret Elaine?"
"That name..."
Sitting by the window, cooling his head, Helmut suddenly remembered a conversation from a few weeks ago.
Charlotte's eyes, widened in surprise, and her subsequent response flashed through his mind, followed by the enigmatic conversation he had with Alea. Memories of Alea were particularly vivid.
"You had a duel with that first-year girl, didn't you?"
His expression was usual, but his eyes were sharp.
"Yeah, she asked me to."
"You do everything you're asked?"
"Not exactly."
"So, you're saying you have a good enough relationship with her to do her a favor?"
"A good enough relationship?"
"You're asking as if you don't know."
Ending the tiresome conversation, Helmut managed to sidestep. There were things he couldn't reveal to him.
"She seemed decently skilled, so I thought it'd be good exercise. Asuka would just sulk because he'd obviously lose to me."
"Oh, well."
Alea seemed convinced, perhaps realizing he had probed too much. Turning away, he left Helmut with one last piece of advice.
"Be careful, anyway!"
Was he warning him about his follower? To Helmut, Charlotte didn't seem like the type to trouble Alea.
But that was his judgment. Alea might not appreciate such interpretations. Regardless, Helmut didn't dwell on puzzles he couldn't solve.
"Am I being obsessed over, or is it just me?"
Alea practically had only Helmut as a friend. It's said that people with a narrow circle of friends tend to focus excessively on the few they have. In that sense, it wasn't incomprehensible.
Actually, Helmut was suspicious of Alea's secret or rather, he could have considered another aspect. But he was utterly clueless about such matters.
Moreover, he was so indifferent that it might seem callous. If he was being obsessed over, so be it.
Helmut closed his book. He had been utilizing the library differently this time. Now knowing how to study, he didn't need to seek out tutoring sessions anymore.
Asuka, claiming the library felt suffocating, rented a study room with Sian. Helmut naturally shook off their disturbances.
Helmut realized new experiences could influence his achievements in some way. He pondered on expanding these experiences, using the crowded library during the exam period as part of this effort.
In the library, everyone studied at long tables, lined up side by side, burying their noses in piles of books. The silence was only broken by the sound of pens moving or paper rustling.
There, Helmut was an anomaly. The sudden appearance of a strikingly handsome Swordsmanship Department male student drew everyone's attention.
He tried to focus back on his book, but some were bold enough to approach him.
"Drink this while you study."
A captivating girl placed a bottle of lemon juice on his table. Helmut viewed it suspiciously before responding coldly.
"I don't drink unknown stuff."
He wasn't particularly picky about food, but eating something given by this senior felt uneasy. She was the top student of the third year in the Magic Department, one of Alea's followers. Even if she wasn't, Helmut perceived her as such.
"Do you remember my name? We've met before."
"Not sure. This is a library, and we shouldn't talk here."
Though whispered, their conversation disturbed the study-focused atmosphere. Teresa flinched under the glares directed at her. She leaned closer to Helmut, whispering.
"Can we step outside for a moment? I have something to say."
She was attractive enough to appeal to anyone. Her confidence was evident in her forward manner. Helmut's gaze returned to his book.
"No."
Helmut was firm.
"I need to study for exams."
Teresa's pride took a hit. She was popular within the academy, and encountering such aloofness was new to her. However, she hadn't expected it to be easy from the start. She managed a smile.
"Okay, I won't bother you. See you next time."
Though Helmut had no desire to see her again, he replied politely.
"Yes."
Earning the enmity of a competent mage would be troublesome.
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"Hey, Helmut. How's your exam prep going?"
Around midnight, Helmut returned to the dormitory. Sian greeted him, waving. He was always with Asuka, either studying or more likely, out for late-night snacks. Helmut guessed the latter, noticing Sian's cheeks had filled out since the exam period began.
"I heard the Swordsmanship Department's second-year practical exam is going to be interesting this time. I saw the magic professors talking with the instructors. It's going to be more combat-oriented."
Asuka scoffed.
"Good. The ones who can't do anything in real combat will plummet in grades."
After facing a first-class mercenary assassin, Asuka felt confident in his combat instincts. Even considering Pacho had gone easy on him, facing an opponent even the academy's sixth years would struggle with and landing a hit was largely due to luck. To Asuka, luck was part of skill at such times.
"I'm a genius."
Asuka suddenly mumbled, glancing at Helmut.
'Just because this guy is more of a genius doesn't make me any less of one.'
Genius isn't a unique title. A few surpass the many and are called talented, and among those few, only a very few are honored with the title of genius.
Asuka deserved to be called that. He had lost in duels and been overshadowed in confidence by Helmut. Asuka had been stressed about it. Losing what he had felt like deprivation. While he had no ill will towards Helmut, it was frustrating.
But still, he was Asuka. Except for Helmut, no one in their year could match him. They lacked the experience to effectively handle a real combat situation against a strong opponent. However, even such Asuka became ordinary before Helmut. He grumbled, asking.
"Are you confident about the written exams now?"
Somehow, Asuka found Helmut annoying.
"Somewhat."
"Do you know? If I get a perfect score on the written exam, I might surpass your grade."
That was... not entirely impossible. The difference in their practical scores wouldn't be much.
"Wait and see. I'll win this time."
Helmut looked squarely at Asuka, who was showing a fighting spirit. Preferring this over resigning to being second best, Helmut provocatively said.
"Do as you like. In the end, I'll be the one winning."
"Oh? Look at you, getting cocky. Picked that up from Alea?"
Mentioning Alea seemed like an insult to everyone else. Sian suddenly chimed in.
"Want to make a bet? The loser writes their name with their butt in the sports field."
He quickly added.
"You can keep your underwear on."
He was already anticipating Asuka's defeat. And he bore a grudge. The memory of running laps because of Asuka still annoyed him. Asuka snorted.
"That's asking for disciplinary action, you know? I can't let a friend get into trouble like that."
Even with his confident talk, Asuka wouldn't take such bets. He was surprisingly not the gambling type.
"Coward! You're just scared you'll lose, right? You're just talking big."
As Sian taunted, Asuka's eyes turned fierce.
"Are you going to shut it? Or do you think taunting will make me bite?"
"Big talk, no action. Ahhh!"
As Asuka squeezed his neck with his arm, Sian flailed. The light spirit attached to Sian, warning Asuka not to mess with his mage, made a show of pulling at Asuka's hair. Even during exam period, they were lively and energetic. They got along well.
"…I'm off."
Helmut quietly excused himself. While Asuka was occupied, he planned to focus on maintaining his top spot. Helmut headed back to his room. Alea wasn't there.
Lately, Helmut had been sleeping around midnight, studying in the library, then reviewing a bit more after returning, and waking up early for training. This had become his routine.
Alea came back later and slept even later. After showering, Helmut noticed a notebook on her desk.
'What's this?'
Opening it, he found "Understanding Magic" exam anticipated essay questions at the front. Five in total. Flipping through, Helmut saw his own answers. They were hastily written but surprisingly excellent in logic, vocabulary, knowledge, and perspective.
Had Alea remembered when Helmut casually mentioned the exam scope a while back? Tutoring was clearly over. So, this was a kind of after-service, it seemed.
"…Generous."
Ever since Helmut survived the assassin's attack, Alea had been treating him well. Did he feel pity for him? Helmut wondered. Since then, he hadn't taken off the bracelet Alea gave him, partly because Alea insisted.
"I'm not dying, though."
It wasn't that dangerous. But somehow, being cared for by someone didn't feel too bad. Hopefully, he wouldn't demand a price for this.
'Do roommates usually take care of each other this much?'
It seemed unlikely, but even if it was a bit much, it didn't matter. Alea was known for being unique.
'This should help a lot, anyway.'
Using Alea's anticipated questions as a guide, Helmut worked on correcting his answers before heading out for training. He wasn't keen on staring at text early in the morning, aligning with the typical disposition of a Swordsmanship Department student.