Chapter 42: Second Revision of the School Rules (2)
-Summoning : 4(4)
-Light : 3(3)
-Water : 3(2)
-Earth : 2(2)
-Wind : 2(1)
-Darkness : 1(1)
-Fire : 0(0)
They explained that these were the results of this match.
I honestly doubted my own eyes, wondering if results this ssed up could truly appear.
“How did this happen? Fire Elent 0 wins?”
This was a subject Hei and Kiena were in.
Getting 0 wins in a subject like that simply didn’t make sense.
“We didn’t get picked, so we didn’t even get a chance to go out. And they were throwing the matches on purpose.”
The one who answered was Banshi.
As expected, this was exactly what I had thought.
“What about Summoning getting 4 consecutive wins?”
“I barely managed to get that by going out third, at the very end!”
Kiena answered with her chin pushed up high as if starving for praise, but we couldn’t create a cheerful atmosphere.
I quickly rose from my seat.
“We’d better go check the ranking board.”
Since we couldn’t check the rankings through the Mob, we had to check the bulletin board next to the auditorium.
With the results of this match, I definitely needed to confirm what changes had occurred in the rankings.
As soon as I took the three with and stepped out of the infirmary, of all tis, the infirmary teacher returned.
“Where are you planning to go, Artel?”
“I’m getting discharged.”
“What?”
She looked baffled, staring at in disbelief.
“I’m the one who decides your discharge. Who told you that you could leave?”
“I’m getting discharged tomorrow anyway. And today’s match, which was the day’s schedule, is all over, so isn’t the day practically done?”
“What kind of logic is that?”
“So I’m just going to leave. I’ve already recovered anyway.”
She t my gaze and stayed silent for a long mont.
I’d pushed things a little, but since nothing I said was actually wrong, she gave a surprisingly positive answer.
“Well… leaving a day early shouldn’t cause any problems. Go.”
It wasn’t as if any part of my body had been severed—just a simple burn that would heal quickly with ti, and even that had fully recovered.
She knew better than anyone that there was no reason for to stay in the infirmary anymore, so she let go without much resistance.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t get hurt again.”
“That won’t happen anymore.”
Leaving the infirmary, I went straight to the entrance of the auditorium where the bulletin board was.
[1st Class Point Rankings]
Artel
Hei
Banshi
Kiena
The rankings were completely scrambled.
But how did I beco first place when I’d been stuck in the infirmary for a whole month?
On top of that, the Fire Elent had gotten 0 wins this ti, placing dead last, and even had 5,000 points deducted as punishnt. So how did this ranking appear?
“Huh? Why aren’t the point totals showing? They were there earlier.”
Hei said this in the middle of it all.
Just as he said, the ranking board showed no point totals.
‘Which ans they intentionally hid them.’
I didn’t know the reason, but the only three people who could touch this ranking board were Professor Nide, Vice Headmaster Forr, and Headmaster Etar.
aning one or all three were preparing so plan and had briefly hidden the totals.
“More than that, I’m curious why I’m in first place.”
“Oh, that. All the Fire Elent students, including Hapert, purposely increased their point usage.”
Banshi, standing beside us, explained.
“Increased their point usage?”
“They went to the arena, the training hall, the library—multiple tis a day.”
To escape their penalty, they shalessly tried every pathetic trick imaginable.
‘They actually exploited the penalty instead? Should I… praise them for this?’
These were the sa guys who used to threaten out of fear that I’d score high in matches, yet now they’d developed enough to use their heads. I couldn’t help thinking that.
According to Banshi, Hapert and the other students had a ton of points saved up, so they intentionally burned through them.
Students who normally never went to the library were going in groups several tis a day, and they did the sa with the training hall and arena.
But since the school rules had no usage limit on these facilities, the professors and teachers could do nothing but watch.
‘So that’s why they hid the point totals.’
Then that left only one thing.
“There should be a new announcent soon. Let’s go back. I get how things are moving now.”
I’d seen everything I needed to see with my own eyes.
All that remained was what the next announcent would be.
Forr and Etar had gathered again.
They were seriously troubled as they looked over the 1st Class match results and the students’ point totals.
“I’m sorry, Headmaster. I was far too careless. I never imagined they’d throw the match on purpose, and intentionally increase their point usage.”
About three weeks ago, Forr had reviewed every bit of the Mob-recorded footage he had sent to Nide.
What stood out was that the high-ranking Darkness and Fire Elent students were deliberately losing.
Professor Nide had scolded them on the spot as well, but the students had brushed it off with excuses like, “I’m not feeling well today,” leaving even a professor with no way to respond.
“I didn’t think all the students would go to such an extre…”
Forr had expected so degree of it, but the students acted far beyond expectations.
They had already restricted teacher-discretion evaluations and magic duel subjects that awarded points to once per month.
Thus, overconsumption of points was already expected, so they reduced the number of opportunities while keeping the amount awarded the sa.
The students deliberately throwing matches was the sa. They had thought only a few of the higher-ranking students would do it.
After all, if they stayed at the bottom, they wouldn’t be able to move to the next class.
The rules they had revised this ti all required long-term planning to progress to the next class.
A rather difficult task—students had to manage their point usage while also maintaining consistent grades.
But reality was the complete opposite of what Forr had expected.
In so ways, they had overestimated the students.
Looking at the situation long-term, it ant there hadn’t been a single student who had thought ahead.
Every student who didn’t want to rank high right now acted as if they had made so kind of pact, overspending points on purpose without thinking of the future, and creating the bizarre spectacle of intentionally losing together.
It looked like they were aiming for a last-minute coback, but if they ruined their points like this from the start, promotion would be impossible.
“I really can’t… read what these young students are thinking.”
Forr spoke gloomily.
“Young students’ thoughts… That reminds of the person who emphasized that to a very long ti ago.”
Etar, too, gained many realizations this ti.
At the sa ti, mories buried in the corners of his mind resurfaced.
“The person you refer to as ‘that person’, Headmaster, can only an one person, correct?”
Without realizing it, Forr glanced at the wall.
It was where Etar had hung the robe worn in life by his teacher, Archis Eir—just as Etar cald his mind daily by admiring master paintings.
“He was soone who emphasized seeing things from their perspective. Anyway, Vice Headmaster, when you brought this plan, didn’t you say you had a separate idea for ensuring Artel’s expulsion?”
“Ah… that…”
Forr imdiately made an awkward expression.
“Why? What is it?”
“I was planning to use the Joint Admission System.”
“Joint admission?”
“Yes. Among our branch school students, the only joint admission students are Artel and the two who entered with him, correct?”
Following that, Forr placed the admission docunts of Kiena and Hei—those who had entered together with Artel—on the desk.
“I don’t see how you intended to use that.”
“Artel is a double caster. His magical talent is exceptional, so even if he slipped through the revised school rules, I planned to bind the other two together with him.”
“How, exactly?”
“Joint admission students form one team. If even one mber fails, then all mbers fail.”
At that mont, Etar’s expression changed as if he had gained new insight.
It was indeed an ingenious thod.
A very legitimate way to ensure Artel’s expulsion.
“But… if you look at their grades…”
Forr now unfolded the current point ranking chart for 1st Class.
“All the joint admission students are within the top five. I never expected this at all. I’m very sorry for disappointing you…”
“Hm.”
But Etar showed not even the slightest hint of disappointnt as he examined the ranking chart and the information on Artel’s joint admission mbers even more carefully.
As he focused, Etar’s expression slowly grew heavier.
Feeling uneasy, Forr began talking more.
“You had high expectations… but I wasn’t able to et them. This is all my fault.”
“No. How could all the responsibility fall on you? I’m the one who approved the plan. I have responsibility as well.”
“If you say so…”
“But tell , the reason the 1st Class students are intentionally losing—it’s all because of the penalty, isn’t it? Since it’s directly tied to their grades.”
Etar now focused on the results of the 1st Class matches without Artel.
“Yes, nothing else explains it. Their behavior suddenly changed right after the school rules were revised.”
Etar reviewed the duel footage once, then additionally reviewed the admission docunts of Artel, Hei, and Kiena before nodding.
“I’ve thought of one clever solution.”
“What kind…?”
“The students don’t want to stay at the top because of the penalty, right?”
“Yes, that’s true.”
“Then if the penalty disappears, wouldn’t they want to stay at the top again like before?”
“But… if we do that, Artel’s expulsion…”
“I think it’s a clever idea worth trying.”
Etar began explaining his plan to Forr.
Once the idea in Etar’s head was conveyed, Forr’s expression shifted into one of realization.
“How is it?”
“If it’s that… That’s brilliant, Headmaster.”
“No, no. I was inspired by your suggestion about joint admission, so the credit is yours.”
“Thank you. Then shall we begin imdiately?”
“Yes.”
The next day.
Today was the day I finally returned to my normal routine.
Right after waking up, I changed clothes in the dormitory, and while passing the cafeteria to get breakfast—
I didn’t hear the usual ‘beep’ sound for point paynt.
‘That’s strange.’
“Mob Manifestation, points.”
Even when I said the exact command to the Mob, it didn’t show my points.
Yesterday, the points disappeared from the ranking board—now even individual student points?
I was bewildered, not knowing what was going on, when a new announcent popped up.
[School Rule Revision No. 2]
Dear students, this is Ed Etar, Headmaster of the Ed Branch School.
The mont I saw the title, only one thought ca to mind.
‘Yeah, here it is.’
It had already seed obvious that the rules would change.
And today, their true form was revealed.
I carefully read the announcent.
After reviewing the recent 1st Class duel results, I understand how you must have felt. As Headmaster, it pains to see students intentionally avoid achieving good results because of the penalty.
Uncharacteristically, Etar’s introduction was long.
Skipping the unnecessary parts, I went straight to the main content.
One month remains in the first sester.
And for the sake of all students, I have implented special asures.
Normally, one duel would remain before sumr break, but that duel has been canceled.
Additionally, all 1st Class students may use the facilities free of charge until sumr break.
In the second sester, a newly revised duel system will be waiting for you.
I wish all students a wonderful day.
That was the entirety of the revised school rules.
Points were suddenly removed, and the final duel was canceled.
But what bothered was that the newly revised rules wouldn’t be revealed until the second sester.
“You saw the announcent, right?”
Right on cue, Banshi arrived at the cafeteria and ca up to .
“Yeah.”
“What do you think of this one?”
“Hm. If they’re doing this from 1st Class onward, all I can think is, how are we supposed to climb all the way to 6th Class?”
It didn’t feel impossible—just annoyingly full of obstacles.
I glanced toward the students in the cafeteria.
Learning that points had disappeared, the students were simply piling their plates with whatever food they wanted, looking carefree.
From the outside, it looked just like the peaceful Magic Academy from my previous life… but would the second sester really stay this calm?
The answer I gave myself was inevitably negative.
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