Chapter 129.1: Part 1

Bonus chapter thanks to '@jrwvf6' for subscription to 'Sword Lacquer' tier on Ko-fi.

"We're running out of time, so we'll resume the remaining spars after the other exams! Good work, everyone!"

With those words, Idea dismissed half of the students, sending them back to their dorms.

After finishing my meal with Luna and returning to my room, I collapsed onto my chair, exhausted.

It was time to prepare for the next exam.

The second exam.

The bane of my existence, the sole reason I hadn't achieved the top spot in the midterm.

'The written exam.'

Questions about humans are meant to test our knowledge of the enemy.

As a human and the author of this world, I should have aced it.

Any minor details I wasn't familiar with could easily be gleaned from a quick skim of the textbook.

The problem was the demon-related questions.

Lacking even basic knowledge about demonkind, I couldn't formulate the correct answers.

Even the simplest questions tripped me up.

Perhaps that was why...

"......!"

Instructor Hebram, the one responsible for teaching theory, was glaring at me with a sharp gaze.

...I had no excuse.

From his perspective, I was deliberately writing down wrong answers.

But what was I supposed to do? I genuinely didn't know.

Unlike the detailed descriptions I had provided in the original story, the demon realm was barely touched upon, serving only as a backdrop for the protagonist's journey.

So, naturally, I wouldn't know the answers to Hebram's obscure questions.

It wasn't like he was asking easy questions about the Seven Deadly Sins families or the names of previous Demon Kings.

Any demon student who had put in a modicum of effort could have answered those.

No matter how much I studied, I lacked the foundational knowledge to even attempt those questions.

So, would I fail miserably again this time?

'...No, I'm confident this time.'

I could definitely get a perfect score on the written exam.

Why?

Because I had Samuel, the resident genius, by my side.

The day before the exam, I struck a deal with him.

In exchange for his assistance with the written exam, I would grant him one wish.

Of course, I added a clause stating that I could refuse any unreasonable requests.

To my surprise, Samuel readily agreed, although he did grumble about it being cheating.

I, however, vehemently denied his accusations.

This wasn't cheating; it was my 'ability.'

: [Samuel Ⅱ]

There it was, displayed proudly on my status window as a unique trait.

How could this not be considered an ability?

Even the status window acknowledged it as my own.

Therefore, his accusations were baseless.

Only my words held truth.

Besides, I had a more pressing reason for resorting to such shameless tactics.

'...I have to secure the top spot this time.'

The midterm reward was an artifact.

However, there was no mention of an upgraded artifact for the final exam.

Instead, a rumor had been circulating that the top performers would receive 'elixirs.'

And the student who ranked first would receive an even more potent elixir.

'That rumor must have been intentionally planted by Sytan.'

They were probably trying to incite competition among the Seven Sins students.

Either way, it worked in my favor.

I had plans for that elixir.

'Thanks to Adel's cultivation technique, I have more than enough mana.'

My current state was sufficient.

As for the elixir, I could easily obtain more from the human realm.

We would be launching a full-scale invasion soon enough.

Besides, if I secured the top spot and obtained the elixir, it would benefit the other demon students as well.

Ultimately, my goal was to save the demon realm.

As I reveled in my cunning plan, a smug smile playing on my lips...

"Begin."

Hebram announced, distributing the exam papers to the students.

I immediately grabbed mine and scanned through the questions.

As expected, the human-related questions were a breeze.

However, the demon-related questions remained a challenge.

Therefore...

*Nod*

I subtly nodded towards Samuel's thorn.

'Let's do this, Mr. Samuel.'

'...Fine.'

Our silent exchange went unnoticed.

I quickly identified the questions I couldn't answer and relayed them to Samuel.

...I could have asked him to answer everything, but my conscience wouldn't allow it.

So, I decided to limit his assistance to the demon-related questions.

After a moment of contemplation, we devised a plan.

Whenever the answer to a question was option 1, Samuel would extend his thorn by 0.1mm.

For option 2, it would be 0.2mm.

For option 3, 0.3mm, and so on.

This way, I could discreetly figure out the correct answers by sensing the minute changes in his thorn's length.

If Ares, with his enhanced senses, were the proctor, he might have noticed these subtle movements.

But Hebram, unlike Ares or Robolt, specialized in theory, not practical combat.

Therefore...

'He'll never suspect a thing.'

This was the perfect crime, executed with meticulous precision.

And unlike the clichéd scenarios in those novels, there was no chance of Hebram demanding a retake because he "didn't trust my score."

He already believed that I was deliberately choosing not to answer the demon-related questions.

And so...

As the exam drew to a close...

My answer sheet was filled with perfect responses.

*Ding* *Dong*

The sound of the bell echoed through the room, signaling the end of the exam.

"Pens down, everyone," Hebram announced, his gaze sweeping across the room.

"Aw, man."

"I'm doomed..."

Groans of disappointment filled the air as the students reluctantly put down their pens, many of them still struggling to complete the exam.

I, however, remained unfazed, having already answered every question.

*Thud* *Thud*

Hevram approached my desk, his footsteps heavy and measured as he collected the exam papers.

"......."

*Smirk*

As he glanced at my answers, a subtle smirk spread across his lips.

It was as if he was mocking me, asking,

"So, you decided to actually try this time?"

I simply shrugged, leaning back in my chair as he moved on to the next student.

"Finally over."

"That was a tough one. Well, not for me, of course."

[...You insufferable brat.]

I pretended not to hear Samuel's disgruntled voice.

I had explained countless times that my success would benefit all the students once I obtained the elixir and grew stronger.

Why couldn't he see the bigger picture?

...Alas, the burden of genius.

Speaking of burdens...

I glanced at Fron, who was seated a few rows away.

"Tsk."

Hebram let out a disapproving click of his tongue as he examined her exam paper.

It was clear what he was thinking:

"You're hopeless, just as I expected."

"......."

Fron's shoulders slumped slightly at his words, but she remained silent.

I averted my gaze, unable to offer any comfort.

It seemed that Fron hadn't fared well in the written exam either.

In any case...

"Now for the magic practical."

I said, a confident smile returning to my face.

It was time for Robolt's grand entrance.

And as if on cue...

*Creak*

The door swung open, revealing the imposing figure of our combat instructor.

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