* * *
After the Magic Department’s practical test concluded, the academy was, naturally, turned upside down.
The incident of a Grade 3 monster evolving during an exam was a first since the academy’s founding.
An internal investigation team was immediately assembled to look into the matter.
The monsters released on the mountain for the test were donated by the Imperial Knights and were only permitted entry after thorough inspections by monster researchers.
While the probability of monster evolution is extremely low, it isn’t a non-existent phenomenon; thus, such an event occurring during a test wasn’t technically impossible.
However, the current point of contention was that, structurally, the evolution shouldn’t have been able to happen at all.
Donated Grade 3 monsters are fitted with special magic tools.
These circular, handcuff-like devices reduce the monster’s speed and suppress at least 30% of their power.
In short, the academy’s position was that as long as a monster wore those cuffs—even one with the potential to evolve—the probability of evolution should have converged to near zero.
“Right. So Rona was the first to encounter the monster?”
“Yes.”
Inside the consultation room, Rona nodded with a somber face.
Ruite cast a worried glance toward her.
As soon as she arrived at school this morning, Rona had run to him in tears.
She kept repeating that it was all her fault and saying she was sorry; Ruite had broken a sweat just trying to comfort her.
Perhaps sensing her guilt, Professor Harold had reassured Rona the moment they entered the room, telling her it wasn’t her fault.
“Now, Ruite, can you tell me in detail what the situation was like when the monster evolved?”
Ruite began to speak slowly.
He explained that he hadn’t intended to face a Grade 3 monster and tried to escape with Rona, but he felt something was wrong when the creature continued to pursue them despite the distance—and its speed kept increasing.
He reported that after noticing its appearance change and its mana amplify, he concluded the monster had evolved.
Harold nodded as he listened.
“Sigh… I am just so glad you all are safe.”
Harold let out a long sigh of relief, looking at Rona, Ruite, and Chester, who was also present in the room.
Meanwhile, Ruite was cautiously reading Chester’s mood.
Chester sat crookedly in his chair with an expressionless face, but technically, Ruite was the one who had dragged him into this.
He had run into Chester while escaping and had even bossed him around with attack orders.
Given Chester’s prickly personality, Ruite figured he was probably fuming inside about getting caught up in such a nuisance because of someone he disliked.
“Professor, so why did the monster evolution happen so suddenly?”
When Chester asked, Harold’s expression darkened again.
“It’s still under investigation, but… opinion is leaning toward the fact that the magic tool meant to suppress the monster’s power failed to function properly.”
Ruite recalled the first time he saw the beast.
He distinctly remembered a green light flickering on the cuffs around its body.
If that was the case, didn’t it mean it was working?
Or did it function at first and then suddenly break while chasing him and Rona?
Whichever way you looked at it, it was a case of terrible luck.
“Were there no crystal magic tools around the monster?”
“There were. But… when we investigated later, two crystal tools were found on the ground, shattered.”
Harold explained that the crystal tools likely malfunctioned due to an overload caused by the amplified mana during the monster’s evolution.
“Regardless of the reason, it remains a fact that the academy put you in danger. Myself, Professor Neo, and Professor Laird all feel deeply sorry.”
An accident that threatened students had occurred at an academy that should prioritize their safety.
The mountain was to be completely closed off, with access strictly prohibited to everyone except authorized personnel until the investigation was finished.
“And Ruite, Chester. I am especially grateful to the two of you. If not for you, that evolved monster would have run wild, and the damage would have been much greater. Your courageous stand was a significant contribution.”
At the sudden praise, Ruite laughed awkwardly and scratched his head.
Truthfully, he had intended to just run away.
If he hadn’t happened to run into Chester and come up with that sudden plan, he would have high-tailed it out of there.
“I do have a personal question, though, Ruite.”
“Yes?”
“How did you manage to face that monster? According to the investigation, it had evolved to Grade 2, and since the cuffs weren’t working, it should have been nearly impossible for students to suppress it on their own.”
Though Professor Neo was the one who dealt the finishing blow, the monster had already taken substantial damage by then.
Ruite felt Rona’s curious gaze on him as well.
“At first, I thought my firepower wouldn’t be enough, so I was running away… then I ran into Chester. I knew Chester was skilled with the lightning attribute, so I thought he could act as a catalyst to boost my flames.”
“Oh? And then?”
Harold asked with genuine interest and curiosity.
“So, while Chester was holding the thing down, I stepped on Chester’s head and…”
A stinging gaze suddenly pierced the side of Ruite’s head.
He stole a glance and saw Chester glaring at him with a murderous look.
It seemed he was still holding a grudge about Ruite using his body as a springboard without permission.
“I thought that if I attacked the monster’s head, I could take it down… well, that’s how it happened.”
Ruite finished his explanation while doing his best not to look in Chester’s direction.
Harold nodded as if he understood.
“You judged and acted well, even in a terrifying situation. Actually, the professors and I have discussed your situation. For this practical evaluation, we intend to give both Ruite and Chester a perfect score.”
“What?”
Ruite’s eyes went wide.
“It was an unexpected situation, but the fact remains that you two exerted your strength to suppress a Grade 2 monster. Even setting aside compensation for being caught in the accident, you both deserve high scores. Is that alright?”
“It’s more than alright!”
Ruite grinned at the unexpected gift. Chester stared at Ruite’s smiling face for a moment, then shook his head.
Professor Harold added that the academy was also discussing other forms of compensation for the students involved.
Ruite didn’t really care what the compensation was.
There was no reward more satisfying than a perfect score on an exam.
Besides, he hadn’t been seriously injured or suffered any major loss.
“Alright, we’ll end the consultation here. Rona, would you stay behind for a moment?”
“Yes.”
Rona’s expression was still dark.
She seemed to be quite shaken mentally by the series of events.
To comfort her, Harold sent the other two back first.
Once outside the room, Ruite stretched his arms.
It was hard to stop a silly grin from creeping onto his face.
“Why do you keep laughing?”
Chester threw the words out curtly.
“Why? Because I got a perfect score on the practical! Aren’t you happy, Chester?”
“I was going to get a near-perfect score regardless.”
“…Right. Must be nice to be so talented.”
‘Spoken like a true top student.’
Ruite figured Chester could never understand the joy of someone who had only hoped to reach the average.
“Come to think of it, it feels unfair.”
“Huh?”
“Why should I get the same score as you? I was basically the one who suppressed that monster.”
“Hey, don’t say that. You have to acknowledge my contribution. If I hadn’t stepped on your head and aimed for its crown—”
Ruite spoke freely as thoughts came to mind, only to receive another sharp glare from Chester.
Ruite clamped his lips shut.
Chester brushed his hair back and began walking up the stairs toward the classroom.
Since Ruite was heading the same way, he naturally followed.
“But Chester.”
At the landing of the stairs, Chester stopped and turned his head at Ruite’s call.
“Thinking about it, I guess it was thanks to you.”
“……”
“The moment I saw you, I just knew it would work.”
Ruite partially agreed that Chester had been the one to suppress the monster.
Because Chester had held the beast down with his mana, Ruite had been able to move freely.
Plus, he had played his role as a catalyst perfectly.
Ruite let out a bright grin.
Just then, a breeze blew in through a slightly open window, fluttering Ruite’s hair.
Chester said nothing, his eyes fixed on Ruite’s brightly lit face, unable to look away for a long moment.
* * *
