It had been nearly two months since we enrolled in the Royal Lehan Knight Academy.

The seasons were gradually shifting, and the hours of daylight were growing longer. Along with this change, the temperature was rising, and the students' uniforms were beginning to transition to short sleeves.

The Dungeon Curriculum was conducted once a month. While there was still some time before the third session, the conclusion reached in the instructors’ meeting seemed unlikely to be overturned.

While this was undoubtedly a headache for Lili, the students had another pressing concern that was even more troubling.

The midterm exams, which were happening right now.

Even in my second life, Blythe had been fundamentally a musclehead. I was strong in history and military tactics, but when it came to arithmetic, my level was, at best, middle school. And in terms of physical ability, I was naturally at a disadvantage in areas like speed and raw strength.

There was no choice but to wait for growth in those aspects.

But arithmetic—this incomprehensible string of numbers—was another matter.

“You can do it, El-tan! You got this!”

“Ugh…?”

“…Wrong! I just taught you this!”

After the test, I remained in the classroom, receiving a personal tutoring session from my private teacher, Riona.

She perched on the edge of my desk, twisting her body slightly while tapping her fingertip against my notebook.

“Here. Look carefully.”

“Fughh…?”

To think I’d be taught so smugly by this little brat! What humiliation! I wanted to stab that smug rear of hers with my quill pen!

But even so! It was still better than being taught by my disciple… better than being taught by Lili!

“Nngh?”

Taking a lesson was one thing, but being personally corrected one-on-one was a disgrace to Blythe. That was why it was still preferable to have Riona tutor me.

Besides, why was Lili even allowed to become an instructor when she had never learned a single thing from Blythe?

“Nope, that’s wrong.”

“Ghh!”

Riona tilted her head to the side.

“…You’ve been groaning this whole time. Are you mad?”

“I’m not mad!”

“Your eyes are bloodshot, though?”

“I said I’m not mad!!”

Meanwhile, in the back right corner of the classroom, diagonally across from my seat, Oujin was diligently studying languages. He could speak the common tongue of this continent, but writing seemed to be a different story.

From time to time, he would bring his notebook over, ask Riona for confirmation, and then return to his seat. Like just now.

“Riona, is this right?”

“Yep, that’s perfect. Do you even need to study, Ryoka-chan?”

“I want to eliminate as much uncertainty as possible. There’s always a chance of failure. In swordsmanship, that uncertainty could cost your life. —Right, Eremia?”

Guh… kgh…

Don’t… don’t ask for my agreement…!

“…Ye…s.”

This damn rationalist.

I had been grinding my teeth so hard that they felt like they might shatter.

“Haeeh… Then El-tan, you better try harder. You’re aiming to be a ‘Sword Saint,’ right?”

“Uguu…! I’ll do my best…!”

And so—

Thanks to all that post-exam effort, I managed to scrape by without being assigned remedial lessons, safely clearing the midterms.

By the end, my eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, though.

As for the posted rankings—

There were 101 first-year high school students, myself included.

I placed in the lower middle, but at least I avoided failing any subjects. Oujin ranked in the upper middle, while Riona impressively secured third place in the year.

But the one most shocked by the results was none other than Riona herself.

Her half-lidded eyes trembled as she stared at the first-place name with both hands shaking.

“V-Voi… Voi… Void Scale…? No way… No wayyy…?”

Poor girl. She was having a breakdown.

I whispered to Oujin.

“That guy barely attended any classes. How did this happen?”

“He really was a scholarship student after all.”

Oujin chuckled wryly and nodded.

Void didn’t even bother coming to check the rankings. That was the confidence of the truly strong.

Meanwhile, just below him, Ilga placed fourth, followed by someone else in fifth, and then Seneca in sixth.

Ilga, standing behind me and looking at the rankings, brushed back his silky hair and smirked as he looked down at the short, twin-tailed Seneca.

“Oh? Looks like I won again. Well, for a mere commoner, you put up a decent fight.”

“Shut up!! Just you wait! I’ll make sure to see your crying face after the finals!”

These two were bickering again right behind me. Or rather, Seneca was the one yapping away while Ilga stood confidently, exuding superiority.

“Haha. I’ll take you on anytime, Seneca Margis. As a noble, I swear it.”

“I’m looking forward to hearing your apology.”

I had been seeing them talk a lot lately. Could they actually be on good terms?

It was better than having the class split into factions of nobles and commoners, at least.

Bernald barely avoided failing but nodded deeply and muttered, “Alright.” Meanwhile, Fix was slumped over, confirmed for remedial lessons. His knowledge seemed to be overly skewed towards magic. Letis, who was also headed for remedial classes, let out a sheepish laugh, saying, “Tahaha.”

Thus, the event that had been even more grueling and troublesome than the Dungeon Curriculum for us students had finally come to an end.

As Oujin and I dragged the still-shocked Riona back to the dorms, a voice called out to me.

“Eremia.”

I turned around to see Lili standing a short distance away from the crowd around the rankings, beckoning me over.