Chapter 55
"Zero, you say?"
Dwener muttered Zero's name, but Caron didn't notice.
He was too busy sighing in relief at the change in the topic of conversation.
"Hmm, that's right. The child must have had a hard time."
"Yes, well... He might have struggled a bit."
"I see. Maybe I should give him a certificate of commendation."
"A certificate? There's no need for that..."
Zzzt-.
Dwener's eyes changed.
Caron could feel it. Something was starting to go wrong.
This is not good. Surely not...!
"Hey! How thoughtless! If it wasn't for that child! Would you have found the hidden path? The same accident would have happened again!"
"That, that is..."
"More importantly, didn't he instill a sense of caution! A reminder that one must always be careful!"
"But that's unfair. He didn't really play an active role to deserve a certificate..."
"Didn't he block the path by collapsing it?"
"That was me who..."
Haak!!
A shout like a roar burst from Dwener's mouth.
Caron had no choice but to be flustered.
It was the first time he had seen Dwener like this.
"A teacher should take care of the students! Even if it's your own merit, if it helps the student, you should be humble enough to pass it on!"
"It's not about my merit. It's that the evaluation is too high for what was done."
"So, you're saying you don't like it?"
"It's not that I don't like it, it goes against the principle."
Caron had no intention of backing down.
The title of a teacher.
He might not think it suitable for himself, but he approached his students with principles and beliefs.
The students, putting their hearts and souls into it.
They laugh and cry over a single point.
Squeeze.
He would never back down for the sake of the students.
As he was firmly resolving this, fists clenched.
"Then there's no choice but to continue the discussion."
"...Yes?"
"If it wasn't for that child! Would you have found the hidden path? The same accident would have happened again!"
"..."
It started again.
The cycle of infinite repetition, disguised as a 'discussion.'
It was over an hour later that Caron finally escaped this hellish cycle.
Along with Zero's certificate, stamped with the principal's seal.
'That's no discussion! It's just one-sided insistence!'
Clutching his fist tightly, Caron resolved himself.
Never again.
To not have such a 'discussion' with Dwener again.
Whether Dwener knew of Caron's thoughts or not, he merely hummed a tune.
"Hm~~, if our Zero doesn't deserve to receive the certificate, then who would?"
I, once an outcast, had become the first recipient of the certificate in this batch. My exciting academy life starts now!?
-It was a similar situation.
It was as if he could see Zero's surprised face right before his eyes.
"Good children always attract luck. I hope you enjoy your time at the academy, Zero."
Kekeke.
Dwener's laughter filled the office.
* * *
Teron's mood was not very good.
For the first time in his life, he had felt humiliated.
'What? Look at myself first?'
What had he done wrong?
Teron had no intention of taking Caron's advice at all.
"Aaaagh!!"
Because of keeping an eye on Teron, the classroom had been quiet.
What broke this silence was Zero's scream.
A girl was biting his ear.
Teron's eyes widened.
To think someone would act freely without considering him.
"..."
Normally, the kids would have made a big deal out of it.
But their gazes were all directed at one place.
Not at the girl who was snapping her teeth, biting.
'Zero.'
A child with eyes so small they were barely visible, emanating an inexplicable sense of ominousness.
And.
'The first recipient of the certificate in this batch.'
With such a child standing tall, could Teron even dare to intervene?
'The power lies mostly with Teron. But what if, that child joins Yuridia?'
The balance of power might shift.
Murmurs and whispers.
The once silent classroom began to buzz with noise again.
The children, who had been at a loss under Teron's influence, started to leave the classroom one by one, happy about receiving points.
'How dare he...!'
Teron glared at the back of Zero's head.
It was Luna who had made the classroom noisy again.
But it was Zero who irritated him more.
'Not only points, but the first to receive a certificate too? And a principal's award at that? That damned brat dares...!'
What was this nobody, with no power or backing, relying on to be so brazen?
Teron couldn't control the anger surging within him.
He slightly unclenched his tightly balled fist, thinking.
'Should I sweep them all away? Maybe I could just slaughter them so they can't even utter a word!'
It was when Teron was seriously considering smashing Zero's head.
Teehee-.
A clear sound of laughter. It was obviously mocking him.
There was someone else who wanted their head smashed.
Teron's gaze immediately shifted in that direction.
And he found himself staring into Yuridia's shining crimson eyes.
"Teehee, how pathetic. A noble feeling jealous of a mere student, and because he can't admit his own inferiority at that."
"Jealous? I don't understand what you're talking about."
"Oh, is that so? Then how about putting away that trembling fist first. It must be hard to expose your true feelings like that."
Teron slowly lowered his fist.
She was right. There was no need to show hostility in a place with so many watchful eyes.
'Annoying as it is, the kids are right. If Zero sides with Yuridia...'
The advantage he had been holding onto until now would disappear.
In just an instant.
"Not receiving a single point. You might even lose the top student position. Ohohoho-!"
"Tch."
Teron clicked his tongue.
'I knew women were two-faced, but to reveal it so blatantly.'
She couldn't contain her joy and emotions.
And this also proved just how large the gap was between their scores.
But.
"Isn't that the same for you?"
"Excuse me? What do you mean..."
"That guy received a whopping 10 points. He also played a significant role in finding a missing student before. Add to that the principal's certificate? The top student position might as well be considered his already."
That's right. Zero's overwhelming presence since the beginning of the semester.
Yuridia too might not be able to secure the top student spot.
Realizing this, Yuridia slightly furrowed her brow.
"Looks like you've developed two more wrinkles already. Quite a sight."
Was the topic of wrinkles too sensitive for a young girl?
Yuridia's eyebrows twitched.
"Well, it's certainly possible. But I'm definitely closer to that than you are. Right?"
"..."
"I'll be going ahead. I've prepared a celebration party for the kids who received points."
As Yuridia passed Teron.
She turned around with a twirl and continued.
"Oh, Teron, you could do the same. There are quite a few in your group who received points, right?"
Several faces among Teron's followers turned pale.
Yuridia was right.
There were quite a few children in Teron's group who had received points.
With many outstanding talents among them, it was impossible not to receive points.
"Ohohoho-!"
Yuridia and her followers, the Yuridia group.
A group of children left the classroom together.
Mockery was written all over their faces.
"Those bastards..."
"Teron, sir, will you just let them be? Declare an all-out war. We are ready!"
The children expressed their anger.
But Teron didn't respond.
Was it because he had been humiliated twice? His mind was colder than ever.
'Zero...'
A strange guy whose thoughts were unreadable. But that was what he liked about him.
'I'm not sure what Zero is thinking... but the chances of him siding with Yuridia are low.'
He was not sure what's bothering him, but Zero seemed to prefer not to belong to any faction.
Then the chances of him joining Yuridia's group were low.
'Even if he wanted to join...'
It would be logical to join the dominant Teron's group.
Not just in terms of ability, but also because they had more to offer Zero.
"Teron, sir, what should we do? At this rate, our midterm rankings..."
"Don't worry. We have a secret weapon."
"A secret weapon?"
"There's no need to worry about points. It's rather us who might be at an advantage."
The use of the secret weapon.
It might be sooner than expected, but that also had its benefits.
It could check the growing power of Yuridia's group.
'I'll show you the difference between us, Yuridia.'
And Zero.
He too would end up depending on him.
Teron's lips curved into a sly smile.
* * *
"Kekeke."
A laugh naturally escaped him, feeling good.
There was a minor incident with a dog(?) nibbling on his ear, but his mood was better than ever.
'Scholarships are amazing, but a certificate too!'
Receiving a certificate before the midterms was something not even the old hands had achieved.
And I had done it.
I couldn't help but feel good. In the world of old hands, the title 'first' was special.
And that's not all. I even received a title.
'A title before even defeating the first boss? Two titles!?'
[He Who Vanquished a Demon with a Mop], and [First Certificate Recipient].
It would have been a major event if it were posted in the old hand community.
Of course, if I posted it now, there'd be no one to see it.
"Oh, is this the certificate? Let me see."
A dog... no, Luna examined the certificate back and forth.
"Remarkable. The kid who used to be nothing but trouble receiving a certificate."
"...Excuse me?"
"Hehe, well done! It's only natural for someone who I call friend to receive a certificate with the principal's seal!"
Luna smiled brightly.
Pure joy, with not a hint of jealousy.
She laughed as if she had received it herself.
'She's such a nice and good child at times like this...'
I looked at the seal on the certificate.
It was stamped with Principal Dwener's seal.
'Dwener... to give such a gift for just one favor.'
I shivered slightly.
Was it a great emotional moment?
-You think?
'That guy's a total sucker.'
An even bigger sucker than he was in the game.
And suckers are meant to be exploited.
'I'll have to milk him even more in the future. Look forward to it. Kekeke!'
It's not me who's strange.
It's this game that made me strange.
In other words, I could be considered a pitiful person.
"Hey, stop thinking weird things and let's go."
"Keke, I wasn't thinking anything weird. But did we have somewhere to go?"
I don't remember making such a promise with my stalker.
"Of course, it's the celebration party."
"A celebration party?"
"Yeah. We both received a lot of points, right? And you even got a certificate."
A celebration party.
I readily agreed. I had nothing else to do.
'Anyway, there's a lack of content, a lack of content.'
Well, isn't that typical for a failed game?
Once the first chapter ends, locked areas will open up, so it might get a bit better.
And so, I had a modest celebration party with Luna.
--TL Notes--
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