Fated to Be Loved by Villains

EP - 044 - Midterm Exam (3)

“With this… it's done!”

As Falco shouted, a group of students was swept away by his wind magic.

Simultaneously, Luca, who had swiftly approached the area in a lightning-like motion, retrieved all their necklaces.

It all happened in such a short period that they didn't even have a chance to react.

“Nice, let's bounce!”

Continuing with a roar, Grid held back the pursuing group of students, while Trisha deployed a protective barrier. Luca also picked up the slow-footed Falco and retreated together.

It was a flawless execution.

“Great job, guys!”

As they withdrew to a safe spot, Trisha hopped and applauded energetically.

Indeed, what they just did was commendable. So much so that even the praise felt inadequate.

“With more than 9 necklaces, this should give us a perfect score!”

Most of the groups consisted of around three to four students, each battle was a challenge.

After all, they are students of the Elfante Imperial Academy. They wouldn't just donate their necklaces.

“It should.”

Falco grinned as he checked the map.

It was a map of the Great Plains distributed to all the students. In addition to displaying the terrain and landmarks, it also shows the current ranking of the 'top group' who had collected the most necklaces.

‘We are…’

All four of them had easily secured a place in the top-scoring section among the hundreds of freshmen.

Rather, it's more surprising that they didn't lead as number one.

3rd place.

This was where they got placed even with their score.

“…”

The rumours when he enrolled in the academy were nowhere near lies.

Falco smiled and scanned the names of the people that ranked above them.

Second place is…

‘Feinol Raifec? Was there such a person…?’

Falco was familiar with the exceptional freshmen. However, this was a completely new name for him.

Then.

“…Wait a second. Is this person alone?”

“What?”

The others huddled around, hearing such a revelation from Falco.

“They alone collected 15 necklaces without forming a group? How?”

“Why are these monsters in our class…”

Trisha let out a sigh of exasperation, but Falco just smiled and brushed it off.

Well, getting third place was already confirmation of a perfect score. There's no need to be gloomy about it.

More importantly, who was first, that it made someone with 15 necklaces only number two?

‘Ah, it’s Elijah's group.’

A wry smile formed on Falco's face as he confirmed their identities.

Dowd Campbell, Elijah Krisanax, and Yuria Greyhounder.

It was the group of the next hero candidate.

A group of standouts among the freshmen.

As for the number of necklaces…

“…”

Falco blinked for a moment.

“Wait, is this broken?”

“Why?”

The others gathered around again to check the numbers.

And soon, they immediately understood Falco's bafflement.

Because.

“…It's over 100?”

“…”

Everyone was at a loss for words.

●

When they first got together, there was a voice among the students asking if this was too excessive.

After all, no matter how bad the other party was made to be, gathering more than 100 people against three was overkill.

Everyone probably shared similar thoughts.

Ah, they were so arrogant.

They thought that having 'just' a hundred people was something.

“…!”

Elijah and Yuria pulled out their swords and swung at them, but they did not have any special intent.

They probably only wanted to counterattack since opponents were coming after them.

However, the result was...

In the first second.

The moment their swords were drawn, reactions were already coming from all around. Air pressure surged and the surrounding objects were swept away, as if a typhoon was sweeping through.

Then two seconds.

Anything in the path of the swords was successively swept away by the tremendous torrent. The faces of students who intuitively realized how much power this has turned pale.

Three seconds.

The two swords collided with the approaching students nearby.

At the same time...

The whole landscape was ‘torn apart’.

-!

-!!

-!!!!!

The ground was upheaved. Rocks in the path of the sword strikes were pulverized, trees were uprooted and sent flying into the sky, and the group of students rushing in was all sent bouncing away.

But it didn’t stop there.

The extended burst of force swept through the back, sending the students who were preparing spells or blessings tumbling. It wasn't quite as dramatic as launching them all into the sky, but they fell like autumn leaves in a gust.

“…”

“…”

Silence hung heavily in the atmosphere.

What the hell was this?

Even some knights who have honed their body-enhancing techniques to the extreme wouldn't be able to produce such a spectacle.

To create a typhoon by swinging a sword, that kind of thing can only be found in fairy tales or myths!

And yet...

Here are two people slapping them with reality by ‘swinging their sword once’.

Yuria and Elijah were the ones that sent the students flying, but they had their mouths dropped to the ground.

“…This, what is this…?”

[…]

Even these two were shocked at the power they wielded. As if they didn't expect this either.

Yuria, who has cut a lot of people, and Elijah, who has participated in multiple monster subjugations, had no idea what just happened.

So, naturally.

All eyes focused on the only ‘calm’ person in this situation.

“Not bad.”

As Dowd Campbell's lips curled into a cheerful smile, a shiver ran down everyone's spine.

Everyone instinctively sensed it.

The surreal scene they just witnessed was entirely orchestrated by this man 'alone.'

“…”

They heard that he's a prospective Theology student.

Of course, skilled priests could enhance their companions to an incredible level through their blessings, but to create such a phenomenon...

What level of mastery had he reached?

“…Surrender.”

The utterance of those words sounded perfectly natural.

Simply because, the target of their hostility...

Whether it was a hundred or two hundred people...

Deep down in their bones, they realized that the opponent they were facing was simply beyond their capacity to handle.

●

First, a few pieces of information.

The duration of Image World was shorter than I had anticipated.

In the end, the skill's usage condition involves summoning Caliban with my Divine Power, and with my current limited reservoir, I can only maintain it for one or two attacks at most.

Of course, that doesn't change the fact that it's dreadfully powerful.

‘Isn't it too strong?’

Even I, who shared the buff, thought so.

Just now, the students who got exposed to Elijah and Yuria’s attack would have turned into minced meat if I hadn’t used Ultima to cast a shield in conjunction with Penance.

I knew that most stat buffs are applied multiplicatively to the base stats, but isn't this going a bit overboard?

Considering that the physical-related stats of these two are currently hovering between B and C, it's even more excessive.

‘Since my stats are all at F, I can only draw half of the skill's performance at most.’

I shook my head with a sigh.

‘I'll need to raise them.’

Stats are among the most difficult traits to raise, even for veteran players. I wasn't just putting it off for no reason.

Fortunately, there will be a chance to boost them soon. Once the midterm exam is over, various opportunities will arise.

‘Well, right now…’

There's something else I've gained.

I navigated around the system window.

[ 'Party members' have received significant boosts in combat performance through buffs! ]

[ ‘AP(Assist Points)’ has been granted! ]

[ You can use AP to increase proficiency in desired attributes! ]

That's right.

Sera has a system called AP. Even if I don’t fight myself and just help my party members, I can still accumulate experience.

And just now, two of my buffed party members cleared 100 enemies in one shot.

And the AP I got from that is...

[ Attribute: Breathing Technique – Duckweed proficiency has increased. ]

[ Attribute: Shifting Wind proficiency has increased. ]

[ Proficiency in both attributes has improved! ]

[ Both attributes are promoted from 'Basic' to 'General' Grade! ]

[!Information!]

[ Confirmed achievement of all conditions. ]

[ The two attributes will be fused! ]

↓↓↓↓

[ Attribute: Arcane Gale ] [ Grade: Basic ]

[ Proficiency: 0% ]

[ Return a significant portion of the damage received if opponent's attack is 'deflected' at the right timing. ]

…It was enough to complete all this in one go.

It's a satisfying outcome. Just with this, my combat prowess has considerably increased.

Lost in these thoughts, I heard someone nearby and something being dropped.

“…Wow.”

Elijah exclaimed as she looked at the sack full of necklaces.

All these were left behind by those who surrendered earlier.

“How many points will we get with all this?”

“It won't be about points.”

I responded with a wry smile.

Getting a high score in the midterm exam naturally drops rewards in Sera’s main story.

Collecting 3 necklaces is high rank, 10 is top rank, and 20 is the best.

However.

If a player decides and collects more than 100 necklaces, there is another hidden reward one can get.

Primarily, the Crafting School where they create all sorts of equipment and items.

‘Those guys.’

It's time to start prepping the stuff I need to clear Chapter 2. This is a pretty impressive achievement.

“By the way, Mister.”

Elijah, with her arms folded, suddenly slipped in front of me.

She looked like she has something to say.

“Did you do something strange without telling me?”

“…Uh. Yes.”

At Elijah's words, Yuria looked at me.

Judging by the way her eyes were darting around, it's clear that it has also caught her attention.

“There were a lot of people watching. Right? Won't there be rumors?”

“…That's right.”

“Mister, do you remember the last time when you apologized to me and said you’d do anything I want?”

“…”

It did seem like that happened.

When they went into the Netherworld farming ectoplasm, Elijah got really mad and I made that promise to her.

But why is she suddenly bringing this up now?

I felt uneasy.

“Then I have two wish coupons now, right?”

Seeing my expression, Elijah smiled mischievously.

Her look just doubled my anxiety.

“…What do you want me to do?”

“Se—cret. I won't ask twice, I'll do a one for two, alright?”

Elijah giggled as she stuck her tongue out.

“I’ll tell you after the midterm exam, so please take good care of me then.”

“…After?”

As I was wondering why specifically that time, suddenly, an earlier comment made by our family butler popped into my mind.

-Isn't there an event happening soon? It'll be easier to find a partner. I heard that the House Lord met the Lady there...

…No.

Surely she's not talking about that, right?

If she really is, I'll have to take her with me to our territory.

As I was silently breaking out in cold sweat, Yuria raised her hand.

[I…]

“Hm? What is it?”

[…I don’t think it's strange that you declared yourself the owner.]

“…”

[Actually, it might even be better…?]

Elijah and I locked eyes.

We seemed to have a tacit agreement not to pay attention to the floating characters on the side.

Elijah cleared her throat and asked.

“By the way, Mister. Are you familiar with Margrave Kendride?”

“…? No?”

Margrave Kendride acts something like a foster father to Elijah.

One of the most prominent Holy Knight on the continent. In the game, you have a chance to get him as a companion character in the later stages of the game.

I remember him as a sustain character, with a combination of rigorous combat skills and high-level divine abilities.

“Your fighting styles are very similar.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You're good at close combat, you handle blessings well, and you know exactly when and where to strike. If the Marquis himself sees it, he'd probably take quite an interest.”

“…Tell him it's unnecessary.”

Gideon and Margrave Kendride's oil and water relationship is infamous among the great nobility.

If it weren't for the Imperial Family's intervention, they would have already had several wars long ago.

And, though it's not official, I have a sort of informal 'teacher-student' relationship with Gideon. I see him on a regular basis.

The moment I get involved with Margrave Kendride, chaos is guaranteed.

‘I wonder how Gideon is doing.’

Right now, he's probably deep into training somewhere under my direction.

But once he comes out... his growth will be impressive. Truly.

“…Honestly, it's already noticeable. It's just a matter of time.”

Ignoring the mumbling Elijah, I gaze ahead.

“Oh, we have arrived.”

A small stone building surrounded by a blue hemisphere.

It is the sanctuary that marks the end of the midterm exam.

Once you enter and submit the necklaces, the event ends.

‘…It's unlikely that it'll end this smoothly.’

A wore a wry smile as I looked ahead.

Considering the experience I’ve had so far, there’s no way it will end peacefully inside.

The midterm exam has always been the beginning of a big event in Sera. No exceptions.

“Why are you standing still, should we not go in?”

“…No, let’s go.”

Of course, I still have to go.

With that thought, I approached the sanctuary. I pushed the heavy stone door and step inside, where...

“…Wait.”

Elijah exclaimed in a panic.

“What, what is this? Is this also part of the test? No, still, this doesn't make any sense…!”

Because inside, there was a person sprawled on the ground, covered in blood.

It's a horrific sight. It’s almost as if someone intentionally tortured them.

“…”

And.

“…!”

The moment I recognized 'who' it was, a chilling sensation gripped my heart.

This is someone I know. Unfortunately.

Why unfortunate?

Because there was a person near me right now who should never have seen this person like this.

Turning to the side, I see Yuria staring blankly in that direction.

Vacant. Perpetually.

Her eyes was devoid of light.

As if her mind just collapsed.

“…Unnie?”

Then, an empty 'voice' came out of Yuria instead of ‘letters’.

A window popped up in front of me.

[ Main Quest ] 〖 Chapter 2 – Boy King 〗

[ Stop the rampage of the Apotropaic magic possessing the 'Curse of Severance'! ]

[ If ‘Lucien Greyhounder’ or ‘Yuria Greyhounder’ dies, it will be deemed as failure! ]

[ Reward: 1x Sanctification's Echo ]

[ Reward: 1x Evil Seed ]

Yup.

What did I just say? Fck.