Chapter 192: Chapter 192: Summer Vacation

A week had passed since I was discharged from the hospital.

My shoulders, which had been raised high, drooped as soon as I saw the test results.

“…I messed up.”

“Oh, uh. Cheer up, Master!”

“Hmm. No matter how good you are, you can’t solve problems you haven’t learned.”

Regardless of how well I actually used magic, theoretically, I was no better than a baby.

Everyone else had the basics down before entering the academy, but I came in with a blank slate.

Thanks to Carla’s tutoring and my excellent memory, I was catching up… but still.

“Is it even possible to forget so much after just a few days of being bedridden?! And who makes the curriculum so intense during exam periods?!”

As I was fuming with frustration, Carla awkwardly smiled and opened her mouth.

“Well… compared to when I was in the first year, the pace was a bit slower, but it seems they sped up towards the end of the term, Master.”

“There have been many incidents this year, so it couldn’t be helped. But you aced the practical exam, didn’t you? Cheer up, dear.”

Elisha was right. The attack that should have happened during the entrance ceremony occurred during our first dungeon practice.

And the spies of the Boiling Silence Cult, who were supposed to be revealed only after they came to the forefront, were exposed by me during a duel.

With such incidents happening during the term, the pace had to slow down.

However, since the curriculum was set, they crammed a lot towards the end of the term.

“This way, except for magic combat, I won’t be the top in any subject…”

“Were you aiming to be top in all subjects? You just started learning magic a few days before the entrance exam, though? That’s a bit unreasonable…”

“Elisha! Master worked hard! It’s okay to set high goals!”

“…Both of you are too harsh! Especially you, Carla. You’re pretending to support me but assuming it’s impossible!”

Of course, I knew it was impossible to be the top in all subjects.

Especially in the first year, before majors were divided, it was a time to dabble in various things.

Even though it was basic stuff, the number of subjects was immense.

But wasn’t it possible to be the top in a few subjects?

If I did, I would have earned about 100 points by now….

With the goal of buying the Dragon Heart fragment almost within reach, I was starting to feel a bit impatient.

Even though I failed my exams, things were going better than expected in other areas.

It had only been one semester, but I had already reached the level of an intermediate magician, and my stats were quite high.

Having exterminated many cultists, the Evil God’s cult’s plans must have been largely thwarted.

In the past few days, I had also become accustomed to controlling Resonance.

While I could only use it with intermediate-level spells, which required significantly elevated mana, I could now turn it on and off at will.

With continued practice, I might be able to apply it to low-level magic or increase the maximum amplification rate.

Good. Mental recovery complete.

After neatly folding the score report and putting it in my inventory, I stretched my arms and yawned.

“Yaaawn… Anyway, the first semester ends today.”

“You’ve worked hard, Master. It feels like just yesterday you were learning basic magic in the carriage, and now you’re an intermediate magician…”

Carla pretended to wipe away tears and wore an overwhelmed expression. I chuckled and tickled her chin.

“Do you know how much you’ve changed too, Carla? When I first brought you here, you were trembling in fear, just meeting my eyes.”

“Well, back then, I didn’t even know what you looked like… Is that your type, Master?”

Suddenly trembling, Carla started watching my every move, flinching at the slightest gestures.

Amused by her reaction, which brought back a nostalgic desire for dominance, I exaggeratedly raised my hand.

“Eek…!”

Carla shrank her neck and tightly shut her eyes, looking as if I might hit her, which made me laugh and gently pat her head.

“Occasionally, it’s nice, I guess? Well, I prefer how things are now.”

“Hehe… I’ve always liked you, Master!”

“Then should we use the polymorph magic tool to recreate your look from the auction today?”

“Ah, that’s a bit much.”

As if she had never smiled, Carla firmly refused.

She was still sensitive about her appearance.

While I was playing by pulling up the corners of Carla’s stiffened mouth with my fingers, Elisha, with a pouty face, started pressing my thigh with her fingers.

“What’s this? A conversation only you and Carla understand. I can’t join in!”

“Oh? Elisha didn’t know? Then let me tell you a bit…”

Just as I was about to start chatting with Elisha, who had joined in, Iona, who had finished distributing the report cards, banged on the lectern.

“Attention, attention! Everyone, you’ve worked hard this semester! Even if you’re not satisfied with your grades, don’t worry too much! There’s no one whose grades are so bad that they’re in danger of being demoted to Class B this year! Compared to last year and the year before, the overall grades are higher! Was there someone particularly motivating?”

Everyone’s attention shifted towards me. At the same time, Iona gave me a wink and a smile.

…It’s overwhelming! And I told her not to be too obvious during class!

I glared at her with that meaning, but Iona just chuckled and ignored my gaze.

“Anyway, anyway! There were a lot of things this semester, but everyone worked hard! When we meet next time, keep up the good work! This concludes the first semester! Rest well during the vacation, and see you in the second semester!”

-Woohoo!!

The students in Class A cheered loudly as Iona left. I clapped appropriately and stood up.

“You packed your bags already, right? Let’s stop by Senior Faye’s workshop and then go to the mansion together.”

“Yep. Oh, isn’t Professor Iona coming with us?”

“No. Professors don’t get to rest immediately after vacation starts, apparently. But she said she’d finish up and come to the mansion by tomorrow, so it’s fine. I’ve already given her the location.”

“Ah, I see. That’s a relief.”

Carla nodded, but Elisha frowned and tilted her head.

“Hmm… It feels like I forgot something…”

Elisha blinked her blue eyes, not knowing why she felt that way, but soon sighed and stood up.

“Well, it’s probably nothing important.”

How bland.

As soon as we left the classroom, we headed to Faye’s workshop.

I thought we arrived early, but it seemed Faye had arrived much earlier.

Faye was fiddling with flasks and test tubes with a serious face. It must have been an important process, as she only glanced at us briefly.

“You’re here, juniors? Just wait a moment. I just need to finish mixing this.”

“Don’t mind us. Please continue what you were doing.”

“…You’re not mad, are you?”

“…Isn’t that usually considered being considerate?”

What kind of thought process made her think I was angry?

I chuckled and sank deeply into the sofa at the back

As I slumped down, Carla and Elisha, moving in perfect sync, took out cups and plates.

They then looked at me expectantly.

“What do you want to drink?”

“I’ll have the same as Master!”

“Oh? I’ll have my usual, please.”

“Okay.”

Carla and Elisha carried small items in their own subspace pouches, but food items were stored in my inventory.

Subspace pouches only expand space while time continues to flow, but once items enter the inventory, time stops completely.

For this reason, perishable items like food were all stored in my inventory.

“Let’s see…”

First, I took out Elisha’s favorite elven tea.

Despite its premium name and the fact that elves often drank it, it just tasted like green tea with a hint of peppermint to me.

I poured the perfectly heated kettle into Elisha’s cup and put it back immediately.

The next time I took it out, the temperature would be almost the same.

Next was my drink… It might be because summer break was starting, but I felt a bit hot.

I took out plain water and poured it into cups for both Carla and me, then cast a simple spell.

“Ice.”

Three ice cubes floated in the air and dropped into each cup. Then, with a satisfied expression, I handed one cup to Carla.

“Here.”

“Is it… alcohol?”

“No? Just ice water.”

“…”

Carla blinked her ruby-colored eyes with a strange expression.

It was like the look of a sister who gave her younger brother money to buy whatever he wanted for his 20th birthday, only for him to return with a bookstore subscription.

Why was she looking at me like that?

I avoided her gaze and muttered softly.

“But alcohol tastes bad.”

“…I’ll recommend a delicious wine later, Master.”

Stop it. Don’t look at me with those gentle eyes. I really don’t drink because alcohol tastes bad.

Ah, I feel like having Kahlua milk.

Of course, I couldn’t say that, so I just grumbled and drank the ice water.

Just as the awkward tea time was about to end…

“Done…!”

Faye jumped up and down, raising her hands high.

Watching the jiggle of her side chest from behind for a while, I finally spoke.

“What did you make that makes you so happy, Senior Faye?”

“…Hah! Well, that…”

After fidgeting for a while, as if embarrassed, she handed me a flask.

A transparent liquid with a slight viscosity.

“This is… tanning lotion.”

“Tanning lotion?”

“Yes. You said you were going to the main temple of the Church of Righteous Radiance in a few days, right? Since it’s the temple of the Sun God, I heard the sunlight there is strong.”

“No way…”

As I opened my mouth wide, Faye nodded with a sinister smile.

“Huh! Yes! If you apply this, you can tan your skin beautifully! Imagine you with a brown tan… but still white there… hehehe…”

“…”

Turning a holy place into a sexual place with her thoughts.

Truly an insane idea.

“How many more can you make?”

I never said I didn’t like it.