I Broke Off My Engagement and Got a Job at the Academy

67 – Midterm Evaluation

The schedule was set. Retrieving that guy who is still unconscious in the underground prison for the Saint was scheduled after the Academy’s summer break.

Well… it was almost like saying it wasn’t something to worry about right at this moment.

“But it’s necessary to think ahead.”

They are individuals within the Academy who openly attempted to kill. Failing to plan ahead would likely lead to trouble.

And… most importantly, the midterm evaluations were approaching.

Combining the midterm and final evaluations forms the overall evaluation for the semester. Based on this, reshuffling of classes occurs. In short, it’s an incredibly significant event in the Academy that cannot be compared to anything else.

“At that point, there’s a high possibility they’ll aim for it.”

Naturally, as the midterm evaluation approaches, attention gets drawn toward it. Those who intended to attack the Academy might target that moment.

And that’s not all.

There might be a traitor within the Academy.

Given that the bracelets provided by the Academy during the entrance exam were neutralized, it’s possible that there’s a traitor within the Academy.

In many ways, it was certain that extra focus was required during the midterm evaluation period.

…

Jezel tightened her grip on her staff. There wasn’t much time left until the midterm evaluation period.

Of course, she wasn’t particularly worried about performing poorly and dropping to the beta class. As an expert, the probability of that happening was almost nonexistent.

However… what she aimed for was the top position.

Not just the top position in the Department of Magic. What Jezel aimed for was the overall first place. And occupying the position of overall first place belonged to the renowned name, ‘Vanessa Delpierre.’

Wasn’t she called a genius who became an expert at the age of fifteen?

Becoming an expert came later for her compared to Vanessa. Nevertheless, considering someone to compete with Vanessa apart from herself was challenging for Jezel.

The barrier of being an expert was that high. In serious cases, there might be individuals who wouldn’t reach the level of an expert until graduation.

However… that was Jezel’s thought.

What Vanessa Delpierre thought about herself was unknown. Considering her a rival was only Jezel’s perspective. Frankly, Vanessa Delpierre didn’t need to compete with her.

They were in different departments, and Vanessa’s entrance scores were overwhelming. At that time, she hadn’t reached the expert level yet, but anyhow.

Giselle was competitive and had a tendency to disregard those without ability, but at least she was somewhat good at objectifying herself.

From the beginning, Giselle knew that there was no need for Vanessa to ignite competition with her during the midterm evaluation.

However, the reason Giselle hoped to compete with Vanessa and win was because she needed accomplishment.

She had already become an expert, so training alone didn’t hold much significance. It would be different if she became a high expert.

Human beings become lost without a goal. Therefore, Giselle had to set short-term goals. Goals like becoming a high expert were still too far away, too hazy.

That short-term goal was to rank first overall. Moreover, to surpass Vanessa and rank first. The name of being the top 1 in the academy would also elevate the evaluation of her.

Giselle saw achievements achieved through ability as the most important in the end. Even if she lacked a political position, she preferred to associate with those who had ability, and she herself made great efforts to improve her ability.

Therefore – the name of being the top 1 in the academy came to her with a very sweet resonance. It was enough to serve as a short-term goal.

So Giselle determinedly focused her will.

Thanks to the help of Professor Edun Keynes, she gained the ability to compete with Vanessa in the midterm evaluation.

She wouldn’t easily lose like during the entrance exam.

If she easily lost, it would be a disgrace to Professor Edun who taught her. Achieving the rank of expert as well was thanks to him.

While Giselle thought that way, the explanation of the midterm evaluation was finally conveyed to the other freshmen.

“This midterm evaluation will be conducted in teams.”

When Giselle heard those words, she showed a reaction. If the evaluation was conducted in teams, the probability of her leading a team of capable individuals and receiving a high evaluation was high.

“Create teams of up to five members and the goal will be to survive in the examination area.”

Survival. It meant that the evaluation wouldn’t simply judge combat ability. It meant they would evaluate various aspects comprehensively.

It wasn’t done for no reason that teams were formed. If survival was the goal, it would be difficult to achieve it alone. It would only become more likely if each person took on their respective roles.

“We will distribute backpacks to each individual, and you can put your belongings in them. Using pocket spaces is prohibited.”

Drevr Gheidan, the professor of swordsmanship, said that while tapping a pile of papers.

“The other detailed rules are inside. You can do whatever you want within the rules.”

When Giselle looked at the rules, it felt similar to the broken entrance exam in a general sense.

There were targets and scores assigned to other students, and the student with the most points would become the final winner.

However, the difference was that this evaluation didn’t focus on short-term mission execution ability, but rather evaluated long-term abilities. And… Unlike in the past, where only 10 points were given when capturing other students, now they could get all the points that student possessed.

‘It means don’t let your guard down from the beginning for no reason.’

In the end, long-term survival ability would determine the direction of the evaluation.

And when some saw the content of the exam, they felt a complicated feeling.

‘…What should I do about this.’

It was Vanessa. The theme of survival itself was very good. After all, as the successor of the North, she had survived by hunting and eating beasts in the tundra for several months.

‘Sigh, my head hurts.’

…It wasn’t a particularly enjoyable memory, to be honest.

Anyway, the topic itself was okay… The biggest problem was choosing a team.

It’s not that there weren’t any suitable candidates for a team. The problem was that all the men who wanted to team up with her were overflowing with desire.

Vanessa sighed and furrowed her brows. …This really sucked.

She decided to flip her thoughts around. Yeah, let’s think about the positive aspects.

…Instead of watching the vultures flock around, maybe it would be better to just approach the evaluation alone, she thought.

In the end, Vanessa, who had been racking her brain alone, finally made up her mind to do it alone.

‘Yeah, who needs a team for my topic? Let’s just do it alone.’

In terms of survival, acting alone is not necessarily worse than forming a team. To be more precise, it only applies to situations like this.

Nobles who don’t usually suffer much hardship are forced to cooperate. If there were arguments or disputes, it could become irreversible.

Besides, if you form a team, the points are divided. If you’re skilled, there’s no need to divide points with others.

Moreover, someone like Vanessa doesn’t really need cooperation from the beginning. It may be a flaw that her combat power is a bit lacking, but instead of worrying about a mediocre team, it might be better to just fight alone.

‘If you catch another student, you give them the same points, which means there’s no need to fight directly.’

If she’s really confident, she might systematically hunt other students, but not just anyone can do that from the beginning. …Except maybe herself and Jezel Ierukalis. Heck, she didn’t even have the intention to do that from the start.

If she becomes a target for other students and is assigned as the first one to be hunted, she could be eliminated before the evaluation period ends.

‘And if you get eliminated before the evaluation period ends, you get 0 points.’

There’s no need to be a target for others unnecessarily.

And there was also a way to aim for the ‘target’ in this exam.

Vanessa hmphed to herself. Thinking about it, Eiden Keynes didn’t even show his face when the retest was held.

She also didn’t want to continue being treated like a kid by him. So, this evaluation…

[Hey, Vanessa. Wanna go and get it? ‘Ranked 1st overall.’]

In her mind, Tosun tempted her. Although Tosun’s physical body may have withered away, its spirit was giving Vanessa courage from inside her.

“…Alright.”

She said in a serious tone.

Just with that, people around her turned to look at her, but such things didn’t seem important at all.

She would make Eiden Keynes look at her again. With that one conviction, Vanessa quickly devised a plan for the midterm evaluation.

Minimize conflicts with others and aim for the ‘target’. Since she was alone, there would be no need to divide her points. In that way, quietly taking the points as a ‘target’ and achieving the top rank overall.

Vanessa looked around with a determined gaze. The obstacle that would hinder her from achieving the top rank overall… Yes, it was you.

Jezel Ierukalis was caught in her line of sight.

From Noble mtl dot com