10. How can you lose with a dragon riding on your face!?

My speed in completing the written exam was quick, but it wasn’t as if I was galloping ahead of everyone else. Neither Kefer nor that Leyef were fools. Just as the three old men from the design bureau, acting as examiners, were reminiscing about their passionate youth and praising me as the new generation’s free-spirited, daring Rosian wild youth model, Kefer and Leyef had also finished and submitted their papers.

This “preliminary test” carried a sense of competition, so naturally, none of us wanted to leave the results to be revealed later. At Reti’s signal, the three old men changed their previously passionate expressions, straightened their faces, and gathered together to begin reviewing.

For me, it wasn’t much, but for the others, it was an absolutely agonizing wait. The onlooking students outside fell silent; Reti’s gaze began to drift toward the papers in the old men’s hands as she stood on tiptoe. Kefer, who seemed to have completed the exam without issue, let out a sigh of relief, but still felt a bit anxious since this “written test” posed some difficulty for her as an international student, and she came over to my side with a hint of worry.

Only Leyef was different.

Rather, she felt from the very beginning that, as a Rosian, she would never lose in the tests at Lubyanka Academy. Even with the old men urgently grading and looking serious beside her, she couldn’t care less. Having completed everything, she exuded absolute confidence and had already begun to enjoy the fruits of victory ahead of time.

“International student, how does it feel to scribble randomly?”

Standing up, Leyef placed one hand on her hip and looked at me without any courtesy, making a statement of superiority that only a victor would dare to make. “With that speed of completing the test and handing it in, you look like you can’t even pretend. Do you even remember what answers you just filled in?”

That’s right, I’m not pretending anymore; I’m laying my cards on the table. I know it all.

Since she had already made herself an enemy of me and Kefer, there was no need for me to placate her. I responded with a laugh, “Do you remember how many bites of bread you eat each day?”

Leyef’s expression visibly soured, as if she felt that competing with me, a mere “filler,” would lower her own status. After a cold huff, she ignored me.

“This one clearly snuck into Lubyanka Academy, but Kefer…”

After all, her target was Kefer.

“Don’t come crying later.”

“Let’s save the boasting until the results come out, Student Council President.”

Kefer, of course, had no mood to argue with Leyef, but the latter seemed relentless. The tension was palpable; perhaps Kefer’s seemingly “aloof” attitude made Leyef very displeased.

In truth, Kefer wasn’t intentionally aloof; she simply couldn’t be bothered with them.

“This is a Rosian academy, and everything on the test paper is content from the Rosian Empire! I have no worries facing anyone in the academy, and against you two ‘international students’ who stayed here by various means, do you think I would lose?”

“You don’t need to glare at me like that. I’m just kindly reminding you: while the test results aren’t out yet, you should hurry and leave here.”

Leyef glanced at the old men, directly ignoring their and Reti’s warning looks. “When the results come out later, you can still save some face and not let your empire be embarrassed.”

[Leyef feels she has it in the bag!]

At this point in the script, I didn’t even know how to respond to her.

“As for the scribblers taking up the S-level spots, it’s better for them to drop out and go home early.”

“Leyef, enough.”

Reti’s emotionless voice rang out, but Leyef, believing she had the upper hand, didn’t hear her.

“So…”

“Leyef! This Emperor commands you to be silent!”

This time, even a fool could tell: Reti was angry, and several onlooking students outside were scared off. However, facing Reti’s fury, the girl not only didn’t back down but seemed to have hit a “sore spot,” becoming even more agitated!

“Lady Reti! Why should I stop!? I still can’t understand why you’ve been increasingly off since these outsiders came to the academy. Why do you always speak for them!? Do you not have any…”

[Leyef opposes Reti’s tyranny and arrogance!]

The script unfolds this way! But this time, Reti’s intervention was definitely not due to tyranny and arrogance! Rather, she had no “tyranny” in public; all she had was authority!

This time, the intervention was because…

“That’s because you lost!”

Letty slammed the firearm in her hand onto the table with a loud bang! She snatched the test papers from the old men at the design bureau and, in the midst of the silence outside, threw them towards us!

“Look at the results yourself!”

Kefir, quick on her feet, immediately grabbed the test papers for both of us, while Rayef, stunned by Letty’s words, stumbled for a moment before hurriedly catching her own paper, her expression shifting from shock to disbelief!

We weren’t far apart, so the “test” results were clear at a glance. Just like the script I received the moment I finished my paper, I was undoubtedly ahead of the two girls. However, what surprised me slightly was that Kefir, who should have lagged behind Rayef, actually managed to secure a narrow lead this time, placing second.

Looking at the script again: [Rayef was distracted by Euclid’s speed, rushed to finish, and made mistakes, falling behind Kefir.]

It seemed to be a change in the script brought about by coincidence, which could indeed be summarized as “pride comes before a fall.”

“I told you not to underestimate the people I brought. But losing to him is one thing; losing to Kefir, a mere exchange student, is another. Is this the confidence you’ve always had in front of me, Rayef? Is this your capital to criticize my decisions?”

Rayef completely ignored Letty’s reprimand.

Because she was frozen in place.

“How is this possible…”

After a moment of panic and disbelief, the test paper slipped from Rayef’s hands.

Has she finally admitted defeat? Then she shouldn’t come looking for trouble with Kefir anymore. Just as I thought this, Rayef suddenly sprang into action!

I realized I had underestimated her!

[Rayef believed Euclid cheated and attacked him!]

A dangerous script emerged! In the next moment, Rayef aimed at me, instinctively reaching for something at her waist!

“Suka Bule… did you cheat?!”

Is she trying to take me out right here!?

——

Recently preparing new illustrations, ah~ I really want some monthly tickets.