Chapter 4

......No matter how many times I checked, my written test score remained at zero.

Despite that, I am being treated as the top student.

What does this mean? And what's more, next to the zero is a childish number, "100 billion full points." What does this mean?

Confused, I tilted my head, as did Irena, when a familiar voice reached my ears.

"Hey, hey, you guys. Congratulations on passing!"

In the midst of the mixed emotions of the examinees, a girl with distinctive platinum blonde hair, Jessica, stood there. She smiled and waved us over, saying,

"Come on. The principal is going to explain the results, so let's go."

Following Jessica, we entered the principal's office, and the moment we did—

"Ard! You're a genius! No, you're more than a genius! You're a monster, no, even that's too mild! You're a god! Yes, you are a god!"

As soon as we entered, Lord Gold showered me with praise.

"......I'm sorry, Principal. I don't understand what you mean."

"A, ah, yes. Sorry, I got a bit carried away."

Embarrassedly scratching his head, Gold continued,

"Ard, about your written test score—"

"Yes, it's zero, right? To be honest, it's an unexpected result."

"Hmm... I want to ask you, what were you thinking when you gave those answers?"

"The questions were too easy, so I thought it might be a trick question."

"Too easy? Our written test is said to be one of the most difficult in the world, you know."

I tilted my head at Gold's wry smile. The most difficult? It was so simple that even a three-year-old could solve it.

"Anyway, all your answers were wrong. All of them... were far beyond the correct answers."

Gold's eyes lit up again.

"How on earth did you come up with such ideas!? The proposal for improving the magic amplification circuit in special magic arrays, for example, is an idea no one has ever thought of! Your ideas for modifying magic formulas are in the realm of gods! And the rest, I doubt I would have come up with such content even if I lived for another few hundred years!"

Then, still excited, Gold concluded,

"Your answers are zero if seen as a test, but as a magic thesis, they are far beyond perfect! If you presented this to the academic community, it would cause a shockwave in the world! Such historical content! Therefore, Ard, you are the top student by a landslide! In fact, why don't you teach us? Guide not only the students but also the faculty!"

He grabbed my hands and pleaded with teary eyes.

......Why am I being told this? I'm supposed to be an ordinary villager, aren't I?

......But, well.

"Hehe! That's right! Ard is amazing! Because he's my friend and a teacher! There's no one in this world more amazing than Ard!"

Irena smiled happily. Any minor doubts vanished in the face of her expression.

Irena, you're so cute.

Immediately after the acceptance was decided, we moved to the student dormitory. The next day, we attended the entrance ceremony. I was the top student, but I didn't have to give a speech at the ceremony.

This was a blessing. The nail that sticks out gets hammered down. There's nothing good about standing out.

If I'm not careful, I might end up being bullied like in my previous life.

However, Irena didn't like this.

"Why isn't Ard standing on the stage...! I wanted to see his handsome appearance...!"

She has been muttering to herself next to me.

Anyway, I focused on the ceremony. The beautiful student council president's speech, the responses from the heads of the four great ducal families... Honestly, it was boring. Irena even started daydreaming.

And at the end of the ceremony, the principal, Lord Gold, began his speech.

"Now, new students. You have passed an extremely difficult test and are truly the chosen ones... However, from our perspective, you are still mere fledglings. Do not get too full of yourselves and always strive to improve."

Yes, as Gold said, we are mere fledglings. Therefore, this is not the goal but a stepping stone. We should tighten our resolve and learn with humility—

"However, this year's new students include a lion among the fledglings and a god. They are exceptions. Truly, you are very lucky. You will have the opportunity to witness geniuses who will change history up close."

...Huh? Wait a minute. What's going on, Principal? Why are you looking at me?

"Hehe! The principal is really cool, isn't he!"

Irena, why are you getting so excited—

"Let's go, Ard! To our stage!"

"Haah!?" I was pulled. Pulled by Irena, I was forced to stand on the stage.

Gold placed his hand on my shoulder,

"This boy's name is Ard Meteor! And this girl's name is Irena Ritz de Aurhide! You understand, don't you!? Everyone!"

The crowd buzzed in response to Gold's question.

"Meteor?" "Aurhide?" "Hey, could it be...?" "No way, right?"

"Yes! These two are none other than the children of the great heroes!"

Gold shouted, giving the answer. At that moment,

"Seriously!?"

"The child of the great mage!?"

"I never thought I'd have the chance to study alongside the great hero's family...!"

It seems my parents are highly respected. Some people were trembling with joy, some were crying, and some even fainted from the excitement. ...But, that's only for the commoners.

The noble children mostly showed negative reactions.

"Even if he's a great mage, he's still a commoner."

"How dare someone of low birth look down on us...!"

This is very bad.

I'm just a villager now, so if I get bullied like in my previous life, I won't be able to do anything about it.

I can't even pay a visit of gratitude after being expelled.

And now, I'm standing out so much that some students are already starting to view me as an enemy. If this continues, my reincarnation will be meaningless.

Feeling a sense of crisis, I called out to Gold.

"U, um, Lord, please—"

"He is a true genius, unlike the rest of you! Compared to Ard, you are nothing! Just snot! Everyone, take him as your goal and strive every day!"

Because he said such things,

"Let's contact Senior Rail. It's time for the genius hunt."

"No, maybe Mako is better?"

"Either way, he's on the list to be taken down."

It's over. My school life ended with the entrance ceremony.

In the chaos caused by Gold, I thought to myself,

Why did it come to this?

After the ceremony, the class assignments were announced. Irena and I were in the same class.

We were led by a teacher to the classroom and waited for our assigned teacher to arrive.

...While being surrounded by many students.

Around Irena were boys, and around me were girls, showering me with flattery.

Irena, scratching her silver hair, said,

"Hehe! Well, I'm me, so it's natural!"

On the other hand, I—

"Ard! I, I'm Klera!"

"What are you rushing for! Ard, you can ignore her!"

"Will you go out with me with the intention of marriage!"

"Aah! I was beaten to it!"

"......Haha."

I was confused by this new situation.

When I entered school in my previous life, it wasn't like this. I was called things like "that guy in the corner" or "that thin guy" and was constantly pointed at.

But now, how is it? Isn't it like being the protagonist of a popular youth novel?

...This is probably due to my title.

When I entered school in my previous life, I had no title. But now, I have the title of the great mage's son. That's why people are flocking to me.

Anyway, it's a good thing. People are facing me as a student, not out of fear or condescension. That's really nice.

...However,

"Tch. Don't get too full of yourself, commoner."

"Die. Seriously, you're so annoying."

Looking at the group of people whispering a bit away, it seems the situation isn't entirely positive.

It's all because of the principal. Because he said such provocative things, I'm particularly disliked by the boys.

How should I deal with bullying in the future? The more I think about it, the more my stomach hurts. This is the kind of predicament I faced when I was cornered by the hero's army in my previous life...!

I was seriously worried about what to do when—

"...I...da na..."

"..."

In the noise created by the students, an unpleasant sound caught my ear.

It sounded like a boy was insulting someone.

I looked in the direction the sound came from. There was a boy with short orange hair in an all-back style and a reptilian face, and a girl with peach-colored hair.

From their uniform designs, both seemed to be children of nobles. The boy was an elf. He had a rather aggressive face, unlike most elves, but like Irena, he had pointed ears.

The girl... had no special physical features, but she exuded an inexplicable charm.

Her bright peach-colored hair reached her shoulders. Her skin was as white as porcelain. She had a mature beauty.

And the well-shaped breasts and plump thighs visible through her revealing uniform... just looking at her body made me feel a surge of lust.

Hmm. She is probably a succubus, a very rare race.

The elf boy was hurling insults at this succubus girl.

"Surprised that an incompetent girl like you could enter the academy. Did you sell your body to the principal?"

"N, no, I didn't..."

The boy, smirking, and the girl, on the verge of tears. It was a distasteful scene.

"...Everyone, do you know those two?"

"Huh? U, um, the boy is Elard. He's quite famous. A genius from the prestigious ducal family, the Barcs. And... the other one is Ginny. She's famous for having no talent. She comes from a rather prestigious baronial family, though."

"Her family serves the Elard family... They've been bullying her like this for a long time."

"Hmm. That's... unacceptable."

I narrowed my eyes. If I acted now, I would stand out again, but so what.

I'm going to be bullied anyway. So I have nothing to fear.

Therefore, to make him stop, I was about to speak, but—

"Stop it, you! That girl is clearly uncomfortable!"

Irena shouted angrily. ...As expected of my friend.

After Elard looked at Irena, I also approached him and said,

"As my friend said, you should apologize to Ginny."

In response, Elard clicked his tongue,

"The daughter of a hero baron and the son of a great mage. Tsk, you're really getting full of yourselves, aren't you, just because of your parents' fame?"

"Whether it's due to their fame or not, it doesn't matter. Apologize to Ginny immediately. And swear that you will never torment her again—"

"Shut up, you idiot."

Elard spat at my feet. This action caused a stir among the students.

"Typical Elard, keep it up."

"Showing that attitude to the great mage's son... The prodigy has no fear, huh."

Ignoring their comments, I said,

"Are you saying you won't listen to our request?"

"Sure. If you beat me in a duel, I might consider it. But do you have the courage to do that?"

Irena reacted first to these words... but she didn't.

Surprisingly, she just glared at Elard with a regretful look.

"What's wrong? Irena. I thought you would immediately accept a challenge."

"He's... It's not that easy to take him on... He's called a genius that comes once in a few hundred years, a child of the gods... He's already a 4th Rank Mage at our age, so..."

Hmm. This guy is so powerful that even Irena is afraid. Then—

"Hey. What's going on here?"

A stern female voice echoed through the classroom, causing tension.

The source was a woman standing at the entrance.

She was a beastkin. She had cat-like ears on her head and a long tail extending from her buttocks.

Her jet-black hair reached her waist, and her skin was pure white with a translucent quality.

She was about my height or a little taller, making her tall for a woman.

Her composed and beautiful face was so captivating that it left no one unaffected.

Her attire, designed for ease of movement, had a small fabric area... the seductive, soft-looking thighs exposed boldly were very provocative.

...No, wait. Hold on. Why is she here?

If it's not a lookalike, that woman is—

"O, Olivia-sama!?"

"Huh!? T, that legendary apostle...!?"

"I heard she was a special lecturer at the academy, but... I never thought I would see her on the first day of school...!"

That's right. One of the Four Heavenly Kings, the pinnacle of military officials and my former right-hand, Olivia Ver Vain...!

W, wait a minute. Why is she here?

Given her background as one of the Four Heavenly Kings, I thought she would be a dignitary in some country—

"Tch. A fight on the first day of class. What a hassle."

W, what...!? N, not good. T, this is not good.

She must be angry about my reincarnation. She would never forgive me for abandoning my duties as king. If she finds out my true identity... I don't even want to imagine it.

And now, she's going to be my homeroom teacher? Come on, this is a joke. If that happens, the risk of my identity being exposed will increase. ...No, to begin with.

"......Is this your doing, son of the great mage?"

She's already noticed me and is targeting me.

B, but it's still okay. Of course, she hasn't realized my true identity yet.

I need to play the role of Ard Meteor properly.

"O, Olivia-sama. You look lovely today..."

"Today, too? We've never met before, have we?"

D, damn! I, I got so flustered that I spoke as if we were old acquaintances!

"......Hmph. Never mind. So, what happened? Explain."

To Olivia, who twitched her black cat ears, I nervously explained the situation. Then,

"I will allow the duel. Fight quickly. Finish it before the first class starts."

"N, no, I haven't decided to fight yet—"

"Be quiet. Just fight. Show me your strength."

Olivia, wagging her black tail, spoke. Immediately, the students started buzzing again.

"H, hey, did she just...!"

"Olivia-sama is evaluating him...!"

"Amazing! No wonder he's the great mage's son! To catch the interest of Olivia-sama!"

Everyone looked at me with envious eyes, but...

You don't know. That's the look she gives when she's suspicious of someone. She always glares at people with those narrowed eyes, twitching her cat ears and tail when she's suspicious.

...If I lose the duel, my identity as the Demon King might be exposed.

The problem for me is not fighting the child of the gods, but the risk of that happening.