Chapter 129

People come into this world with nothing and leave with nothing. Gaining and losing is all part of the process. Even knowledge is no exception. Who can truly say with certainty that knowledge will persist even after d*ath? It’s possible that in the wake of d*ath, knowledge might fade away.

If someone who has returned after dying were to say knowledge persists after d*ath, we might be inclined to believe them, but in such cases, we can’t trust that they’re telling the truth. Ultimately, people tend to believe what they want to believe when it comes to what others say.

“I haven’t done anything wrong.”

The test is over, and the results are out. I had no choice but to face the consequences. I couldn’t tell whether the paper was trembling like an old man or if it was my hands that were shaking, but the report card wouldn’t stop quivering. I could only manage to check my rank.

The overall ranking on the report card displayed a “3.” Given that there were individuals capable of tying for first place in my head, this wasn’t an unusual score.

Actually, considering that I had to relearn everything late and went through some tough circumstances yet still managed to achieve this level of performance, it was a testament to my intellectual capability.

However, this world values only the end results, ignoring the process entirely. I had to accept the calamity this result would bring.

[Though you studied diligently, you didn’t achieve results worthy of your effort. The Heroine’s trait – Genius – is at risk of wavering. If this continues, you may lose the trait – Genius altogether. Be cautious in the next test.]

[Additionally, your position as a Sub Heroine is also at risk. You are now designated as a Temporary Sub Heroine.]

I’ve been here for quite some time, but this didn’t sound good. However, since the warning is about “the next test,” I concluded that if I perform well in the next one, everything should be fine. Even if my role drops momentarily, I can recover it later.

Being a “Sub Heroine” implies having a path to an ending alongside the Protagonist. However, despite not wanting to be a Sub Heroine deep down, what can I do?

As long as the title “Heroine” isn’t removed, I should at least strive to maintain even a secondary position instead of becoming an extra.

Anyway, I resolved to focus on passing any tests in the future, and with that, I thought this ordeal would end. But the system’s notifications didn’t stop there.

[Due to failing to secure the top rank, the Scenario of Heroine Erica has been significantly expedited. Warning: We reiterate this warning. Warning: The chances of someone rising in a bl**d-red world during the 0th Bad Ending have substantially increased, raising the probability of adverse events.]

[Your unwavering self-esteem, which stems from your belief in your genius, makes you susceptible to mental attacks. The likelihood of encountering these has also increased.]

‘The probability of all sorts of adverse events seems to have risen.’

Since I failed to maintain my previous scores, I expected bad things to happen, but I didn’t anticipate so many events unfolding simultaneously.

Ultimately, I crumpled the report card and tossed it into my bag as subtly as I could. Then, I turned my gaze away from the female who was looking at me with a peculiar expression.

“How was your score? Did you do well?”

As soon as I looked at her, Inna immediately beamed and held up her report card in front of me, which was quite different from what I had.

As she claimed, she performed excellently. Even the system mentioned that her results were high enough to rival someone like me whose “genius” status was wavering. She scored exceptionally well.

If not for the likes of me, Kim Ha-neul, or the Student Council President in this class, she would have likely been ranked at the top in the entire class.

From the moment she began teaching me, I could tell that the individuals around me are smart, including myself. Is it because “birds of a feather flock together”? Or because intellect plays an important role in the storylines of this world?

“Am I doing better because my scores improved so much?”

“Yeah, it feels like you’re catching up.”

I might find out the answer later. Was my gloomy expression due to how well her scores turned out? Inna teased me by poking my cheek, despite the fact that it isn’t as soft as an infant’s.

“So, now that exams are over, where should we go play?”

“Ehhh, let’s hear what the others say first. We can play anytime during the break, after all.”

Inna referred to her group, which included Kim So-ra and Song Gain, as she cast her eyes on them. As always in this place, people essentially have name tags floating above their heads, so I rarely made an effort to memorize their names.

I didn’t bother asking for the name of the older sister whose name wasn’t displayed either, finding it tedious. Besides, her name probably didn’t hold any special significance.

“So, what do you think?”

They were Inna’s group, so deciding whether to play with them wasn’t my responsibility but hers.

Even though I drew that line, Inna asked me. It was as if she thought I had the authority to decide. Or perhaps, it was like I belonged to her group.

Was her question born from respect for what I thought, or was it an attempt to include me wherever she was?

Though I have lived longer than Inna, I still don’t fully understand people’s hearts. And while this body might possess an extraordinary intellect, it doesn’t change the fact.

“If my mood will get even worse tomorrow than yesterday, I might as well feel better today.”

Regardless, to take the next step forward, I first needed to lift my current gloomy mood.

Just a short while ago, I was preoccupied with the exam. Now, with the report card in hand, it was time to relieve the stress it brought.

While thinking this, I smirked to myself.

Honestly, who would have expected their grades to be out just one hour later? If this isn’t a world of supernatural abilities, then what? Even though not everyone has supernatural powers here.

Could there be special tools for grading exams or did children with unique inventions create something to process results this quickly? Perhaps, due to the nature of romantic visual novels, this is possible.

“By the way, what do you usually do for fun?”

Since this wasn’t what I should be curious about right now, I asked them first about their plans. After all, one prepares mentally when knowing what the activities will be.

On the other hand, while Inna seemed perplexed in real-time, Song Gain sighed heavily while holding up her phone, as if the answers were within.

However, unless she had used her phone’s notes app to plan everything silently without us knowing, we wouldn’t have been able to guess her ideas.

“Seriously, you didn’t check our group chat properly, did you? The notification number ‘1’ never went away.”

Curiously, I glanced at the text on her phone and nodded promptly. Ah, I was too absorbed in studying to notice they had sent updates via text message.

Reflecting on it, I remember silencing notifications during study. Could one of the things I muted have been their message?

“If you don’t personally tell her, she won’t know. She might even forget what you say right in front of her if she’s not interested.”

“But I do have interest, yet I occasionally forget things too.”

“Because others might perceive that as disinterest, we’d prefer if you avoided saying that in the future.”

In sequence, these statements were made by Inna, me, and Kim So-ra.

When Kim So-ra extended her finger toward me, I stared blankly but agreed by hooking little fingers with her.

Though treating me like a child could seem irritating, each of these actions didn’t necessarily demand that response. Maybe this was where the difference between Inna and her arose, despite seeming similar.

While Inna seemed friendly with a hidden agenda, Kim So-ra’s kindness from her friendship was more genuine and harder to refuse.

So, rather than letting her friendliness linger uncomfortably, it was easier to simply agree with her requests or actions.

“Hmm?”

Surprisingly, from the corner of my eye, I noticed a burning sensation of someone’s gaze. Turning my head, I saw no one behind Inna’s smile whose focus seemed obvious on a “genius” level.

Given Inna’s acting prowess, she probably didn’t send such glances for just a little-finger pact, so it must’ve been my mistake.

“So, what’s this full course? How in the world can we complete all that?”

Heading to a café, chatting, going to a coin karaoke booth, singing, and even visiting their homes—all this would definitely take more than a day.

What kind of tight schedule is this or are all women capable of doing this?

Lately, though I’ve been moving with their group, it seems I might not fully understand the species called “woman.” Every time I think I’m familiarizing myself, they reinvent themselves in ways that feel completely foreign to me.

“Of course, we need to break it into parts! What were you thinking?”

“I thought the same—it’s impossible to do everything in one day.”

That was a misunderstanding on my part.

“Hehe…?”

I wiped away the thought with a half-hearted attempt at charm. Though I failed an important quest by not doing well on the final exam and my situation has worsened, perhaps I can enjoy some real fun as a student for a couple of days.

Especially since I didn’t manage to enjoy myself properly during the school trip, I owe some gratitude to the school system that ensures results in just an hour, for helping me to let go of this tension and move on.

As I imagined this, I saw the children return to their seats with the sound of the school bell ringing.