“Phew… Hehe…”
Stella, upon hearing the story, couldn’t help but chuckle.
In the past, she would have looked at me with pity, but it seemed she found it particularly amusing that I studied hard, thinking I would have a chance to take the exam.
But honestly, I think this is better.
It’s better than being pitied for not being able to take the exam due to my disabilities.
“I was curious, but… I never expected you wouldn’t take the exam at all.”
Evan also tried to suppress his laughter as he spoke.
Just until the morning, we had encouraged each other to do well on the exam, but I ended up not taking it at all and resting in the infirmary until everyone finished.
What can I say… Normally, I would feel happy about it, but it gave me a strange feeling.
I had been contemplating how to speak well enough to be talked about like a saint, what I could do to handle it well even if I didn’t score high, and so on. But as the exam time approached, the reality that came to me was that there was no need for me to take the exam due to my visual and auditory disabilities.
…
It makes sense.
Thinking about it, the fact that I can read books is only due to the thoughts flowing from the words, not because I can read them like others perceive. Therefore, it must have seemed obvious to them that I couldn’t take the exam.
How could they expect someone who can’t read properly to take the exam?
It’s only natural that I couldn’t.
They probably realized that there was no need for me to take the exam. Still, considering my status as a saint, it wouldn’t be fair to give me a perfect score, so they likely gave me a mid-range score instead.
After all, it doesn’t really matter for a saint to get academy points.
Even so…
‘Something feels off…’
I feel strange.
While it’s true I have disabilities, instead of feeling like it’s just annoying, I now feel like the disability amplifies the pity people have for me.
That was never my intention.
If there’s any consolation, it’s that I seem to have gotten used to it enough that they don’t look at me with pity anymore.
Normally, people with disabilities are just like others with slight inconveniences, but when they continue to look at you with pity and make sad faces, it can be very annoying.
I never really cared before, but now that I’m the one directly experiencing it, I think I understand why…
Anyway, I want to stop talking about this.
I feel like I should change the subject a bit.
“[So, how did everyone do on the exam?]”
“Ah…”
Uriel flinched.
Well, I expected that reaction from her, at least, if not from anyone else.
In practical skills, there’s no one who can catch up to Uriel’s pure swordsmanship here, but unfortunately, she only has talent for the sword.
In theory, she might be said to be at a terrible level…
A genius who doesn’t study, perhaps?
She knows how to move her body but finds it too complicated to study theory.
It is very much a Uriel-like response.
‘Please tell me she didn’t fail…’
If that happens, I think it would be quite sad.
Well… if it comes to that, I might ask them to overlook it by contributing during the next attack.
“How about you, Stella? Did you do well on the exam?”
In response to Evan’s question, Stella pulled out her exam paper as if to say, “Why would you even ask that?”
Unfortunately, even if I wanted to see her exam paper, I couldn’t…
‘There’s nothing written on it…’
Even if I tried to see, it looked like a blank sheet with nothing visible at the top.
It seems to be magically treated to prevent cheating, which only makes me feel more downcast…
“I don’t know what it is, but if it only has circles, does that mean you got a perfect score?”
“There’s no way I could get this many questions wrong. Of course, I got a perfect score.”
Stella said with pride, puffing out her chest.
She has her own size, but sadly, beside her is the princess with national treasure-level proportions, making her feel inadequate.
‘As for me…’
Well, I hardly have any curves at all.
While everyone was focused on Stella’s exam paper, I briefly touched my own chest, but rather than being appealing like the others, it merely protruded slightly.
That someone likes me…
‘Evan… surely not, right?’
If he genuinely likes me and not just because of my body, would he still like me even if my body suddenly grew like Uriel’s?
That’s unlikely, so it would be a meaningless assumption.
“Since we did the written exam, is the practical all that’s left?”
“Suddenly, I’m curious, Aria. Are you taking the practical?”
Ah, come to think of it…
Since I couldn’t take the written one, it’s natural to wonder if I’m taking the practical.
Should I go ask?
I hesitated, thinking I could just ask a nearby professor.
As I approached, the professor looked startled and flinched.
From what I could see, they seemed to be a professor from the Department of Magic… If I were in the Department of Magic, I might have recognized them, but unfortunately, I’m in the Department of Sacred Studies, so I don’t.
I gave a pure smile that conveyed I knew nothing and asked the professor.
“[Excuse me, Professor, could you check if I am taking the practical exam?]”
Normally, I would have to ask directly, but this method seems better.
With my visual and auditory disabilities and my duty as a saint who must combat the Demon King, what would they think if I went to the professors preparing for the next exam to ask whether I can take the exam?
I don’t know what they would think, but at least it doesn’t seem like I’d get a good answer.
Most importantly, wouldn’t it look like I have high expectations if I went so far as to inquire?
Still… unlike the written exam that I can’t take at all, for the practical I’d likely have to get up and move around a bit, so maybe they would allow it.
What else would students from the Department of Sacred Studies even do?
One could roughly assume that the practical exam would involve collaboration with students from the Department of Swordsmanship and the Department of Magic to do something.
Given that, I could move with divinity detection and thought detection, and I could also heal, so they might allow me to participate in the practical.
That’s what I thought, but…
*
“[Ah… only for healing…]”
I heard that it seems I wouldn’t be able to take the practical exam either…
“The power of the saint does not align well with the fairness required for team composition… It could pose dangers during the practical exam, so would it be possible for you to use your powers then?”
That professor, who firmly stated they wouldn’t subject me to such nasty tasks and would strive to ensure everything goes smoothly without any accidents, left me speechless.
As I tried to push aside my disappointment, I suddenly realized why I was being blocked from taking the practical exam.
‘So I can respond immediately if something happens…’
The attack from Maleficent occurs during the practical exam.
But what if such chaos broke out while I was in the middle of the practical exam?
My reactions would definitely be delayed by at least a beat.
Who knows what could happen then.
So Arhen is using my disabilities as an excuse to prevent me from taking the exam.
If that’s the case, it makes sense.
Of course, the reason I couldn’t take the written exam is truly because I have no ability to do so, and the practical itself wouldn’t have been impossible for me to take.
That’s the outward reason.
Asking whether I could use my powers during practicals also seems to lead back to that.
Well, what can I do?
It was I who said Maleficent’s attack would come.
But who would’ve expected I wouldn’t even be able to take the practical…
If I had known this, I wouldn’t have bothered preparing for the exam…
“What kind of exam would prevent Aria from taking it?”
“Indeed… I heard that for this practical, they’re forming teams with one person from each of the three departments.”
Ugh…
It’s not something I can disclose either…
Well, it’s unavoidable.
I guess I’ll just have to watch the others take the practical exam.
Of course, it’s not like I’ll be sitting there idly; I would need to keep an eye on the magic to make sure nothing happens.
And…
‘Should I look for the Life Vessel?’
The reason Maleficent is risking everything for this academy attack.
And the reason I must sacrifice myself comes from here.
I need to find and purify the Life Vessel, which is like the lifeline for a lich like Maleficent.
Since it’s impossible for me to destroy it at Evan’s level, I must take the lead.
Now, where… should I go search for it?
In the game, it appeared randomly at predetermined locations.
It wouldn’t be a bad idea to find it in advance.
I quietly moved my steps.
