Volume 1 - CH 25

Posted on March 28, 2022by Soafp

Translator: Soafp

The final exam was over.

I was doing very well.

There are many reasons for this. My stepsister was studying hard when I got home, so she also got motivated.

The fact that the goddesses were also quiet during the test period was also significant mentally.

Akazawa was concentrating on her studies without talking to anyone. During breaks and lunch breaks, she studied seriously. I had always known Akazawa to be a serious person, but her enthusiasm for the test this time was tremendous. I got the impression that she was very determined.

Aoyama had sealed off her beloved GPEX and was also taking a break from streaming. I had a chance to pass by a neighboring class, and saw that the tomboyish girl who was always moving around was solving problems without moving from her desk. It seems she has grown up.

Kuromine has reduced her part-time work. She was mumbling English words as she walked, just like in those days when she was a diligent student. As expected, she seems to have distanced herself from her cronies. She was originally a high achiever, so what would be the result?

Shirase looked the same as usual. I ran into Shirase once on my way home, but we parted after just a quick hello. I know from the gossip that comes in here and there that she is a smart girl. I’m looking forward to seeing the results.

Even after the test was over, the atmosphere was still somewhat tense. So, the promised party was to be held after the results were in.

The day the test results were posted.

The school was filled with a strange atmosphere.

At Tenkain Academy, the names of the top 30 students in each grade are posted on a bulletin board, and many students had gathered in front of the board where the second-year students’ results were posted.

I was curious about the results because of the competition I had sparked. And I was also curious about my own result because I had a good feeling about it. Maybe there will be a name. By the way, I didn’t come to see the midterm test because I wasn’t concentrating and didn’t have a good response. In fact, I didn’t place high.

There were many students crowded in front of the bulletin board. It must have gathered more than usual to witness the result of the competition.

“……Fuu, it’s finally time.”

Mahiro, who is standing next to me, also looks a little nervous.

“Why are you so nervous?”

“How could I not be. The result of this case could disturb the balance of the goddess.”

“I hate to break it to you, Mahiro, but Aoyama is definitely last among those gods.”

“I’d like to deny it, but she probably is.”

The teacher arrives and the test results are posted.

I followed the results from the bottom with my eyes. I look up, anxious to see where their names will appear.

No. 27, Shota Nijitani

I looked at it three times.

It was worth the effort. I never thought I would make it to the top.

Unable to contain my joy, I raised my eyes even higher.

14th place: Mahiro Nazuka.

There was Mahiro’s name.

This made sense. Mahiro was in the top rank on the mid-term test, and it is no wonder he is ranked higher than me. It seems that the study session had paid off, since he ranked higher than me on the midterm.

“As expected of you, Mahiro.”

“Shota is also placed high. Congratulations.”

“Thanks. I’m really excited to see it like this!”

“Me too. I’m up quite a bit from last time.”

In a good mood, we followed the standings further.

The scores showed that the contest was quite competitive. According to Mahiro, the scores were much higher than last time.

9th Umi Aoyama　

8th Yuzuki Iino

7th Yuuhi Akazawa

Aoyama and Akazawa came out.

“Aoyama-san is in the top 10. Great, that’s a first!”

Mahiro is as pleased as if it were his own.

“Heh, is that so?”

“She has been on the top of the list in the past, but I’ve never seen it this high. I’m glad to see she did so well.”

From whose point of view? I resisted the urge to click my tongue.

The effort must have been worth it. I didn’t think that Aoyama, who was as stupid as I was back then, had improved her grades so much. She must have put in a lot of effort.

“Akazawa-san is also amazing.”

Yes.”

Akazawa has always been serious, but her grades must not have been this high. I can see that she has put a lot of effort into this test.

I am disappointed that I lost, but I will honestly commend the two of them for scoring higher than me.

But the game was now between Kuromine and Shirase.

I looked up nervously.

3rd place, Mayuki Shirase

2nd place, Tsukiyo Kuromine

The goddess duel went to Kuromine.

With this, the closing address–　

Just as I thought that, the girls around me cheered. Are they happy because Kuromine won? No, they are not. The girls’ gazes turned even higher.

“Well, I guess the result went as expected. It seems that no one can beat him. It’s like the winner of the championship has been decided”

“……”

The name of that person who reigned at the top of the list.

No. 1, Renji Inuyama.

I blink a few times.

“As expected of Inuyama, the male god, comes out on top.”

“…… male god?”

“That right. Last year, he was voted the most popular guy in the school with a whopping number of votes in his first year. He topped all the tests last year as well, so it’s no surprise that he’s doing well this time around. From the scores, it looks like he’s really getting into the swing of things. I have to say, he’s really outdone himself.”

Mahiro nodded his head in agreement.

How had I not noticed this before? There was a possibility that Renji was attending Tenkain, right? How come I didn’t notice it until now?

The result was satisfactory. It is rather natural if Renji is present. He has always been a genius. I’m relieved to see that he hasn’t changed even as a high school student.

“……”

“Hey, Shota?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Well, you were kind of smiling”

It seemed to be on my face.

“Did something good happen?”

“Well,, the male god won, you know. That must be exciting.”

“Why would Shota be so excited?”

Making it out that he is best friends could reveal my past. I can’t mention my relationship with Renji.

“T-that …… male god is the top of the list, isn’t that somehow pleasing?”

“Really?”

“I’m a man, too. It’s normal to want a male god, who represents men, to take the top spot. I see, but now it’s decided that the male god will deliver the closing speech. It’s a fair result, so I guess it can’t be helped. No, the goddesses lost to the male god. Yeah, yeah. The strongest is definitely the male god.”

“…… there’s something wrong with the tension…….”

The tension would be crazy, too.

It shouldn’t depress me to find out that my best friend goes to the same high school as me. On top of that, he seems to be even more radiant than he was back then.

At that moment, I saw my former best friend, Aoyama, out of the corner of my eye. When our eyes met, Aoyama looked a little sad and staggered off.

…… Is it because she is the lowest rank among the goddesses?

Not to console her, but I think that’s a good enough ranking to be proud of.

“Well, from Shota’s point of view, who proposed the match, I guess this result is pleasing. Inuyama won, so it won’t be a battle of the goddesses.”

He gave me a reason that sounded like that on my own, so I decided to go along for the ride.

“Y-yeah. If one of the goddesses had won here, there was a possibility that each faction would have complained about my proposal. If the male god had won, all would have been well. The male god who did that is literally a god.”

“I see. So you knew from the beginning what Inuyama-kun was capable of.”

I smiled and affirmed it.

I didn’t know Renji was at Tenkain, but I knew he was capable, so I wasn’t lying.

The people around me seemed satisfied with the outcome of the match. The guys from the Goddess faction looked a little sad, but the girls were excited to counteract that.

“…… Well, do you know the male god well, ……, Mahiro?”

“”Inuyama, he went to the same junior high school as me.”

“Hoo, so the school where Mahiro went to school had a high concentration of gods and goddesses?”

“Yes. He has always been very popular.”

Satisfied with his words, I returned to the classroom.

My results were good, and most importantly, I couldn’t stop burning all day long when I found out that Renji attended Tenkain.