CH 55

“Let me ask you a question…When did you start preparing?”

Hmm…?

I thought about it and answered honestly.

“I had been confined to my bed a while for various reasons, so…I’m guessing that I’ve been preparing since about a year ago.”

“Hmm?! Uh, really…Then one year…”

What’s the matter with Ray-sensei? There was something startling about the way he sounded.

“Ah…then who was your tutor?”

After clearing his throat, Ray-sensei spoke slowly.

I replied, tilting my head at the question.

“It was the Duchess of Heimer.”

“The Duchess of Heimer……So that person—!!”

Ray-sensei made a surprised sound.

“Um…have I done something wrong?”

I asked anxiously and listened. For now, I did not want to bring shame upon the name of my teacher, Sister Thulite, in any way.

Then, Ray-sensei made an indescribable face.

“You haven’t done anything wrong, but…you know, for example, this. What grade-level do you think this problem is for?”

After saying that, Ray-sensei pointed with his red nails to a problem I had solved just now.

“Eh…? In what grade-level…I mean, this is a test for first years…right?”

When I replied with a large question mark over my head, Ray-sensei went into tsukkomi mode with a blue lines hanging over his head for some reason.

“No…no no no no! [Guess the attributes and effects of a summoning potion made from Cleaver root and Meadowsweet leaves] is not something you would do in the first grade! You’re at an age where you should still be struggling to even memorize the material!”

“Eh, well……I’m sorry???”

I kind of apologized for something because of the weird momentum.

Ray-sensei was mumbling while holding his head in his hands, 

“I can’t continue with this kind of test…No, but if there are kids who can solve it…is this the new policy of the school? Rather, am I behind?! I don’t believe it!…But I have to check anyway…”

As I was wondering what was going on, without any warning, the door at the front of the classroom banged opened.

“How about it, everyone!?! Do you shudder at the depths of wisdom you are about to learn at this school?!”

Surprisingly, it was the Loli-hag—Headmistress Ortensia who came in with a large smile on her face. Continuing on, Headmaster David, who looked like he had a headache while rubbing the wrinkles between his eyebrows, also entered the room.

“Headmistress Ortensia, as usual, you do whatever you want…”

“What’s the matter, David? What’s wrong with me doing what I want in my school? What are you complaining about? Hmm~?”

“………”

Ah, Headmaster David and Ray-sensei both had Tibetan fox faces. Pffft~

The students had blank eyes, wondering what was going on.

Apparently, Headmistress Ortensia had secretly switched out the test papers to scare the new students.

“Hm? Ray. You have an answer sheet in your hand, don’t you? Let me see it.”

Headmistress Ortensia, who walked up to us in a good mood, received my answer sheet from Ray-sensei and began to look it over.

“Hmmm…I see that this is solved…this is a good one……oh, and this one is solved too! Eh? Is this one solved?!”

Headmistress Ortensia looked up from the test paper with a gulp and shouted.

“What a…!! This year’s freshmen have promise—they’re great! David, look at this! They’re solving fourth grade problems, including this one!!”

Headmistress Ortensia shoved the answer sheet into Headmaster David’s face and laughed heartily.

What? So then that was a fourth grade problem now…?

“Everyone! I’m sorry for underestimating you! It seems that the curriculum of this school needs to be revised. From this year onwards, we will be providing you with a more advanced education tailored to your needs.”

Shwaaa~…

The classroom buzzed at Ortensia-sama’s too disturbing words.

“And who’s answers are these?”

What?! Damn, with the way things were going now, I was hoping she wouldn’t ask…!

“……they’re mine.”

Fearfully, I raise a small hand.

Then, Ortensia-sama turned her sparkling purple eyes towards me with a bang and nods with a ‘mmhm!’

“It’s Alice Rebecca Archelaus, isn’t it? Excellent! Keep up the good work!”

“Hahaa……”

I was surprised that she guessed my name in one shot. Apparently she remembered the names of all the students.

As I froze, Headmistress Ortensia, who happily clapped me on the shoulder, sashayed back and forth, happily suggesting a review of the curriculum to Headmaster David, who was holding his stomach in check.

“Ah, this is going to be a damn pain in the ass…”

Ray-sensei let out a sloppy complaint in a very quiet voice. You’re being a little out of the ordinary, Ray-sensei.

And, somehow, I was stared at by all the students with a somewhat resentful look…

You don’t have to look at me like that…I haven’t done anything wrong…!!

………right?

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T/N: Poor Alice being treated like that kid who reminds the teacher about their homework. I knew something was wrong with all those spartan study sessions!!