It’s an Academic Fact That Rankers Are Model Students – Chapter 193

Chapter 193: The thesis that Instigates Fire/Disaster (6)

While the Fairy-Elven Magic Academy was being set ablaze by the articles about Kyung-joon,

In reality, Kyung-joon was having a terrible headache after finishing his first midterm exam.

“Ugh, I need that medicine to kick in faster.”

He had just taken painkillers at the nurse’s office during break time after finishing his 1st-period Earth Science exam.

It was all because he had overdone it with the Crazy Coffee Pod and Seram-style Contemplation Herbal Tea yesterday.

Thanks to that, he could barely remember what he studied.

Vaguely recalling his memories, he seemed to have seen an advertisement of something calling him from the sky in the game.

‘It was definitely something like…… 『♨100%Legal※Scroll★Programming★※Kyung-joon-nim※§§The Best☆◐Come♡Soon◑€Please§§☞No Pressure☜※Kyung-joon-nim※§Summoning§Formula§㈜▷▷Scroll☞Department☆Sends→Love♣♣♬To♬☆☆♠♠Fael University♥♥☆☆Teleport Now＊＊☎』

While saying he couldn’t remember, Kyung-joon actually remembered it incredibly well.

He even remembered what kind of special characters were supposed to be between the letters.

However, Kyung-joon didn’t think that memory was accurate.

Because he wasn’t in his right mind at that time, and it didn’t make sense to see something like that in the sky.

‘I really drank way too much. To the point of seeing something like that.’

The headache that was stabbing him every few seconds, and this, and that, Kyung-joon decided not to overdo it next time.

Creak.

He opened the front door of the classroom and entered.

“Look who decided to show up.”

Seeing Kyung-joon awkwardly entering, the teacher scolds him, tapping his head with a bundle of OMR sheets.

“Since when did the bell ringer start coming in so late?”

“I apologize.”

It wasn’t a big deal since it was a mock exam, but Kyung-joon, with his headache, immediately apologized according to the proper teacher-handling method.

“I had a headache, so I went to the nurse’s office to take some medicine.”

“A headache? On this important exam day? Did you stay up all night?”

“No, it’s not like that…… I just studied a bit too much……”

“Oh, you…… Lee Kyung-joon.”

After listening to the typical teacher-like nagging,

“Anyway, go to your seat and fill out the OMR sheet quickly.”

“Yes.”

Kyung-joon decided to do as the teacher said.

As he was about to turn around and go to his seat,

“……”

Yoo Seol-ha, sitting diagonally behind Kyung-joon, glanced at him and let out a small, interested hum.

It was so quiet that even the boy sitting behind her couldn’t hear it, but

‘……?’

Kyung-joon, whose senses had become very sharp lately due to the Infinite Knowledge Seeker ability, heard it clearly.

‘What was that?’

Kyung-joon wondered but went to his seat and started filling out the OMR card.

Ring ding dong dong.

Soon, the bell rang, signaling the start of the exam.

“Turn your test papers over and begin immediately.”

The 2nd-period math exam had begun.

Kyung-joon also received the test paper from the front, took one out, handed the rest to the back, and immediately started solving the problems.

‘……The value of a+b is? Hmm, it’s number 4.’

The headache persisted, but the problems were easily solved as he had seen and solved countless similar ones before.

Scribble scribble.

Just like that, Kyung-joon finished all the multiple-choice questions at almost the same speed as Yoo Seol-ha.

Now it was time to solve the short-answer questions.

But as soon as he saw short-answer question number 1,

‘Huh? What’s this? This is the same nonsense I spouted to Teemo for the 47th time yesterday?’

Kyung-joon, who remembered everything while saying he couldn’t remember well.

The only problem was whether those memories were actually accurate……

‘Whatever, it must be right. Judging by this headache, I guess I’m going to beat Yoo Seol-ha this midterm.’

So, without any hesitation, Kyung-joon began to write down the answers to the short-answer questions.

And then,

‘……!’

He felt a murderous intent.

The direction of the murderous intent was diagonally behind him to the left.

It was where Yoo Seol-ha was sitting.

Although he hadn’t confirmed it with his own eyes, he was certain it was her based on his recently heightened senses.

‘Why is she acting like that all of a sudden……? Ah.’

Soon, Kyung-joon figured out the reason.

‘Is she trying to cheat? Not a chance……!’

Kyung-joon leaned forward and pulled his answer sheet closer to himself.

Then, Kyung-joon entered the state of Trance once again in reality, and as if he had used the Dimensional Study Room in reality, he began to write down the answers at an even faster pace.

Just like that, he was becoming more and more superhuman.

🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷

Back at the Fairy-Elven Magic Academy.

Almost a month had passed since the 10 billion liyan article came out.

So much had happened during that time that the number of articles posted on the Fael Newspaper alone exceeded 100.

First of all, as everyone already knows, the first week was all about Ezeri Capirus being scouted to Arc-en-Ciel for 10 billion liyan.

Until then, there was no significant mention of Kyung-joon.

Even if there was, it was only a fragmentary speculative article that would be on the second or third page of the article, such as:

『What is Scroll Programming?』

『Who is the otherworlder Kyung-joon, who reportedly conducted joint research with Ezeri Capirus?』

However, after the first week of the festival ended, only articles about Kyung-joon were posted on the front page of the Fael Newspaper every single day.

『Breaking News! Otherworlder Kyung-joon! Not even a formal student, but a Master’s graduate and now a professor?! Scroll Department needs to explain this parachute appointment!』

Starting with this article, backlash against otherworlder Kyung-joon began in earnest.

The main force behind the backlash was the Magic Tool Department, which was also an applied sciences department.

『Confirmation from the Scroll Department administrative team! Otherworlder Kyung-joon is indeed a Master’s graduate!』

『Zot Kalisberg, the representative of the Magic Tool Department, who first raised questions about Kyung-joon, stated, ‘An otherworlder who hasn’t even been in the World for two years is a Master’s graduate from Fael University, the best university in the alliance? This is as absurd as a beastkin become a wizard.’』

『Professor Tools of the Magic Tool Department said, ‘No matter how talented fairies and elves are, it’s physically and magically impossible to graduate from a magic university and obtain a Master’s degree in just two years.’』

『Reunited after a long time! Students of the Magic Tool Department demand an explanation from the Scroll Department!』

As fellow applied departments, the Scroll Department and the Magic Tool Department weren’t on bad terms, but there had always been an unspoken rivalry between the two departments.

Although their influence had waned considerably, the ‘Scroll Department’ still represented the tradition and history of the Fairy-Elven Alliance.

As the development of scroll magic reached its limit – at least that’s what the wizards thought – the ‘Magic Tool Department’ emerged as a new force to replace it.

Seeing it this way, it was only natural that the two departments would be wary of each other.

Of course, it had never surfaced until now.

But now it was different.

The Magic Tool Department strongly condemned the Scroll Department, claiming that Kyung-joon’s Master’s degree was an unfair act, as seen in the articles above.

In response, the Scroll Department countered as follows:

『Edict Hooli, Representative of the Scroll Department, stated, ‘There’s no problem at all as it bears the Fairy King’s seal. The King’s seal overrides even the President’s seal.’』

『Professor Parchment of the Scroll Department said, ‘Denying otherworlder Kyung-joon’s Master’s degree is a denial of the Fairy King, the leader of the alliance!’』

A counterattack using the Fairy King’s name as a shield!

But that only added fuel to the already raging fire.

As time went on, the second week of the festival ended and the third week began.

The ensuing fight became even uglier.

It all started with an interview article with the President of the Magic University, published on Monday of the third week of the festival.

『Interview with the President: ‘This is the first time I’ve heard of Kyung-joon receiving the King’s seal. However, if that’s the Fairy King’s will, I will naturally follow it.’』

A neutral statement from the President, not taking sides.

In other words, it meant, 『I don’t know anything and won’t do anything until the Fairy King says so. Until then, you guys can speculate and fight amongst yourselves.』

The day after the President’s announcement, the Magic Tool Department was the first to express their opinion in an article.

『Magic Tool Department: ‘There is a need to formally reconfirm with the Fairy King. Otherwise, it’s a fabrication by the Scroll Department.’』

In the end, the Magic Tool Department continued to push the narrative that it was a fabrication by the Scroll Department.

『Official statement from Frankel, Head of the Scroll Department: ‘It is absolutely not a fabrication.’』

In response, the Scroll Department announced that it was not a fabrication.

Of course, the Magic Tool Department wouldn’t just let it slide.

『The Scroll Department only claims it’s not a fabrication, but provides no explanation or clarification.』

『Otherworlder Kyung-joon mastered scroll magic in just a year and a half. This is faster than even elves; is it really possible?』

Although Frankel stated that it wasn’t a fabrication, very little had been revealed, and suspicions about Kyung-joon and the Scroll Department only grew.

However, not everyone was suspicious of Kyung-joon.

Naturally, there were those who took a more neutral stance.

『Fairy Azuaz of the Combat Magic Department said, ‘After reading the paper myself, I believe it deserves the King’s seal. Of course, it’s still a possibility, and further research is needed.’』

Many of the students who took an interest and read Kyung-joon’s paper themselves genuinely praised him.

『Scroll Department graduate students continue to praise Kyung-joon. ‘There’s so much more to research now.’, ‘Thanks to him, I’m graduating.’, ‘I thought it was just undergraduate nonsense, but the future was truly in my hands.’』

Especially graduate students who had some knowledge of scroll magic tended to acknowledge Kyung-joon.

Considering that Ezeri Capirus immediately recognized Kyung-joon’s research and offered to collaborate with him, it was a rather natural reaction.

It didn’t end there.

『Scroll Programming, gaining interest from other departments? The number of students from other departments visiting the Scroll Department has increased tenfold compared to the past.』

『A surge in department transfer requests after the midterm exams. Over 90% of them wish to transfer to the Scroll Department.』

Not only the Scroll Department, but other departments also began to show great interest.

This heightened interest in Kyung-joon led to the creation of the following club:

『Establishment of ‘Scrollpia,’ a club for scroll programming research and the protection of Kyung-joon.』

Thus, the number of students siding with Kyung-joon and the Scroll Department continued to grow……

Perhaps as a backlash to this,

The more support Kyung-joon gained, the more opposition he faced as well.

And there was plenty of reason for that.

『Magic Tool Department: ‘Fairy Azuaz is the sixth princess of the Fairy King and is currently at risk of expulsion. Her words about the paper being good are not to be trusted.’』

『The Fairy-Elven Alliance has been stagnant for over 100 years. According to street interviews conducted at the Magic University, the Fairy King’s approval rating continues to decline.』

『Over 100 explosions and fires have recently occurred. Is it all because of scroll programming? Only ordinary students suffer.』

『Joint statement from Magic Tool Department students: ‘Scroll programming research should be banned. Magic is the domain of fairies and elves. We cannot tolerate an otherworlder who is neither human nor a being of this World.’』

As the opposition to Kyung-joon intensified, a group emerged that advocated against Kyung-joon, similar to Scrollpia.

『’We cannot accept the pseudo-cult Scrollpia, which worships a parachuted-in otherworlder.’ Formation of the anti-scroll programming alliance, ‘Those Who Tear Paper.’』

Scrollpia and Those Who Tear Paper.

It took less than a week for the confrontation between these two groups to transform into a full-blown factional war.

『Scroll Department』

『Pro-Kyung-joon』

『Pro-Scroll Programming』

『Pro-Fairy King』

『Scrollpia』

VS

『Magic Tool Department』

『Anti-Kyung-joon』

『Anti-Scroll Programming』

『Anti-Fairy King』

『Those Who Tear Paper』

Once the two factions were clearly divided, it was nothing short of chaos!

Students from different factions engaging in magic duels was a given.

As time passed, it wasn’t just the students, but even the professors started fighting amongst themselves.

Later on, a group magic duel, or rather, a brawl, broke out between the factions in Fael Square.

Terrorist attacks by each department against the opposing faction became a daily occurrence, and the only ones who suffered were the ordinary students who were caught in the crossfire.

『The agony of ordinary students. Caught in the crossfire between Scrollpia and Those Who Tear Paper.』

The irony of it all was that,

While the two factions were fighting tooth and nail,

Kyung-joon, the main character of this whole ordeal, wasn’t even at the Magic Academy.

Just like the butterfly effect,

The insignificant flapping of a butterfly’s wings that Kyung-joon had done for just ten days during summer vacation had, after several months, turned into a typhoon that was now shaking the Magic Academy to its core.

All of this stemmed from a single paper, Kyung-joon’s heat pump paper.

Whether Kyung-joon had predicted this outcome and named it as such was known only to him.

In the end, the name ‘heat pump’ lived up to its name, igniting both fire and disaster.

Now, there was only one person who could quell this fire and disaster.

It was none other than Kyung-joon, the very cause of this typhoon.

He was the only one who could stop it.

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