The Conjurer of the Academy

Chapter 52

“Hey, move aside a bit. I can’t see.”

“Ugh, this is so messed up.”

Students gathered in the hallway, regardless of class divisions, even before school started. Given that they were near the noticeboard, I had a rough idea of what was happening.

‘It’s out. The overall rankings.’

Today was the long-awaited day for the comprehensive rankings to be posted. Judging by their reactions, most students had disappointed expressions.

“This is a complete disaster.”

“Ahh, I’m doomed! I’ll have to move to that dormitory that’s like a gosiwon next semester!”

The exams not only determined their future paths but also decided their dormitory assignments for the next semester.

Everyone had likely prepared as if their lives depended on it, but the truth was, that less than 10% had passed the practical exam.

As a result, most of the rankings reflected not who did well on the exams but who did less poorly.

“Let’s see.”

I raised my head from a distance.

The parts obscured by students were mostly mid-to-lower rankings, so I could easily see the top rankings from afar.

1st place: Cheon Tae-seong

As expected, 1st place went to Cheon Tae-seong.

The absence of a tie indicated that Han Yu-seong hadn’t managed to keep up with Cheon Tae-seong.

‘Now that I think about it, I don’t see those two here.’

Wondering where they might be, I glanced around but couldn’t spot Han Yu-seong or Shin Seo-ha.

‘Those two probably aren’t worried.’

Shin Seo-ha’s fiery temperament suggests she wouldn’t care much about her rankings, and Han Yu-seong is laid-back enough that the rankings likely didn’t matter to him either.

However, for me, who needed to collect the quest rewards, dismissing the rankings wasn’t an option.

‘Maybe around 10th to 20th place?’

My gaze dropped from the top of the list, and familiar names began to appear one by one.

Han Yu-seong: 8th place

He claimed he didn’t study, but he must have done quite well.

He didn’t make it into the top 5, but it was still a respectable ranking. If this were a game, he would’ve received a high-tier reward.

Shin Seo-ha: 29th place

Further down was Shin Seo-ha’s name. Her ranking was lower but still impressive.

She probably didn’t study much, but her exceptional performance in the practical exam must have contributed to this outcome.

While Babel superficially conducts both written and practical exams, it essentially places a higher value on the practical. With only about 10% passing the practical, students who perform well in real-life scenarios are the ones who achieve high rankings.

Additionally, Shin Seo-ha is inherently talented. So much so that she could solve questions based solely on knowledge she had casually absorbed.

Had she been fully dedicated to studying, it would have been only a matter of time before she reached the top three overall.

“Wait, why am I not on the list?”

No matter how much I looked, I couldn’t find my name.

‘Could I really be outside the top 50?’

Despite the cramming, I worked tirelessly, so that couldn’t be the case.

Unfortunately, the lower rankings were obscured by students. With no other choice, I tried to squeeze my way through them.

“By the way, who is Seol Ha-baek?”

“Yeah, I’ve never heard of him before.”

For some reason, my name came up among the students.

‘What’s this? Hearing my name never bodes well.’

I finally looked up where the students were staring.

Main Quest No.5 Clear!

– Achieved top 5 ranking!

– A+ rank reward will be given.

A. Written: (7th out of 300)

B. Practical: (3rd out of 300)

C. Overall: (5th out of 300)

Not Han Yu-seong, but me, in 5th place?

My narrowed vision had delayed my discovery of my own ranking.

I stared blankly at the quest window. It wasn’t just because I found it hard to accept the result.

– Achieved a high rank in the written exam! : +100 Skill Points

– Achieved the top rank in the practical exam! : +5 Spiritual Power

Just by sitting down and taking the written test, I received the same reward as when I risked my life in the mock subjugation.

If I had ranked in the lower tiers, my stats and skill points would have been reduced by the same amount as the current figures. It’s an event that could be considered a double-edged sword.

‘But more importantly…’

While the increase in skill points and abilities was an enticing reward, my attention was focused on something else.

– Ranked in the top tier!: Qualified to volunteer as a staff member at the Babel Festival (Fes Babel)!

The Babel Festival, a monumental event held every three years at Babel, plays a significant role in the main quest. Its importance is paramount.

Given its significance, it was well worth considering.

‘What should I do?’

When a player ranks in the top tier of the overall rankings, they receive priority for core scenarios.

This priority allows them to bypass all necessary conditions and prerequisites, jumping straight into rare events.

“Isn’t this our junior?”

I turned my head towards the voice.

“Seo Geum-bi, senior.”

Long green hair and a captivating tear mole.

Coincidentally, the main heroine of the Babel Festival had appeared.

* * *

Did the first principal, Lee Do-hak, ever explain why the school was named ‘Babel’?

In fact, there wasn’t any particularly special reason. It was simply to instill the hope that students would grow endlessly, without fear, like the Tower of Babel.

So, what about the Babel Festival that comes around every three years?

The intent is straightforward. Since the Tower of Babel was built in Babylon and subsequently fell, the festival is meant to remind everyone to grow tall but remain humble.

However…

“It’s a mess.”

Seo Geum-bi sipped on a juice pack and waved her hand dismissively. Dark circles contrasted sharply with her youthful face.

“With the festival happening every three years and the school exceptionally opened to the public, there are vendors and scouts coming in. So the students go wild.”

Seo Geum-bi clutched her forehead.

After the recently missing Hunter was suddenly found at the school, the entire Disciplinary Committee was buried under a mountain of tasks.

Seo Geum-bi was one of the victims. Just as the chaos of that incident was dying down, the festival season swooped in.

“Are you okay? Your dark circles are no joke.”

“This is nothing. I didn’t even take the exams like you all did.”

“…But you probably ended up doing all the work for the Disciplinary Committee members who were taking them.”

Seo Geum-bi averted her gaze at my comment. Seeing her usually meticulous self looking so drained felt odd.

“Why exactly did you come to find me, senior?”

Even though I knew the reason, I asked to confirm. Seo Geum-bi straightened her posture and cleared her throat.

“Actually, I came to ask for your help with the festival preparations.”

Asking for help.

For ordinary people, giving and receiving help is commonplace. But the people around me are different.

There’s the lone wolf Shin Seo-ha, the muscle-brain Han Yu-seong, Yomi who sees me as a moving cat tower, and Jin So-yeol…

‘Ah, except for Jin So-yeol.’

Even if it’s part of a scenario, it’s rare for someone as perfect as Seo Geum-bi to ask for help.

“I don’t know how this will sound, but I’m really exhausted right now.”

“…You definitely look that way.”

I nodded without further comment.

But I still had more to ask.

“Why me, specifically?”

It was one of the few deeply personal curiosities I had since coming to this world.

When I, the player, was Han Yu-seong, there were plenty of reasons to ask me for help. My extraordinary physical abilities and proven skills made me an obvious choice.

But now, I was ranked in the upper tiers simply by virtue of accumulated knowledge.

So, I was curious whether all this was simply because I ranked high and the scenario was playing out accordingly or if there was another reason. I hoped Seo Geum-bi would provide some insight.

“That’s because…”

Seo Geum-bi trailed off.

A gentle breeze tousled her long green hair over her shoulder.

“You must have a lot of people you could ask for help, given your reputation.”

“No, I specifically chose you.”

She smiled brightly as she looked at me.

“You asked why earlier, right? Well, it’s because you rescued someone I care about dearly… no, my younger sibling.”

“I’ve told you before; all I did was push her a bit. I didn’t do much.”

“Even pushing someone is very important. Some people spent more time with her but couldn’t even muster a proper word of encouragement…”

Seo Geum-bi’s gaze became distant.

She was probably chastising herself for not believing in Shin Seo-ha earlier.

‘I can’t find the right words to respond.’

No matter what I said, it could potentially hurt Seo Geum-bi.

Perhaps that’s why Seo Geum-bi had been careful with her words towards Shin Seo-ha as well.

“Senior…”

“Well, anyway—”

However, realizing my blank stare, she quickly adjusted her expression.

“It may sound like a joke, but you really did show impressive results, ranking 7th in written and 5th overall.”

“Ah.”

Then I remembered our conversation in the library.

“With my notes, ranking in the top 10 in written exams should be a piece of cake for you.”

Since I hadn’t consciously thought about it, I completely forgot. It wasn’t intentional, but I ended up keeping the promise—more or less—a promise to Seo Geum-bi.

“You’ve proven that if you set your mind to it, you can achieve it.”

“…But I kind of wrecked the restroom.”

It wasn’t just that I hadn’t been caught sneaking into the third-floor corridor at dawn; I also completely wrecked a building.

“That also includes unauthorized entry into the sophomore corridor. Somehow, So-yeol managed to escape…”

It seems she knew Jin So-yeol was involved too.

Seo Geum-bi’s annoyed expression soon softened and she continued her thought.

“But you’ve already been punished for that, haven’t you?”

“I have nothing more to add.”

Although it could be said it was unavoidable due to the quest, the fact that I had caused inconvenience to Seo Geum-bi was true.

“It’s all in the past. We don’t hold grudges for actions that have already been settled.”

Seo Geum-bi shook her head horizontally.

Come to think of it, when Shin Seo-ha went astray, it was Seo Geum-bi who held her accountable, but it was also Seo Geum-bi who, despite everything, still believed in her.

Seo Geum-bi, who enforced justice at Babel, truly deserved to be called the goddess of justice at this school.

‘I hope I can be of real help this time.’

As if she had read my mind, Seo Geum-bi pointed to her dark circles with her index finger.

“Normally, I’d manage even in this condition. But I really want this festival to be perfect.”

Seo Geum-bi turned to face me.

‘Yes, Seo Geum-bi indeed…’

I recalled Seo Geum-bi’s story.

In Rollhun, she was one of the few characters whose narrative was shown through animation.

“I want the grand finale fireworks of the festival to be spectacular.”

Her eyes sparkled with hues as beautiful as fireworks.

–
Gosiwon – a type of small, often inexpensive dormitory-style housing in South Korea, typically used by students preparing for exams or people looking for affordable accommodation. It usually consists of small, individual rooms with shared facilities like bathrooms and kitchens.