Chapter 111

A few days later.

In the depths of the night, when everyone was asleep.

Vrooom-

The mid-term evaluation began without warning, very suddenly. A white magic circle appeared on the bodies of the students lying in their beds.

Geometric patterns rotated, their clothes changed to comfortable athletic wear, and the surroundings transformed in an instant.

They found themselves in a spacious area with walls on all sides and large windows on the left and right.

This was a grand magic spell cast simultaneously on all first-year students of Velvet Academy.

Who else could be behind such a bizarre act?

‘Who else but the Chairman…’

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The summoned students fell one by one from the air, landing on the ground with a jolt. Startled by the unfamiliar impact, they looked around in confusion.

“Huh? What!?”

“What’s going on?!”

“Where are we…?”

“Who did this?!!!”

The students were all bewildered.

‘No one expected the mid-term evaluation to be conducted so abruptly.’

Just then,

“Jin Yuha!”

I heard a hurried voice calling my name. I turned to see Shin Se-hee, hugging a giant dog pillow to her chest.

“W, what’s going on…?”

She seemed just as flustered by the unexpected situation, but her dazzling appearance remained unchanged, even without any preparation.

‘This girl looks the same with or without makeup. By the way, a dog body pillow… Her taste is cuter than I expected.’

As I admired her pillow for a moment, Se-hee cleared her throat and shyly hid the pillow behind her back. However, the pillow was too big, and the dog’s face peeked out over her shoulder.

“It’s the mid-term evaluation.”

I smiled and replied casually.

“W, wait, the mid-term evaluation? I thought it was supposed to be tomorrow, but you’re saying it’s today?”

“It’s past midnight, so it’s technically today.”

As I spoke nonchalantly, Se-hee widened her eyes as if she had just heard the most ridiculous thing.

Although the students knew that the mid-term evaluation was today, they had no idea what the test would entail or where it would take place.

This was understandable, as the mid-term evaluation was overseen by Chairman Lina, and it was a tradition for the evaluation to be conducted differently each year, with the details kept confidential even from the instructors.

‘Of course, I knew because…’

I had seen the CG cutscene in the game, so I was able to anticipate how this mid-term evaluation would unfold.

That’s why, yesterday, the day before the evaluation, I had packed my backpack to the brim and waited for the summons.

“Jin Yuha, what’s with the bag?”

Se-hee, noticing that my appearance was different from the other students, narrowed her eyes and asked suspiciously.

“Well, I mean, I didn’t know what would happen in the mid-term evaluation tomorrow, so I was packing my bag until dawn. Wow, what a lucky break!”

I replied in a natural, unrehearsed tone.

Se-hee narrowed her eyes and glared at me.@@novelbin@@

“Are you trying to act innocent right now?”

Hmm, my acting tone was perfect. How did she know?

“If you knew, you should have told me in advance.”

She pouted, looking a bit disappointed.

‘But that would have been problematic.’

If we had shown up with bags packed while everyone else was empty-handed, it would have raised suspicions.

Se-hee, who had been puffing out her cheeks, sighed softly.

“At least we have our Sub-space tattoos, and we always carry things with us.”

“Hmm, sorry, but… that won’t work either.”

“What?”

“Go ahead and try.”

As I gestured, Se-hee immediately activated the Sub-space tattoo on her hand.

Vrooom.

Fzzzt-

But the tattoo, which had been glowing, suddenly went dark.

“Ah, it won’t open! How did this happen?!”

“If we could use that, we’d have too much of an advantage.”

Chairman Lina wouldn’t have overlooked something like that. It was clear that she had locked the Sub-space tattoos along with the summons to prevent their use.

Se-hee tapped the tattoo a few more times, looking incredulous, before letting out a dejected sigh.

“So, what’s the test?”

She asked me, but I didn’t respond.

Of course, our little Jammin’ would be coming out soon to explain.

“Are you all awake now?”

Chairman Lina’s voice came from above, her manner lacking in refinement. Everyone looked up.

Chairman Lina, floating in mid-air.

She stood there with her arms crossed, looking as proud as a first grader who had just gotten a perfect score on a dictation test.

“You will now begin your mid-term evaluation.”

At her declaration, the students began to stir.

“Mid-term evaluation…?”

“So suddenly?”

“I didn’t even get a chance to prepare or bring anything with me…”

Lina frowned at the commotion.

“Quiet! I’m about to explain, so shut your mouths.”

The students fell silent, curious to hear what she had to say.

“First of all, you are currently inside an airship.”

The students turned their heads, and through the dark windows on either side, they could see tiny buildings that looked like matchboxes.

Tap-

Lina snapped her fingers, and the students’ heads were forcibly fixed on her.

“Now, let me explain the evaluation method. You will be surviving on a deserted island for the next two weeks. The evaluation is very simple. The person who collects the most coins will receive the highest grade.”

“How do we obtain coins?!”

A student raised their hand and asked.

“I was just about to explain that, so don’t rush me!”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Lina waved her hand, frowning. A large map of the deserted island appeared in the air, along with ten locations marked in red with the word “SHOP”.

“Here are ten shops. You can use coins to purchase daily necessities for your life on the deserted island. At the same time, you can also exchange the magic stones and by-products obtained from hunting monsters for coins.”

Se-hee’s expression stiffened. This test heavily favored dealers, who could earn coins by hunting monsters.

Lina didn’t forget to address this point.

“Yes, this wouldn’t be fair. Therefore, a differential will be applied based on positions. Dealers will receive 50 coins, tankers 100 coins, specials 500 coins, and supporters and healers will each receive 2,000 coins.”

Ah.

The students’ eyes lit up with understanding.

“For this mid-term evaluation, we will allow parties of up to three people. Once a party is formed, it cannot be arbitrarily disbanded. And for the first week, combat between students is prohibited. For the remaining week, you know what to do. If you successfully subdue your opponent, you will receive 50% of the coins they possess.”

At her words, the students began to look around, sizing each other up.

The value of 2,000 coins assigned to healers and supporters was undoubtedly a hefty sum. It was clear that forming a party with a healer or supporter would lead to better grades.

Additionally, since they couldn’t attack each other for the first week, healers and supporters, who could purchase daily necessities with their coins, would be in a position of power.

However, they couldn’t just sit back and do nothing. To ensure their safety during the second week when student combat would be allowed, they needed to form parties with students who could protect them by then.

In other words, this mid-term evaluation was a crucial test of who you chose to party with.

“Jin Yuha.”

Se-hee, quick to catch on, called out to me.

“Yeah.”

“Can you party with me?”

“Well, I’d like to, but… Hmm, do you think we’ll end up in the same place?”

“What?”

“Let’s party if we meet, but we should also consider the possibility that we might not meet. If we don’t find each other within three days, let’s just party with someone else.”

“Ah, we’re not all dropping together?”

Se-hee quickly understood the underlying meaning and asked for clarification. I nodded slightly.

“Now, I will send you to the deserted island one by one.”

Vrooom-

The figure of a student in front of Lina became blurred and then disappeared from their spot.

Somewhere on the deserted island.

Lina’s gaze fixed on me.

“Jin Yuha, what’s with that?”

She stared at the backpack I was carrying, looking incredulous.

“Well, I…”

I was about to use the same excuse I had given Se-hee earlier, but-

“Jin Yuha, it’s probably best if you just keep your mouth shut.”

Se-hee whispered in my ear, poking me in the ribs.

Hmm, it seemed like this world wasn’t ready to appreciate my acting skills just yet.

“Seol-hee must have told you to pack your bags in advance because she was worried about what might happen!”

Lina, assuming she had figured it out, shouted in a boiling voice.

“Jin Yuha, do you have any sharp objects or weapons in there? Or magic stones or food…!”

“No, I don’t.”

Lina glared at my bag, scrutinizing it for anything suspicious. But I had already removed anything that might get me in trouble, so I stood there confidently.

After double and triple-checking, Lina closed her eyes.

“Hah. Honestly. What is there to worry about with that kid…!”

No matter how much Jammin’ gnashed her teeth, she was still Jammin’.

“Get down there!”

I was summoned to the deserted island with my bag.