First of All, I’m Drinking - Chapter 68

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 68

 

“If you understand, get lost.”

 

I gave Ariel one more kick before turning around.

 

“Urgh…! Haaah!”

 

Thud thud!

 

Ariel trembled as he pounded the ground with his fists.

 

Having his shame exposed and getting beaten up on top of that must have been incredibly humiliating.

 

“Let’s go back. We don’t need to worry about that bastard.”

 

I walked to the carriage with Kise.

 

As we moved away, Ariel continued pounding the ground for quite a while.

 

* * *

 

We returned to Harten using Kise’s warp magic.

 

Pop!

 

As we entered the Cathedral, colorful paper scraps fell from above with the sound of fireworks exploding.

 

“Hahaha! Congratulations on passing, Your Highness the Prince!”

 

Diago approached with hearty laughter.

 

In his hands was a cake so enormous that even 10 people couldn’t finish it.

 

On the white cream was a chocolate bear drawing.

 

“Don’t tell me this is a celebration party?”

 

I opened my mouth in bewilderment.

 

“What would you have done with all this preparation if I had failed?”

 

“Don’t say such nonsense. How could Your Highness the Prince possibly fail?”

 

“That’s right. If that happened, the exam would be the strange one.”

 

Merry nodded and chimed in.

 

“Hehehe. The children wanted to congratulate Your Highness, so they got up at dawn to prepare diligently.”

 

Nicolaus clasped his hands behind his back and laughed kindly as usual.

 

Looking around, I noticed the Cathedral interior was decorated colorfully.

 

In front of the Statue of Horus hung a banner reading ‘Congratulations on Count Asel’s Transfer Exam Success’.

 

It was so large it nearly covered Horus’s entire face.

 

“I made this cake!”

 

Deront waved his arms enthusiastically, appealing his efforts.

 

The chocolate bear cake Diago was holding was Deront’s creation.

 

Imagining him making the cake stitch by stitch for me was quite cute.

 

“Cael likes to eat a lot, so I made it really big! Hehe.”

 

Drool was flowing like a waterfall from his own mouth as he spoke.

 

He definitely made it super-sized because he wanted to eat it himself.

 

“Well, I’m grateful but…”

 

I expressed my gratitude while confessing my honest feelings.

 

“Honestly, as you all said, me failing doesn’t make sense, right? I was obviously going to pass, so why prepare such a grand celebration party?”

 

Merry, as if she expected me to say this, poured out words as if she’d been waiting.

 

“Your Highness. Passing Millennium Academy is an incredibly great achievement.”

 

“That’s only for ordinary kids.”

 

“Your Highness is also an ordinary child.”

 

I was speechless.

 

I couldn’t figure out where or how to start correcting that.

 

“Except for possessing magi, what else makes Your Highness different from other children?”

 

These guys must know I’m quite special too.

 

Yet deep down, do they hope I live an ordinary life like other children?

 

“If you’ve done something worth celebrating, just quietly accept the congratulations. Prince.”

 

Kise smiled mischievously and patted my back.

 

“You don’t need to shoulder such a big burden alone. We are people who assist Your Highness the Prince, not subjects you need to protect.”

 

Diago added a word and shoved a large piece of cake into my mouth.

 

I inadvertently ate the cake.

 

It wasn’t incredibly delicious, but it was decent enough.

 

“Hehehe! You’re today’s star, so come here and say a few words.”

 

Nicolaus carefully pulled me to stand in the center of everyone.

 

Deront giggled seeing me flustered.

 

“…”

 

This is quite troublesome.

 

Where should I start?

 

“Uh, um… First, thanks everyone for congratulating me. But aren’t you curious if there was anyone suspected of being Baal’s agent during the exam period?”

 

Diago, Merry, and Kise each responded.

 

“How could you be full from the first spoonful?”

 

“There’s no need to rush. Taking it slowly is sufficient.”

 

“More importantly, wasn’t there any pretty girl who caught the Prince’s eye?”

 

He’s going on about pretty girls.

 

This won’t work.

 

There’s no answer. Being among these crazy doting fools is driving me insane.

 

This feels more maddening than when I fought Ragnor two days ago!

 

“Ahhh.”

 

In the end, I chose to flee.

 

“Your Highness!”

 

“Where are you going? Prince!”

 

Nicolaus watched this entire scene with satisfaction.

 

“Puhahaha!”

 

Deront rolled over laughing heartily.

 

* * *

 

Inside the Meeting Room where splendid decorations coexisted with a businesslike atmosphere.

 

Eleven people sat around a long rectangular table.

 

The person at the head seat was an elderly man with abundant white hair.

 

Though he appeared to be just entering old age, everyone knew his actual age exceeded 100.

 

The Dean of Millennium Academy Swordsmanship Department and an aged Sword Master.

 

It was Eric Wheel Guzman.

 

“Then, we’ll now begin the class assignment meeting for the 6 transfer exam passers of the Swordsmanship Department.”

 

As Eric declared the opening, ten pairs of eyes looked at him in unison.

 

From Swordsmanship Department 1st year Class A to Class J.

 

These were the professors in charge of each class.

 

“First, let’s decide on Irin Kramer, who took first place. Professors who want to take her, raise your hands.”

 

Four out of ten professors raised their hands.

 

The Swordsmanship Department had many classes with inter-class competition.

 

Since each class’s performance was reflected in the professors’ personnel evaluations, bringing strong students to their class was beneficial.

 

However.

 

“Irin seems difficult to control.”

 

A cold-looking young woman spoke up.

 

Professor Amelia Percival, in charge of 1st year Class B.

 

She was among those who didn’t raise their hands.

 

“Looking at the exam footage, she seems to have quite a unique personality. Even if she’s an outstanding student, if she can’t blend with the group, it creates management problems. I don’t particularly want to take Irin.”

 

“I agree.”

 

“I think similarly.”

 

The professors who didn’t raise their hands expressed their respective opinions.

 

Eric nodded as if showing respect.

 

“Hmm, then those who raised their hands are Class C, Class D, Class G, and Class I.”

 

Eric flipped through the documents in his hand.

 

They were documents recording each class’s grades during the first semester.

 

“Among these, the class with the lowest overall first semester grades is Class I. Therefore, I’ll assign Miss Irin to Class I.”

 

“No objections.”

 

When professors want the same student like this, for the balance of each class, priority is given to the class with lower overall grades from the previous semester.

 

The professor in charge of Class I quietly cheered in triumph.

 

Generally, the top scorer of the transfer exam records a ranking within the top 20 of the entire school at worst after enrollment.

 

He couldn’t help but be delighted that such powerful strength had been added to his class.

 

“Next, which professor wants to take the second place, Miss Tanya de Belyaev, please raise your hand.”

 

This time, as many as eight professors raised their hands.

 

Unlike Irin, Tanya had a mild personality and considerable martial prowess.

 

If they could bring her, they absolutely had to.

 

Eric laughed as if finding it interesting.

 

“Hehe, the competition for Miss Tanya is fierce. Let me see. In my view, Class C seems appropriate.”

 

“Absolutely right!”

 

A muscular man of cheerful disposition shouted heartily.

 

It was Edgar, the professor in charge of Class C.

 

“Good. Miss Tanya will be assigned to Class C. Next is 3rd place. Ragnor von Grantuan.”

 

Eric tapped the table with his pen.

 

“The Holy Kingdom’s Next Generation World’s Best Swordsman… It’s surprising that such a student was forcibly sent back early, and even more surprising that he still passed in the end. Professors who want to take Ragnor, please raise your hands.”

 

Swoosh.

 

This time too, a total of eight professors raised their hands.

 

However, the meaning was different from before.

 

It meant that all the professors in charge of every class except Class C and Class I, who already had their students decided, had raised their hands.

 

“Everyone. Then there’s nothing more to see. I’ll assign Ragnor to Class E.”

 

Class E was currently running at an overwhelming last place among the first years.

 

This was because their average grades were the lowest, and they had no outstanding students who could lead the class to victory in competitive classes.

 

From now on, Ragnor would be able to fulfill that role.

 

“Phew.”

 

The professor in charge of Class E showed a relieved expression as if he could finally breathe.

 

Following that, 4th place Fabian de Neustain was assigned to Class J.

 

5th place Leila Yuran was assigned to Class F.

 

Finally, it was the last turn.

 

“Professors who want to take Asel, please raise your hands.”

 

Swoosh-

 

Five professors raised their hands.

 

It was all the professors who hadn’t yet decided on a student to bring.

 

This was surprising.

 

Usually, students who passed as the last candidate rarely received this much attention.

 

This was because class average grades were also an important factor in professors’ personnel evaluations.

 

“He’s the most puzzling student.”

 

Edgar, the Class C professor, stroked his beard.

 

Amelia, the Class B professor who had raised her hand highest, spoke up.

 

“This student achieved victory against the top scorer Irin single-handedly. Even though two students helped him, he also eliminated Ragnor, who was the strongest candidate for 1st place in this exam, with his own hands.”

 

Bowgers, the Class J professor, continued the conversation.

 

“But his final ranking is 6th place. It’s incomprehensible. I watched the exam thinking this student would definitely take first place.”

 

Helga, the Class A professor, spoke with a puzzling expression.

 

“Maybe it’s because he used all his strength on the first day? He seems like the type with strong explosive power but lacking in endurance and recovery.”

 

“Even so, he’s certainly a tremendously impressive student for the lowest ranking.”

 

When Eric saw signs of the professors’ discussion heating up, he tapped the desk with his pen.

 

“Now, now, everyone please be quiet. I’ll assign student Asel to Class B. Any objections?”

 

“None.”

 

“None.”

 

With this, Asel’s placement was confirmed as Class B.

 

Class B homeroom teacher Amelia drew an underline on the documents with mechanical hand movements.

 

Under the section where Asel’s origin and background were recorded.

 

‘Orphan origin. Adopted and raised by the cathedral…’

 

Yet to have already reached the 4-star level at the age of seventeen.

 

There was no denying it was a tremendous achievement.

 

Amelia thought quietly.

 

‘Everyone’s distracted by Tanya and Ragnor, but in my view, among this batch of transfer students, Asel has the highest potential.’

 

He was a massive gem of talent.

 

To have already blossomed this much despite growing up in an environment where he couldn’t be properly nurtured.

 

If she could just carve and refine him in the right direction like this, he would surely become the strongest swordsman in the near future.

 

‘I will definitely make you the best.’

 

Amelia was convinced she had obtained the best hand.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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