I Was Just Having Fun With The Time Limit - Chapter 40

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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A month later, it was the day the results of the 14th Olympiad were announced.
The results of the 14th Olympiad would be announced first, and three days later, the results of the 19th Olympiad would also be released.
Reina opened the letter with trembling hands.
‘I need to at least place in the middle to save face.’
She had never dreamed of placing first anyway.
As the only daughter of the Rosild Family, it was enough to not embarrass the family name.
“I did it! At least I got about half of them right.”
She had placed in the middle.
She immediately boarded a carriage and headed to Yuri’s House.
Yuri’s House was located in a shabby area in a remote corner of the Duchy.
The street was too narrow for the carriage to enter fully, and the alley was filthy.
“Ugh, how disgusting.”
Though it was an ordinary street without any particular garbage or filth, any road not paved with premium materials felt dirty to her.
In the end, she didn’t get out of the carriage and instead sent someone to call Yuri.
At the visit of the patronizing family’s only daughter, Yuri came rushing over breathlessly.
“Yuri. What were your results?”
“Th-thanks to your sponsorship, I was able to achieve excellent results.”
The result was a perfect score.
She had placed first in the 14th Olympiad.
Reina nodded with a satisfied expression.
“Of course. If our family sponsors you, you should show results like this.”
“I’m always grateful for your support.”
Reina nodded a few more times before speaking.
“Yuri. Come with me.”
“Where are you going?”
She had rushed out while nursing her mother. She had left in such a hurry that she hadn’t even put on her shoes properly.
“We’re going to the Imperial Palace. I need to deflate that annoying Isabel’s arrogance.”
Her face flushed.
A smile spread across Reina’s face.
Just thinking about it made her laugh. The image of that incredibly impressive person she had fallen for at first sight came to mind.
“And I’ll get to see Viscount Biatonn too.”
“D-did you get permission from the Duke?”
Yuri needed time.
She had to explain to her mother that she’d be away for a while, and she had to ask the neighbor to look after her mother.
However, even this trivial question annoyed Reina slightly.
“Isn’t it natural that when you’re being sponsored, you just do whatever I ask?”
“…I’m sorry.”
“You don’t know because you don’t have a biological father, but my father does everything I ask of him.”
“…”
“Anyway, get in quickly. We’re going to the Imperial Palace.”
Yuri reluctantly attempted to board the carriage.
“Where are you going? You need to go over there.”
“Oh, oh, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
Yuri sat beside the Coachman rather than inside the carriage.
The Coachman was a middle-aged man in his fifties.
“You’re worried about your Mother, aren’t you? Don’t fret. I sent word ahead. The neighbors will look after her well. I’ve also sent some money for their trouble, so you can repay me later.”
Yuri burst into tears.
Meanwhile, inside the carriage, Reina hummed a cheerful tune.
‘I wish Viscount Biatonn were here. I could show him that I’m far superior to the Princess.’
Three days later.
Reina arrived at the Imperial Palace, and the results of the 19th Olympiad were announced.
* * *
Reina grasped her skirt and bowed deeply.
“It’s been so long, Princess Isabel. I’m truly delighted to see you.”
“I’m happy to see you too. Have you been well?”
I smiled brightly.
She was such a transparent child that I could easily tell what she was after in coming here.
“Sister Yuri came with you as well. How wonderful.”
Yuri bowed to me.
However, we couldn’t exchange much more than greetings. Reina quickly interjected.
“Have the Olympiad results come out?”
“Not yet. I heard the results will arrive by the end of today.”
“That’s right. I heard you participated in the 19th Olympiad.”
“Yes, I did.”
“Well, participating in the 19th Olympiad does make a poor performance look somewhat less unfavorable, doesn’t it?”
I widened my eyes.
“You think I’ll perform poorly, Miss Reina?”
I had definitely scored perfectly.
Not only had I already solved the problems before, but the structure of the questions themselves was designed so that verification would be flawless.
Even if multiple perfect scores emerged, I had submitted first, so the prize money was certainly mine.
“No, it’s not that so much as… it’s the 19th Olympiad. I heard you were the first person to participate at age six.”
“There’s no guarantee that the result of a first attempt will be poor.”
“Well, that’s true. Hehe.”
They say the world appears as much as one knows it.
Still, I couldn’t entirely blame Reina.
She couldn’t possibly know that I was a transmigrator.
Knock, knock.
At that moment, a knock sounded.
“Your Highness. May I enter?”
“Of course!”
It was Viscount Biatonn.
I found myself breaking into a wide smile without thinking.
Viscount Biatonn was always kind and warm, so time spent with him was invariably comforting.
“Viscount Biatonn! You remember me, don’t you? I’m Reina of the Rosild Family. It’s an honor to meet the Emperor’s renowned aide once again.”
“Hello, Miss Reina.”
Viscount Biatonn offered a brief greeting before turning his gaze toward me.
To Viscount Biatonn, Reina seemed to be nothing more than an object sitting beside him.
“Your Highness, the results have arrived.”
“Really?”
“I’m trembling with anticipation.”
Viscount Biatonn’s eyes curved into crescents.
The pale green irises visible between those crescents were truly beautiful.
“Allow me to open it for you.”
“Thank you.”
I wasn’t particularly nervous.
Viscount Biatonn tore open the letter.
Magical letters materialized across the page.
[Whoosh! Whoosh!]
Moreover, a rippling magical form also appeared.
Viscount Biatonn’s hands were trembling slightly, somewhat exaggerated.
The Sword Mage Viscount Biatonn had taken to teasing me in this manner for some time now.
I waited with a composed expression.
“My goodness…!”
Viscount Biatonn’s eyes widened.
Fireworks exploded above Viscount Biatonn’s head.
Bang! Bang! Pop-pop-bang!
Red sparks.
Blue sparks.
Yellow sparks.
Beautiful colored fireworks continued bursting with successive pops.
“Your Highness, would you pinch my cheek?”
Viscount Biatonn knelt on one knee and offered his cheek.
I reached out and pinched Viscount Biatonn’s cheek.
It felt soft, like flour.
It stretched out like cheese—squish.
This too was magic.
I burst into delighted laughter without realizing it.
“Aren’t you curious about your score, Your Highness?”
“Hmm, I think I did well.”
“You’re being composed again today, as always.”
Viscount Biatonn chuckled with a low, amused laugh.
Reina spoke quickly from beside me.
“Yuri, whom our family sponsors, has secured first place.”
The implication of her words was that no matter how well I performed on the exam, I couldn’t have done better than Yuri.
Regardless of Reina’s comment, I felt genuinely delighted.
“Wow! Really? Congratulations!”
I was truly proud of Yuri.
At just nine years old, she cared for her ailing mother and achieved first place in the Olympiad through self-study without a single tutor.
I grabbed Yuri’s hand and bounced excitedly.
“First place! That’s amazing! I always knew you could do it, Yuri!”
Overcome with genuine pride and joy, I pulled Yuri into a tight embrace.
You can do this. You’re more than capable. You don’t need to feel intimidated in front of someone like Reina.
“….”
Yuri seemed a bit flustered by my reaction.
Oh, was I being too much?
“Hehe.”
I gently released Yuri’s hand.
I had already encountered Yuri through the novel, but she knew nothing about me.
“I was just so happy. I’m sorry.”
“Oh, no, no. Thank you.”
Yuri bowed her head deeply.
Her earlobes seemed to have turned slightly red.
My heart ached for Yuri all over again.
‘She’s never received kindness without expecting something in return.’
That’s why she wouldn’t be accustomed to expressions of affection like mine.
The only way Yuri could receive love was through achieving results.
Having lived her entire life that way, of course she’d be bewildered.
Reina asked in a sharp, pointed voice.
“I’m not sure why Your Highness is so pleased that Yuri, whom our family sponsors, secured first place.”
“I think you’ve mentioned about three hundred times that Yuri receives sponsorship from the Rosild Family, so I’m not sure why you keep bringing it up.”
Reina’s body flinched.
It was rather amusing how she reacted so dramatically to the slightest jab.
Alright, I should stop teasing her now. Any more and she might actually cry.
“I’m joking, just joking. The Rosild Family is doing wonderful work, after all. So what did you want to say?”
“Your scores—you still haven’t heard them, have you? Ah, perhaps scores don’t mean much to Your Highness anyway?”
Reina seemed to be thinking whatever she wanted to think.
It appeared she believed I participated in the Olympiad as a way to express that ‘I may not be skilled at swordsmanship, but I’m making efforts in other areas!’
“Well, I don’t think scores alone are particularly meaningful.”
“I knew it was like that.”
In truth, they were incredibly important.
For a test-taker, what could be more important than a score?
Yet I wanted to give dreams and hope to that child watching nervously beside me.
To a child whose self-worth had been worn down in front of a patron, I wanted to show what truly mattered.
“All the effort you’ve invested to achieve that score—that’s what’s important.”
“…Pardon?”
“I think that effort and process is admirable. So anyone who makes such an effort is inherently worthy of respect.”
I glanced at Yuri.
Yuri still had her head lowered, but her body trembled faintly.
I shifted my gaze to Viscount Biatonn.
“What about my score?”

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