Isn’t Being A Wicked Woman Much Better? - Chapter 65

—————

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

—————

Chapter 65
Rozard and Beleck had claimed the top position in the Magic Department throughout their years at the Academy. Though the twins were renowned for their intellect, I never imagined a day would come when Deborah Simour would be recommended for such an honor.
After considerable discussion among the professors, the Dean of Theology finally spoke.
“Miya Binoshu possesses a purity of holy power that no other student can match. She ranks among the most exceptional in Academy history, and even the bishop from Heleia expressed admiration.”
“A bishop, no less!”
“Furthermore, she consistently performs charitable acts through her holy power. She is a student who endeavors to embody the very spirit of the goddess Naila, and thus shall serve as an exemplar for all.”
After fierce and lengthy deliberation, the candidates were narrowed to Deborah Simour and Miya Binoshu. The Dean of Theology’s expression was decidedly displeased.
“It is already suspicious that a student who cannot properly wield mana is enrolled in the Magic Department, yet for her to rank first overall is utterly absurd, is it not?”
Bert Marquis’s thin lips hardened coldly.
“Absurd? Well, one can only make such statements if they failed to properly comprehend Deborah Simour’s thesis.”
The subtle contempt in his remark caused the Dean of Theology’s eyes to widen.
“What, what did you say?”
“She overcame the disadvantage of lacking mana sensitivity and produced a practical and exceptional thesis. Is that not all the more remarkable?”
“A disadvantage? Can a student whose father is the Master of the Magic Tower truly be called disadvantaged?”
“What achievements has Miya Binoshu accomplished through her own efforts at the Academy? Beyond her innate holy power?”
“May I offer my opinion?”
It was then that an elderly man who had been sitting silently beside the President raised his hand slightly, bringing them to order. All the professors in the room swallowed hard at the authority emanating from the aged figure.
Jean-Paul Louibis was a figure of considerable influence. Though a retired emeritus professor, he had served as President during his active years and currently provided political and military counsel to heads of prominent families and high-ranking officials, lending him considerable sway.
“I had a conversation with the head of House Simour not long ago, and I discovered something quite fascinating there.”
Jean-Paul produced an unexpected item—a stack of cards suspended from a circular ring, resembling a bundle of keys.
“What is that?”
“An index, if you will. A shortcut to information, one might say. Through the index, one can access desired books with remarkable speed.”
Jean-Paul opened the metal ring and distributed the cards, then began explaining the function of the book index. The professors quickly grasped its convenience.
“With this alone, finding a book need not take thirty minutes. At best, five minutes suffices. This small card contains all the essential information about the book in summary form.”
“Who conceived of such a thing?”
“With such a binding method, managing book lists would be far simpler.”
“Is this the work of a Simour retainer?”
Jean-Paul shook his head lightly.
“I, a retired man, came to the President’s Office not to participate in such discussions, but to propose that the Academy Library adopt this index system.”
He continued slowly.
“However, when the student who devised this remarkable system happened to be discussed in this very room, I could not simply let it pass.”
When the head of House Simour had shown him the library managed by the family and subtly boasted that his daughter had developed this index, Jean-Paul could scarcely contain his astonishment.
“If this is the Simour Library, then surely the person who created this is….”
“Impossible.”
Someone muttered their true thoughts aloud before hastily closing their mouth. Jean-Paul fixed a sharp gaze upon the Theology professor and clicked his tongue.
“Impossible? Mind your words. Deborah Simour is indeed the one who conceived it.”
‘She truly never ceases to astound.’
Bert Marquis could scarcely suppress a wry smile. To overcome the weakness of lacking mana sensitivity in such a manner—it was genuinely admirable.
“If you have grasped the transformation the index shall bring to the Imperial Library and the entire classification system of materials, as well as the wisdom demonstrated by Deborah Simour, then you surely understand what opinion I hold.”
As Jean-Paul finished speaking, a prolonged silence descended upon the President’s Office.
In the end, the top student of the entire department this year was someone no one had dared to imagine.
* * *
‘…Jackpot!’
The moment I checked the smoothie sales receipt inside the Maison de Cake box, I pounded my pillow like a madwoman.
‘I really sold a lot. Just as I thought! I knew it would work.’
On top of that, I’d subtly raised the monthly service fee for the formula, but our generous patrons didn’t seem to mind at all—in fact, the number of subscribers skyrocketed in a miraculous turn of events.
‘I did well promoting it as the 【Premium Enhanced Formula】.’
Premium. That was a magical word that made everyone nod in agreement.
‘Anything that looks luxurious sells well no matter where you go.’
I grinned and opened the hefty money pouch sent from the Imperial Judicial Department. This month’s patent royalties were exactly double last month’s.
‘It was tedious, but all those lectures at the Magic Tower paid off.’
I gazed into the leather purse filled with gold, silver, and copper coins, my eyes gleaming. The patent was valid for fifteen years. It was essentially winning the lottery for retirement.
While I was rolling around on the bed dreaming of a happy old age, I belatedly spotted an envelope on the table and sat up.
It was a letter from the Academy, and the contents were even more surprising.
‘What? I became the top student of the Academy?’
…Could this be spam mail?
But there couldn’t possibly be anyone in the Empire crazy enough to forge the Academy President’s signature just to play such a prank on me.
‘What did I do so well to rank first?’
I’d improved Simeon’s formula, the idol of mages, so I thought I might become one of the outstanding students in the department. But to suddenly hand the top position of the entire department to a student who’d abandoned all sense of morality?
‘It seems the Academy doesn’t place much importance on student morality.’
With such a shortage of talent, was the Empire’s future really going to be all right?
I was about to click my tongue, understanding why Father worried about Asteia’s future, when I stopped short. All my doubts vanished the moment I saw the substantial scholarship amount written at the bottom of the letter.
‘Why did they write the most important part so small?’
It would be rude to refuse when an adult is giving you money. Ahem.
As I contentedly gazed at the free money, a passage from the novel suddenly flashed through my mind, and I dropped the letter.
Now that I thought about it, in the novel, Miya Binoshu became the top student of the entire department with tremendous divine power, and she donated the substantial scholarship she received from the Academy to the Orphanage. Thanks to that, High Society’s reputation of Miya improved even more, and the members of Arachron, who had subtly disregarded her as the daughter of a fallen family, gradually began to acknowledge her.
Meanwhile, this incident became a catalyst, and Deborah Simour’s jealousy and inferiority complex in the original story grew uncontrollably, and she walked toward ruin as befitted a villain.
‘But I’ve ended up receiving that magnificent top student scholarship.’
There was nothing wrong with the situation, yet for some reason an uncomfortable feeling wouldn’t go away, so I flopped back onto the bed.
Miya would live well anyway, so I wasn’t worried about her. The real reason my heart felt unsettled was just one thing. I didn’t feel right about pocketing the money that was supposed to go to the orphanage children in the original story.
I’d resolved to live selfishly, thinking only of myself, but I couldn’t bring myself to be cruel even to the children. It was similar to how Enrique seemed cute to me and my heart went out to him for no particular reason.
‘Why did I have to be the top student of all people? The situation suddenly became such a hassle.’
As I lay blankly staring at the ornate chandelier hanging from the ceiling, I suddenly came up with a good idea and bolted upright.
* * *
“What do you think? Master.”
Deborah Simour, who had brought a business proposal as a new venture idea, sparkled her ruby-like crimson eyes.
Isidore met her gaze silently with an odd feeling. He found her proposal unexpected, yet for some reason felt it was so like her—he was caught in a contradiction.
Deborah Simour subtly manipulated people’s psychology and employed unprecedented means and methods to get what she wanted, yet strangely she didn’t come across as greedy or wickedly cruel.
‘Completely different from the rumors.’
That quality made her appear all the more special and continuously sparked his interest. However, today the emotions he’d buried for so long took on a vivid, distinct form. Like water being heated that suddenly began to bubble and boil over uncontrollably.
When silence fell for a moment due to the intense ripples occurring within me, I began persuading him of the merit of my proposal by showing him the carefully drafted document I had prepared.
“It’s not merely a one-time donation. I’m establishing the 【Armand Children’s Foundation】 and making regular contributions to publicize to many people that Armand is contributing to the community.”
I took a sip of tea before continuing.
“Furthermore, as the business grows larger, I’ll establish the 【Armand Scholarship Foundation】 to attract talented individuals….”
I was now speaking of donating all the top scholarship I had received from the Academy to the children of the Orphanage.

—————

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

—————