My High School Nerd Rival - Chapter 36

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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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Chapter 36
Period 4
As mentioned before, Ibi sealed away her Gaming Device and felt the true necessity of Study when she was six years old.
From then on, Ibi had studied continuously with the Royal House tutor, and starting from the year she turned eight, the teacher would occasionally review Problem Solution Sheets that the Nanny had brought.
At first, Ibi thought the Nanny had started studying too, but it turned out that wasn’t the case.
The one submitting the Problem Solution Sheets to the teacher was the Nanny’s son.
For that child who “loved studying,” the teacher was reviewing his work alongside him.
She knew the Nanny had a son around her age, but since she’d never met him, it didn’t feel quite real.
There was actually a part of her that resented the fact that her beloved Nanny had a “real son” separate from her.
Was that why?
Ibi found herself preoccupied with how well that boy studied.
‘What if he’s better than me?’
If he was her real son and smarter on top of that, the Nanny’s attention would turn entirely toward him.
Ibi didn’t want to lose the Nanny, her only source of warmth.
Driven by that single desire, she resolved to do something wrong.
She decided to steal a peek at that boy’s solutions.
While the Nanny went to prepare refreshments for the teacher, Ibi secretly checked the Problem Solution Sheet that the Nanny had set aside.
<What is this?>
She could read the problems themselves.
But problems about adding and multiplying fractions, or finding logical patterns between numbers—no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t seem to solve them.
A fierce competitive spirit boiled up inside her at the thought of losing, and Ibi pestered the teacher to teach her more, and faster.
This was a matter with the Nanny’s love at stake!
Then one day, she watched as the teacher checked that boy’s solutions and wrote in red pen for him to try again.
‘He got it wrong too!’
She knew a good princess shouldn’t laugh at someone else’s misfortune, but right now she couldn’t help it.
After the teacher left and the Nanny went to see him out.
She checked the boy’s solutions left on the desk.
‘This is…….’
Ibi began arbitrarily writing her own solution next to the boy’s handwriting. She paused briefly in the middle, but managed to work through to the final answer.
Would this be right? She hoped it would be.
Ibi wrote a boastful remark at the bottom.
[This is how you solve it.]
And the next day.
When the Nanny found out what Ibi had done, she smiled in amusement and handed the paper back to her.
Next to the writing Ibi had left yesterday, a new solution had been written.
That answer was different from what Ibi had written.
And at the very bottom was a stubborn reply: “This is how you do it.”
<That’s impossible!>
Ibi let out a yelp and immediately brought a new sheet to check the boy’s math.
It seemed to check out.
But what Ibi had solved before didn’t look wrong either.
A single problem couldn’t have two answers.
[You got it wrong. Because you’ve been wrong before.]
When Ibi sent this, the next day that boy picked apart her solution point by point.
[No, you got it wrong.]
[I’m going to ask the teacher. I’ll have them confirm whether I was right or you were.]
[No matter who I ask, the fact that I’m correct won’t change.]
He was truly arrogant and insufferable.
He knew Ibi was a princess, yet he dared talk back to her like that.
Even her cousin Fabian wouldn’t be so bold.
And in the end, that first problem they debated over turned out to have the boy was right.
Ibi was furious enough to die.
She hated the thought of losing the Nanny to him, and she hated seeing his boastful replies.
But what actually came back was different.
[This problem is wrong here.]
The boy had pointed out yet another problem that Ibi had sent!
Was he trying to keep fighting?
<Finding a path together is an excellent study method.>
The Royal House tutor, who learned of the exchange of solutions that had begun by chance, openly gave them the same problems so they could exchange opinions.
Ibi didn’t say she disliked it.
In fact, it turned out rather well.
Since things had come to this, she was determined to defeat that boy and prove to the Nanny who was worthy of her love!
* * *
It took ten days for Ibi’s hand to heal and for her to resume Chemistry Experiment work.
Ibi and Cyrus received the highest marks despite stricter evaluation standards given their second chance, and they heard their experimental report would be displayed on the Laboratory wall for a week.
(Of course, no student would actually pay attention to such a thing.)
The rumors about Cyrus had died down considerably.
But that was simply because time had passed and everyone had lost interest.
The negative sentiment toward him remained firmly entrenched.
Ibi found Cyrus somewhat pitiful in that regard, but he himself seemed to have no thoughts on the matter.
Beyond that, Ibi sparked a revolution in the Third Dormitory, which was freezing to death in the winter cold.
She cleaned and dried Large Plastic Bottles that had been discarded as trash, then distributed them one each to students complaining of the cold.
“Before bed, fill one of these with hot water and slip it under your blanket. Don’t use water that’s too hot or the bottle will warp—remember to let it cool a little first.”
Then the warmth inside the blanket would remain until morning when you woke up. This innovative heat-retention method became wildly popular among the students.
In recognition of her resourceful use of trash that would otherwise have been discarded, Ibi received the School Environmental Protection Award, pulling off quite a feat.
In short, she earned Bonus Points.
Her activities didn’t stop there.
Ibi participated in the School Campus Debate competition as a team with Joy and achieved the distinction of being selected as the freshman representative.
Now if she won in the inter-school tournament? More Bonus Points would be awarded.
Ibi was already dying in anticipation for the next Outstanding Student announcement.
In the first semester, everything had been chaos because she didn’t know what was what, but now she was truly prepared for everything.
Moreover, even while doing all these outside activities, she never let go of her studies. No—more than that, she was genuinely working hard.
She was there at the Library until closing time every single day.
By that point, the only people remaining in the Library until then were Ibi and Cyrus, and sometimes Ibi stayed alone.
Ibi loved being the last patron of the Library by herself.
It felt like she’d earned a medal for studying harder than Cyrus.
Today too, Cyrus had left first and was not in the Library.
The secret to studying is absolutely about perseverance—in the end, whoever endures longest wins.
Ibi curved her lips slightly upward as she organized her Bag. The Library would be closing soon.
The Corridor in front of the Library was rather dark.
Looking up through the window at the sky, clouds covered the moon entirely.
Buzz.
Her Smartphone rang.
[@gray_heli_91 You’re not walking alone again, are you?]
It was Owen.
Ever since that anonymous message had come to Ibi before asking “Are secrets being kept well?”, he’d been wary of her walking alone even on School Campus.
[Of course not. I’m heading back after preparing for the Debate competition with Joy.]
Without thinking, Ibi lied. If she didn’t, a barrage of nagging would fall on her like a bomb.
[That’s a relief. Sleep well.]
[Yeah, good night.]
Before putting her Smartphone in her pocket, Ibi read the sentence she’d just sent again.
She had lied.
It was quite strange, really.
Ibi’s lies had certainly been to hide her Identity.
They’d said it was better for everyone that way.
But now she was lying even to Owen, the one person she should eventually tell everything.
And she was doing it without the slightest hesitation.
It felt unsettling, as if it meant Ibi had grown accustomed to lying.
‘No, it’s just.’
Ibi hurried to make excuses to herself.
‘It’s because Owen worries too much.’
If he found out Ibi was alone, he’d keep worrying continuously until the moment she reached her room.
When nothing would happen anyway, why burden him with unnecessary concern?
So this was simply, a lie for his sake.
She quickened her pace and exited the Corridor.
She hoped someone might be heading back to the Dormitory, but the quiet School Campus held only the sound of her footsteps.
At first, it was certainly that way.
Tap-tap.
But then, a little distance behind her, she heard footsteps walking in a different rhythm than hers.
‘It’s probably just another student.’
That was what she thought at first, but having just seen Owen’s concern, she found her thoughts leaning toward darker possibilities.
Moreover, the only person who had stayed in the Library until the very end was Ibi.
The Librarian had gone the opposite direction down the Corridor, so there was no reason for her to come this way.
‘Something…… feels off.’
Ibi placed her finger on the Smartphone in her pocket. So she could call Owen if anything happened.
‘No, would Owen take too long? Then maybe Joy or perhaps…….’
Cyrus Cyrus?

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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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