Ch. 21: Chapter 21

# 21 - 21

“Miss Tulia?”

“Hmm?”

I raised my head, lost in thought. Adel offered me warm tea, although I did not notice when she brought it.

“Please drink a little before you go.”

“Yes...thanks.”

It's just a normal thank you, but I don't know why I feel embarrassed when Adel does things like this.

The warm cereal tea seemed to fill my stomach completely.

* * *

The “study room” I came to to take the exam was like a Greek temple.

'Wait, is this room more luxurious than mine?'

It was a room filled with cream-colored marble, from ceiling to floor. Every time the light from the chandelier streams in, I feel like I'm walking down the aisle under the night sky in elegance.

They had not allowed themselves to have such extravagant luxury as including jewelry in the columns, but that was exactly why it was filled with such an upscale atmosphere.

I felt like I was seeing the highest quality version of the ancient Greek academy that I had only seen in pictures.

Despite being marble, the color made the entire room look bright and warm.

In the middle stood an extremely handsome man with a sharp and cold appearance.

"Wow. It's Schultz-Schmidt."

I'm Schultz Schmidt. Miss Tulia.

I can tell that even without checking his profile.

This man was a character who gained a great deal of popularity in. Although it is a supporting role.

the reason? There was only one.

“He's handsome.”

Even among beautiful women, don't people have different preferences?

Schultz-Schmidt was a character whom anyone who loved handsome, cultured men with cold looks could not help but fall in love with.

“In addition, he is also someone I desperately need to see as the Crown Prince for once.”

The more I needed someone, the better I had to treat them – and this is the same both in reality and in the game.

“Hello, teacher.”

I grabbed my skirt and bowed politely.

This was a greeting given by a lady to a person of equal or higher status, and is somewhat exaggerated relative to the Schultz-Schmidt salute.

“Ms. Tulia.”

As proof of this, Schultz-Schmidt immediately and coldly refused the salute.

I am just a researcher in the White Tower, who has earned the title of “Spirit.” Among the five noble ranks of the empire, this title is equivalent to a simple baron, so this greeting is unbearable to me.

“But as I understand it, even the Duke’s daughter uses honorific terms when addressing the spirit who comes as a teacher.”

This was known even to the sons of the imperial nobility. It also remained in Tullia's inherited memory.

“That's true, but.”

Schultz-Schmidt continued steadfastly.

“The Grand Duke Fraser's house is different.”

Yes, I know that very well.

The white tower.

A huge intellectual group that brought together the empire's scholars.

The people of noble blood wanted the scholars of the White Tower to teach their children.

But the arrogant and arrogant White Tower scholars were already in short supply.

However, where there is demand, there is supply, so families with school titles or higher were somehow able to invite White Tower scholars as teachers for several teaching seasons.

Families below the census rank, helpless families, and small families were gathering together to invite the White Tower scholars to teach their children.

Some kind of teacher exchange system?

The scholars of the White Tower were given the honorary title of “Spirit” and were respected by the public.

Even the Imperial Family of the Briang Empire tried to maintain good relations with this White Tower, but there was only one place in the empire where their relationship with them was so bad, and that place was…

'Okay. The house of Grand Duke Fraser.'

It's a place where there was a dispute between Grand Duke Assis Fraser and the leader of the White Tower for some reason, which is why I alone and this bastard Tedric exist as descendants in Fraser's domain now.

“They're all in the academy.”

Despite this bad relationship, the spirit's presence here also, in a way, served as evidence of Grand Duke Fraser's influence.

“In most endings, he becomes Kuriko's supporter...”

She looked at the cold, handsome man who was destined to be a unique genius youth among the White Tower Spirit.

“If you really don't like it, I'll talk informally.”

“Please do it.”

“Only outside the classroom.”

“…”

Schultz-Schmidt looked at me with an expression that indicated he had not expected this.

It certainly wasn't a proud or pleased expression.

Rather, it was like seeing a strange creature for the first time, like a multi-colored rooster.

But that was just a moment.

Good. Let's agree on that.

One of the characteristics of Schultz-Schmidt.

He hated nobles who abused their power based on their social standing more than anything else.

I will give you the exam, so please sit where you like. Miss Tulia.

Schultz-Schmidt spoke, his voice less cold than before.

“I'll sit here.”

When I received the exam paper, I thought.

His second characteristic.

He liked smart students without prejudice.

“An exam like this is a piece of cake.”

In fact, Adel was very worried about me taking the exam. She even gave me a pass to the library.

I also browsed library books and studied a lot, just in case.

“It wasn't necessary.”

The moment I received today's exam paper, my positive intuition came true.

“I know all these problems.”

It was normal if you think about it.

I'm someone who has played hundreds and thousands of times.

Kuriko was in the position of "beloved girl", and as is typical of the genre, and although she entered the Fraser family as a potential daughter-in-law of the Grand Duke's house, she gradually assumed the status of granddaughter.

Although she had no Fraser blood, she received exceptional treatment by undergoing direct ancestry testing.

Kuriko taking the exam was something that had to be done early in the game, so I solved almost every problem that came up.

The exam is divided into seven subjects. I will grade it and let you know the results immediately.

While listening to Schultz-Schmidt's voice, I picked up my pen with confidence.

“The answer to question 1 is choice 2.”

Yes, that's when it happened.

When my fountain pen, which was about to check check 2, moved to check 3.

For a while, I thought this was my “fault.”

My hand seems to have slipped.

Anyone might think so at first.

But when the same mistake is repeated for the second and third time, you realize it.

“This. Could it be.”

At the same time, as if reading my thoughts, the yellow star that had always followed me like a shadow bounced lightly.

At the same time, a familiar text appeared before my eyes.

(Warning: Due to a skill penalty, you cannot check the required answer.)

(Warning: The level of affection of the people around you will drop to a minimum.)

“Ak!”

When you say “those around me,” it just means Schultz-Schmidt, that handsome, cold teacher who stares blankly at my exam paper!

Exams were always like this.

It used to be that the first question on the first page was easy enough for even ordinary people who had learned to write to solve it.

But answering such an easy question wrongly would make me look so stupid that even basic human affection would disappear completely, and not just as a researcher.

I screamed internally.

“How can a skill penalty be applied like this!”

Turning my hair into a mess wasn't enough!

The status window quickly opened.

[System: status window]

Tulia Fraser (15 years old)

-Owned coins: 1,005

-Personality: 1

-Beauty: 8

-Skill: -10

-Wealth: 0

-Luck: -10

Overall rating: F

“My precious coins that I earned by pouring my blood, sweat and tears into making jam all night to present to His Highness the Grand Duke...”