Chapter 233: Reunion (2)

Sierra’s story, though abrupt, was more than enough to pique Louis’s interest.

A glint flashed in his eyes.

“What are you saying?”

”…Exactly what I said.”

“So… you’re telling me our partnership isn’t a coincidence?”

“That’s right.”

“But I thought team assignments were supposed to be random?”

“They are. The teams are chosen at random. However…”

”…?”

“Except for certain students.”

“Ha…”

Louis let out a breathy laugh, as if finding the situation absurd.

“Tell me more.”

“It’s widely known that students at Transcendence Academy receive equal treatment, regardless of their status. But… that’s all ancient history now.”

In its early days, Transcendence Academy kept students’ backgrounds secret to foster elite Transcendent practitioners. Its operating policies also treated all students equally.

However, as the proportion of noble-born students entering Transcendence Academy surged dramatically each year, the administration couldn’t ignore the issue any longer.

A prime example was the Academy’s top-tier facilities.

As time passed,

the stagnant water began to rot, and a stench of decay pervaded every corner of the academy.

“On the surface, the Academy appears faultless. But beneath the veneer, backdoor deals are rampant.”

“Backdoor deals?”

“When children from powerful and wealthy families enter the academy, corrupt officials accept bribes to grant them special favors.”

”…”

“A prime example is the Team Formation Ceremony at the beginning of lower class. Bribed academy officials pair students with higher-achieving peers or preferred classmates.”

”…So that’s you and me?”

“Not just us. Brew, Liam, Olivia, and Evelyn too. Those are the ones I know for sure, but there might be others besides them.”

“Huh? What about them?”

The students Sierra mentioned.

They were none other than those paired with the Twins, the Flame siblings.

Now that’s something.

A hollow laugh escaped me at the unexpected corruption within the academy.

Then Louis stared intently at Sierra.

“Something’s strange here,” he said.

”…?”

“If, as you say, the fact that we were paired together was manipulated, then you must have been complicit in it, right? Your family must have been involved in some shady dealings as well.”

But Sierra had clearly opposed being paired with me on the first day.

And so the story had come full circle, back to its beginning.

Biting back a bitter smile, Sierra replied, “I never wanted to be paired with you through manipulation. Besides… my family doesn’t even have the resources for such backroom deals. Have you ever heard of the Cassius Family?”

“No, I haven’t. Are they… famous?”

“Beacon… Well, it certainly is beaconed. It’s a family that’s gone completely bankrupt, after all. And that bankrupt family is mine.”

“Then how on earth did we end up on the same team?”

“That… was the Syron Family’s doing.”

“The Syron? The same Syron I know?”

“Exactly. Our family owes them an enormous debt, and I’m nothing more than a puppet in their hands. All my expenses—food, clothing, everything—come from the Syron Family, which ultimately… just adds to our family’s debt. I hate it… I hate it to death.”

I don’t know what happened between Sierra’s family and the Syron Family.

But the intense loathing and fury directed at the Syron Family were vividly palpable in her eyes.

In response, Louis nodded slowly.

‘So that’s why you were so desperate for the scholarship.’

Just then, everything fell into place.

Why Sierra had refused to be his partner.

And why she hadn’t been able to talk about it.

‘Even if it wasn’t entirely her choice, she did commit fraud.’

Moreover, the scheme had been orchestrated by the very family that owned Syron Territory.

No wonder she couldn’t bring herself to speak up.

Louis crossed his arms and looked at Sierra. “What’s the purpose of telling me this now?”

“As I said earlier, I realized that hiding things isn’t always the answer. Keeping this from you any longer… I felt it would be disrespectful to the kindness you’ve shown me. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”

“Whatever. It’s fine.”

Louis waved his hand dismissively, as if embarrassed.

Now that she had finally confessed her secret, Sierra’s face looked much brighter.

Her appearance revealed the extent of her inner turmoil over these issues.

Of course, such matters were of little concern to Louis.

He was interested in only one thing.

“Anyway, do you happen to know who the bastard is manipulating the group assignments after taking bribes?”

”…I don’t know that part either.”

“Hmm… really? Well, at least we’ve confirmed his existence.”

“That’s certain.”

“That’s enough for me.”

Anyone capable of interfering with and manipulating the dormitory administration must hold a high-ranking position.

I was told that if I stayed long enough, I’d naturally uncover all sorts of corruption…

But this was more rotten than he’d imagined.

A slight smirk twisted Louis’s lips.

There’s a lot of work to be done.

It seemed a massive surgical operation was needed to excise the rot.

And so, on the day Sierra made her conscience-clearing confession…

A new line of text was added to Louis’s executioner’s list.

As the end of the semester approached and vacation drew near, the academic hall became visibly excited.

This was only natural, as the tightly packed schedule of the semester was winding down, and the time to return to hometowns and families was imminent.

However, amidst the excitement, there were also those haunted by worry.

“Oh no, what should I do? If my father sees my grades this semester, he’ll kill me…”

“My mother said I have to pack my bags and come home immediately if I don’t rank within the top fifty… She said there’s no point in wasting that expensive tuition if I can’t even manage that.”

“Sigh…”

“Sigh…”

The impending grade announcement loomed over many students like a storm cloud, bringing with it anxiety and dread.

Meanwhile, a bizarre scene was unfolding within the academy.

“Ho ho, is Master Louis here?”

“Ah…”

Louis grimaced openly, right in front of him.

A crude curse erupted from his lips.

“Damn old geezer, he’s here again.”

Those who recognized the recipient of this outburst—Master Harold himself—were horrified.

Of course, those who had witnessed the same scene daily for the past few days merely wore expressions of Not this again?

Even the target of the insult maintained his benevolent smile.

“Ho ho ho, old geezer indeed.”

It was a sight that would have astounded the other Masters, who knew his habitually fastidious nature.

Despite his words, Louis remained scowling and shouted, “Hey, you old codger! I said I’m not doing it!”

The meager courtesy he had been trying to maintain had long since vanished, along with his frayed patience.

Louis waved his hand dismissively, as if shooing away an insect. “Go away! Why do you keep following me?”

“Heh! Who’s following who? I simply happened to see you while passing by and thought I’d say hello.”

”…But this is a student-only lounge?”

“Ahem!”

The student lounge was located in the dormitory, far from the professor’s research lab. No matter how he tried to rationalize it, there was no plausible reason for someone to “just happen to pass by.”

Harold, feeling embarrassed, cleared his throat awkwardly, then put on a thick face and strode out with feigned dignity.

“Ahem! Well, I just happened to have some business here, you see.”

“Then you’d better hurry and take care of it, right?”

”…Instead of that, why don’t you really write a paper with me?”

There it was again.

That same tiresome line he’d heard ad nauseam for the past few days.

Louis’s expression turned grim once more.

“I’m not doing it!”

“Why not! What possible reason could you have! Are you just going to let all that knowledge of yours rot away like this?!”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I intend to do.”

“That’s a waste of talent and a loss for all of human knowledge!”

“If you’re so desperate to write a paper, go write one yourself! I won’t interfere, I promise!”

At those words, Harold’s face froze completely.

“I’ve spent decades as a technologist and researcher. After all that time, do you really see me as the type of shameless bastard who would steal a student’s research?”

“It’s not stealing! I’m just telling you to take it! I’m giving you permission!”

“The sky and the earth know that this is Louis’s research!”

“If you just keep your mouth shut, no one would know!”

“Pshaw! How could I ignore something my conscience knows? …Tell you what, why don’t we co-author it? If that feels too burdensome… well, how about joint authorship?”

“Joint authorship and all that… Forget it!”

Louis’s tone was a bizarre mix of informal and respectful language.

Harold brushed it off without a second thought.

The students were baffled by their bizarre antics, wagging their tongues in disbelief.

What does Master see in that guy…?

He never tires of coming, yet that jerk keeps pushing him away…

At the same time, envy and jealousy gleamed in the eyes of the students watching them.

As the two continued their bickering, a student burst into the lounge.

“It’s out! It’s out!”

“What’s out?”

“The grades are posted!”

“Really?!”

Before the words had even finished, students surged out of the room.

But Shiba and Harold, noticing Louis remained motionless, asked him, “Aren’t you going to check, Louis?”

“Aren’t you going?”

Louis replied nonchalantly to their questions.

“Why bother? The outcome’s obvious anyway. If you’re so curious, go see for yourself.”

His voice dripped with unwavering confidence and composure.

Shiba shouted, “I’ll be back!” and hurried out of the break room, leaving Harold to gaze at Louis with a peculiar look.

Now alone, Louis—who had been treating Harold as if he were invisible, practically melded to the break room sofa—suddenly sprang to his feet.

Harold, who had been biding his time, waiting for an opening to attempt another persuasion, was startled by the sudden movement and cried out, “H-hey! Where are you going?”

“I’m going to take care of something.”

Before Harold could react, Louis dashed out of the break room, likely fearing pursuit.

Harold watched his retreating figure, smacking his lips.

“Tsk… I’ll have to withdraw for today.”

He still believed he had plenty of time to sway Louis. With a sigh of regret, he trudged back to his laboratory.

Meanwhile, Shiba had arrived at the bulletin board where semester grades were posted.

He craned his neck from the back of the crowded bulletin board, standing on tiptoe to check his grades.

The Flight team’s scores caught his eye first.

The lower ranks were hidden by the throng, but that was enough.

“Wow…”

An involuntary gasp escaped Shiba’s lips.

All five names in the top spots were familiar to him.

Louis and his travel party had swept the top ranks.

Shiba, still marveling, shifted his gaze.

After all, his own team’s performance mattered more than any other class.

The tech team’s grade sheet, posted side-by-side, came into view.

No surprise there.

He’d expected it, and his expectation had been confirmed.

Louis’s name sat proudly at the top.

As Shiba’s eyes scanned downward, they widened in shock.

His name was listed in third place.

Dazed and disbelieving, Shiba pinched his cheek, but it wasn’t a dream.

How…?

His team had been eliminated in the Round of 16.

To still place third despite that…

Ah! The written test!

Unlike the Flight Team, the Tech Team’s rankings gave significant weight to written exam scores.

His performance on the written test must have been decent.

As Shiba was still basking in his unexpected joy, the instructor walked in and posted a large sheet of paper on the wall.

Below the bolded title were the students’ names.

And the moment the Tech Team students saw the name at the very top, a collective gasp of shock erupted from their mouths.

“Holy crap!”

“Oh my God!”

The tech team students’ eyes were riveted to one spot.

There, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, was Louis’s name.

But what shocked everyone even more than his name was the average score written beside it:

“An average… of 100 points?”

“So… a perfect score?”

“He got a perfect score in every subject?!”

“That bastard Louis! He handed in his test and left right after it started!”

“Wait a minute… does that mean he solved Professor Harold’s final problem too?!”

The entire hall erupted into chaos at the unprecedented perfect score—the highest in Transcendence Academy history.

Amidst the uproar, Shiba recalled Louis’s earlier words:

White paper? No way. I finished it all and came out.

That’s how Louis had answered Shiba’s question about whether he’d submitted a blank exam paper.

At the time, Shiba had dismissed it as a joke.

“Wait… it was actually true?”

Shiba’s face went blank as the truth sank in.

Meanwhile, the man who’d just caused another major uproar, Louis, stood far above the Transcendence Academy, surveying the scene from the lofty heights.

He’d rushed out of the lounge because his communication stone had urgently beeped—the signal he’d been waiting for so eagerly.

“It’s me, Fin.”

At that moment, William, the fool who’d been driving Louis crazy with frustration, had finally fallen into the trap.