Chapter 38
Irix was right. Yeah, compared to me, someone from another world, Irix really does know more about the academic process. I looked at the student record. There was nothing in the grade column that said “absent.” All of them said “took the exam.” In other words, I did take the exams. I just got zero on all of them. Anyone could see that this was deliberate. I wanted to quit school, so I intentionally submitted blank papers. The school could easily conclude that Elpini had no intention of continuing. If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be proper to respect that? After all, I’m just borrowing this body—I should follow the original owner’s will.
But before I could finish thinking, Irix spoke.
“I’ll do it.”
No, you won’t. And why are you saying that?
“Okay, understood.”
Teacher, why are you looking at Irix when you say that?
“However, since you didn’t apply for remedial measures before the break, some procedures are necessary.”
That’s a relief. Whatever that procedure is… I won’t do it.
“I’ll do it all.”
…Why do you keep talking, Irix! I said I don’t want to!
Teacher Tolt said,
“We have judged that Elpini’s failing every subject was deliberate.”
“Why did you come to that conclusion?”
Irix again. Yes, keep going. Parental representative Irix.
“As you can see, the grades were fine before, but suddenly it became like this… it’s deliberate. No matter how little someone studies, they still have basic skills.”
The head teacher keeps talking only with Irix. I decided to just let them talk.
“Therefore, we decided it was an act of defiance against the school’s authority and that strict measures are necessary.”
“Before making such a judgment, you should have found out why the student did that. If they went this far, there must have been a reason.”
Still Irix.
“The school cannot interfere with a student’s private life.”
“But last time you didn’t do that. You even made me visit the counseling office.”
You—what were you doing last time?
“Ah, that was…” The head of academics’ smiling face wobbled slightly.
“You asked me all sorts of things, but why not the senior?”
“That’s because I wasn’t in charge of counseling, so I don’t know.”
What on earth did Irix get so mad about? I don’t want to make an enemy out of him. When the world is destroyed, I’ll just put his name in the “people to be killed” basket.
Wait… has there been a scene from the perspective of the school staff? There was—just one episode.
“All right, Irix.”
Now it’s time to have a proper conversation with Irix.
“Meet with the vice principal. Honestly explain why you failed on purpose. If it’s something the school can resolve, we’ll resolve it; if it’s understandable, we’ll understand and give you a chance.”
Amazing. Just one complaint from Irix and it’s resolved so easily. But there’s a major problem: I don’t know what the problem actually is. I decided to give the most common, easily understandable reason.
“I didn’t study.”
“So, senpai. I’m asking why you didn’t study on purpose.”
“I played.”
“Don’t talk nonsense!”
Irix’s eyes are sharp.
“You submitted blank papers on purpose! There’s no way you could get these scores otherwise.”
What on earth makes him so confident?
“Maybe I just didn’t know the answers because I didn’t study?”
“All of them? Every single one?”
“Yes.” I quickly nodded.
“That’s impossible. You failed for the first time. You were doing fine until now, then left just one semester and submitted blank papers. Of course there’s a reason.”
“….”
“Tell me, senpai.”
“I played.”
“During the entire exam period?”
“Yes.”
Irix crossed his arms and stared right at me. His eyes were blazing. Good thing I can’t see Aither; otherwise, I’d see him trying to stab me to death.
“Say it properly. Do you think you can get a reprieve like that?”
“Irix, I’m not worth saving.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You have to graduate. Only one semester left, and I’ll make sure you graduate whether you like it or not!”
Ah… why am I getting scolded by a candidate for world-destroying mastermind over something like this? Is it for dressing him in weird clothes? Well, yeah. I did greatly damage the mastermind’s dignity so no one would join his plan, so that’s a big sin.
“Elpini Sienira, speak.”
“Well…” I thought for a moment, then smiled. This kind of smile always makes Irix irritated.
“I just didn’t want to study.”
Why did I even bring him to school? If I had left him alone, instead of whining in front of failing students, he would have been planning world destruction.
“So, back then you didn’t want to, but now you want to? You came back to school.”
That could be true. Elpini was definitely on the train to school, and he was alone—meaning he went voluntarily. He just forgot everything because a ghost like me possessed him on the way.
Before I could answer, Irix said to Teacher Tolt:
“I’ll meet with the vice principal.”
“All right.” Teacher Tolt stood up. I wanted to stop him. Can’t I just fail?
“I’ll tell the vice principal. You wait here.” Teacher Tolt went into the side office. When the door closed, Irix, who had been quiet, suddenly started laughing strangely.
“Heh, hehe.”
“…Irix.”
“Failed every subject and came straight away. You should have done it before the break. That would have been easier.”
How does he know that?
“Why would it be easier then?”
“Back then, teachers want to finish work quickly. Whether it’s a retest or remedial lessons, they tell you right away. This school has lots of failing students, so there are many recovery options.”
“How many times can you fail?”
“Unlimited.”
This school was hard to get into, hard to advance in, and really hard to graduate from. Just because of the ridiculous name, it wasn’t an easy school. How did Maimon manage early graduation? Special methods for gifted students? No, Deporto graduated, so that’s out.
“How do you know about the recovery options? Have you ever failed?”
Irix looked offended.
“I wouldn’t fail. I know because there are failing students every time I come here.”
“So you’ve been here often?”
“I come for my classes. Special lessons require direct sign-up.”
“Special lessons?”
“Yes.”
“Is that all? Seems like there’s more.”
Irix hesitated.
“…Well, I’ve come here for fights too.”
If he fought ordinary students with the skill to take down several adult men at once… the results are obvious. Since he’s the prime minister’s son, they couldn’t expel him, and the teachers must have struggled to manage him. Not him, the teachers.
“….”
They could have just expelled him. Then later, when Irix destroys the world, he could confidently claim he wasn’t a current student.
Finally, Teacher Tolt returned. I hoped the vice principal wouldn’t be present. He was.
“They want you to come in together.” The teacher pointed to Irix.
Irix naturally stood up, then hesitated.
“Do I also need to meet the vice principal?”
Teacher Tolt paused. Time ticked by. How far back does he want to recall?
“That incident has been resolved. Or wait, was it that incident? No, that’s been passed over. Or was it another incident?”
How many “incidents” are there?
Finally deciding which “incident” it was, Teacher Tolt smiled brightly.
“That violence incident was resolved because Berkart voluntarily went to the reflection room. He wrote a reflection essay. The content was lacking, but it was acceptable. All basic conditions were met.”
So, the future mastermind sat in a small classroom and wrote “I was wrong” a hundred times.
“What kind of trouble did you cause?” Compared to world destruction, it was minor. Or maybe that minor incident accumulated and led to a major world-ending event.
Irix gritted his teeth.
“Shut up. Don’t you have other things, senpai?”
“Nothing comes to mind immediately.”
And the record I glanced at earlier didn’t note any incidents—just the first failure of all subjects.
“Senpai, haven’t you caused a lot of trouble yourself? Enough that you can’t even remember?”
“Stop, stop.”
I pointed to the vice principal’s office.
“Let’s just go in.”
Hopefully, we can successfully process the withdrawal there.
