2-64 - How Could the Villainous Young Master Be a Saintess?

Return Volume 2, Chapter 64: Practical Exam - How Could the Villainous Young Master Be the Saintess? Top Advertisement Volume 2, Chapter 64: Practical Exam Author: Han Tang Gui Lai Updated: 2025/6/11 20:30:00 Word Count: 4020 Neither too much nor too little?? Venny was dumbfounded. He pondered over the phrase for a long time but still couldn't grasp its meaning or what it was trying to convey. He didn't even know who the note was from or if it was meant for him. Who had the time to stuff a note in his clothes, and when did it happen? He couldn't recall a single moment. From attending the welcome ceremony of the Papal delegation, to performing the art show, to returning to the student council with Milescia, no one had the chance to slip anything into his clothing. The only one who might have had an opportunity was Milescia. But why would Milescia need to do something like this? What could be so secret that it had to be communicated through a magical script on a note? Especially a note that would automatically dissipate shortly after being opened, indicative of the sender's caution. The magic writing was incredibly sophisticated, suggesting that whoever did this had a high level of magical mastery. After some thought, Venny concluded that this wasn't Milescia's doing. There was no surveillance in the student council president's office, so why go through the trouble of sending him a note to read at home? Considering her previous behavior, Venny couldn't see it being her. Moreover, if it was Milescia, he could simply ask her directly. So who did it, and why? Who could have slipped a note into his clothes so stealthily? And what was the "neither too much nor too little" trying to tell him? How much did the sender know about his situation? Friend or foe? These were all puzzling mysteries. Ah, it seemed that ever since the Emory Papal delegation arrived, he hadn't had a moment's peace. They were indeed a bunch of harbingers of bad luck. After contemplating for a bit, Venny decided to burn the note with the kitchen flint. Even though it said nothing on the surface, he felt it was a prudent move. After that, Venny was oblivious to what discussions took place between the Emory contingent and the academy faculty. His focus shifted entirely to his final exams, and any spare time was spent in the library. In the library, Venny frequently encountered Isadya, who was not there to study, as she had little to gain from it. To a genius who grasped everything after one read, practicing exercises seemed both foolish and inefficient. Thus, Isadya delved into extracurricular books unrelated to the curriculum. She enjoyed the quiet ambiance and didn’t mind offering Venny some guidance on his studies. Over time, the rapport between Venny and Isadya grew. At least now, when they met in the streets, they nodded in acknowledgment rather than pretending not to see each other. "Venny, is the student council work keeping you busy lately?" One day, over lunch, Scodel asked suddenly. "Hmm? It's alright, about the same as usual. It's just that with finals approaching, I’ve been spending more time studying in the library." "By yourself?" Scodel asked, her eyes gentle as spring water fixed on Venny. "Yes, by myself." "However, once there, I often seek help from a fellow student on study-related matters," Venny added. "Oh? A fellow student?...A boy?" Scodel already had her answer, noticing a whiff of perfume on Venny—a scent unlikely to be worn by men. "A girl." Venny replied nonchalantly as he continued eating. Hearing this, Scodel put down her utensils, murmuring softly, "I could also tutor you, you know. Why the library?" "Well, it’s not like she's deliberately there to teach me. She just happens to sit next to me because it's quiet, and helps out when needed," Venny explained, scratching his head. "Besides, she's way ahead in her studies and would find reviewing a waste of time, which is why she has the leisure to help me. But you, Scodel, also need to study and prepare for the exams. You can't spend all your time on me? If you end up with less-than-ideal results because of tutoring me, wouldn't I feel guilty?" Venny made a valid point, leaving Scodel opening and closing her mouth, yet unspeaking. Though many of his reasons were made up on the fly, the truth was that Venny couldn’t adapt to Scodel’s teaching style. It was too convoluted, while Isadya’s were methodical and digestible. In a blink, the written exams of the finals arrived. Thanks to Isadya’s tutoring, Venny felt his exam potential had greatly improved. Mastering learning methods, after all, was more crucial than just acquiring knowledge. While he wasn't sure how much his grades had improved, he wasn't aiming high. As long as he could secure a spot in the lower middle bracket, he'd be content. The practical exam would boost his overall score. On exam day, Venny strode confidently into the exam hall. After passing the instructor’s check, he entered the exam room, found his designated seat, and surveyed his surroundings like a proud lion overseeing his territory. And then, he spotted a familiar silver-haired figure seated nearby. "Yo~ Venny, feeling confident? Had a good review session last night?" the dazzling, radiant silver-haired girl asked, resting her chin on one hand while flicking her hair with the other. Hmph, her again?? Venny felt frustrated. For some reason, he’d encountered her during the initial entrance exams, sat next to her in the first-year finals, and now once again. Was there some sort of magnetic pull between their fields? Why did they keep ending up together? Like magnets continuously drawn to each other. Was this orchestrated by that old Emory Goddess for fun?? "What does my study have to do with you?" Venny retorted, his tone unfriendly. "I’ve noticed you've been frequenting the library and often accept tutoring from Isadya. Surely, you've made significant progress in your scores," Esifis said, with a slight hint of admiration. "Never thought I'd see the day Venny would work so diligently. It's unbelievable, making me wonder if he's possessed by a goddess or saintess, or perhaps received guidance from a sage," Esifis jested. "What, envious that I've got a girl tutoring me?" Venny teased. "Too bad, she’s only willing to tutor the charming Venny and not you, understand?" Venny's tone was that of playful banter between friends, competing over something trivial like romantic success. Regardless, in this moment, having triumphed over Esifis in this aspect and in their verbal spar, Venny felt a victorious delight. "Oh, so can Venny show us that move this time?" "Uh, what move?" Venny frowned. "You know, the one where you just write your name to help identify the test papers, without troubling the graders, and then submit the test early," Esifis said, playing with a pen while crossing her silky black-stockinged legs beneath the desk. Ha, this white-haired little bread really did have preconceived notions about him, huh? "Hmph, just watch." With that, Venny stopped engaging her. Soon, the exam commenced. After receiving the papers, students began answering the questions. While Venny still found it challenging, it was much less daunting than the last exam. At least he wouldn't be turning in a blank paper this time. When he completed his test and noticed five minutes left, he reviewed his paper, which was filled thoroughly. A sense of achievement washed over him. Without relying on Vanessa's photographic memory, but by his own efforts, this was the result of his diligence! Feeling a bit overconfident, Venny glanced at Esifis beside him, only to find her looking right back with a mysterious smile on her face. It seemed as if she'd been watching him for a while. Her exam paper was already gone, indicating she'd finished long ago. When exactly did she finish?? Venny hadn't noticed; Esifis was sitting right next to him, so she would have had to pass by him to submit her paper. Was he too absorbed in solving the questions? Then again, given Esifis's exceptional mastery, even waiting ten minutes to submit her paper might be considered courteous to the examiners. With the morning exams concluded, Venny found himself not encountering any familiar faces in subsequent examinations, except for the first one with Esifis. In the final exam session, Venny was next to Esifis once more. Seriously. If the seating wasn’t entirely random, Venny might suspect the arrangement was intentional by the instructor. That evening, as he submitted the last test paper and stretched with relief, Venny spotted the silver-haired figure once again as he left the classroom. "Seems like you did well, Venny. Want to compare answers?~" she teased, her arms crossed and a smiling face. Compare answers?? Venny shot a glance at Esifis. Was this her way of dampening his recent sense of accomplishment during exams? To make him squirm a bit? Comparing answers with others might be reasonable, as they might not get everything right. But with Esifis? That would be self-sabotage. Her answers were likely more accurate than the answer key. "I don’t need to compare answers. That’s for those who lack confidence. Do you think I need to?" Venny snorted. "True, if you had to find a positive trait in Venny, it would indeed be his confidence," Esifis chuckled, covering her mouth. Hmm?? Venny raised an eyebrow. Was this petite tease subtly mocking him for being ordinarily confident? "Well, yes, I am confident. Isn’t that better than constantly wallowing in self-pity?" Venny retorted, puffing his cheeks. "Whatever, I won’t bicker with you this time. After all, once the practical exam is over, we won’t see each other until next semester," Venny shifted his tone, a smirk forming. Delightful days begin with a long break away from the bothersome Esifis. Finally, he’d have time not being outshined by this white-haired brat. "See you next semester, Esifis," Venny waved at her and turned to leave. After the written exams, there would be a three-day break before the practical exams. The practical exam consisted of two parts, primarily the practical trials, with the remaining score from combat assessment. The practical trials were one of Carreleyman Academy’s unique examinations, distinctly different from other institutions, aiming to allow students to step outside and tackle real-world tasks. These tasks typically took place in human territories, such as eradicating monster nests, with first-year students facing reasonably manageable challenges. Afterward, based upon randomized challenges across grade levels, the practical exams were scored cumulatively. Three days later, knowing the crowd would be dense at the teaching hall, Venny waited a few days to pick up his task, finding fewer people present. “You’re Venny, ranked in the top twenty-three, correct? Here’s your task list. Please find your partner for the assignment and proceed to the location together," instructed a front desk staff as they handed a sealed document to Venny. “Review it in the dormitory and keep it confidential,” the staff added. “A partner?” Venny paused. “Your task, rated by the instructors, holds some level of difficulty. Thus, you’ll have a partner this term. Your task and partner will align, working together to complete it,” they explained. “Alright, I understand.” Pondering, Venny took the Carreleyman-sealed dossier back to his dorm, opened it, and read: ‘Address the issue of rampaging magic snakes in Lake Village at the northwestern border of the Tyrell Empire.’ Lake Village? Magic snakes?? Venny frowned. Magic snakes weren’t creatures he’d encountered before, nor did he know much about their combat capabilities. As far as he knew, magic snakes originated from the demon territories, eventually seeping into human borders and becoming widespread. Hopefully, his partner would be reliable.