Chapter 18 - I Became the Daughter of the Academy’s Villain

Chapter 18 18 - Arrival, the Entrance Exam Venue <18 - Arrival, the Entrance Exam Venue> Due to having attracted unwanted attention from the guards, I ultimately couldn't use the gambling hall. Nonetheless, the original purpose of trying to earn money at the gambling hall was to buy Jonah a reconciliation gift set. After our conversation at the escape port, my relationship with Jonah had improved, so there was no longer a need to buy a gift. “I did it!” “Congratulations, Miss. You could even participate in a gourmet competition in a few years." Training, eating. Training, and then more eating. Thanks to my aggressive dining strategy to coincide with the buffet hours, I was soon able to collect all 100 varieties of dishes offered at the buffet in my food encyclopedia. "A gourmet competition? Do they have lots of delicious food?" "It's usually a competition to eat a lot of one kind of food." "Then I don't want to go. I don't particularly want to eat just a lot of one thing." Despite feeling a tiny bit materialistic for immediately seeking the next item to collect, a true player should never neglect their pursuit of collecting! No matter the region I visit, finding out which foods are famous and where the gourmet spots are is just basic knowledge for an outstanding player. "Ah, mommy. I need to eat lots of meat. Big brother said I'll grow strong muscles that way." "That child, honestly, you can't be picky. If you're going to eat a lot of meat, you have to eat lots of vegetables too. You should learn from that kid who only filled their plate with pureed broccoli dishes." The child being scolded by the noble lady jumped in surprise. "Max?" "Oknodie!" "Are you acquainted?" "We met yesterday at the kids' zone. A kind child who played with our youngest for a bit." "Oh my, how considerate. Thank you for playing with our children, Miss Oknodie. May I ask the name of your family..." "Pardon me, madam. Miss Oknodie has not yet been granted permission to disclose her family name due to certain circumstances." "How regrettable. I shall hope for the day when she is granted permission to reveal her family's name." The noble lady turned away from Oknodie and grabbed Max by the ear. "Now, Max. Don’t be distracted by girls and make sure to eat your bell peppers and paprika. If you keep avoiding vegetables, I'll add the worst of them — cucumber — to your plate." "Ah, no! Anything but cucumbers, please!" Max was being dragged away, gripped by the ear, but he still managed to forcefully meet my gaze as if trying to convey an unspeakable meaning. “You've already enchanted a boy overnight." "It's not like that. Max is just a friend. One I happened to meet just yesterday." "How fortunate." The collection of the encyclopedia was complete. The airship journey was over. [Ladies and gentlemen, we have safely landed at our destination, the island of the examination. We hope you have enjoyed your voyage and look forward to welcoming you again.] Passengers followed the crew down the gangway. This entrance exam venue was on an island with dry sea breezes, harmful to skin health. A procession of carriages crossed the bridge connecting the mainland to the island, ships sailed into the harbor, and several airships flew languidly through the sky. A scene I had seen countless times in the game's intro video. It was just one of the cutscenes showing aspiring students gathering at the entrance exam venue. As a side note, this game. Initially, it was created with the goal of being a pretty girl dating simulation but transformed into a growth simulation game nurturing students to academy graduation after the company went bankrupt once during development. Why am I bringing this up, you ask? Because that straw-hat girl getting off the ship caught my eye. "Ah, my hat!" The hat was whisked away by the wind and caught high up in the branches of a tree. My head throbbed lightly just from 'recognizing' the sight. <Favorability Event> The identity of the straw-hat girl was compromised, as her straw hat got caught on the high branch of a tree. Now, if you wish to gain her favor while she paces helplessly in her white dress and sandals, this is your chance. Climb the tree or fetch a ladder— use any means necessary to be the first one to recover the hat and hand it to the lady! A smirk came to my face at the ridiculousness of this favorability event. What would gaining the girl's favor in an entrance exam achieve? "Are you considering helping out?" "Not really? If she can't retrieve it by herself, she shouldn't have signed up for the entrance exam." "That's quite harsh, Miss." "Who is it thanks to?" "Don't misunderstand. It was a compliment." "I was also giving a compliment." The NPCs, of course, were climbing trees and falling, climbing too high and crying terrified to come down, and then when someone rescued them, the rescuer's face flushed with infatuation for the brawny man creating a commotion. Amidst the clamorous crowd showering applause, the straw-hat girl wore an incredibly enlightened expression. Whether resigned to fate or contemplating buying a new one, her face showed signs of surrender. 'She does look quite pitiful.' Had she been a supporting NPC, there might have been another NPC to retrieve her straw hat. As I was contemplating this, a hulking hairy figure appeared beneath the tree. "Move aside, you little mice. Unless you want to get hurt." "Wow, it's a monkey beast-man!" "Monkeys are good at climbing trees, aren't they?" "With that size?" "He might break the tree just trying to climb it." Off to the side, I could see Giselle smiling awkwardly, likely troubled by the hired escort acting recklessly as he pleased. "Let's watch and then go." "That's the audacious beast-man who confronted the exam supervisors." Jonah, Leaf, and I stood side by side, watching as the monkey beast-man unsheathed a staff from his back and pulled his shoulders back, an action utterly unrelated to climbing trees. Realizing too late what was about to unfold, the spectators hurriedly moved back. Whoosh—! A heavy sound struck our eardrums, followed by the rustling and showering of leaves, like the tree itself was crying out. Thud, thud-thud-thud "Aaaahhh!!" "Bugs, bugs everywhere!!" "Aaaah, a rhinoceros beetle bit my finger!" As the spectators dodged bugs and falling leaves, chaos ensued. Leaf, who had been holding a snack basket and an umbrella, pushed the umbrella forward to shield us from the onslaught. Whirling... Ratatat The leaves and bugs that were deflected left and right by the sweep of the lightly twirled umbrella. The onlookers struck by the debris glanced at us with displeasure, but upon seeing Jonah's grim expression, they awkwardly backed away to keep their distance. Swish Clack Amidst the chaos, the monkey beast-man spun his staff, warding off all the bugs and leaves by himself. He deftly caught the straw hat on the tip of his staff and held it out to the straw hat girl. “Why the long face, little fawn?” Gulp. “Will you perk up if you take this hat? My little brown-tailed deer.” With a face that showed zero gratitude, the straw hat girl responded. “Huuueeeeng!! It's because of you, mister! I got showered with a rain of bugs. They’re in my hair, on my dress — I'm covered in aphids and insects! Waaahhh!!” [The straw hat girl's favorability event has ended.] [Nobody gained any favorability.] Well, these things happen. Clever shortcuts aren't for just anyone. Without being a veteran player, it's typical to see such backfiring. “We certainly had a spectacle to enjoy.” “That’s for sure.” Poor straw hat girl. All that trouble over a nonsensical favorability event like that. Whether heroines enduring the sold-called ‘rescue’ or the male characters who struggle for their sakes, they all suffer needlessly due to contrived game events. “Hey, Miss, the exam venue is up here on this hill.” “Where are those people going?” “Please don’t mind us. We’re here for tourism.” Waving casually to the test-takers who accepted the explanation with a return greeting. With regretful faces, numerous participants glanced back at us as they headed up the hill, while others, intrigued, followed me as I took sporadic side paths. “It seems the monkey beast-man is following us too.” “Even those with golden tickets are heading this way.” The difference in tickets was beginning to show. Contrary to the examination sites up on the hill for those possessing iron, bronze, and silver tickets. The venues for gold and platinum ticket holders led deeper into the island. About thirty minutes had passed when I spotted a familiar sight often seen on school trips. “A pagoda?” I saw large and small rocks stacked on top of each other here and there. Unlike the other participants who passed with scant interest, I was aware of the entrance exam gimmick. Unique views along the path served as hints for the upcoming tests. It seemed the first challenge of the entrance exam would naturally be building stone towers. "That won't do." "...What did I do to deserve a 'won't do'?" "Just trying it out." "Lies. Are you worried I’ll swallow a rock?" "Please be careful. Once the exam starts, we will not be able to watch over you." Is that so. Once the exam starts, neither Jonah nor Leaf will be able to accompany me. "Entrance for outsiders ends here. Those attending the entrance exam, please show your tickets." A gatekeeper monk, clad in monk’s robes and holding a broom, appeared in front of the arched gateway. Jonah and Leaf spoke from behind. “We have faith that you will surely pass, Miss.” “Here's a bag of sweets. Please help yourself whenever you're feeling peckish.” “Thanks, Jonah. Leaf. I'll be sure to pass!” * * Oknodie occasionally turned back to look at the forms of Jonah and Leaf. In the midst of waving her hand, Leaf muttered without changing position. “I’m worried. The young lady seems to be definitive in her decisions, yet she tends to become too soft-hearted towards those to whom she has grown attached.” “Don’t worry. There are others besides us in the exam venue who want to protect the lady.” Giselle, who was passing by with the monkey beast-man, wore an annoyingly satisfied smile which, just for today, seemed like a blessing. “Did you keep this character alive thinking about this time?” “Don’t forget. To those we serve, she may be the lady, but to the organization, she is nothing more than a mere 'scholarship student'. Other prospective scholarship students might target her as a rival.” I’m not worried about the exam itself. What Jonah worries about are attacks from the competitors. The black-market dealer Giselle was intended as a sort of guardian angel to protect the lady from internal rivals within the organization. “The lady is now out of sight.” “Let’s prepare her success present.” “Something to eat will be good, right?” “Indeed, we are in agreement.” The butler and the maid had no doubt that the lady would pass and return safely. * * I turned back several times to make sure. They were no longer in sight. At this point, they definitely won't catch me. "Aaah." I opened my mouth wide and secretly popped in a stat stone I had pilfered from the stone tower. [You have used a stat stone.] [One random stat has increased by 1.] I was so worried about being caught and having the stat stone confiscated, I felt like I was suffocating! Author’s Note Hehehe