Ric skimmed through the exam paper, analyzing the structure carefully. "Hmm… Three sections, ten questions each. The first two sections are worth 30 marks for completion, while the last one is worth 40 marks. The first section covers strategies and war tactics, the second focuses on demons, and the third is about magic classes. Well… Yota should be fine since he enjoys studying demons, and I shared a few strategies with him."

  His gaze landed on the last, optional question: 'If your family is kidnapped and held hostage by a criminal demanding a huge ransom, what would you do?'

  Ric smirked. "Well, let's handle the mandatory questions first."

  He focused on answering, blocking out distractions—until a sharp voice cut through the air.

  "You there! What are you doing?!"

  Ric glanced up to see a student council member marching toward a finely dressed student sitting beside him.

  "What are you pulling out of your underwear?!"

  A ripple of suppressed laughter spread through the room. The accused student, utterly unfazed, blinked and responded, "Huh? My name is Melvin Crown Bell."

  "Don't you know bringing chits into an exam is considered cheating?" the council member scolded.

  Melvin shrugged lazily. "Well… I guess? I'm sorry?"

  The council member narrowed his eyes. "You're done for! Hand over the chits and return to your dorm!" He confiscated Melvin's answer booklet and question paper.

  Melvin, still completely indifferent, asked in a serious tone, "Do you really want all the chits I have?"

  "Yes!" the council member snapped.

  "Are you sure?" Melvin pressed.

  "Yes!"

  Melvin sighed dramatically. "Alright then. You brought this upon yourself. Don't blame me later."

  The council member looked puzzled—until Melvin began retrieving chits from his hair, his shoes, his shirt sleeves, the collar of his uniform, behind his ear, even from his mouth. Then, lifting his shoe, he revealed even more hidden within the sole. Just as he started unbuttoning his shirt to expose chits stuck inside, the council member raised a frantic hand. "W-wait! There are girls here!"

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  Melvin raised a brow. "So you'd let me continue if there weren't girls?"

  Silence hung in the air—until it shattered into uncontrollable laughter.

  "This guy is insane!" one student wheezed.

  "King of chits! Hahaha!" another chimed in.

  Melvin, yawning, turned back to the council member. "So… I can go now, right?"

  Still stunned, the council member didn’t reply, so Melvin shrugged. "I’ll take that as a yes. See ya~" And with that, he strolled out as if nothing had happened.

  The chaos settled only when Reinhardt stepped onto the podium, his voice booming. "Silence! This is an exam, not a fish market! Discipline is paramount, and those who lack it may leave!"

  The hall immediately fell quiet. Ric smirked to himself. "Melvin Crown Bell… also known as the Lazy Genius. The third son of Duke Alistair Crown Bell. According to orphanage library records and daily newspapers, aside from the Three Great Families and their Archdukes, there are seven Dukes in the Kingdom of Alcra. I haven’t discussed them with Yota, Jim, or Ren, but maybe I should."

  Time passed, and Ric completed his exam, finally reaching the optional question. He smirked as he wrote his answer, then submitted his paper and returned to the dorm, waiting for the others.

  As the sun set, students trickled back, exhausted. Yota entered, shoulders slumped, looking defeated.

  "Hey Ric… I know this is the wrong question to ask, but… how did it go?"

  Ric, lying on his bed, replied casually, "Not too bad, I guess~"

  Yota groaned. "Haa… as expected."

  Ric smirked knowingly. "You only answered the second section, didn't you?"

  Yota’s eyes widened. "Huh? How did you know?"

  "Obvious. You only like studying demons—their weaknesses, characteristics, etc."

  Yota sighed. "You're right. I just wrote that part."

  Curious, Ric propped himself up. "Then what did you write in the first section?"

  Yota scratched his head. "Uh… whatever felt right?"

  Ric sighed. "You don’t even remember the first question, do you?" He sat up. "It was: 'You're the commander of a thousand troops, facing an enemy twice your size at Ray Canyon. What’s your best strategy?' What was your answer?"

  Yota brightened. "Oh, that one! I wrote: 'War is bad. Many people will die. So I will negotiate peace with the enemy!'"

  Ric fell off his bed. "That’s your strategy?!"

  Yota, confused, defended himself. "Isn’t peace a good thing?"

  Ric rubbed his temples. "Forget it. What about the second question? 'Which formation was used in the Human-Demon War at Crossland? A) Eagle Front, B) Cover Fire, C) Bull Head.' What did you choose?"

  Yota grinned. "B)!"

  Ric raised a brow. "Huh. Not bad. That’s correct. You actually studied history?"

  Yota smirked. "Nope! I used my secret technique."

  Ric tilted his head. "Secret technique?"

  Yota puffed out his chest. "The Ultimate—"

  Ric leaned in. "The Ultimate?"

  "Super—"

  "Super?!"

  "Pencil roll!!" Yota declared proudly.

  Ric stared for a moment. Then, once again, he fell off the bed. "I swear, I lose brain cells talking to you."

  "What was that?!" Yota pouted.

  Ric waved him off. "Sleep. We need to wake up early for tomorrow’s exam."

  Still fuming, Yota climbed into his bed, grumbling. But soon, sleep overtook them both, as another day at Kyrus Academy awaited.