LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 7
7th Chapter. Thank You~ Customer (2)
In the gymnasium, there was a massive glass wall to view the situation of the examination field. The area around the mirrors would buzz with chatter whenever exams happened.
It was a magical device called ‘Observer’ floating around the exam field showing different views. With multiple screens for observation, the views were nicely divided.
Each situation was reflected on the glass wall.
Observers were like drones that detected various happenings and moved to those locations. Seeing several screens moving quickly suggested that highlights were already being created.
– What’s that? Did someone break their staff?
– Normally, if the durability runs out, it breaks like that. Where’d they buy that?
– Poor thing. Looks like they got scammed on their weapon.
– Tsk, tsk, tsk. They went to the wrong shop.
A scene showed a student attempting to cast magic but their staff exploded. Among the students, gasps of sympathy echoed.
From a distance, it looked quite unfair, but in reality, it was their own doing. They simply obtained that staff as a shuttle.
[Erasure Rate Decreased: -70%]
‘Finally caught it.’
The 44% erasure rate dropped to 0%. It was proof that Rudical had been scammed and was in shock.
[Experience for the ‘Scammer’ job has increased.]
[+1000 Credits]
[You have exceeded proficiency in the ‘Deceive’ category.]
[As a bonus, your skill level has increased.]
(Acting Lv5, Deceptive Hit Lv2)
Deceit and Illusion Swordsmanship had the same mechanics and influenced each other. The higher the victim’s shock, the more proficiency was gained.
Thus, I was truly thankful for Rudical getting swindled. Is this the pleasure that scammers feel?
‘But hey, he can’t say anything to me, right?’
Of course, he’d come to blame me for providing the trash staff, but that wouldn’t work. I was also a victim of a staff scam.
I had walked through the shopping district hundreds if not thousands of times while playing this game. Spotting between a quality weapon and a bad one was child’s play.
There were more than a few shops disguised with splendid working environments that sold terrible equipment. The gear I gave them was made in places just like that.
If it’s about money, I could catch a massive carp from the lake and sell it to a fish market. Even if Jenny halved it, the quantity was still decent.
Even if they came to confront me, I could just insist that I was scammed too. There’s no proof after all.
– That’s Mary!
– She’s finally started moving.
– That crazy person?
Suddenly, the students began focusing on just one screen. There was a girl with pink hair casting spells.
Mary Ryudshiel, the lady of the Master White Tower and a top student of the Magic Department’s Class A. She was also one of the playable characters and a member of the main protagonist group.
‘That girl is just as skilled as Jenny.’
The Empire has Magic Towers in various places. An organization established by extraordinary mages so renowned you’d be surprised just hearing their name. Among them, the largest is the White Tower, Ryudshiel.
Under the leadership of the strongest organization among Magic Towers, the Master White Tower has a legacy of talent inherited from both its founders.
‘But the problem is…’
Mary is a character with a free spirit despite her distinguished status. Always wearing an optimistic smile, she is the embodiment of unpredictability.
You could tell just from watching her cast magic.
With a crazed laugh, she launched elemental magic all around, sweeping the field clean, and there was an overwhelming sense of madness in her actions.
“That personality is why she often causes trouble in the story.”
Accidentally damaging faculty property and even carelessly cutting off half of the Principal’s luscious hair.
That unique ridiculousness made her a popular character, but… I had no desire to get involved with her.
‘That’s all the protagonist’s burden, not mine, right?’
Finally, the magic exam concluded, and as expected, Mary took first place.
Her fellow female students congratulated her, but kept a distance as if they were nearby a time bomb.
At last, the Combat Department’s exam was approaching. The magic students who finished their exams began heading up to the second floor.
“Radon, you bastard!!”
Among them, a student with bloodshot eyes approached me.
It was Rudical. Just as I expected, he thrust his broken staff towards me, shouting.
“Do you see this!”
“So?”
“Are you asking because you don’t know? You gave it to me!”
Rudical dropped the staff on the ground and grabbed my collar. His face twisted in a fierce scowl, but I didn’t feel particularly scared.
“Why are you acting like this all of a sudden? I just went to the shopping district and bought a practice weapon like you told me to.”
“The problem is that weapon is in this sorry state, you idiot!”
“Then don’t blame me, go talk to the shop about it!”
“Where do you think you’re running off to…!”
At that moment, Breed joined in and began to corner me too. He also had me shuttle a wooden sword. So there was no doubt.
“Honestly, admit it. You bought that intentionally knowing it was junk, right?”
“Why the hell are you guys acting like this? I didn’t think it would turn out like this. I’m a victim too! I got scammed!”
– Acting Lv5
I poured my heart and soul into acting. I made a ridiculous face to appeal that I too felt wronged. Passing students started taking an interest in my appeal.
“You’re the scammer here, you jerk! What a fishy trick!”
“I’m serious! How many times do I have to say I really didn’t know!”
[Erasure Rate Decreased: -5%]
[+500 Credits]
The truth is I knew what I was buying. Yet, since I played dumb, the erasure rate could only drop.
“That jerk, till the end…”
“This won’t be settled with words.”
Thud!—
Suddenly, with incredible strength, I was slammed to the ground. The guys looked down at me, slowly revealing their madness.
“You’re lowly enough to cheat us while your family is in tatters?”
“If a lowlife like you gets hurt, your parents wouldn’t even care, right?”
If I were truly Radon, those comments would have stung deeply. They were finally shedding their human masks and showing their true colors.
Just when it seemed they were going to trample me like last time.
“Stop right there!”
A heavy and deep voice suddenly rang out. It silenced the surrounding whispers as if it were just one person’s shout.
“What on earth are you doing? Didn’t I just say the Combat Department and Magic Department should exchange places?”
“P-Pr-Professor…”
“Do you think my words can be treated like trash?”
Professor Radian approached confidently. Feeling a cold chill as if being put on ice, the students realized this was not the time to be idle.
“Y-Yes, I’m sorry.”
“We’ll switch out immediately.”
Rudical and Breed also tried to slip away like a snake.
“Wait, you two stay here. And you too, Radon.”
But Radian blocked them like a ghost. With Radian, called the demon of the Combat Department, blocking them, their legs froze in place.
“What in the world caused this uproar?”
As Radian halted them, they trembled and began to speak. Noticing a few truths being distorted in their desperate attempts to receive a lighter punishment, I sighed.
“I hear you had Radon run an errand for you.”
“T-That’s… We were practicing diligently, and the weapon broke.”
“And since you didn’t have money… you asked that Radon to buy you a practice weapon. You planned to pay him back later.”
Requests my ass, they threatened me while hitting me. Their intent to play the pity card was painfully obvious.
But do you guys know? You picked the wrong opponent.
“But that damned guy intentionally bought you this junk!”
“We should be the ones punished, not that jerk….”
“What does that matter?”
Radian suddenly cut them off.
Huh…? They stared back with dumbfounded expressions.
“You broke a practice weapon because you couldn’t take care of it, and you wasted your own money, yet you’re all blaming this kid?”
“W-Well…”
“And among all those students, why did you specifically ask this scammer for help? If you weren’t stupid, it’d be foolish to ask him for such a favor, right?”
Every one of Radian’s words twisted their guts. And it wasn’t over yet.
“You noble brats don’t have money? That’s obvious. You’ve been wasting it joyfully, so how could you have excess funds!”
“…”
“This was all caused by you guys, and when things go wrong, you green-lighted a situation like this. Your parents would faint hearing about it!”
“C-Couldn’t be…”
“I’ll mark it in your records. It’ll state that you passed your responsibility onto another student!”
Darkness fell over their faces. Even if they apologetically tried later, it would be useless. The only thing left was for that news to reach their family.
“But Professor… what if my wooden sword breaks during the exam? Can you replace it…?”
“No, you can’t. I won’t replace it. It’s all your responsibility!”
…
Even Breed’s request for a wooden sword change was harshly denied. They left in despair as they switched out.
“And Radon! How long are you going to keep lying? If you just show up like that, it’s precisely because you’re a worthless loser that you get treated like this!”
Ah… now it’s my turn. Since I had nothing to say as Real Radon, I took it as it was.
“Those who only deceive others are the ones who get deceived even more! Got that!”
“Yes, understood!”
Hearing that lecture, I headed down to the first floor. As I descended the stairs with Professor Radian, I caught the attention of the Combat Department students waiting.
In such a situation, Radian spoke to me.
“By the way. You didn’t forget to prepare a practice weapon, did you?”
Radian looked at my completely empty hands. He was worried I might not have prepared anything.
“No, my weapon is different.”
“Where is it? It’s not visible at all!”
As expected, he kept probing.
After all, while others at least had a wooden sword resembling something picked up from a junkyard, I was standing empty-handed.
In the end, I had to show it. I didn’t know what kind of reaction he’d have, but…
“This is mine.”
I pulled out something that looked like a small pouch from my pocket. But as I tossed it out, it extended to a considerable length.
It was a portable fishing rod, small enough to carry in my pocket.
“Radon… please tell me I’m not hearing a joke right now?”
Just as I expected his reaction.
Who wouldn’t think that a thin rod that looked flimsy would break easily?
– Hahaha! That madman!
– Are you in your right mind? Are you aiming to come in last?
– How are you going to use swordsmanship with that? In Class C no less.
– Scammer Radon. Fail guaranteed!
– Failure! Failure!
The students’ reactions were the same. If it was a wooden stick, maybe, but with a thin fishing rod as gear, every student couldn’t help but react the same way.
Except for one person.
“(Gulp)”
Only Jenny, who felt its power firsthand… swallowed nervously.
Surviving as the Academy Scammer.