Summoning Genius of Kizen - Chapter 68Mei-rin furrowed her brows. "Ugh, shut up. Anyway, why are you here at the girls' dormitory?"Simon smiled brightly and clapped his hands. "Mei-rin, you look great today. Did you get a new hairstyle?""Hey!"She flushed and snapped. "Stop with those Dick-like compliments and tell me what you want!"Simon immediately replied, "Let's study together this weekend.""Haa, so you had an ulterior motive after all."Mei-rin sighed, covering her forehead, then crossed her arms with a blank expression. "Why should I? I prefer studying alone.""It's better if we do it together. We're good at different subjects, so we can ask each other questions... Oh, of course, you're good at everything, but teaching others will help you remember things better, won't it?""That's true, but..."She pretended to ponder for a moment, then said, "Who's coming?"Simon counted on his fingers. "Kamibarez immediately agreed, and Dick went down to Rochester, but he said he'd be back by afternoon at the latest.""Alright. I have some studying to do right now, so I'll drop by in an hour or two.""See you then."After parting ways with Mei-rin, Simon headed to a vacant classroom he'd gotten permission for from the administrator. He arranged four desks together and opened his textbooks.'Setting's done, shall we begin!'Simon stretched, steeling his resolve, when he heard a knock. "Simon! Are you here?""Ah, Kami. Come in."The door clicked open, and Kamibarez, dressed in casual clothes, entered the classroom.Wearing a bright pastel-colored dress, she smiled sweetly and sat across from Simon. "I'm so excited to be able to study together even on the weekend!"Simon blinked. "You really love studying, don't you?""......."She subtly rolled her eyes, then suddenly her gaze darted to the textbook Simon had open. "Ah! Are you studying Hemomancy?""Yeah. Since you're here, I thought we'd start with Hemomancy. I have a lot of questions, is that okay?""Yes! Yes! As much as you want!"Kamibarez took out her Summoning Studies textbook from her bag and smiled. "Then I can ask Simon questions too, right?""Of course! I don't know how much help I'll be, but at least I can think through it with you."The two immediately began studying for the exam.It was peaceful.Only the scratching sound of quill pens could be heard in the classroom, and a cool breeze from outside rustled the curtains.For a moment, it felt like a perfect space, so Simon stopped his quill and took a deep breath. "Simon~"Just then, Kamibarez called out to Simon. "I don't quite understand this.""Which one?"Simon checked the problem she had starred. His face brightened. "Ah, it's a zombie-related problem! You solve this problem using the Decay Formula.""Decay Formula?""Yeah, I just learned about it yesterday..."Simon, excited to see a problem he knew, began to explain.Kamibarez tilted her head, listening to Simon's explanation. "You apply the formula like this to solve it. But if you read the problem again, it says the season is a hot and humid summer, right? Decay progresses faster in summer, so you have to consider the acceleration value..."'.......'Kamibarez gazed at Simon with captivated eyes.The wind blew in through the window, rustling Simon's hair and the hem of his shirt.His slightly furrowed brow as he concentrated. The prominent veins visible when he rolled up his shirt sleeves while explaining the problem.The moment he paused, struggling to explain, then his bright, childlike smile as he spoke again. "Alright, you add it like this to solve it. Did you understand?"When Simon looked up and asked, Kamibarez was startled and replied, "Yes! Yes! I listened well! The Decay Formula, and I have to consider the acceleration value for the season, right?""That's right! I'm glad you seem to have understood it well."Simon smiled kindly, then turned his attention back to the problem he was solving.She placed a hand on her chest and let out a small sigh of relief.'...Ugh, somehow it feels even harder to concentrate.'The two resumed their exam studies. They asked and answered each other's questions, finding areas for improvement.Simon, who had never really studied before entering Kizen, found Kamibarez's know-how very helpful. "You must check this part. Professor Syllage repeated it three times.""Got it."Just as Simon opened his notebook and was writing down the points Kamibarez mentioned.Click!"Hello everyone!"With the sound of the door opening, Mei-rin waved and entered the classroom. "You're here?""Welcome! Mei-rin!"The two greeted her warmly. "Be grateful. I'm helping you specifically because we're in the same group. If one of you gets expelled, it'll be hard for the rest of us to manage the group."Mei-rin mumbled as she sat down and took out her belongings.Simon was surprised to see the textbooks and notebooks she pulled out. He hadn't paid much attention before, but she clearly had a considerable amount of study material, with more than 2-3 notebooks per subject.She spread out her notebooks, tied her hair back tightly with a hair tie, and refilled her quill pen with ink. "This place is really nice, by the way~"Mei-rin said, looking around.The space was spacious, there was little noise, and a cool breeze blew in, creating a perfect atmosphere for studying. "I think it's better than the dormitory study room. Good thing we came, right?""...I don't know."She mumbled evasively, embarrassed, and took out her textbook. Simon and Kamibarez exchanged glances and smiled quietly. "Ah, anyway! Ask me anything if you don't know."Mei-rin said that, then glanced at Kamibarez's textbook. There was a starred problem. "This is using the Decay Formula.""Yes! Simon explained it to me!"Mei-rin blinked. "Kami, you really didn't know the Decay Formula? If you got in the 80s on the last Summoning Studies test, then surely..."Suddenly.Kamibarez's face turned beet red, as if her true feelings had been exposed. "I-I didn't know!!""Ah, you startled me.""A-actually, I knew a little about the Decay Formula, but the answer came out wrong! I didn't know how to apply the seasonal value! S-so...!"Mei-rin looked at her with a 'what's wrong with her?' expression as she suddenly started mumbling excuses.Simon was engrossed in solving the next problem and didn't hear her.Knock, knock.Just then, a third knock sounded at the classroom door. Simon said, "Yes, come in.""......."But there was no answer.The door didn't open either. "Simon."Mei-rin put down her quill and turned her head. "Is anyone else coming?""Only Dick now. But Dick went down to Rochester, so he shouldn't be here already. Who is it?"Simon stood up and approached the door.But then.-Woobub! Woobububub! Woobub!A strange sound came from beyond the door. "W-who?"Kamibarez cowered with a frightened expression, so Simon held up his palm to signal it was okay, then pulled the door open. "M'kay! Pleeze open!""Dick!"Dick was holding a large box-like object in his arms. He also had wrapping paper in his mouth. "Whoa!"He set the box down on an empty desk. "What's all this?""Things for the next duel evaluation. And!"Dick threw something. Simon, who had returned to his seat, quickly raised his arm and caught it. "Snacks for us to eat together!""Kyaaa! Thank you, Dick!""Hmm. Well, you're observant."Dick laid out various snacks he had bought from Rochester on the desk. "Hehe, shouldn't studying for exams go better if you eat something?""It's always the ones who say that who don't study well."Even as she said that, Mei-rin was tearing open snack packages more diligently than anyone else. "Hey! Dick! How do I open this!""Just try another one.""I want to eat this one!"Mei-rin was struggling to open the packaging of her favorite grain cookie with brute force.Seeing this, Simon reached out, took the package, and smoothly tore it along the perforated line at the back. "......."Mei-rin, feeling awkward, took the package back and mumbled a tiny 'thank you'. "All done! Let's eat!""I'll eat well!""Thank you for the food, Dick!"Dick called them snacks, but they were practically a full meal. They ranged from desserts and cookies to fried chicken.The four of them chatted noisily as they ate their snacks. "But didn't you say you were going to Rochester? You came back quickly."Simon nudged Dick's elbow. Dick put a piece of fried chicken in his mouth and laughed good-naturedly. "I just went to check on the progress! It's exam season, so I need to study too, you know.""When I went to the Necromancer shop, the owner asked about you. He asked when you'd get fired from Kizen and come back?""Hahahahaha!"Dick laughed, shrugging his shoulders at Simon's joke, then stroked his chin. "Hmm, I am the top recruitment target for the Rochester Merchant Guild, after all.""Then why don't you just leave? Why are you studying for exams here?"Mei-rin said, tearing open two snack packages at once. Dick waved his finger. "Well, there are some businesses that only proceed if I'm a Kizen student.""By the way, Dick! Speaking of which, what kind of business are you preparing?"Kamibarez asked. "I'm preparing so many things it's complicated to explain, but the simplest one is a delivery service.""Delivery?""Yup. There might be things you need to buy in Rochester right away on a weekday, right? And we can't always sneak down there avoiding the Watchmen like me or Simon. So, I take orders for necessary items, list them, and then bring them into Kizen along with the dormitory supplies the next day."Simon blinked. "Did you talk to the dormitory staff about that?""Of course! I talked to the dorm head and everyone. I even used my knack to create pamphlets for the ordered items.""That's amazing, Dick!"Just then, Dick's hand, reaching for a castella, cut through the air. "Huh, what? Where did the castella that was here go?"Dick lifted the wrapper and looked inside, but it was empty. He looked at Mei-rin with a genuinely impressed expression. "Wow, you ate all that by yourself? Are you a pig?"Mei-rin flushed and bristled. "What, a pig? Do you want to die?""You said something about people who don't study well, but your appetite is ferocious.""That's because I haven't eaten anything since dinner last night!""Ahaha! Don't fight!"Although the exam study felt somewhat secondary, Simon felt a high degree of happiness in this moment of laughter and chatter with everyone.He also felt a pang of regret, wondering what it would have been like if he had experienced school life a little earlier.Knock, knock, knock.Just then, a knock sounded at the classroom door. Everyone's gaze turned towards the door. "Hey, Simon. No one else is coming now, right?""Yeah. Really, no one else."Simon got up from his seat and approached the door. "Who is it?"Then a reply came from outside the door. "It's me!""......?"The moment he heard that unenthusiastic and blunt answer, Simon froze in front of the door as if a pause button had been pressed.This girl's voice, surely it wasn't...No, but why would this person be here?As Simon's mind raced, click! The door opened.As the door opened, a small girl with picturesque silver hair flowing in the breeze appeared.She raised her hand high and smiled brightly. "Hi Simon! Long time no see!"His prediction had come true.
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