The Extra's Harem In Dead End Game

Chapter 54: Mana Sensitivity Test [2]

A genius magician named Elaine was the top of the second year and the daughter of the head of the fencing hall I attended, Turk.

I couldn't speak to her now because of my bad relationship with her, but she was the top priority person I had to get close to someday.

'The level is different.'

It had only been a minute. While others couldn't even catch a hint, she had already found the answer. The three stones in her hand proved it.

"Did you really solve it all?" a team member whispered behind Elaine with wide eyes.

That team member was also an excellent student, but obviously not at the level to keep up with Elaine.

"Yes."

Elaine nodded without hesitation. Soon, her party arrived in front of the professor.

Everyone was watching. They had to. It was the moment to find out if the test really had an answer or not.

Professor Karen and Elaine's eyes met.

Professor Karen looked amused. She seemed interested in the situation. She glanced at the stones Elaine had given her and then put them in a basket next to her. Then she said,

"Very good. Perfect score."

The other students were in an uproar at the professor's words.

"A perfect score? Really?"

"...Does that make sense? Are there really stones here that you can feel mana from?"

"Stop denying reality, you crazy fool. If Elaine found it, it's over."

The examination hall became noisy. Everyone looked suddenly alert. They confirmed it. There was definitely an answer, but they couldn't find it. Now they had to find the answer somehow during the remaining time.

"Mana... try to draw out as much mana as possible!"

"How about using a sensory amplification spell?"

"Does weight matter? Or color?"

"Hey, let's just try anything!"

Each group was busy trying to find a way. Would that produce an answer? Ah, of course, it would.

Still, half of them would somehow pass the first test. But conversely, it meant the other half failed the first test and were ruined.

So it was natural that there were plenty of lowest scores.

"What exactly is supposed to be felt here...."

A guy in front of me was despairing with a pale face. Of course, it was Sunny. He didn't have the skills to overcome the first obstacle.

I understood. It was a test of failed difficulty adjustment. On the other hand,

"Yawn."

Another guy yawned leisurely. It was Riviera.

This girl was a completely different case. With her original skills, she should have already gone out and scored perfectly.

But that wasn't going to happen. Her motivation was zero. No explanation was needed just by looking at her indifferent and bored eyes.

"Yeah. Just do whatever you want."

For now, I decided to leave her alone.

Why? Because she was our team's hidden card. It wasn't that there was no way to stimulate her motivation, but it was too precious to use now.

I was thinking of pulling it out when we were really stuck due to an unexpected event.

Now it was my turn to move. There was also the pride of being the team leader.

"Five minutes have passed," a voice from the teaching assistant.

I could feel the students' expressions becoming more desperate.

Sunny was, of course, the same. And while that was happening, two more groups from the Royal class found the answer and passed the test. It was like a class with excellent talents.

Probably after 10 minutes, most of the Royal class would pass.

'Should I start moving now?'

It wasn't my taste to stand out from the first test. It was more fun to sneak along at the beginning and then show a strong presence in the middle so that people were surprised.

But here, I wanted to show it. That I was a man who fit in with the Royal class. To do that, I needed to move before the Royal class all passed.

"Hey."

I called Sunny.

"?"

Sunny looked at me with a surprised face.

"Bring some stones."

"St-stones?"

"Yes."

"Which stones should I..."

"Just bring any, roughly."

"Ro-Roughly?"

"Yes, just bring them roughly."

At my words, Sunny hurriedly picked up a handful of stones.

"Good."

I laid the stones out on the floor haphazardly. And then,

"Fire."

Whoosh!

I started a fire with magic to burn the stones. I could use this basic magic too.

"Wha, What?"

Sunny was astonished.

He looked like his eyes were about to pop out of shock. It made sense since he witnessed such a crazy act.

What kind of lunatic would not look for the stones they were told to find and instead sit there roasting them?

But,

'Hey, you fool. This is the only way our group can pass the test.'

I remembered what I had seen in the past records: I couldn't feel anything until the end. The situation was desperate.

There were less than 5 minutes left. My teammates were sobbing. I even thought about giving up.

No, it wasn't a thought. I was so angry at this situation where I couldn't do anything that I lost my mind.

Maybe the expression snapped would be correct.

Suddenly, I heard the screams of my teammates. When I came to my senses, there was a fire burning in front of me.

It seemed I had gone crazy and started a fire without knowing it.

Ah... crazy... it's crazy.

A moment of complete despair. That's when it happened. I saw something with my own eyes. I still believed it was a miracle.

'A miracle my ass. A guy with anger issues did something crazy and stumbled upon one.'

A chuckle escaped me at the excessive glorification. Well, that's not what's important.

The important thing is that this method was the only one I could use among the first test records.

With my current level of mana sensitivity, there was no way I could find the answer with the conventional method.

"What? What are you doing there, student?"

A teaching assistant who discovered the billowing smoke shouted at me in surprise.

Other students who were busy finding the answer finally realized what was happening and screamed in shock.

"Aaah!"

"What, what's that?"

"Fi, fire? Which crazy person started a fire?"

...Isn't this just the level of firepower for grilling meat? Isn't the fuss too much?

I shook my head in disbelief. Of course, they were more shocked by the fact that a fire had started suddenly.

"Are you going to put out that fire over there?"

The teaching assistant rushed over to stop me. But you know. You can't just put it out like that, can you? As I thought, someone intervened.

"Wait. Assistant, don't interfere."

Professor Karen's voice. The confused assistant quickly looked at her.

"Yes...? What do you mean?"

"Didn't I clearly say? You must not interfere with the students' tests in any way."

"But, but this situation is...."

"It's not a big deal, so just stay put. That kind of fire won't cause any trouble."

"Professor…"

"That's enough, go back to your place."

Professor Karen quickly resolved the situation. She had quite the charisma when it came to these situations. Then I went back to my business...

...Hmm?

That's when I saw it. The look in Professor Karen's eyes. Her red eyes were shining with a strange light. I knew very well what that look meant.

A look that was very intrigued.

'...What is this? This?'

It was absurd. It was neither a conventional nor a sophisticated method. It was a ridiculous method that had nothing to do with the original intention of mana sensitivity.

She was attracted to such a brainless method. Her eyes were telling me that.

'Should I be pleased with this...?'

Karen was a professor, but also a named heroine in the position of an older woman, commonly seen in other games.

She was a heroine that players who fundamentally liked betrayal were crazy about. But I wasn't of that type; honestly, it wasn't my taste. So even when playing, I didn't get deeply involved except for a few times...

'It's not the time to be picky about cold or hot rice, right?'

To break or to die.

That's the hopeless situation I was in. So I had to do whatever could help. And Professor Karen was a heroine who would definitely be helpful if I got close to her.

'Alright. Let's think about it later.'

I organized my thoughts.

After all, it was just that she was intrigued; nothing was going to change immediately.

It was better to move on, considering that an opportunity for a connection had arisen. I shifted my gaze back to the burning stones.