"Alright. Then, I'll read yours first if you are so confident."
June said after he heard Kenova's remark to Lawrend.
Kenova almost tripped on the floor when he heard June's words.
"Hmm…"
June started to read the calculations written by Kenova. It was written in several pages, so it took him a while.
Everyone in the class awaited with bated breaths. They were anxious to know who got it correctly, because Kenova suddenly got so confident, so everyone felt unsure.
"Huh?"
Suddenly, June looked at the papers submitted by Kenova in shock.
His eyes scanned the paper like he was shooting lasers out of it.
"I-Impressive!"
June exclaimed in shock as he read on.
"Hahahaha! Did I get it right, Mr. White?"
Kenova asked him while he brimmed in excitement.
"You did…"
June stared at him in disbelief.
"So, did I win?"
Kenova asked him smugly.
"You should be but…"
June was reluctant to admit it, but he can't imagine Lawrend doing the same. After all, Kenova's answer is exactly what the Grand Mages have come up with. It just goes to show how smart he actually was. He just needed the right pressure to show it.
"Hm? Mr. White, are you reneging on your words?"
Kenova frowned seeing the reluctance in June's face.
"No, I'm not. This is just such a surprise that I don't know how to take it."
June replied with a shake of his head. He has no choice now. He could only feel sorry for Lawrend. This time, it was him who kicked an iron plate.
"But, I still have to see his work."
June said to Kenova solemnly.
"Fine."
Kenova agreed in displeasure. In his opinion, he already won, so why isn't June declaring it? He thinks that June just couldn't accept it.
June placed Kenova's paper on the table before he picked up Lawrend's and started reading it.
"Lawrend, I'm sorry. This happened because of me."
Humility said to Lawrend with moist eyes.
"What do you mean? As I said, the Rubrignis Clan hates me."
Lawrend said to her with a confused expression on his face.
"But… are you really okay being sent to Class D?"
Humility asked with furrowed eyebrows.
"Why is it bad?"
Lawrend became curious and asked.
"In Class D, you don't get an instructor. It's very hard for you to learn and improve there. Only after you become top of your class would you move up the order of classes. This is not general, though. I don't know about the other departments."
Humility explained to him in detail.
"Is it really that bad?"
Lawrend asked her again.
"Yes, especially for Kenova who's about to take his Moving Up Test soon."
Humility further explained to him.
"I see…"
Lawrend gripped his fist tightly. Hearing the worst treatment at Class D, Lawrend didn't want it. He wasn't taught magic by any mage. He only learned it by himself from what he had read.
It would be challenging to learn something he wasn't familiar with alone. He would probably have to ask Elena to teach him if it led to that.
As their Master, it didn't feel right for Lawrend to be taught by them. His pride would be hurt.
"Can I hold your hand?"
Humility asked Lawrend with anxiety etched on her face.
"Okay?"
Lawrend lent her his hand with a frown. He couldn't understand why she was so concerned about him.
"Thanks. I get really anxious at stuff like these. After all, we're friends, right?"
Humility gripped Lawrend's left hand with both of her hands tightly. Her palms were sweaty from the anxiety she was feeling.
"... Yes. We're friends."
Lawrend took a while to nod his head. For some reason, he could see loneliness in her eyes.
"What an ingenious way… It's 10 times— No, it's 100 times better!"
Suddenly, everyone heard June exclaim in front of them. His face was once again in disbelief, but this time, he stood up. He turned his head to Lawrend in incredulity.
Everyone in the class widened their eyes. Just as they thought that Kenova won, it seems that Lawrend won according to June's reaction.
"Who told you this?"
June asked Lawrend with a frown.
"Huh? Didn't I come up with that in front of you?"
Lawrend looked at June in confusion.
"I'm sorry, but this is just too incredible for me to believe."
June said to Lawrend solemnly.
"Excuse me, Mr. White, but could you please tell us what they submitted?"
Levin raised his hand and asked.
"Cough. Alright, I'll tell all of you. I'll start with Kenova's solution, which is also the solution of the Grand Mages."
June faked a cough and agreed. He needs to give them context, so they know how amazing Lawrend's work was.
"Kenova's solution is arcing your lightning from one hand to the other, the lightning that enters your other hand is a tiny bit purer than before. That's because the impurities can't make that jump."
"It also had to be mentioned that this method is very wasteful. The Purple Thunder Grand Mage urged us to think of other solutions as it is simply not feasible."
June explained to the whole class.
Everyone was dumbfounded hearing his explanation. It was a common idea that by practicing your magic, the more mana you can control, which would eventually reduce in quantity and become purer.
"That's amazing…"
"This is a breakthrough in magic!"
"Magic is really amazing."
The whole class erupted in loud discussions. They couldn't believe it that there was something like this. They could have saved a lot of time if they knew about it.
"If that already impressed you, wait till you hear what Lawrend's solution was."
June grinned at them.
"I… I don't believe that it's as amazing as you say!"
Kenova shouted in denial. He was so close, so close to winning. His emotions were in disarray. First, he was smug and confident, second, unconfident, third, he felt confident again, then lastly, he was told that his answer was right but not the best answer.
It was about to make Kenova go crazy.