It was a cute word coming out of Lucy’s mouth.

 

Compared to the many things she had said before, it was nothing more than “foolish young lady.”

 

It wasn’t a pleasant word to hear, but it wasn’t enough to make her angry.

 

There were many worse things said by people with bad personalities in society.

 

The reason Joy was flustered was simply because she had heard the unexpected words at an unexpected time.

 

Foolish young lady?

 

I didn’t know that someone other than my brother would call me a fool.

 

Was it that obvious?

 

“Do I look foolish?”

 

“Oh, excuse me. I made a slip of the tongue.”

 

Lucy said that, but she didn’t seem to be sorry.

 

The corners of her lips turned up and the annoying hand gesture she used to cover her mouth was clearly a provocation.

 

At first, Joy didn’t think much of the word “foolish young lady,” but after seeing her actions, she felt a little angry.

 

“You entered Tierra Mars thanks to me, and yet you say such things. That’s too much.”

 

“Isn’t it true that the Foolish Young Lady expects something in return for her kindness? Haha. You’re so petty for a duke’s daughter.”

 

She called me Foolish Young Lady again.

 

And she’s calling me petty?!

 

I can’t say in good conscience that it’s wrong, but it makes me even angrier!

 

Why do I have to hear this after feeding her Tierra Mars food!

 

Joy, who was gradually falling for Lucy’s provocations, had already forgotten that she didn’t want to get on Lucy’s bad side in the first place.

 

What should I do?

 

How can I flatten Lucy’s arrogant attitude?

 

Yes.

 

That’s right.

 

There’s a Soul Academy exam tomorrow.

 

“Lucy, you’re taking the Soul Academy exam tomorrow, right?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I’ll prove to you in the exam that I’m not petty.”

 

“How?”

 

“Let’s make a bet on the results of the exam. If I get higher scores than Lucy, then you’re worse than me and you don’t have the right to call me petty, right? ”

 

Lucy giggled at Joy’s words and then replied.

 

“Then if I get better grades, can I call you Foolish Young Lady?”

 

“I’ll accept that title.”

 

Joy didn’t think at all that she would lose.

 

Since Lucy is the successor to the Allen family, her physical abilities seem to have improved a lot, but that’s all.

 

The Academy exams aren’t just about practical skills.

 

The written exams are more important.

 

According to rumours, Lucy, who had stopped studying for a long time, couldn’t possibly get better grades than her.

 

How could she, who had to worry about whether she could pass the Academy exams, beat Joy?

 

“You’ll see!”

 

I’ll make sure I get an overwhelming score, so I’ll never hear the words Foolish Young Lady again.

 

…

 

Even when I arrived in front of the huge iron gate guarding the entrance to Soul Academy, I was half out of my mind.

 

I couldn’t come to my senses because what happened yesterday wouldn’t leave my head.

 

How could I call her Foolish Young Lady to Joy’s face!

 

Of course, it wasn’t my intention.

 

I didn’t even call Joy by her name.

 

All I said to her was, “It was really delicious.”

 

But then the Mesugaki skill twisted what I said and called her a foolish young lady!

 

When Joy first asked me to eat with her, I should have refused.

 

I knew that the Mesugaki translation would be a disaster.

 

But the problem was that I denied reality because I was drawn into the fantastic situation of eating with the character I love at Tierra Mars.

 

In fact, it wasn’t bad until the middle of the meal.

 

If my words were going to be twisted, wouldn’t it have been better to not say anything?

 

My strategy worked well.

 

I remember the atmosphere of the meal being good.

 

Joy must have liked the food at Tierra Mars because she had a soft yet cruel smile on her face the whole time we were eating.

 

Her smile seemed like she was thinking of burying someone, but considering her personality, I think she was just smiling because she was happy.

 

However, the atmosphere changed after I said she was a foolish young lady.

 

She stared at me with her lips set.

 

It was hard to guess exactly how she was feeling because of her appearance, but I could tell that she was upset.

 

“Do I look foolish?”

 

If not, she wouldn’t have asked me that question in such a fierce tone.

 

When I heard that, I panicked and tried to apologise in order to manage the situation.

 

“I’m sorry! I made a mistake.”

 

However, the apology I blurted out without thinking sounded completely different when it came out of my mouth.

 

“Oh, excuse me. I made a mistake.”

 

That was clearly a provocation.

 

Thinking about how Joy’s expression became fiercer the moment she heard that, she must have interpreted it similarly.

 

After saying that, her face turned white and she must have said whatever came to mind.

 

Joy must have been angry.

 

Ugh.

 

I’m screwed.

 

I blew my chance to become close with my favourite character with my own hands.

 

Even without that, someone with a bad reputation would think that she was someone you absolutely should not approach, since she was so rude.

 

<Girl how long are you going to keep digging the ground about yesterday?>

 

I returned to reality after hearing the old man’s voice, but my gloomy mood remained.

 

<What difference does regretting the past make? You should do your best in the task at hand.>

 

‘But Grandpa.’

 

<Misunderstandings can be resolved when we meet again later. And in order to meet that young lady again, you have to pass the academy exam, right?>

 

…

 

That’s true.

 

<Didn’t you say that Joy, despite her fierce appearance, has a wonderful nature? If we talk again later, she’ll understand.>

 

‘Can I explain it properly in my own words?’

 

The old man closed his mouth after hearing my question.

 

How can someone who was just talking so well suddenly remain silent?

 

Are you saying that you can’t guarantee that I can explain it properly, Grandpa?

 

This is really too much.

 

At times like this, you should tell me that it’s okay, even if it’s a lie.

 

I don’t understand how this old man was the most popular knight in the heroic tales from two hundred years ago.

 

He must have been bribing the bards before he died.

 

He must have bribed them to make his deeds look good.

 

Otherwise, there’s no way to explain the gap between Ruel in the heroic tales and the old man in the Mace!

 

After I got angry inside, my depressed mood went away a little.

 

Haa.

 

It won’t be easy to clear up the misunderstanding, but if I don’t get into the academy, I won’t even get that chance.

 

After all, if I fail the academy exam, Lucy’s life might be over.

 

Now is the time to forget about yesterday and focus on the exam.

 

Let’s go take the exam!

 

I entered the Soul Academy exam room with a proud tone, but my motivation dropped sharply the moment I sat down at my desk.

 

That’s understandable, because what awaited me now was a pile of papers with countless letters written on them.

 

I had decided to give up on the written exam a long time ago, so I was already worthy of being called a slacker.

 

There was only one thing I had prepared for the exam.

 

A pen with five numbers written on each side.

 

I don’t know for sure, but my luck stat should be pretty high right now.

 

It’s because the luck stat from the necklace the church gave me is combined with the luck stat from Ruel’s Mace.

 

I don’t know for sure because there’s no status window, but I think it’s higher than average.

 

So rather than solving the problem with my blank mind, I thought that I would be guaranteed a higher score if I received the fortune from the great Dice God in the sky.

 

So, while everyone else was taking out their books and studying, I waited for the test to start with only one pen on my desk.

 

‘Are you sure people are watching me?’

 

<It seems so.>

 

I felt it while staring blankly at the blackboard, but the people who saw me when I entered the test room kept checking my mood.

 

To be exact, I should say that they were on guard.

 

The seats farthest from me were gradually filled, showing how much people hated me.

 

<Girl, what kind of karma have you accumulated?>

 

Well, that’s something I want to know too.

 

I wonder what I did in high society that made all the noble children avoid me.

 

Thanks to that, the seats around me in the exam room were empty for a long time.

 

Eventually, they were filled because there weren’t enough seats.

 

And soon after, the exam began.

 

The first subject was history.

 

I knew almost nothing about the exam subjects, but among them, this was a subject that was almost like a blank sheet of paper.

 

‘Nichard III, the king of the Holy Kingdom, fought against an invasion by an enemy…!

 

As I read the text of the first question, I realized my own stupidity, closed my eyes, and prayed to the sky.

 

Dice God.

 

Please bring me good luck.

 

Please protect me so that the dice I roll will find the right path to the answer.

 

If you answer my prayer, I will stake my all to spread the greatness of Dice God throughout the world.

 

So please, I beg you!

 

<Number 3 is the correct answer.>

 

Oh!

 

Dice God has answered!

 

I believed that you would answer with your pen, but did you descend personally for this blasphemous person?!

 

<What are you doing? Open your eyes quickly and read the next question.>

 

!

 

…

 

It was Grandfather?

 

<Then is there anyone else besides me who would speak to you inwardly?>

 

‘I thought it was the Dice God who descended!’

 

<Dice God? What heresy is that?>

 

Heresy?!

 

Dice God is the great ruler of probability who protects this gaming world!

 

If you insult him, you will be punished with a penalty of a 100% hit!

 

Well, that’s just a joke.

 

Probably…

 

‘How would Grandfather know this?’

 

<Didn’t I tell you? Studying history is a noble virtue.>

 

That’s what he said.

 

I had no intention of studying, so I just let it slide.

 

<I thought I had pretty much memorized it since it was all I knew before plus what Harne told us.>

 

‘Uh. Then what’s the answer to question 2?’

 

<It’s number 1.>

 

The old man whispered the answer in my ear without the slightest hesitation.

 

His voice was so firm that I couldn’t doubt it the moment I heard it.

 

Ah, Lord Ruel!

 

There was a reason you were the most popular in the heroic tales!

 

How dare I doubt you!

 

I’m sorry!

 

I will repent!

 

<Ha, how could a kid who has been taking lessons her entire life be inferior to me, who has only studied for the past two months?>

 

As I exclaimed in admiration, I thought I heard a disparaging remark, but it was probably my imagination.

 

There’s no way that the Holy Knight Ruel, the hero who saved the world, would say something like that.