Required: Pickaxe.
To be eliminated: Malicious complaints that make me annoyed.
Conclusion: Let’s smash the malicious complainer with a pickaxe.
As soon as Mariel, who was so brilliant that all the alchemists of the Magic Tower gave a standing ovation, entered, her appearance pierced my mind.
(TLN: I’m not really sure where this illustration fits in the novel, or if it’s just a random character illustration. I’m gonna leave it here >_< )
“You’re here again. What’s the problem this time?”
“This dormitory has no cozy corners at all! Why on earth! The water pipes shouldn’t freeze when it’s not even winter!?”
“That’s because the climate and ecology of the Magic Tower are completely separate from the outside. Would you like a warm cup of tea?”
“Enough with that, just fix it quickly. Thanks to you, I couldn’t wash my hair all day today.”
Holcroft’s heiress maintained her peculiar speech pattern, peculiar hairstyle, and oddly pleasant fragrance.
When she entered the dreary supervisor’s office, the room brightened about three times brighter than when the mage with the monocle lit the stove.
Ignoring Mariel’s suggestion to go straight to her room, I took out a teacup.
The evaluation had already begun, even if she didn’t know it herself.
“Aren’t you sleeping at this late hour?”
“My sleeping hours are none of the supervisor’s concern. Besides, the reason I came at this time is that the supervisor has been absent all day.”
Not only did she seem somewhat sensitive but also lacked any signs of fatigue, and there was no hint of guilt for visiting the supervisor’s office after hours.
For reference, it was currently 3 a.m.
A terrible sleeping pattern and an audacious demeanor akin to having a steel plate on her face.
Starting with two essential virtues that a Sub-Manager should possess, I gave her an additional 2 points.
Although I could not check the items when selecting other unidentified thugs, she was given extra points for her looks as well.
The revelation that the genuine armband owner was actually a cute girl would undoubtedly garner positive reactions from the forum.
Of course, it’s best not to reveal it, so it’s just a minor plus.
The real evaluation began now.
“The fragrance is nice.”
“I occasionally receive it from the Living Quarters Supervisor. Still, it’s not as good as drinking with close friends.”
“They’re not really friends. They pretend to be friendly on the surface, but they’re obviously keeping an eye on me behind my back.”
“Questionable camaraderie… 1 point.”
“Pardon?”
After drinking tea, I followed her to the girls’ dormitory.
The room itself was ordinary, like any other apprentice’s room.
A few magic books, a robe, and a bunch of clothes stuffed into a twisted wooden wardrobe were noticeable.
“Is it clogged in here?”
“Yes. I’m talking about the sink.”
I entered the bathroom and dismantled the pipes.
Instead of smashing the ice clogging the pipes, I opened the Witch Note.
It was to check the room’s IP address.
Then, the owner of the room who had been watching with folded arms approached me and spoke.
There was a faint glimmer of caution in her gaze, which ended with a fresh look.
“No pictures allowed, I’ll report you.”
“Who takes pictures of someone else’s bathroom? But I have one more question.”
“What is it?”
“Why do you keep hanging around here instead of just leaving?”
The reason Mariel came to me so often, enough to irritate me, was simply because she stayed in the dormitory.
Not to mention it was on the first floor, if you go up a bit, the Magic Tower was full of luxurious facilities for mages.
Some even owned an entire mansion like Vina.
Moreover, most of those who entered the Magic Tower were either nobles or had patrons inside the tower.
It’s not like they didn’t have money, and if they received support from a faction connected to nobles, they wouldn’t have to shiver in this cold place.
Mariel, upon receiving my question, replied with a chuckle.
“The supervisor knows nothing about Holcroft. We are a family that runs contrary to the arrogant nobles of that system!”
“Is that so?”
“Of course! My great-grandfather, who was granted a sword by the Royal Guard 170 years ago, contributed greatly since he subjugated the Abyss Knight, the right arm of the Abyss King, known as one of the four calamities at the time, from the Black Mountains in the Jehepf region…”
Ignoring her monologue, I tracked the Witch Note from Mariel’s room through the administrator account.
The wall was thin, and there was a lot of foot traffic, but I managed to deduce primarily used IDs, and only one was found.
====
ID: SuperGeniusBlondeGirl
Posts: 629
Comments: 3457
====
As expected, the new apprentice, who used the Witch Note the most, was remarkable indeed.
Considering it was her first year, it was applause-worthy.
The ratio of posts to comments was also quite ideal.
Having many comments meant there was interaction.
It indicated normal communication, where one listens to others’ opinions, which was enough to pass.
====
ID: MeteorIsIceMagic
Posts: 322
Comments: 322
====
====
ID: TrappedOnThe44thFloor
Posts: 53132
Comments: 0
====
There were also specimens like this among them.
Plus 3 points.
“Are you listening, supervisor?”
“Yes, so what you’re saying is, despite your current decline, you once had pride as part of the distinguished count’s family. But what does that have to do with your struggles in the dormitory?”
“Hmph, supervisors have short memories. Imagine the satisfaction of surpassing those nobles who look down on you when you’ve climbed up from the bottom with your bare hands.”
In other words, she was saying that she was going through hardships just for the sake of a more dramatic performance.
“Is that your answer?”
“Just thinking about it gives me a sense of satisfaction.”
Seeing her genuinely happy expression, I decided to let it go.
After all, someone who dedicated their life to the forum like Mariel was a category I couldn’t understand as a Clean Light user anyway.
“Anyway, good job. Supervisor, you’re better at communicating than I thought.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It is. If I ever take a position at the Magic Tower in the future, it will be good for the supervisor too.”
“Well, um… alright then, I’ll leave.”
After fixing the pipes and stepping outside, I checked the grading results written on the Witch Note.
A total score of 6 points, with an appearance adjustment of 2 points, added up to a total of 8 points.
Mariel had exerted considerable effort, but she fell significantly short of the rigorous criteria of 10 points required to achieve “Sub-Manager” status.
As I contemplated whether to forfeit a promising candidate, screams suddenly pierced through her room.
“Kyaaahh!! S-Supervisorrr!!”
What now? Did the toilet overflow again?
As soon as I opened the door and entered, a soft lump of flesh was wrapped around my upper body.
It was Mariel, now dressed much lighter than before, perhaps intending to take a shower now that the water was running.
She pointed shakily at her wardrobe, where she struggled to pull out her clothes.
“There’s a, a mouse! It’s in there…!”
“Yes, sometimes that happens. It’s made of wood, after all.”
“That’s not the problem! Hurry, hurry and catch it!!”
She grabbed me and shook me, not caring that her white upper chest was exposed.
As a result, my gaze wandered from the Witch Note and I ended up seeing an unintentional sight.
Near the left side of her chest, there was a faint blue pattern that could be mistaken for a seam at first glance.
It seemed like the Spirit Mark used by Spirit Summoners for contracts, but it was different in shape and, most notably, incomplete.
“Sniff, gone, did it go away? Did you catch it…?”
“Not yet. Let’s see…”
Collecting myself, I grabbed a broom and dealt with the mouse hiding in the wardrobe.
Then, after leaving the girls’ dormitory and returning to the office, I retrieved the position note and added 2 points for her figure to the score.
Though she managed to reach 10 points with a last-minute surge, the final test still awaited.
The emblem of the forum was like the captain of a ship, feared by all yet indispensable. Above all, it should never be handed over to anyone who simply asked for it.
*
====
Administrator
[Due to the shortage of forum management personnel this year, we will be recruiting a new Sub-Manager.]
Those interested in becoming Sub-Managers, please raise your hand or send me a private message.
— Let’s go.
— Recruitment season is on
Who else would do it if I lost my mind? Lol
— What are the benefits of being a Sub-Manager?
ㄴ ㅇㅇ You receive a monthly dividend of 3,000 gold.
====
The next day.
Mariel, who was attending a lecture on “Alchemy Potion Preparation”, checked the announcement that appeared on the Witch Note.
Knowing well that becoming a Sub-Manager was not desirable, she had engaged more in forum activities than in taking notes during class.
As expected, in the forum, most comments were mocking the idea of someone doing unpaid sl*ve work.
“How pathetic.”
Behind that reaction, it was clear that some people were trying hard to appeal to the Administrator to order them.
Gonics who became suspiciously active were noticed.
However, the self-deprecating remark of “pathetic” was never directed at them.
It was because of her mistake last night, inadvertently exposing her Mark to the Dormitory Supervisor.
‘It should never have been revealed.’
It was a fragment of the “mystery” that brought ruin to her family, the reason she entered the tower.
Despite being mocked by other nobles, she still couldn’t ascend from the first floor.
In the chaotic situation, there was a possibility it went unnoticed, but if discovered, it would undoubtedly lead to dreadful consequences.
====
ㅇㅇ
[The one who always stirs up trouble in the forum isn’t declaring for the election?]
Always boasting about wanting to rebel and claiming to sweep everything away once in power, but now staying quiet when it matters, huh? Lol
— What’s this, a direct hit?
— Just an empty vessel.
— Looks like the mocking is overflowing since all the high-ranking officials are coming out.
— Go fight somewhere else.
— ㅇㅇ: So, it was all talk in the end lol
ㄴ SuperGeniusBlondeGirl: That’s your mother for you.
====
With a heavy mind, even the usual banter in the forum didn’t bring joy.
The atmosphere in the classroom was bustling, as the preparations for the upcoming Dark Forest expedition were underway.
Taking another deep breath, she rose from her seat, determined to find teammates before it was too late.
As the Witch Note buzzed again, another announcement popped up:
====
Administrator
[The current Sub-Managers seem to lack enthusiasm, and they’re just mocking around.]
Starting this year, I plan to create opportunities for the Sub-Managers to meet me directly.
Date and location are yet to be determined.
That’s all.
====
“Did Mariel manage to form a team?”
“…”
“Mariel? Huh?”
“What’s going on with everyone?”
The entire classroom fell into a static silence.
Everyone, including the student erasing the blackboard, the professors gathering their magical books, and the trainees bustling to the next classroom, looked intently at their Witch Notes.
And soon enough, the forum posts began to flood in with reactions.
