Mesugaki Tank Enters The Academy-Chapter 323: 2nd Semester Final Exam (20)

When news spread that Lucy Allen would demonstrate how to clear the dungeon herself, Toby dashed from the dining hall, abandoning the expensive meal Avery had bought him.

Lady Allen herself is explaining her own dungeon! There must be so much to learn!

Such a precious opportunity couldn’t be missed!

“Don’t you find it disgusting how he always tries to puff up his shoulders?♡ Like a beast trying to look bigger, when he’s just a pathetic loser inside♡”

By the time Toby arrived at the exam hall, breathless from his sprint, Lucy Allen’s image hovered at the center of the hall, striding through a corridor, hurling insults at someone.

It was shockingly vulgar language for a noble of high standing.

While the onlookers remained frozen in confusion, Toby, perplexed, turned to a commoner he knew and asked what was going on.

“...She’s proving that this is a live video, not a recording, by insulting the guy who confronted her a moment ago,” his friend explained.

Hearing that Lady Allen was proving the video’s authenticity by personally mocking someone, Toby was speechless.

Could the esteemed Lady Allen of the renowned Allen family really behave this way toward another noble?

While he blinked in bewilderment at this surreal scene, Avery appeared behind him, her voice calm and composed.

“She’s actually being gentler than she used to be in society.”

“L-Lady Rumley?!”

Toby’s friend was horrified to see Avery, known for her prickly personality, fixing her disheveled hair and addressing them.

“Why are you here?!”

“Ask the ‘dungeon fool’ beside you. I was about to buy him a meal commoners rarely get to see, but the second he heard the word ‘dungeon,’ he dashed off,” she replied dryly.

“Well, dungeons are more important to me than food.”

What?! Has Toby lost his mind?! He’s not even afraid of Lady Rumley?!

Toby’s friend stared in shock at Toby’s casual response, but Avery merely shook her head, displaying mild exasperation rather than anger.

After exploring the dungeon with Toby, Avery had come to respect his abilities, so she didn’t mind this level of discourtesy.

And naturally, Toby was aware of this.

Having grown up in a mercenary guild, he had an instinctive sense for such matters. If Avery had shown any sign of strictness, he would never have dared to act this way.

“By the way, Lady Rumley, what do you mean by ‘gentler than before’?”

“Hah.”

Avery sighed at Toby’s nonchalant question, shrugged, and looked toward the screen showing Lucy.

“It’s exactly as I said. Back when Lady Allen was active in high society, she was even worse than this.”

Aside from her outrageous behavior, Lucy had all the qualities to be the center of social circles. As the only daughter of the kingdom’s hero, Benedict Allen, her status alone was enough to attract people. And with her beauty, envied by many in society, she captivated all eyes upon her debut.

Yet it took less than a year for her to become universally disliked.

The thorns on the flower that was Lucy Allen weren’t just prickly; they were lethal to anyone who dared approach.

“If you’d seen Lady Allen back then, you’d understand why so many nobles recoil at her name.”

If Lucy’s personality back then had been similar to her current self, she would have been a powerful figure in society, perhaps even rivaling Joy. Her status as the hero’s daughter and her doll-like appearance were such significant advantages that they could have masked any minor flaws.

But Lucy’s personality back then was far more vicious.

“She once told a countess, ‘Why host a party in a pigsty? Oh, right, because a pig lives here.’ She asked a baron if he was sterile when she noticed he had no children. And she even smashed a vase over a lady’s head for crossing her.”

Having witnessed many of Lucy’s scandals firsthand and even suffered from some herself, Avery thought it miraculous that Lucy’s head was still attached to her shoulders.

“If all she’s doing now is mocking people, then this is child’s play.”

Hearing stories that far exceeded his expectations, Toby finally understood why nobles kept their distance from Lucy.

Just hearing about it was dizzying—how much worse would it be for those who experienced it firsthand?

“She’s reached the first room,” Avery murmured to herself, disappointed that she couldn’t finish sharing more stories.

Turning back to the screen, Toby saw Lucy standing unarmed before a soldier.

The soldier suggested she arm herself, but Lucy’s response was a sneer, taunting him that he only wanted her armed so he’d have an excuse if he lost.

Did the soldier get angry at her mockery? Veins bulged on his hand as he raised his spear to strike at Lucy.

Fast. He’s much stronger than the soldiers we faced. Is this dungeon designed for upperclassmen?

As a combat specialty student, Toby easily followed the soldier’s spear movements and noted how Lucy had already dodged the attack even before it was fully executed.

“She didn’t dodge after seeing that, did she?” Avery muttered, and Toby nodded.

Lucy hadn’t reacted to the attack itself; she’d already positioned herself in a spot where it wouldn’t hit.

“The soldiers’ attacks in the first room always follow the same sequence up to the tenth move. Lady Allen, the dungeon’s creator, would surely know that.”

The enemies in the first room always used the same sequence up to the tenth move, meaning anyone who memorized their movements could overcome them.

‘Surely even a tiny girl like me can do it—unless you’re all dumber than I thought?♡’

Lady Allen’s intentions were clear, but her tone was so taunting that most took her words as mockery, responding with helpless laughter.

Even so, Lucy continued to helpfully explain how to clear the dungeon in her own way.

‘Pfft♡ Look how desperate he is to protect his weak spot♡ Isn’t it pathetic?♡’

The soldier prioritized guarding his weak point, meaning his movements could reveal his vulnerability.

‘Acting tough, thinking the illusions are real—who’d fall for such a lame trick?♡’

The wolves in the second room had odd features that, if noticed, revealed them to be hallucinations.

‘Ugh♡ I know I’m cute, but wanting to be trampled on is... nauseating♡ I wouldn’t touch them with a ten-foot pole♡’

In the third room, you had to target only specific golems, ensuring not to overkill them, which would neutralize them.

‘With this many clues, surely no one missed them, right?♡ But if there’s anyone that clueless, I suggest they go make friends with a dog♡ Oh, wait, would even a dog run away from them?♡’

The fourth room contained numerous clues indicating it was a dream. Though Lucy’s manner of explanation was anything but pleasant, each piece of information she shared was undeniably helpful.

Even Toby, who had completed the dungeon, realized he hadn’t considered some of her insights.

As Lucy strolled through the dungeon, casually revealing each solution, the mood in the exam hall shifted.

Watching her effortlessly explore and explain her own creation, the students began to view her as an authoritative figure rather than someone to prove wrong. Many grew eager to learn from her rather than challenge her.

‘And that concludes the tutorial that I, sweet and kind, prepared for you♡ Surely no one here failed this?♡ If there’s any brainless idiot who did, I suggest you spend an extra year at this pathetic academy reflecting on how you got this dumb♡’

“What the hell?! I’m going to fail?!”

“I was set to join a mercenary guild right after graduation!”

“Noooo!”

Updat𝓮d fr𝙤m ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com.

Screams of despair echoed throughout the hall, but Lucy ignored them, pressing on through the dungeon.

Arriving at the dungeon boss’s lair, Lucy dropped down without slowing her descent.

It was a move no ordinary person would even consider, but Lucy, unfazed, simply dusted off her uniform and spoke calmly.

‘Attention, all you academy failures!♡ Listen closely!♡ I’m about to explain just how dumb you all are♡’

Lucy ignored the door leading down and instead headed toward the mansion.

‘Look at this decrepit mansion that even ghosts flee from♡ Surely even fools can see something odd about this place♡’

Pointing her delicate-looking finger, Lucy gestured toward a window.

The window, which showed nothing of the outside world.

Then, she pointed to the ceiling.

The ceiling, which looked perfectly intact, as if it hadn’t just collapsed.

Lucy’s finger continued pointing out more.

A clock that had broken and now always showed the same time.

An old portrait with a blurry face.

The bizarre date written underneath it.

A door that could not be opened by any means.

Some students hadn’t noticed these details, others had dismissed them as poorly designed, and still others had observed them without finding any real meaning.

Finally, Lucy arrived in front of a crystal orb marked with the number zero.

‘The last and most important hint!♡ Why did this crystal suddenly appear?♡ Hmm?♡ By now, even the densest of you should feel something’s off♡’

...So many clues.

Even Toby, who had found the answer, hadn’t noticed every clue Lucy pointed out.

He only needed a few of them to arrive at the solution.

‘And for those still clueless dummies, here’s one last hint♡ What are the functions of this crystal?♡ One is to save your position, but the other?’

“...To move to another place...”

Toby turned his head, hearing someone murmur the answer. There stood the Third Prince, Arthur, his face showing unmistakable shock.

Why does he look like that? He already conquered the dungeon, understanding all the mechanics, didn’t he?

While Toby wondered about Arthur’s reaction, Lucy’s mocking voice echoed again from the screen.

‘Time’s up~♡ For those still clueless, you’ll just have to listen to my cute voice while you reflect on how dumb you were♡’

As Lucy’s words ended, she placed her hand on the crystal orb, and the screen’s view shifted.

The initial corridor.

The place all students faced at the start of the final dungeon exam.

Where there should have been a wall, there now appeared a staircase leading downwards.