Mystical Fantasy : The Lazy Real Young Master [EN]-Chapter 198: Two Virellano Sons Set for the National Examination

Chapter 198: Two Virellano Sons Set for the National Examination

The long-awaited day finally arrived—the day of the National Examination.

This synchronized, large-scale test was conducted across the entire nation, not only for local schools, but also for institutions carrying international standards and reputations.

For ordinary citizens, it was the decisive checkpoint that could define their future.

For the elites? It was nothing more than a grand stage to flaunt excellence— a battleground of status, prestige, and polished public image.

---

That morning, Al was roused from sleep by a barrage of buzzing notifications flooding his phone from countless numbers.

Among them were messages from Ai and her entire subordinates, from Indra and his family, from the kids and caretakers in the orphanage, from Al’s old friends,

and even from the new friends he made recently—Rina, Dila, and the others.

All of them were sending reminders for him to wake up early, accompanied by a handful of warm, heartfelt well-wishes for his success on this important day.

And of course, there was one message that stood out, coming from a certain someone whom he had been subconsciously avoiding these days—despite the ridiculous agreement they shared to pretend to be lovers.

Yura Atenri.

"I’m not actually trying to cheer you on. But, well... for the sake of strengthening our acting, doing something like this should be fine."

Followed by a second, much shorter message, decorated with a tiny flexing-muscle emoji:

"GOOD LUCK!"

Warm messages, however, were nowhere to be found from any single member of the Virellano family—or perhaps they simply hadn’t sent anything yet.

But Al didn’t dwell on that for long.

He chose instead to focus only on the people who genuinely cared about him, smiling faintly at their chaotic, overly-energetic antics.

"They’re seriously such a hassle. I mean, I’m the one taking the exam... yet somehow they’re the ones acting the busiest," he muttered lazily.

He replied to a few messages—only the ones he felt necessary to respond to. Naturally, the messages from Ai and her troops.

And this time, he also replied to Yura’s message. He felt a little guilty for ignoring her these past few days.

After that, he stood up, stretched lightly, grabbed his bathing kit, and walked toward the door with the intention of heading out to the usual place where he always showered.

But the moment he reached the doorway—

"Ah, for god’s sake... how many times have I forgotten already?" he muttered while smacking his own forehead.

"It’s been almost a full week since I moved into this room, yet I still forget... I actually have a private bathroom."

He sighed, shoulders drooping in defeat, and turned around.

"All the chaos happening lately must be messing with my ability to focus on small, trivial details like this."

He scratched his head lightly, almost laughing at his own silliness, before dragging his feet toward the private bathroom with a resigned shrug.

With light, unhurried steps, he entered the bathroom and enjoyed a refreshing shower like any normal human being.

And a few minutes later...

Ta-da!

Al stepped back into his room with a noticeably fresher and far more refined appearance.

His face was clean, his hair neatly combed—quite unlike the perpetually messy style he usually adopted.

He patted the collar of his shirt as if trying to perfect it, then stared at his own reflection for a brief moment, taking a long breath, as though gathering his mental strength for the day ahead.

---

After preparing everything he needed, Al made his way to the dining hall.

At the long and luxurious table, most of the Virellano family members were already gathered.

Some greeted him with hopeful expressions, others with subtle discomfort—but none immediately spoke to him.

They simply let him take his place at the spot considered ’his seat.’

Edward and Sandra were chatting lightly, but their attention immediately shifted when Al entered.

Both of them offered him gentle smiles—still stiff, still awkward—but at least they were trying.

Sandra even straightened her posture, as if attempting to look more presentable in the eyes of her son. Edward gave him a small nod as a greeting.

Aurielle, despite being preoccupied with reading morning reports on her tablet, also spared him a smile.

Her gaze, however, carried something unusual—something that had lingered for days now. As if she wanted to say something, but had been deliberately holding herself back.

I’ve restrained myself long enough and left you alone so you could focus on studying. But once your exam is over, you’re going to explain everything to me.

That was the silent message behind her sharp stare.

Al sensed that piercing look and chose to ignore it entirely.

He turned his head away slowly, exhaling a short breath—his way of saying he knew Aurielle was waiting for the right moment to corner him for a talk.

Vianna also looked up briefly when he arrived, but quickly returned her focus to her healthy breakfast. She was swinging her legs under the table, clearly eager to finish her meal quickly.

She looked unusually tidy this morning, unlike her usual post-workout, sweat-drenched state. It seemed she had something else planned for the day.

Clarista didn’t show much reaction either. But the person beside her was far more noticeable—Fani.

Fani, with darkened eye bags and an exhausted expression, glared at Al with a mixture of annoyance and despair.

Days of consecutive all-nighters working on her project had turned her into something resembling a zombie more than a vampire.

Her eyelids kept drooping lower and lower, and she massaged the bridge of her nose repeatedly as if trying to stay alive.

"Boss... I think... I think I’m really going to die soon..." Fani complained through telepathy.

Al gave her a light, amused smile.

"Hang in there. After this, I won’t trouble you anymore," he replied.

Then, with a more playful glint in his eyes, he added, "And... be prepared to receive your payment."

Hearing that, Fani’s eyes sparkled faintly with revived hope—

but only for a moment, as her remaining stamina quickly plummeted again.

The urge to sleep was relentless, yet she still had to accompany both David and Al to their examination site.

David, who had been showered with encouragement and special treatment by almost every family member that morning, noticed the strange interaction between Fani and Al.

Even now, despite everything, the discomfort inside him felt overwhelming.

Not because he missed Fani’s attention—but because the person smiling so easily at her... was Al.

He cursed silently in his heart, but maintained his gentle, well-behaved façade before the others.

His hand gripping the spoon tightened faintly, but his face remained locked in a forced, pleasant smile.

Meanwhile, Al, already seated at his chair, found his eyes involuntarily drifting toward someone across the table—

even though he despised her.

His arch nemesis—Sarah.

Their eyes met immediately, glaring as if they were ready to tear into each other.

But neither made a scene.

Especially not today, when Al needed full concentration.

Sarah, despite everything, knew when to restrain herself. Because as much as she wanted Al out of the Virellano residence, she couldn’t bring herself to destroy the boy’s future.

She simply rolled her eyes and commented on Al’s unusually tidy appearance—a style more commonly associated with nerdy, studious, poster-boy types.

"Wow, you look weird today, Al. Like some kind of school poster child. Don’t tell me you actually believe changing your style is going to make your brain work better."

Al ignored her entirely and turned his attention to something far more deserving—the delicious breakfast in front of him waiting to be devoured.

He leaned back comfortably, sitting slightly close to Vianna and directly facing Fani.

And so, breakfast proceeded normally enough.

---

Not long after, Edward initiated the conversation, his voice steady yet carrying the faint weight of parental expectation.

"So, Al... how’s your preparation for today’s exam?" he asked.

"I’m... ready, Father. I’m confident." Al replied with a spark of determination that only a national exam could bring out.

Aurielle raised an eyebrow, leaning a bit forward.

"That confident, huh?"

Al nodded without hesitation.

"Of course. I’ve already felt pretty sure I’d pass from the start.

And after being tutored these past few days by Fani, it’s only natural that my confidence went up."

He shifted his gaze toward Fani.

"She’s really amazing and incredibly professional. Even though she had to focus on helping David at the same time, she still gave me the best lessons she could."

He added, "Just look at her—her eyes are literally puffy. She must’ve been exhausted tutoring both of us."

Fani snapped her eyes open in mild shock as she suddenly got dragged into the spotlight, but she immediately realized that Al was basically telling everyone she needed more rest.

Straightening her back, she tried to look at least a little more awake and composed.

Edward picked up on that too. He and Sandra exchanged a knowing look, and for the first time that morning, they both offered her a silent gesture of appreciation—subtle but sincere.

Fani received that gesture with a small smile and a gentle nod.

Then Edward looked back at Al.

"Good. You should be confident." he said approvingly. "Oh right—where’s your exam location?"

Before Al even had the chance to respond, Vianna snapped first, completely confused.

"Eh? Isn’t Al a student at HIHS? Why would Dad ask where he’s taking the exam? Of course it’s at HIHS."

Everyone stared at her in disbelief. Aurielle literally pressed two fingers to her temples, while Clarista let out a long, suffering sigh.

"Every student tests outside their own school, Sister Vianna. We also did that before... did you forget?" Clarista reminded her.

Vianna tapped her chin, trying to reach into the depths of her very questionable memory.

"Ah... right. I also did that, didn’t I? Haha. I forgot." she said awkwardly.

"Oh, yeah, but why don’t they just do the exam at their own school?" she asked again, still completely clueless.

Aurielle burst into laughter and flicked a bread crumb at her adorable but hopelessly naïve sister.

"Oh, Vianna... after all these years since you graduated, and you still don’t understand something that simple."

"They need a neutral place," Clarista explained. "So there’s no cheating. If you take the exam in your own school, there could be... hidden assistance."

Everyone looked at Vianna, waiting for the information to sink in.

But as always, Vianna still looked lost.

Until David stepped in to help.

"It’s like you fighting in your own domain, Sister. You know the terrain, you can use sneaky tricks, and you’ve got allies there. So winning becomes easier."

Only then did Vianna nod repeatedly in sudden enlightenment.

"Oooh, I get it now... that makes sense. Hahaha!"

Everyone could only shake their heads—Vianna’s muscle-brained personality was truly something else. She gave them a toothy grin while scratching the back of her head.

Soon after...

Al reached into the collar of his shirt, pulling out the exam participant ID card hanging from his neck. He read it as he answered Edward’s earlier question.

"By the way... mine’s at Sixth High School Makazhar, Father."

"Ah... that school." Edward replied. "Then you’re headed the same direction as David. You can ride with him. His exam is at Tiara High School."

Hearing that, Al glanced briefly at David, silently weighing the idea.

David, on the other hand, clearly felt uncomfortable, but he forced himself to show a harmless smile and a small nod as if he didn’t mind.

Though underneath the table, his fingers tapped nervously—tiny, restless movements betraying his tension.

After a moment, Al also nodded. He didn’t really mind going with David anyway.

"Alright, Father."

Edward nodded back, looking at his two sons—two boys who, for reasons painfully complicated, still couldn’t find a natural way to stand side by side.

His cheeks puffed a little before he let out a sigh, fully aware of how difficult this situation truly was.

He knew that both boys were reluctant in their own ways, accepting the decision only out of obligation.

But for Edward, this was at least a small, fragile first step toward bringing them closer.

Sandra watched them as well.

One child was a switched son—a boy with years of emotional connection and deeply rooted affection for her.

The other was her biological son, the one she burdened with guilt, carrying distance like a shadow, wrapped in heavy awkwardness that still refused to fade.

"I hope both of you will do your best, my dear children." Sandra said with a warm, gentle smile tinged with soft melancholy.

Edward added his own encouragement, and after that the others followed suit—Aurielle, Clarista, and Vianna one by one, offering support.

Their words were gentler toward David, and firmer toward Al.

And of course, Sarah too.

She gave David a dramatically passionate cheer, and then...

"You too... good luck." she muttered to Al—short, stiff, and painfully tsundere.

She quickly looked away afterward, clearly embarrassed she had even said it.

David responded with his usual pure expression.

Meanwhile, Al nearly laughed—especially at the fact that Sarah had just given him encouragement.

But he wasn’t cruel enough to reject or belittle the support, no matter how awkwardly it arrived.

He simply nodded and thanked her politely.

Not long after, David murmured,

"I’m done eating. We should leave now. I want to arrive early and prepare everything there." he said while glancing at Al.

"O-Okay," Al replied, sipping the last of his warm soup before standing up.

Clarista and Fani, who planned to accompany them, hurried to finish their meals and stood as well.

Fani almost tripped over her chair due to sleepiness, but Clarista grabbed her arm just in time.

Everyone else stood too—not to follow them outside, but to give them additional gestures of support.

Edward patted both boys’ shoulders.

Vianna waved her spoon like a tiny flag, giving her own ridiculous yet heartfelt send-off.

And eventually, they left—walking away while Edward, Sandra, Aurielle, Sarah, and Vianna watched their backs.

They silently hoped for David to achieve the highest score... and for Al to at least pass normally.

The atmosphere turned unexpectedly emotional.

Sandra and Aurielle’s eyes grew misty, especially since they’d watched David grow up from childhood. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Sandra squeezed the small tissue in her hand.

Aurielle pressed the back of her hand against her eyes to hide her tears.

Al felt the whole scene was a bit overly dramatic—but at least this was positive family drama, not the usual accusations or pushing and shoving.

So this is how humans are... he mused silently.

Family affection, huh? I wonder when someone cursed like me will ever truly feel that in this household.

And with that, they left.