The midterm exam results were finally posted.
I'd expected nothing more than an unremarkable, safely average score—something that would let me fade into the background without drawing attention.
Instead…
I was ranked first in Class C.
And not by a small margin, either. The gap between me and second place was painfully obvious.
"This… isn't right."
This was the exact opposite of what I wanted. I had aimed for mediocrity—bland, forgettable, perfectly ordinary. Now, instead of blending in, I'd painted a giant target on my back.
"Hahaha! You said you were confident, but you must've studied like crazy!"
Lycan laughed loudly, slapping my shoulder with enough force to make me stumble.
"Ah—y-yes. I suppose you could say that," I replied, forcing a stiff smile.
"At this rate, you might even take first place for the entire year."
Ah… please don't say things like that.
I kept smiling, but inside, I was quietly panicking.
