Chapter 56: The Mid-term Exam Rescue Squad

Sakura Saint Academy finally regained its former tranquility, having undergone extensive “repairs” to the areas ravaged by the recent magical battle.

The bell marking the end of the holidays tolled like a death knell, heralding the dreaded mid-term exams that elicited groans from countless students.

Jin gazed at the mountainous piles of textbooks and workbooks on her desk, a sensation of utter bewilderment washing over her.

Mathematical formulas writhed like contorted tadpoles, historical dates became an impenetrable tangle, and the laws of physics felt utterly alien, akin to a celestial text.

As a reincarnated witch, she might have been a novice in magic, but when it came to academics, she was hardly any more proficient.

“Oh, no… I’m utterly doomed. I’m certainly going to flunk this time…”

Jin buried her face amidst the towering books, a desperate whimper escaping her lips.

“Only now do you realize the urgency?” A cool, clear voice resonated above her, imbued with a barely discernible hint of gentleness.

Jin lifted her head, discovering Xia Yue standing silently by her desk, her arrival unnoticed.

Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a luminous glow upon her slender silhouette. She had once again assumed the mantle of the meticulous student council president, her blue ponytail impeccably tied, her uniform flawlessly pressed without a hint of a wrinkle.

Yet, something had subtly shifted. The frigid, unapproachable aura that usually enveloped her had significantly mellowed.

When her ice-blue eyes met Jin’s, they no longer held merely a gaze of scrutiny and analysis, but rather a newfound warmth, akin to the gentle flow of a spring stream.

“For you.” Xia Yue presented Jin with a meticulously organized set of notes. Crucial points, challenging sections, and common pitfalls were clearly marked with various colored pens. “Begin by mastering the function concepts in mathematics and the intricate timeline of modern history; these are the foundational elements.”

“Xia Yue…” Jin’s eyes welled with profound gratitude, and she impulsively clutched Xia Yue’s arm. “You are truly my rescuer!”

Xia Yue’s body momentarily stiffened, yet she quickly relaxed, even raising a hand to gently pat Jin’s head. “Calm yourself, and focus on your studies.”

At that moment, two additional “saviors” burst into the classroom with a burst of enthusiastic chatter.

“Jin, Jin! Don’t be afraid! I’m right here!” Lin Wan breezed in like a whirlwind, brandishing a bag of snacks. “When you’re weary from studying, we can unwind with some games! It’s all about striking a balance between work and leisure!”

“Big Sister! I’m here to help you too!” Yu Niannian, her cheeks flushed with exertion, embraced several hefty reference books.

With that, Jin’s “Mid-term Exam Emergency Rescue Squad” was officially inaugurated.

Xia Yue took charge of organizing the logical structures of both science and humanities subjects, delivering explanations with impeccable clarity and order. Whenever she observed Jin’s exasperated scratching, she would let out a resigned sigh before re-explaining the concept in even simpler terms.

Lin Wan, meanwhile, focused on “interest stimulation” and “stress alleviation.” While her teaching methods often involved transforming complex knowledge into peculiar jingles or explaining them through gaming terminology, they occasionally yielded surprisingly effective results.

Furthermore, she consistently provided snacks at opportune moments, skillfully preventing Jin from “crashing” due to mental overload.

Yu Niannian proved to be the most patient of them all, tasked with identifying knowledge gaps and solidifying foundational concepts. She tirelessly answered Jin’s myriad “foolish” questions, her gaze radiating the encouraging gleam of “You can do it, Big Sister!”

To be tutored by three distinct yet equally brilliant young women should have been an utterly blissful experience, yet Jin felt nothing but overwhelming pressure.

This was particularly true when Xia Yue, her gaze now softened but still piercing, would look at her and quietly inquire, “Do you comprehend this section?” Jin wouldn’t even dare to let her thoughts drift.

Just as the tutoring session reached its fervent peak, a voice—slightly husky, yet still carrying an undeniable edge of volatility—emanated from the classroom doorway.

“Hey.”

All four students simultaneously lifted their heads.

There stood Huo Hualan, leaning against the doorframe. She had donned the Sakura Saint Academy uniform, her orange-red short hair appearing meticulously styled.

Yet, her complexion remained somewhat pallid, and a slight awkwardness in her movements betrayed that her injuries were far from healed.

Her gaze swept across the tutoring group before finally settling on Jin. Her amber eyes held a complex tapestry of emotions: residual anger, a flicker of barely perceptible awkwardness, and an underlying stubborn determination, as if she were bracing herself after reaching a difficult decision.

“You…” Huo Hualan lifted her chin, directing her gaze at Jin. Her tone, though still sharp, carried a noticeably diminished force. “Are you all… tutoring?”

Jin instinctively flinched backward, a touch apprehensive of the “fire-breathing woman” whom she had nearly “furious to death” only to subsequently “resuscitate.”

Xia Yue’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly as she stepped forward, subtly positioning herself to shield Jin. Her voice remained calm. “Huo Hualan, is there something you require?”

Lin Wan, in contrast, wore an expression of eager amusement, while Yu Niannian nervously clutched at Jin’s sleeve.

Huo Hualan appeared momentarily flustered by Xia Yue’s protective posture, a flash of unease crossing her features. She averted her gaze, her voice lowering several registers, imbued with a hint of reckless resignation:

“…About… the mid-term exams…” She hesitated, as if steeling herself for a momentous decision, before quickly adding, “I need tutoring as well.”

“What?!” Lin Wan was the first to burst out. “You? The battle-obsessed warrior, in need of tutoring?”

Huo Hualan’s face instantly flamed scarlet, much like a firecracker ignited. “N-none of your concern! I… I was injured and hospitalized, so isn’t it acceptable that I missed many classes?! And… I also heard this exam is particularly challenging…”

Her voice progressively diminished, ultimately fading into a near-whisper. Her gaze flickered uncertainly, deliberately avoiding Jin’s eyes.

Jin observed Huo Hualan’s obvious embarrassment, yet her determined attempt to feign composure, and suddenly felt… a peculiar urge to laugh? Perhaps she wasn’t so formidable after all.

Xia Yue glanced at Huo Hualan, then at the utterly perplexed Jin, a flash of comprehension illuminating her ice-blue eyes.

She adjusted her glasses, her tone remaining perfectly unruffled. “Very well. Find an empty seat.”

“Xia Yue?!” Lin Wan exclaimed in utter astonishment.

Xia Yue cast a faint, level gaze at her. “An additional person simply means an additional set of study materials.”

Huo Hualan appeared genuinely surprised that Xia Yue had agreed so readily. She froze for a moment, then awkwardly made her way to an empty seat.

Her movements stiff, she retrieved her books, her earlobes still betraying an un-faded blush.

And so, Jin’s tutoring group inexplicably acquired yet another member: a former captive magical girl, whose injuries remained unhealed, whose temper flared easily, and who seemingly shared an “unresolved” history of both animosity and affection with her.

The atmosphere of the tutoring session instantly transformed, becoming even more… peculiar and vibrant.

When Xia Yue elucidated complex problems, Huo Hualan would furrow her brow, listening with intense concentration. Occasionally, she would pose surprisingly incisive questions that compelled even Xia Yue to pause and ponder.

When Lin Wan attempted to elucidate historical events through gaming metaphors, Huo Hualan would interject without ceremony: “What sort of utterly nonsensical analogy is that?! It’s completely inaccurate!”

When Yu Niannian patiently explained fundamental grammar to Jin, Huo Hualan would listen beside them with an air of distinct impatience, then blurt out, “You can’t even grasp something this straightforward? Is your brain merely an ornament?”

Then, as Jin cast a wounded glance her way, she would awkwardly turn her head, adding in a low voice, “…Just review it a few more times, and you’ll understand.”

Jin, caught amidst four (or perhaps three and a half?) academic powerhouses, felt her brain’s CPU overclocking, on the verge of emitting smoke.

Yet, strangely, as she observed Huo Hualan—who clearly only half-understood but still stubbornly maintained an air of comprehension—as she witnessed Xia Yue’s occasional resigned smiles, as she watched Lin Wan’s mischievous humor, and as she absorbed Yu Niannian’s unwavering support and encouragement…

She suddenly realized that this mid-term examination, which had previously caused her such overwhelming distress, no longer seemed… quite so daunting?

Perhaps, even a touch… heartwarming?

Of course, it would be even more ideal if Huo Hualan refrained from perpetually regarding her with that particular gaze, the one that seemed to say, “You’re rather foolish, but I simply can’t be bothered with imbeciles.”