"Ugh, this test was so difficult. I don't think I even got half of it right. What will I do if I get held back because I did poorly?"

Kyle, the kid who had sword loyalty to Layla, asked hesitantly. He looked ready to cry because he could not have a good work-play schedule.

Layla had looked at the paper he had been lamenting about, and it was not that difficult to answer.

The theoretical part was easy; even someone in her grade could have solved it if they had paid attention.

But Kyle was having a hard time because he was a slop who spent more time running away from studies than studying.

"This test is not that difficult. You should study more so that you don't get fooled by these problems anymore. Otherwise, you will have difficulty once the difficult subjects hit."

Layla informed Kyle as she walked in front of him.

She had no mercy for him and his failing grades, but if he was going to stick to her and pretend to serve her, he needed to keep his grades up. Otherwise, how would Layla be able to think of him as a comrade?

Her harsh words caused Kyle to pout and look away.

"Well, test marks do not matter, right? I just need to be street-smart to survive in this world. I assure you that I am much better at practical magic than theory."

Layla looked at the report card, which seemed to be the case.

Kyle's performance in practical class was better, but not by much.

"I don't think it says much about your skill when you were defeated by someone younger than you."

Layla pointed out, and Kyle flinched once more. But this time, he had an answer ready to give.

"This is not fair! I could not win against you because you are something else, Layla. What other kid do you know who is at the same level as you are?"

Kyle asked in an annoyed and justified voice. He knew he was right and looked proud to have said these words.

It made Layla sigh tiredly, but she did not say anything anymore. She turned around and pretended she had not heard what Kyle said.

The pair quietly walked out of the school before their after-exam holidays began. Layla had a lot she needed to do and was making a mental list of all that.

Mary was supposed to pick her up from school today and take her back. But Layla ran into someone else on her way out.

Her small body collided with an annoyed one, and the professor immediately yelled at her.

"Watch where you are going! What if this collision harmed someone as awesome as I, 'first class' Great Wizard Rodric Burnance, and made him useless? How will you even repent for it?"

The fake professor cursed as he tried to dust the imaginary dust off his clothes.

He had not even been the one who got hurt during this collision.

Layla glared at the professor before her, making the older male nervous. But the one she was staring at was not the professor.

It was the reptile that was on her professor's shoulder. It glared at Layla before it suddenly turned around with an annoyed huff.

It was behaving almost as if disappointed and jealous of Layla, which made no sense.

"Professor, you were the one who did not pay attention to where you were going and ended up colliding with Layla. Besides, you were also not paying attention, right?"

Kyle asked in a justified voice.

Unlike Layle, who did not like to show off her status as the Duke's ward, Kyle had no problem letting everyone know who he was under the protection of.

That made people much more hesitant to face or say anything to him since they knew that whatever was said would also reach the Duke's ears.

"It cannot be helped then. I, the 'first class' Great Wizard Rodric Burnance, will forgive you kids this time since you did not know better. But you better not make any trouble for me in the future-"

The lizard on the fake professor's shoulder bit him before finally looking at Layla and looking away again.

It was the worst form of protest Layla had ever seen, but she could not even remember what she did to face this ire.

['First Class' Great Wizard Rodric Burnance feels betrayed by the user's indifference.]

[He also feels neglected that the user did not choose him as a potential master to study under]

[He thinks that he won't forgive the user unless she decides to be exclusively under him during her next selection]

…

Layla did not even know what to say.

Out of all the possible reasons behind the professor's rotten mood, this was the last one she thought was possible. It was bad enough that it made her want to face-palm out of shame.

But the lizard in front of her looked even more sulky when Layla looked at it, and it wanted to convey how unhappy it was.

'It cannot be helped. I will likely need Professor Burnance's help in the future. As a half-dragon, he might be the only one who would be able to tell me more about my bonded dragon.'

Layla sighed as she looked at the professor.

Despite its claim of being disappointed, the lizard was paying attention to her, and Layla decided to throw a carrot on a stick at it.

"I will be more careful with the professor. I will also choose you as my next internship master's if possible. Please, teach me everything you can at that time."

Layla gave a small bow, and the fake professor looked scared and annoyed simultaneously.

He quickly looked away with a small blush on his face, but the one Layla was paying attention to was the lizard on his shoulder.

['First Class' Great Wizard Rodric Burnance feels your answer is justified. He will take you in as a pupil when it is time since you are insisting so much.]