NOVEL WEB Chapter 737
“It’s going to be all the buzz soon with the National Exchange Tournament coming up.”
“Right? Last year was really something! The players were all uniquely strong. I heard the France exchange made a profit!”
“Actually, it’s not just about making a profit or a loss. The economic ripple effect is in the trillions…”
“True. Thanks to that, our academy’s admission rate has reached its highest in 12 years!”
The interview hall of Sephiron Academy was filled with cheerful chatter.
Since the Korea National Team’s 16-time champion Kim Gun, there has been yet another academy craze in the Republic of Korea.
Na-me’s victory at the age of 10 was a shock to everyone.
The competition for admission to Sephiron Academy’s Elementary Division set a record of 186 to 1, making headlines everywhere.
Columns titled ‘Is the education in the Republic of Korea really equal above the university level?’ poured out, criticizing elite education.
Nevertheless, the public’s yearning for the academy was largely deemed unchanged.
“Transfer inquiries just keep coming in!”
“Haha, who knows? Maybe another NoName will emerge from our school!”
“That kind of luck won’t happen again. Ah, just thinking about the tantrums parents threw two years ago makes me shiver… I should be thankful that NoName is still around on the Sephiron grounds.”
The Janjeol Clan is registered on the grounds of the Sephiron Foundation.
There’s nothing public about sales, net profits, or cash reserves; it’s a secretive company.
This was solely because the Janjeol Clan was subject only to U.S. law.
“So, do you know how much Sephiron Academy received from the Janjeol Clan, Vice-Principal?”
“I don’t know. Even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”
“Oh, come on! You can at least give me a rough idea, right? Is it around the budget for one year for the Elementary Division?”
“… More.”
“Seriously?!”
“It might come close to the total combined. It could even be more. That’s all I can tell you.”
Upon hearing this, the interviewer began calculating mentally.
The annual budget that the foundation invests in Sephiron Academy, covering elementary, middle, and high schools, amounts to 150 billion won.
Typically, foundations derive their income from 4% to 8% of the corporate taxes saved by companies entering their grounds.
Even if I simply calculated it at a straightforward 8%, the annual net profit for the Janjeol Clan would be 950 billion won.
“If they had really kicked us out that time…”
“Then we’d have fled to Luxembourg or Switzerland, not Korea or the U.S.”
“That’s terrifying. Just think about how much Na-me is bringing in for the country right now… Oh, Professor Hwang has arrived?”
An elderly man, who had entered during the conversation, responded.
“Oh dear, I apologize for being late! Are the students for the interview already here?”
“Perhaps everyone is waiting on the 1st floor.”
“Please send them up. Let’s get started right away.”
Professor Hwang Bo-heum of the Sephiron Foundation wiped the sweat from his forehead as he took his seat.
Since Na-me was selected, it has become customary for Sephiron Academy to accept one or two transfer students each semester.
“I heard the 5th-grade interviewee brought some rather unique materials. Apparently, they’re applying the theory of casting barrier lifting spells via the Arabesque composition as a lyde meister transformation. Nowadays, parents really are capable, aren’t they? Hehe.”
Transfers are a process that skips formal exams, so there were plenty of loopholes.
Children with good memory often memorize the results crafted by their parents to enter the interview room.
Professor Hwang expressed skepticism about the transfer interviews, pointing out this tendency.
“Are you talking about Cheon Luri?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“I heard she’s the daughter of Professor Cheon Kyu-jin.”
“Really? Is that true?”
“We were also surprised when we saw her documents at first. She must be another adopted child, I suppose.”
“So that means she has a legal family tie with the NoName Wizard. Hehe… Where are these talented kids coming from?”
Even Professor Hwang, who typically doesn’t waver in judgments based on connections, felt his heart waver momentarily.
If they want to capture Na-me, they must keep Cheon Luri at Sephiron Academy by any means.
“Cheon Luri is—”
“Haha, don’t worry. I’ve always evaluated based on my principles.”
Even if NoName is backing her, nothing will change.
Talentless kids don’t deserve to enter the academy.
*Knock Knock*
“Interviewer, the first candidate has arrived.”
“Yes, please let the student in.”
*Creek—*
“Whoa…?”
As the front door of the classroom opened, the interviewers’ eyes widened in disbelief.
The girl entering the interview room was dressed in a black gothic lolita dress.
The skirt flared out extravagantly from the waist and was decorated with delicate lace.
“…”
One of the interviewers couldn’t even utter a word and simply closed his mouth.
This wasn’t just a fashion statement.
Look at the madness of wearing black stockings on such a hot summer day.
The girl elegantly grasped the hem of her skirt and greeted them.
“I am Cheon Luri.”
She neatly smoothed out the folds of her skirt with one hand as if it were all perfectly natural.
‘She’s got a classic case of 2nd-year middle school syndrome.’
‘And quite severe at that.’
‘Is this the downside of homeschooling?’
‘This absolutely feels like NoName Season 2, doesn’t it?’
‘They say geniuses aren’t all there, but…’
The interviewers proceeded with the examination, each harboring their own thoughts.