Chapter 34
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Meeting (1)
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Blue Pine Academy's founder and first president—a man who's held the position for over nine years now—is named Yang Chan-ho. He's in his early thirties.
His other moniker is Hero.
It must have been around ten years ago. An unprecedentedly massive gate appeared in the Arctic Ocean.
And from beyond it, a building-sized serpent burst out, causing gates around the world to collapse and monsters to rampage...
People now call it the greatest catastrophe since the Great Cataclysm a hundred years ago, when the first gate appeared.
And the one who ended that horrific disaster was Korea's S-Rank Awakener, Yang Chan-ho.
He wielded the Ability to turn a mop into a holy sword against monsters—a power that might sound ridiculous at first glance—and turned that giant serpent hatchling, Jörmungandr, into Jor/mun/gandr.
Splitting the Arctic Ocean in half as a bonus.
What more is there to say? Whenever people discuss the strongest Awakener of the current generation, he's always at the top of the list. Not just in Korea, but worldwide.
And that man is now running an academy in Daejeon, Korea.
There were plenty of skeptical voices at first. Establishing an Awakener education institution—something only advanced nations like the US or Europe were seeing results from—and doing it as a purely private venture?
He'd been warned it wouldn't be easy, and indeed, there were more than a few ups and downs.
Well, in the end, his graduates' achievements proved him right.
It would have been weirder if an academy founded by the world's strongest Awakener and his connections hadn't succeeded.
As someone who's benefited greatly from that institution myself, I held personal admiration and respect for him...
"Yeah, come on in. So, Cheon So-yul and Lee Hyun-jin, right?"
"...Ah, yes."
That illusion was cracking just a little right now.
Or maybe it had already developed some fissures.
I'd heard plenty about the president's office on the top floor of the academy's main building.
For instance, that the Hero's legendary gear was displayed on the walls...
Or rumors that fragments of that famous Jörmungandr corpse were on show like trophies.
Over eighty percent of the academy's students idolize this country's Hero, so rumors like that weren't surprising.
The sad part was that every single guess or expectation missed the mark.
I stepped into the president's office, guided by a staff member, and failed to keep a neutral expression.
Cheon So-yul next to me probably had the same reaction.
The Hero's secret lair, as we'd imagined? A dazzling array of rare gear?
None of that. Instead, there was just a single early-thirties NEET lounging in a stretched-out white T-shirt, half-reclined in his chair with his feet up on the desk.
Wait, not a NEET, technically. He is the academy president, after all...
Confusing.
I had no idea. Maybe I was just so thrown off that random thoughts were bubbling up.
But could anyone blame me?
Who would imagine the Hero's domain looking like this—a total mess?
Clothes strewn everywhere, empty drink cans rolling around, trash bags...
No exaggeration: even a rundown goshiwon might look cleaner. At least people there clean sometimes.
Ah, but there was one student rumor that hit the mark.
The guess that the president's office on the top floor housed the Hero's gear.
I glanced sideways, probably unable to hide my complicated feelings.
And sure enough, there was the Hero's weapon.
In a wooden case like a gun cabinet—if you could call those colorful mops in there the Hero's weapons...
I bit my lip, then tossed out a comment just as the Hero ambled over to guide us to the sofa.
"Do the staff not clean for you? Why leave the room like this?"
Yang Chan-ho, who had been about to prepare coffee, flinched and turned, as did Cheon So-yul beside me, who was wearing an awkward expression.
"Hey...!"
She jabbed my side with her elbow. Apparently deeming my tone rude.
I scratched the back of my head sheepishly but didn't bother correcting myself.
"You're really..."
"Pfft!"
Cheon So-yul looked up at me with wide, flustered eyes, while Yang Chan-ho burst into light laughter.
He gazed at us alternately with calm, pleased eyes.
"Speaking your mind no matter who you're talking to is a virtue. No need to scold him like that, So-yul. I don't nitpick students' speech, unlike some."
Cheon So-yul dipped her head slightly, mumbling as if to apologize on my behalf.
"...Sorry, President. He's just the type who blurts things out without thinking."
"Sorry for being the thoughtless type."
I shrugged. Yang Chan-ho clutched his stomach chuckling, clearly amused, while Cheon So-yul glared daggers at me like she was losing her mind.
Maybe it was her Cheon family upbringing that explained the difference in reactions.
She'd heard all sorts about the Hero and probably thought a mere student shouldn't be so casual.
From my view? He just seemed laid-back enough to laugh off most things I said. Unless I crossed a line, of course.
His serious demeanor at the entrance ceremony or freshman welcome? Probably just keeping up appearances for official events.
I plopped onto the sofa as he gestured and looked up.
I beckoned lightly to Cheon So-yul, still looking dazed. Come here.
Yang Chan-ho grinned and beckoned the top student too. Come here.
"...No..."
Cheon So-yul furrowed her brow, looking bewildered. Then she sighed quietly in resignation and sat beside me.
Yang Chan-ho and I turned to face each other and nodded lightly.
"She's the type who lives a tough life."
"Sure looks that way. You'll have to look after her."
"Sigh, it's a hassle, but what can I do? We're friends. Gotta deal."
"Mm-hm. I'll note in her record that the Class of 9 top student has a great friend."
We bantered idly like that.
Cheon So-yul trembled with barely contained frustration beside me.
Whoa, don't hit me now?
"Alright, enough joking."
Yang Chan-ho clapped to draw attention, right on cue. I instantly straightened up with a stern, serious expression.
"Yes, President. Go ahead."
"Mm."
He smiled in satisfaction.
"To the main point. Aren't you curious why I called you two?"
He met our eyes in turn, minus the playfulness, and we both nodded silently.
We'd come when summoned, but we had no clue what it was about.
We're just one class's top two, after all.
No need for the president to call us personally?
"Actually, it's not just you two—I'm planning to call all the top two from every year, one by one. You just happened to be first."
That cleared up the mystery somewhat.
Of course—he wasn't singling us out; he was summoning all the top two across years.
...But why us first?
Another question popped up. Not first-years or seniors, but second-years first? Why?
"Um, why us first...?"
Cheon So-yul voiced the same doubt, tilting her head puzzledly.
That's when Yang Chan-ho rummaged through a stack of papers and handed something to us.
"Take a look at this first?"
We exchanged brief glances, then pressed our temples together and dove into the document without deciding who went first...
"Hmm?"
Did our pose look that odd?
Yang Chan-ho's eyes widened briefly before he asked with a meaningful smile.
"You two dating or something?"
We froze simultaneously, then eyed each other.
And answered at the same time.
"No."
"We're flirting."
The flat first reply was Cheon So-yul's; the casual second was mine.
We flinched in mutual surprise and read each other's intentions with our eyes.
I turned back to Yang Chan-ho.
"Nope."
"...Actually, we are flirting."
But another voice chimed in half a beat late—Cheon So-yul correcting herself.
I turned to her with a what-the-hell expression.
Cheon So-yul ducked her flushed head. She looked genuinely confused by her own words.
"Puhahaha!"
Yang Chan-ho let out his biggest laugh of the day, throwing his head back and practically shaking the room.
Our Hero, wiping tears from his eyes, grinned at us.
"So-yul, Hyun-jin—you two are hilarious. Your classmates must love having you around. Bet it's fun just watching."
"...">
"...">
We opted not to respond. Silent agreement to just bury ourselves in the papers again.
"Uh..."
"Huh?"
But that resolve crumbled fast. The document was the culprit—the bold title on the first page.
[April Blue Pine Festival: All-Years Top Two Tournament Schedule]
...It outlined the academy's grand(?) plan to pit the top two from each year—eight students total—in a single bracket. Wow. Sounds fun.
*****
"That's the gist. Of course, none of these eight are unimportant, but considering public hype... you two are unmatched."
"So basically, 'Disciple of the Archmage vs. Disciple of Myriad Thunders—go at it hard for the crowd. Show who's stronger in front of everyone'?"
"...Ahem. Don't put it so bluntly, Hyun-jin. It's more like, only one of you can reach semis anyway, so let's make the stage bigger...!"
According to Yang Chan-ho, here's how this mess started.
The all-years top-two tournament was long planned, but in a meeting, someone noted the two biggest buzzmakers were in second year.
Yeah, us: Ice Empress's disciple and Myriad Thunders' youngest daughter.
The Blue Pine Festival next month is a national event, so they wanted to milk us for promo.
...That's when we finally got why he'd called us first out of the eight.
I shot Yang Chan-ho a displeased look.
"So ultimately, you're making our matchup the main event? For academy promo?"
"...">
The Hero fell silent.
Our expressions darkened.
"N-No. Sure, that's partly it, but it's good for you too! Separate promo fees wired to your accounts, fame boost...!"
He rattled off excuses desperately, but meh. Not much appeal.
Money? Cheon So-yul from a prestigious family doesn't need it, nor do I scrape by.
Fame? Pointless—we're already Blue Pine's most famous duo.
Our names in news articles won't dramatically change our futures.
"Eh..."
"Hmm."
Our lukewarm reactions made him more frantic. Brief hesitation crossed his face, then resolve.
"Alright, deal: If either of you reaches the final, I'll dip into my savings for items. Thunder Restoration Pill for So-yul, Pure Sky Oil for Hyun-jin—"
"Deal. We're in."
"I've wanted this role since hearing about it."
Before he finished, we accepted.
We beamed enthusiastically; his face twisted into indescribable complexity.
"...Thanks."
Yang Chan-ho nodded reluctantly, probably regretting the loss, but backing out now would be silly.
We flashed each other covert thumbs-up.
"We'll head out then."
Just in case the Hero reneged, I stood quickly to preempt it.
Cheon So-yul rose silently too. No words needed.
"Yeah, go, go..."
Too down to see us off? He just waved listlessly.
Then he paused.
An odd expression crossed his face. Like he'd remembered something. He wiped his mouth and turned back.
"Hyun-jin?"
Calling me.
"Stick around for a quick meeting."
"...?"
Huh? No.
Why just me?