Aftermath (2)
Despite all the chaos during midterms, none of it blew back on me directly. The professors had imposed the attack restrictions first, so they couldn't pin any blame on me—and even if they tried, I wouldn't have cared. I figured Lize, who I was living with, might chew me out, but she didn't. Instead, she praised me, saying Chaos was delighted. And sure enough, just from midterms, my Faith had shot up.
Last time I checked, it had climbed all the way to 34. No matter what origin you pick in the Soul World, Faith usually starts fixed at 10, and it's notoriously hard to raise. Hitting over 30 was seriously impressive.
Too bad there's no real use for it—that's the trap.
Normally, higher Faith boosts different abilities depending on the denomination. Gulaak amps up attack powers like lightning strikes, Gaia enhances healing and defense, that sort of thing. But Chaos is a bit different. The higher your Faith, the less likely Chaos screws you over. It's a mixed bag—it messes with you on the regular but pulls through in real crises. Still, a high stat is never a bad thing. With Lize around, I could take it slow.
"Tasty?"
"Yeah. Tasty."
"Good. You really love chocolate, huh."
Right now, dessert first—eat the good stuff. I shoveled in the piled-high chocolate ice cream, savoring every bite. Kara had said eat whatever after the exams, so today I was going all out. Sure, you might think it'd make her feel awkward, but nah—she gets uncomfortable if I hold back. In the Soul World, she'd grumble that holding back just creates awkwardness between us.
Considering her bold, generous personality, stuffing my face was way better.
"You'll get diabetes eating like that... Don't let him go overboard."
Of course, it wasn't just the two of us. Kara felt bad and bought some for Grace too. She'd planned to invite Yeonju, but she flat-out refused—said she had personal business. With a major Hwan Empire figure about to enroll soon, she was probably swamped.
"Diabetes, right? That thing where too much sugar causes all sorts of diseases."
"Yes. You know your stuff."
"It was a common local disease in our country just a few years back. Ever since Tatar was founded, sweet treats have spread everywhere."
"Oh. Yeah, now that you mention it."
Tatar drew from ancient Egypt vibes, so its food culture was similar—tongue-numbingly sweet desserts were the specialty. Tatar desserts were all notoriously sugary. Perfect for calorie boosts in the scorching heat, packed with nutrition, and standard army rations. Or so I'd heard.
"You know chocolate was invented in our country, right?"
"Really? News to me. Isn't the stuff for chocolate from other regions?"
"We grow it here too."
They make everything sweet. That sums up Tatar's food culture. No wonder diabetes rates could skyrocket, but weirdly, almost no one got it. Their pancreases were insanely tough, and medicine had advanced enough to manage it. Still, once you got it, it was strict management for life. Even in fantasy, some things just wouldn't heal.
"Ugh..."
Maybe from nonstop ice cream shoveling. Listening to Kara explain, my head started throbbing like it might split. I clutched it and groaned. Kara chuckled.
"Slow down. Big sis is buying today."
"Big sis?"
Grace's eyes went wide at Kara calling herself that, clearly puzzled. Kara often had that reliable big-sister vibe—no surprise there. She was a couple years older than most students anyway. Considering my real age, we were close, but her sturdy aura made it easy to brush off.
"Dunno exactly. But judging by his face, he's around your age, right?"
"Hmm..."
Grace stared at my face, scrutinizing with those sharp eyes. I stared right back. She flushed, looked away, then cleared her throat and agreed.
"Could be. When he first showed up with that long beard, I thought he was older."
"A beard on that face... Kinda weird. But it'd be cute."
Kara ruffled my hair as she said it. This kind of touch was normal now. Grace watched us, her expression oddly complex. Yeah, this level of contact between guys and girls wasn't common—had to be super close.
"You two seem really tight, Kara."
"Do we? Dunno."
"Ow!"
She went to pinch my cheek next, so I whined. Petting during meals was fine; pinching, not so much. Kara got it and stuck to hair ruffles.
"We had to get close. No one else approaches me, and even when I do, they dodge. But not this guy. One day, boom—friends."
"..."
"No need for that face. I know how much damage our country did to yours. I'm not that shameless."
Reading Grace's apologetic look, Kara waved it off reassuringly. As she said, Tatar had pillaged neighbors before and right after founding—no wonder the bad rep. Hector's "Destruction King" title didn't help.
"Plus, looking back, I was the problem too. Apologizing doesn't count if the victim won't accept it. It's just forcing it."
"Forcing..."
"Yeah. Forcing. So I'll take the 'barbarian' stares. Heard Frozen started as barbarians too? Tatar'll improve with time."
Big change in her mindset in under a month. Never saw this in the Soul World. What changed her?
I stopped scraping the ice cream bowl and looked at Kara. Her green eyes were misty, apologetic as she met my gaze. No reason for guilt, though.
"And... people are hypocrites. I trash-talked civilized folk, but I'm no different."
She gently touched my face. I savored the soft touch, gazing quietly. Her emerald eyes sparkled like gems. Her usual rough-and-tumble image felt fresh like this.
"Anyway, enough lame talk. More questions? Fire away."
Awkward vibe? Kara switched topics, back to her solid self. Grace noticed and pondered her next question. Plenty to ask, but needed to dodge traps.
"Kara."
"Yeah? Something to say?"
"Ice cream. More."
Screw that—more ice cream first. I held out my empty bowl. Kara looked dumbfounded, then chuckled dryly and refused sternly.
"Not now. Pace yourself."
"Why?"
Too much already? Yeah, probably. I shrank back. Kara grinned.
"You'll burn out fast. Try other flavors."
"Other?"
"Not just chocolate—strawberry, vanilla. Let's see..."
She scanned the menu. Cafe full of sweets. Spotting something, she pointed curiously.
"Mint chocolate? What's this? First time seeing it."
"..."
My face hardened. They had that here too.
"It's super polarizing. Might not suit Sivar's taste."
"He eats anything, so probably fine?"
"Maybe. I'm good with it—give it a shot."
First time I ever left food uneaten that day.
"Why's it taste bad? Weird. Nom."
"..."
I wonder how you can even eat that.
*****
"...Then I'll be going, President."
"Yes. Be more careful next time."
The door creaked shut with a click. Delphoi bowed politely to Lord, then stood silently before it, unmoving. His fists trembled; lips bitten raw.
"Damn it!"
He spat the curse low enough Lord wouldn't hear and stormed off. Heading to his lab, he replayed Lord's words.
"In an academy of fairness and equity, not content with such conditions—you overstepped your bounds... If this gets out, your reputation will suffer."
"From where? Ah, the Magic Tower? Is the headmaster there...?"
"If more comes to light, I won't tolerate it. Sivar's an official student now."
He'd expected it, but got every insult in the book. Felt like a verbal beatdown. Worst? Couldn't rebut a word. The overreach was fact.
But Lord stepping in? Unexpected. He was the neutral barrier. If he sided against you, your rep tanked hard.
That damn barbarian...!
Still vivid: the blank face snapping his wrist, then the humiliating fall. Rage inevitable.
But so what? Sivar had Lord and the saint's backing. Couldn't bury him politically or rig exams harder—might get expelled for real.
All of them...!
Everyone ignoring him. Wildman first, then Grace swapping professors 'cause she didn't like him, now Lord. Wildman and Lord? Touch and risk life. Grace? Her family was a snag, but could use it against her.
Needed to vent this fury. Grace was easiest.
Right. Start with that bitch. The rest'll chain-react.
She and Sivar were tight—like sausages on a string. One down, dominoes fall. Start slow.
Delphoi smirked viciously.
Gotta get to the lab quick.
Time was short.
Pray all you want now—won't help.
Classic: slapped in Jongno, fuming by the Han.