Chapter 30
Chapter 30
Translator: Penny
Chapter 30: The God of Buying Low
Episode 30: The God of Buying Low
Baek Sia.
Ordinary family background, ordinary middle school life.
One day, while assembling her hobby, a Gundam robot, she witnessed the robot suddenly come to life, confirming the awakening of her supernatural ability. After undergoing an ability assessment, she was admitted to the Academy.
Naturally, everyone expected her to become a Blacksmith. However, Baek Sia instinctively yearned to roam the battlefield like the heroes she'd seen on TV, defeating monsters.
Unsurprisingly, her ability wasn't suited for combat, so even if she passed the entrance exam, she'd likely be placed in Class E, the lowest tier. Some even doubted she'd be admitted at all. Yet, Eve, recognizing the unique nature of her ability, promoted her to a higher-tier class instead.
The rumor that Eve had recommended Baek Sia for Class D spread like wildfire. Fearing they might miss the chance to team up with students from higher classes who valued her talent, the Class D students subjected her to bullying bordering on abuse.
Despite the severe bullying, Baek Sia remained steadfast in her determination to become a Hero, refusing to give up on her path.
The protagonist's first encounter with Baek Sia occurred during the Student Council President Election. After her crushing defeat, a classmate threatened to force her to withdraw from the Academy. Even if it meant death, Baek Sia vowed never to quit. When the classmate moved to strike her, the protagonist intervened, blocking the blow and sparking the beginning of their connection.
After hearing about Baek Sia's talents in detail, the protagonist introduced her to a blacksmith friend in Class A. Following the blacksmith's guidance, Baek Sia disappeared from the narrative for quite some time. However, during the Midterm Evaluation, she suddenly reappeared, presenting the protagonist with god-tier equipment, instantly elevating her value to prominence.
Within the Gates, where mana flowed intensely, most electronic devices malfunctioned. Baek Sia solved this problem by creating advanced wireless communication devices and electronic equipment. Ultimately, she even developed cutting-edge weaponry reminiscent of superhero movies, including battle suits akin to Iron Man's armor, allowing her to operate as a formidable combatant.
Baek Sia's earnest efforts to stoke the fire in the forge, both in the shop window and on the weapon enhancement screen, were so endearing that she consistently ranked among the top 10 most popular characters in popularity polls. Besides, establishing a connection with South Korea's greatest blacksmith beforehand couldn't hurt.
Baek Sia isn't a character whose lifetime weapon-crafting capacity is limited. If I can give her more experience in weapon-making before she meets the protagonist, I might be able to enhance the performance of the first weapon she crafts for him later on.
"Ch-Chairman! What are you doing here...?"
Yun Se-a?! Why is the Student Council President coming out of here? If she tells them everything we've done to harass her, we're all finished, aren't we?
Why are the Chairwoman and the Student Council President both backing that parachute bitch?!
"Everyone, quiet down. I heard Miss Baek Sia is here."
Let's see...
I scanned the room, observing the freshmen stunned by the sudden appearance of a celebrity, and a few cadets terrified of being exposed for bullying Baek Sia. Everything was proceeding exactly as I'd anticipated.
Crash!
What no-name bitch dares to...?!
Amidst the chaos, the girl who had been shoved into the trash can struggled to her feet, panting. But when she saw my face, she froze, realizing she was powerless against me.
Why is she acting like that? Is she really crazy?
Her life's over. I heard she's the heir to some Guild. If their Potion supply gets cut off, won't the Guild collapse?
You're all the same.
Even those of you criticizing that student from afar are no different from the defeatist vermin who tormented Baek Sia.
"............!!!"
Tap-tap-tap!
Just a minute or two ago, the cadets had been staring at the classroom's dominant figure with awe. Now, as they realized they were being regarded with pity, the fierce-looking cadet burst into tears, kicked open the door, and fled.
Is this what the world's top-tier Raon Academy is like?
It suddenly made sense why cadets from other academies in South Korea applied to transfer to Raon.
Still, the level of academies in South Korea, excluding Raon... it must be quite dire.
In any case, I hoped that cadets who were nothing but rotten parts wouldn't tread the path of heroes.
Should I contact Deok-bae and ask him to handle this?
I'm not trash like Yun Seong-ho. Besides, once the Raon Academy's curriculum gets underway, many cadets will drop out, overwhelmed by the brutal difficulty of the assignments and the advanced level of the classes.
I should ask Eve to raise the admission cut-off significantly.
"Um..."
A student who had fallen to the floor slowly raised their hand and stood up.
"Yes? Do you happen to know where Miss Baek Sia is?"
Her hair wasn't in a ponytail, and her bangs hung down messily, obscuring her face. She was wearing an oversized uniform that looked deliberately baggy. I knew immediately she wasn't Baek Sia, but...
"I... I'm Baek Sia."
She looks different from the illustration.
I guess I'd been too focused on finding someone who looked exactly like the illustration.
Information
Name: Baek Sia
Age: 18
Affinity: Exploration, Madness
Skills:
* Genius Blacksmith (A)
The chance of achieving a great success in weapon crafting and enhancement is greatly increased.
Craft Master (S)
You can materialize a perfect understanding of structures, granting additional effects in combat when using your own creations.
Attributes:
Strength: C
Defense: D
Mana: F
Stamina: F
Agility: D
Luck: A+
"I was right, Baek Sia."
Anyway, I found her.
"Hello, Miss Sia. Would you mind if I accompanied you for a while?"
The person who will make my staff.
After class, I led Baek Sia to an empty clubroom instead of the Student Council Office. Kang A-yul and the other students might make her uncomfortable if they saw her there. I had brought a chair and a full-length mirror into the room.
"Did you have any trouble in class?"
"Ah, no... thanks to you."
As the current Student Council President, my authority within the Academy remained quite high. Fortunately, it seemed the Class D cadets had stopped bullying Baek Sia after the incident.
That's a relief.
"Come this way for now."
"Huh...?"
Baek Sia looked at me, slightly startled, as I gestured toward the chair with the mirror.
"When you swing your sword, having such long bangs can obstruct your vision. I'm no expert, but... would you mind if I trimmed your bangs?"
"Ah, y-yes!"
After giving Baek Sia a haircut identical to her original appearance, she instantly transformed from "Dark-Aura Female Student #1" into "Popular Character in ASOMA's Top 10 Popularity Poll."
"I... is this my face?"
"It just turned out that way while I was trimming it. Do you like it?"
"Y-yes, I love it!"
Instead of taking Baek Sia's hand, who was stunned by her sudden transformation, I finished tidying her hair and led her to another location.
"This is the area where cadets who don't specialize in combat train. Some call it... the Industrial Class."
A place where molten metal flowed and scorching heat struck the face—the Academy's forge.
Clang! Clang!
Tssssssssss...!!
The sounds of molten metal boiling and cooling echoed repeatedly. Pure white steam billowed from the chimney, signaling the intense heat within. Glancing to the side, I saw Baek Sia's face twisted in a deep frown.
"You brought me here... to deliver the same message as the Chairwoman, didn't you? To abandon the Striker Position and join the Industrial Class?"
Seeing the blacksmith shop seemed to trigger Baek Sia's PTSD, threatening to shatter the rapport we had painstakingly built. She regarded me with a wary gaze.
"Well... you could see it that way, but I have a different perspective than the Chairwoman."
I roughly sketched a human figure on the chalkboard.
"Miss Sia's skills are Craft Master (S Rank) and Genius Blacksmith (A Rank). While both are considered optimized for Industrial Class cadets... if you shift your perspective, they're actually incredibly powerful skills."
He sketched a human figure clad in steel armor. Some parts of the armor could launch missiles, while others could deploy energy swords and shields—futuristic components.
"If Miss Sia equips high-performance armor enhanced by the Genius Blacksmith (A Rank)'s passive effects, and then further optimizes it using Craft Master (S Rank)'s capabilities..."
Gradually, the chalkboard began to depict not a frail individual, but a knight clad in armor resembling a Gundam model, fighting valiantly on the battlefield.
Baek Sia's eyes widened, trembling violently.
"What do you think? It'll look amazing, right?"
How many people would tell someone who's been denied the Striker position their entire life, "You can be a Striker"?
Originally, Baek Sia was supposed to find her own path to growth through self-discovery. But... unfortunately, I'm too weak to wait for that.
"...Chairman, please help me. It might sound crazy, but... if there's anything you want from me, I'll do anything..."
The girl who had refused to transfer to the Industrial Class now stared at me with eyes fixed on something, like a madman's gaze.
The determined steps of a genius who had made up her mind...
"Of course, that's exactly what I intend. The Yuseong Group always welcomes talented individuals."
I have no intention of letting her slip through my fingers.