Chapter 107
Chapter 107
Academy’s Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Chapter 107
Alright, kids, see you next time!
Bye~ Oppa. Let's play again tomorrow.
Hey, I'm not your oppa, I'm your friend, right?
Oh, really? Then, friend, see you tomorrow!
I waved goodbye after playing to my heart's content with the elementary school kidswho looked middle school-aged at most.
The way they shouted, I'm 17 years old! as soon as I called them friends was just pitiful. They didn't even listen and just left.
Poor things.
Ah... That was fun. But we need to find the others before the sun sets.
Yeah, we have to find our comrades. Though normally, wouldn't you think of that before playing?
True... Playing came before comrades.
But pitying them didn't erase their naughtiness.
At my words and Isis's, Iji's body stiffened up.
He stiffly turned his head back like a wooden puppet, then jumped in surprise the moment he spotted us.
T-Teacher?! How did you and Sis get here...?
We came looking for you, obviously. Right, Teacher?
I nodded without a word, and Iji's face turned beet red.
So you do know shame.
D-Did you see me playing with the kids earlier...?
Oh, that's what embarrassed you?
My bad for assuming otherwise.
I turned away from him and gazed at the distant sky and mountains.
'The scenery is really pretty.'
For the record, the blizzard had stopped, but snow was still falling lightly.
The sky was blank like a white canvas.
An empty landscape.
And yet, the reason I found this view beautiful was...
You, come here.
Sis, let's talk after you stop gathering mana in your hand. Okay? Then I'll come.
It's fine. It won't hurt. One shot's enough.
Not satisfied with playing with the kids earlier, now Iji was playing with Isis.
Tag looked fun to watch.
When twenty minutes passed with no end in sight, I grabbed them both and urged them to get moving.
This is going to take all day.
'Where are the others?'
Now we'd found two.
But the remaining four were nowhere to be found, even after hours of searching the village. It wasn't tiny, but not that big either.
They're not outside the village, are they?
No way. I checked every possible spot on the way down the mountain.
[Mapping the terrain of the village-scale Backside World, 'Frozen Ruins, Temil', in progress!]
[28.1%...]
[33.8%...]
...
[All terrain of the mountains and village has been recorded.]
[49.9% of the Backside World has been grasped!]
Completion at 49.9%.
I'd roamed half the Backside World, scanning every likely spot for people.
No matter how far, my [Demon Eye] and made it possible.
'But not finding them until mapping half the map means... there's only one reason.'
[Using the skill 'Demon Eye' to peer through each house.]
My vision scanned the quiet village panorama, focusing on the houses.
Faint signs of life inside.
Yet, despite the blizzard stopping, no chimney smoke anywhere odd drew my eye.
The villagers here.
Why were they hiding indoors?
I couldn't understand, but it was easy to infer my students were among those groups.
* * *
Teacher, are you sure the kids are really in this village?
Now even I... Teacher, I'm not sure anymore. They're supposed to be here, right?
Two more hours of searching every corner, and still no one emerged.
No running kids in sight now.
Iji voiced strong doubts.
Even Isis, who'd followed without complaint at first, started doubting after two fruitless hours.
A normal person would give up by now.
But my resolve was firm.
Yes. Unless they've already been defeated and sent back to reality by safeguards, a few are definitely here.
Probability they're hiding in all these houses and not coming out?
Possible, but we've been walking around making noise, and no doll peeks from a window? That's slim.
What? That's basically saying they're not here!
Exactly.
No kids in those houses.
By process of elimination, Temil Village was the only place left for students.
So if not inside...
High chance they're all outside together.
...This is insane.
Assuming a hunter among the students, No Yu-ra was most likely. She'd probably be hunting people or animals with her firearms.
Her auction house combat skills made it feasible.
'No gunshots, though. She's handling it fine.'
Among the six, the worrisome ones were mostly found.
SNS addict No Yu-ra surprisingly had her act together; she'd survive alone in a Backside World.
Isabelle, as our group leader, was no worry.
Sung Yeon-hwa and Seo Ye-rin were the concerns.
'Both can survive alone here. Still... uneasy.'
Heroines strong in combat, no safety worries.
But their personalities might stir trouble.
Right then.
Rumble rumble!!!
Voices chattering.
From the village entrance, opposite our position.
We bolted there.
Cautious of trouble, we hid at a distance on high ground for a clear view.
People!
Shh. Quiet.
Iji cheered loudly but covered his mouth realizing the mood, helped by my glare.
A cluster of people in the distance.
They swung at each other, then thudsomeone hit the ground.
What is it? A brawl?
Too intense for that. Like they're really fighting.
No.
Not a brawl or fight
A battle to kill.
Teacher?
My body leaned forward.
To grasp the fight and situation better.
From afar on high, it was clear.
Villagers versus outsiders.
Villagersadults, first sightingbut outsiders were familiar by garb.
Not faces, their outfits.
...My kids.
Kids? Teacher, you're married?!
Figurative. My mercenary corps members in this world.
Aha.
I shot Iji a glance.
He's been so dense lately.
Not malicious, but how's he surviving this harsh world?
As teacher, I'd teach him later.
Teacher. Those guys are dressed like the ones I killed.
Yeah, same bunch.
Black clothes, wolf emblem.
We knew it from the lodge corpse field's notes.
Black Wolf Mercenary Corps.
Mercenaries? Look more like bandits.
Told you. I'm their captain in this world.
Ahh...
Iji shrank at that.
Why shrink? Someone might think I really am.
'Just the Backside World's arbitrary role assignment.'
Not crucial.
Temil Village is the backdrop; villagers matter more than unfamiliar mercs.
No guards or knights in the village?
In a hamlet like this?
You two, stay put.
[Demon Eye]
My ruby pupils turned amethyst, viewing the world in monochrome.
Mana flows sparkled blue amid it. Tangled mercs clashing with a few defenders.
Black wolf emblems on clothes, weapons, shields.
Among opponents, a spear-wielder caught my eye.
Monochrome vision blurred details, but curves screamed womanSeo Ye-rin for sure.
Behind her, an armored giant synced perfectly.
Strong.
My [Demon Eye] saw mana and grudges.
Precise mana in muscles and veins for fluid armored movement. Thousand grudges lined like curses behind.
Heavy karma of slaughter.
[You have encountered the scenario's main NPC, Frontier Knight 'Termiya.']
[Loyal to his lord, he clings to loyalty as knighthood's core virtue, acting without doubt or hesitation.
Put nicely, loyal. Harshly, spineless puppet.
Armed with rune shield and master swordsmanship, Termiya is Frontier's living fortress.]
First living NPCs since arriving.
Their leader stood out starkly.
Medieval full plate armor man.
Eye-catching alone, but tied deeply to this world's end.
...Main NPC.
Visible to you too, Teacher?
Yeah. Might be key to conquering this Backside World.
Thinking that,
I examined the armored NPC closer.
Even full plate shakes in fierce combat; gaps reveal build.
'Height 181.27cm. Helmet 1-1.7cm thick, loose wobble means actual 178-179cm.'
I scrutinized build, foot spacing, sword swings, technique links.
Specs came easy.
Got it.
Teacher, know who he is? Wait, shouldn't we help? Ye-rin's there.
One question at a time.
Help the people?
Ye-rin...?
...Not both at once.
Amazed at their innocence, I clutched my head.
Headache wasn't from them.
Scattered info turning specific, with a wrench thrown in, exploding thoughts.
'Knight in plate in this backwater? Weirder: his prefix.'
Frontier.
Means outpost, but not here.
Village/city name? Person?
'Damn, puzzle's warping. What am I missing?'
Most likely region.
But village-scale Backside World should be just that size, history/geography be damned.
If knight's from Frontier outskirts, what's Temil?
'No info to infer.'
No choice.
Ask directly.
Ye-rin's there. Go help villagers.
For real? Teacher not joining?
Forget my role?
Right, overseer.
I urged kids to aid the knight.
Couldn't do more.
My role: observe.
Choice: theirs.
Seo Ye-rin was with them, so Iji and Isis eagerly drew weapons.
Isis just gloves and bracelets, no fuss. Iji pulled small handaxe, paired shield and double-bladed axe from backpack.
'Wait...?'
Shield and double-bladed axe?
How'd that big thing fit in the backpack?