The Angel Prepares (2)
“Isn’t this illegal?”
A voice laced with anger echoed through the room. The speaker was Yumari, the illegitimate daughter of the Yu family head.
The man fiddling with the monitor chuckled in response.
“...Miss, there’s no such thing as ‘illegal’ at our family’s events.”
“Ah, of course.”
The monitor displayed a single boy. He was huddled under his blanket, battling some nightmare.
“Who the hell ordered this investigation, anyway?”
“It was the young masters and ladies of the house. They heard that all the students who passed this year’s entrance exam are raving about one particular boy, and they wanted to know more about him.”
The young masters and ladies of the house. That meant the legitimate heirs of the Yu family head. The enemies who had taken her mother from her...
“Hah... And so they go installing cameras and everything...”
“We were ordered to investigate thoroughly.”
Why are those bastards curious about Refri? And ‘thoroughly’? Don’t tell me...?
Yumari couldn’t help but entertain dark thoughts. Just like they had used her mother and then abused, misused, and discarded her in the end... they might do the same to Refri.
She bit her lip.
I should have made sure he failed.
Yes, it was too late now. How could she even get him out of this? Refri was clearly a boy hungry for success as a superhuman. And he hated her guts. No amount of persuasion would work. Plus, his skills were top-notch—he’d even claimed the top spot, though he’d yielded it to her. Petty tricks wouldn’t cut it either.
“Sigh... What’s this data?”
“Preliminary investigation report on the boy.”
It was a brief file summarizing the boy’s information. Yumari pored over it intently. And unbeknownst to anyone, a sorrowful expression crossed her face.
* * *
There was once a place called the DMZ. Now it was known as the Gate Special District. Why? Because the world’s largest gate hovered in the skies above it.
What had been a barren no-man’s-land was now a sprawling metropolis teeming with nearly ten million souls. Half from other worlds, half from Earth—and half of those Earthlings were foreigners.
In the heart of that city lay a district called Gumyo Fortress. Home to dungeons brimming with rare treasures and ancient dwarf forges, it was the most vital area—and even in the already overcrowded Special District, it boasted an overwhelming population density.
2,500,000 people per square kilometer... The worst density humanity had ever seen. And what sustained it? Inconceivable wealth.
That wealth was monopolized by a single subhuman clan. They ruled Gumyo Fortress through violence and fear, and in awe, people called them the Dalgoyang clan.
“So, you made it into the academy?”
The clan’s matriarch, Jeogwol, flicked ash from her long cigarette as she sat across from her daughter.
“Yeah. It was a piece of cake.”
“But you let the Yu bastard’s spawn steal the top spot.”
“Not that again!”
Jeogwol was a cat subhuman radiating seductive allure. Her hair burned like crimson flames. Even her daughter had curves that turned heads, yet Jeogwol’s own figure mocked them. And surrounding her were dozens of men.
Hongwol sneered in contempt, her tail flicking irritably.
“Still the same, huh.”
“What?”
“Hating men.”
“...I don’t hate men. I just ignore them.”
Jeogwol shook her head with a laugh and stroked a grinning man beside her. He purred and nuzzled into her like a pet.
“Why hate something this nice? You’ll have to bear a daughter someday... This attitude won’t do.”
“Ugh, that’s not the point right now!”
“Hm? What could be more important than continuing the bloodline? Oh, right. Central Academy’s co-ed anyway. Have fun.”
As Jeogwol made a lewd gesture, Hongwol spun away with a yelp.
“Fun? Seriously?!”
“Ahahaha. Virgins. So pathetic.”
Jeogwol took a long drag from her cigarette, her vertical pupils flashing as she turned serious.
“You know this, right? Men are possessions. If there’s one you want... break him completely. And never let him steal your heart.”
Hongwol fell silent. She’d always agreed without hesitation before. But now that she had a boy she truly wanted, she couldn’t bring herself to say it—even as a lie.
“Answer me.”
“...”
“What are you doing before your clan head? Answer!”
Jeogwol’s rage flared, and the dozens of men around her slammed their heads to the ground in prostration. Some trembled, muttering prayers.
Hongwol averted her eyes.
“Got it.”
“Good girl.”
Jeogwol took another drag and beckoned Hongwol closer with a finger.
“We’ve pinpointed the holy sword’s location. Just as we thought—sealed beneath the main building at Central Academy.”
“I’ll steal it for sure.”
“Hongwol, if you fail... we’ll have no choice but to join the Demon King’s army and invade this world again. You know this concerns our clan’s survival.”
“I know.”
Jeogwol rubbed cheeks with her one true daughter.
“I believe in you.”
She watched her daughter leave until the end. Then, in a quiet voice, she whispered to the shadows.
“Somwol.”
“Yes, Clan Head?”
“Looks like that girl’s got a man now, doesn’t it?”
“...I think so too.”
She muttered irritably.
“Damn it, even we can’t infiltrate that dogshit academy... She won’t let some boy steal her heart, will she?”
* * *
Central Superhuman Academy had a special rule. Collect three professor recommendation letters, and you could claim one of the academy’s legendary artifacts from the treasury.
It applied to all students, new and old alike. But students weren’t clawing for them like dogs... because Central Academy professors were infamous for their stingy evaluations. Even exceptional feats earned mere praise; only the unbelievable got rewards.
Recommendation letters? Three of them? Most students figured you had better odds raiding an S-rank dungeon for a legendary artifact.
“The treasury’s opening?”
Students couldn’t hide their shock. Who had collected three?
“Even the student council president only has two. Yusihyun?”
“...If that annoying bitch got a third, it’d be all over the news. Probably not.”
“No way it’s really...”
One student muttered.
“A freshman, right?”
“What? They haven’t even enrolled yet.”
Who had gathered three recommendations to unlock Central Academy’s treasure vault?
“The noise is intense.”
“Can’t be helped for security.”
It was, of course, Refri. He watched the massive vault door grind open, thoughts racing.
Legendary artifacts... Items that rarely hit auctions, but fetch astronomical prices when they do.
“Kid, get in already. You’ll get auto-ejected in 30 minutes, remember. And there’s good gauntlets over there. Especially the OPG—”
“No time—going in!”
“Wait!”
Refri couldn’t afford to dawdle. Swords and spears filled the entrance, followed by armors—each a priceless treasure.
Ugh, such a waste. But what I need most right now is...
Refri had his eyes on something else. He rushed deep into the vault, past weapons, shields, and armors.
Next came “legendary” items that were useless junk, half-abandoned.
Legendary Greeting Machine: Legendarily awkwardly says hello.
Legendary Canteen: Never runs dry. But drips constantly.
Legendary Card: Legendarily shiny...
No one thought anything valuable lurked here.
It’s definitely here—the ultimate scam artifact.
And Refri found it. A large, gray, rugged rectangular stone. Just like in his memories.
This is it...!
As the boy emerged with the unremarkable stone, a woman watched. Draped in nun’s robes, she was called a saint by some. Rebecca, professor of holy power at Central Academy.
“To think someone recognized that stone’s value... The vice principal was right.”
So, what power did this legendary stone hold? Why the fuss from Refri and Rebecca?
This legendary stone was called the Corestone.
Repairs a ruined building and transfers ownership to the stone’s holder. Usable once.
A consumable artifact with a meh ability. Repair a building and claim ownership? Perfect for real estate agents.
But...
And Central Academy has one ruin. A relic left by a religious order that held out against the Demon King’s army to the end. In a year, its value will be rediscovered. Protected by ancient tech, it single-handedly blocked the Demon King’s invasions for over a decade.
One building holding off the Demon King’s army? For ten years? People had tried restoring it, but current tech couldn’t. Enter the Corestone.
But in my past life, someone who defected to the Demon King fled with it to another world. That’s why they never fixed it. If it had worked, humanity might not have fallen so pathetically.
But more importantly... I need that building for my comfy, quiet life. A safe home base—not some one-room where I feel watched...
Refri emerged with the stone. Rusa looked thoroughly disappointed.
“...What’s that?”
“A stone.”
“No, I can see that. Why’d you grab that?”
“Gonna use it.”
Rusa rummaged for a cigarette.
“Fine... Whatever. If you need it...”
“Professor, one question.”
“Shoot.”
“What if I owned part of the academy grounds?”
“Own grounds? Why? Starting a club?”
Clubs were like student guilds. They handled cash and even owned academy land.
“Don’t clubs owning land cause issues?”
“Nah. They need places to crash too.”
Somehow, they’d reached a western plain. Reeds swayed amid scattered ruins. A cool breeze made it feel desolate. Ruins fit perfectly.
“Plenty of unused land like this. Better someone puts it to use.”
“Exactly! I agree completely!”
Refri placed the stone amid the ruins. Suddenly, a cathedral materialized.
Not huge, but majestic with flowing holy power—it looked unbreakable. And Rusa instinctively knew: this cathedral belonged to Refri.
“...S-so, how do I register a club?”
“What the hell is this...”
Rusa dropped her cigarette.