The Angel Who Brings the Rain (2)
“Haaah... haaah...”
Refri staggered and collapsed. He stared up at the ceiling.
“I miss the hospital...”
Whining like that, Refri was surrounded by countless students who had also collapsed. They were all the first-year swordsmanship department students taking the class with him.
“Huff... huff...”
“I’m gonna die like this...”
“Ugh, mana exhaustion now...”
Refri glanced at the teaching assistants. As expected, their faces were full of dissatisfaction. ‘Is that all you’ve got?’ they seemed to say.
At Park Jinho’s command, watching the scene—
“Assistants, to your positions!”
As the assistants moved away from the students, curses began to leak out from around them, one by one.
“Damn it...”
“Those bastards...”
Quiet curses drifted through the air. Refri wanted to join in and mutter something himself... but alas, angels couldn’t swear. So he could only wipe his sweat and think about when this class would end.
One student asked him.
“Refri...”
“Yeah?”
“You really never swear, do you? That’s impressive.”
Refri could only smile at that.
And so the swordsmanship department class continued. Refri swung the heavy greatsword, thinking to himself. Even with Strength 13, it was hard to endure the weight. Without the Divine Ability of martial arts, he would have collapsed long ago.
‘This is why massive guilds scoop up Central Academy graduates.’
Even if he were a guild recruiter, he’d hire anyone who survived this ordeal on the spot. They’d be the type who could endure any task thrown at them.
“Ten more reps!”
Ugh— Aaaah— Uuugh— Chilling groans and sweat soaking the floor.
“Good. Ten more!”
Why did the number keep increasing? Refri was starting to wonder if this was the military, a school, or something similar.
Come to think of it, the Central Academy professors didn’t quite fit the teacher mold. Starting with Rusa, then Park Jinho, Klein... They might be humanity’s heroes, but as educators, they all had serious personality issues.
“Ten more!”
S-stop... stop it! Refri screamed silently.
‘The hospital... I miss the hospital...!’
Refri suffered today as well.
And then, break time. The students left their greatswords where they fell and collapsed at their spots.
“Huaaaah.”
“Uwaaaah.”
Just from the sounds, you’d think it was a battlefield ward.
The assistants clicked their tongues—“Tch”—and issued another harsh order.
“Cadets! At least one or two of you need to put away the greatswords. If you think it’s you, get up now.”
It was a swordsmanship department tradition. The lowest scorer of the day had to drag their exhausted body through cleanup as well. So the assistant’s words were basically telling the bottom performers not to rest and to get up on their own.
‘Wow, I really can’t move a muscle... And my Angel Power’s almost gone. I’ve got martial arts department class later. I’m screwed. Any way to borrow some?’
Refri thought, twitching. Would the actual lowest scorer have any strength left to move? Other students glanced their way, but they could only lie there, tears streaming, unable to speak.
“Ha, playing it like this? I’ll have to deduct points from the whole department...”
But would the ones about to get penalized understand? The atmosphere grew increasingly tense.
A thought flashed through Refri’s mind.
‘Wait, if I clean this up, won’t I get Angel Power? Cleaning the cathedral gives a nice chunk too...’
“Fine, let’s see how far you go. All cadets...”
“I’ll do it.”
Before the assistant’s wrath could fall, a boy raised his hand.
“Cadet Refri?”
The assistant recognized him instantly. Even soaked in sweat and exhaustion, that angelic appearance was one of a kind. The boy in the slightly oversized training uniform always stepped up first in situations like this.
“Again...”
Look at him—his arms and legs trembling like that, while the real culprits slacked off, yet he was volunteering.
“Cadets. Be ashamed.”
But there was no student rule against it. The assistant returned to his spot with a regretful expression after saying that.
Of course, Refri didn’t care. Even though he had no strength left in his limbs...
Angels grow stronger through good deeds!
Getting the angel buff was better than just resting and suffering muscle pain. Plus...
Saving an exhausted child is the work of an angel!
You have acquired Angel Power.
Rescuing young heroes from discord is the work of an angel!
You have acquired Angel Power.
Sweet, sweet Angel Power. Refri had no reason not to clean up these greatswords.
“No way, again... Impressive.”
The swordsmanship students watched Refri. His trembling limbs barely managing the greatswords—some might mock him as a fool seeking hardship. But...
“He’s kinda like a hero...”
To most students who admired heroes, it was a dreamy sight. Helping the weak even when you’re down yourself.
“Honorable.”
It definitely stirred their hearts. And the thoughts of the low scorers who got help went without saying.
Refri had clashed a bit with other first-years because of Hongwol. But aside from them, he was gradually earning the first-years’ respect this way.
In the martial arts department, where he boasted camaraderie as a peer, he got cuteness points. In the swordsmanship department, called “cadet” and drilled like the military, he earned respect. That was Refri.
“I’ll help too.”
Now a familiar voice. Long pink hair, a cute swishing tail. It was Hongwol, top of the first-year swordsmanship department. A small badge adorned her training uniform.
To understand that badge, one had to go back a week—to the morning Refri returned to the academy.
A week ago, Refri, full of expectations for Rusa’s promised “gift,” went to meet the professors. And that gift was...
“A medal.”
“Y-yes?”
Park Jinho proudly gripped Refri’s shoulder.
“Honorable actions deserve recognition!”
His eyes sparkled. Refri felt a chill.
‘This guy... was he always like this?’
“Through this ceremony, I plan to give the military a lot. First, gather global broadcasters to report our feats, hold a sponsorship gala via the foundation...”
Refri glanced at the stack of booklets beside Park Jinho. They exaggerated Refri’s actions. Of course, holy sword, moon cat, and professor details were classified and altered...
‘What is this? Dragon’s Heaven-Slaying Epic? No, it’s about me, so Refri’s Heaven-Slaying Epic?’
Refri’s vision darkened. But Park Jinho seemed eager to distribute them.
“Others need to know the military’s feats. We can’t keep this honor to ourselves!”
Sparkle sparkle— Park Jinho held the booklet proudly, the picture of a brag-happy uncle.
“Wait, Professor!”
“Hm? What is it?”
Refri’s face paled. He had no choice.
‘If this huge ceremony happens and these absurd booklets go to the press...’
What then? He’d attract the Demon King Army’s attention, obviously. And that was...
‘Something to avoid at all costs.’
Refri pleaded with his eyes.
“Could you award this medal to Wol-i instead?”
Pass the buck. And if he yielded it to Hongwol for some Angel Power...
“...Why?”
Park Jinho looked disappointed. Refri closed his eyes, organizing his thoughts. He wanted to say he hated attention, so pass it to the Angel Power-rich Hongwol for farming... but couldn’t.
What excuse then? Refri could only stare at Park Jinho silently.
“I see.”
Park Jinho spoke decisively.
“To eliminate the discrimination against Miss Hongwol rampant in the department. If she gets this recognition for saving many, even our immature cadets will have to acknowledge her.”
Refri nodded. Perfect justification.
But what Refri didn’t know was that Hongwol had heard the whole conversation.
‘F-for me?’
Perk— Her pink ears perked up to listen.
Oblivious, Refri fueled the misunderstanding.
“I believe in Wol-i.”
Hongwol now felt a fierce desire. To transform right now and get pampered by the boy. Refri knew villainous Hongwol and guarded against her human form, but knew nothing of Pinky, so he lavished cuteness easily.
She wanted it now—rub cheeks, sit on shoulder, knead knead...
‘No, what am I thinking? Absolutely not. I don’t want that at all. I’m not some beast...!’
She denied it. Anyway, Park Jinho accepted with a benevolent smile.
“Hmm. A request from the cadet who proved me wrong... Of course I’ll grant it.”
Thus, Hongwol got the recognition. The grand event prepared for Refri shifted to her, and swordsmanship students acknowledged her feats, no longer ignoring her.
‘Friends... like in movies, class friends...’
Even friends for Hongwol appeared.
She decided to keep attending the academy. Plus...
Yielding his honor. Saving a girl from bullying. Enabling her to stay at the academy. All deemed angelic deeds...
You have acquired Angel Power.
You have acquired a large amount of Angel Power.
You have acquired a large amount of Angel Power.
Overflowing Angel Power was the bonus.
“Hng, heavy.”
Refri was stacking the greatswords neatly in the warehouse corner. Hongwol watched intently from beside him.
“Thanks for helping, Wol.”
“Hmph, no big deal.”
Finally done. Hongwol thought she could spend time with Refri now.
But there was more work. Refri turned on the electronic inventory screen. With the greatswords back, he needed to update the system.
Click click— The boy focused on the screen. Irritation bubbled in Hongwol.
“Hmm, like this? No? Need to update here too...”
Irritation kept rising. For the first time in a while, Hongwol felt aggression toward an inanimate object.
‘Him focusing on that monitor is annoying...’
Finally, Hongwol hopped naturally onto the table, blocking the monitor with her body. Then she curled up and looked at the boy.
A moment passed...
Flustered Refri.
“W-Wol?”
“Yeah?”
“What are you doing right now?”
Only then did Hongwol realize her actions.
“...Oh, there’s a bug here.”
Her cheeks flaming red, Hongwol spouted nonsense and bolted from the warehouse faster than anyone.