Chapter 4
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Translator: MJK
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Surviving as an F-Class Healer (4)
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“Pledge. Before the proud Taegukgi...”
The incoming student representative, Lee Hae-sol, recited the familiar pledge. Even after passing through the apocalypse, hearing the same old lines stirred a faint nostalgia in me.
He's in Class 8 too, huh.
I flashed a composed, socially appropriate smile and gazed at the guy who'd end up as an S-class in the future, traveling with the protagonist all the way to the ninth dungeon.
Knowing the grueling path ahead of him made his sparkling presence seem almost pitiful, unlike me, an F-class like Jin Hari.
He was already suffering as the student rep stuck in a class full of delinquents.
Was that because of the curse?
The curse that nullified healing potions.
I know what it takes to break it, but Yoo Han-seong will handle that soon enough.
I tore my eyes away from him and scanned the faces in Class 8.
Focusing mainly on those who survived past midterms.
That one's Hyun-i, I think.
The guy two seats back diagonally, half his face hidden by bangs, muttering to himself.
And that looks like Gong Seo-yun.
Unless it wasn't the one who got dragged out by the ear for chatting with the person in front during the entrance ceremony.
I spotted Yoo Hee right away too—the one who caused an accident in a training dungeon, got rescued, and became Yoo Han-seong's loyal subordinate.
They said she looked like an angel. More like the heroine from a romance fantasy novel saintess.
None of them were S-class yet, but they'd hit that rank within a year after encountering the protagonist's cheat-like opportunities.
The others had potential too, but high chance of dying this year, so I deliberately avoided looking.
It just made my heart ache.
Not that my own nose isn't made of stone.
That's when my gaze naturally landed on someone at the edge of my vision.
...Oh.
A teenager intently watching Lee Hae-sol amid the Class 8 kids.
His deep black hair flowed like a starry night sky. His pristine, pale skin—like that of a young master from a wealthy family—perfectly accentuated his stunning features in a maddening harmony.
I parted my lips slightly.
Is this for real?
The protagonist's trait is being ridiculously handsome... right?
The original story was mostly from his perspective, focusing on nurturing S-classes, so his looks weren't described much. But it was canon, confirmed by side characters' reactions.
Already, eyes from other classes were drawn to him.
No need to check the name tag—this was Yoo Han-seong.
Ironically, seeing that radiant beauty let me relax a bit.
Perfect for keeping just the right emotional distance.
No way I'd end up in some cliché isekai rom-com mess with a protagonist like the ones in those stories. My life was safe from that.
Plus, I'd worried about empathizing too much with him since I knew the original plot. But honestly, anyone that good-looking creates distance naturally.
Perfect.
I could position myself somewhere between total loner and social butterfly. Surviving the midterm dungeon seemed doable.
Even if they treated me kindly, they'd still look down on me by default.
If I approached without hesitation, it'd balance out, right?
The protagonist's side is even less of an issue.
He only hung out with people who had S-class potential.
Alright. Time to get started.
Let them get used to me at a moderate level.
Just enough that they wouldn't be thrilled if I died.
If I play it right, they might even become customers at my potion shop after graduation.
The entrance ceremony wrapped up.
Now the only issue left is potion-making practice.
As we filed out of the auditorium and followed the teacher to the classroom, my head was filled with thoughts of sneaking in some potion practice.
No choice but to grind. Wonder if I can borrow a practice room?
I had no idea back then.
That my idea of "moderate" from my modern-world perspective wasn't "moderate" at all to these aspiring hunters born and raised in this grim world.
To maintain a moderate presence, I needed to handle two things first.
One: Manage first impressions.
“...”
F-class already stood out in a bad way no matter what.
And now I'd be churning out potions like my life depended on it—which it did—and that could stand out too if mishandled. Better to manage it upfront.
Ideally, go for sweet and innocent.
Block malicious interpretations from the start.
Of course, the seniors I'd seen on the way in would spread rumors painting me as an incompetent, lazy F-class. But that was my shield against S-classes rushing in prematurely.
To keep rumors from twisting more maliciously—stopping at just "lazy"—I needed to seem free of any prickly personality traits.
It'd help my survival too.
Plus, Jin Hari's looks... kinda resembled a romance novel villainess.
A gentle smile made her puppy-like, but expressionless? Ice-cold vibe.
Not like the major characters in the original, so no points from beauty alone.
So, unconditional good-girl impression it was.
I started managing my expression and aura on the way to the classroom.
Default: naturally upturned lips like a smiling merchant.
Smooth, uncreased brow was basic.
I entered the class with a subtle smile as my passive mode.
Right on cue, the protagonist brushed past me and muttered,
"Some things never change..."
I kept my eyes hazy, fighting off the cringe rush.
Do I even know what that means?
Like before regression, the underachiever class has a rundown classroom.
Looked normal to me. Though from the original descriptions, other classes seemed decked out like the colorful buildings I'd seen on the way.
Gotta check them out later.
Anyway, reacting here would be disastrous.
Nearly glanced over on reflex but barely held back and kept walking.
To the opposite side from where the protagonist headed.
Today of all days, no eye contact.
The protagonist's first day post-regression was detailed down to the finest points in the novel. High chance anyone who caught his eye at this timing—side character or not—got dragged into his events.
Just like original Jin Hari.
Already got on his bad side as an F-class anyway.
At least pre-regression, Yoo Han-seong was in another class and didn't know much about Jin Hari. Small mercies.
With that wariness, I decided to play ultra-defensive today.
The protagonist's assigned seat was by the window at the far left end from the teacher's desk.
He stuck to it like it was his throne even as years passed.
Mine was the front-right corner, diagonally opposite from him.
Corner to corner.
Visible but just as background. Close enough to toss a potion if needed.
Once seated, I glanced around. Everyone was still awkward, eyeing each other.
I subtly scanned the whole class, protagonist included, without drawing notice.
Awakener academies were elite small-scale: twelve per class, up to Class 10.
Ours was the misfit dump, so uniquely thirteen.
Everyone looks flashy.
Awakeners leveled up charm stats too, so they tended to be good-looking by default.
Even starting below average, they climbed.
This was the misfit class, sure, but troublemakers—not incompetents—so no other F-classes like me.
Hence, all decent-looking.
Me? Jin Hari was always pretty cute, high base charm.
I gave slight eye-smiles to anyone whose gaze met mine, while sneaking peeks at the protagonist.
He stared out the window with a serious face.
Think I know what he's pondering.
Probably musing on this class's S-class seedlings.
This class showcased his trait of investing only in S-class potentials in the original.
He was unusually kind to everyone here except Lee Hae-sol because they all had solid talent.
Except Jin Hari.
The whole class could've ended up as cannon fodder otherwise.
Oh, might need to boot one from the early protagonist team.
I recalled the original plot while glancing over a corner.
Gloomy Lee Sang-hee would trap and kill a C-class student, then reform into the protagonist's yandere girlfriend.
With her... moderate or whatever, just never get involved. Ever.
She didn't know I was F-class yet, so she avoided my eyes when they met. But once it leaked? Who knows what she'd pull behind my back.
No slacking on vigilance.