Chapter 180
Chapter 180
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 180
Chapter Title: Forest Keeper Selection
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The day after my date with Star.
I got up early and helped a half-asleep Shiba brush her teeth, but the empty spots on the bed and dining table felt especially large.
"Daddy?"
"Yeah? No, it's nothing."
I filled a mug with water and handed it to Shiba, then opened the wardrobe to pull out my uniform.
Investigating Shiba's kindergarten was urgent, but I still had to fulfill my duties as an El Academy cadet.
I needed to pay attention to the Forest Keeper Selection as well.
'Rushing won't make the rice cook faster.'
It was a dangerous place, but only a suspected terrorist target.
There was no guarantee an attack would even happen.
I glanced at the mirror next to the wardrobe and took off my shirt.
My upper body reflected in the flat glass.
The well-trained muscles were properly defined.
There were some scars around my waist and shoulder blades, but it was good enough to nod in satisfaction.
My skin, which had been pale from staying cooped up indoors, had tanned to a manly hue from all the rolling around lately.
'Not bad.'
I dressed neatly, changed Shiba into her clothes after she finished brushing, and left the dorm.
Shiba's daycare performance was in three days.
I teleported her to the kindergarten, returned to the dorm, and naturally headed to class.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ -Creak.
The classroom door slid open, echoing through the room.
The noisy cadets fell silent and looked forward.
Man Se-jeok, who had taken over from Lee Se-young, stepped in sharply dressed in a suit and opened a file in front of the cadets.
"Did everyone get proper rest?"
"Yes!"
The cadets responded immediately.
I rested my chin on my hand in a relaxed pose, staring blankly ahead.
Bead and Jeong Si-woo. Azalea and Cornus.
Su-young, Im Jong-hyun, and others—familiar faces I'd spoken to at least once due to my changing looks and skills lined up before me.
'Feels like it's been forever.'
Not wrong.
Right after midterms, I went to training camp, rotted away there for three months gathering info on Flower, so yeah, the academy felt like ages ago.
Everyone else just a few days, but for me, it was like vacation ended.
As I curiously looked around, Azalea up front turned, our eyes met.
She smiled, raising the corner of her mouth, and lightly waved her right hand.
-Smile.
"...Hey, Azalea's waving at you."
"Yeah, I saw."
"You two dating?"
"Something like that."
"Ooh~ Si-heon~ Hehe. Impressive?"
I wasn't hiding it, so when I said so, Bead grinned slyly and slapped my shoulder.
Bead. Unknown surname, inscrutable.
The one with the least info among people I knew, and I doubted the face she showed now was her true self.
Until now, I'd figured I'd learn eventually and just kept my guard up to avoid trouble.
But after hearing about Flower from Star yesterday, she started bugging me.
Jet-black bob cut with spiky bits like puppy ears.
The pure, first-love look that hits every high school boy's heart—the type there's one per class.
Bead sat next to me, flaunting her stunning beauty without it feeling out of place.
Bright personality to match, so she could connect with everyone in class through her.
I rolled my eyes and stared at her face.
Pretty blatant, so Bead caught on immediately.
"What?"
"Hey."
She already knew I suspected her.
When I got the friend mission via status window, I naturally thought of Bead from the dorm first, but she had zero affinity—not even friends.
Left a bad impression, so I'd voiced my suspicions ongoing, and she knew.
But I'd never asked directly.
That was our unspoken line.
Back then, I had stuff I'd freak if exposed too.
I looked at her dryly.
"So what are you?"
Casual, probing without real thought.
Bead's hehe laugh froze into a plastic doll's self-mocking smile.
"What do you mean?"
A chill vibe the cadets missed wrapped around us.
Threat? Bluff?
Didn't matter to me.
If she was with someone I had to kill, I'd cut her down without hesitation.
As I narrowed my eyes to speak, Man Se-jeok up front resumed.
-Thud!
He dropped the file on the desk to grab attention.
Awkward smile, he spoke slowly and deliberately.
"The El Academy participants for the Forest Keeper Selection have been decided."
Everyone tensed, holding breath.
Scattered excited voices, gulps echoing.
"......"
"......"
Bead and I exchanged looks, then turned forward as talk cut off.
Tense moment, but enough to warn.
Man Se-jeok cleared his throat, started naming cadets.
First name out: Forest Keeper selector.
El Academy's rep, world's top—broadcast worldwide.
Training docu translated live in all languages.
-Jeong Si-woo, right?
Obvious.
World Tree husband candidate, undisputed first-year #1.
Midterms confirmed it.
-Maybe others.
-It's potential. Not just rankings.
-Me maybe?
Potential, but not randos.
Judges scout all exams for a reason.
From here: Jeong Si-woo, Cornus. Stretch to Im Jong-hyun.
Soon, name rang out.
"Lee Si-heon."
El Academy Korea rep Forest Keeper first pick.
I blinked wide-eyed in surprise.
Man Se-jeok glanced my way, calmly named more.
"...Cornus, Bead, Im Jong-hyun. That's it."
Four talents. El Academy full of gifted cadets—not special.
"Green generation" for this year's exceptional first-years.
'No Jeong Si-woo?'
Even accounting, shocking.
Why not him?
Overpowered at twenty, limitless growth potential.
Plus World Tree protection, unlike me.
Guy most likely compared: Mom's friend tops El, what're you doing?!
-Did I hear wrong?
-Crazy... Why Si-woo? Real?
Classroom buzzed fast.
Eyes on Jeong Si-woo, then us trickled in.
'Backroom deal?'
Jeong Si-woo surprisingly calm. Probably requested out.
"Jeong Si-woo absent for personal reasons."
Buzz died down.
'...Still hunting sister.'
Skipped camp too—something stalled?
Staring, eyes met; he waved friendly like Azalea.
-Smile.
Cute for a guy.
Handsome, if girl it'd clutch hearts.
I waved back; he turned away.
Anyway, fixed: Four from Korea branch.
"Hehe. Me too?"
Bead laughed exaggeratedly surprised. Official rep now.
'...Can't trust cadets.'
Star's words yesterday on Flower.
Proof sat right next to me.
With these from worldwide academies... wise to guard.
Fought once before—beyond normal cadet level.
What now?
Past info/power, future unpredictable same.
"Tch."
Suddenly missed Time World Tree—always scratched itch when curious.
Realized spring after forgetting.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Lunch after half-listening to class.
Sought Cornus—hadn't talked since camp—but she left with camp friends.
Awkward to follow; new friends, no intruding.
"...This is sneakily good."
So dragged Jeong Si-woo to Korean spot.
Kimchi stew, pork stir-fry, rare homemade hard-to-make veggie sides.
Mix rough, chili paste bit of miso soup—decent bibimbap done.
"So why suddenly skip Forest Keeper?"
"Huh?"
Jeong Si-woo shrugged after big bibimbap bite.
"...You know."
"Sister?"
"Yeah. Know spot, but can't go now. Need way in."
"Know spot but can't? Like Flower inside or what?"
"......"
Joking—everything swirled Flower lately—but his face stiffened.
No way. Nah.
Flower did that again?
"...For real?"
"Sigh. Dunno."
Flower everywhere shocked me; him stressed too, awkward laugh.
Spoons stopped ages ago.
"Not strong enough, or no entry method?"
"Both..."
"Then join Forest Keeper—perfect growth spot?"
"...True, but still short."
Jeong Si-woo gulped cool water, unsatisfied, continued.
"Planning dungeons mainly. World Tree said so."
"World Tree... Yeah, suits you."
Not me, but he had her protection, love, grace.
His view: following her leads to good fate.
'Husband candidates like batteries. Max power, tree absorbs husband.'
He knew, still sought power.
Nothing to say then.
Just buy meal, cheer on.
"Find her."
"Yeah. Will."
Not despairing type, grinned hearty, back to eating.
Eats well.
I scooped bibimbap, other thoughts.
Sprout bibimbap...
Imagined Shiba bawling over lunch bibimbap, chuckled.