Kirin's Nest (1)
Kirin's Nest (1)
I don't know when the Villains might target us. This was quite a severe stressor. Even though I had set up my own defenses, they were people of such exceptional tenacity that they had managed to breach all of the Academy's various defenses once before.
'Hmm.'
I had done the best I could for now, but I couldn't help feeling anxious. The rest was just up to the heavens. I sighed inwardly and watched Lee Ji-ah, who was approaching me with about three suitcases, and Kim Ha-rin, who had come with just a simple backpack and a rolling bag.
If things go south, 'she' is near the Thunderbird's nest, so if the Villains crash the party, I'll have to beg her to help me somehow. Well, what else can I do?
We're complete strangers in the game, but since she hates Villains, she'll likely lend a hand if I ask.
"Everyone's ready, right?"
"Yeah. All ready!"
"I, I am too..."
"Then let's go."
We set off with our luggage. Our destination was the Warp Gate activated by the Academy itself. In the distance, a bluish gate 10 meters high was visible. And students were lined up in front of it. The second-years were different, but the first-years had expressions mixed with anticipation.
Well, I can't say I don't understand. Once you start Academy life, there are very few situations where you can leave the school grounds.
"Wow, this is my first time doing that mission."
"It's not as big a deal as you think, so don't be too nervous. You'll make more mistakes if you're nervous."
Students were chatting here and there. Voices mixed with tension and excitement. Since it's the first time for the first-years, I can see them accompanying second or third-years they are acquainted with.
"In case you encounter a Villain..."
"Yes. I know. You mean to infuse mana into the badge issued by the school, right? How many times have you said that?"
"I'm saying it because it's that important. Academy students are always being targeted by Villains... If you infuse mana into the badge, it will contact the nearest heroes."
Come to think of it, that was a setting, wasn't it? I'd forgotten about it because I'd never actually used it. I looked at the badge attached to the left chest of my jacket.
As I was looking around, the line had almost disappeared.
"Where are you heading?"
The staff member controlling the Warp Gate approached us and asked.
"We're going to Osan."
"Yep, please present your student IDs."
I handed over the student IDs I had received from Kim Ha-rin and Lee Ji-ah in advance. The staff member briefly compared the IDs with us, then nodded and said.
"Yes, Student Lee Si-woo, Student Lee Ji-ah, Student Kim Ha-rin, confirmed. You all have your badges, right?"
"Yes."
I answered, showing the badge attached to my jacket. Lee Ji-ah and Kim Ha-rin also answered the staff member and showed their badges.
"Since Villains target Academy students, you can never check too many times. I've confirmed all the badges. I hope you all stay safe."
The staff member nodded and said.
We entered the portal at the staff member's word.
Stepping out of the portal, I saw a scene that looked like a quiet countryside. Come to think of it, I recall a setting that Osan frequently gets attacked by monsters because there are many Magic Crystal factories stationed there.
"I thought Gyeonggi-do meant all big cities..."
"It looks completely like the countryside..."
Lee Ji-ah and Kim Ha-rin muttered. I looked around. Still, seeing quite a few apartments, it seems like it's still under development.
"Should we check into our accommodation first?"
I said to the group and turned on my phone. When you go out on a mission from the Academy, there are hotels or accommodations provided by the Academy side. Although you have to pay for meals separately, meals were free for scholarship students.
"The place we've been assigned is... Signature Hotel...?"
I went into the app provided by the Academy to check the assigned place, and it was a really nice hotel. Searching online, it was a place that cost about 1 million won per night.
'As expected of the Principal...!'
True to being a person who was harsh to those without talent but more benevolent than anyone to those with talent, they had assigned us good accommodation. It's probably the best hotel you can get in this vicinity.
"Isn't Signature Hotel a really nice place...?"
"Uh... I think the best hotel in this area has been booked. Let's go check it out first."
We headed to the city center following the phone map. As we headed to the city center, I saw many things. Blacksmiths, weapon shops. Occasionally, I saw places buying and selling monster byproducts. Men and women wearing armor. People carrying bows or swords and the like.
Seeing this scene made me feel like I was playing a game. Since it's actually a world inside a game, it's a natural story, but... actually, I wasn't in a position to talk about others. I was carrying a sword, and Lee Ji-ah was carrying a staff and controlling her bag with telekinesis.
...There's something more unfamiliar than this.
"...Daebak. Did you see that just now?"
"Yeah, yeah. I saw. A handsome god..."
It was the reaction to my face. The gazes pouring in from all around.
Starting with questions like, "Um, excuse me... Are you a celebrity? If you're a celebrity, could you give me an autograph?"
"Girlfriend... right?"
"I'm not lacking anywhere either, but those two are really..."
The whispering about Lee Ji-ah and Kim Ha-rin.
Even people asking, "Do you have any thoughts on becoming a celebrity?" Still, it was fortunate that the distance between the Warp Gate and the taxi stand was close. I managed to catch a taxi and arrived at the hotel, sparing myself the hassle.
The hotel was extremely luxurious. The lobby had floors that shone with gold, and there was a chandelier that you'd only see in movies. Feeling slightly intimidated, I headed to the counter to check in.
"Excuse me, I'd like to check in."
"Yes, could you tell me your names?"
"Yes, it's Lee Si-woo, Lee Ji-ah, and Kim Ha-rin."
"Lee Si-woo-nim, Lee Ji-ah-nim, Kim Ha-rin-nim. Yes, confirmed. Rooms 801, 802, and 803."
Surprisingly, they were all individual rooms. I didn't know about me being a guy, but I thought Kim Ha-rin and Lee Ji-ah would be in the same room.
I received 3 keys and gave the keys for room 802 and 803 to Lee Ji-ah and Kim Ha-rin.
"Then unpack your luggage on your own and let's meet in 30 minutes."
"Yup, see you later."
Parting ways with the group, I entered room 801. The furniture had a neat and modern atmosphere. I just dropped my bag anywhere.
Buzz.
As I put down my luggage, my phone rang. Checking my phone, Ji-ah had sent a text.
-Siwoo, do you want to eat breakfast?
-[Cat with a question mark emoticon]
Breakfast. The original me was someone who didn't eat breakfast, but many things changed after coming here. If I didn't eat breakfast, I couldn't do high-intensity training, so I changed to always eating breakfast.
-Yeah, order mine too. Is Ha-rin eating?
-Yup. Ha-rin is eating breakfast too. Then I'll order three breakfasts.
I put down my phone and opened the case I had brought.
The cadet uniform is too conspicuous, so I picked out a short-sleeved shirt, training pants, and a hoodie. And a hat too. With this much, I should be able to cover my face to some extent. I even grabbed a mask just in case, and just as I was about to go down.
Buzz.
My phone rang. Lee Ji-ah had sent a message.
-[Photo of three tickets.]
-This hotel is a buffet, so you need a ticket! Send me a text when you come down!
Breakfast is a buffet...?
Well, the metabolism of heroes is so high that it feels like a different species compared to ordinary people, so their food intake is no joke. I also often eat about 3 servings when I'm hungry during a meal.
I sent a text to Lee Ji-ah saying I was coming down, then went down.
"Siwoo."
Turning my head at the familiar beautiful voice, Lee Ji-ah and Kim Ha-rin were there.
"Were you all waiting here?"
"Yeah. You can't enter without a ticket."
Lee Ji-ah said that and gave me one ticket. I took one ticket.
And we headed to the restaurant.
The restaurant was flashy. It felt like a restaurant you'd only see in dramas. Rather than a luxurious atmosphere, it had a neat atmosphere with white floors and black...
"Hello. May I check your tickets?"
As we went to the restaurant, a woman in a waiter's uniform with her hair neatly tied greeted us politely. When I presented the ticket, the waiter nodded and said.
"You are VIP members. I will guide you to your table."
'VIP?'
I thought it was too much preferential treatment for a mere student, but since good is good, well.
The waiter led us to a table. We followed quietly. Lee Ji-ah, who was treated like a nuisance at home, couldn't have had such an experience, and this was my first time at such a luxurious hotel too.
She walked straight ahead and guided us to a seat right next to a large window. Following her guidance, we sat at the table.
"What would you like to order for drinks?"
She handed us a menu. On the menu, there were Rishi tea, black tea, traditional tea, sparkling water, etc.
"I'll have water."
"I'll have an Americano, please."
"Me too..."
"Yes, order confirmed."
She left the seat. We also got up from our seats to get food.
I picked up a plate and piled on meat. Smoked duck. Ham made from pig's hind leg. I put beef tartare on the plate and also placed a bowl of white and black mixed sauce, which was said to be sweetened with pears, on the plate next to it. And even salmon steak. I don't even look at carbohydrates. Because I can eat carbohydrates outside.
"Wow, there's even lobster."
I picked up one lobster claw. I filled one plate with one lobster claw and meat, and headed to the seat guided by the waiter earlier. Kim Ha-rin and Lee Ji-ah were already sitting at the table.
"Wow, it's a total meat field."
"Yeah..."
Lee Ji-ah's eyes widened, and Kim Ha-rin looked at me with slightly fed-up eyes. What, why, what.
"Heroes who use their bodies all eat a lot, so..."
I muttered unnecessarily, lifting my fork and looking at Lee Ji-ah and Kim Ha-rin's plates.
On Lee Ji-ah's plate, there was a thick sandwich, a salad mixed with ricotta cheese, and food with vegetables and something like cream on top of bread, and on Kim Ha-rin's plate, there were egg tarts, chicken breast salad, and bacon.
"Ah, come to think of it, they say 'Sword Mistress'-nim is around here."
"Sword Mistress?"
"Yes."
Kim Ha-rin said that, poked the bacon with her fork, and bit into it with her small mouth. I also poked the duck meat with my fork and ate it dipped in mustard sauce.
Sword Mistress.
It was a nickname earned by controlling dozens of swords with her unique trait at the age of 32.
She, who has the arrogant nickname of 'Master of Swords', shows abilities literally like a master of swords.
With her unique trait, she wrote a legend with the anecdote of shooting hundreds of swords like meteors and single-handedly subjugating 1,000 monsters called Black Yaks.
Seeing that, one of the members of the 'Zodiac', which gathered the world's strongest heroes, said she seems like a master of swords. Her nickname that settled as that is Sword Mistress.
She is the most anticipated rookie in Korea, and a prospective 'High Rank' hero who is evaluated to be in the top 100 within 5 years when ranked in the world.
She was also a hero who hated Villains and was most active in hunting Villains. Because Villains killed her only precious younger brother, who was her only family.
'Uh...?'
Thinking up to that point, I remembered a photo of her and her younger brother taken together in the Sword Mistress strategy guide part. And I realized that the younger brother in that illustration looked similar to me.
'It must be a delusion...'
It must be a delusion. I changed my thoughts while stuffing meat into my mouth. I looked at Lee Ji-ah and Kim Ha-rin, who were opening their mouths wide and eating a large sandwich.
Just looking at them made me feel full.
If Lee Ji-ah grows up well, she becomes a great mage who plays a tremendous role in the latter half, and Kim Ha-rin was the 'meat shield' who would play the number one role in the Qilin's Nest, where the Qilin, a member of the Four Spirits, stayed for a while, and the Thunderbird subjugation.
Thinking up to that point, I remembered the image of Kim Ha-rin, who had turned into a Villain in the middle part, flying high into the sky with Mad Wings, going "Kihihihihit!", and terrorizing with magic bombardment and magitech bombs.
If it flows according to the 'main story', I would believe that the original protagonist would take care of it, but the main story has long since gone off track. There are already two protagonists, and there's even an irregular like me.
'...Let's treat them well.'
But let's not get too close.