Big and Small (3)
Big and Small (3)
"Come in."
As I opened the door to the Chairman's office, An Hyeon-do rose from his seat as if he had been waiting.
"Would you like something to drink?"
"I'll pass."
He made a flippant remark—"Actually, there's only water and green tea"—and began steeping his own tea.
The office was so modest you'd never guess it belonged to the Chairman.
I leaned back against a new sofa that hadn't been there before.
"Get to the point."
"It's about the freshmen, of course. But are you busy? I saw your schedule—your afternoons are completely empty."
"I simply don't want to talk to you for long."
"...You cold bastard."
Holding a teacup that sent up curls of white steam, he sat down on the sofa opposite me.
Slurp—
"You've got it good."
"I worked hard when I was young, so shouldn't I be allowed to take it easy now that I'm older?"
"If you want to spend the rest of your life comfortably, you'd better state your business quickly and concisely. This time, I'll throw you out the window, not into the wall."
"...How did I get mixed up with a devil like you?"
Despite the talk, his face had far fewer wrinkles compared to last year. He must have been dumping all the work on me while he racked up achievements by hopping in and out of Rifts by himself.
"First, thank you for dispersing the freshmen who were gathered downstairs."
"Straight to the point."
"...You really have no intention of increasing the enrollment? You seemed to be saying you'd give them an opportunity earlier."
"I'll handle that part myself, so stay out of it."
"You say that because I'm the one who gets cursed at, you devil."
"That's rich, coming from a guy who's forgotten his debts and is lazing around."
"Tch..."
He downed the remaining tea in one go, and his expression turned serious.
"Whether you increase or decrease the number is your call as the professor in charge. So here's my request: the opportunity you were going to give the freshmen—could you extend it to all grade levels?"
"I get nothing out of it."
"...You do know I've retired, right?"
Maybe it was his age; he was spouting shameless nonsense without batting an eye.
"If you really want to be forced into retirement, keep talking."
"...It was a joke, so ease up. This is a teacup I'm quite fond of."
An Hyeon-do wrapped both hands around the teacup he'd set down and sighed.
"I'll grant you one request within my power, like I did at the festival. But nothing more."
"Fine. I accept."
"You devil..."
I don't care what you call me.
Instead, I immediately told him my demand.
"There are some foreign elements mixed in among this year's new students."
"I heard a brief report from Professor Lee Hyeok. And that fellow Seong-won said you ordered them to be kept together in one place. If you'd just flunked them during the entrance exam, that would've been the end of it. But you deliberately let them in, so you must have something to gain."
"Why are you dressing up the obvious like it's some brilliant insight?"
"......."
At my half-hearted rebuke, An Hyeon-do quietly averted his gaze.
"I plan to take care of about two of them during the selection test for the course."
"Hmm, up until ten years ago, accidents during exams were common, so that would've been a decent justification, but these days it's a bit... Plus, we're not some third-rate, obscure academy."
"The test will be conducted in an actual Rift. And all participants must sign a pledge."
It's simple: using Crystal, you either swallow a 5th Stage Rift at a suitable location, or you just create a Rift at an arbitrary spot. Then have the students sign a pledge stating that any accidents inside the Rift are their own responsibility, and that's that.
"...It'll cause some talk, but it's not bad. Does it have to be right now? Can't we just quietly take care of it during the break?"
The Academy Chairman, that bastard, casually tilted his hand and made a throat-slitting gesture with his thumb.
"Is that thing on your shoulders just decoration? If that were the case, I would've dealt with them outside without letting them in. I can't understand why you can't figure that out."
"...I was just saying. Do you really think I don't know that?"
"Tsk."
When I clicked my tongue at a remark not worth answering, he opened his mouth with a deeply aggrieved expression.
"So, I just have to take responsibility, is that it?"
"The fact that I submitted the proposal and you approved it is enough."
"...A consideration that brings tears to my eyes."
"If you've got nothing else, I'll be going now."
"I did call you, but get out, quick."
I didn't like the sight of him waving his hand dismissively, so I fired a shot of mana at the teacup he was holding.
Crack—!!
"......?!"
The way his eyes went wide was rather amusing.
"As you wish, I'll be going now."
"Y-you devil!!"
Leaving the guy shouting loudly behind me, I walked out of the Chairman's office.
**
After Baek Woo-jin left.
"Ugh... How can an artifact break so easily?"
An Hyeon-do stared down at the cracked teacup, which looked as if it had been struck by lightning, then let out a sigh.
Looking at the cracked teacup, he felt an irrational anxiety, as if his future self would end up the same way.
'Maybe I should've just told him everything...'
Isn't it said that it's better to strike first?
But that devil is a little scary.
Even now, remembering the day he was thrown into the wall makes his back ache.
"Tch... What can I do about what's already done? If I just play dumb, what's he gonna do?"
An Hyeon-do carefully set the cracked teacup down on the table and stood. He then returned to his work desk, which had a clear view below, and sat in the chair.
"Did I... not save the contact?"
After fiddling with his tablet for a moment, An Hyeon-do scratched his head and opened a drawer. Inside were a white envelope containing a sealing talisman engraved with a cradle pattern—split in half—and a document related to exchange students.
"Ahem, it's an unavoidable choice for the welfare of our students."
An Hyeon-do began transcribing part of his conversation with Baek Woo-jin into an email.
**
"That's all for today's class. Thank you all for your hard work."
The priest in pristine white vestments announced the end of the class to the apprentice clerics and left the lecture hall.
"Yeon-ju! Let's go to a café!!"
"We already went to a café at lunch. How about we watch a movie before evening prayer instead, if we have time?"
"Ah!! I like that movie!!"
Na Yeon-ju, who had taken Baek Woo-jin's suggestion and entered Arena Academy through the clergy track, had used her characteristic friendliness to get on speaking terms with most of her classmates and exchange contact info.
"Alright! Then──"
Bam!!
The lecture hall door burst open with a loud noise, and Idni flew in, her soft pink hair billowing.
"Na Yeon-ju!!"
"Y-yes?!"
Na Yeon-ju raised her hand sharply toward Idni, her senior and older sister-figure, who had called her name loud enough to make the lecture hall ring.
"Pack your stuff and follow me, quick!!"
"Huh? Ah, yes, yes, understood...?"
Idni had burst in and out like a flash of light; Na Yeon-ju blinked, then pulled herself together and stood up.
"Uh, sorry. A senior called for me, so I think I have to go first today."
"Oh, no... Uh, Yeon-ju?"
"What's wrong?"
As Na Yeon-ju calmly packed up and rose, her classmates looked at her with sympathy, patting her shoulder or stroking her head.
"If it gets tough, tell us anytime. We can't help, but we'll lend an ear."
"Yeah, I'll help anytime too."
"Yeah... hang in there."
"Uh, er, thank you...?"
She didn't quite understand, but the concern for her was clear, so Na Yeon-ju smiled awkwardly and left the room.
"This way!!"
"Ah, coming!!"
Na Yeon-ju dashed toward Idni, who was waiting at the end of the corridor.
"Where's Senior Maria?"
"Oh. She went to fetch the weakest among us."
"......?"
"More importantly, did you see the notice that just came up?"
"Uh, I was in class until just now, so...?"
"You're going to work as Professor Baek's secretary; what's the point of that boring theology?"
"Heh, hehe..."
Not finding an appropriate reply, Na Yeon-ju scratched the back of her head and quickly changed the subject.
"So, er, what was the notice about?"
"A jackpot opportunity."
"Ah, aah?!"
Na Yeon-ju barely managed to catch the smartphone that suddenly flew at her.
"Phew..."
Having nearly dropped the smartphone of her revered big sister and senior, Na Yeon-ju exhaled in relief and looked at the brightly lit screen.
[Title: General Riftology Lecture — Additional Student Recruitment.]
Students will be selected through a screening test.
Difficulty: 5th Stage.
Theme: Snowfield.
Content: Base camp construction and perimeter stabilization (3 days). Teams of up to 7 allowed. Individual participation is also permitted, but the base camp size is fixed at medium-small (50M).
※ Supplies (food) required for base camp construction are to be discussed and divided among participants.
Addition: Students taking the exam must bring the attached pledge form.
"...Riftology lecture? What's this?"
"Ha, you don't know Professor Baek's lecture?"
"Ah...!!"
Na Yeon-ju, who had been staring at the smartphone with a puzzled expression, widened her eyes and raised her head.
"C-can we participate in this too?"
"That's what I'm saying! I'm not sure, but it looks like any Academy student can join."
"Wow!! Then can we team up with Big Sis Ha-na and Big Sis Seo-hee?!"
"They're already taking the lecture, so they probably can't join."
"Ehh..."
The bouncy Na Yeon-ju let out a deflated sound.
"Ah, there they are."
"......?"
Na Yeon-ju, who had been following dejectedly, unable to shake off the thought of losing a reliable ally, raised her head listlessly.
"Uh, Idni... big sis?"
"What?"
Na Yeon-ju pointed at the other Claire being piggybacked by Maria at the end of the path, looking like a young calf being led to the slaughter, and asked.
"Is Big Sis Na-young... going to be on our team too...?"
"That's why I brought her."
"Ah, aah..."
Something seemed seriously wrong.