Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: The Academy's Saintess (2)
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Two men in suits came rushing out of the academy corridor.
They finally reached the lobby and hurriedly scanned their surroundings.
"......"
"........."
But the empty space was already deserted.
The balding man bellowed at the young man standing beside him.
"Good God, Teacher Rick! Are you out of your mind?! There are other things to screw up, but forgetting something this important?! How could you fail to greet such an important guest properly?! Do you have any idea how many heads are on the line for this?!"
The young man called Teacher Rick was sweating bullets, bowing his head repeatedly.
"I-I'm sorry! Academy Director! I was up all night preparing the test questions, so I was out of it... I'm truly sorry!!"
"Enough! Instead of excuses, find out where the young lady is right now!!"
With faces drained of color, the two men frantically searched the area near the lobby.
That's when the young man spotted a student standing blankly in one corner and let out a startled voice.
"Ah, could that be...?!"
The director whipped his head around in surprise, only to snap back in irritation.
"Idiot! It's a boy! Get your head straight!"
The director let out a heavy sigh and gestured toward the elevator.
"For now, go down to the first floor and check the visitor logs. Let's confirm if she even arrived here first."
"Y-Yes, sir!"
Watching the young man scramble into the elevator, the director sighed once more.
"Whew...."
He then cautiously approached the boy who was still standing there dumbfounded.
"Ahem, excuse me, student. Have you seen a girl around here by any chance? Silver hair and...."
===========
The girl who had introduced herself as Aisha walked down the corridor, explaining all sorts of things about the academy.
"Over there is the data library, and this side is the simulation room!"
Locations of the academy facilities, operating hours, usage methods, and so on.
But more eye-catching than the explanations was the girl herself.
Her bright, sparkling eyes shone as her voice sped up with the effort to share everything she knew.
Her small frame darting back and forth down the hall, gesturing animatedly—it was utterly adorable.
I nearly broke into an uncle-like smile and discreetly covered my mouth.
"Uh, ahem...."
Come to think of it, everyone I'd met in this city so far had been... tough in various ways.
Not in terms of physical strength, but their personalities. They were all strongly opinionated characters with standout individuality.
Even Yoanna, the youngest among them, occasionally gave off a chilling aura that made me flinch.
Someone displaying such unfiltered innocence was a rare sight.
So I found myself nodding along with "Yes, yes," matching her enthusiasm, which only made her chatter on like an excited puppy without pause.
It really felt like having a cute little sister.
As she continued guiding me through the academy for a while, she started treating me more casually with every response, then hesitantly confessed with a shy stutter.
"T-To be honest, I haven't been here at the academy for long either."
"Really? You explained everything so well, though."
"Hehe, thanks. I studied up on the facilities just for today. Um, so... I think the teachers paired us up like this to help us newbies adjust. So...."
The girl hesitated for a moment, her face anxious about possible rejection, but she mustered her courage and asked carefully.
"Would you... be friends with me?"
Her wide eyes sparkled with a mix of pure anticipation and fear.... I nodded as if hypnotized.
A middle-aged guy like me is inherently weak to that kind of innocence.
Only afterward did I realize what I'd done. Honestly, considering my mental age, accepting such a pure proposal felt like lying somewhere, pricking my conscience.... But I just couldn't refuse.
Her face lit up with radiant joy.
"Hehe... I made my first friend. I'm so happy. Truth be told, I've been lonely ever since enrolling here. I got in through the exams alone, so I don't know anyone... The teachers are all strict... My classmates are.... But now I have a friend! Oh, right—what's your name?"
"Evania. Just call me Eve."
At my answer, she beamed nonstop, circling around me like a gentle puppy.
"Got it! I'm so glad you came, Eve. From now on, we can eat lunch together, go to the library... I'll show you all the fun spots. There's so much I want to do with a friend."
Aisha's voice rose even higher as she burst into another stream of chatter.
"I was shocked the moment I saw you. You're so beautiful, I couldn't believe we were both new students. Really—"
In the middle of her words, a noisy commotion approached from the other end of the corridor.
The conversation cut off naturally.
"......!"
Turning around, I saw a group of female students.
Tightened uniforms hugging their figures, loud voices without a care for onlookers. The epitome of the popular clique vibe.
The instant she spotted them, Aisha gasped sharply.
She grabbed my arm lightly and pulled me aside to the wall, lowering her gaze.
".....?"
As I blinked in confusion at her reaction, one of the girls passed by and locked eyes with us.
"Huh?"
She approached and spoke to us.
"Oh? New face. You a freshman?"
"Yes. What about it?"
As the conversation started, I felt Aisha flinch beside me.
But the girl ignored her as if she didn't exist, focusing solely on me with clear interest.
She scanned me over with intrigued eyes for a moment, then smiled faintly.
"I see.... Hm. Welcome to the academy. Let's say hi whenever we run into each other."
"Sure, looking forward to it."
She patted my shoulder lightly and left with her group. Aisha stayed pressed against the wall, holding her breath the whole time.
I asked her.
"Aisha, why'd you get so scared? Are they bad people?"
"No. They're just...."
"Just...?"
At my prompting, Aisha glanced around and lowered her voice.
"They're not bad, but... you still have to be careful around them."
"Why? Because they're upperclassmen?"
"Well, yeah, but not just that. See, those girls are... legacy students from family connections. Kids of current Lumina Group employees—like 'purebloods.' Not scholarship students like us who got in through exams."
She pointed in the direction the group had gone.
"And that sister just now? She's the second daughter of the General Manager at Lumina Holdings, the Lumina Group's head office. I heard she's the real power in the year above us. If you say the wrong thing to someone like that and get on their bad side, it's dangerous."
Her words gave me a glimpse into the academy's internal hierarchy. A place where parents' status in the company directly determined their kids' rank. It was common back in my old world too, but here it felt even more normalized and blatant.
Still, I couldn't help tilting my head. There was something odd in what Aisha had just said.
Before I could ask about it, she let out a deep sigh.
"But it's a relief... She seemed to like you, Eve. Well, it's impossible not to like someone as pretty as you on first sight...."
"....."
Her mumbling left me momentarily stunned.
'What kind of embarrassing thing is this girl saying so casually right in front of me?'
Undeterred by my expression, Aisha leaned in conspiratorially and whispered like it was top secret.
"And Eve, the thing you absolutely have to watch out for most at this academy... is the special class."
"Special class?"
"Yes. Very few students, but mostly executives' kids. Even if you run into them, never—ever—be rude. Got it? Never....!"
That confirmed my suspicions of something off.
Thinking about it, the facilities Aisha showed me were clean and upscale, fitting for a corporate academy, but very practical. Nothing like the fancy 'social club' I'd imagined.
And Aisha's extreme wariness toward a mere General Manager—which equated to a department head—...
'Yeah, this situation feels...'
Just then, an announcement bell rang through the corridor, snapping me out of my thoughts.
Ding dong dang-!
Aisha startled and said in a panic.
"Ah, time flew! We're gonna be late for class! Eve, hurry and follow me!"
Before I could even react, she grabbed my hand and pulled me into a classroom.
The interior was a bit unusual compared to classrooms I knew.
No desks—instead, dozens of electronic recliners like massage chairs slanted for lounging.
Students were already seated in them. The moment we entered, all eyes turned to us.
"....."
"......"
Gazes mixed with curiosity and interest toward the newcomers.
Aisha and I crossed through the stares and sat side by side in empty spots.
'Kinda... getting a lot of attention.'
Luckily, before any commotion could start, an adult who seemed to be the teacher entered.
He placed materials on a computer-like terminal in the center of the room and spoke in a businesslike tone.
"Alright, Class 1-C, commencing Session 17. Everyone, connect to the learning linker and insert your class data chip."
As the teacher's words ended, the mechanical chairs hummed to life.
An armrest popped open, revealing a small chip. A cable-like connector extended from the headrest with a click.
"......."
While I inwardly panicked over these unfamiliar devices, Aisha beside me deftly unplugged her cable.
Noticing my predicament, she asked.
"Eve, if you don't know how to use the learning gear, want me to help?"
"Ah, well...."
"First, insert this class data chip into your computation assist implant at the back of your head... Huh? Wha—wait, where's the port...?"
It was right then, as Aisha craned her neck to peer at my nape.
The classroom door opened again amid the class preparations.
"The student who just entered will be marked late... Wha—Academy Director?!"
The teacher's casual tone flipped instantly.
The moment he saw the newcomer, he jolted upright and straightened into a polite stance.
"What brings you here...."
But the balding middle-aged man ignored the greeting, frantically scanning the room.
His eyes met mine, widened, and he strode straight over.
Then, with utmost caution, he bowed deeply to me and spoke.
"There you are, miss. Allow me to offer my deepest apologies first. We're profoundly sorry for failing to provide proper hospitality. Please forgive us."
Looking closely, beads of sweat dotted his bald head.
After bowing low, he continued without pause.
"Ah, and I realize introductions are late. Pleased to meet you, miss. I am Gideon Blackwood, humbly serving as director of Lumina Academy. Would you honor me now with the chance to properly introduce the chairman's academy?"
His words hung in the air, plunging the classroom into dead silence.
"....."
"........"
Especially Aisha, seated right beside me—her face had gone ashen, corpse-white.
In that suffocating hush where everyone held their breath.
Aisha finally couldn't hold back, and her hiccup burst out louder than anything.
"Hic!"