Status Window
Name: Theo (Kim Minseong)
Age: 20 years old
Job: A Truly Badass Villager
Titles: Proud Son, Village's Best Trickster, Swordsman Skilled in Swordsmanship, Scarecrow Slayer, Scarecrow Smasher, Big Mana Tank, Wizard with Solid Magic Skills, Farming? Piece of Cake, Pro Mediator
[Achievements]
Can't do shit alone? → All stats +5
I'll take you with me! → All stats +5
Your country sucks dick → All stats +15
Sometime along the way, my Status Window had gotten pretty flashy. Sure, my job was still that ridiculous "A Truly Badass Villager," but with all these titles and achievements, it felt a lot more impressive.
I'd even picked up a new title since joining the academy: Pro Mediator. Probably from constantly playing referee between Iris and Estelle. At this point, I could call myself a professional mediator, right?
"Hmmm."
It made me feel kinda proud, somehow. Plus, that hidden achievement from before—"Your country sucks dick"—hadn't just given me a million won; it even boosted all my stats by +15, which was huge compared to the others.
...But honestly, whether it was +5 or +15, it all looked the same to me since I couldn't check my actual stat values.
"Stat window. Stats. Info. Stat info."
Maybe there was some command I didn't know? I tried every variation I could think of, but nothing resembling a stat window popped up.
Why was that? Normally, if you're handing out stat bonuses, you'd unlock the stat window first, right? Or was there a separate unlock condition?
"Agh, whatever."
"Yo, dorm buddy. What're you racking your brain over like that?"
Matty finally approached me first after a while. I'd been wondering why the usually chatty guy had gone quiet, but looks like the seal on his mouth was off—he was back to yapping.
"Nah, nothing big. Just thinking about school life ahead."
"Ooh? Makes sense. Word of you clashing with a noble lady's already spread to my class."
Matty wasn't in Class A; he was slotted into Class C. So the rumors had hit not just our class but everyone else's too. Man, gossip spread like wildfire.
"She picked the fight first, I just clapped back. And it wasn't even a real fight."
Just responding to someone who talked down to me like trash, and now it's blown up into a full-blown brawl? Rumors were one thing you could never take at face value. Pass it through a couple people, and it balloons into total bullshit.
"Heh, as expected from a guy who's anything but ordinary!"
"Ordinary? What's that supposed to mean?"
"You know, the commoner freshman who's gonna etch his name in academy history!"
A commoner freshman etching his name in academy history...? That sounded way too grandiose. I was just a badass villager, for crying out loud. People and their hero worship bullshit.
"And the guy who's got the crown princess and the saintess all over him!"
"No... it's not like that. We're just friends..."
"Kuh, lucky bastard! Two hotties—and total high-society types!"
...Yeah, this guy's not listening at all.
"Uwaaah! Gimme one at least, you jerk...!"
I decided to ignore him and review today's lessons instead.
Come to think of it, after magic class, Lina got hauled off by the teacher. Bet that's rumor fodder too. She slunk over here looking to borrow notes, but nobody lent her any. Since her clique was separate, she probably ended up begging from them.
I wasn't that curious, but it stuck in my craw how she had the gall to approach us for notes after all that drama. Felt like we'd keep butting heads, so maybe I should brainstorm how to handle her.
"Ahh, between the saintess and the crown princess, who should I...? What do I even do...?!"
Matty was still lost in his delusions amid the usual peaceful dorm vibes.
"Estelle."
"Oh? Iris coming to me first? This must be something big."
Iris had come alone to Estelle's room. No Theo there this time, no appointments or Theo-related business—so yeah, it was a rare occasion.
They seemed friendly enough, but that was only with Theo in the middle. Without him, they were pretty distant; neither really sought the other out.
Their paths just kept crossing because of Theo. But today, Iris was here for Estelle alone—and clearly about Theo.
"I have something to discuss."
"Mm, sure. Can't keep a lady standing, right? Come in."
Estelle's dorm was just as plain as Theo's. Her roommate was out, so she could invite Iris in comfortably.
"Sadly, no tea to offer."
"It's fine. Not here for tea."
"So? What's the reason?"
Noble and imperial etiquette usually involved tons of fluff—small talk, compliments, the works. But this was the academy, and Estelle and Iris weren't the type for that dance. Estelle cut straight to it.
"I've been thinking it's time to decide how to deal with that annoying girl."
Iris preferred the direct approach too. She'd always figured she and Estelle didn't mesh, but they synced up perfectly on stuff like this.
"Oh, that Lina whatever."
"Yes. I hate how she talks down to Theo. You feel the same, right?"
"Never liked her from the start. She came at us banmaling Theo right off the bat."
Estelle flashed a chilling smile. She'd put up with it so far only because Theo seemed neutral on Lina. But this morning's class? Theo's attitude toward her was ice-cold—no fondness there.
"Looked like she thought Theo was into her, which pissed me off. But now he's lost interest? No holds barred."
Iris mirrored the creepy grin at Estelle's frosty vibe.
"Nice how we click on this. Alright, shall we plot our next moves?"
"Plot? Just say what we wanna do."
Estelle was the type who spoke her mind, noble sensibilities be damned. She didn't sweat the tomboy label. (Though she'd watch her words around Theo, of course.)
Flip that around, and without Theo here, nothing held her back.
"Heh, sounds fun. Been stressed holding back lately."
She had a ton to say but always reined it in around Theo.
"Yeah, that's you alright, Estelle."
"What about you, Iris?"
"I'll handle it my way."
"Your way?"
Where Estelle was all talk, Iris showed through actions.
"Challenge her to a duel."
"Huh? A duel out of nowhere?"
"And wager this: if she lands even one hit on me, I'll befriend her."
"...She's got decent sword scores, right?"
"Yeah, surprisingly high. That's why she's in Class A."
True enough—Class A meant talent in swordplay, magic, or both.
"Eh, maybe it's not talent. Could just be gaming the entrance exams."
Estelle had a point. Nobles knew the tests inside out; you didn't need real skill to ace the scores and snag Class A.