Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: A Renewed Daily Life (3)
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Self-introductions were over. Teacher Jeong-ah asked Ichie.
"Miss Ichie. Do you know any Korean?"
"......A little. I know."
Ichie held up a finger as she spoke. Korean words coming from her mouth made the students buzz faintly before falling silent again. Her pronunciation was a bit awkward, but not hard to understand. Teacher Jeong-ah said,
"Then, could you introduce your ability in Korean, please?"
Ichie turned the belt at her waist to the side. The plain black sword hilt gleamed with a glossy sheen, making it look like a high-end piece. As Ichie reached to draw her sword, Teacher Jeong-ah quickly pressed down on her hand and shook her head.
It meant to explain without drawing it.
Ichie nodded, then turned to us and said,
"Sword... cut monster, gets heavy. If too heavy... can take it off."
It seemed the sword grew heavier the more monsters she cut, but she could reduce the weight as needed. It was a useful ability depending on one's strength, but it didn't quite live up to the impression she'd made when she first walked in.
One of the students raised a hand. Teacher Jeong-ah said,
"Ichie, will you take questions?"
"Questions... yes."
She nodded. The student asked,
"Why is your nickname '1'?"
At the question, she held up one finger. It was her index finger, signaling the number one.
"In Japanese... 1 is 'ichi'. Ichigaya... 'ichi-e'. So... 'ichi'."
"Any other questions? Training starts soon, so please save personal questions for private time."
Teacher Jeong-ah spotted the hands starting to creep up and shut down the personal inquiries. At her stern warning, the students yanked their hands under their desks like clams burrowing into the mudflat and bowed their heads.
"Good work. Ichie, please return to your seat. Get the details from your mentor and partner."
Ichie walked back with her usual stoic expression and sat in the seat next to me. She must have been told ahead of time that I was her partner, because she glanced at me and gave a light nod. As I returned the greeting, Teacher Jeong-ah called for dismissal.
While the other students stole glances at Ichie, I said to her,
"Ichie-ssi?"
"Call me Ichie. During academy time. Heard we act together. Yoroshiku."
"Ah, yes. Yoroshiku."
It probably meant something like "looking forward to working with you." I stood from my seat along with her. She moved in sync with me. Seeing us about to leave together, the students quickly lost interest and began dispersing. As we walked down the hallway, I asked Ichie. Knowing her Korean was rough, I spoke as slowly and clearly as I could.
"Ichie. Now heading to physical training... which team?"
"Uh....... Um......"
She thought for a moment, then lifted her electronic pad and started typing. She didn't seem used to writing on it. Some crooked handwriting appeared before me. Written in Hanja, it threw me off for a second.
[10 or above, less than 15] "10 or above, less than 15?"
Ichie nodded. Same team as me. I felt relieved deep down. Training together would help us get closer. I spoke slowly again, careful with pronunciation.
"Same team as me. Let's go together."
"Yes. Good."
Unlike her cold first impression, she was a very gentle girl. I felt lucky to have such a good mentor and partner. Somehow, academy life was starting to feel a bit enjoyable.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Fuck......"
Of course, that didn't make training any more comfortable. The students who had eyed the new girl with beastly gazes at first were now flailing their limbs like newborn lambs under the instructor's harsh glare and grueling regimen. They trudged toward their dorms without a care for who Ichie was, dragging their unwilling feet.
I was just as beat. Not sprawled out like some of the others, but my whole body ached.
Ichie was slumped in the corner of the gym, her face drenched in sweat. She sat there looking like she had no idea what had just hit her. She stared at the volleyball as if it were a long-lost family member, breathing raggedly.
I roughly wrung out my sweat-soaked t-shirt and said to her,
"Ichie. You okay?"
Ichie nodded and forced herself to stand. Propping herself against the wall with a sweaty hand, she spread her legs in a giraffe-like stance and hauled her body up. I started to grab her but hesitated and pulled my hand back. Ichie wiped her face with the towel around her neck and said,
"Shower room. Where?"
"Under construction."
That was why no one, not me or the other students, was showering before heading back. What was supposed to be a quick job wrapping up around entrance ceremony time had ballooned after they found issues inside, leaving us without showers for nearly two weeks.
Ichie frowned slightly at that and grumbled,
"Lie."
"Really."
In the distance, the shower room had a pointless construction sign and a helmeted worker bowing his head. Ichie wore an expression like she couldn't accept it. I said,
"No choice. Follow me for a bit. Cool off the sweat... and meet someone."
This time of day, the bench in front of the parking lot was practically reserved for me and Senior Yu-jeong. Especially today with Ichie here, she was sure to show. When I motioned for her to follow, she wiped the sweat from her forehead and nodded. She already trusted me quite a bit, even though we'd just met today.
I led her out, flinging the gym door wide open. The cool breeze blowing in from the parking lot had never felt so welcome. A chilly sensation stuck my clothes to my skin, the fabric slapping against my arms. Ichie said,
"Who. Meet?"
"Yu-jeong sunbae!"
I waved happily when I spotted Senior Yu-jeong. She beamed at me, then her face stiffened slightly upon seeing Ichie beside me. Did she dislike Japanese people or something? She switched to a faint smile and said to me,
"Good work today. The student next to you is Ichigaya Ichie, right?"
"Yes."
Ichie nodded. She gave Senior Yu-jeong a quick once-over, then turned to me and said,
"Girlfriend? Girlfriend?"
"Huh?"
"Ah, no! Not girlfriend. Our mentor."
I startled and quickly corrected her. Senior Yu-jeong had whipped her head away, suddenly staring at her car. She clutched her ears and crossed her legs. Her slim jeans accentuated her legs' graceful lines.
"Mentor? Oh, mentor. Sorry. Misunderstood."
She bowed her head. Senior Yu-jeong took a deep breath and shook her head. She snuck glances at me while saying to Ichie,
"No. Well, no need to apologize."
Then she scanned Ichie up and down. Like she was sizing up an opponent in a turf war, she stared for a good while before smiling again and saying,
"Anyway, want to sit? I'll buy drinks."
"Thank you."
She bowed again in greeting. Then she sat demurely on the bench and looked at Senior Yu-jeong. In the meantime, Senior Yu-jeong had pulled out her wallet and headed to the vending machine. As I approached her, I said,
"Sunbae, today let me..."
"Juniors buying for me? I'd get flak. Go sit. You're stressing the new student out."
"Ah, but..."
"It's fine."
She nodded toward Ichie, urging me to hurry back. Swept up in her momentum, I had to sit on the bench again. Ichie was looking around the area. The surroundings must have felt novel to her, being her first day.
"Ichie. How well do you speak Korean?"
Senior Yu-jeong returned with the drinks. She cracked open a can of coffee as she asked. Ichie bent a finger and said,
"A little. Know a little."
"That's pretty good. Miss Ichie. Have you decided on a guild to join since coming here?"
"Not yet."
Senior Yu-jeong nodded and asked,
"Really? Ichie, then... mind if I give a quick rundown of our guild?"
"Rundown? Have to join?"
"No need right now. Just hear it out and think it over. I'd appreciate it."
Senior Yu-jeong shook her head at Ichie's question. I silently watched their conversation. The drink tasted even better today.
"I'll listen."
Ichie nodded. As if she'd been waiting, Senior Yu-jeong whipped out her electronic pad and started scrolling through guild history and achievements. Most materials were translated into readable Japanese, and some videos had Japanese audio.
I could tell just how serious the Black Dragon Clan leader was about recruiting her. Senior Yu-jeong said,
"That's our guild's background. And as a perk, if you join us, you can use 'Miyamoto Musashi' as your nickname when you hit B-Rank Hunter."
"No."
Ichie shook her head firmly right away. Senior Yu-jeong froze mid-explanation and stared at her. Ichie kept shaking her head emphatically.
"Nickname... too lame. Musashi lame. Like 'Ichi'."
"......I'll bring that part up with the leader."
Senior Yu-jeong sighed and packed away the materials. Then she said to Ichie again,
"No need to decide right now. Just think it over some more. The Black Dragon Clan really wants to recruit you."
"Will think."
Ichie nodded. With her pitch done, Senior Yu-jeong scanned her once more and muttered,
"Anyway... she's a total beauty......"
"Pardon?"
As Ichie asked back, Senior Yu-jeong suddenly turned to me and said,
"Oh, right. You know about next week's field training, yeah? The one with the D-Rank Hunters."