Freshman Welcome and Married Man Blues
I'm a married man now. I head back to my room and lie down on the bed, sorting through my thoughts.
Judging by Dad and Baek Sia's reactions, it's clear that while I spent three years over there, only a single night passed here.
That means, by Earth's timeline, I'm still twenty years old and just about to start university.
Honestly, from what I've heard college students say online, the campus life that high schoolers dream up is mostly just a fantasy.
"Mostly fantasy, huh... Aren't they using 'fantasy' in too positive a way?"
Three years ago, I had some expectations for college life myself, but now? I couldn't care less what it's really like.
Part of it is a slight aversion to the word "fantasy" itself, but mostly, after everything I went through in Astasia, I don't need anything more stimulating or spectacular.
A little light fun would be perfect, and above all, what matters most is a peaceful life.
Of course, as a college student in Korea, I'm not exactly going to be dueling anyone to the death, so that's probably unnecessary worry.
I'll just enjoy college moderately and spend the rest of my time living the otaku life I missed out on.
Once my thoughts reached that point, I started to feel a twinge of regret that time hadn't passed on Earth.
Three years—how many new games, anime, manga, and novels could have come out in that time?
But then I remembered that if time had passed here, I'd probably have been in a coma for those three years, so I quickly dropped the idea.
I can't worry my family like that.
I haven't used a phone in three years, yet I find myself instinctively checking it every time my eyes land on it. Habits are scary.
I open Messenger, and there are hundreds of unread chats piled up.
The top one is...
I'll ignore that.
Most of the messages are from the group chat for the 2023 admits who got into Korea University's Nursing Department via early admission.
It's only been a short time since they made the chat after acceptances came out, but it's already buzzing. Impressive.
Some of them have probably already met up for meals and such.
I'm not the type for that, so I have no desire to take the initiative. That's not because of my isekai trip—it's just my personality.
"That's why Baek Sia said I'm the same as always. Nothing's changed."
If anything, the biggest sign of Astasia's influence is how quickly I'm adapting back to Earth.
To get summoned to that other world and make it back, I had no choice but to become a grand anti-demon weapon.
Luckily or unluckily, I had overwhelming talent for assassination, so as the continent's strongest assassin, ripping demon flesh, bathing in their blood, stabbing hearts, and injecting mana to burst them became my daily routine.
But even amid that routine slaughter, I kept most of my usual personality intact. And my quick adaptation now? I think it's thanks to being an assassin who wields killing intent freely.
The most crucial talent for an assassin in Astasia: maintaining composure and suppressing killing intent.
Suppressing it instead of releasing it—sounds paradoxical, right?
At first, I had no idea what that meant, but once I reached a certain level, it clicked naturally.
Everyone who shaped me into an assassin agreed I was a natural genius at it.
The problem? Even with heaven-given talent, the mental training to hone it was pure hell.
"...That bastard Klein..."
...Remembering that shook me for a second, but I'm grateful in my own way.
I'd worried that coming back, my familiarity with killing might make normal life impossible or lead me to do something crazy. But seeing my current state, that shouldn't be an issue.
Thanks to that experience.
"Thanks a lot, you piece of shit..."
If I hadn't returned right after killing the Demon King, I might've thanked my master Klein by stabbing a dagger coated in deadly poison into his back.
Not that it would've done much damage.
"What's fun in this season...?"
I skim through categories, searching for watchable anime while skipping the action ones.
A senior called me the other day.
"Is this Baek Sion? Congrats on getting into Korea University Nursing! I'm Kim Yujeong, OFF Class of 2022! We divide into classes per department, and you're in OFF Class! On January 9th, we're having the freshman welcome for early admits—meet at Room 401 in the Nursing Building main hall! I'll send the exact time and address via message too, so unless it's super important, you have to come! Congrats again!"
"Yes, got it. Thank you."
Is this college kid energy? Wild.
For a 2022 senior, I'm their first underclassman batch, so they're excited. Or maybe she's just like that.
It's a welcome, so probably nothing major—just drinking and bonding.
A hint of annoyance creeps in, but skipping the first event would make me more than just a loner; it'd ruin school life. So I memorized the date.
While bingeing new anime and games, the welcome day snuck up fast.
After constant life-or-death battles, killing time felt like it vanished in a blink.
Event starts at 2 PM, but I can't be late for the first meetup, so I head straight to campus.
Around 1:20, I arrive at the building and spot people standing around awkwardly. They look like freshmen too.
I approach a guy chatting up one of the female freshmen.
"You really don't photograph well. You look way better in person."
"Haha... no, not really."
Suddenly I don't wanna talk, but sticking with him means I talk less.
"Kim Junwoo, what're you doing?"
The female freshman and—embarrassing as it is—my friend since elementary school, Kim Junwoo, both turn to me.
"Whoa, what's up? You're early."
"Can't be late for the first meet."
It's been three years for him too, but unlike with Sia or my parents, no lump in my throat.
After some casual chat, the girl stares at me intently.
What do I say?
"Hi, nice to meet you."
"This is Baek Sion, my ten-year buddy, but total severe weeb. Otaku."
Why's his intro like that? Makes sense they picked him as class rep—he's shameless and outgoing.
"I'm Shin Chaewon. Nice to meet you."
Light brown hair, friendly face. Junwoo said our department has lots of pretty girls—nursing has over four times more girls than guys, and yeah, they're all cute.
"Did he say anything weird?"
"Oh, no. It was awkward, but thanks for jumping in."
She's not lying.
Junwoo's crazy but not bad.
I wanna wrap up the small talk and bail.
"Sorry, he goes blind around pretty girls."
Shin Chaewon's eyes widen, mouth slightly agape.
...Baek Sion, you maniac too?
My time in Astasia didn't sharpen my personality.
If anything, partying with three others made me jokier and lighter.
The real reason for the shift? Half from teasing Seol-ah's perfect reactions, the rest... probably a defense mechanism to stay positive after taking countless lives.
Didn't expect the side effect.
"Th-thanks..."
She's flustered, face a bit red.
Never thought someone would say that as a first uni meeting—and that it'd be me.
"I-I like anime too! I've watched everything from that director's new one."
She's trying for the otaku angle out of kindness—can't pursue it. 99% chance she just knows popular movies, not seasonal stuff.
The chat fizzles naturally, leaving us two. Junwoo stares at me like I'm insane.
"Didn't expect this from you. College glow-up?"
"Me neither..."
"No shame?"
Why's he acting victimized?
"I messed up, but you're the last one to talk."
He sighs.
"When I do it, it's just hype. When you do it, it's straight-up flirting."
What nonsense.
I'm a married man.
We parted forever five minutes after the wedding, but still.