The First Failing Student (3)

I arrived at the chairman's office. My nerves were wound tight.

Metis, the chairman of Celestia Academy, had only appeared for a fleeting moment in the early story—barely ten seconds of screen time. Yet in that blink she had swept away a flood of Defects—the mook monsters—with a single gesture. True to her nature as a hyper-intelligent AI, she had simply fired the main cannons mounted along the perimeter of the grounds and annihilated them all.

For reference, Celestia is the name of the floating city itself.

Perfect in both might and mind. Not a single shortcoming. How could I not be tense?

"It's Sion. I'll be coming in."

A polite knock. A polite greeting. I straightened my clothes as neatly as I could and stepped inside.

A wide, quiet office. The interior was calm, accented in browns and grays. What really caught my eye, though, were the vivid green orchids.

"Hello, Sion-seonsaeng-nim."

Her voice trembled just a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠little, the way a low-frequency massage might make you feel. Exactly the voice I remembered from the story.

A thin, high tone and a delicate frame—yet her age was said to match that of the floating city itself. The two pupils quietly fixed on me were piercingly cold. She was definitely not human. Every time she blinked, the shape of her pupils shifted. Then they locked into the symbol for pi.

"I'm late with my greeting. Sion-seonsaeng-nim, are you settling in well?"

"Ah, yes. Everything's going fine. The facilities are great, and the food's delicious."

"Hehe. Teacher, you can speak comfortably. I'm only serving as chairman due to circumstances. I'm also a student here, after all."

"Oh, is that really okay? Thanks."

What? That part had never come up.

Ding.

Oh. The fact that the count went up means she really is a student?

"Sion-seonsaeng-nim?"

"Ah, sorry. I got all tensed up hearing 'AI chairman.'"

"Hehe. You don't need to be nervous. I'm just a fragile little student."

"Hmm. Still, sitting in the chairman's seat doesn't sound like something an ordinary person could pull off. And your face is cute, too."

"Thank you for the kind words. Looking forward to working with you."

Even so, she was my employer, so I tried a little flattery. She didn't so much as bat an eye. Had she already seen straight through me?

I should probably get checked to make sure there isn't a chip planted in my brain.

"How is the work in the Life Guidance Department treating you?"

"I still don't really know. I think I'm still adapting."

"I'm sorry for assigning you such an out-of-the-way duty."

"Out-of-the-way?"

"Normally a teacher would lead students out to hunt Defects."

"Ah. I see."

I'd assumed most people handled desk work like me.

"There's a reason for that. I have a request for you, Sion-seonsaeng-nim."

"Gym equipment restock?"

"Ah, I'll ask you for that as well. Complaints keep coming in that someone keeps breaking the machines."

"Gym gear isn't cheap."

"Ahem. What I actually want to ask is something else."

"What is it?"

Metis rose lightly to her feet. Her body was far smaller and more compact than I had expected; my heart gave a little jump. Yeah. That was pure protective instinct talking.

She padded over and looked up at me steadily. Her proportions were so good I hadn't noticed, but by eye she was only around 150 cm.

"Celestia Academy has many outstanding students—especially compared to other floating cities."

"I see."

"But there are definitely students who get left behind. Their abilities lag, so they're forced into rear-support roles."

"Because it's dangerous?"

At my question she quietly shook her head left and right. Her very pale sky-blue hair swayed. When she blinked once, her pupils turned into inverted red triangles.

"Because they never get a chance to shine."

"Ah. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠That really is pitiful."

"So I ran the simulations with this brilliant brain of mine."

"Oh?"

"In the very near future, there is a 78.95 percent probability that Celestia will come under attack."

That… couldn't be…

"Most of the students will attempt to dock down to the Ground for a large-scale Defect extermination, which will leave Celestia critically short on defensive power."

"Can't the defense systems you control handle it?"

"Well… according to the calculations, the main cannons do not count as 'combat power.'"

"Meaning even you don't really know?"

"Yes. There is a high likelihood they will be neutralized by an unobserved ability."

"So what you're saying is… I should train the neglected students until they become actual combat assets?"

"I wouldn't go that far. I'm sorry, but I simply don't have enough data yet to judge your command ability, Sion-seonsaeng-nim."

"Ah, sorry. That was presumptuous of me."

"Does that bother you?"

"It's the truth, so what can I do? Looking like an idiot who overestimates himself and gets himself killed would be way more pathetic, wouldn't it?"

"Hehe. Yes. The probability of that is a full 98.76 percent."

So there was still a chance it wouldn't happen.

"Ahem. Simply help the ones they call failing students so they don't go completely off the rails."

"That might actually be harder."

"Do you know why I hired you, Sion-seonsaeng-nim?"

"Hmm. Because a vacancy happened to open up by chance?"

"In a world where ability is everything, people who pay attention to others' emotions are extremely rare."

"Ah."

"So I created the Life Guidance Department. There are more people than you'd think who need care—body and mind both."

Getting that psychology counseling certification had been a really good call.

More than that, thinking of Selena made it click. Students who looked perfectly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fine on the outside but were actually carrying deep wounds. Well, even in the real world you saw plenty of people whose hearts were sick. No reason this place would be any different.

It was a crazy, broken game world to begin with, after all.

"Sion-seonsaeng-nim. May I ask this of you?"

"Honestly, I have no experience. And I'm not that good a person either."

"Even so. You listened seriously to Selena's worries, didn't you?"

"Huh? You saw that?"

"No. After she left your office, her expression had brightened."

She could read that much from such a subtle change?

"Even if it hadn't been counseling, I'm sure you helped her somehow."

"Can I ask why you think that?"

"There's something about you that strangely puts people at ease. And ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you're handsome, too."

She gave me a sly little smile, spun around, and walked back to her seat with her hands clasped behind her back. Somehow I felt like I'd just been played.

"Thanks, Metis."

"If you produce good results, I'll raise your salary. There isn't a better reward than that, is there?"

"If possible, could you tell me how high Samsung stock is going to climb?"

"I'm sorry. The academy's operating costs are rather high."

"Metis. Don't tell me you—!"

"Hehe. Best of luck."

Some unknown force seemed to shove me right out of the chairman's office.

"Yeah… I'm done with stock trading."

After that I quietly finished my work and headed home. No matter how many times I returned, the place always left me feeling loose and comfortable. I really liked that about it.

"Haaah. I'm wiped."

I tossed my suit jacket aside and sprawled out on the sofa. A moment later the true master of the house appeared and climbed right onto my body.

"Nyaang~"

"Cheese~ Oppa's home~"

She used my body as a platform and stretched out long and luxurious. Then she yawned so wide her little jaws cracked, curled into a perfect loaf, and flopped down on my stomach.

This was going to make washing up difficult.

"Hm?"

The apartment was quiet. My roommate must have gone out. Well then… I guess I had no choice but to become Cheese's personal bed for a while.

"You're cute today too~"

"Nyaang~"

"Yeah, yeah. How was your day?"

She gave me a blissful squinty-eyed smile and started up her little motorboat purr. When I gently stroked her golden forehead she rubbed her cheek against my hand.

I kept petting that soft fur until, before I knew it, I had dozed off completely.

"Puhh!?"

I couldn't breathe and jolted awake. Once again the culprit was Cheese.

"Cheese. My face is not a cushion."

"Nyaang~"

At times like this she pretended not to understand and withdrew with perfect feline elegance. I watched her knead my chest with tiny paws for a moment, then finally sat up.

"Huh? Still not back?"

She'd said a big project had come in and she'd be busy for a while. Did that mean I was a free man for the next few days?

I scooped Cheese up and wandered around the apartment. Every light was off; there wasn't a single sign of life. When she started wriggling like she wanted down, I set her free and headed for the kitchen.

"Urgh. Haah. I should eat something, huh?"

Eating alone made the laziness hit hard. I still hadn't showered, and the laundry needed doing too.

After a long internal debate I pulled a bag of dumplings from the freezer and dumped them into the air fryer. I set the temperature and timer, then turned around.

"Strip naked. Throw the laundry in. Shower. By the time I get out, the dumplings will be done."

I topped off Cheese's water and food bowls in one smooth flow, tossed the dirty clothes into the washer, and—taking full advantage of my rare freedom—enjoyed the pure mystery of the human body.

"Brr, cold. Better get in the shower quick."

"Puhahaha!"

I was mid-laugh, drinking a can of beer and watching NaTube, when a NanaTalk notification chimed.

Whoa. Must be the late hour. I'm getting major early-morning vibes here.

There was a short pause.