Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: My Sweet Home
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"This must be the place."
I stared at the door with weary eyes. It was your standard dorm room door. Room 306. My new home for the foreseeable future. My sweet home.
Getting here had been a real ordeal. In the novel, it was just a quick line about heading to the dorms. But I had to hunt it down myself, step by step. The biggest issue? The guide they assigned ditched me to find her own room.
Well, she left willingly, so it should be fine.
I held the card I'd received before arriving up to the door lock. With a mechanical beep, it unlocked. I pushed inside energetically, and there it was—a perfectly ordinary dorm room.
Not too big, not too small, with a plush bed and assorted furniture.
It was the typical dorm scenery you see everywhere. The novel never described the inside of the room, so I had no idea what to expect, but it was all implemented just fine. Surprisingly so.
"This is a 1000th-place room."
Justitia's dorms are divided by ranking. The higher you climb, the better the dorm you get.
For a bottom-tier room, it was decent enough. Kim Tae-hyun, the first-year number one, lived in what could only be called a palace. But for a commoner like me, this was more than satisfactory.
I nodded to myself and stepped in to unpack. Not that I had much— just hung my uniform jacket on the visible hanger.
"Alright then."
After that, I sat on the bed to sort out my current status.
I'd entered the novel. My job was to mess with the protagonist. To do that, I'd need some level of combat ability. Words alone had their limits. If I couldn't even hold a sword properly, I'd die in training before I could interfere.
So, what I needed was one thing. Something that god—self-proclaimed webnovel superfan—would absolutely include.
I murmured softly.
"Status window."
One second, two, three, ten. Even closing my eyes and counting to ten brought no change. No blue window like when 「Mana Eye」 activated.
Cold sweat trickled down as I forced a smile. I must've said it wrong.
"Status window?"
I called it questioningly.
"Status window~"
Sweetly coaxing.
"Status window!"
Angrily shouting. Still nothing. The rotten grin faded from my face. No, too early to give up. Webnovels use different names sometimes.
"Stats?"
[.....]
"Abilities?"
[.....]
"System?"
[.....]
"...How about this—my info!"
[.....]
"...."
[.....]
Silence. Veins pulsed on my forehead. I'd tried every status window variation I could think of, but no blue screen.
Is this bastard seriously not even giving me a status window now?
My thoughts reached that point, and my rage toward god spiked—
ding-dong—
The doorbell rang.
"Who is it?"
No one was supposed to visit. First day of school. I didn't know anyone. No one should be coming.
Thinking that, I opened the front door—and there—
"What the hell?"
Was an angel. Golden blonde hair, sky-blue eyes. A girl with heavenly beauty sculpted by god herself. She only came up to my neck, yet her hair cascaded to her waist. And her appearance? A total mess.
Covered in dust from head to toe. Dust was the least of it—twigs stuck to her body, leaves even clinging to her head.
Where the hell did you roll around?
"God... Seong-hoon... gave..."
"What? Speak up, I can't hear."
Raphael's hands trembled in humiliation. She couldn't lift her head. Her cheeks puffed out—she really didn't want to say it.
"God only gave a room to you, Seong-hoon! No matter how much I search, there's no room for me. And they say I'm supposed to commute?!"
"Then just commute."
Raphael looked up at my response, her face incredulous.
"I just arrived in this world? No home or anything? You want me to sleep on the streets?"
"Yeah."
I shut the door. Slammed it hard. But a foot jammed in the gap. Failed.
Doesn't that hurt? It slammed.
"Hey? Seong-hoon? You know that's not right, right? I'm an angel? A seraphim? The highest rank no ordinary angel can reach. A noble being? And you're telling me to rough it outside? Heartless!"
Raphael tried to pry open the door I was holding. Her strength was insane—I braced with my whole body.
"This is the men's dorm!"
"Who do you think came here for?! Let me in!! Open up!!"
That's that, this is this. Can't let a girl into the men's dorm. It's beyond rules—my principles won't allow it.
Ever heard of no sitting together after seven for boys and girls?
As I held the door with all my might, Raphael's voice came through.
"That's why you've never even held a girl's hand at twenty-five!"
"How do you—?!"
"That's the least of it!! You imagine a pink future when your hand brushes the clerk's getting change at a convenience store, delusions like 'She took my hand's virginity, so she should take responsibility!'"
Before I could finish, she rapid-fired it. And it didn't stop.
She started airing my dark history like it was neighborhood gossip. From elementary school all the way to college.
I had way too many skeletons. Way too many.
I don't know how she knew, my fists shook, but I had one thing to do.
Slowly, my grip loosened. The door swung open. Raphael, leaning against the railing, hands cupped to shout, looked my way.
"Please... stop..."
I knelt.
"If you'd just opened up sooner, huh."
Raphael, now somehow in pajamas, sat on the bed swinging her feet. If I asked where mine were, she'd tilt her head innocently.
I don't need it anyway.
Kicked to the sofa out of nowhere, I reread the red book I'd snatched from her.
God's Note, revived with tape plastered everywhere.
"If you tear it again, I really won't forgive you. Even if it's my only way back to Heaven Realm. Got it??"
Raphael growled. I nodded vaguely. Aside from the first five pages or so, it was full of useful info—I had no desire to tear it. If anything, I was grateful she'd taped it back.
I read intently. Lots of helpful stuff, but pitfalls too.
"...."
Close call. Nearly tore it. Under Raphael's piercing glare, I closed the book and handed it back to her, who growled like a beast guarding its master.
Next up: one thing. I cleared my throat lightly and muttered low. Quiet enough Raphael wouldn't hear. Not embarrassing at all.
"Menu."
[Status] [Inventory] [Skills]
Three options popped up. It felt like stepping into a game interface. Guess the guy in the underworld likes games too, given his interest in the mortal world.
I pressed [Status] firmly.
👤 Name:Lee Seong-hoon⚥ Gender:Male🎂 Age:17(25)📏 Height:176cm⚖️ Weight:64kg✨ Unique Mana:「Mana Eye」
🪄 Magic:「Empty Slot」, 「Empty Slot」, 「Empty Slot」
The screen looked no different from the physical exam results. New additions: the Magic slots, Mana Power changed from [Unmeasurable] to [None], and 「Mana Eye」 listed.
Mana Power was no surprise now, and no Magic made sense without it. Without hesitation, I tapped Mana Eye.
"Hmm."
I stroked my chin. Seeing mana made sense. Those weird flows from before were mana flows. Got it.
But.
"What about the goblin vanishing?"
The goblin I hit with my blind swing disappeared. When I touched the flow. Looks like it's not just seeing—interacting triggers something.
"I'll figure that out later."
Based on the info from [God's Note], I tapped Inventory. Honestly, any 21st-century Korean guy would know how this works.
A grid inventory interface appeared. Exactly like I'd imagined. I stuck my hand in—shloop, it sank into thin air.
"Huh? What're you doing?"
Raphael watched curiously. I'm curious too.
Empty inside, naturally—no texture. I got up, grabbed a spoon from the table, and put it in.
"Oh."
Impressed by the quantity counter, Raphael approached, staring at my hand sucked into the void like a marvel.
"Try putting this in too!"
She handed back the note I'd returned. Couldn't say no, so I stored it.
No quantity for this. One-of-a-kind item?
"Can I do it too? Huh?"
Raphael bounced on her toes asking. Curious myself, I pointed vaguely at the interface.
"Give it a shot."
She reached out—and her hand passed right through. Guess only I can interact.
"...."
Staring at her hand, her cheeks puffed in a pout. She glared sulkily.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Fine. Not interesting anyway. Not curious. Looks like a lunatic waving at invisible stuff."
Raphael turned away huffily and plopped on the bed. Whatever.
I reached back in and pulled out the spoon. Felt it this time. Just thought I want the spoon, and it grabbed only that, ignoring the book.
"...."
She glanced at the spoon in my hand, then turned away again. Ignoring her, I restored it and stored the nearby desk.
It slid right in smoothly. Raphael stared with three mental exclamation marks, but ignored.
Pulling the desk out took thought. Just willed out, and it plummeted from the air. Dodged just before it crushed my foot—disaster averted.
Thanks to my one [Low] stat amid the [Lowest]s: Agility.
Impressive, me.
"Pfft."
Raphael snickered at my show. When our eyes met, she couldn't hold back giggles.
Wanna go?
Truth is, I hadn't liked her since Heaven Realm. That bed was mine.
Bad guide assignment? Never heard of one making guests sleep on the floor.
"What."
Raphael asked. Silently, I walked to the bed. Then stored it. The object she sat on vanished—she floated midair.
What happened next? Obvious.
"Eek!"
Raphael crashed butt-first dramatically. I smirked, payback served.
She glared teary-eyed, full of resentment. What can ya do?
"You started it."
"Nothing I can't handle."
As the saying goes: A bed is something you claim.
Long story short: I lost. Badly. Not even a fight.
Makes sense on reflection. Raphael got A-Rank on the physical. Me? F-Rank.
Fought a unwinnable battle. Price: my back. Hurts way too much after sofa-sleeping.
"Why'd you even try?"
"A man has to fight sometimes, even knowing he'll lose."
"Didn't you mean idiot?"
"....."
I walked silently. Losers don't talk.
We strolled a cherry blossom-lined asphalt road. The spring herald evoked faint nostalgia.
Never thought I'd feel the cherry blossom school path again after high school, let alone college. Felt weird.
"You really gonna do it?"
Raphael skipped ahead. Falling petals framed her beauty gorgeously, but no effect. Anyone seeing her antics would feel the same.
"Gonna fake it if not real?"
"I don't like it one bit."
She smacked her lips and pouted. Doesn't like messing with the protagonist, huh.
"Why not help like in other novels? Bus it. Protagonist blasts the path—pa-ba-ba-bam!—we just snag items along the way."
She's surprisingly savvy. Must've seen the worst serving beside god. I shook my head.
"That'd play into that guy's—god's—hands. No way."
"Tch."
Raphael clicked her tongue as Justitia's building came into view.
Absurdly huge grounds—far from dorms. Craning my neck at the majestic scale hurt, but worth it.
"Justitia."
The place that'd be hellfire for three years. Events exploding around Kim Tae-hyun nonstop. Tough, never easy.
Suddenly, unease hit. The walk too peaceful?
Would that damn god let my first day to school be this smooth? No way.
So what was this peace? I glanced at late-arriving Raphael.
She frowned questioningly. Then I realized the source.
"Hey. You two first-years~"
Three guys waving—total delinquents vibe. I nodded.
Yeah. That's more like it.