Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: School Caste Top Predator (True)
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The rumors spread like wildfire throughout all of Justitia.
The next Magic Association Chair had lost to some unheard-of student ranked in the 1000s.
It was utterly humiliating. She got taken down by wild punches. An uppercut floored her.
She was carted off with her jaw shattered and eyes rolled back.
She was outmatched in a pure magic power contest. And so on. Isia's reputation had already been dragged through the mud on her very first day.
But Isia wasn't afraid of that. Reputation could be rebuilt. She was the type who believed you just had to walk your own path, no matter what anyone else thought.
What she feared was something else entirely.
—Hey, maid, I'm thirsty.
That was what the trash had said after morning training, calling her over.
—Maid~ I'm hungry. What's on the menu today?
That was what the human scum said the moment the lunch bell rang.
—Maid. Raphael wants a snack. Go buy some.
That was what the nobody said during break time in theory class.
—Maid. Got any money? I need some cat food today.
That was what the pest said after classes ended, on the way back to the dorms.
Isia squeezed her eyes shut and did everything he asked. She was the one who'd accepted the bet in the first place, and as the future Association Chair, she couldn't take back her word once it was given.
But even people have their limits to patience. If you're hounded all day long, every day without respite for days on end, it's no wonder that patience would hit rock bottom.
"Cat food? What the hell is that? No, seriously. Pets aren't even allowed in the dorms—why would he need it? He's just messing with me, making me buy random crap."
On her way back to the dorm, Isia muttered as she kicked at the ground. It sounded just like some office lady venting about her boss, but there was no one around to hear.
Isia pulled out her wallet and checked inside. Dust practically rolled around with a tumbleweed groan.
"Sorry, wallet."
Her wallet used to be fat and proud. But now it was so thin the leather was sticking together. All because she'd picked the wrong master.
Why the hell had she made that bet with that guy? She wanted to kill her past self. If she could go back in time, she'd slap some sense into her, no question.
Of course, the rumors had reached her father's ears, earning her a massive lecture. He'd heard about the maid thing too, apparently, since all she got was "Handle it yourself." And the girl she hated calling her childhood friend but was technically a friend? She'd heard the rumors and teased Isia all day long. Nothing had gone right since enrollment.
She pouted and kicked a nearby rock, but got nothing in return. The innocent stone just rolled across the ground a few times.
"Whee."
She'd tried handling it alone somehow. She'd even challenged that guy to another duel. But the response was always the same.
—Are you an idiot? If I don't fight and stay the winner, I'm the eternal victor and you're the eternal maid. Why would I? You idiot?
He'd rolled that last "idiot" off his tongue in a way that made her want to deck him. But he was right. To fight over the maid thing again, she'd need to stake something equivalent.
'But what if I lose again?'
If she lost again, she'd have to stake even bigger. And if she lost again—
She'd already burned herself once thinking, "I'm gonna win anyway, whatever." She couldn't afford that anymore. She needed a more perfect plan.
"What am I gonna do?"
With a gloomy face, Isia trudged into her room.
Tonight, she'd pull an all-nighter plotting Operation: Beat Lee Seong-hoon. For some reason, she felt like she understood the mindset of gambling addicts now.
"Ah~ paradise. Pure paradise!"
I sat on the bench with my legs crossed, proclaiming it. The pose was pure arrogance—legs crossed, arms spread wide and draped over the bench back, the classic delinquent slouch. My mood was through the roof.
"Seong-hoon, tomorrow I wanna try those macarons."
"Yeah, yeah. Just have Isia buy 'em!"
It was all thanks to Isia. Thanks to the girl who'd made herself my maid, I was feeling true happiness here for the first time. A sense of abundance I'd never known in my old world.
Who knew bossing someone around could be this comfy? You delinquents were hogging all the good stuff!
Eat whatever food I want, dump all the annoying chores on her, and she fetches anything I need. The perfect patsy.
Ah! This is what it means to be the top predator in the school caste!
—Nyaang~
A cute sound drew my gaze, and I naturally stroked her fur while looking at Raphael. She was stuffing her cheeks hamster-style as she munched on snacks.
And not just that—she was multitasking, dividing up the cat food I'd bought into containers. I liked how obedient she'd gotten after a few snacks.
"Finish filling those, and we move on to the next spot."
"How many days has it been now? Least explain why we're doing this."
"Don't like snacks? Do as I say."
She replied with a half-hearted "Sure~" and diligently transferred food from the bag. I calmly stroked the cat on my lap and waited for her to finish.
What I was doing right now? Classic cat mom stuff. Back in my old world, cat moms were a huge annoyance, but here, no choice.
I'd been roaming almost every accessible inch of the massive artificial island Justitia, feeding stray cats.
One reason: to steal opportunities.
"Not Kim Tae-hyun's opportunity, though."
"What'd you say?"
"Keep working. Hurry up. Almost done."
Can't even mutter to myself. Anyway, the opportunity I was about to snag wasn't Kim Tae-hyun's. It belonged to one of his heroines, but I needed it, so I was taking it. He'd protect his own, no doubt.
I'd learned from the fight with Isia. Without mana, I was way more vulnerable to danger. If not for Heaven's Blessing (EX), her magic would've crushed me flat.
I needed to reduce that risk going forward and at least be able to fake fighting properly. That's why I was hunting for this.
"Done feeding them all."
Raphael wandered over with the now-empty food bag, her mouth finally free of snacks. I handed her fresh fuel (snacks) from my inventory and headed to the next spot.
"Again? I'm tired. You wouldn't know since you always drop out of morning runs, but training's secretly brutal."
"I see it all. And even if I drop out, I recover and jump back in, right?"
"Eh, does that even count?"
"You saying I shouldn't? I'm trying hard too. Don't underestimate 25 years of concentrated sloth. I'm seriously busting my ass. Puking blood levels of effort?"
"Seong-hoon, you might need to rethink what 'trying hard' means. No one calls fighting the instructor because it's tough 'trying hard,' you know?"
"..."
I shut my mouth, out of excuses. Lately, I'd been struggling to keep up with the academy's set training quota.
Can't avoid it? Enjoy it, they say. Can't enjoy it, but I had to adapt. All to survive.
Dead is dead, game over.
The training assumed you could use mana, so of course I couldn't keep up.
Falling behind and causing trouble in the process? Inevitable. Not my fault. Blame the god who dumped me here mana-less—
"What's that?"
Raphael, walking ahead, pointed at a spot. I hurriedly shifted my gaze and pressed her head down, shoving her behind a tree.
"Hey, what're you doing! Let go!"
"Just stay quiet, please."
I pinned the squirming girl while peeking out. There was a short-haired brunette. Neatly braided to one side. Eyes sparkling like flower petals, sharp and assertive gaze, distinct features.
Not quite Raphael-level, but definitely a beauty standing there.
I knew instantly. She was another of Kim Tae-hyun's heroines.
Half-related, but constantly tangled up with him.
Daughter of the Dawn Guild Master, head of Korea's largest guild. Yang Min-ji, the girl at the center of the story to come.
Someone I absolutely couldn't get involved with here. I pressed Raphael's head harder and ducked into the bushes.
My black hair blended into shadows, but that damn golden blonde was too bright—it'd give us away. So I pinned it down as much as possible.
"Why're you doing this? I trained hard today! This is harsh treatment!"
"Quiet, please. I'll explain later."
"No, explain now or I won't—!"
I clamped her mouth too and crouched low. I could see Yang Min-ji happily holding a cat's paw and smiling. God, just leave already.
My prayers worked—Yang Min-ji suddenly stood up. Yes, head straight to the dorms—
"Huh?"
"Mmph—"
Raphael seemed to say "huh" too. Spit everywhere—disgusting. Gonna wipe it on her clothes later. Before I could even think that, Yang Min-ji started slowly heading our way.
No way. We weren't spotted, right?
I froze like a statue, holding my breath. Raphael kept making muffled "mmph, ngh, hm!" noises, but couldn't break free.
"Did I hear wrong? Sounded like something from over here."
I swallowed hard. Yang Min-ji's eyes darted around, but she found nothing and tilted her head.
Of course, no way we'd be caugh—
"Pfft! Why're you doing this for real? You think you can take me by force, Seong-hoon?"
"Ah."
I stared at Raphael in utter defeat. No way I could overpower her, but I'd pinned her desperately, and she still blew our cover without reading the room. And with that smug face, yelling on top of it.
Glancing back at Yang Min-ji, she was staring right at us.
Our flower-petal eyes met, and she flashed a bright smile my way. Ha. I managed a bitter one in return.
"Ah! The guy who beat Isia!!"
And those words? Impossible to ignore.
She knows me. Already tough just from the Isia connection, now Yang Min-ji too? My lips trembled as I forced them open.
"No, that's not it?"
Please, make it not.