School Starts #7
School Starts #7
I came back to the classroom. I said I was fine, but Leona couldn't settle her mind.
"Morning assembly's starting. Class president? How about a cheerful greeting."
"Ah... yes. Everyone, let's greet. Good morning."
Even while greeting the instructor, her mind seemed somewhere else.
"Good morning."
"Good morning."
"Good morning."
After the greeting, she sat down and thought.
What could it be?
'What did he do to get hurt like that? A triceps injury during training... don't give me that crap. What was he doing to bleed from there? Did he pull a Kim Geun-cheol Flying Shoulder Tackle into a blade or something?'
Thinking it through, no plausible scenario emerged.
Could it have happened while sparring with Woo Yu-ri?
No. The timing doesn't line up, and Woo Yu-ri is someone whose skill she acknowledges. She's not the type to injure an opponent like that during training. Even if an accident like that had occurred, she would've dealt with it immediately. She's not someone who'd ignore a friend's wound.
Then, while practicing swordsmanship alone?
Swinging a sword by himself and accidentally slashing his own triceps? What, is his arm some kind of octopus monsterkin? Nobody cuts their own triceps by accident.
Maybe if he were a beginner at the start of the semester, but Kim Geun-cheol can already be called a fine swordsman. Of course, there's the possibility he spazzed out alone, screwing around and injured himself, but that doesn't even rate consideration.
Or what about wall-running, high-altitude jumps, or losing his footing during a sprint... I considered those too, but... none of them would cause bleeding from the triceps.
'And he was wearing underarmor, too. The guy who was as giddy as a postwar kid getting chocolate from a GI when he got his underarmor, wearing it every single day... for him to get hurt that badly from a training injury, I can't understand it. It was a good product.'
Superhuman physical ability. A mana shield. On top of that, expensive underarmor.
No ordinary attack would hurt him. Even if someone fired a gun, if Kim Geun-cheol was focused, he could dodge without shedding a drop of blood.
So, that meant he'd been hit by something worse... and at this point, what could hit harder than a firearm was...
'A monsterkin? Or a villain? Could villains have secretly sent a hitman to attack Kim Geun-cheol? H-huff...!'
—Ba-dump, ba-dump!
When her thoughts reached that point, Leona couldn't stand the pounding in her chest!
'E-even though he was ambushed! To keep me from worrying, he hid it and acted tough on purpose...! C-could it really be?! How could he! That's so unfair! Please, just tell me! I'm telling you to lean on me!'
Objectively speaking, the chance a villain sent a hitman seems low, but if it was an incident serious enough to leave Kim Geun-cheol with a fairly large wound, it has some merit.
Negative thoughts bubbled up in her mind.
Earlier, Kim Geun-cheol's strong insistence had completely rolled her over, and she'd clean forgotten her plan to chuck him in the hospital. Should she do it even now? No, should she guard him from somewhere?
"Whoa, this is gonna completely open the era of fusion battles. Instructor."
"...!"
Just then, Kim Geun-cheol's voice cut in, and Leona snapped back to attention.
"That's the first time in my life I've heard that expression. Well, it's still accurate. As Kim Geun-cheol just summarized, from now on, there will be classes where you form squads with ability users of different types. The ability to coordinate with varied ability users is critical. So this will be time spent cultivating that sense."
Leona couldn't fully concentrate, but she could tell the instructor was talking about the combined class.
"Man, if we show even a hint of being outclassed by the Mage Class kids, our swagger's done for."
That's Kim Geun-cheol.
Just listening to the instructor and running his mouth.
"Right you are. Are Warriors supposed to fall behind Mages? If you don't want your swagger stripped and to get wiped out, work hard."
"You hear that? Mun Min? Let's work hard so our swagger doesn't get damaged."
"Screw off!"
He looked totally carefree.
'...Even though he was hurting so badly earlier.'
His face was smiling, and his attitude was the same as always.
'How do I put this... he seems skilled at hiding his wounds.'
That's what Leona thought.
"Anyway. The curriculum's been heavily revised this time, so real monster combat classes—the kind only the advanced class normally gets—are scheduled, so look forward to it. They'll use monsters that the state is cultivating."
"Ooh! I'm so hyped! Instructor!"
"For reference. Hey, Kim Geun-cheol. Ryu Cheon-hwi, sitting behind him. Those are monsters cultivated by the Ryuseong Group."
"Good god! You punk, Mister Dragon! What are you plotting, raising monsters!"
"Wha— what! D-don't talk nonsense!"
"What! Instructor...! The Ryu just swore at you!"
"I meant you!"
The kids in class were giggling at the absurd shouting match.
The world looked peaceful.
"Alright, then. First period, we'll take time to greet the Superpower Specialization Class kids. We're going to the auditorium, so get up."
"Yes."
"Yes."
The kids rose from their seats.
As Leona gathered her things, she looked at Kim Geun-cheol.
"Yo, yo. Yu-ri. Go get 'em. If some mage bastard from the next class beats you up, let me know. I'll come beat them all up. Just trust me."
"Kim Geun-cheol, what bullshit are you on about this early?"
"Bullshit?"
With a gallant voice.
"You, Yu-ri."
Kim Geun-cheol struck a cool pose, pointing a finger at Woo Yu-ri.
"You're weak."
"'You're weak,' my ass."
—Thwack!
"Aghaghk!"
Woo Yu-ri launched a low kick at Kim Geun-cheol.
"You wanna talk crap this early? This bastard. Guess you haven't been hit enough?"
"C-crea...!"
"What?"
"Crea! Milky-ti-cal!"
"You son of a bitch!"
Woo Yu-ri punishing Kim Geun-cheol's nonsense.
'Kim Geun-cheol...'
Truly.
He's chatting with his friends like nothing happened.
'From what I looked into before, he used to get shuffled around orphanages. Maybe that experience made him good at hiding his wounds... something like that?'
Thinking about it made her mood sink.
She didn't know the details, but from what she'd found out, Kim Geun-cheol had been caught up in all sorts of violence incidents, bounced around orphanages, and ended up entering the academy in that state.
Priding herself on knowing Kim Geun-cheol well, it wasn't hard to recall his unfortunate past.
'Even so, to be that hurt and hide it... no, this won't do. I have to find out what happened. Time to show him clearly what being Geun-cheol-mom means.'
If he won't lean on you, then you just make him lean.
* * *
"Hello, hello! It's Instructor Kawar!"
When we got to the auditorium, Instructor Kawar greeted us with her usual high-energy, chirpy shout, waving both hands.
She's an instructor who's never quite normal, any time you look.
I spotted that especially when she showed us those madman's nightmarish illusions during the first class. She really made me cry my eyes out back then.
"Today, we'll take some time to greet the kids in my class! Here, can you see them? Please confirm their faces!"
"Ooh."
A group of Mage-type ability users lined up in the auditorium.
I quickly scanned their appearances.
How do I put it... physically, they definitely look inferior to our class. But the aura I'm sensing is a little unique. The mana felt is clearly different from Warrior types like us.
Those guys are the type with various tricks—shooting fire from their hands, using some bizarre psychic powers.
Well, I'd win if we fought.
Never underestimate the combined experience of a regressor plus an Earthling... in practice, I always carry 3-person firepower. Fighting 3-on-1, how could I lose?
Anyway, the ones standing are only Instructor Kawar's class. I hear Instructor Maikes's class, who's famous as a theory instructor, consists of non-combat Awakened.
"Okay then... wow! Kim Geun-cheol!"
"Y-yes?"
"You look very interested in my class kids, don't you? Those eyes are practically burning! Then you should come and greet them! Come up here!"
"No—no! Oh dear, Instructor Kawar! I'm not even the class rep, why do you keep calling me up like that, seriously!"
Here she goes again!
She called my name the second she saw me!
"Huh? Cadet Kim Geun-cheol? Weren't you Number One?"
"I am Number One, true. Still!"
"Just come up. Isn't it a familiar thing by now? And the class rep! Class president, come up too!"
"I seriously can't believe this treatment... Anyway, Leona. Let's go."
"Huh, huh? Yes? What did you say?"
"They said come up."
"Ah... I suppose we should."
She seemed a little dazed.
I placed a hand on Leona's back and gently pushed her forward as I stepped up.
"Leona. Still worrying about my wound? That stuff, dude. It's a man's wound."
"Don't be an idiot, seriously... ha. I'm really just worried, that's all."
"Hehehe, I'm telling you it's fine. So, to recover, wanna grab some jjamppong?"
"Wouldn't that make it worse?"
Talking about stuff like that, I stood in front, and Instructor Kawar called over her class's representatives.
"Okay then, our class president and—! Who else should I call? Drum roll, please!"
Looks like that high tension applies to her own class, too.
"Park Ha-yul! Park Ha-yul, come up here!"
Park Ha-yul?
"Ah, ah, ah... m-me...?"
Looking over, a girl who seemed deeply gloomy and introverted was awkwardly stammering and looking around.
"Yes, yes! Come on up! Quickly! Park! Ha! Yul! Park! Ha! Yul!"
"Y-yes, ma'am!"
She's obviously an introvert, and teasing her like that seems a bit mean.
Anyway, we stood facing the Mage Class representatives.
The guy they called class president was a brown-haired man with an affable look, and Park Ha-yul was, literally, a deeply introverted girl, even hunched over.
"Then, greet each other!"
The two class presidents faced each other, and I faced Park Ha-yul.
"Class A's president? From that famous Kainus Family of Europe's Mister Dominators. Leona Kainus, right? Nice to meet you. Let's get along. I'm Ahn Do-min."
"You know your stuff. I'm Leona Kainus."
Time for me to greet her too.
"H-h-h-hello..."
But she was too fidgety and nervous.
"No, why'd you say 'hello' all formal? Don't you get we're the same age? Same age. Relax. Relax. What's the point between peers."
"Th-that's..."
You can sense it right from her voice. Her trembling shoulders, too. Plus, her long, wavy black hair hanging down makes her look gloomy and somber.
If this person's my counterpart.
Gotta go in brimming with fighting spirit.
"Come on! Talk casually, please! Let's do well together! Park Ha-yul!"
"Huh, huh?!"
What is she, No-Face?
"Park Ha-yul! Let's do well! I'm Geun-cheol!"
"Y-yes! Ah, got it!"
"No, not 'got it'! Come on! 'I got it'! Yeah!"
"Uh, uhuh...! I got it...?"
Good.
She seems to lack a lot of social skills, and since we'll have combined classes from now on, that's a problem.
If you lack social skills, you can't have normal communication. To function properly, you have to at least talk properly. We're in a combat profession. You can't survive being this introverted.
"No way! A little louder! With confidence! Put your heart into it and say hi to me!"
"Ah, aghk... that's...!"
"Come on!"
"Hi!"
—Squeak!
Her voice cracked a little, but basics passed.
"Yeah, there you go! Nice to meet you! Hi to you too! I'm Kim Geun-cheol! You?"
"Park Ha-yul... d-didn't you already hear...?"
"So what."
We finished our greetings and went back to our spots.
"Good heavens, Kim Geun-cheol!"
But Instructor Kawar again.
"Yes?"
"You got Park Ha-yul, the least sociable kid in our class, to open up and talk! What amazing talent! You really have that certain quality I've had my eye on! Aha-hahahahaha! I'm counting on you for our combined classes!"
"No, why are you saying such ominous things again..."
Where's our instructor and what's she doing?
Please restrain Instructor Kawar a little.
