It's an Academy Raid Aaaattack!!! # 6
It's an Academy Raid Aaaattack!!! # 6
"Ah, looks like things are about wrapped up. Cheon-hwi? You'll be fine without me now, right?"
"I'm telling you, you didn't need to come in the first place...!"
"What if something had happened? Oh, and you. Geun-cheol, wasn't it? You should come hang out with Cheon-hwi sometime, okay?"
"Ah, yes. I will. You invited me, so of course I'll come. Take care."
I bowed politely to say goodbye.
But Ryu's older sister seems like the scary type. I can't quite put my finger on it, but that's the vibe I got from the way she handles him.
"Fufu. Yes. You'd better come."
As Ryu's sister smiled warmly and turned away, waving, the door slid open the moment she approached it.
ㅡSssk.
In walked Instructor Lee So-ra.
"Oh! It's the Instructor!"
"She must be done!"
"Woo-hoo!"
My classmates cheered.
"Oh my, Instructor! Hello."
"What's this? Ryu A-ra, what are you doing here?"
The two of them know each other?
Ah. Now that I think about it, they would. Instructor Lee So-ra is a retired hero. A famous one, and damn good, too.
And Ryu's family is a superhuman house of renown. They'd both be famous in hero circles—it's not strange for famous people to know each other.
"I came to protect my little brother."
"Even if you didn't, the Chairwoman is here... I heard you were on a mission in Russia. It must be finished, then."
"Why else would I be here? Would I have come if it weren't?"
"Heh, that irritating tone of voice is still the same."
"Any thoughts of returning to active duty?"
"None. Go home."
"You say that every time. I'll be off, then. Cheon-hwi? Listen to your Instructor and behave yourself, got it?"
Ms. Ryu A-ra, who'd been chatting amiably with Instructor Lee So-ra, called out to Ryu Cheon-hwi and waved. That was like a farewell from the end credits of Animal Farm.
"I said shut up, please...!"
He's really going through it under that overbearing sister.
"Hey, Ryu. When should I come hang out?"
"You goddamn—! Shut your mouth! When did anyone say you could come over?!"
"Your sister did."
"As if that thing counts as a sister!"
Watching him spew rage with his face bright red nearly made me crack up. When I first met this bastard I thought he was a total scumbag, but once you get to know him, he's just a clumsy doofus.
ㅡDing!
A cheerful chime.
「Main Quest complete: Academy Attack」
「Reward: 3,000 Coin」
Whoa! It cleared right away!
More to the point, this reward is insane jackpot territory.
I raked in coin like crazy today.
My heart's already pounding at the thought of checking it all out later and raising my stats.
"Alright, everyone! Listen up! You've all worked hard, killing time in the shelter! The Gate Incident has been completely handled by our Chairwoman and the active-duty hero upperclassmen, so you can all rest easy!"
"Waaaaaaah!"
"Hooray!!!"
"Upperclassmen are awesome!"
That's what I call relief!
I cheered along with them!
"Utter chaos out there, everyone scrambling to defend their property values."
"Bwhahahaha!"
The class burst out laughing at the property-values comment. Our active-duty hero upperclassmen were out there exploding monsters to protect their real estate prices. It felt like a glimpse of our own future, and I could relate.
"With property values around here what they are, would monsters dare run rampant? Even monsters are powerless in the face of housing prices. Anyway, something a little strange has come up."
Is this about the dungeon?
"I'm not sure if it's related to this incident, but a gate presumed to be a dungeon has appeared."
Instructor Lee So-ra trailed off, then cleared her throat before speaking again.
"You could call it an anomalous situation. A dungeon gate at the school. It's unprecedented. So, after consulting with the Chairwoman, an emergency school closure has been decided."
Nice!
"School's really closed!"
Sweet!
Well, yeah. Obviously if a dungeon appears at the school, they have to close it!
I'll use the break to put in some more training time!
"You're all to rest at your respective homes until you hear further notice."
Wait, hold on.
Homes?
"The dorms are off-limits. Those of you who live in the dorms, go pack your essential belongings now and return here. Once you're back, we'll take roll call and then arrange your departure. Now, get moving, all of you."
My classmates started to move.
But I couldn't.
"Wh-wh-whaaaat...?!"
Dorms.
Off-limits?
"Hmm? Kim Geun-cheol? Do you have a question?"
"What did you say?!"
"You startled me."
"The dorms are off-limits?! Instructor! Did you just say the dorms can't be used?!"
"Y-yes, I did?"
I cannot believe this!
"Oh, for the love of—! I'm about to end up on the street!"
"H-hey. Kim Geun-cheol?"
"Instructor! Help me out here, please!"
"What?"
"If I don't have the dorms, I have nowhere else to go! This is insane! I got all happy about school closing, and then the dorm lockdown bullshit!"
Sure, I get it! A dungeon gate pops up at the school—of course you can't use the attached dorms!
Naturally, we have to clear out!
But if they tell me to clear out this suddenly, where the hell am I supposed to go?! I'm dead broke as it is—am I supposed to crash at a motel?!
"Hold on. Calm down. Nowhere else to stay besides the dorms... I see."
"That's right! Instructor! What am I supposed to do!"
"Hrm... Just a moment. Let me think. No, rather... I'll look into nearby accommodations for you right away. The cost will come from the Chairwoman's pocket, so—"
The conversation was proceeding smoothly.
At that exact moment.
"Snff!!!"
From behind me came the sound of tears exploding.
"You... Kim Geun-cheol!"
"Leona?"
"Now it all makes sense! Of course you had nowhere else to go, nghk!"
Leona's voice sounded almost submerged in water.
"If you suddenly get kicked out of the dorms, you'd have no choice but to end up on the streets! But don't you worry! Because the ArcAngel Leona is right here! You, Kim Geun-cheol! You follow me!"
"Wuh-what did you say?!"
"A homeless Kim Geun-cheol is someone I can at least provide a place to stay for...!"
Leona said this in a voice that sounded almost wrung dry of grief!
"Wait, Leona! That's..."
"Shut up and follow me!"
ㅡFwip!
Leona suddenly snatched my wrist! And then she yanked me with tremendous force!
"Hey! Leona! Hold on! Where are we going?!"
"Just follow me! I will provide you with a location that has a roof to keep the rain off...! We're going there together!"
Together?!
Where?!
To Leona's house?!
"L-Leona?! What do you mean, going together?!"
At that, Si-hoo yelled out in alarm!
"Lee Si-hoo? Ah! You were living in the dorms too, weren't you! Is it possible that you, Lee Si-hoo, have nowhere to go either?!"
"N-no, that's not what I—!"
"Then take care! I need to take this nearly-homeless Kim Geun-cheol home with me!"
"Take him home?! H-hold on! Leona! If you take the dorms out of the equation, I also have nowhere to—!"
"Then hurry up and follow me, I said!"
"Wahk!"
And so, after me, Leona grabbed Si-hoo's wrist as well and started dragging us off like some kind of bandit queen!
We tried shouting our objections, but Leona—already pouring tears—was utterly unmoved. Before long, a weeping Leona had thrown us into the Flying Limousine like pieces of luggage.
And that's how we ended up heading to Leona's place.
* * *
"Ah... so you live in a hotel."
Si-hoo said.
"This is a hotel owned by the Kainus Family. I use the largest room on the top floor as my home. Impressive, isn't it?"
I mean, it really is impressive.
"I'll give you the room next door."
"No, Leona. That... I appreciate the rescue, but."
"If you're that grateful, then just stay rescued. Don't even think about the cost."
"I have never seen a person save someone this directly!"
A woman overflowing with an unbelievable sense of justice!
"That is what it means to be the ArcAngel Leona."
"Leona...! Is it okay if I, like, start a religion named after you later on? This genuinely warrants worship."
"A religion my ass! You'd repay kindness with hostility?!"
"A volunteer organization, then?"
"That has some appeal. I expect to see it founded."
You bet!
"Absolutely! I will definitely found it! Once I've made it big as a hero, I will one hundred percent start it! Anyway, thank you so much, Leona!"
She's already resolved to help me. If I tried to back out now, I'd just be spitting on her kindness.
Honestly... staying in a swanky hotel like this, it's beyond burdensome, it's heavy. But, well. It's fine. All I have to do from now on is lend her my strength.
I'll go hard on the volunteer work.
"Alright then, Kim Geun-cheol? And Lee Si-hoo? Let's go up. Ah, but I was a little curious about something. Do you both have time this weekend?"
"Orphanage? Of course I do."
"Y-yeah. I'll happily help, Leona."
"Fufu, then that's settled."
And so we followed Leona into this overwhelmingly enormous Kainus Hotel.
"Whoa."
My jaw's on the floor.
What does one night here even cost? I ignored the question knowing the answer would only cause me pain. How does a hotel that looks like a European palace even exist in Korea?
ㅡDing.
We took the elevator up to the top floor.
"One room should do it, right? You're both guys. You two can just share one. I'll give you the key in a moment."
"Right. Thanks—"
"Whaaaaaat?!"
Just as I was about to say thank you, Si-hoo unleashed a Lion's Roar.
"Ack! Wha—, Lee Si-hoo? What in the world?"
"What the hell, Si-hoo? Why've you been scaring people out of nowhere lately?"
Leona yelled, startled, and I flinched for a moment too. Why's he so shocked?
"Me... and Geun-cheol, sharing one room...?!"
"Hey, hey! Si-hoo! Leona's doing us a huge favor—so of course we're doubling up! Don't tell me you're thinking of demanding a private room?! You didn't strike me as that kind of guy!"
"No, hold on, Geun-cheol! That's not it! As if I'd ever twist her kindness like that!"
That's a fair point.
Si-hoo isn't that kind of guy.
"Then what's the deal?"
"I-it's just! This... sharing a room with a friend, this is the first time I've ever done it! S-so I was a little surprised! Hahaha!"
Si-hoo scratched the back of his head and laughed awkwardly.
Come to think of it, a lot of things seem to be firsts for Si-hoo.
"What, that's what it was? Hmm, but now that you mention it, I don't think I've ever slept over with a friend, either. A pajama party, is it? Anyway, use this chance to get even closer, you two. Though you already seem pretty close."
"Hehehe, absolutely. Right? The two of us are gonna build up Friendship Power and evolve our Charity strength."
"Fufu, an admirable mindset as always. Yes. Cultivate your Charity strength like that and evolve into a Charity Human someday. They're an Ultra Rare grade of human, I'm told."
Charity Human is overpowered!
"What's the Legendary grade, then? That's the one I want."
"The Legendary grade is exclusive to the Kainus Family."
Shame.
We'd reached the top floor while we were talking nonsense, and Leona pulled out a room key and handed it to me.
"Here. The key."
"Thank you, Leona."
This key feels like it's made of gold.
"Enough thanks. Just hurry inside and wash up. Right now, your clothes reek of monster blood, it's rather... I'll call you when it's time to eat, so deal with all that dried blood caked in your hair first."
ㅡTug, tug.
Leona put her hand on my hair, touching the part where the blood had clumped together, and tried to pull the strands apart.
I really need to wash up soon.
"Yeah. I'll get as clean as I possibly can."
"I'll be off to my room, then."
Leona said goodbye and opened her door, going in. Guess I'll head in, too. Sharing a room with Si-hoo, though. Never thought I'd see the day.
"Hey! Si-hoo! Let's get inside, quick."
"Uh, y-yeah... L-let's go in."
"Why's this bastard so red?"
He's a complete tomato.
"I-I'm just so grateful to Leona for helping us that..."
"Hehehe, me too. Man! This expensive hotel! What's it like on the inside?!"
More importantly, I'm so hyped I could die! Hell yeah! I'm actually staying in a hotel like this!
The tension is surging!
"Dun-dun-dun! Yeah, oh, so sexy! Hotel, hotel, ho-tel!"
"S-so sexy?!"
"Going in!"
ㅡJrrk!
I opened the hotel door and charged inside!
"Oh, what do I do...! How am I supposed to handle this...!"
"How 'bout you just get in here, man! Hey! Holy shit it's god-tier in here!"
An overwhelming interior greeted me...!