Chapter 365
Chapter 365
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 366
Chapter Title: Captain's Choice
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Late at night, after personal training had ended.
I'd finished cleaning up the training ground, now deserted since everyone had left due to the late hour, and stepped outside.
It was past midnight, and there wasn't a soul in sight.
Everyone must have gone to bed in preparation for tomorrow morning's classes.
I stared blankly at the scenery before me, recalling the day's events, and let out a sigh.
“Haah...”
I'd made a slip of the tongue.
Telling them not to bother looking for me if I vanished without a word.
It was an impulsive remark that anyone would find upsetting.
Even if a situation arose where I returned to my original world, that was a distant future matter.
Scratching my head in frustration, I turned my steps toward the dormitory.
As I walked along the path, I spotted a familiar face sitting on a park bench.
It was such an unexpected encounter that I blinked before calling out her name.
“Choi Seoyoon?”
She turned toward the sound of my voice, then stared at me with wide eyes for a moment.
“Senior?”
“What are you doing out here? It's late.”
It was practically dawn—a time when any Wizard Academy student should already be asleep.
As I drew near, she looked up at me and gave a small smile.
“I just couldn't sleep. Thought I'd step out for some fresh air.”
“...I see.”
Somehow, I had a vague inkling of why she'd said that.
A powerful sense of guilt, hard to put into words, washed over me.
Feeling pointlessly like the bad guy, I stood there silently until she spoke first.
“But what are you doing out at this hour, Senior?”
“Clearing my head with some more training.”
She nodded at my response, paused as if deep in thought, then spoke gravely.
“Um... Senior. About what you said during the graduation photo shoot today.”
Her eyes locked straight onto mine.
“Is there some circumstance you can't talk about?”
Her voice carried a profound seriousness.
I pressed my lips together briefly before nodding.
“Yeah.”
“You can't share the details?”
“Yeah. Sorry, I just can't. It's not a lack of trust in you all. I have my own special circumstances.”
Choi Seoyoon gazed at my face without replying.
I had no idea how my words came across to her.
They might even sound like an excuse to brush this off.
She could be disappointed, for all I knew.
Then, the girl who had been staring intently at my face let out a small laugh.
“As expected—I figured you'd say something like that, Senior.”
“...Huh?”
Her unexpected reply threw me off balance.
“It means you didn't say it out of malice, right? It's not like you're suddenly sick of us and bailing.”
“...Yeah, pretty much.”
Her reaction was far cooler than I'd anticipated, leaving me a bit embarrassed.
Had I been overthinking it all by myself?
She might only be responding this way because of how much she trusted me.
“An unspeakable story... I wonder what it could be.”
Choi Seoyoon murmured, staring down at the ground.
It wasn't directed at me—she was lost in her own thoughts.
She soon lifted her head.
“If what you said comes true and you disappear from right in front of us... is that something unavoidable?”
“I don't know. It could happen entirely outside my control.”
I noticed her neatly clasped hands tense up in that instant.
She was trying to play it cool on the surface, but her agitation was palpable.
“Then be honest about just this one thing.”
Her tone grew serious once more.
“...If—just hypothetically— you disappeared one day, would that be a bad thing for you?”
...A bad thing for me?
My mind blanked out for a second.
It was a question that, for some reason, gave me pause.
Strictly speaking, no, it wouldn't be bad.
Returning to my original world would mean I'd resolved everything here and gone back home.
That couldn't possibly be a bad thing.
...But.
Asked if it was a good thing? That, I wasn't sure about.
“...Honestly, I don't know. Whether it's good or bad.”
Choi Seoyoon stared directly into my eyes as I spoke.
Her gaze held a trace of pity.
Meeting it stirred up emotions too tangled to articulate.
She offered a wry smile and tossed me a single remark.
“You must have a lot on your mind too, Senior.”
In that moment, my heart plummeted.
“It has nothing to do with your intentions, right? You're just beating yourself up with guilt and regret, worrying about hurting those around you.”
A warm sentiment that truly understood my position.
That one line brought a surge of emotion—and profound comfort.
I tamped down the welling feelings with effort and managed a small smile toward her.
“Thanks. That really helps.”
She returned a faint smile and shook her head at my words.
“No, not at all.”
I tilted my head back to gaze at the brightly shining moon.
I couldn't predict what the future held.
But one thing was certain: everything in this world had become precious to me.
Explaining it to everyone after all would probably be for the best.
The next day, during lunch.
To clear up yesterday's mess, I'd gathered all the key players at the Wizard Academy café.
“Kim Sunwoo~ What's this about you rounding everyone up?”
Shin Youngjun asked, slurping his coffee through a straw.
“Got some things to say about yesterday. And an apology to make.”
“Sigh. Looks like it's been eating at you all day.”
Lee Seojun chuckled at Shin Youngjun's teasing remark.
Yoo Ara, who'd heard the story from Yoon Hayoung, watched me with intrigued eyes.
Yoon Hayoung stared at me wordlessly from nearby before letting out a deep sigh.
“Sunwoo. I'm over being mad. I realized I was only thinking of myself. You must have your reasons you can't share. Sorry.”
Her abrupt apology caught me off guard.
“Uh... no, you're right—I phrased it poorly.”
“Alright, let's hear what he has to say.”
Choi Seoyoon smiled and took charge of mediating.
All eyes turned to me.
I met their gazes with a wry chuckle.
“What I'm about to say is purely hypothetical. Low chance of it actually happening.”
Everyone nodded solemnly.
“Like I said yesterday, I might just vanish one day without warning.”
“Why would you vanish?”
Shin Youngjun asked.
“Can't say why. There's a restriction binding me.”
“...A restriction?”
Choi Seoyoon and Yoon Hayoung, unfamiliar with the concept, looked puzzled.
Lee Seojun and Yoo Ara exchanged knowing glances.
“Yeah, it's this restriction I don't fully understand myself, so I can't tell you guys.”
The out-of-nowhere explanation left them all visibly confused.
Lee Seojun stepped forward.
“Sunwoo's telling the truth. A-ra and I saw it firsthand.”
Yoo Ara nodded cautiously, and the room's atmosphere grew deadly serious.
“Kim Sunwoo. What the hell are you? Got some hidden backstory or something?”
I shook my head at Shin Youngjun's question.
“Can't say that either.”
“Come on...”
Shin Youngjun scratched his head in exasperation.
Yoon Hayoung eyed me thoughtfully before muttering under her breath.
“I figured your past wasn't ordinary...”
Choi Seoyoon nodded with grave intensity.
“I suspected as much, but a restriction? Didn't see that coming...”
I addressed the group.
“Bottom line, here's what I want you to know: If I disappear, it's not your fault. And it's not something bad happening to me.”
“Even if it does, you won't find me no matter what you try. So don't waste time searching. Just live your own lives.”
Declaring something that might never occur suddenly felt absurd.
But this was insurance against the what-if.
Even if I did return to my original world, I didn't want anyone fretting over me.
That way, I could live worry-free there too.
Silence fell over the group.
After a heavy quiet passed, Yoo Ara spoke up.
“Got it. I understand what you're saying.”
Relief washed over me, and I smiled.
“Yeah, thanks for getting it.”
“No—I just get that your intentions aren't malicious. As for searching for you if you vanish? That's our call.”
“...Huh?”
I blinked, convinced I'd misheard.
Choi Seoyoon laughed.
“I'm definitely going looking for you, no question.”
“Exactly. Searching or not—that's our choice.”
Lee Seojun chimed in, and nods of agreement rippled through the group.
I felt utterly baffled.
Hold on—this wasn't how it was supposed to go.
A message popped up before my eyes.
[You have achieved the 'Deep Friendship' achievement.]
[Reward: 10,000 points acquired.]
[Future change detected.]
[Karmic rate increases by 1.0.]
Time flowed on, and the Wizard Academy's major event—the 2nd Midterm Exams—began.
Guild scouts hoping to recruit third-years packed the campus, alongside plenty of civilians there to gawk at prospects like Lee Seojun and me.
The exam weighed little for third-years, but as the main event, tension etched every student's face.
Day one's theory exam? Done in ten minutes.
Basic tests? Perfect scores across the board.
In peak condition, I aced every trial.
—Wow, Kim Sunwoo's incredible.
—No wonder he's co-first among world prospects.
—My daughter's a huge Kim Sunwoo fan—maybe snag an autograph?
After knocking out those minor basics, the 2nd Midterms' final day arrived: Thursday, day four.
The school's fabled centerpiece—the main exam—kicked off.
“This third-year 2nd Midterm main exam will take place in a special environment, as pre-announced.”
Before the Wizard Academy's virtual training grounds.
The exam proctor, sporting sleek sunglasses, addressed the crowd.
“Not on land, but at sea. The exam is called 'Maritime Monster Hunt.'”
Maritime Monster Hunt.
An event straight from the original story.
You sailed ships, slaying monsters along the way.
Higher-grade kills netted bigger points, so smart strategy was key.
“This exam blends individual and team components. Scores combine personal and team points.”
Even a simple monster hunt incorporated teams because maritime hunts were always group efforts.
Ships were essential for sea beasts, requiring large crews.
More hands per vessel meant better efficiency.
“Three ships total, fifty students each. Those fifties form teams to hunt together. Individual points calculated via the virtual trainer's 'Contribution' metric.”
The proctor continued.
“Now, selecting each ship's 'Captain.' From overall ranks one through three. Starting with third place, captains pick desired teammates one at a time.”
Third place me? Captain by default—and first pick as the lowest rank.
“Kim Sunwoo. Make your choice.”
I scanned the surroundings.
—Bet he picks Shin Youngjun or Lee Hyunjoo.
—I'd go Lee Hyunjoo. Flying summons are clutch.
Murmurs drifted from the crowd.
No denying it: top scorers like Shin Youngjun or Lee Hyunjoo made ideal picks.
But.
For the sea? This was the smart call.
I shifted my gaze.
“Yoon Hayoung. Over here.”
“Yes! Locked in for first ship!”
Yoon Hayoung whooped, then froze upon realizing her blunder.
She glanced at Lee Seojun and Yoo Ara's faces.
Yoo Ara looked stiff.
Lee Seojun wore a bitter smile.