Chapter 9
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Spreading Rumors (2)
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"What a brutal lineup."
Ran Paytra—Professor Ran for short—stuck out her tongue as she scanned the roster for the class she'd be handling.
"The balance is so off you wonder how it's possible... but somehow it works out weirdly well."
Her fellow professors nodded vigorously in agreement, tossing out words of encouragement as they passed by.
'How is this even possible?'
Marren, Airi, Rastel, Karan.
Talents who should've been spread across different classes were all clustered together. Sure, it looked like the top first-years had been dumped into one spot, but ask if the class balance was overwhelmingly stacked? Not quite.
'Kim Geon-ho.'
The Mountain Lords' wastrel son. A total oddball who skipped the entrance exam entirely on a recommendation. Blatant parachute admission—and those weren't rare. But Kim Geon-ho buzzed more than most because of his track record.
Recommendation admits usually had the chops to back it up.
But judging by his history, Kim Geon-ho was nowhere near academy material. His pre-enrollment test scores were dead last. Rumors even swirled that the Mountain Lords were rethinking his admission because the results were so pathetic.
Going by rumors alone was never smart, but his were bad. Chaos at society events was standard fare, plus he'd bully the weak without hesitation, fueled by his inferiority complex.
Top-tier students were a class asset. Wastrel sons? You prayed they ended up elsewhere.
'Can I even handle him?'
The academy existed to forge cadets into heroes—and heroes meant more than raw power. Character counted too.
Power grew with time. Character demanded constant nurturing. Laden with worry, Professor Ran headed to class, only to freeze the moment she stepped in.
'Kim Geon-ho... isn't here?'
Class should've been underway, but she checked her watch—over ten minutes past. First day of enrollment, and he was late to class? No, he hadn't shown up at all.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Ran Paytra, your class instructor starting today. Feel free to call me Professor Ran or just Ran."
"Whoa... Professor Ran... that Professor Ran?"
"The one who won that award for the monster generation report..."
"The hero professor lineup is no joke."
Ran barely registered the compliments after her introduction. Her eyes were glued to the empty seat right next to Marren.
To her perfectionist soul, that vacancy was an eyesore. She stared at it, about to run through the academy schedule.
Drag.
"Sorry. I'm late."
The back door slid open. Kim Geon-ho stepped in.
Whoosh.
A crushing pressure slammed over the entire class.
'What?'
Professor Ran started to call him out on the tardiness but stopped short, eyes narrowing.
'Unconscious release?'
The room's calm vibe shattered the instant he entered. His heavy steps weren't those of a tardy student—they were a predator stalking prey.
"Cadet Kim Geon-ho?"
"Yes."
Oddest part? The pressure vanished the second she addressed him. Flawless control, ramping it up and killing it in a blink.
"Don't be late next time."
She bit back everything else—couldn't waste the class's time—and said only what mattered first.
"Got it. Sorry."
Kim Geon-ho apologized again, dipping his head with a face utterly devoid of regret.
'Whoa, nearly didn't make it up.'
The serum control had drained him way too much. He'd grabbed the answer sheet and started solving, but it took forever. His overworked body demanded deep sleep—and boom, tardiness.
Made it before the first real lesson, but late was late. Back door it was, stares unavoidable. Then the real problem hit.
Fwoosh!
The serum power, still unruly, flared at all the attention. Suppressing it ate every scrap of focus.
In the chaos, all he could squeeze out was another apology. Otherwise? Ride it down quietly.
"Uh... our desk mate."
"Ah... yeah?"
He sat, and Marren jumped right in like she'd been waiting.
'Weirdly ended up desk buddies.'
He'd only nudged things up to class assignment. Pairing? Separate deal. Yet here he was, paired with another core novel character.
"Nice."
"Yeah... for me too."
Marren fussed with her pink hair, mumbling shyly. Why the hell act like this just admitting she was happy about pairs? She was introverted, sure—but this felt overkill...
Sniff sniff.
'What the hell is that smell?'
A scent no one else could catch, only detectable plopped right in his seat. The inner corner where Marren's desk met his. One whiff there, unforgettable.
Peach, fragrant enough no mistaking it for wood. Why here? Hallucination? Easy to brush off.
But after that entrance ceremony scene? No chance.
"Hey, Marren, you..."
Mouthed it silent: Masturbated on my desk corner?
Nod.
She read his lips perfectly.
'Why?'
"...There's this superstition that doing it here makes you close... I went hard because I really wanted to get tight with Geon-ho..."
What a lunatic.
'Who jerks off on a desk corner to bond?'
Her tone straight-up implied she'd known he'd be her pair. Had to sneak into an empty classroom for that.
Masturbating on a random unknown seat, predicting her partner ahead? Bullshit. Family pull got him assigned as her pair, no doubt.
'So that's why she was extra shy...'
Worried he'd sniff it out anytime?
'Insane.'
Rumors were trash. Introverted my ass. Straight-up psycho.
Thrilled to chat, giggling like an idiot and ducking her head. Treated the whole masturbation thing like it was normal.
'Laaater... it'd be great if you did my desk corner too, Geon-ho.'
Then that deranged follow-up. Stonewalling it? Impossible.
"What kinda bullshit is that?"
The sheer madness startled a loud bark out of him.
"...What'd you say?"
"Ah, no, I mean... sorry."
Timing impeccable—right as Professor Ran wrapped up. Genuine apology, crisis averted.
'Fuck, thought academy life was all smooth after entry. Got complacent.'
Monsters weren't the only variables.
'These kids are too much.'
The characters themselves were variables.
"Already up to some cute mischief, huh."
"Pardon?"
"Nah, just talking about the boy."
"Ah... yes, sir."
The Mountain Lords' master, Kim Jang-seok, read the report from Hobong with keen interest.
He'd normally skip it outright, but the urgent direct line piqued his curiosity. And it didn't let him down.
[Preserving Incomplete Humanoid Monster corpse. Contact if interested.]
Not Hobong's style—clearly Kim Geon-ho's doing. Meant he'd clocked the surveillance ages ago and hijacked it for a direct line.
And not just any ping. He knew about the academy monster, but Geon-ho having the corpse? Wild.
Right when it was the hottest topic, first contact to him. Family first—or sell to the next bidder vibe.
Kim Jang-seok smiled, pondering the last time he'd been handled like this.
"He could've pulled this from the jump but hid it instead."
Personality flip the second he hit the academy? Had to be hiding power. And unveiling it on his blood son Kim Seok-ho's birthday, no less.
"Get in touch with Kim Geon-ho. Tell him the deal's on."
"Yes, sir!"
No fool would kick a gift horse. First time he'd craved a look at the boy like this.