Chapter 138: The Start of the Second Semester (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 138: The Start of the Second Semester (2)
On the night before the start of the semester, several text messages arrived from Medea, the Academy Principal.
[Medea: Geomma, did you have a good break? I tried keeping in touch regularly, but then it hit me—that geezer's place is completely out of cell range, isn't it? Unbelievable. And get this: that old bastard doesn't even know how to use the internet, which is why there's no network set up in the Nibelung Estate. (...)]
"..."
[Medea: I'm texting because there are a few things I wanted to let you know. I've tracked down the locations of all those bastards who tried to harm you and your club members. There were way more loose ends than I expected... From what I can tell, they've been rooted here since the time of the previous principal. (...)]
"..."
[Medea: Sigh, but I suppose it's all my fault. I'm the current principal, after all, so who else can I hold responsible... That's why I've decided to team up with the Hero Association to clean house once and for all. Honestly, as the principal, having outside forces step into the Academy makes me a bit uneasy... but those guys really know how to get the job done. Since the students' safety is on the line, I figured it's best to put minor political issues aside. (...)]
"..."
[Medea: This got a bit long. To sum it up: I don't want you or your club members stressing over this anymore! From here on out, it's strictly adult business. Honestly, it's not a great look for me to be venting like this to a student... but I felt you, of all people, deserved to know. (...)]
"..."
[Medea: So, Geomma, just enjoy a normal academy life starting tomorrow! Oh, right. Once the semester starts, feel free to drop by the principal's office anytime~. It's been a whole month, I'm practically going to forget what you look like! I'll have some of that cold green tea you like ready. Got it? ^^]
"..."
Tap, tap.
[Kang Geomma: I'll think about it.]
* * *
The next day, the Wolf Class was bustling with lively energy.
The students spent their time sharing—or more accurately, bragging about—what they had done over the break.
"Oh my gosh, look at you! Why are you so tan?"
"Hehe, I went surfing in Hawaii where my dad has a villa, so I got a bit of a tan. How about you? What did you do over the break?"
"I tagged along with my uncle to a workshop at an American agency~"
"Oh my god, seriously? Did any of the agencies scout you?"
"...Ah, well... they said first-years aren't eligible for scouting yet. They—they definitely said it wasn't because my talent or grades were lacking!"
"Still, I'm so jealous. It's about time we started managing our grades. We need to study our asses off starting now if we want to aim for an American agency..."
"Right? I mean, we go to Joaquin Academy; we can't just end up working for the Association. Ugh, just the thought of it... My cousin is with the Association, and she says the pay is dirt cheap and overtime is practically a daily occurrence."
"We really need to get promoted to the Dragon Class next year. That's the only way we'll get scouted by agencies in our third year..."
As the conversations continued, a complex mix of emotions flickered across their faces. Seeing friends after a long time was nice.
But socializing wasn't the sole reason they had enrolled here at Joaquin Academy.
Most of the students were children of noble families. To avoid putting a scratch on their family's prestige, they had to take their studies somewhat seriously starting this second semester.
After graduation, they had to join a reasonably well-known hero agency at the very least. Only then would their parents save face and their families prosper. It wasn't a choice; it was an obligation.
...
Amidst the strange tension in the air, the classroom door slid open with a rattle. Someone stepped inside. It was Kang Geomma.
His mere entrance brought an instant hush over the classroom, drawing every eye toward him. A dead silence descended upon the Wolf Class.
"..."
Feeling the weight of their gazes, Kang Geomma let out a sigh, his brow furrowing slightly.
If there was one thing he could never get used to, no matter how hard he tried, it was this kind of attention.
On the other hand, the eyes watching him were filled with complex, subtle emotions.
Why does his vibe keep changing as time goes on?
I know, right? But it's not in a bad way. It's more like...
You don't even have to say it, I know exactly what you mean. It's not like he suddenly got super handsome, but his aura is just... on another level now. Right?
Yeah, exactly! Before, he looked like he had the eyes of a dead fish. Compared to back then, he's got this total decadent, brooding charm now!
His physical appearance hadn't changed. But his vibe? His aura? His bloodlust? Whatever it was, it had grown thicker and more intense. His pitch-black eyes gleamed with a far deeper sense of boredom than before.
A black-haired special admission student. Until the beginning of the first semester, they had dismissed him as a lowborn who had simply lucked his way into the Academy.
But out of the hundreds filling this classroom, was there any student as peerless as Kang Geomma?
When Kang Geomma cut down Nox Auditore, they had merely belittled his opponent as weak.
When the Sword Emperor paid him special attention, they had chalked it up to a mischievous whim.
Yet, Kang Geomma continued his unstoppable streak. During the festival, he had claimed victory over Mao Rang, the Iron Leg, in a single clash.
As these feats piled up, the mindset of the Wolf Class students began to shift in a different direction.
Though they had looked down on him at first, they now began to feel a sense of shared belonging.
The Wolf Class was never well-regarded within the Academy. They were seen as half-wits who had barely escaped the absolute bottom.
This was the contempt the Wolf Class students endured from the higher classes.
Strong against the weak, weak against the strong—a time-honored vicious cycle of human history. The Wolf Class students had taken the frustration they felt and projected it downward.
Discrimination bred more discrimination. The students were too young to know any better, and they had been brainwashed their entire lives with elitist doctrines.
Even so, there was no denying they had been absolute fools. A shameful past could never be washed away.
Recently, however, that kind of atmosphere had been fading from the Wolf Class.
If any student showed signs of acting that way, the faces of those around them would instantly tense up, and they would glare coldly at the offender.
The reason was simple: their classmate, Kang Geomma, crushed everyone indiscriminately, regardless of status. If you rubbed him the wrong way, a blade would be drawn instantly.
Whether it was the Dragon Class or the Star Class of their own year, upperclassmen, or even famous heroes—
—before Kang Geomma's sashimi knife, they were nothing more than fresh, flopping fish ready to be sliced. His methods were so terrifying that one had to wonder if he even had a worthy match.
Because of this, the students of the Wolf and Ordinary Classes felt a thrilling sense of vicarious satisfaction.
Moreover, his unprecedented actions shattered the students' inferiority complexes.
Despite his overwhelming strength, Kang Geomma never bragged. He hated stepping forward and found everything to be a hassle.
As long as no one picked a fight with him, he possessed a straightforward, unpretentious personality. Though he occasionally lost his temper, there was always a clear justification for his actions.
Combined with his cold, indifferent gaze, this created a strange, magnetic charm.
The male students saw a certain romantic ideal in him, while the female students felt a fluttering attraction.
Ahem—
Feeling burdened by the continuous staring, Kang Geomma cleared his throat. The sound echoed loudly in the hushed room.
"...What is up with his voice?"
A female student muttered to herself without realizing it. To her, even that dry, mechanical throat-clearing sounded like a soft, beautiful melody.
Kang Geomma shifted his eyes slightly to look at her.
"Eek!"
"...?"
Geomma tilted his head in confusion. Instantly, the other girls glared at the female student in unison. What a sly fox.
Step, step.
As always, Kang Geomma walked over and sat at the end of the third row. No one dared to touch that spot; it was his designated seat.
The students no longer looked down on him as a mere special admission student. To them, Kang Geomma was a source of pride.
And the student council presidential election was scheduled for the upcoming October.
* * *
Just barely before nine o'clock, Ryozo made her appearance in the classroom. Her eyes were incredibly hollow, as if her sleep schedule had been completely wrecked over the break.
She trudged over and slumped into the seat to my left, just as she always did.
"...Ah. I'm so fucking tired."
Ryozo bent forward, burying her forehead against the desk. She muttered to herself in a completely drained voice.
"Seriously, why do we have to come to school in the morning? Humans are naturally groggy in the morning, and our brains work best at night."
Her listless monologue continued, though she didn't seem to expect an answer.
Ryozo groggily lifted her head from the desk. She looked around with vacant eyes, then tilted her head.
"Where's Chloe?"
"Oh, now that you mention it."
Chloe, who always claimed the seat to my right, was nowhere to be seen. But my train of thought didn't last long.
On the night they purged Elder Cladi, several members of the Auditore family had lost their lives.
That was barely a month ago. Presumably, the Auditore family had a lot of internal matters to sort out.
Funerals, further investigations... A single month wouldn't be nearly enough time.
Chloe had practically fled from the Auditores, but she wasn't twisted enough to remain completely indifferent to the deaths of her family members.
But considering how she reacted on the day of the closing ceremony...
While Ryozo and I exchanged brief words, Instructor Lee Won-bin walked in. Whatever he had done over the break, the crown of his head gleamed as smooth as porcelain.
Standing at the podium, Lee Won-bin scanned the classroom. After a quick visual sweep of the students, he grinned, baring his teeth.
"Looks like you've all put on some baby fat from rolling around in your rooms for a month, haha! But don't worry. I'll burn those fat deposits off you in no time!"
"Boo—!"
The students jeered playfully. Lee Won-bin tapped the podium with his attendance book.
"Quiet, you rascals! Anyway, let's take attendance first to make sure everyone's here. Number one, Bernard, here... Number two, Zotto Mate, here... Number three, Kim Chae-yeon, and number four is over there..."
Lee Won-bin checked the attendance, looking back and forth between the roster and their faces. Then, his gaze paused in the direction of Ryozo and me.
Shifting his gaze slightly, he casually let slip:
"Oh, and in case anyone was wondering, student Chloe will be returning to the Academy in about two weeks due to family matters."
It was just as I had expected. Ryozo nodded, murmuring, "I see."
After finishing attendance, Lee Won-bin briefly explained the curriculum for the second semester.
"As you know, the three months of the first semester were an adjustment period. It was a time to scratch the surface of Joaquin Academy's layout and systems. But starting this second semester, the faculty will evaluate you strictly as proper heroes."
The atmosphere grew solemn. Normally, Lee Won-bin would have lightened the mood with a joke, but he maintained a firm, serious expression.
"The training, conditioning, and class content will be far more focused on real combat. In particular, the first class of the second semester for first-years always sees a lot of injuries. So, make sure you're all mentally prepared."
"..."
Gulp. Someone among the students swallowed hard.
"I'll write the general outline on the board, so take notes if you want."
Resting her chin in her hand, Ryozo stared at the blackboard and spoke with a bored expression.
"Well, at most it's just manifesting Blessings and doing partner sparring. Throw in a few magical beast subjugations here and there. The only difference is that the beast ranks have gone up a bit... Seriously, why does this damn academy only teach us how to beat each other up? And they call this a place of learning."
"Tell me about it."
I nodded, deeply agreeing with her complaint.
"Besides, none of this really matters to you or me anyway, Geomma. Whether it's sparring or subjugating beasts. Even if we threw in the entire Star Class, there's no way we'd get hurt. If anyone's getting hurt, it's our opponents."
"..."
Ryozo shrugged.
"I've always been an individualist. I'm not considerate enough to look out for people I have no interest in."
"Does that mean I'm within your circle of interest?"
"T-That's... It's not the kind of interest you're thinking of! Don't get the wrong idea! Geomma, you're the president of the club I'm in, for starters!"
Right then, buzz. My phone vibrated once in my pocket. I discreetly glanced down at the screen beneath my desk.
[Medea: Geomma, I'm so sorry for texting you during class. But could you possibly come to the principal's office during lunch later?]
"..."
Buzz.