Chapter 19: It’s an Unwritten Rule That Transfer Students Are Singularities (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 19: It’s an Unwritten Rule That Transfer Students Are Singularities (7)
“I’m cold...”
...Huh?
“And hungry...”
Out of nowhere in the dead of night, Weapon had picked up a strikingly pretty beggar.
* * *
When assessing individual combat prowess, the former Association President, the Spear Saint, was notoriously stubborn and strict. With a broad, heroic jawline and a designer’s sharp gaze, he would strictly evaluate heroes.
When it came to 'sheer physical specs,' he was even more uncompromising than the Sword Emperor. Passing the Spear Saint’s standards was a badge of honor. It was something to be truly proud of.
The current Association President, Seong Yu-chang, was cut from a similar cloth to Richard de Myura. But in a different way, he was faaar more particular.
Seong Yu-chang was the first non-hero Association President since the founding of the Association. He was a self-made figure destined for the history books, having climbed to the top without a single Blessing.
What such a man valued most when evaluating people was quick wits—reading the room.
Deputy Kim recalled the day of her interview, and the advice interviewer Seong Yu-chang had given her.
―No matter how skilled a hero is, if they lack quick wits, they won't live out their natural lifespan.
‘Why is that?’
―Because everyone is equal before the Heavenly Sword. Before his sashimi knife, you get one-shotted, I get one-shotted.
‘A-Aha!’
―So, you need to be quick on the uptake.
Anyhow.
Everyone in this campsite had passed the screening of either the former or current Association President. They had to navigate Gehenna, where ordinary people could barely breathe, and stay sharp on enemy turf. In short:
This search party, including Deputy Kim, was a small team made up entirely of so-called elites who had passed the rigorous screening of both presidents.
They possessed combat skills sharp enough to gauge an opponent’s strength at a glance, and...
“Drink some hot cocoa first.”
“Thank you...”
...and were experts capable of deducing (?) the identity of the human girl talking to their section chief from just snippets of overheard conversation.
“...”
Deputy Kim stared at the girl with a devastated look on her face. As a prominent member of his fan club, the Heavenly Demon Cult, her sense of loss and shock was overwhelming.
‘I thought I could at least aim for spot number three...’
Her username was ‘Invincible Sashimi,’ and she was engaged in a holy crusade online against a wicked entity known as ‘Saint_Ryu.’
“Deputy Kim, that girl is...” Junior Employee A carefully leaned in.
“Keep quiet.”
“Pardon?”
“Neither you nor I saw anything today.”
“What do you mean by that...?”
Junior Employee A suddenly felt a chill. Deputy Kim dragged a shadow with her as she turned her head. Black ghostly flames replaced the green irises in her eyes.
“How could a ‘human’ be wandering around Gehenna?”
She grabbed his shoulders tight. It hurt.
“Section Chief Weapon is just talking to himself right now. He's simply suffering from schizophrenia... right?”
...Ah.
So that's what she meant.
Junior Employee A realized what happens when fandom for Kang Geomma reaches the realm of madness as he looked at his superior.
* * *
Sparks crackled from the dry twigs. Particles of light banished from the flame offered warmth to humans or scattered like stars decorating the evening sky.
A campfire in the 21st century seemed absurd, but...
Being such a primitive form of light, it brought Homo sapiens an uncanny sense of peace. The team grumbled that it was a waste of effort, but Weapon at least felt that way.
―We have a heater! Why a campfire?!
‘If you've got a problem, become section chief yourselves.’
―Terrible boss! Workplace injustice!
‘Kekeke. Why should I be the only one stuck taking the hit?’
―Workers of the world, unite!
Seven years into his career.
Weapon had turned into a world-weary adult.
“How does the cocoa taste?”
“The name of this... ko-ko-a?”
“Ah... It's your first time having cocoa.”
“I'm... sorry.”
“Ah! No need to apologize! It happens!”
But true nature doesn't change easily.
Weapon treated the girl with utmost kindness.
It was an untainted goodwill—a virtue a healer must always hold onto, which he still practiced even as an adult.
“...It's tasty...”
“I'm glad you like it!”
Weapon responded with exaggerated enthusiasm.
At first glance, the girl seemed like she would be extremely haughty. But speaking with her revealed a shy personality. Her speech was a bit clumsy, but given where they met, it didn't feel out of the ordinary.
What caught the attention of Weapon and the entire search party was...
‘They look so alike.’
Her appearance.
She was the spitting image of Kang Geomma. Glossy black hair and dark eyes that were hard to read. Of course, the difference was how breathtakingly perfect her features were arranged...
‘The chief is pretty handsome too, but she looks downright unrealistic. She's still in her teens, but her looks rival Abel and Ryozo at their prime.’
If this girl gave a soft smile, boys her age would probably gasp for air.
Hm? Come to think of it, were hair color and eyes the only things they had in common?
The moment the thought crossed his mind, he shook his head side to side.
‘No.’
In this world, there was only one person who fit those two traits: Kang Geomma. (Yoo Se-in also had black hair and black eyes, but since she bleached her hair whenever she got the chance, Kang Geomma was the only person who knew her natural look.)
Weapon stole a glance at the girl. Cupping the mug in both hands, she quietly stared into the campfire.
A girl shrouded in mystery. A human wandering around Gehenna was suspicious in itself.
On top of that, she shared physical traits with Kang Geomma. The shadow cast by the campfire seemed to point at her like an arrow.
“By any chance, do you know someone named Kang Geomma?”
Weapon broke the silence amidst the crackling twigs. The girl quietly shifted her gaze.
“Geom... ma...?”
“Yes. He's my friend, and you two look so similar I wondered if you were related. I don't know your story, but a human wandering through the Demon Realm is no ordinary matter. I'm just asking out of sheer curiosity, so feel free to answer comfortably.”
“Geom. Ma.”
She rolled the two syllables around in her mouth. Everyone's gaze shifted to her lips. But in the end, the girl shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“I see. Well, of course you wouldn't.”
Yeah, figures.
Logically, she couldn't be Kang Geomma's daughter. She was clearly in her late teens. That would mean Kang Geomma had a daughter when he was ten.
Did that make any sense at all?
Using even a fraction of his brain allowed him to instantly strike out that hypothesis. What Weapon was curious about was the connection between Kang Geomma and this girl. Surely they were linked somehow.
‘And she says she doesn't know.’
It didn't look like she was lying.
Though it was their first meeting, he could tell. Weapon was also someone whose sharp eyes were recognized by Seong Yu-chang. The girl gave a reaction only a completely innocent mind could make. Without even needing to deduce, she truly seemed oblivious to Kang Geomma's existence.
‘The best option would be to bring the two together...’
Weapon scratched between his brows.
Ever since the 2nd Human-Demon War, the Academy had strictly limited access to outsiders. It was understandable. With events like the ‘Joaquin Disaster,’ every time outsiders entered, trouble followed. The Academy's conservative stance was the right call.
‘...But calling Kang Geomma out to the Demon Realm or nearby regions...’
He had come to lighten Geomma's workload, but that would end up adding to it. Wasn't there a clever solution?
“Section Chief.”
As the crease between Weapon's brows deepened, Deputy Kim whispered into his ear. She had snuck up behind him.
“W-Whoa, you scared me!”
“A rising star of the Hero Association getting startled by his subordinate's face. Now that's a rare sight.”
“Look at your face! Just look at it! Argh, damn it. Thought my heart was going to stop.”
“...”
“What, why are you just standing there like that?”
Deputy Kim stood bathed directly in the campfire's glow, looking like a virgin ghost.
“...Am I ugly?”
“Why are you suddenly bringing that up?”
“Tell me. Do I have the face of someone who could become the Heavenly Sword's third wife—ack!”
Junior Employee A, possessing a higher stat in quick wits than Deputy Kim, swiftly sealed her mouth.
“I'm sorry, Section Chief. I'll keep a tighter leash on my superior.”
“...No... You've got your hands full.”
“Let go! Let go! Won't you let go?!”
Pushing aside Deputy Kim, who was shouting something incoherently, Junior Employee A read Weapon's dilemma with a single glance. He had quickly arrived at the same conclusion Weapon had.
“How about a transfer?”
“...A transfer? You mean bringing her in as a transfer student?”
“Yes. I heard Lord Leon entered the Academy in a similar manner.”
“That's true...”
Weapon nodded. He looked at the girl's side profile once more. Even though they were talking about her, she was just zoning out, staring blankly into the fire.
Not only did she seem uninterested, she showed no intention of keeping up with the conversation.
“But you know how it is. Entering Joaquin Academy requires awakening a Blessing. Or at least showing something equivalent.”
Weapon said, looking at Employee A again.
“Oh, Section Chief, how could a pure, normal human get lost in Gehenna? Even the current cadets attending the Academy would clutch their chests and gag if they came to the Demon Realm.”
Hearing that, it made sense. He had been so fixated on the connection between the girl and Kang Geomma that he forgot the basics.
“Besides, it's you, Section Chief. Once you get approval from President Seong, things will be smooth sailing.”
Weapon wrestled with the thought for a long moment.
What if a problem arose after bringing someone shrouded in total mystery into the Academy? It would all be on Weapon.
‘Still...’
Taking her straight to the Association as she was would be an even worse cruelty. The Association's Executive Bureau and Research Department were entirely separate entities. If they reported finding her in Gehenna, she'd be shipped off to the research facility. Even as a section chief, Weapon didn't know what kind of ordeal she might face there.
“Excuse me.”
It didn't take long to decide.
“What's your name?”
Speed Weapon was a hero, but he was also a healer. Protecting and caring for someone was his duty.
“...”
The girl chewed on her lower lip for a moment before carefully pronouncing her name.
“Li... na. Chae Lina.”
At that moment, a half-burned log settled with a soft thud.
– It’s an Unwritten Rule That Transfer Students Are Singularities. End.
* * *
It was relatively recently that Joaquin Academy regained its former prestige.
Though Ryozo and Medea had rolled up their sleeves and put in immense effort, the Academy—which had been a fierce battleground during the Human-Demon War—was practically on the brink of collapse. Some even argued whether it might be better to relocate the grounds altogether. For people to utter such words about Joaquin Academy, where a long history and tradition were its very lifeblood, showed just how dire the situation was at the time.
The two Academy Principals ultimately refused relocation. Their reasoning was that it could be perceived as humanity accepting defeat.
The two principals hit the pavement running. Those around them, including Kang Geomma, helped out. Thanks to that, they successfully raised investments (it was all the more successful because they accepted less money from the nobles) and proudly rebuilt Joaquin Academy.
However.
Such remarkable achievements could not physically materialize overnight. Naturally, there was a gap period. Even during that time, young boys and girls continued to awaken their Blessings, and parents demanded a place of education. While people let it slide the first year, by the second year, they argued for an alternative educational facility.
And certain factions came up with an idea.
―If there isn't one... we can just build it, right?
And so they did.
As soon as the grand decision was made, they established a brand-new academy in unison. Thanks to lavish investments from nobles holding grudges against the two principals, the ribbon-cutting ceremony took place just a single year after breaking ground.
Parsi Academy.
With a brief history of a mere ten years, it had no notable results to speak of, but Parsi Academy aggressively recruited cadets as if intending to erase that fact.
Perhaps because of that, competition for admission to Joaquin Academy, despite running at its absolute peak, was actually showing a downward trend.
‘Up to that point, I could let it slide.’
Joaquin Academy was the Boss's legacy. Even if the threatening factions were displeasing, I could tolerate it. After all, having Joaquin as the only academy in the world wouldn't make sense anyway.
Besides, the fact that the rift between special admission students and noble scions had lessened influenced my patience. Cadets with elitist attitudes had deserted in droves to Parsi Academy. It was a bit annoying, but it had its perks too.
But those bastards finally pulled a stunt.
In the morning, an emergency faculty meeting was held.
Even though I was only teaching temporarily, I was summoned too. Leon was brought in as well, under the pretext that he was my sparring partner. It was Principal's careful arrangement. Praise be to our thoughtful Saki Ryozo.
Leon, the faculty, and I started the morning assembly at the crack of dawn. Everyone was too busy pumping coffee into their veins to even be surprised to see me.
Just as a somber mood was about to settle over the room, Association President Seong Yu-chang entered and delivered ‘one piece of news.’
“Parsi Academy sent a representative to the Association yesterday. They said... they would like to hold an ‘Exchange Meeting with Joaquin Academy’...”
Naturally, the meeting table erupted into chaos. BANG! Lee Won-bin's fist left a dent in the corner of the desk.
“Those rotten bastards! When they poached our cadets, we let it slide saying it could happen, but WHAT?! They're basically telling us to strip off our rank insignia and throw hands!”
“No matter how you look at it, that seems to be the implication.”
“It was just the other day they were begging the Heavenly Sword on their hands and knees that they'd never act up again, and now they're picking a fight just because they gained a little weight?!”
“...”
Harsh voices flew sharply across the table.
The fuse in my head blew out as well. The chaotic faculty quieted down instantly at the exact same moment.
Quite a few people drifted off into a belated morning sleep.
A man who guarantees his staff's right to sleep. That's me.
“Um, Heavenly Sword...” Seong Yu-chang gauged my expression carefully. “You're not going to go barging over there or anything... right?”
“...”
“Why aren't you saying anything?”
“...”
“You're not, right?”
“...”
“Right?”
“...”
My chair clattered backward.
“Decision made.”
Needless to say, I grabbed my sashimi knife as well. Not even Seong Yu-chang's desperate pleas could hold me back as I walked away.