2. It's Your Fault
2. It's Your Fault
Ungseong-ungseong.
"Ooh. Th-This is Eldain Academy⋯!"
"Did you hear? I heard the Imperial Princess is among the incoming freshmen this year?"
"Th-Then if we're lucky, might we get to see her in person?"
"L-Look over there! Isn't that crest engraved on that carriage from the Ducal House of Lunaris?"
A lively clamor poured in from all directions, practically piercing my ears.
The fresh scent of grass tickled the tip of my nose along with an unidentified floral fragrance.
"⋯⋯."
It was peaceful.
So peaceful that I wondered if it was even allowed to be this peaceful.
For someone like me, who until just a short while ago was rolling around on battlefields splattered with blood and guts to take the Demon King's head, this excessively indolent atmosphere felt chillingly awkward.
The ones passing by me weren't vicious demons either. Every single one of them was just young masters and young ladies who practically reeked of being raised in the lap of luxury.
"⋯Haah."
A clock tower soaring high into the sky. Antique gothic-style buildings, and students walking past with excitement-filled faces, dressed in all sorts of colorful school uniforms.
It was an atmosphere that truly felt like the middle of a youth rom-com, but while boys and girls entered the academy dressed in radiant uniforms,
I stood blankly in front of the massive main gate as if my feet were glued to the ground, looking down at the clothes draped over my body.
An excessively sophisticated academy uniform featuring gold embroidery on a white background.
"⋯I really came."
To think I'd come back to school at this damn age.
And not as a fresh, taut twenty-year-old, but as a fully grown adult pushing thirty.
Wearing a stiff uniform that high schoolers would wear, no less.
'If my omma or younger sibling saw this, they'd tease me for a whole year.'
Suppressing a sigh that threatened to burst out at any moment, I checked my reflection in a puddle by the side of the road.
"⋯⋯."
Still, it seemed that damn goddess had at least a shred of conscience.
Instead of rag-like clothes soaked in blood from head to toe,
should I consider it a stroke of luck in my misfortune that I was dressed in a neatly ironed uniform?
Though that wasn't the real problem.
[H-Hero-nim. Did you arrive safely~? You arrived, right?]
"⋯Yeah."
From the Demon King's Castle to the academy. It was a distance that would take easily half a year if I walked non-stop at my stride, yet I had arrived in the blink of an eye with a single click.
[Ah, ahaha⋯. P-Please release your anger. Th-There! There are tons of t-tasty restaurants near the academy, and lots of pretty girls too!]
"⋯⋯."
What the hell does that have to do with me right now?
I just wanted to go back home.
"Hey. Let me ask you one thing."
[Y-Yes?]
"I'm twenty-eight. But how old are the squirts attending this place?"
[Ah, ah! First years start from age twenty here, but... of course, Hero-nim is just a slightly⋯ a very slightly late-blooming freshman! Wh-What was it⋯ Isn't this the era of lifelong education nowadays?]
"⋯Cut the bullshit about lifelong education. Not even a returning student, but a freshman at twenty-eight? Did you make up your mind to screw me over right now?"
If she were right in front of my eyes, I would have immediately blasted ice magic so that flapping trap of hers could never open again.
[No way! Absolutely not! On the contrary, you could even capture the hearts of female students with your dependable oppa-like charm!]
"Capture my ass. I really want to kill you⋯."
[And since you have to do it anyway, calm your anger and enjoy your academy life⋯.]
Whether she knew my heart that wanted to rip her to shreds this instant or not,
the goddess's nonsense kept ringing in my head, making me unconsciously grind my teeth with a ppeudeuk.
"⋯Let me ask one more thing. You really are going to send me back once I graduate, right?"
[O-Of course! The system said it's set up so that the Return Gate opens the moment Hero-nim safely graduates! S-So please endure it for just⋯ 3 years?]
"What?"
3 years? Another 3 years?
I busted my ass for 3 years here, and I have to rot for another 3 years?
"Hey. You're telling me to stay for another 3 years?"
[N-No matter how much you shout like that, the school regulations state it's a 3-year system! Anyway! I properly forged Hero-nim's identity, so please head to the reception desk! W-Well then, bye!]
"Hey! Hey! Serenoa!! Hey!"
Judging that she had said everything she needed to, the voice cut off with a ttuk.
"The next time we meet, I definitely won't let you off!"
So that the damn goddess—who vanished after saying only what she wanted and didn't answer no matter how many times I called—could see it clearly,
I flipped the middle finger toward the empty air for a good while.
"⋯⋯."
"⋯Is he sick in the head? That's kinda scary."
"W-Well. More importantly, is he even our age? He looks old⋯."
"Judging by his looks, he doesn't seem like a student. Maybe a newly appointed professor?"
The surrounding students passed by while avoiding me with looks that said, 'Is he crazy?', but I didn't give a damn.
I was the guy who broke the heads of the Four Heavenly Kings and the Demon King all on my own.
So what did the gazes of mere brats matter at this point?
"⋯Sigh, let's go. Just go."
No matter how annoyed I was,
there was no use crying over spilled milk.
Avoiding the stinging gazes pouring from all around, I trudged along with heavy steps toward the main building where the reception desk should be.
*
Just what kind of academy is this damn big?
Contrary to my worries about whether I could safely find my way across such a disgustingly massive campus, fortunately, finding the reception desk wasn't that difficult.
"This way, right?"
"P-Probably? I just followed the person ahead of me, too⋯."
Because it was the entrance period, freshmen other than myself were heading toward the reception desk with sparkling eyes.
Following a guy who looked completely naive like an obvious freshman turned out to be the right choice.
"Welcome! Are you perhaps a fresh⋯man?"
"⋯Yes. Kang Han."
"Kang Han? Ah⋯!"
When I arrived at the reception desk and stated my name, the staff member looked at me with a peculiar gaze and handed over a sheet of document.
"Your name is unique, so I knew right away. Student Kang Han, you are admitted under the 'Saintess Special Recommendation Admission', correct?"
'⋯⋯?'
Saintess Special⋯ what?
I wanted to ask back to the receptionist in front of me what the hell that was, but...
"......?"
"⋯⋯."
If there was one fortunate yet unfortunate thing,
it was probably that I had enough tact to barely swallow the words rising up to my throat.
"⋯Yes."
Saintess or whatever, the goddess probably just sold out some representative's name.
Having barely come to terms with it like that, I gave a rough nod and accepted the document.
[Name: Kang Han]
[Age: 28]
[Special Notes: Strongly recommended by Saintess Serena-nim. Exempt from written and practical exams.]
"⋯⋯."
To think a 28-year-old geezer has to squeeze in between 20-year-old kids and say, 'Hi? I'm Han!'
Just imagining it brought such a sudden wave of self-loathing that I wanted to just die right here.
"⋯Whew."
No, let's think positively.
Either way, I don't need anything else and just have to graduate, right?
[No! You have to date as well⋯!]
I felt like I could faintly hear the goddess's nonsense in my head, but...
'Fuck off.'
Dating, my ass.
At my age, even approaching kids way younger than me is plain rude.
"Hmm, first of all, you're exempt from the written and practical exams and are a full-ride scholarship student. But your age is⋯."
"......."
I know I'm old without you having to point it out, you know.
As I struggled to swallow my boiling annoyance, the staff member adjusted their glasses and scrutinized another document in detail.
"Twenty-eight this year. You're a bit⋯ quite late, aren't you? What have you been doing all this time, by any chance⋯?"
What did I do?
I slaughtered demons lurking across the continent on sight.
I beat the crap out of every single one of the Four Heavenly Kings I encountered along the way.
And finally, I collided head-on in a one-on-one with the Demon King and ripped him to pieces.
"⋯⋯."
Well, even if I told the truth, they wouldn't believe it anyway, and thinking it might just get needlessly troublesome,
as I chose what to say in response to the receptionist's puzzled gaze, I decided to just generalize it roughly.
"I tumbled around in the mountains for a bit. Catching wild beasts."
It wasn't entirely wrong.
Come to think of it, the Demon King's Castle was on a mountain, and by human standards, the Demon King and the Four Heavenly Kings were no different from beasts.
"Ah⋯ You undertook an a-ascetic journey. As expected of someone recommended by Saintess-nim, perhaps⋯?"
Kwang!
Well, it was an ascetic ordeal if you call it one, but...
Even without me saying much, the staff member came to their own conclusion and stamped down with a kwang.
"Anyway, congratulations. Student Kang Han. You are assigned to Class A-1."
"⋯Class A-1?"
"Yes. It's one of the classes that gathers only the students who received top marks in each grade cohort. You've probably heard of it."
Of course I've heard of it. That's where the heroines you meet upon entering the academy are, after all.
I quit after only playing the beginning, but because the heroines' appearances were so extravagant, I couldn't help but know whether I wanted to or not.
Still, I don't really have any desire to get tangled up with the heroines.
'They could've just reasonably assigned me to Class C or Class D. Good grief⋯.'
Shoving me into Class A right from the start, no matter how you look at it.
Right around the time my head was heating up with rage toward that damn goddess who had done yet another unwanted deed,
"Still, you've enrolled at a great time. The students entering this year are all famous people."
"You've probably heard of them? The Imperial Princess, the Young Lady of the Ducal House of Lunaris, and many other famous students besides. Sounds fun, right?"
"⋯⋯."
Does it sound fun? Not in the slightest, though?
'Haah.'
I thought it wouldn't be easy. Even so.
Listening to the dazzling lineup spilling from the mouth of the receptionist, who had excitedly begun explaining, a headache was already slowly beginning to throb.
'Setting aside the Imperial Princess, wasn't the Young Lady a senior?'
Originally, the Young Lady should have already been a senior one grade above when the protagonist enrolled.
Unless my memory was confused, I was certain of it.
"⋯⋯."
Could it be that skipping the entire story and beating down the Demon King snowballed like this?
Or maybe that entity called the system, which I knew nothing about, meddled with this and that.
'⋯Haah.'
Now that things were this tangled up right from the start,
I no longer knew what was what.
And.
"⋯⋯."
Quietly listening to that story, a certain feeling was creeping up on me.
I mean, the feeling that my plan to just get my diploma and get out was crumbling right at the entrance.
"Excuse me⋯."
"Ah! I talked for too long. You don't need to feel discouraged at all. Student Kang Han received a recommendation from none other than Saintess-nim, after all⋯."
No, it's not that I'm discouraged.
"Is it possible to transfer to an ordinary general class? I just want to study quietly."
"Oh my."
At my question filled with desperate sincerity, the staff member wore a benevolent smile and shook their head.
"In Saintess-nim's letter of recommendation, it was written: 'Since this child is a talent destined to shoulder the continent's future, please nurture him in the most arduous place.'"
Ah.
"...Understood."
"Ah, please take this before you go."
Grinding my teeth deuk-deuk, I accepted the student ID card.
Whenever did they take this? The photo printed on the student ID card had an intensely murderous gaze, as if the killing intent from when I slew the Demon King hadn't faded yet.
Anyone who didn't know the circumstances would think an expelled convict was re-enrolling.
"Student Kang Han, the entrance ceremony begins in one hour at the Grand Auditorium. Don't be late!"
Instead of answering, I roughly waved my hand and left the reception desk.
*
Following the signs as I walked between the buildings, for some reason, the uniform jacket felt a bit tight around my muscles.
Since my body was hardened with practical combat muscles, clothes feeling small was an inevitable outcome.
'3 years. Let's really endure just 3 years.'
Avoid causing trouble as much as possible, and even if brats pick fights, hold it in whenever possible.
...Not that I'm confident about it, though.
Still, stay as quiet as possible, avoid failing, and just get the diploma.
'And⋯.'
Took!
"⋯Ouch!"
"⋯⋯."
"H-Hold on right there!"
A voice like jade beads rolling on a silver platter.
Lifting my head, I saw a girl walking over with her dazzling blonde hair fluttering.
"⋯Huh?"
'...Where have I seen that mug before?'
Coldly sunken blue eyes that seemed somehow angry.
Doll-like sculpted looks, and an aura practically dripping with the claim of immense pride.
And even an emblem indicating her family pinned to her bursting chest.
'⋯Huh?'
As the distance gradually closed, only then could I tell who the other person was.
'Lucia de Valois.'
Come to think of it, that girl was around too.
One of the heroines of this game, and an academy freshman just like me.
Befitting her looks, her talent was on the exceptional side, so the abilities she possessed were quite outstanding, but...
As I recalled, her lore had her as a typical ducal young lady whose arrogance pierced the heavens.
'I feel like I also read that she was secretly a bit of a klutz.'
For a young lady of a high noble family, she was a surprisingly easy woman,
so when playing the game, it was said that she quickly lost her heart to the protagonist.
"⋯⋯."
Just looking at her face, I couldn't get that vibe at all, though.
For now, since she seemed to have called me, I stood still in place and waited for her to approach.
Before long, she stopped in front of me, crossed her arms, and scanned me up and down.
"You! What do you think you're doing, not even apologizing after bumping into me?"
Ah.
'Good grief. I zoned out without even realizing it.'
It seems my thoughts had run deep.
If I didn't even notice that we bumped into each other.
Since it is indeed my fault, I should apologize.
"Sorry for bumping in⋯."
"And! Your attire as well—your school tie is crooked, isn't it?"
"......?"
"Even if you are a freshman, your state of mind is far too undisciplined!"
"And which family's etiquette dictates not offering thanks to the person who pointed out your flaws?"
"......."
Wow.
Did I⋯ just get lectured by someone younger than me? By a girl, no less?
"⋯Uh, sorry. I came up from the countryside, so I don't know etiquette well."
Umjjil.
"⋯S-Sorry? Did you just use i-informal speech to me, a young lady of the Valois family!?"
Oops.
Back when I was traveling alone, most of the people I talked to were enemies,
so out of habit, it seemed I had spoken down to her in the same manner I used with demons.
"No matter how egalitarian the academy is, looking at your appearance, you seem to be a commoner⋯ you should know manners!"
Endure it, Kang Hanah. She's just a fledgling.
I even split the Demon King's head open; I shouldn't fall for the provocation of a mere brat like this.
"Being merciful, I will overlook it. So make sure to apologize properly!"
"⋯⋯."
You're the adult here, relatively speaking.
Show your adult side and move past this wisely⋯.
"Sor⋯"
"Sor?"
"Sor⋯ you crazy bitch! You're the one in the wrong!"
"⋯H-Haah? What did you say⋯?"
Agh. I told myself to endure it.
As I cursed my own weak patience for failing to hold it in during that brief moment and ultimately blurting it out,
Budeul-budeul.
"Wh-What did you just say? D-D-Did you just cu-curse at me⋯!?"
Lucia's face, staring at me, was dyeing in utter shock.
I figured she was probably thinking along the lines of 'How dare you inflict such humiliation on me, a high noble of the academy⋯'.
While it was fun to watch, getting further entangled here would clearly be exhausting, so
"Ah, whatever. S⋯orry. Happy now?"
"I-Is that the attitude of someone apologizing right now?"
"I did it, didn't I? And I'll re-tie the necktie later. See ya then."
"W-Wait! Y-You, won't you stop right there!? Wait a minute⋯!"
Scratching the back of my head, I retorted dismissively, and whether she screamed from behind or not,
I brushed past Lucia and hurried toward the Grand Auditorium.