Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: A Coincidence for the NPC (5)
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The entrance ceremony at Lord Howe Academy was a grand affair.
Even though the schedule had been delayed due to the recent terrorist attack and countless visitors turned away for security reasons, an enormous crowd still flooded into the academy.
The auditorium, the academy's pride, wasn't packed to the brim, but the turnout was enough to fill at least one soccer field.
And it wasn't just casual onlookers. The average caliber of the attendees was far higher than in previous years.
Prominent politicians and diplomats, active superhumans and mages, heavyweights from the education sector, and self-proclaimed celebrities with their attention-seeking disorders.
It was a spectacular sight, all these famous figures who would never gather in one place under normal circumstances.
The event hadn't even started yet, but reporters were already flashing their cameras nonstop.
Of course, it wasn't a flawless event. The atmosphere was so overheated that most of the freshmen, who should have been the stars of the show, were shrinking back uncomfortably.
It was only natural, in a way. Even superhumans were mostly kids who hadn't reached adulthood yet. To them, the blinding camera flashes and the deafening noise of the venue were all utterly alien.
A few particularly overwhelmed freshmen were hanging their heads in shame—making a mockery of their superhuman status—or breaking into cold sweats under the onslaught of attention.
For example, Miridis—no, Soemiri—seated next to Seti was one such freshman.
She sat with her head bowed, her face half on the verge of tears.
It was partly due to her introverted personality, but mostly because of the overwhelming attention focused on her.
Not only had the famous Holy Sword personally brought her to the academy, she was also a stunningly beautiful freshman.
What better prey could there be for the reporters?
Thanks to that, from the moment she took her seat, she endured a torrent of flashes. Her eyes hurt so much she kept her head down, but the elf's sharp senses picked up every gaze scanning her body.
Finally, just before the ceremony was about to start, Soemiri couldn't hold it in anymore and let out a wretched retch.
“You okay?”
The one who stopped her from vomiting was Seti, sitting right beside her. Seti patted Soemiri's back and handed her a handkerchief and a water bottle.
Tears welled up in her eyes from the kindness amid the tension, and a sip of water brought her back to her senses.
After dabbing her eyes with the handkerchief, Soemiri bowed her head to her kind human roommate.
“Thank you, Seti.”
“No big deal.”
Seti shrugged it off like it was nothing. She'd been bombarded with flashes right alongside Soemiri, yet she didn't complain once.
Instead, she stretched lazily with remarkable nonchalance, even glancing around as if searching for someone.
Her roommate was impressively bold. Soemiri stole glances at Seti while enduring the deluge of attention.
A moment later, a bright smile lit up Seti's face. She straightened up and waved toward the far side of the auditorium.
Following her gaze, Soemiri saw three students waving back at Seti in the same way.
Friends? No, they didn't seem like friends. Their vibe was subtly similar to Seti's, suggesting family or relatives.
“Those people...?”
As soon as Seti finished waving, Soemiri quietly asked. Seti answered casually.
“My sisters.”
“All three of them?”
“Yeah, somehow all four sisters ended up enrolling on the same day.”
A bitter smile tugged at Seti's lips. Having recently lost her own family, Soemiri could read the longing in that smile.
Longing for family she could no longer see.
She fell silent, giving Seti space to sort through her emotions alone.
A short time passed like that, and then the auditorium lights dimmed as the entrance ceremony finally began.
Figures began ascending the otherwise empty stage.
Most were people Soemiri didn't know, but a few were famous enough that even she recognized them.
“Hose Aginaldo...”
The most striking was a neatly dressed middle-aged man.
Aside from his soft mustache and tanned skin, he was unremarkable, but superhumans were judged by their achievements, not their looks.
In that sense, Hose Aginaldo stood out the most here.
He was none other than an Earthling who had crossed blades with her father and lived to tell the tale.
‘Why is someone like him at an entrance ceremony?’
Soemiri narrowed her eyes and scanned the others. She spotted a man in military uniform that didn't fit the occasion and a familiar woman wearing an eyepatch.
‘Major General McFaline and even Freya Khan... Isn't this lineup a bit too stacked?’
She might not be an Earthling herself, but even she could tell it was abnormal for three of Earth's top ten strongest to gather in one place.
Of course, she couldn't guess more than that. She was just an outsider from beyond the dimensional gate, with no way of knowing why Earthlings had assembled such terrifying forces for an entrance ceremony.
‘Just for terrorism countermeasures? Or are they preparing something huge?’
As Miri scanned the crowd, letting her imagination run wild, her eyes met those of a stern-looking elderly East Asian man seated on the stage.
It wasn't a chance encounter. The old man fixed her with an intense gaze, as if piercing right through her.
‘...Who is that?’
As Soemiri tilted her head in confusion, Seti spoke up.
“Don't make eye contact with trash like that. It'll just dirty your eyes.”
Seti's tone was sharper than usual.
Trash like that? Didn't Koreans value respect for elders? Without thinking, Miri asked.
“...Is he a bad person?”
“If he were just bad quality, it'd be fine. That old man's garbage. The moment he heard the rumor you're Korean-born, he's been eyeing ways to exploit you.”
“...”
“If I were you, I'd ignore anyone from the Korean government who tries to talk to you later. It won't do a thing for your life.”
Seti's face was expressionless as she stated it flatly, but the disgust in her eyes was unmistakable.
Soemiri nodded silently without asking more.
She too had witnessed the Korean government deploying those Pig Head monsters firsthand.
As the two fell quiet, various government officials and superhumans stepped forward for speeches.
It was boring. Endless clichés like “Become heroes of the future” and “Use your superhuman powers for society.”
The most memorable was Freya Khan's speech.
She stepped up to the podium, scanned the freshmen, and dropped just one line before stepping down.
“No one worth a damn this year. Shape up.”
Famous for her eccentricities, the Holy Sword stirred no real controversy.
Soemiri gave a wry smile, while Seti nodded with an oddly subtle expression.
In any case, the crowd was freed from the tedious speeches when it came time for the freshman oath.
As the oath began, not only the listless reporters but also the superhumans and mages—Freya Khan excepted—focused their attention intently.
“The selected freshman representatives, please come to the stage.”
With the announcer's words, the air in the room shifted.
Unsure what was happening, Miri glanced cautiously at Seti, who kindly explained.
“The freshman oath at Lord Howe is only recited by students recognized by the faculty in their respective fields.”
“...Is that a big deal?”
“Huge. It means a freshman got approval from active superhumans. Some years, if no one meets the criteria, they skip it entirely.”
“Oh...”
“And this year, we have reps from martial arts, magic, and religion... First time since the inaugural ceremony. Expectations are sky-high.”
Did she want to be up there too? Seti gazed at the stage with distant eyes.
And the next moment, the announcer on stage called out.
“Freshman martial arts representative: Jeon Yunseong!”
Jeon Yunseong. Soemiri watched the young man with the unfamiliar name ascend the stage.
The martial arts rep was handsome enough, but that was it.
Having grown up around elf martial artists thousands of years old, the boy's aura left her unimpressed.
Her eyes were drawn more to Seti's expression as she watched him.
Anger, jealousy, and some subtle smile.
What was their relationship to elicit that look?
Curiosity bubbled up, but before she could ask, the announcer called the next rep.
“Freshman magic representative: Salome!”
This time, it was a name Soemiri knew well. The magic tower's prodigy, prophesied by the last great archmage to become a vessel for anything.
She was called “the Vessel” more than her name, but she had an even more famous title.
Asha's Hope.
The one expected to restore the magic tower's glory and shove it in the smug Earthlings' faces.
Of course, elves didn't believe it possible. The magic tower had declined long ago.
“Salome?”
Only after the announcer called again did a black lump rise from the freshmen.
It was a woman shrouded head to toe in a black veil covering her hair and face, a black robe enveloping her body, and gloves to boot.
This fully concealed figure was Salome.
‘She's still living like that, huh.’
Soemiri watched her with pity. Fortunately, she could see, as she ascended the stage without issue.
Some reporters grumbled about her bundled-up appearance, but that was it. Mages were an incomprehensible bunch anyway.
And finally... the last turn arrived.
No need to guess the religion rep. The half-breed symbol of peace bridging Earth and the world beyond the dimensional gate.
The Saintess.
“The freshman religion representative... will be taken by the Saintess herself. Saintess? Please come to the stage.”
Soemiri turned slightly to Seti.
“Who's this year's Saintess?”
She'd asked lightly, just to make conversation, but the response was anything but.
“A nutjob.”
“...Pardon?”
“An avatar of lookism, you could say. Her sanity's inversely proportional to her beauty. The fake piety she puts on TV is disgusting.”
“Oh... Um... Do you know her personally?”
Was it banter between friends? Soemiri tilted her head at Seti's blunt assessment.
“Know her? I really hate that woman. Won't even go to the temple because of her.”
“...”
As Miri struggled for a reply, murmurs rose from the stage.
Moments later, the announcer grabbed the mic with a flustered voice.
“The Saintess is unable to attend today's ceremony due to health issues. Regrettably, the freshman oath will proceed with Jeon Yunseong and Salome.”
At those words, Seti's lips twisted.
“Health issues my ass... Probably ran off again. ...Bitch.”
“...Seti? What was that?”
“Just mumbling. Don't mind me.”
Soemiri barely kept her turning head facing forward. For some reason, it felt like she shouldn't meet Seti's eyes right now.
“Oath! We, the freshmen...”
With Jeon Yunseong's booming voice, the formal freshman oath began.
As all eyes turned to the stage, Soemiri pondered whether to revise her assessment of her roommate.
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