Chapter 77
Chapter 77
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: Coincidence for the Transfer Student (7)
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Lord Howe Academy's Friday first-period class was always held in the same place.
A massive circular classroom resembling an ancient Greek theater.
It embodied the founder's will that, regardless of whether they were mages or superhumans, students of the same grade should gather together at least once a week.
The sight of the classroom packed with students was one of Lord Howe Academy's unique traditions.
Of course, it was only the appearance that was unique; the class itself was nothing special.
It was just common subjects like life and ethics, or superhumans and society.
That was why some students and faculty members said this inefficient tradition should be abolished...
But Yeomyeong's impression upon facing that scene was different.
'...It's not as bad as I thought.'
He had barely any experience even gathering with peers, let alone attending a normal school.
So, sitting among the students and looking down at the podium, he felt... something indescribable.
A feeling different from the attention he received at the airport or dormitory.
Was this the reason the cleanup crew chief had told him to attend school properly instead of taking the high school equivalency exam?
He couldn't know for sure now, but for some reason, it felt like that might have been the intention.
As Yeomyeong's thoughts stretched on, the front door of the classroom opened, and a woman in a neat suit entered.
With each click of her heels echoing through the room, the students' chatter grew quieter.
Yeomyeong, like the other students, focused his gaze on the teacher.
"That's Gemini Teacher, in charge of morals."
An explanation about her came suddenly from the seat next to him.
He turned his head to see a boy with a gloomy expression, propping his chin on the desk.
Baonic Lerak.
Yeomyeong's dormitory roommate, who, despite coming from a famous family, kept his room like a pigsty.
"She's from MIT's School of Magic, strict but a good person. And as you can see, she's a renowned beauty at the academy."
"..."
"Funny thing is, her fiancé's name is... well, Huchi..."
He spilled unasked information fluently while sneaking glances at Yeomyeong's expression.
As if checking whether Yeomyeong knew this fact or not.
Why was he doing this? When Yeomyeong tilted his head and met his eyes, the guy gave an awkward smile.
"I thought you might be curious, so I told you... Did I make you uncomfortable?"
"No. Thanks for telling me."
Awkward silence. Regardless of Baonic's pondering expression, Yeomyeong turned his head to look at the other side.
Seti pushing away at the Saintess's forehead with her finger, the Saintess trying to snuggle closer somehow, and... an elf hiding her ears with magic.
He already knew she had come to the academy following the holy sword, but to think she was Seti's roommate.
He had no idea what her intentions were for enrolling at Lord Howe, but... he hoped she wouldn't get involved in his plans.
As Yeomyeong's brief thoughts passed, Seti subtly turned her head toward him.
Her beautiful blue eyes, striking no matter how many times he saw them.
Still pushing away the Saintess, she quietly mouthed the words.
—Lunch, main building, back.
Yeomyeong gave a small nod. A subtle glance passed between the two for a moment.
He turned his head back as if nothing happened, but he had a lot he wanted to say.
They had exchanged texts sporadically in Manchuria... but thanks to Yeomyeong's abysmal texting skills, they hadn't had any proper conversations beyond the essentials.
'...I should tell her about the golden imperial seal too.'
Anticipating her reaction when he mentioned it could lift seals, Yeomyeong turned back to the podium.
—Alright, first-years? Good morning.
Gemini Teacher, who had already opened her textbook, began the class.
***
Modern Superhumans and Social Ethics.
Gemini Teacher's class was interesting in its own way.
Nothing from the content to the teaching method felt familiar, but that only made the learning feel truly new.
—Most modern nations that have joined the UN apply stricter standards to superhumans regarding assault and battery...
—Following the international treaty enacted after the Miami terrorist attack, the use of martial arts in exceptional situations is...
Real academy education, which he had only seen in documentaries.
At the moment Yeomyeong found himself unconsciously focusing on the class, Gemini Teacher, turning her head, met his eyes.
She seemed to recognize his face, twitching her eyebrow slightly, then noticed his desk was empty and spoke up.
—Everyone? If there's a student next to you without a textbook, please share one.
In this vast classroom, the only students without textbooks were the Saintess, who had arrived just yesterday, and Yeomyeong. Not pointing them out directly was her consideration.
As Baonic had said, she seemed like a good person.
Anyway, Yeomyeong turned to Seti next to him to share her textbook.
But Seti was already sharing with the Saintess.
It was closer to the Saintess unilaterally clinging to Seti...
Anyone could see she wasn't in a state to share with Yeomyeong, so he was about to ask Baonic beside him instead.
But just as he turned, the girl sitting next to the Saintess stood up and approached him.
"Shall we share mine?"
Miridis. The fairy princess he had met in Incheon.
Before Yeomyeong could even respond, she passed by the Saintess and Seti and sat next to him.
It felt awkward to refuse her kindness, and more importantly, she seemed to have something to say, so Yeomyeong nodded.
"That would be great, thanks."
"It's just a textbook."
The princess brushed her long golden hair behind her ear and held out the book.
While Yeomyeong examined the textbook, the elf princess picked up her pen and wrote at the bottom margin.
[Long time no see. Have you been well?]
A cute handwriting for the greeting. She smiled faintly and handed him the pen.
[I've been fine. You?]
Yeomyeong took the pen, wrote his reply, and handed it back.
[So-so? But did you know? Rime got a job as faculty staff. She's gardening on the central island.]
Rime? Ah, the silver-haired elf who had been her escort?
It wasn't particularly something he wanted to know, so Yeomyeong nodded perfunctorily.
[Good to hear both of you are adapting well to Earth.]
[Is she adapting well? I'm not sure. Her only friend is Seti...]
The princess tapped her pen for a moment, glanced at Yeomyeong's face, then wrote.
[Name, Iron Dung Beetle. Fake? Real?]
[Real.]
[Then current name. Fake?]
Yeomyeong wrote his reply without hesitation.
[Cheon Yeomyeong, Iron Dung Beetle. Both real.]
[That's weird.]
[By my standards, Miridis is weird too.]
[It's not Miridis now, it's Iron Miri.]
What? Yeomyeong's hand froze as he reached for the pen.
No way... She didn't think the "iron" in Iron Dung Beetle was a surname and make up a fake name like that, did she? He ignored the ominous feeling and replied.
[What kind of name is that?]
[Is it strange?]
[By Earth standards? Obviously.]
[More than Iron Dung Beetle?]
Yeomyeong rolled the innocent pen on his fingers without writing a reply. He couldn't think of a response.
Of course, in his opinion, Iron Dung Beetle was better than Iron Miri... but anyway, this trivial talk wasn't the point.
Yeomyeong picked up the pen again.
[You're not just checking on me, right? Do you need something from me?]
Reading his reply, Miridis... no, Iron Miri nodded slightly.
[You're not a mercenary anymore, but I have one request.]
[What if I refuse?]
[I'll offer compensation you can't refuse.]
Compensation? As Yeomyeong raised one eyebrow and Iron Miri confidently reached into her pocket for something.
The air in the classroom changed.
A sinister shift that anyone sensitive to mana could feel.
The moment everyone in the classroom sensed it and turned to the window almost simultaneously.
—WEE-OOO-WEE-OOO-WEEEEENG!!
The alarm blared across the entire island.
***
The author, Baonic Lerak, bit his lip at the sound of the emergency siren.
While the other students tilted their heads in confusion, he knew exactly what was happening outside.
'The story is progressing? Why all of a sudden?'
The prologue hadn't even progressed, and Manchuria was already resolved.
'But why is Chapter 1 proceeding as is?'
He racked his brain desperately.
According to the original story, this blaring alarm was undoubtedly the prelude to the terror attack by Secret Society spies infiltrating the academy and the church's priest.
The academy, reeling from the prologue's tragedy, would flounder against the terror.
And in that chaos, as students were massacred, the Saintess—who foresaw the future—would stop the terror alongside the protagonist as Chapter 1's finale...
'Maybe because the Saintess is at the academy?'
Baonic turned to look at the Saintess.
Unlike the others staring seriously out the window, she was giggling, nestled in Hong Seti's arms like a pampered puppy.
Completely different from the Saintess he knew, but she was still the Saintess.
Now that Chapter 1 had begun... she would surely move according to the story.
'According to the story... the first person the Saintess seeks after her prophecy is the protagonist.'
Baonic swallowed hard and waited for her reaction.
—Everyone! This is a real situation! Evacuate calmly to the shelters!
As Gemini Teacher directed the students to evacuate and everyone moved to the emergency shelter, he kept watching.
But the Saintess showed no sign of prophecy, just holding Seti's hand and chattering nonsense.
Which uniform combinations are cute, some cosmetics she saw on SNS, northern island restaurants...
She wasted time like that for a while.
Only after the shelter door closed with students packed inside did Baonic realize something was wrong.
'No way... is the protagonist missing?'
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