episode_0015

The mornings of the disciplinary committee students start earlier than other students. Compared to regular students, they wake up several hours earlier and begin preparations.

“You, freshman, right? A uniform violation is a 1-point penalty.”

And after finishing their preparations, the disciplinary committee students check the students’ uniforms at the academy entrance.

Normally, only a small number of students who didn’t live in the dormitory needed to be checked, so only about two disciplinary committee members stood at the entrance. But now, there were over 20 disciplinary committee students at the entrance.

There were three reasons for this.

“I gained too much weight after going home for the vacation for the first time in a long time.”

“Me too, me too. My parents fed me so much, it was nothing short of food torture.”

“When I went home, my parents had moved without a word.”

“Haha, more importantly, did you hear? They say this year’s freshmen are incredibly strong.”

“Oh, come on, we’re seniors, so we must be stronger.”

Firstly, because the students who had returned home for the vacation were coming back today.

“Wow, we’re actually going to attend the academy starting now.”

“What’s the point of attending? Don’t you remember the matriculation ceremony?”

“That’s right. If we mess up, we could be expelled immediately.”

Secondly, because the new students were starting their classes today.

“Wow…”

“Hey, hey, look over there. That senior, isn’t that her?”

“That’s right. That senior is Johanna Freya-nim.”

“…She’s beautiful.”

The last reason was Johanna. Students entering the academy were so captivated by Johanna’s appearance that they stopped in their tracks.

Unlike the other disciplinary committee members who were standing, Johanna was seated on a chair.

Aside from the disciplinary committee students who were checking other students’ uniforms, the remaining disciplinary committee students continuously spoke to Johanna around her.

“Johanna-nim, are you comfortable?”

“Shall I bring you a slightly better chair?”

“Here are some snacks too.”

“The weather hasn’t warmed up yet, shall I bring you a blanket?”

The reason the disciplinary committee students served Johanna so devotedly was not to flatter her, nor was it because her family was a ducal house.

“Um, Johanna Freya-nim. I am of the Viscountcy of Debro—”

“If you’re a freshman, get to your class quickly.”

One male freshman tried to speak to Johanna, but other disciplinary committee members nearby blocked him. It was obvious he was one of those scums approaching her because of her face or her family.

The disciplinary committee currently had two distinct features: one, all its members were female; and two, all of them were Johanna’s fans.

In fact, it wouldn’t be wrong to call it Johanna’s fan club rather than a disciplinary committee.

Indeed, this morning, when Johanna said she would stand at the academy entrance, all the disciplinary committee students insisted on standing there too.

However, since it was impossible for everyone to stand at the entrance, only 20 people chosen by lot were able to conduct uniform checks with Johanna.

Johanna seemed uncomfortable being the only one seated, so she opened her mouth, but—

“Is there anything I can help with?”

“No, Johanna-nim, you don’t need to do any work!”

“That’s right! Just Johanna-nim sitting there gives us so much strength.”

The disciplinary committee students even brought her tea, telling her to rest more comfortably instead.

Johanna sat on her chair, staring blankly at the academy students entering.

Students entering the academy felt thrilled when Johanna looked at them, but Johanna merely glanced at each one, as if searching for someone, then immediately turned her head.

“Are you looking for someone?”

A disciplinary committee student, who had been watching the scene, asked Johanna.

“Yes.”

Johanna replied briefly, still watching the incoming students. The student, surprised by Johanna’s answer, carefully hid her surprise and continued her questioning.

“Is it a man?”

As soon as the question ended, the other disciplinary committee students nearby waited for Johanna to speak.

“Yes.”

When Johanna said the person she was looking for was a man, the surrounding disciplinary committee students whispered to each other.

“Gasp! Did you hear? Johanna-nim is waiting for a man!”

“Who could it be? When did she meet him?”

“Since you’ve been asking until now, ask what kind of person he is too.”

At the other students’ words, the disciplinary committee student who had been questioning Johanna so far asked Johanna in a trembling voice.

“Um… what kind of person is Johanna-nim waiting for?”

At the disciplinary committee student’s question, Johanna thought of Loki.

What kind of person could she say Loki was?

To call him an academy freshman…

He wasn’t a mere freshman.

To call him strong…

There were people stronger than him.

Therefore, as Johanna pondered what kind of person to call Loki, she recalled something he had said.

‘Unusual is fine, but if possible, please remember me as someone special.’

Loki had said she smiled upon hearing those words, but she couldn’t believe it.

Since childhood, her emotions, both felt and expressed, weren’t strong. She had never particularly wanted anything, nor had she cared much when she learned that someone who had acted friendly in front of her was spreading rumors behind her back.

At most, wielding a sword and moving brought a sense of accomplishment and a slight enjoyment, but it never made her laugh.

Yet, Loki said she had smiled twice while talking to him. Just because her emotional changes weren’t great didn’t mean she felt no emotions.

However, when she felt or expressed emotions, she was aware that she was doing so.

But the smiles that emerged when she talked to Loki came out naturally, without her awareness.

At first, she just thought he was an unusual person, but now she genuinely thinks this:

“A special person.”

It was still early morning, and spring had only just begun, so a chilly wind blew, making Johanna’s cheeks red. Perhaps because of her fair skin, the reddened cheeks were even more noticeable.

However, to the disciplinary committee students, it looked as if her cheeks had reddened from embarrassment.

“My, my.”

“No matter how you look at it, it’s ‘that,’ isn’t it?”

“Who on earth could he be?”

The disciplinary committee students, too, now stared intently at the incoming students, just like Johanna. They wanted to see who Johanna’s special person was.

.

.

However, Loki did not appear even after school attendance time passed.

Having come all this way, Johanna became dispirited when Loki didn’t arrive, making her already expressionless face seem even more so.

It was a small change that others might not have noticed, but the people here were not ordinary.

The disciplinary committee students had been watching Johanna closely as her fans for a year. They could tell that she was disappointed.

“Loki might have arrived before Johanna-nim did!”

“That’s right! He definitely would have!”

The disciplinary committee students consoled Johanna. Just as Johanna, listening to the disciplinary committee students’ words, was about to believe that Loki had truly arrived before her—

“Disciplinary Committee Seniors, you always work so hard from early morning.”

“Right. …Huh?”

One student casually walked past the disciplinary committee students and proceeded forward. So natural was his movement that even the disciplinary committee students didn’t sense anything amiss.

By the time they noticed something strange, the student had already walked some distance.

“Who are you?!”

The moment a disciplinary committee student ran up, intending to grab the late student’s shoulder. Just before her hand touched his shoulder, the late student vanished.

The vanished student was standing behind the disciplinary committee student who had tried to grab his shoulder.

“Everyone, draw your swords!”

When a third-year disciplinary committee student, sensing suspicion, spoke, all the disciplinary committee members drew their swords from their waists with a *shing*.

“Reveal your identity!”

Though he was wearing an academy uniform, his suspicious mask, red cape, and even his recent movements—everything made the masked man suspicious.

All the disciplinary committee students, with swords drawn, fixated on the masked man. The moment all of them, tense, swallowed their saliva *gulp*.

“Eek! I surrender! I surrender!”

The masked man surrendered with both hands raised high. All the suspicion that had filled the air moments ago vanished, leaving only a pathetic sight.

The masked man, Loki, was flustered.

At first, he thought he might be able to pass through naturally.

He had, in fact, succeeded in passing through naturally.

But the moment a disciplinary committee student called out to him.

He instinctively knew he’d been caught and had simply intended to accept the penalty.

However, the moment the disciplinary committee student’s hand was about to touch his shoulder, his body moved on its own.

This was because his senses, sharpened from fighting the Emperor, hadn’t adapted yet.

After surrendering to the disciplinary committee students, he looked around and spotted a familiar face.

“Ah! Johanna Senior?”

As Loki looked at Johanna, the disciplinary committee students focused on Loki.

“Senior, hello!”

Even while surrounded, Loki waved both hands and greeted Johanna.

The disciplinary committee students expected Johanna to ignore such a suspicious person’s greeting.

But contrary to their expectations, Johanna timidly raised her hand and waved back in greeting.

“Hello.”

When Johanna used her hand to greet him, the disciplinary committee students stared at Loki, thinking, ‘Surely not that guy?’

Meanwhile, Loki, feeling the intense gazes of the disciplinary committee students, thought to himself.

‘Surely these people didn’t fall for me at first sight?’