Ch.108Chapter 5. Spring Days at the Academy (2)

The regional training lasts 4 nights and 5 days, starting from Sejong Island on Monday and returning on Friday evening.

Sometimes students go to islands like Ulleungdo, Jejudo, or Ganghwado, and other times they’re dispatched to Seoul or the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province.

“Hey, isn’t this rural area training?”

“What! Seoul and Gyeonggi Province aren’t rural areas!”

“That’s just a figure of speech!”

This field training, officially named “regional training” after complaints from some uncomfortable individuals, focuses on one of a hero’s duties: public support.

Using abilities to help restore areas affected by flood damage.

Conducting night patrols to assess the poor conditions in regional areas.

Receiving various advice from B-rank or higher heroes stationed in regional areas.

Or, engaging in real combat against villains who appear during the training period.

While there are various purposes, most students go for romance.

“Who’s my training partner?!”

“A legitimate chance to start something…! I’ll secretly call them out at night while staying at the pension and suggest we take a walk together…!”

“Last time it was pairs for just one day, but this time we’ll be together for 5 days, so the chances of becoming a couple are much higher!”

If these hero aspirants who show more interest in romance than their studies were described to the general public, many would click their tongues and shake their heads in disapproval.

But consider this.

Most of them have grown up on Sejong Island and attended school there for a long time.

Even though they can leave every weekend, the process is as troublesome as international travel, and students rarely have proper opportunities to leave.

Someone once compared life away from the mainland, isolated on Sejong Island, to military service.

I think it was someone from the faculty who said that, but imagine how the students who’ve lived in Sejong Island dormitories for years must feel.

“Students need room to breathe too. Think of it as a spring picnic—spend 5 days touring the regions. Climb mountains, enjoy nature, and maintain a clear mind.”

The April regional training provides students with various opportunities.

Opportunities for learning.

Opportunities for romance.

Opportunities for mental cultivation.

Despite all these fancy justifications, the ultimate purpose is essentially a healing camp to prevent ability users from going berserk.

The Academy needs to send them on an excursion like this.

That way, ability users can live well without feeling trapped and going berserk.

In the end, everything focuses on the proper maturation of ability users—from a social perspective, “not going berserk” and “cultivating a heroic mindset.”

But children always tend to cause trouble when they go outside.

It would be nice if all children behaved, but some act without restraint when they go out and cause incidents.

Those who don’t maintain minimal order during the week-long field training.

Those who don’t follow the basic curriculum and sneak out to engage in harmful activities.

Because of the many incidents caused by such individuals, there are annual calls to abolish the field training, but the Academy continues to implement it every year.

“This too is a process of weeding out.”

Everything is for creating patriotic heroes who are loyal to the country and dedicate themselves to the citizens.

This too is part of the process of raising heroes.

Even if hardships and adversities arise during the process.

* * *

If the main story of the original Volume 1—March—was about Juliana and the attack of Jokadiel, the Archdemon of Holidays, then Volume 2 takes us away from Sejong Island to the regions.

And as they move away from Sejong Island, away from the island environment, all kinds of temptations approach the hero aspirants from every direction.

“Tavern Owner, what can be used to entice Academy students?”

I entered the Tavern Owner’s house and organized materials with him in preparation for the regional tour.

“Wouldn’t it depend on their age? The field training includes everyone from 8th graders to college students, right?”

Elementary school students and 7th graders, those under 14, repeat a curriculum like treasure hunting within Sejong Island.

“I’m talking about the adult division students.”

“College students?”

“Yes. I’m not interested in middle and high school students on field trips; I’m interested in the adult division.”

“Because middle and high school students are under stronger supervision from faculty and senior ability users?”

“Right. They’re still students, so they can’t act recklessly due to social scrutiny.”

No matter how powerful their abilities, given their age, society’s surveillance network is meticulously deployed around ability users.

“The trouble they cause is just at the level where people think, ‘Well, kids that age can be like that.'”

Especially for underage middle and high school students, police, military, and ability users who are already working as heroes are mobilized for supervision.

Some might say:

“Wait, aren’t teenagers more dangerous? During their turbulent years? Don’t you know about puberty?! Do ability users not go through puberty?!”

Isn’t adolescence dangerous?

Looking at the villains that have appeared so far, it seems true.

The demon Lilith I first met when I came to Sejong Island, Juliana who stole Tae Jo’s genes, and other cases all suggest that the teenage period is more dangerous.

It’s true that it’s dangerous.

But if we consider it as “the risk of a Goblin appearing,” that’s somewhat inaccurate.

“We need to investigate those who extend their claws toward adults, leaving aside what heroes can handle.”

Adults are dangerous.

Especially those who have just come of age, like Ymir at 20, are even more dangerous.

“Because Wijungcheoksa, Hwalbindang, all kinds of villain organizations, and other countries can approach them?”

“That’s right. Especially those Wijungcheoksa-Pandemonium guys are dangerous.”

To be honest.

Regional training is a kind of “recruitment season” for villains and external organizations.

And it’s also another “test” conducted by the state.

“Tavern Owner, do you know what National Intelligence Service agents and government dogs do during regional training?”

“Disguise themselves as diplomats, scouts, or villain organization members to tempt students?”

“Exactly.”

Having left Sejong Island, they’ll encounter various people, and among them will be many who make offers to ability users.

A business card slides under the partition while using a public restroom.

Immigration offers from foreign countries arrive through external communication devices.

Demons secretly visit those lacking power at night, tempting them with offers of “Do you need power?”

“Some are orchestrated by the Academy, and some are actual temptations from foreign countries or villains. But why do they still conduct this training? Why do it knowing such things will obviously happen?”

“Obviously to test loyalty.”

“Right. …Only those who remain unwavering until the end can remain patriots in this country.”

Middle school might be one thing.

But rejecting the temptations that approach in high school.

And now, at 20, rejecting the true demonic hands that reach out—only then can one become a true hero of this country.

“This too is a process of weeding out.”

“What does that mean?”

“It’s something the Chancellor often says. After creating a seemingly plausible environment, he cuts off those who can’t be patriotic to the country and says that.”

That’s what the Chancellor says in the original work while looking out the window from his office.

“I feel sorry for the kids who get pruned after being tempted. They don’t even know they’re being tested and will be branded for life.”

“And then they actually emigrate. Imagine having a lifelong brand saying ‘This person agreed to receive large amounts of mana powder and a 60 billion annual salary from a broker from Country C.’ Show me the national map.”

I pointed to the red dots on the map the Tavern Owner had displayed.

“They’ve probably chosen accommodations like pensions or condos that cost nearly 2 million won per night, or places like that national training center. Investigate those areas. The surrounding terrain, hiding spots, and vehicles that suddenly appear frequently nearby…huh?”

Ding.

While investigating the accommodations prepared for the regional training with the Tavern Owner, an alert sounded on my smartphone.

“This….”

“Who is it? Baek? Yoo?”

“Ymir. She sent a photo without any message.”

I unlocked my smartphone screen, then immediately closed it.

“What is it? Did she send something strange?”

“…It’s troublesome to receive things like this.”

“Based on your reaction, is it something lewd?”

“Lewd…. Is it lewd? I’m not sure.”

In a way, it’s wholesome, something that might appear on a 9 AM health program on a broadcasting station.

“Is it a photo that could be posted on the internet?”

“It is, but there’s no need to post it.”

Since it was sent for my eyes only.

“Tavern Owner, I’m sorry, but I’ll have to leave the investigation to you. It seems our Geumbu Dosa wants to stir things up again.”

“What’s there to be sorry about? Gathering basic data is my role, and your role is to charm women. Fighting! Oh, do you need this?”

The Tavern Owner took out a box from the bedside table drawer.

“Traitor Box.”

“…I don’t really need—actually.”

I approached the Tavern Owner and took out a vitamin candy from the Traitor Box.

“I might need one to draw aggro.”

“…Doesn’t that mean you won’t use it?”

“Tavern Owner.”

After putting the vitamin candy in my wallet, I snapped my fingers at the Tavern Owner.

“You know well.”

On this island.

In this country.

“I can’t become a traitor.”

“Then why take it?”

“For blackmail.”

I pointed to the trash can as I headed to the front door.

“Choose: betray the country or be patriotic. If you’re a patriot, shouldn’t you naturally be patriotic?”