Ch.170170 – Even If I Explain, You Won’t Understand

<170 – You Wouldn’t Understand Even If I Explained>

Monk Myungho, who had received the principal’s permission to secretly observe Oknodie from a distance whenever he had time.

He felt pity for Sing’s noble sacrifice, who had risked his reputation to become labeled as a pedophile.

‘Though you pursue good while risking evil reputation, and may be condemned for lacking mercy in your methods, you shall surely receive bonus points in your academy evaluation score.’

In truth, the students’ concerns were unnecessary.

It’s common sense that dangerous ghosts should be exterminated.

However, the academy rarely intervenes in most situations caused by students until there is a direct or indirect threat to life.

They might step forward to give hints to beloved disciples in danger or advise them to seek help.

But due to the principal’s policy, direct assistance was uncommon.

Let the youngsters flap their wings as they please. If you hold them back and help them, they’ll only learn to fly with their own wings more slowly. Until they become sophomores, let them do whatever they want as long as it’s not criminal.

Perhaps the rumor about dragons raising their hatchlings by confining them to rooms and coddling them until they turn 500 years old was not actually a distorted falsehood from the human world.

The Dragon Principal’s educational philosophy seriously made one question dragon parenting methods!

Thanks to this, Monk Myungho had only observed the numerous incidents surrounding Oknodie without directly intervening.

‘The future of the academy is truly dark.’

This was the thought he felt most often when looking at Oknodie.

Her talent was extraordinary.

There are many who excel in a single field.

Oknodie excelled in too many.

She might not surpass the unrivaled first place, but she showed overwhelming second-place skills in archery, swordsmanship, and nature magic that others couldn’t catch up to.

In stealth, memorization, discernment, night operations, and dark magic, she showed qualities of an unparalleled first place.

‘At first, this humble monk also thought she was simply a born thief as Professor Bronze discerned, or a born black magician as Professor Sadaco discerned, or a child destined to become a master of nature magic as Professor Warerd discerned.’

A child whom every teaching professor wanted to take as a disciple.

I thought that was all there was to it.

“Monk. Oknodie is not such a simple talent. That child has the qualities of a hero. And specifically as a ‘thief’ class.”

“Such talents are not singular.”

“I assert that she has the talent for the thief class that encompasses all of those abilities.”

Professor Destroyer succeeded in combining all those potential talents into one.

“Her excellent discernment and dexterity are suitable for a thief’s role in appraising various treasures, and her night vision and proficiency in nature and dark magic indicate her ability to handle magical traps.”

“But that child habitually goes around saying she wants to become a magic swordsman.”

“A thief who knows how to fight is even more valuable. Not needing help from other companions makes formation easier, and creating and targeting weaknesses herself increases her value exponentially in various combat environments.”

Narrow tunnels, complex mine paths, cliff roads where a misstep means death, volcanoes, underwater caves too difficult for many to traverse, and so on.

Considering monsters threatening humanity hiding in harsh terrains, their treasures, evil organizations hiding treasures guarded by monsters, and the legacy of ancestors, it makes even more sense.

When there are already few people to bring along, if given the choice between a mediocre thief who needs protection during fights and takes ages to find weaknesses, or a versatile thief who can find paths, obtain treasures, disarm magic, fight, and identify weaknesses all alone, one would naturally choose the latter.

And such thieves are extremely rare.

It’s not for nothing that she’s considered hero material.

‘But even Professor Destroyer hasn’t seen that child’s daily life. I am the professor who has observed Oknodie’s daily life the most and for the longest time.’

And he could assert that Oknodie’s most fearsome talent was her ability to gather people.

Sing and Hestia.

These two powerful individuals from the senior class were unknowingly dancing to Oknodie’s tune without realizing it themselves.

‘A devilish observational ability that rapidly grasps people’s inner thoughts and their essence. The speed at which she unlocks and penetrates the locks of people’s hearts is incomprehensible.’

They thought they understood the Foundation’s child sufficiently, but only he knew Oknodie’s true specialty.

And the danger of that specialty was more dangerous than all her other talents combined.

‘If the Foundation uses talented students to indirectly apply pressure as they have done so far, it won’t be long before the entire 981st class follows Oknodie’s will.’

Already, a third of the senior class has formed direct friendships with Oknodie.

And the lineup is impressive.

Group A leader Princess Arcadia Ceviche and Grand Duke Andersen.

Almost everyone from the dark merchant Giselle’s faction and the lone wolf powerhouses, including Hestia, Zigoku, and Sing.

She’s become friendly with Group B leader Second Imperial Princess Massgakki despite their fights, and the current hero Ishtar is trying to recruit her.

Even Cassia, the fusion organism who acts as a leader in Group C, has had private exchanges with her, meaning she has completely established connections with all the powerful individuals in the 981st class.

‘Of course, there are those who envy the girl’s talent, but at the top of the command chain that can influence them are all Oknodie’s connections.’

How could one not feel fear in this situation?

‘Still, only two students have been greatly influenced.’

Hestia and Sing.

If it’s just these two, it’s still manageable.

Trying to comfort himself with this thought, Monk Myungho was returning to take charge of his lecture when he noticed a group of students buzzing with conversation.

“Those tin can guys, they must not fear curses.”

“The one on the left is Jaydas, the holy knight renowned in the three western countries and counted among the new top three. Even if Jaydas is an extraordinary talent for a junior class, who’s the other one?”

“You’re slow with rumors? That guy is the minion personally chosen by the Dark Princess.”

“The scary child who extracts human souls?”

“Right. According to his roommates, he’s such an extreme case that he never takes off his armor even when sleeping. He must be trying to overcome curses along with his armor.”

“It looks like he’s scratching the armor?”

“No. Looking at how he’s spreading his fingers, he seems to be so hungry for blood and violence that he wants to tear flesh.”

“Now that you mention it… he really does look like that!!”

“What was his name again?”

“I heard it’s Morb.”

“Black Knight Morb. A guy with patience as formidable as Holy Knight Jaydas. I should remember him from now on.”

“Then why is he hitting his helmet like that?”

“Maybe it’s a restraining gesture to suppress the urge to hit someone’s skull?”

“Black Knight Morb. He was hiding such a terrifying belligerence.”

“……”

Monk Myungho’s steps toward the lecture hall became a little heavier.

* *

During curse week, while most students were busy running away from curses, some students were throwing themselves at curses instead.

“Why are they doing that?”

“I don’t know. They say they’re building resistance to curses.”

“Aren’t they crazy?”

“They probably think they’re the class valedictorian since the actual valedictorian does it.”

“The class valedictorian is the Dark Princess anyway. She’s the highest authority on dark magic in the 981st class, so she can skillfully endure curses, but won’t ordinary people die?”

Oknodie’s eccentric behavior was causing a stir throughout the campus, even spreading widely among junior class students.

Combined with rumors that strange things had been happening around her for a while, some even started making claims like:

“About the curse event. Could it be that Oknodie created it by doing something?”

“That girl? She’s only 11?”

“She’s not an ordinary child. She’s the one who extracts human souls and turns them into candy to chew on like snacks.”

“I guess…”

“I just feel sorry for that guy Zaku. His soul was extracted, so he might have to live the rest of his life as a vegetable.”

“Who became a vegetable?”

“Ah! A v-v-vegetable is walking!! A vegetable is walking!!”

Zaku, walking with crutches across the campus, made no effort to hide his contempt, looking at them as if they were insects.

“Yes, I am a walking vegetable. If you don’t disappear right now, I’ll use you as fertilizer.”

“Aaaah, so scary!”

“Run away. If he catches us, we’ll be buried in the ground!”

Junior class students running away while saying stupid things.

Having experienced so many strange things at the academy, their minds seem to have gone a bit strange.

“Tsk.”

Morb being called a Black Knight and compared to Holy Knight Jaydas.

Rumors spreading that his perfectly fine soul had been extracted.

The world is truly going to hell.

Is there no classmate with even a bit of common sense?

Thanks to Oknodie, Zaku had finished his exams without major incidents and had enough credits, but he needed someone to tell him what had happened while he was in the infirmary.

Maybe he should find his old friend.

As he limped along with his crutches looking for Morb, he spotted a student who, while not Morb, was known to be relatively sensible and capable in the junior class.

“Hey, Primer.”

“Zaku? You’re fine?”

“That’s how it turned out. But I’ve been hearing all sorts of nonsense about Morb being a Black Knight and my soul being extracted. What happened while I was gone?”

“You know that Morb received mentoring from Oknodie and gained strength, right?”

“I know that.”

“After showing results with training equipment, he received armor and a helmet, and now he doesn’t take them off even for 24 hours. He probably doesn’t want to stop training until he gains power.”

“Hmm. Morb was always not just talented but also exceptionally competitive.”

He wasn’t particularly trying to elevate him as a rival.

Zaku genuinely considered Morb such a friend.

“So there are a lot of concerns these days.”

“Concerns?”

“While it’s probably not all true about extracting souls and whatnot, there are many guys running around trying to build curse resistance because of that Oknodie woman.”

“That’s foolish behavior.”

“So I was thinking. Want to go to the senior class area together, get some material with strong curses, and sprinkle it near those guys? If they get a harsh lesson, they won’t act up anymore.”

“Do you have a grudge against Morb?”

“Black Knight? Not particularly. If I have a grudge, it’s against the class valedictorian.”

“Oknodie, that monster kid? Why would you?”

Primer, whom Zaku had thought wasn’t particularly twisted in character, showed a surprisingly deep hatred in his eyes for reasons unknown.

“You might not know, but I have a good reason. That child took my place.”

That’s right.

Primer was one of the Foundation’s scholarship students hiding his identity.

One who had previously targeted Oknodie…

“You idiot. Did you lose the class valedictorian position because of your grades? Then I guess I’ve lost the Swordmaster position, the king’s position, and the position of a beauty’s husband too?”

“…You wouldn’t understand even if I explained.”

“Of course I wouldn’t understand the ravings of a mentally ill person.”

In response to Zaku’s sensible criticism, Primer’s expression only soured.