Ch.344Chapter 344 – I Won’t Forgive Those Who Disturb My Peace!

As new blood entered the Academy after the fourth-year students had departed, the entire campus began to buzz with renewed energy.

Students advancing to their fourth year were frantically preparing for graduation and completion, while third-year students were equally busy after only participating in the entrance ceremony.

In other words, nine out of ten people currently roaming the Academy were first and second-year students.

“Hey, what class are you taking today?”

“Me? A course called ‘Understanding the New Continent.’ My father is the captain of a ship that travels to and from there.”

“Wow, really? Can I join the class with you?”

“Of course! You’re my friend!”

Seeing the new students eager to attend the same lectures as their friends made me feel oddly proud.

“Um… I’m sorry to approach you like this, but… do you have a moment?”

“Hmm, what is it? I’m busy, so please keep it brief.”

“Well, I… I… I fell for you at first sight! Please go out with me!”

“Pfft, you’re quite amusing, aren’t you? Alright. But let’s start as friends.”

Young people interested in romance would approach those they were attracted to and confess their feelings.

“Everyone’s so lively. It’s truly moving to see so many talented individuals who will lead the Empire’s future.”

“Karen.”

As I sat on a bench installed under a shady tree watching the new students, I noticed Karen standing nearby.

“This is a scene we couldn’t witness in previous iterations.”

Karen’s eyes reflected relief as she gazed at the new students chatting animatedly as they walked by.

“It seems the Academy was affected in previous iterations as well.”

“Indeed. The Academy, which should have been focused on education, had become merely a training ground producing combat soldiers to face the Demon God’s forces.”

Karen sat beside me. The fresh scent of lemon tickled my nose.

“That’s why I’m grateful to you. You’ve gifted everyone with this peaceful daily life.”

A peaceful daily life, huh.

“A peaceful daily life is what I’ve always wanted.”

Come to think of it, when I first arrived in this world, I was only pursuing a calm and comfortable life for myself.

Then, before I knew it, I formed connections with many people, and ultimately saved this world and my own life.

“Your ability—the power to fix everything—ended up fixing this world.”

“From the impurity that was the Demon God?”

“Yes, exactly.”

Impurity. I’m not sure if that’s the right way to express it, but the Demon God was truly a powerful entity.

Even Cheon Hyeryeong, the unprecedented strongest martial artist, had to fight with all her might against it.

It feels a bit awkward to simply call such a being an ‘impurity.’

Rather than impurity, yes, this word fits better.

“The Demon God was an uninvited guest. Despite no one wanting it, it forcibly crawled into this world seeking its place.”

“Hehe, hearing you say that, ‘uninvited guest’ does fit better than ‘impurity.'”

Karen naturally rested her head on my shoulder.

“There were days when I worried about how far back in time I needed to go, how much time I needed to rewind to reach this day.”

Karen’s hand came to rest on mine. I could feel the warm temperature from her hand atop mine.

“But now I don’t plan to dwell on the past anymore. The past should remain in the past.”

Karen’s eyes were still fixed on the new students.

“The present and future we need to create together are more important.”

Suddenly, my shoulder felt lighter, and I felt something touch my cheek.

“Thank you for creating a peaceful future for me, this country, and everyone including those people.”

“You don’t need to thank me… After all, I had to fight the Demon God to survive too.”

If I had to be specific, the Demon God was the biggest obstacle interfering with the comfortable life I desired.

There are several ways to deal with obstacles in your path.

One is to turn back the way you came.

Another is to go around the obstacle.

Another is to simply sit down and do nothing.

And finally, to remove the obstacle from the path and move forward.

I chose the last option.

To remove the Demon God, the massive obstacle blocking the life I sought.

That’s why I met many people and used my abilities to make them my allies.

Many people already know about the numerous events that occurred during that process without me having to mention them.

The Demon God and the demon cult that served it were persistent enemies.

They eventually caused my death once, so calling them my life’s nemesis wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

Sigh, thinking about it again, they were truly terrible and persistent beings.

“It was a tenacious battle indeed. They were willing to sacrifice their own lives to take mine.”

“As a result, the entire world united to root out and eliminate the demon cult.”

I was surprised when I learned that the countries of this world had united to eradicate the demon cult following my death.

But looking at it differently, they had been waiting for an opportunity to wipe out the demon cult and took action when they finally had a legitimate reason.

“Not many in this world can move the Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect, myself.”

Suddenly, Cheon Hyeryeong’s voice came from behind me.

“Huh?”

I don’t know how long she had been standing there, but Cheon Hyeryeong was behind me.

“How long have you been standing there?”

“For quite some time. Well, to continue what I was saying earlier, I bear some responsibility for your death. Had I continued tracking those evil and vicious beings, I could have ended them before they got to you.”

Cheon Hyeryeong’s eyes trembled as she spoke of her responsibility for my death.

It wasn’t an emotion one would expect from the master of the Heavenly Demon Sect, possessor of martial arts powerful enough to shatter the heavens.

“That was the first time I felt regret. If I had moved faster, shown more concern, protected you from closer… you wouldn’t have had to experience death.”

Her voice was trembling considerably.

Honestly, I never imagined that a Heavenly Demon would be capable of feeling regret.

I mean, come on? A Heavenly Demon is supposed to be lofty and proud, an absolute being who places all others beneath their feet.

Well, during my previous life, the equation “Heavenly Demon = Female” seemed to hold true.

Still, in my memory, a Heavenly Demon was an absolute being that no one could approach.

“I’m fine. In the end, that experience allowed me to meet more people, and it made me take a more active role.”

I wasn’t making this up.

I really did become more proactive after experiencing death.

As I turned my head to look around…

“Wait, what’s that?”

I noticed something strange in the distance.

Several people surrounding one person and saying something to them.

Yes, this is what it is.

A scene of school violence, bullying, or what some call “ijime.”

‘How dare they commit school violence in the sacred Academy?’

In this peaceful world I helped create, they’re doing such things.

I know almost all the 2nd to 4th-year students at the Academy, but these are faces I’ve never seen before, so they must be new students.

‘New students, freshly arrived, and they’re already committing school violence?’

I should suggest adding character evaluations for incoming students next year.

This is what happens when you admit students based solely on ability.

‘As the Great Sage Jirobo once said.’

When five people gather, there’s always one trash among them.

I carefully approached the scene of school violence.

If they were inflicting violence on an innocent person, even slightly…

‘My hammer won’t stay idle.’

Sigh, it’s time to return to my role as a specialist in reforming delinquents.

See these kids who won’t listen?

Hit them three times with a hammer, and they magically become well-behaved.

What’s the truth about educating delinquents?

Physical force is the truth, that’s what I’m saying.

◈◇◈◇◈◇◈◇◈◇◈

Arnuvo, a boy who had come from the Benium territory, was facing the crisis of his life.

“Hey. How does a commoner like you have something this valuable?”

“Heh, since carrying such a precious item is dangerous, we’ll keep it safe for you.”

This was because of his mother’s keepsake that he carried.

The necklace—too ornate for a man to wear, yet the only inheritance left by his mother.

This necklace, which his father had given to his mother when proposing, looked expensive even to someone unfamiliar with accessories.

And unfortunately, he had been caught by a group that appeared somewhat delinquent.

The type with good skills but bad behavior.

“Hah, this guy really isn’t listening? Hey. If you entrust it to us, we’ll take good care of it.”

When things didn’t go their way, they reached out and restrained Arnuvo.

And just as one of them reached for the necklace around Arnuvo’s neck—

“Stop right there. Move your hand any further and you’re dead.”

A saving grace appeared before Arnuvo.