Ch.3Episode 1. I Became an Academy Instructor. (3)

“D-Demerits?!”

A few days ago, when I transferred early to understand the academy’s curriculum, I learned about the merit and demerit point system.

If an academy student receives 100 demerit points, they can be suspended, and if they exceed 200 points, expulsion is possible under the established system.

Naturally, students with high merit points could enjoy scholarships and various benefits.

Interestingly, unlike typical universities, this academy employed a system focused on merit points rather than grades. It seemed the academy understood that once students became heroes, grades wouldn’t matter much.

That didn’t mean it was okay to neglect grades, though. After all, grades were included in the merit point categories.

“W-What right do you have to give me demerits?!”

Gu Yeonhwa points at me rudely while shouting. Should I give her another knock on the head?

“For starters, I’m an academy instructor.”

“Huh?!”

Gu Yeonhwa makes an exaggerated gesture, her mouth gaping open.

“Excuse me. Are you an instructor? Would it be alright if I checked your ID?”

A security guard cautiously approaches. The other guards were telling Gu Yeonhwa to stop using her ability.

“Here it is.”

I willingly present my academy instructor ID, and the security guards receive it with surprised expressions.

“Ah~ So you’re the one personally recommended by the Association President. You’re in charge of the special class.”

“Yes. Including this one here.”

“Nullify.”

I placed my hand on Gu Yeonhwa’s shoulder and used my ability. The black sphere that had been emitting heat disappeared.

“Eh? My dark flame…!”

“Don’t use your ability in a place like this.”

“Hey! Don’t touch meee!”

She shakes off my hand and steps back three paces. Taking an amateurish fighting stance, she looks exactly like an elementary school student. Is her brain as small as her height?

“You just thought something rude, didn’t you?!”

“…No.”

“Your denial was too slow!”

“Ah… If it’s the special class, I’ve heard they’re the most exceptional talents in our academy…”

The security guards stared at Gu Yeonhwa strangely, with faces that seemed to say, “How did someone like this…?”

“Her ability is real, at least.”

Gu Yeonhwa’s ability is Materialization.

The black flame we saw earlier was something she had manifested from her mind into reality. To put it simply, it could be seen as the power to make delusions real.

Since her ability is based on “delusions,” her chuunibyou elements actually created a certain synergy. The problem was that it was too excessive.

Later, as her ability grows, no one will be able to criticize her attire or manner of speaking. After all, Gu Yeonhwa will eventually gain enough power to blow away the entire Seoul region.

That must be why Akcheon was so desperate to scout her.

“Anyway, she’s a freshman this year and my student. I’d appreciate it if you could let this slide.”

“Ah, of course.”

The security guards nodded willingly.

“Please continue to guide the students well so they can safely become heroes, Instructor Yujin.”

“Don’t worry. That’s why I came to the academy.”

I smiled and shook hands with them.

As I watched the security guards walking away, Gu Yeonhwa stood proudly in front of me.

“You! You possess the eyes of the abyss that see through everything!”

“…What?”

“To extinguish my flames in an instant. You must have analyzed my spell and struck its weak point! Right?!”

This isn’t a world of wizards, you know. Though we can use something resembling magic in reality.

“…No.”

“I knew it! I was right!”

“Are you even listening to me?”

“Amazing!”

“You’re not listening…”

I don’t know what expression to make facing someone who’s babbling with sparkling eyes. It was annoying how she kept pressuring me to agree with her.

“You… you were being scolded just now, you know? Using your ability without permission, not wearing your uniform to the academy. There’s more than one or two things I need to point out.”

“Hehehe! First meetings are always awkward and intense! Now that you know we’re of the same kind, our meeting must have been inevitable!”

If this were truly a world without abilities, I could have just ignored her as a mentally ill person…

But of all abilities, she had to have the power to materialize delusions.

“That’s right! This is fate! I’ve finally met my partner after waiting for eons!”

“You’ve only lived for twenty years.”

“This is the destiny of fate! Come! Guide me to the land of the abyss! I want to meet your contractor!”

“Destiny already means fate, you know.”

“Argh! Stop nitpicking! You’re ruining my setting!”

She actually admits it’s a “setting”…

“Oh, by the way, Instructor.”

“What?”

“Are you really going to give me demerits?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Nooo! Please let it slide! How can you be so strict on the first day!”

“Is it okay to not wear your uniform and use your ability as soon as you enter the school gate on the first day?”

“I am not a dog of the organization! I’m different from those fools who willingly wear restraints!”

Students who heard Gu Yeonhwa’s loud voice glared at her. It was understandable they’d be upset when she suddenly called them fools.

But what are these restraints she’s talking about? Does she mean the uniform?

“The organization must be afraid! They’ll burn in my hellfire and fall into the abyss! Clearly, the organization intends to make me wear restraints to suppress my dark power! Hehehe! Even the organization is helpless before my overwhelming ability!”

Organization? Does she mean the Association?

Why is she creating her own worldview and confusing people?

“Yeah, I get that you’re an attention seeker, so can you stop with the chuunibyou talk?”

“I’m not an attention seeker! Or chuunibyou!!”

“Sigh. Alright, alright. I won’t give you demerits this time. Just make sure to wear your uniform properly from now on.”

I thought it would be too harsh to give demerits on the first day.

Since I already knew she would dress like this, I decided to be flexible and let it go.

“So even you can’t resist my dark power! Hehe, continue to grovel like that!”

Watching her laugh with her hand covering her mouth like a villainess from a romance fantasy novel was starting to irritate me.

“On second thought, you do deserve demerits.”

“I’m sorry.”

The situation was resolved with Gu Yeonhwa quickly apologizing to my words.

* * *

The entrance ceremony in the gymnasium had an atmosphere no different from any university.

It gave me a strange feeling, reminiscent of when I entered college. Come to think of it, I fell into this world before even graduating from university.

I watch as numerous people take their seats, divided according to their departments.

“Gu Yeonhwa.”

“Yes, partner.”

“Call me Instructor.”

Flick.

“Ouch!”

I flicked her on the back of the head as I spoke. She grabbed her head and protested.

“Is it okay to beat up students like this?!”

“You’re the one choosing to do things that deserve punishment. And how is this beating you up?”

It’s hard to imagine that this immature person will later become the worst villain. It’s all the fault of those Akcheon bastards who deceived her.

As we were having this small quarrel, I could hear whispers from around us.

“Oh my, look at her.”

“Heh. What is that?”

“Is she cosplaying?”

“Isn’t she the one who was using her ability and making weird noises at the school gate earlier?”

“Ugh… she seems mentally ill.”

“Hey, but that guy next to her is super handsome?”

“Wow, what? Is he her boyfriend?”

“No way. Who would date a girl like that?”

Having such enhanced senses isn’t always good.

I could hear everything people were saying around us, even though I didn’t want to. Hearing this unintentional gossip, I glanced at Gu Yeonhwa.

Though she hasn’t fully developed yet, with her S-class potential, she must be hearing all the insults directed at her.

“Hehehe! Look at how jealous they all are of me! How pathetic!”

As expected, she heard everything.

Judging by her expression and behavior, she didn’t seem hurt, but I knew this was her defense mechanism. However, I had no intention of doing anything for her.

“I’ll burn them all later!”

She’s definitely angry.

“…Ah, right.”

“Play along a little!”

“No way. Just go find your seat.”

As I waved my hand dismissively, Gu Yeonhwa puffed her cheeks in dissatisfaction.

“Hmph! You’ll see! Even if you reach out to me later, I won’t take your hand! You’ll come to admire the status of the Dark Wizard Magician many times over! Hmph!”

Aren’t wizard and magician both words for the same thing?

Snorting repeatedly, she stomped away, saw the “Combat Department” sign, and took a seat at the very back of the row. Determined to be an outcast from the start…

With her exotic looks and beauty, if she just acted a bit more normally, guys would flock to her. She really is a troublesome one.

I stood in line with the other teachers at the edge of the gymnasium, hands behind my back. The female teacher next to me casually struck up a conversation.

“Ah, Instructor Yujin.”

“Yes.”

“What was with that student who just came in? She was wearing strange clothes. Oh, is she perhaps a family member of an academy student?”

“…She is a student.”

“Really? Why did she come to the entrance ceremony dressed like that?”

I can’t exactly say she called the uniform “restraints.”

“Well… let’s just think of it as a rebellious phase.”

It’s not like I don’t understand her circumstances. Let’s be understanding.

“Rebellious at twenty…?”

Of course, from the teachers’ perspective, it’s completely incomprehensible.

“If someone like that is in the special class, it must be troublesome for you, Instructor Yujin. I heard the students are so talented that even the instructors have a hard time controlling them.”

“She is in the special class.”

“Ah… that must be difficult for you.”

“She’s not a bad kid.”

“Do you know her?”

“…Perhaps.”

The female teacher tilted her head at my vague answer.

There was no guarantee that the settings from the novel would apply exactly to this world. At least so far, they had been fairly similar.

As I was talking with the female teacher, the academy entrance ceremony began.

After singing the national anthem, the academy president’s entrance declaration, the Association president’s speech, and then the freshman representative’s pledge followed.

“We will now have the freshman representative’s pledge. Jung Iyeon, please come forward.”

The freshman representative was a woman with white hair, rare to see in Korea. Her glossy bob haircut framed delicate features that gave an impression of diligence and uprightness, while also suggesting a lively personality.

In reality, her personality was cheerful, and she easily closed the distance with those around her without hesitation—what you might call an “insider” type. Just like a protagonist should be.

When I saw her later turning to the dark side out of frustration, I was dumbfounded.

And then she even betrayed us, which pissed me off so much I cursed at her. I never thought I’d experience something that usually only happens in fiction.

“It’s just so unreasonable.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s nothing.”

I watch Jung Iyeon confidently completing her pledge and coming down from the platform. Characters like her don’t just exist in fiction, I guess.

As I was thinking this, Jung Iyeon looked up while descending the stairs and met my gaze. After maintaining eye contact for about two seconds, she smiled and returned to her seat.

…What was that about?