Ch.4646 – First Class

<46 – First Class>

Monk Myungho was troubled.

‘Oh Primordial Heavenly Lord. Why has this child opened her eyes to such dangerous mischief even before enrollment?’

Concerned about Oknodie’s future, he had been watching to see how well she was adapting to the academy, only to witness criminal activities.

Breaking into the security checkpoint.

Exploring infiltration routes into the dormitory building.

Breaking into the dorm supervisor’s room.

Even entering and exiting a tunnel dug by security dogs.

No matter how much he wanted to protect her, this was unacceptable.

Monk Myungho went to the principal to report what he had witnessed and to seek advice on how to handle the situation.

“Are you saying that the Wiheomhae Foundation’s young one is running wild?”

“Regrettably, that is what I observed.”

For the sake of the child’s future, such behavior must be stopped as soon as possible.

Whatever orders she might be following from the Foundation, from his perspective, it looked like an assassin reconnoitering their operational area.

“The young one is quite audacious.”

Does she realize that what she’s doing is wrong?

Her talent for sneaking around like a mouse is extraordinary.

Neither the security guards nor the dorm supervisor noticed that the “Ability Stone” they had been guarding like a precious treasure had been stolen from what was essentially their own home.

Her skill at deceiving even magical barriers as she came and went was so ridiculous it made him laugh.

“If there were to be a world’s greatest thief, it would surely be that one!”

“Please don’t just admire her, guide her instead.”

“Does the Buddha you believe in say that child is walking the wrong path?”

“The Five Precepts of Buddhism forbid stealing. It is a harmful act that betrays the most fundamental trust in human society.”

“What that child stole was neither the security checkpoint’s magic pass nor the dorm supervisor’s key, but a stone.”

“This humble monk does not wish to see a stone thief become a life thief.”

If she had been an eccentric who stole ordinary stones, he wouldn’t have paid such close attention.

The principal immediately recognized that the stones Oknodie was stealing were not ordinary stones but Ability Stones.

Both the security chief and the freshman dormitory supervisor had instinctively sensed the special energy contained in the stones they had enshrined, and she recognized and stole them at a glance.

She has eyes as impudent as her hands and feet.

It was no empty talk to discuss her potential as the world’s greatest thief.

“If you’re worried, watch over her and teach her. She’s a raw gem of extraordinary talent, too precious for the Wiheomhae Foundation to keep.”

“So you see talent in Oknodie.”

“If I were one of that foundation’s schemers, I would never have sent that child to my domain. She’s the type whose loss would make one pound the ground in regret for a hundred years.”

Monk Myungho realized something from those words.

“Does Oknodie possess a talent unknown even to the foundation’s chairman?”

“So make sure you keep her in your grasp. If she returns to the foundation’s embrace, I intend to kill her with my own hands.”

“…!!”

The B-group valedictorian blessed by the stars was interesting.

But the A-group valedictorian with spiritual eyes was more dangerous than interesting.

Of course, regardless of talent, how power is used varies tremendously depending on the teacher’s capabilities.

The principal instructed Monk Myungho to prevent Oknodie’s delinquency, essentially entrusting her life to him.

For the sake of the child’s future, Monk Myungho must fulfill his mission as a teacher to set a child’s life on the right path.

[Oknodie has been penalized 10,000 points for entering a restricted area without permission.]

The fastest way to correct a child’s behavior was to impose penalties for wrongdoing.

* *

Ah, so I got caught.

I thought I was being careful with <Detection> and <Tracking>.

I clearly avoided the security checkpoint’s magic and the guards’ eyes, but somehow someone beyond my level noticed me.

Whether my intrusion was discovered later or detected during the infiltration, it’s quite chilling.

After seeing through all my actions, instead of stopping me, they just throw a point-deduction bomb at me as if to say, “Nice show, now take this!”

‘But why did I only lose 10,000 points?’

Maybe they’re being lenient because it’s my first offense.

Anyway, that’s good.

“Oknodie. The entrance ceremony is over, so we need to go to our first class. This is no time to be spacing out.”

“Oh! I’m coming, Sister Isabelle.”

First year, first semester.

The glorious first class is a group-specific class.

“The advanced class classroom is here.”

While the lower classes are formed with about 50 students regardless of group, the advanced class puts all qualified students from each group together.

<981st Class Advanced Class>

<A Group 17 people>

<B Group 22 people>

<C Group 5 people>

<Total 44 people>

Out of tens of millions of ticket exam applicants and hundreds of thousands of entrance exam challengers, thousands of successful Gift Academy applicants.

Among them, the advanced class permitted to only 44 people was full of familiar faces.

“You’re late. I saved you a seat.”

“Wahaha! Even a little mouse like you gets nervous like a child sometimes. Look at you being all fidgety.”

Giselle and Son Ocheon.

They were gathered at the very back of the classroom.

It was quite fitting, like how troublemaking underachievers claim the back seats as their designated spots.

On the way to the back row.

The advanced class peers already seated all around directed their gazes at me.

“Fufu. Even Di’s shy side is cute.”

“Don’t tease me, Arcadia.”

Arcadia, the only female in the Western Noble Circle and the spiritual pillar of the A-group female students.

“So you’ve come, the foundation’s child who knows suspiciously much.”

“Could you not address me like I’m some suspicious creature? I’m just an ordinary freshman like all of you.”

“Sure. Broadly speaking, even a one-horned deep-sea whale and humans can be considered the same animals.”

“……”

One who became the target of suspicion after showing off knowledge about the groups once.

Andersen Pretzel, the number one in the Western Noble Circle and the leader of the A-group male students.

“Hello, tiny one.”

“Hello, pirate sister.”

“Hey now, didn’t I tell you to call me unnie?”

The privateer Zigoku, spinning a revolver by the window as she waves hello.

“Hello!”

“…Hello.”

Northern Grand Duchess Irene, who slightly nods in acknowledgment when our eyes meet from the front seats.

“……”

“……”

“……”

The taciturn Eastern swordsman Sing, who maintains his inner peace with his eyes closed and one foot on his chair, regardless of who enters.

“Hello? Looks like we’ll be seeing each other every day now!”

“I’d rather not.”

“So mean~”

The masked assassin Zhang, making ear shapes with her hands next to her rabbit mask and pretending her ears are drooping.

“So cute-nya! I want to bite you-nya!”

The beastkin Zenya, stomping her feet at the sight of Zhang.

Next to him, Hestia looking this way with some kind of expectation in her eyes.

“Good morning, Hestia.”

“Oh, y-yes! Good morning!!”

She trembles one arm and mutters “That was good,” looking extremely pleased about something.

And many other students in the advanced class.

Some very welcoming, some slightly welcoming, some indifferent.

Unlike the generally welcoming A-group, the B-group observed me with indifference, slight hostility, or extreme hostility.

Amid the bustling, heated atmosphere, a cold tension descended.

Like having a sharp blade nearby, my vigilance wouldn’t subside.

“What do you think? Do you feel it from that child too?”

“I’m not sure. That child hasn’t received the blessing of any of the 12 deities that I know of.”

The <Saint> and <Female Warrior> converse at a central seat in the classroom where B-group students have gathered.

Among them, the warrior is the B-group valedictorian and the original protagonist.

The main character of the original game and a 0-tier broken character.

The most expensive playable character that players can choose after multiple playthroughs, with the best performance.

Her best friend, the saint, is also a main character-level character and equally broken.

I couldn’t help but strain my ears to hear these overpowered characters who reign at the top of the popularity rankings of Gift Academy’s 981st class evaluating me.

“If she hasn’t received a deity’s blessing, then she’s not as remarkable as the rumors say, right?”

“A deity’s blessing merely indicates someone suitable for wielding that deity’s power. Someone the deity has their eye on. There are many outstanding talents who haven’t been chosen by deities.”

“That’s quite irreverent coming from a saint.”

“Deities dislike beings unsuited to them. And… just because she hasn’t received the blessing of the 12 deities doesn’t mean she hasn’t received any divine blessing.”

“Really? So she could have been chosen by deities like… or…?”

“Yes. If there’s a deity whose wavelength matches hers, she could show even greater growth than those chosen by the 12 deities. Though she doesn’t seem aware of it herself yet.”

The fascinating conversation ended when the bell signaling the start of class rang and the professor entered.

*Slide*

First class.

The professor in charge of the 981st advanced class’s first lesson was surprisingly…

“I have arrived!”

“Gasp!”

“E-everyone be quiet! Your points will be decimated!”

“Hic! …Hic!”

None other than Dragon Principal.

“That was my impression of the principal. How was it? Haha.”

…or rather, a shapeshifter who could imitate him.

“From today, I’ll be in charge of your class. I’m Mahabharata, the first-year student affairs director. I’m also a professor of transformation arts and a dragon guardian serving the principal.”

“……”

A nasty shapeshifter befitting the nasty dragon had appeared.

“Today, you’ll receive guidance on what courses you’ll take during your year at the academy. And once you register for courses, today’s curriculum ends.”

The academy was closer to a university than a high school.

Course registration time approaches.

“For your reference, you can check your course registration details on your magic watches. However, you must physically go to the classroom of the professor whose course you wish to take to register.”

And it’s first-come, first-served.