Ch.4Episode 1. I Became an Academy Instructor. (4)

As soon as the entrance ceremony ended, I headed toward Annex Building 2 rather than the main building. The reason was simple: the Special Class was located in Annex Building 2.

Special Class.

At first glance, one might think it was a group of individuals with superior talents, but the reality was quite different.

In truth, it was a collection of problem students that self-proclaimed genius instructors couldn’t possibly handle.

The reason this class was created was due to a special measure taken by the Academy Director who couldn’t bear to see their abilities go to waste. From what I understand, he simply instructed that they shouldn’t be taught forcefully, but rather left alone and merely observed.

Because of this, there was criticism from some quarters that they were receiving too much special treatment, but since no one could control them anyway, those critical voices gradually subsided.

Instead, the students in the Special Class ended up taking the blame. In a way, they had brought it upon themselves, so they didn’t care about the criticism either. In reality, they probably didn’t care who talked badly about them.

For this reason, teachers and instructors had no choice but to provide guidance but lean toward self-directed training as much as possible. With the excuse that wasn’t really an excuse that it would be more efficient that way.

In reality, those kids improved their skills through self-directed training. It was because they could focus their time solely on developing their own abilities.

However, giving them too much freedom would cause problems later on.

Those kids all had poor interpersonal relationships, and being neglected by teachers and instructors meant they couldn’t rely on anyone.

And the result would lead to the entire Special Class falling to evil and becoming the worst villains.

This is the broad framework of how those kids would become villains.

Each individual had their own circumstances that I’d need to sort out later, but I had no intention of delving into that right now.

Unless we were close friends or well-acquainted, excessive intervention could cause resistance.

So it would be better to observe how those kids behaved for about a month first.

*Slide*

I opened the door to the Special Class classroom.

The interior was so dark that I needed to extend my senses to see.

This was because each window was fitted with blackout curtains that completely blocked the light.

I carefully reached out my hand toward the switch.

*Thwack!*

A dagger embedded itself in the wall.

“D-don’t turn it on.”

With my hand still outstretched, I turned my head to check the classroom interior.

The classroom wasn’t larger or smaller just because it was the Special Class, and inside there were only “five” desks placed.

And I could see someone slumped over at the desk closest to the window among those five desks.

“That’s quite a harsh greeting.”

Looking at the dagger stuck right next to the switch, I could sense considerable experience in throwing. Despite being able to aim for my hand, they embedded it in the wall—was this a warning?

“I don’t like brightness.”

“I don’t like mornings either. But we need to turn on the lights.”

“…Your voice is different from the adults who usually come here. Who are you?”

*Click*

Instead of answering her question, I pressed the switch to turn on the classroom lights.

“Ughh…! I-I told you not to turn them on!”

Now I could see clearly.

A black-haired girl slumped over her desk.

She wasn’t wearing the school uniform. She had on a pitch-black hoodie and jeans. Should I give her demerits for this?

Long black hair spilled out from her hood, almost touching the ground. There was only one person with black hair this long. I had known who it was the moment I saw her skilled knife throwing.

“Yu Ari, why didn’t you come to the entrance ceremony?”

“…You know me?”

She flinched when I mentioned her name.

“Of course, since I’ll be your instructor from now on.”

“I… see.”

She switched from informal to formal speech. Is she somewhat mindful of order?

“So why didn’t you come to the entrance ceremony?”

“Just… I-I don’t like crowded places…”

She still squirmed with her face pressed against the desk.

“Is that so? Coincidentally, I don’t like crowded places either. But attend important events from now on. Being in the Special Class doesn’t make you an exception.”

“…Y-you don’t even care anyway.”

“I’ll care from now on.”

“Everyone s-says that. At first. T-then before long, they treat us like j-junk, baggage, and neglect us.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t do that.”

“…W-we’ll see about that… Anyway, can you turn off the lights again? I’m tired because I couldn’t sleep properly.”

“Why couldn’t you sleep?”

“Stop… d-don’t talk to me. I-I don’t want to talk…”

Yet when we actually become close, she’ll probably talk more than me.

Even if she says she doesn’t want to talk, I shouldn’t leave her alone. She’s the type who actually wants someone to keep talking to her.

“Aren’t three more people joining the Special Class?”

“…”

I heard that three more people would be added to the Special Class, which originally had only two members. What terrible news.

And in the midst of all this, one person volunteered to join the Special Class, which was enough to make me lose my mind.

“…A-anyway, all the students who come here are problem children.”

Oh, so she’s aware that she’s a problem child.

“Still, wouldn’t it be better to get along since you’ll be together?”

“I-I don’t need that…”

“Suit yourself.”

I coolly replied as I placed the attendance book on the teacher’s desk. I’m looking forward to seeing when the others will arrive. If they don’t show up at all, I’ll hunt them down and definitely give them a knock on the head.

I reached for the window to ventilate the room, and a complaint came from behind me.

“Ahh… d-don’t open that.”

“I have to. Today we’ll just have a simple orientation and guidance, then we’re done. Bear with it.”

The atmosphere feels like college, but the classes feel like high school.

The Academy is quite peculiar.

“Quite a troublesome person has come this time…”

“That’s right. I’m going to be a pain in your neck from now on. So just accept it quietly.”

“…Accept it quietly, you say.”

My words seemed to greatly irritate her, as Yu Ari, who had been slumped over, straightened her back.

Her bangs covered more than half of her face, dark circles deeply set under her eyes, and lifeless black pupils visible through her bangs.

She had an appearance that exuded gloominess.

But despite all that, I could definitively say she had a pretty face. No matter how bad the aura she gave off, her beauty couldn’t be completely hidden.

“Do you think you c-can control me, us?”

“I don’t see why not.”

I could show you right now if I wanted to.

Ah, come to think of it, using my abilities wouldn’t benefit me.

If heroes and villains noticed I was a Brain God, the Academy could be in danger too.

“…E-everyone was that confident. But d-do you know what happened to all of them in the e-end?”

*Slide*

She got up from her chair and walked leisurely toward me.

“Nothing. Absolutely. Nothing. They neglected whatever Y-Yeonmu Hee and I d-did for an entire year. And now you think you c-can do it?”

Despite her stuttering, she says everything she wants to say.

Well, not everyone who’s gloomy is timid.

Besides, it would be strange for someone with S-class potential like her to hold back her words. Still, I can’t let this power struggle slide.

“I can. Watch and see what I do from now on.”

“…Y-you are a bit different.”

She slightly widened her eyes in surprise and raised the corners of her mouth.

“S-seeing that you can’t tell even after I’ve said this much.”

I thought they’d be arrogant kids, but facing her now, she really is arrogant. Should I establish discipline firmly before the actual class begins?

“You—”

“Hello!”

A white-haired girl with a bob cut suddenly appeared and greeted us energetically.

“Oh my. What were you talking about? Perhaps a love story?!”

“Romance between an instructor and student isn’t illegal, but I don’t lay hands on students. Stop with the strange misunderstandings right there.”

“Okay!”

She answered obediently while looking around the classroom. She seemed to be considering which of the five desks to sit at.

“By the way, wow~ It’s the same size as other classrooms, but having only five desks is quite refreshing.”

As she spoke, she put her bag down at the center seat. So she’s an extrovert, huh? Her mouth doesn’t stop.

“I’m Jung Yiyeon, nice to meet you.”

Jung Yiyeon stepped forward and extended her hand to Yu Ari while introducing herself.

“…Y-Yu Ari…”

She answered but didn’t take the hand.

“Your name is Ari? That’s a pretty name.”

“Yu Ari is a second-year student.”

Upon hearing my words, Jung Yiyeon immediately bowed deeply.

“Oh! You’re my senior! Ah, I’m sorry!”

“N-not really. Don’t like… hierarchy between grades. We w-won’t talk much anyway.”

“We’ll talk a lot since we’re in the same class, won’t we?”

“…No, we won’t.”

With those final words, Yu Ari went back to her seat and buried her head. Nevertheless, Jung Yiyeon shrugged it off with a simple shrug of her shoulders and then looked me up and down in my suit.

“You’re the instructor, right?”

“That’s right.”

“What’s your name? How did you end up in charge of the Special Class?”

“My name is Yujin. As for the Special Class… there was a recommendation from the Association President.”

“A recommendation from the Association President~ You must be a strong hero! It’s not easy to become an Academy instructor! But I don’t think I’ve heard of a hero named Yujin. What’s your hero name?”

This girl talks a lot, huh?

With a personality like this, she can’t help but converse well with anyone.

“…I haven’t officially been active. I just got the license.”

“And you still received a recommendation from the Association President? Oh, could it be that you’ve been doing hero work that isn’t publicly known?!”

It seems similar, but also not.

Her rapid-fire conversation was making me feel like I was getting swept up.

“More importantly, there’s something I’m curious about.”

I changed the subject, feeling like all my personal information might get exposed at this rate.

“Yes? What is it!”

Her eyes sparkled. She seemed pleased to have found a new topic of conversation.

“It was you, right? The student who wanted to join the Special Class.”

“Yes, that’s right!”

“…Why did you say you wanted to join the Special Class? You entered as the top student of your year. Is there any reason you specifically sought out the Special Class?”

Both inside and outside the Academy, there was much controversy about the Special Class, so incoming students tended to avoid it at all costs.

But this child said she wanted to join.

I intended to satisfy my curiosity about this.

“I heard the Special Class has strong people gathered together!”

“…That’s all?”

“Yes! I need to go where strong people are so my abilities can become stronger too!”

It seemed the protagonist had a strange personality too. She must know that joining the Special Class would damage her image.

“I see. Do your best from now on.”

“Yes!”

Just as the conversation was ending, a woman in Gothic attire strode into the classroom.

“Kukukuku! Is this the place! This is the first location where I shall dominate the institution! It’s truly a gloomy place, but I like it because it feels like a hideout!”

She seemed to think she was striking a cool pose, but to my eyes, it just looked ridiculous.

“Oh, a cute child has arrived!”

“Don’t engage with her.”

“Huh?”

“I’m not a child! I am Dark Wizard Magician! The strongest magician who will devour this world!”

Damn, am I too late?

“…Just come in.”

I quickly cut her off, sensing the conversation might drag on.

“Why, why! Why is the instructor here?!”

“Because I’m the instructor in charge of the Special Class.”

She’s asking the obvious.

“Gasp! I see, this is a trial! A trial for me to become a true magician! First, I must defeat the instructor and destroy the institution that’s trying to oppress me!”

“No.”

“Just you wait! I will become the strongest!”

“…Go sit down.”

I nodded my head, pointing toward the desks. Only then did Gu Yeonhwa enter with small steps and take a seat to the right of Jung Yiyeon. Naturally, she had no bag.

Now all that’s left is Bin Yoon and—

“…Are you this month’s instructor?”

—and here he is.