Ch.7Episode 2. Watching in Silence (1)

The next day, during homeroom.

I enter the classroom at exactly 8:59 AM.

“Oh, everyone’s here. Good.”

Surprisingly, my words seemed to have had an effect, as all five students were seated at their desks.

100% attendance!

Of course, they all said they would attend, so I shouldn’t be too happy about this.

Besides, there were still a few who weren’t paying any attention to what I said.

Yoo Ari, despite her initial attitude, had obediently come wearing her uniform. She had a hoodie under her blazer, but the collar of her white shirt was visible. That was within acceptable limits.

The problem was Koo Yeonhwa. Her outfit still showed no trace of anything resembling a school uniform. Was she planning to keep coming to school dressed like this?

“Koo Yeonhwa, not wearing your uniform again? I told you I’d start giving penalty points from today, didn’t I?”

“Hehe, Instructor… I’ve figured it all out!”

“…What?”

“That you’re a dog bought by the Organization!”

Dog? Where are this kid’s manners?

At the Academy, instructors are treated as equal to teachers. In other words, it’s like she called a teacher a “dog.”

Should I teach her a lesson?

I heard she said something similar to the interviewer, calling them the Organization’s dog or something like that.

It was surprising enough that Bin Yooni passed, but this one’s acceptance was downright bizarre. Is ability all that matters?

I held back what I wanted to say and walked to the podium to set down the attendance book.

“Clearly, the higher-ups at the Organization found out about my partnership proposal to you, Instructor, and they persuaded you! And you fell for it so obviously! Just to restrain me! But I, Dark Magician Wizard, won’t fall for it!”

She jumped up from her seat to spout this nonsense, which was utter garbage.

Is asking an Academy student to wear a uniform really such an offensive request? This is starting to get ridiculous.

“By the way, Koo Yeonhwa.”

“Yes!”

At least she answers energetically.

“Didn’t you call yourself Dark Wizard Magician yesterday?”

“Sharp observation! I deliberately switched it around. Not bad!”

This kid is shameless.

Look at her lying after making a mistake. I saw that moment of realization on her face.

“If you know this is the Organization, why did you enroll?”

“To uncover all the hidden secrets of this Organization. I received such a mission.”

Ah… so that’s her setting.

“In other words, you’re a spy?”

“Oh! A spy!”

“But if you’re a spy, shouldn’t you avoid standing out? Don’t you think your outfit is too conspicuous?”

“Certainly!”

“Then shouldn’t you wear a uniform like everyone else?”

She looks around at my words.

After confirming that everyone except her is wearing a uniform, she inspects her own outfit. Only then does she realize how much she stands out.

“Hmm. You make a valid point. But if I wear restraining clothes, I can’t use my abilities…”

“Oh? Really?”

Jung Iyeon reacted as if she didn’t know that. Don’t respond to her. It’s just her made-up setting.

“I didn’t know that. Then should you take off your blazer when you fight?”

Jung Iyeon: honest, kind, passionate, but clueless.

I’ll make sure to write that in her student record.

“So, will you wear your uniform starting tomorrow?”

“…I feel like I’ve lost somehow. This must be the silver tongue that bewitched you, Instructor. I’ll free you from that hypnosis! With my dark power!”

As she put her palms together, she spread them slightly, and black flames sparked between them.

“Hey, hey. No using abilities in the classroom.”

“Fine. I wouldn’t want other students to get involved. We’ll continue this conversation later!”

Oh, we’re continuing this later?

She extinguishes the flames and sits down. Looking at Koo Yeonhwa, I already felt drained.

“Excuse me.”

Yeon Muhui, who had been quietly observing our conversation, raised her hand.

“Yes?”

“Are you going to keep chatting? If so, I’m leaving. You’ve seen my face, right?”

*Screech*

I glance at her as she stands up and gathers her things.

“Going to the training hall?”

I asked while looking down at the attendance book, pen in hand.

“…Not telling you.”

“If you skip class, I’ll apply penalty points for yesterday’s property damage, okay?”

You have to be firm at first.

I’ve already got the upper hand.

“Tch! That’s annoying.”

I side-eyed her as she glared at me, seething.

I have no hobby of disciplining others, but that twisted personality needs fixing first.

“If you don’t like it, just attend class. Classes only run from 10 AM to 3 PM anyway. With lunch from 12 to 1, that’s just four hours. Can’t you endure four hours? How do you expect to accomplish anything without even that much patience?”

The little jab was just a bonus.

“Just attend 26 hours and you’ll have 99 penalty points. Seven days… just one week, and you can go back to your own life. I won’t touch you after that. Of course, if you cause trouble again, it’ll be the same story.”

What you need right now is a shackle.

A shackle to hold you tight so you don’t wander.

But it’s important to leave some room and not tighten it too much from the start.

When you take freedom from someone who’s had it, they naturally resist. So I leave room.

People tend to be surprisingly accommodating when there’s a possibility of eventual liberation.

“So, what’s your decision?”

“…Just the morning…”

“Fine. Then attend morning classes properly for thirteen days.”

“Ugh…!”

Yeon Muhui crumpled the strap of her bag in her grip. She seemed quite frustrated.

She returned to her seat, roughly placed her bag on the desk, and slumped down.

That’s right, just stay put. So the teacher can teach other students without burden.

I don’t expect good grades from you either. At least not right now.

“Anyone else have complaints about the class?”

“Instructor! I want to attend just mornings too!”

Koo Yeonhwa raised her short arm high. She even stood up to make sure her hand was visible.

“Not you.”

“Why not?!”

“You’re disrespectful.”

“That’s so dog-gone unfair!”

“You keep adding ‘dog.’ Want another knock on the head?”

“Eek!”

Koo Yeonhwa protected her crown with her tiny hands. You’re going to take an etiquette course later.

“Bin Yooni, I assume you have nothing to say.”

I said, looking over at Bin Yooni. The pink-haired girl flinched.

The mixture ratio I used worked better, didn’t it?

See? You shouldn’t underestimate me.

Bin Yooni’s lips jutted out slightly in dissatisfaction.

Even at a glance, she looked dejected.

There’s a certain satisfaction in silencing someone who’s usually so smug and full of themselves.

I scan the entire classroom.

Jung Iyeon hadn’t said anything special, and Yoo Ari was surprisingly staring at me.

With her hood up and long hair, it was hard to see her eyes, but she was definitely looking at me.

Perhaps she’s become interested in me.

If so, it’s probably because of how I controlled Yeon Muhui.

She had confidently suggested I try controlling her if I could.

“Alright. Then everyone will attend class. I’ll call roll now.

The first day was off to a good start.

* * *

“I’ll be counting on you for the classes.”

I greeted the two teachers I met in the hallway. One would teach the second-years, the other the first-years.

“Will it really be okay? Even handling two was difficult. Five is…”

“If they don’t want to attend class, you can leave them be. But please take care of Jung Iyeon. She came to the special class of her own accord. She’s probably interested in her grades.”

“I’m aware of that, but I can’t control the special class students.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be with them in the mornings.”

“In the mornings? Does that mean you’ll be somewhere else in the afternoons?”

“Yes. I have important business in the afternoons.”

“I understand.”

After finishing our brief conversation, I entered the classroom with the teachers.

Only Jung Iyeon returned the teachers’ greetings. The others either slumped down or continued what they were doing after glancing at the teachers.

Koo Yeonhwa seemed like she might respond to the teacher’s greeting, but instead spouted nonsense about “the Organization’s dog.”

The class, which started off rocky, did not proceed smoothly as I had expected.

Bin Yooni and Yoo Ari had already slumped over their desks. Yeon Muhui ignored the teacher’s approach and continued inspecting her spare sword. She occasionally glanced at me, seemingly trying to provoke me with her behavior.

“Student Yeon Muhui, do you have no intention of participating in class?”

“None. Teach someone else.”

She remained firm even when the teacher approached. She didn’t stop tending to her sword.

“I see…”

“Go away quickly.”

Even with that response, there were only two second-years: Yeon Muhui and Yoo Ari.

Since Yoo Ari was slumped over with no sign of getting up, the teacher had no choice but to focus on Yeon Muhui, who was at least sitting upright.

On the first-year side, Jung Iyeon and Koo Yeonhwa were both up, but Koo Yeonhwa was busy muttering and drawing pictures related to her delusions.

Only Jung Iyeon sat with proper posture, making eye contact with the teacher and discussing the lesson. The first-year teacher taught enthusiastically in response.

That would normally be how regular students behave.

The other students seemed so terrible in comparison that Jung Iyeon appeared special.

Watching this scene for two hours while leaning against the cabinet at the back, I couldn’t help but sigh.

Well, I expected this…

But it’s pretty dismal. Very much so.