Chapter 18 : Become my colleague

“…Black Forest, you say?”

“That is correct.”

Morado Academy was a multicultural academy where all students were equal, and no one was discriminated against based on their race.

Black mages and beast-kin, who were still ostracized in some regions, could be found in the academy without prejudice.

Fcking other worldy PC bullsht.

And Professor Aram was at the pinnacle of it all.

Aramade Fuego Mir.

His race was strictly classified as a monster, an Imoogi.

Despite that, he was the type to grumble on rainy days.

Slender, yellow snake eyes.

A creepy, hissing tongue that gave me goosebumps every time I saw it.

Some students were still frightened whenever this giant white snake slithered around.

He was a professor who embodied all the characteristics of a snake that one could generally imagine. Well, because he was a snake, of course.

“Are you serious?”

“I always speak the truth.”

Not only his appearance but even his personality was snake-like.

I came because he said he had something to tell me, but as expected, the saying that one-on-one interviews with professors were never good held true in this world as well.

Black Forest!

Despite its unremarkable name, it proudly held a place among the world’s forbidden zones.

A pure natural environment untouched by magic, and a sanctuary for monsters.

Before Professor Aram came to the academy, he had reigned as the top predator there; a place where you couldn’t find a single person, truly the most fitting place for ‘wildness.’

Aramade, one of the rulers of the Black Forest, was a monster with immense skill befitting his status.

Probably hard to find someone stronger than him in this academy.

That ridiculously strong snake bastard.

Thanks to that, I had no choice but to do as I was told.

“…I think that’s a bit difficult.”

To summarize what he said to me:

‘I saw the power you showed during the swordsmanship competition.’

‘Therefore, if I put you in a normal evaluation, the balance would be disrupted.’

‘So, I’m going to give you a special assignment. Understand?’

‘By the way, that assignment requires you to go to the Black Forest?’

No matter how much the academy in the novel was preparing for the invasion of the demons with education tailored to their level!

It’s only been three weeks since I entered the academy.

Even the advanced class students, who are considered quite skilled, are only catching mutated orcs during this period.

For reference, a mutated orc would die of exhaustion within three days if it entered the Black Forest.

The reason I’m learning and mastering magic right now is to not die.

To avoid a dog’s death in the later part of the original story.

No matter how confident I am in taking care of myself, I refuse such an adventure.

“As a reference, Amiter student who showed similar capabilities will also be going with you.”

A feeling of pleasantness and gloominess at the same time.

Because that b*tch has to go to the Black Forest as well, and because I have to go with her.

Judging from the voice coming out of my mouth, it seems like the gloomy feeling is bigger.

“Even so.”

“Ah, are you perhaps scared? If that’s the case…”

Are you perhaps scared?

Are you perhaps intimidated?

A vein popped on my forehead.

To exaggerate, I probably made a crackling sound.

“No, I’ll go. Of course, I have to go.”

My mouth opened in a fit of pique at the words that were ignoring me.

I’ve clearly only met him for less than a month, but I feel like he’s already completely figured me out.

Am I perhaps a very easy-going person?

“Good. Then let’s meet on the day.”

Professor Aram moved his body and disappeared after saying those words.

Wait, did I just say something very important?

Old stories say that snakes have the power to bewitch people, and it seems that’s true.

I was so bewitched that I blankly stood in the room before coming out before I started drooling.

“…And that’s how it happened.”

“Crazy b*tch.”

The beast-kin girl with animal ears cursed at me.

However, I didn’t bother to refute it.

Even I thought I was a crazy b*tch.

Why did I say okay to that on the spot?

“The Black Forest, you know.”

“Sorry, but no matter how much you glare at me, nothing will change, you know?”

In fact, Amiter going to the Black Forest is because of me.

If I hadn’t fought with her, she wouldn’t have had the chance to show her strength, and if I hadn’t agreed, no matter how strong she was, she wouldn’t have been sent to the Black Forest alone.

No matter how thick-skinned I am, I’m not shameless enough to be completely without conscience here.

“Haa…”

We both sighed at the same time.

The world won’t leave me alone.

In the end, being judged as an ‘irregularly strong person’ in the academy is something to be proud of, but I couldn’t help but feel annoyed.

“Why are you copying me.”

“…What?”

“Why are you copying me sighing.”

“What are you doing at your age? And if we’re going to argue about it, you copied me. I was faster than you.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m just picking a fight with you.”

She gently raised her fist and took out her claws, but I didn’t back down and activated my shield.

It’s a magic formula I’ve been modifying without sleep for the past week.

This time, it won’t break against those damn claws.

…Probably.

Classes were proceeding normally even without me and Amiter. All classes.

No one was paying attention to us.

I want to believe that it’s because they are good students who are focused on their classes.

“Looking at that makes my stomach hurt.”

“Dirty b*tch. The bathroom is that way.”

“…Year that is used to indifference and being a loner.”

“Aren’t you the same?”

How is it that this b*tch doesn’t want to lose a single word.

Let’s stop the words that are fatal to each other around here.

“And we have to take one first-year student with us.”

This rule is from the academy side, not Professor Aram.

When doing external training, at least 3 people must form a group and participate.

This is not a recommendation, but a requirement.

No matter how much we are judged to be above the level of students and have to go to a place called the Black Forest, it is an old-fashioned rule that we have to follow.

It’s definitely a way of handling things that I saw in my previous life.

I asked her without turning my head.

“Do you know anyone?”

“No.”

“I figured. I didn’t expect anything anyway.”

I wasn’t betrayed because I didn’t have any expectations.

These two pitiful and pathetic lives have already reached a crisis.

Amiter got up from her seat, dusted off her clothes, and said.

“Getting someone to join us should be a priority.”

And from my intuition, that seems to be more difficult than the mission given to us.

“Excuse me…”

-That, well, I have a funding appointment!

-Ah, sorry!

I haven’t said anything yet.

I just approached and started talking.

“See? It’s not my fault.”

They panic and run away just by approaching, so what can I do here?

Unlike that hikikomori who doesn’t intentionally make friends, I try to approach people first.

The results are meager compared to the effort.

“…I respect your opinion.”

Of course, it’s natural for commoners or nobles with low status to avoid me.

They’ve lived learning that it’s natural for a dozen years.

But isn’t this an academy with no discrimination and full of dreams and hope?

Amiter muttered, looking at me.

“You are like a plague. I once saw a person infected with the plague in my hometown a long time ago.”

“This b*tch always makes sure to use such analogies.”

I’m not like a plague patient.

They’re avoiding me because they’re scared, not because I have some kind of flaw.

I want to believe that.

After that, I couldn’t find anyone to join me.

Even the people who listened to me until the end refused when I said I was going to the Black Forest.

-Black Forest…? That place is a bit…

-Sorry, I want to join you, but my life is not only mine.

-You’re going to the Black Forest? Me! I want to go too!

-Sorry Jenny, lower class students can’t participate for safety reasons.

-This is a scam!

I never thought it would be so difficult to find someone.

In fact, I remember the past when I thought I could make friends if I was really serious. I need to reflect on that.

What’s wrong with a duke’s daughter and a beast-kin who are hard to even look at seriously?

“Let’s just give up.”

We’re doomed.

I sat down and put my hand on my head.

Amiter widened her eyes and said to me.

“There’s still one more person.”

“You know someone?”

Amiter, who is equal to or better than me?

There’s no way.

“You wouldn’t know. There’s one person who often attracts attention during class while you’re passed out. I think she might grant us our request.”

“…Why are you emphasizing that I was passed out?”

“It’s your imagination.”

“Of course you would say that. Who is it?”

“I don’t know her name either. She had hay-colored hair.”

For some reason, I have a feeling that I know her too.

There aren’t many beige-haired people in this school.

“She happens to be visible in the distance.”

The distance was based on beast-kin standards.

It was so far away that I couldn’t even see it with my eyes.

When I enhanced my eyesight with magic power, I could see Teferi taking classes in the classroom over there.

‘No way.’

I’m going to get involved with Teferi like this?

Seeing her with me at this point is not in the original story.

If you think about it that way, going to the Black Forest isn’t in the story either.

“…Let’s go for now.”

Then, now that it’s come to this, I’ll just suck out all the sweet stuff and throw her away.

Teferi, don’t be my friend, be my colleague!