episode_0001

Who wouldn’t, but being interrupted by someone while working is quite annoying.

Especially if it’s not just a simple question or conversation, but an otherworld abduction.

“…Ha, fuck.”

Suddenly dropped in the middle of a city that looks like it’s from the 17th or 18th century at best, I, Kang Cheon-su, a 28-year-old political science professor, could only curse.

Ah, this is fucked up. What sin did I commit to deserve this?

“What did I do, you goddamn bitch!!”

I’ve lived diligently my whole life.

I was a good son to my parents, hung out with my friends, and studied hard.

I didn’t have a girlfriend, but I enjoyed games and subculture.

I wasn’t exactly a model student, but I’ve been on a fairly normal and healthy path to success.

Now that the day has finally come to be rewarded for my efforts, suddenly another world? Are you kidding me?

Kidnapping me without my consent and telling me to change the world as a stranger?

Not even knowing who I am, with no way to verify my identity, and in a place where I could be killed by a robber at any moment?

Bullshit, make it make sense.

“Hey! Get out of the way, don’t block the road!”

“Ugh!”

Suddenly, a rough voice from behind.

I quickly threw myself to the side as a carriage sped through where I had been standing. It was rattling wildly as if it had some urgent business.

I was about to get angry at the reckless behavior, but suddenly my rage subsided. Seeing that bizarre shape, the reality of being kidnapped washed over me.

A carriage. I never thought I’d see a carriage used for cargo, not just for tourism.

No, I shouldn’t say horse.

Because the animal pulling the carriage was a strange monster I didn’t recognize.

‘What do I do now?’

All I have to eat is the chocolate in my pocket. All I’m wearing is a dress shirt and dress pants.

I have money… I withdrew a lot of cash because I thought I might need it, but it’s worthless here.

I’ve lost my home and my job, so what should I do first?

The immediate problem is where to spend tonight. I won’t die if I skip a few meals, though.

I desperately wracked my brain, the same brain that got me a professorship in my 20s, when most people get it in their early 40s. After ten minutes of desperate thought, the conclusion was simple.

“Let’s go to the junkyard.”

The wind is quite chilly, and in this weather, I’m 100% going to get hypothermia and a cold tonight. I need to find something to wear, even rags, to keep warm, and then gather information.

At least I need to find out where I am and what this world is like.

It would be even better if I could get a day job to earn some quick cash.

* * * * *

“Hey! You sluggish bastard! I told you not to slack off!”

“Yes! I’m going, I’m going!”

And a few days later.

I had successfully transitioned into a day laborer.

This hellish medieval fantasy world doesn’t have internet or streetlights, and it’s terrible in many ways, but it’s better than the modern world in one way.

You can do day labor without any identification.

You just give your name and work like a dog from morning till night, and they pay you, even if it’s just a pittance. Enough to cover a night at an inn and three meals.

‘I’ve also gained some knowledge from my fellow workers.’

I disguised myself as a pauper (which is actually true) and worked with them during the day, and then ate dinner with them at night, eavesdropping on their conversations. I even bought them drinks and snacks to pry information out of them.

As a result, I was able to gather some information in a hurry.

“An academy setting…”

First of all, the name of the city I’m in is Elaine. It’s the capital of the Elaine Kingdom, apparently.

There are several neighboring countries around, such as the Krham Empire and the Navre Kingdom, and they’re all vying for power.

On the outskirts of the capital, there’s an academy where talented people from all over the continent gather to be educated, and those who graduate from there are given important positions.

And there are also orders that worship saints or goddesses. In short, a typical otherworld fantasy world.

If you picked a few fantasy novels, at least one or two of them would have this kind of setting.

‘Fuck.’

I was envious. I felt like I was going crazy with jealousy and resentment.

I should have been holding a teaching position at one of those high-end educational institutions.

I should have been called “Professor,” teaching students and messing with their brains with assignments and reports to my heart’s content.

After studying my ass off for decades to accumulate knowledge, I’m doing day labor?

‘That goddamn bitch. If you’re going to give me a mission, at least give me a decent identity.’

If you can kidnap someone from another world, you can give them a suitable title, too.

Like an academy staff member, a close aide to some crown prince, or a vassal of a monarch.

Then I would have hesitated for at least 2 seconds about whether to follow your orders. How dare you turn a perfectly good person into a beggar?

‘I’ll definitely get revenge.’

I intended to repay this grudge someday. I’ll make her regret kidnapping me for the rest of her life.

But how?

I don’t have a home, and I can’t even read the language of this world. What power do I have to put a goddess in trouble?

I don’t have any means at my disposal, whether it’s force or political power. Even the knowledge I’ve cultivated my whole life is useless because there’s no one to recognize or understand it.

I can communicate somehow, but everything else is full of obstacles. There’s nothing I can do.

A god-hating beggar is nothing more than trash that’s common in this fantasy world, and no one would be surprised if they disappeared at any moment.

I wanted to cause a scene, but the practical constraints were too heavy, so I just felt frustrated.

–Crack!

“You little shit! I told you not to slack off!”

“I-I’m sorry, boss.”

“Get out of here! We don’t need a guy like you!”

I was spacing out while thinking and got hit by the owner of the business and kicked out. And to top it off, I didn’t get paid for working all morning.

Looks like I’ll have to work somewhere else tomorrow.

Where am I going to sleep tonight?

* * * * *

And that night.

“Hehehe…”

While shivering in an alleyway trying to sleep, I heard a small conversation in my ear.

“–Is everything prepared properly?”

“Yes. Four boxes worth. It’ll arrive there within two days.”

“The quality is guaranteed, right?”

“Of course. How could we be careless in preparing for such an important event?”

Words filled with suspicious implications.

It sounded like they were close, so I didn’t move and squinted to look around.

A few meters away, there were people wearing robes standing together. Judging by what they’re doing at this hour, they must have some shady intentions.

“It’s all filled with top-grade gunpowder produced in the east. If you set it off right, it’ll take out the cathedral in one shot. Not to mention the academy.”

“Perfect. I must thank the branch manager.”

“Just help us with our missions later. That’ll be enough.”

Gunpowder. Are they planning some kind of terrorist attack?

It’s not exactly a cheap item, and they got it by the crate, so it’s getting more and more suspicious.

“The cost must have been considerable. Are you short on funds? We can provide support if needed.”

“We’re not beggars. We had enough in our budget to handle it, so don’t worry about it.”

“If you say so.”

After finishing their conversation, they bowed their heads to each other.

“Everything is for the sake of overthrowing the oppressors.”

“Yes. For the sake of overthrowing the oppressors.”

The suspicious robed figures scattered in different directions. Probably towards their hideouts or bases.

I shuddered as I witnessed that scene.

Was it because I was cold? Of course not. It was because I was filled with joy.

‘Why didn’t I think of this?’

One of the basic elements of academy stories is a secret society or group that tries to destroy the academy and overthrow the existing system.

And this country seems to have a lot of problems with taxes and corruption, so it’s only natural that one or two of these organizations would pop up.

If I use them, I might be able to get the revenge I want.

‘I can’t do it alone, but with a group…’

They must want the collapse and overthrow of the existing social system, and I want the goddess to get royally screwed and regret it. So, their interests and mine align in some ways.

If I throw this world into chaos, it would indirectly harm the goddess who was so concerned that she brought me here.

Of course, if I suddenly went up to them and asked them to accept me as a comrade, they wouldn’t exactly welcome me with open arms.

But I was confident.

Did you think I got a professorship at a young age for nothing?

Once I can communicate and have the means to prove it, it’s not hard to prove my intellect and abilities.

If I’m given the opportunity, even just once.

I can do it.

I have all sorts of knowledge in my head.

I don’t know how to make state-of-the-art explosives or TNT, but when it comes to the history of terrorism or how to create justifications for war, I’m practically an expert (I am a real expert).

When it comes to overthrowing society and subverting the system, no one in this world is more knowledgeable than me.

This was a precious lifeline that I would never have again.

“Let’s go.”

I got up from my spot with hope.

Towards the direction that the robed figures had left.