episode_0029

* * *

“…..Please give me duck meat and a draft beer.”

“You look young.. Adults are allowed to drink draft beer. Instead, I’ll bring you juice.”

The female employee I saw yesterday refused my order just like yesterday and took my order as if she was seeing me for the first time.

I saw your face yesterday, but you still don’t recognize me….

I looked at the female employee and sighed deeply.

Things got messed up. And they did it right.

Confused by the changed environment, the first thing I did was to gather information.

You need to know what year and what time period it is in order to move.

And without much difficulty I was able to figure out what time it was.

It was easy to gather information because the mercenaries were talking so much around.

Because everyone was making a fuss about the crown prince entering the academy.

The only crown prince and protagonist of this empire.

It was natural that people’s attention was drawn to the figure who would become the future emperor.

The moment the crown prince enters, the webtoon begins in earnest.

That means we’ve traveled back in time five years to when the original story began.

“Here it is.”

“Thank you.”

While I was lost in thought, duck meat and juice came out.

‘Well, this restaurant is always delicious no matter when you eat there.’

I ate it yesterday, but the taste hasn’t changed.

It wasn’t called a famous restaurant for nothing. In fact, it seemed to have improved a bit over the past five years. What should I say? The flavor may have gotten stronger.

While I was eating duck meat, I took the hourglass out of my bosom and placed it on the table.

The dirt was still flowing down.

What happens when this all flows away? Will we go back to the time we were in? Or will it just end like this?

The unfriendly manual only said that it would take you to the past or future.

This is so frustrating.

‘….What should I do from now on…’

It’s already a done deal to go back to the Jack family.

Five years have passed, so there’s no way anyone would remember me. Rather, I might have been branded a fugitive.

From their perspective, it’s like I disappeared without a word…

‘Since it’s come to this anyway, should I try going to the academy?’

Isn’t this a great opportunity to actually see the content of the webtoon?

I’m a little worried about the past relationship I built with them, but it’ll be okay since five years have passed.

I didn’t do anything particularly noticeable and was just an extra, so there was no way the main characters would remember me.

‘Wait a minute, does that mean I have to retake the test too?’

I still have my certificate… but I can’t use it? It’s been 5 years…

Let’s go and ask first.

The Crown Prince’s entry into the Academy meant that the admissions season was already over.

I may have to wait until next year to re-enter the academy.

‘How can I wait until next year! The webtoon content will be in full swing by now…’

The first and second ones are fine.

But there was one scene in the third episode that absolutely could not be missed.

Third episode.

It was the section where Assyria, not the crown prince, appeared.

I absolutely must see that episode with my own eyes, as it showcases the diverse charms of Assyria.

Assyria, who saves the crown prince in danger while swinging her sword, and Assyria, who always wore kimono-like clothes, goes to a ball wearing a dress for the first time.

They were each and every one of them so beautiful that I couldn’t miss them.

I started to feel impatient at the thought of not being able to see it.

‘As a fan, I have to see that scene with my own eyes somehow.’

You have to lose first to see the real results.

Let’s watch the hourglass tonight and if things don’t seem to be changing, let’s go to the Academy.

‘Yeah. I’ve done it before, but it’s like skipping time. I can adapt to it. Just enjoy it while reading webtoons.’

But from now on, I must never touch ancient relics carelessly.

I ate the duck meat and made a promise to myself.

* * *

Marie, who sits at the reception desk at the entrance of the academy and is in charge of kindly guiding the academy’s future aspirants who are curious about it, was sitting blankly today, staring out the window.

The reception desk is usually busy around the time of admission or graduation.

The busy school admission period has passed.

Now, all I had to do was kill time.

At that moment, Marie, who was blankly staring, noticed a girl looking around.

‘Oh my, so cute….’

With her pure white face, black hair that reached down to her shoulders, and her unique golden eyes that shone brightly, she caught people’s attention.

I’ve seen many attractive kids at the academy, but this is the first time I’ve seen a girl this cute.

Her chubby cheeks, still covered in baby fat, were especially attractive.

If I pull it straight once, will it stretch?

‘….But it’s strange.’

Girls at that age tend to wear brightly colored dresses or put on a lot of makeup, but he was wearing only a colorless black outfit and pants, just like a boy.

It would be really pretty if you decorated it….

At that moment, my eyes met with a girl who was looking around.

The girl seemed to think for a moment, then slowly approached Marie.

Marie opened the eastern window in front of the reception desk and smiled kindly to make it easier for the girl to speak to her.

Then the girl who had been hesitating bowed and greeted me.

“Hello, I am.”

“….Yes. Hello.”

Even the greeting is cute.

“I have something to ask you.”

“Tell me. I’ll tell you anything I know.”

Your voice is a bit neutral?

But that actually made it more appealing.

“Uh, I…”

The girl took something out of her bosom and showed it to Marie.

It was a certificate. An old-fashioned certificate at that. I think I got it a long time ago…

Marie took the certificate and looked at it. Sure enough, when she checked the date, it was from five years ago.

It’s been a while, why do you still have this?

“I got accepted to the academy and received this… but something came up and I couldn’t enroll then. So… can I enroll now?”

‘Well, this is the first time something like this has happened…’

What should I do in this situation?

The Academy welcomes anyone with this certificate. But is that acceptable even after five years?

Suddenly, the name Jodell written on the certificate caught my eye.

“Um, just wait a minute. I think I need to ask you something upstairs. Can you wait?”

“Yes!”

The girl answered cheerfully.

Marie stood up, walked over to the communication line, and placed her hand on it. Soon after, she was connected to the Academy.

[“Yes. What’s wrong, Marie?”]

“Ah, yes. It’s nothing else…”

Marie explained the whole story.

[“…..That’s impossible. If it was 5 years ago, someone else could have come and said they passed. It’s impossible to confirm.”

“Well, that won’t work.”

[“Yes. Please tell him well and send him back.”]

“Okay.”

[“…..Oh, by the way, I have something to check. What are the names of the successful candidates?”]

Why are you asking such a thing when you said it wasn’t possible?

“Jodel.”

For a moment there was silence in the communications booth. Then a loud noise was heard and the voices changed.

“Jodel? Jodel!”

The voice that sounded very excited was a man’s.

Marie was embarrassed.

What the heck, why are you doing that?

[“What is your impression?”]

“….Oh, that’s a pretty girl.”

“That’s not a girl! It’s a guy!”

Then the girl who had been quietly listening to the conversation said angrily.

“What? Aren’t you a girl?”

The girl, or rather the boy, Jodel shouted no with a shocked face, as if it was the first time in his life that he had heard such a thing.

Only then did Marie look at Jodelle again.

Then, I finally noticed the clear Adam’s apple on her neck, which I had previously overlooked because of her beautiful appearance.

I’ve never seen a girl that age with such a prominent Adam’s apple. That means it’s definitely a boy.

[“Hold on to it right now! No, I’m telling you it’s definitely possible. You’ll be admitted. No, I’ll go first!”]

With those words, the light from the communications room went out.

“…Is that right for me?”

“……Uh. Yes. It’s okay. Could you wait a moment? I think we need to check from above. And I’m sorry I misunderstood you as a girl. You’re so pretty, I misunderstood.”

“Pretty…..I guess…the bangs…”

Jodelle pouted her lips as if she didn’t like it when I ran my hand through her short bangs.

That sight was also incredibly lovely.

When he grows up, he’ll make a lot of girls cry…

That was when.

“…..Jodel! Jodel!”

What, you came that quickly? Did you fly in?

Marie and Jodelle turned their heads at the same time.

There, Professor Luken, who was known to be a very polite man, was running in a hurry without even putting on his shoes properly.

‘What? Do Jodel and Professor Luken know each other?’

It was an intense reaction, as if they had found their lost family after five years.

“Ah, I’m screwed….”

At that moment, Jodel muttered quietly as he saw Professor Luken running towards him.

Unlike Professor Luken, his face looked sullen as if he was not at all pleased with this situation.

‘…..What on earth is their relationship that makes their reactions so polar opposites?’