episode_0039

Three days after the first exam. Students were crowded together in the cradle’s Hwayang Hall.

Today was the day to announce the first grades of freshmen based on their grades from the Sky Basin practice, and it was also the day of the mentor nomination ceremony.

They each talked about accidents that occurred in practice. A significant number of students were injured that day.

It was a fairly serious accident, so it was fortunate that no one lost their lives.

However, there was something uneasy and unclear about Yoram’s announcement that followed.

The conclusion of the investigation was that some of the high-ranking demons who had been pushed out due to the territorial dispute crossed over to the northern section and attacked the students, but the situation was resolved without any significant casualties due to quick response.

On the other hand, there was testimony that it felt like they had seen the shadow of something huge. However, no significant evidence was found, and it was eventually decided that visual information had been overinterpreted during confusion.

And although the exam was suspended, the cradle announced that it would establish internal evaluation standards based on the results of previous observations and assign rankings to new students.

In any case, it was the first ranking that would become an important starting point in the future of cradle life, so the students were waiting for the ceremony to begin with excited expressions.

Except for the three students who looked very uncomfortable.

“What really happened, that guy?”

Woojin glanced back slightly. His gaze landed on a masked male student standing alone. For some reason, the brown-haired female student who was always with him did not appear.

“You were lucky enough to find a wounded demon? He looked very tired after all that. I also got covered in bodily fluids. Then really… ”

“Hey. I told you to stop talking nonsense.”

Yeseo suddenly intervened.

“This is not a matter of whether your skills are good or not. Is it true that Aeteranus is a difficult beast to catch even for veteran hunters? They say that guy is a mutant. It was even given an identifying name, like an antennae snake or something. But how on earth does a student catch someone like that? Moreover, alone?”

Her face was full of unresolved questions. On the one hand, it was a question that all three of them shared.

The image of the masked schoolboy leisurely resting on the corpse of a huge demonic beast was still deeply engraved in my mind.

“The demon beasts I saw on my way can be said to have been hunted by him. Last year, Seoyeon and senior Yeon Yeon-ha said that they did that without difficulty. Let’s say we didn’t recognize a really talented guy. But catching an antennae snake is something that just can’t happen! I stupidly keep saying the same thing over and over again… ”

“Stop, stop… !”

Seungheon, who was standing between them, intervened and interrupted Ye-seo’s speech.

“It’s already happened. Stop thinking. And I made a secrecy promise not to tell anything about what I saw that day. But like that… ”

“Che… ”

Yeseo had no choice but to close his mouth. Seungheon sighed when he saw that.

“Phew. And last time, Baek Seo-yeon said the same thing. I wonder if he was admitted through recommendation because he has skills. And from what I can see, Hyun is really nice… ”

“Well, I guess everyone rested well for three days, right?”

Suddenly, the amplifier rang, cutting off Seungheon’s words. Before we knew it, it was on time and the event was about to start. The group stopped talking and looked straight ahead again.

Professor Daewon Song, wearing a monocle, was on the podium as the host.

“First of all, we would like to express our deepest condolences to the students who were injured in an accident that occurred during an exam. At our cradle, we will spare no effort in supporting their recovery, and we will take measures to ensure that they do not suffer any disadvantages in the future… ”

After summarizing the past accident, an apology, and future response plans, he soon began announcing the individual rankings of the freshmen.

“… Although it was stopped midway for safety reasons, the test was already nearing its end. We calculated the ranking based on the data up to that point. It was conducted in the most fair way with all members of the Board of Education present, and objections could be raised up to three days later… ”

He soon recited the students’ rankings one by one. The student whose name was called first, that is, in last place, was so embarrassed that he could barely raise his face.

The ranking table, which changed every other week, could be easily found throughout the cradle. It is said that it is possible to bounce back depending on later grades, but of course it will not feel good.

Although I don’t know much about it, having students compete based on a ranking system doesn’t seem like a very educationally correct method. I don’t think this will really spark my passion for learning.

Rather, I feel more credible in someone’s claim that it is a system created to allow corporations and powerful families to conveniently recruit students.

“217th place… !”

“185th place… !”

The professor wearing the monocle continued to announce the rankings.

“97th… Guk Jae-ryong!”

Suddenly, I heard a name that sounded quite familiar. That seems like a pretty shabby ranking for a student from a prestigious family.

We haven’t even heard Muyoung’s or Yena’s names yet. Seeing him with his head down and his body trembling from a distance away, he seems to have suffered quite a bit of damage to his pride.

The ranking announcement continued toward the end. Now, the names of the students with the highest grades who have the right to directly appoint a mentor have begun to be called.

And unlike before, small cheers erupted from everywhere whenever their names were heard.

“27th… Shin Mooyoung!”

“23rd place… Hey yena!”

Maybe it’s because they got quite close, but I think Yena and Muyoung also succeeded in getting into the top 10%.

When I turn my head, I see Yena shyly being congratulated by her friends who are running around making a fuss from afar.

Suddenly their eyes met, but Yena immediately puffed out her cheeks and turned her head away.

“… ”

I felt the need to talk to Jena separately after the event.

“Okay, then 10th place… !”

By the time the professor’s voice was almost hoarse, there were only single-digit rankings left.

“4th place… Seungheon Ryu!”

As soon as the name was called, an unusually loud scream was heard from the front. I saw a good-looking boy with a shy smile and a girl next to him who looked like a girl making a fuss.

“3rd place… Woojin Choi!”

For someone who had achieved a fairly high rank, he looked somewhat displeased.

“2nd place… Jinyeseo!”

I soon figured out the reason for my displeasure. A blonde-haired, green-eyed female student looked at the seat next to her with a look of disdain on her face.

I could see his red back neck and shaking fists even from where I was.

Now there was only one person left to announce, the glorious first place winner. The students looked around looking for someone whose name had not been called yet.

After a long pause, the professor’s mouth finally opened.

“1st place… Jinhyeon Yoo!”

***

“Jinhyeon Yoo?”

“Isn’t he the strange guy wearing that mask? I’m sure I had a blast with Baek Seo-yeon… ”

” That’s ridiculous… !”

The Hwayang Hall was instantly filled with commotion. Unlike other top-ranked students, there seemed to be quite a few who were not convinced of the ranking of the student whose name had just been called.

In particular, a student named Guk Jae-ryong, who had a shallow appearance, almost had a blood vessel standing on his neck.

Professor Daewon Song, who saw the commotion, calmed the students down using an amplifier.

“Quiet! I would have said that the rankings were carefully selected based on absolute and fair standards. Objections to other people’s grades other than your own will not be accepted. And let me tell you one thing, Jinhyeon Yoo is the only student who succeeded in reaching the recognition device and stamping his own identification tag. I think this is a sufficient explanation.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the students’ noise began to quiet down.

“… Still, I guess I wasn’t a recommended student for no reason… ”

“So… It looks like your skills are still solid… ”

“I think it’s resolved now. Then Jinhyun Yoo. Come up to the podium.”

As the professor called, someone in the back row began to walk forward.

The steps were neither fast nor slow. He was relaxed and confident, as if he had been entrusted with it.

Everyone has different perspectives on him. Various emotions such as jealousy, envy, envy, a little favor, a desire to win, and hostility were conveyed beyond the mask.

Soon, Lee Hyun got up to the podium and turned around. Hundreds of pairs of eyes feel extremely burdensome. If it weren’t for the mask, I probably would have vomited.

The surroundings were so quiet that even small whispers could be heard.

The mentor nomination ceremony begins with the student who ranked first in the first exam calling his/her mentor.

Next, the students with the top 10% of grades each choose a second year student to be their mentor, and the remaining students find a suitable partner by mutual agreement at the following banquet.

Everyone there was waiting for Lee Hyun to open his mouth.

“Okay. Our honored number one, Yoo Jin-hyeon, which senior do you plan to nominate?”

“… ”

The professor wearing the monocle asked, but a long time had to pass before I heard his answer.

The left half of the room right now are second-year students. It was located here in the name of encouraging juniors.

But their eyes were sharp like wild beasts stalking their prey. They will be considering the skills and backgrounds of the freshmen and considering which juniors are a good fit for them.

Lee Hyun didn’t bother to look there.

Just thinking about being in the same place made my heart tighten. I didn’t know what kind of pain I would experience if I saw that smiling face again.

“I… ”

Moreover, his answer was already decided from the beginning.

“I will nominate senior Yeon Min-ha.”