episode_0066

*****

A few days have passed since the day I had a fight with Junseok. Of course, many things have changed in that time.

The biggest change is that students are starting to get used to Jun-seok’s antics. Just as you get tired of looking at a beautiful woman for three days, looks may be like that after all.

There is no doubt that the game between Junseok and I contributed the most to that change. The way he easily parried an attack with all his might with one hand, and the way he freely dealt with a lightning strike that was comparable to an anti-magic attack as if it were a normal attack, left a deep impression on the students.

Thanks to this, at least there are no longer any rumors about Jun-seok’s abilities.

Another thing is Jun-seok’s change in attitude. I don’t know what caused the wind, but he himself ended up teaching different students little by little.

It was disappointing that the teachings were only given to top students such as Eonryeongsa, Brünnhild, and Still Ball. Still, as a hero who is closest to the strongest in name and appearance, most of his advice was very helpful, so although there were complaints, there was no reaction close to hostility like before.

For me, who did not want my student to be ignored, I achieved my greatest goal.

But I couldn’t help but laugh. The first goal was achieved, but everything else was a mess.

The most depressing thing among them is that the rumors about me and Jun-seok have not disappeared.

“Don’t worry too much. Still, it’s much better than before, right? The Emperor’s favorite disciple.”

As I complained about him, Hwa-in annoyed me even more. I may not have that awareness myself.

What kind of disciple is a freezing disciple! I’m his teacher!

If Old Man or Sia found out about this, they would make a lot of fun. When I imagine that scene, I already feel like my stomach is turning.

What Hwain said is not entirely wrong. The horrible rumors about me tailing him or something have disappeared. However, the fact that I have a relationship with Jun-seok that is such that I receive special treatment is almost publicly known.

“It’s much worse than when I heard it was a parachute.”

In fact, most of the gazes during the parachute talk were closer to curiosity. It was a problem that could be solved quickly if I showed my skills, and it was.

However, this rumor showed no signs of going away. As if someone was keeping the fire burning.

… Well, it’s obvious who that is.

“The parachute was just a rumor, and there was nothing special about it that could be called a privilege. But if it’s the Emperor’s teachings, there are enough people lining up to want it.”

Thanks to this, I don’t know how many glares I get every time I train these days. The other kids, especially those who mainly use martial arts, seem to think I’m a villain who took away their chance.

In the past, this would have been overlooked without any problems. Because being a top hero is a position that receives as much jealousy as admiration. But is it because of potential? Somehow, I felt more uncomfortable with that gaze than before.

The even more terrible truth was that Jun-seok’s classes were of no use to me.

Everything that Junseok tells me during class is actually a loophole that I created intentionally. I have to worry about how to show my gaps every day to make sure it doesn’t look unnatural. It’s almost ridiculous to even call it a match pump.

It’s painful for me, but I’m also doing something wrong to Jun-seok. However, if I reveal my skills, my true identity will be discovered.

In the midst of such a dilemma, I was semi-forced to do things that I had no control over.

“I don’t know why Mr. Brain Emperor is doing this to you, but isn’t it a good opportunity? The things you dislike so much may seem even more disapproving to other kids.”

“Keuung, does that happen again?”

The words of Jeongyoung, who always hit me with facts. Certainly, from the perspective of other kids, it would seem like I had gained an opportunity.

However, there are too many things to worry about to take the class happily. Things like conscience and pride. Thanks to this, being squeezed inside and out has become almost a daily routine.

I almost sighed inadvertently when I noticed that the atmosphere was ambiguous. Well, from their perspective, it would be a situation where they have no choice but to watch while their friend is being gossiped about. There will never be anything more frustrating than this.

On the contrary, my face turns bright red as I realize that I complained until I got into this mood. What are you saying to the kids?

“Well, since this is an opportunity, we should use it effectively. Are you guys preparing well for the final exam?”

Let’s not bring this up again in the future. With that in mind, I lightly changed the direction of the story. If you’re a student, talking about exams is a topic you can’t ignore.

Fortunately, the three people’s attention was immediately focused on the word test. Among them, Raon was the one who expressed the most concern.

“What should I do? I’m really not confident in my skills… .”

“Practical skills, not written skills?”

“Yes. It’s okay because most of the writing part is in my head.”

It’s in. It may sound like bragging to others, but if you know the circumstances, it is a bittersweet experience. Of course, Raon may have been a word written without much thought.

Of course, I already know that Raon is rich in such knowledge. What I found puzzling was the fact that Raon himself thought he was weak at practical skills and that those around him were calmly accepting that fact.

“Raon says you’re not confident in your skills. How do wizards take the test?”

It’s something I’ve thought about before, but it doesn’t make sense that Raon’s evaluation is low. At the student level, he successfully defended himself against Genesis executives and survived a fight with an A-class hero.

There’s no way you won’t get good grades unless you feel like ‘It’s something that won’t be evaluated at school.’

… But it really happened.

“Major?”

“Yes. Why, there are things like the summoning world and the elemental world. Wizards choose a major and take the test.”

I know that too. It was Changhyuk and the witch who created the concept of such a major in the first place. It feels like the witch theoretically organized what Changhyuk, who has knowledge of my original work, classified.

But that’s not a problem at all. Raon’s attributes are literally all attributes. Before the university major, the university itself is Raon.

So, specialize in all the attributes──

“I don’t have anything special that I can major in.”

──What are you saying?

I calmly thought about what I heard. Is this a deception or something? Do people with gold spoons feel like, ‘Our family isn’t that well-off (compared to those with platinum spoons)?’

Of course, Raon is not the kind of person who would say something like that. However, it didn’t look like he was talking about deep concerns like the painter did.

Maybe I need to hear more about this.

“But the teachers told me that it would be decided soon. They say that if you don’t have any talent at all, you can’t use magic itself. They said that it might be delayed to decide on a major because you can write about various things.”

“What are you choosing to major in? Didn’t you report it yourself?”

“They say it was like that in the past, but a few years ago there was something like a crystal ball made by a witch among the Four Heroes. It is said that it is determined by measuring it.”

aha. Now I understand. So, they created a system tailored to the characteristics of our country, which emphasizes personalized education, and Raon, an exceptional genius, did not fit into it, right?

I somehow suppressed the desire to grab my horns, no, my head. Raon is basically an optimistic child. The gloomy expression you see now is not a lament about your own abilities, but rather closer to literally complaining about not getting a score.

Actually, Raon’s situation wasn’t that bad. In any case, the teachers’ evaluation itself was not low. I just can’t decide what to learn, so I try various things, and the scope of the test gets messed up, so I don’t get a score.

Oh, then, what are the differences from the original? ?

“Raon, do you remember what your potential is?”

“Only the magic side. I don’t know exactly what it is. I don’t know why this didn’t enter my head.”

In the original, Raon knew about his own potential. However, because the association did not trust him at all, he had to prove his abilities separately.

This time, Raon himself was not aware of it. Even though the association is ready to accept Raon’s words.

Does the power of revision of the original exist or not? The topic that I had discussed with Changhyuk countless times but still could not come to a conclusion came back to my mind again.

Difficult thoughts aside, Raon’s changes will not be that big of a problem compared to Hwain or Jeongyoung. Raon himself is an optimistic person who doesn’t care about the fact that he lost his memory, and his potential itself doesn’t seem to have changed.

This is a problem that can be solved quickly if you just become aware of it. Perhaps in the process of solving the problem, the relationship between Hwa-in and Ra-on may become closer.

“Raon is not the only one to worry. Are you okay with the written test?”

Sure enough, it seemed like I was the only one who took what had just happened seriously. Both of them probably think that their evaluation will improve soon, even if it is not that good now.

I put aside my worries about Raon for a moment and answered confidently.

“Are you just saying it’s okay? Well, I’m a little unsure. I’m the one who can’t see it.”

“I always think about this, but where does that confidence come from? Is it because Hwain keeps asking me if I’m coming?”

“When did I do that? If you’re talking about special training, it’s actually true, right?”

“Okay. Ah, who wouldn’t at least make a bet with the test scores?”

I said this without much thought, but in an instant, the eyes of the entire class were focused on me. It was such a blatant concentration of attention that it inadvertently made my magic boil. What, what are you guys doing all of a sudden?

Immediately after, everyone flocked to me. Most of them were men, but there were also some girls.

“Let’s bet with me!”

“No, with me!”

“I will do it!”

“Ah—! Okay, just a moment! Stand in line first, first in line!”

It was so chaotic that I couldn’t say anything, but in an instant, a line formed in front of me. It’s the orderliness of a hero, but I wish heroes wouldn’t rush into the idea of a bet in the first place.

“You mean a bet, really?”

“Nam-a’s gold! A man doesn’t say two words with just one bite.”

“As expected, I trusted you, Amiya! ”

“A real man himself!”

My classmates cheered at my firm decision. These guys are good at giving compliments. haha!

… Actually, I am reflecting a little. Considering the situation I am in now, I should have been more careful. I didn’t expect that everyone would react so strongly even though I only said it was a bet.

“One drink!”

“Call!”

“A meal of learning!”

“Call!”

“I want you to practice grappling with me!”

“Ko… , come?”

In the beginning, overall, there were decent bets. I was concerned that the guy who asked me to practice grappling was strangely excited, but there was nothing difficult about watching him practice.

“If I win, please ask Mr. Brain Emperor about my evaluation.”

After the half-joking bets were over, there were some serious bets disguised as jokes. These are kids who want to ask me for a favor, but are in a delicate position to say they are close to me.

Actually, you can do this without it being a bet. Still, I thought it would be easier for the kids to give this reason, so I just agreed. In the future, we can become closer to each other step by step.

And, if possible, I hope that this bet will reduce the number of envious looks. Really kinda.

“Would you like to bet with me too?”

At the time I was wondering if everything was sorted out like that. The last person to stand in front of me was Kang Seo-yoon.

Unlike before, the current Kang Seo-yoon seemed quite friendly. I felt goodwill from the pretty smile that her sophisticated appearance gave off, and in fact, the men around her were dying for it.

… I don’t know. Doesn’t this look a bit like acting? Or do I feel that way because I know my true feelings?

Either way, there was no option to not agree in the current atmosphere.

“It doesn’t matter. What should I do?”

“How about granting one wish?”

This is something I’ve heard a lot about. I slowly turned my head and looked at a corner of the classroom. Cheol-gu, who had become a pitching machine for Fine’s training as a reward for the bet he made on the first day of school, was turning away from me and Kang Seo-yoon.

The energy of “please don’t mind” is pouring out.

“Are you okay? I have never lost a bet based on that content, but I.”

“What do you think? You’re doing it for fun, right?”

I tried to bluff, but it turned out to be a bluff. They’re probably trying to provide insurance in case they lose. When he actually wins, he’ll insist that it’s fun while asking for harsh favors.

I wasn’t in the mood to refuse, and I had no intention of refusing. It’s also a good opportunity. When I agreed, Kang Seo-yoon returned to her seat satisfied.

Considering that you made a bet, you probably have confidence in your studies. But I also had reason to believe that I could never lose.

This bet is already a win for me!

***

“Are you okay?”

“What?”

“Bet. Seoyoon is really good at studying… .”

After the commotion was over and the class dispersed again, Raon spoke to me as if he was worried. No, it wasn’t just Raon.

“It’s okay. If they make unreasonable demands, we will help them together.”

“If it were me, I would go now and cancel the bet again.”

“Whose side are you on? Why is there such a lack of faith?”

“That’s right, Amy, you always fall asleep during class.”

Of course I thought it was a joke, but I was surprised to see a clear reason. That was caught.

“I thought it was disguised pretty well. How did you know?”

“You often don’t blink during class. Strangely, their gaze was fixed.”

That’s correct. When learning what I knew, I slightly strengthened my eyes with magical power, kept them open, and then dozed off. I was confident that I wouldn’t get caught since it was an unnecessarily difficult level.

But I also have something to say.

“If you notice whether other students blink, how distracted are you during class? Hwa-in, are you not listening to class properly?”

“I was listening correctly! And Jeongyoung knew too!”

“No, don’t treat them the same. I was only saying this because I had never seen Ami study.”

“Traitor!?”

Hwain looked shocked, but maybe he wasn’t even a colleague to begin with. Rather, you could say that he is my comrade in the sense that he did not attend class properly.

“I’m not sure, but in the end, it’s true that I didn’t attend class properly, right? Then isn’t it dangerous after all?”

“It’s because it’s something you obviously know. I learned everything from Sia.”

Morning class times are broadly divided into two types. General subjects and special subjects.

General curriculum is literally the general high school curriculum. I only learn in the morning during the day, but at least I split my time with special subjects.

Of course, even though the test is only conducted once a semester, the level and scope are relatively easy compared to other high schools. And even though I was in a past life, I went to college. Although he died without graduating, he doesn’t struggle with graduating from high school. … maybe!

Special subjects are even easier. In special subjects, you learn knowledge about cracks and monsters. Of course, he can’t be my opponent with 20 years of hero experience in addition to his knowledge of the original work.

“If you don’t believe me, ask any question. I’ll answer anything.”

“Um… . wait for a sec. I’ll look for it now.”

Raon said that and looked through his notes. The same goes for Hwain and Jeongyoung. I can already feel the corners of my mouth raising as I think about how that expression full of disbelief will change to astonishment and admiration.

This kind of strength isn’t so bad. How about a title like ‘Fafnir hides his education’?

“I’ll start with the easy ones first. What is the useful part of Ardildium?”

The first problem came up while I was running the circuit in my head. It’s the useful part of Ardildium, so it’s simple. Effective part of Ardildium. therefore… , hmm… .

“──No, what on earth is Ardildium!?”

This is my first time hearing a deb show!?

The word utility part is in memory. He was probably referring to the parts of the monster’s body that could be useful. I briefly heard what the heroes who bought and sold monsters were talking about.

But I swear on my fist that this is the first time I’ve heard the word Ardildium in my 20 years as a hero. I even looked through the list of monsters that appeared in Birds of Away, but there was nothing like that!

“Do you not know Ardildium? That’s why, there are bugs that are often seen at the beginning of cracks. If you hit it, it rolls up.”

“Ah~, you idiot! You know that. The central carapace that surrounds the heart is sold at the highest price, right?”

“Again, you idiot?”

The kids’ expressions all turned strange. Oh, it must be right?

“An enlarged beanworm-like monster that often appears at the beginning of a rift. That’s a piece of shit.”

“It’s my first time hearing it called that. What a mess… .”

Raon’s expression changed as if he was looking at someone from another world. But wouldn’t it be weirder to give such a fancy name to a bean bug? In my time, everyone was called Tonggeulbang.

“Then I will solve the next problem. What does the cry of a warwolf during battle mean?”

“This is common sense. You’re calling a colleague, right?”

Warwolf is a representative monster from the early days of great chaos. So, I had quite a bit of experience dealing with them when I was still a young chick. It was common knowledge among heroes at the time to deal with warwolves before they cry or to prevent their cries from spreading.

… But why does Jeongyoung look like this again?

“Are you talking about common sense? A warwolf calls out to its comrades before a battle, and during or after a battle, it calls out to its comrades to run away.”

“!? Oh no, wait a minute. But the number increases even if you cry during battle?”

“That’s why warwolves with strong camaraderie come to help even after being told to run away.”

Was that something like that!? It’s kind of salty. This may not be what I should say after catching everything that comes my way.

I wondered if this useless thing was important, but it turns out that if other warwolves run away after hearing the warwolf’s flight signal, the subjugation will completely fail.

but. In my time, warwolves were the object of extermination, not salvation.

“… Should I post the last question?”

“Of course!”

Instead of admiring it, the mood has already become like ‘it’s over’! Still, if you answer this question well, you will somehow be able to turn the situation around.

“This is me. Please answer the type of crack.”

I breathed a sigh of relief at Hwain’s words. If it’s that question, no one can answer it better than me.

“Erosion type, alien type, base type, assimilation type.”

“Oh, correct answer,”

“Indicative type, phase change type, coordinate movement type, reality manipulation type, hallucination type, non-materialization──”

“How many are you talking about!?”

I was planning on saying 21. It is said that only the first four are taught in school, and the rest are organized into special types.

Anyway, if you write it all down, won’t it be treated as the correct answer?

“Amiya.”

Chuck, Raon grabbed his shoulder. I turned my head away from that terrifying gaze and tried to make an excuse. Either I had some old knowledge or I learned it through an on-site version.

However, Raon, who held the horns with both hands and returned his head to its original position, had a force that did not allow for any objections.

“Let’s study, shall we?”

“Yes… .”

It’s strange, I think I gave all the correct answers. Maybe it was really me who wasn’t evaluated at school.

So I decided to participate in the after-school study group quite voluntarily.

*****