episode_0138

After meeting Taesan Jang, I returned to the academy, but I was not able to rest.

I used to be busy, but I’ve been busier these days. There were a lot of problems to deal with, and there were major accidents at the end.

In particular, the biggest concern was the low morale of freshmen who had just entered the school.

After Alexstras proposed the final battle to me, the worldwide gate outbreaks decreased significantly.

That’s why freshmen have to leave for the final match without even experiencing the actual game yet.

Of course, I and their seniors, the first generation students, were not playing around, but we were training them so strictly that it brought tears to our eyes.

Nevertheless, I guess I can’t help but feel worried since I’m leaving for the actual battle.

okay. It’s inevitable.

Weren’t the first generation students also afraid of battle at first and trying to avoid it?

From their perspective, it would feel like they were going to a risk.

With that thought in mind, I clicked my tongue, clicked my tongue, and walked into the lobby of the main building.

“Ah, hello, professor?”

There, I turned my attention to someone’s voice.

When I returned from meeting Jang Tae-san, it was already late in the evening, so I thought the only people walking around the main building were the hall counter staff, but I think there was someone there.

“Nakajima. Were you looking at the bulletin board?”

“Ah, yes. While taking an evening walk, I came to check if there was an announcement posted.”

And what caught my eye.

Hair lined up on the forehead, um… To be honest, I would say that he is a strange character who is neat but feels a bit unique.

Anyway, a girl with that kind of character and a strangely unique vibe was greeting me.

Even when she bows down, her straight-cut hair doesn’t get tangled.

If you think about it, it was quite a mysterious haircut. It makes me wonder if it might be a wig.

Of course, seeing as it didn’t come off even while training and rolling around in the dust, it probably wasn’t a wig.

“It’s a lot of work. Your role is really big. As I said before, you must take charge of organic communication between units on the battlefield. Always keep in mind that the lives of countless colleagues depend on your choice.”

He said that and nodded.

This kid with a strange hairstyle was a very important person. This was true not only among Jang A-hyeon’s subordinates, but also across the entire academy.

Although her height is small, her physical abilities are very low, and her combat power is practically at a level close to that of a non-combatant, what is important is her ability.

He has mental abilities that allow him to read people’s thoughts and memories, and in addition, he has telepathic abilities that allow him to speak in his head.

Among the new students, there was one other person with mental abilities, but his abilities were not as versatile as hers.

Was she someone who had the ability to use aromatherapy or mental healing?

I don’t know why, but as I looked at her shrinking in front of me, I remembered that she had a very close relationship with Han Se-jun.

If you think about it, it was an interesting relationship.

It seemed like this kid had feelings for Han Se-jun, but Se-jun didn’t seem to have any particular romantic feelings for this kid.

Isn’t this a really funny relationship?

‘No, I’m not in a position to talk to others either.’

If you think about it, you too experienced a similar situation as Sejun.

I was so confused by that fact that I cleared my throat and began to ask her the questions that were in my head.

“Now that I think about it, what complaint does your colleague Sejun Han have against me?”

“Yes?”

“I felt like he had something to say to me, but wasn’t able to say it. I don’t think I really did anything against him.”

“Ah… Well, I don’t know. I’m fine too… .”

I calmed my expression, narrowed my eyes, and twisted the corners of my mouth to glare at her a little crookedly.

‘You know something. At least there’s something to point out.’

Nakajima: This kid has mental abilities, but he’s really bad at acting.

It’s not at the level where it’s noticeable on the face, but at the level where it’s just expressed with the whole body.

Seeing her awkward reaction, I very slowly started scanning her with my eyes.

“You don’t know?”

“… That, that.”

When she felt my gaze, she was startled and took a step back.

Then he lowers his head and begins to tremble.

“If it’s something like a secret between two people, you don’t have to say it. Because I have no intention of interfering between you and your loved one.”

“… It’s not a secret and we’re not dating yet.”

“… I never said anything about being a lover. Anyway, there is something there.”

When I saw that, I smiled and shrugged my shoulders.

From the outside, it might have seemed like I was being mean to this little kid.

But it doesn’t matter.

Judging from Han Se-jun’s reaction, it doesn’t seem like he has such a big grudge.

I guess it’s just like discovering that someone stole the ice cream you put in the refrigerator to eat tomorrow.

“That’s actually… .”

I nod my head and say hello to the Himekut kid and when I’m about to turn around, her hesitant voice stops me again.

*

“… What are you talking about? Are you sincere?”

“Yes… .”

“Ha, what a timid guy he is.”

After hearing her whole story, I felt a little blank and blocked, so I squinted.

This little boy, who puffed out his cheeks in dissatisfaction when Sejun was criticized, took a step back when my gaze narrowed.

So, to summarize what she said:

Han Se-jun had feelings for Jang A-hyeon, and he was dissatisfied because he thought I had taken Jang A-hyeon away.

Indeed, this is truly absurd.

“Oh, no. Rather… Sejun has sorted out his thoughts, but it seems like he still feels a little uncomfortable. that… That’s right. I think it’s like that feeling of feeling a little nostalgic when you look at your smartphone album for the first time in a while and see a photo of your ex-girlfriend that you took before. So it can’t be helped… .”

“… The metaphor is unusual, but I understand what it means.”

I was so dumbfounded that I just laughed and accepted what she said.

Come to think of it, this may have been a similar development to the original. Isn’t this the story that Han Se-jun had feelings for Jang A-hyeon even before the demons appeared to them, revealed everything, and decided on a partner?

Rather, I interfered.

“Yes. Thanks for telling me. If I hadn’t known this, I would have misunderstood him too.”

“Yes… Still, Sejun is a good person, so I hope you don’t think too badly of him.”

“… What should I say about this?”

I was afraid that I might hate Han Se-jun, so it was a bit unnerving to see him look like he was struggling to say something.

Now that I think about it, why do I have to waste time in front of this kid?

It was nothing special and something I should have just not heard about.

I am a busy person with a lot of things to do, but did I waste my time for trivial reasons?

With that thought in mind, I sighed heavily, waved goodbye to her, turned my back and went up the stairs of the main building.

With a sigh, I opened the door to the principal’s office and saw Sia waiting for me inside.

“Hello, Elm.”

“Were you there?”

In the past, she used to visit me secretly, avoiding people’s eyes.

After ending things with Jang A-hyeon, he came to see me every day, as if he no longer had any hesitation, perhaps because he thought there was no need to hide it.

Of course, that doesn’t mean I didn’t like it.

Yes, even now. When I saw her, I felt that my twisted feelings were being eased.

‘Huh, I guess I’m not in a position to talk to others either.’

Even if other people see this now, wouldn’t it be a truly eye-watering sight?

After all, self-objectification is necessary. For some reason, I wonder if Han Se-jun’s untrustworthiness is similar to self-loathing.

“… Is it like mirror therapy?”

As I was just laughing out loud at the absurdity of it all, the woman with long black hair gave me a questioning look.

*

“… It was a bit too much to put me in that woman’s unit, Elm.”

“I’m sorry about that. However, it is also true that the safest unit on the battlefield is Jang A-hyeon’s unit. Sia, it was for you.”

“Can I accompany Elm like before? I want to protect Elm by his side.”

I didn’t tell her about the skit that took place in front of the bulletin board in the main building.

Of course, Sia seemed a little curious about that, but I kept it a secret until the end.

Anyway, that’s Han Se-jun’s personal situation, and I’m not a bad person who spreads information about other people’s privacy.

And the topic of our conversation was the question of her affiliation in the African expedition,

“I’m sorry, but that’s not possible. Because I have work to do.”

“… Yes.”

I shook my head at her as I checked the final unit lineup.

Shia, seeing that, nods her head with a droopy look.

It hurt my heart a little.

It is true that Sia is strong. Didn’t he defeat the demons brought by The One before with his own blood and blood?

It would definitely be of help to me if she accompanied me.

But even for the final work that the collector said, she shouldn’t have accompanied him.

“So, do your best there. I would be grateful if you could destroy as many monsters and demons as possible for me. The more you work hard, the easier it will be for me to complete my goal.”

“Of course. I will do my best for Elm.”

Seeing her nodding, I did the same and then turned my gaze back to the documents on the desk.

Although her eyes contained a childish desire, as if she was expecting something, I responded with silence.

When I struggle with the papers on the desk and get no response, she lowers her head and mumbles something for a moment, then looks up at me lazily.

“… .”

I know what she wants now.

However, due to being busy with work, I have not been able to meet her expectations recently.

Because this is not just a game.

This is an operation that will cost the lives of countless people and lead to the extinction of countless lives.

Therefore, as the mastermind who published it, there should never be an error.

They say that laziness is a sin, but it is especially unacceptable for me to act the other way now.

“… Elm is.”

When I heard her voice, I just raised my head and looked in the direction the voice came from.

Sia, who was there, was looking at me with eyes that seemed to be looking at a distant mountain or something, which somehow did not suit her.

“What do you want to do after this final battle?”

“Well.”

It was literally wrong.

I exhaled, slowly resting my chin and looking at her.

Now that I think about it, I never really thought about it.

What will I do when the pressure that has always been weighing heavily on my shoulders is over?

I have always been on the run to stop the demons.

It was a long rail with no end in sight.

No matter how long and difficult it is, once you start, the end will come someday, and the end of this rail will also have a destination.

But it was also true that I never thought about what to do when I got off at the final destination.

“I’ve never thought about it. well… Perhaps he will continue to work as a principal. Yes, I guess I’ll really be working as the principal of an academy, not like a barracks like now.”

I can hear Sia exhaling deeply after hearing my self-deprecating mutterings.

“Then Elm.”

She sits across from my desk and reaches out to hold my hand.

They push away the pen in their hands and put their hands together, clasping their arms together.

I heard the sound of a dropped ballpoint pen rolling on the desk.

“If everything is over, would you like to go on a trip somewhere with me?”

“… It’s a trip.”

“Yes. Let’s go anywhere together. It’s good to visit famous tourist attractions. Or, you can go to a forest or a remote island that people don’t often visit. There, you can take pictures with each other, splash in the water, take a nap together, or just lie down and look up at the sky. I want to make memories like that with Elm.”

“Yes. Come to think of it, I had authority over you before. It became a bit of a blur as work got busier. Yeah, that’s a good idea.”

“Really? I promised it. You can never break it, right?”

For some reason, her face as she said those words had an expression that wouldn’t be strange even if she were shedding tears.

Feeling a little puzzled, I looked down at my hands with narrowed eyes.

“I may be overreacting, but. For some reason I feel so anxious.”

” Are you saying there is anything to be anxious about? Didn’t I already promise to be with you for the rest of my life?”

“Yes. But for some reason I have a bad feeling. It feels like Elm will disappear somewhere forever. This isn’t a story about being defeated by the devil. Just as Elm came to this world from another dimension, I have a feeling that at some point he will once again disappear without a trace.”

“… .”

“I must be mistaken, right? Your anxiety symptoms have subsided again, right? Sorry.”

After hearing her words, I stroked her head with a bitter expression.

Actually, her story is an area that I have thought about at least once.

I fell into this world without knowing why.

No matter how hard I thought about the cause, I couldn’t find any causal relationship or even a reason why I should have been chosen.

The only connection is that I read the romance novel that this world is based on. That alone is not a sufficient reason.

Am I the only one who read that romance novel?

Although 『Kissing a Sense』 was not a bestseller, it was still a well-known novel.

Although it was a novel in the days of paper books, it was a novel that would have garnered a million views compared to today’s web novels.

So, just like I appeared in this world. There were many times when I worried because I thought that I might one day return to a midsummer night’s dream.

In the early days of falling into the worldview of a novel, I had trouble sleeping at night.

“Don’t worry.”

I continued speaking while gently wiping the moist area around her eyes with my finger.

“Don’t go anywhere. Even if I fall into another world like I came to this world, I will definitely come back. No matter what happens, as long as I am me, I will always be with you.”

“… Elm.”

“I promise. Even if this world falls apart, our relationship will never change..”

He got up and gently hugged her shaking shoulders.

I patted her shoulder, feeling her warmth transfer to me.

She also gained something like an instinctive intuition as Yonghwa progressed.

And through that intuition, perhaps he sensed my anxiety.

‘It’s definitely going to be unsettling.’

She may not have been able to see my expression as she was hugged by me. Paradoxically, my expression was not very bright.

Actually, I was anxious too.

Even if Alexstras was defeated and the plan mentioned by the Collector succeeded, it was still questionable whether it would necessarily be a bright spot.

Regardless of whether what the Collector said is true, if I ultimately absorb the great being and become a god.

If it becomes a position that is no different from the origin of this world.

Nevertheless, will I be able to be myself?

Whether it was or not bothered me a little.

And while I was holding my thoughts, only the daylight from the streetlights below the window filled my vision.