Chapter 90
Gamlamseok Dormitory.
Kang Hanbyeol headed towards the room with the number matching the card.
As the green light illuminated on the sensor on the doorknob, a sound of the lock unlocking came from inside.
Click.
Seems like this is the right room.
Hanbyeol gently pulled the doorknob and stepped inside the room.
“Wow, isn’t it nice?”
He dropped the bag off his shoulder to the floor and let out a sigh of admiration after releasing his hand from the carrier.
Compared to the house he lived in at Taebaek Mountain, the room was quite narrow.
On one side of the wall were a wardrobe and a bookshelf, while on the opposite wall was a two-tiered bed, leaving little room to move around.
In terms of width, it might be enough for two adult men to lie side by side.
Nevertheless, Kang Hanbyeol didn’t mind.
Rather, the facilities in the room were much better than the house he had lived in before.
“Wow… the water pressure is good too.”
Due to living in the mountains, he had faced issues with the water supply system.
At times, the water flow was weak, requiring him to wash with trickling water, and while doing the dishes, there were occasions when the water wouldn’t come out, forcing him to go out to the stream midway to wash.
Above all, the problem was the bathroom.
The toilet getting clogged was a common occurrence, and he had to unclog it repeatedly every time it happened.
Naturally, there was no one else to turn to, so Kang Hanbyeol had to handle all of it on his own.
“If the toilet flushes well… then it probably won’t clog easily.”
Someone who knows how to handle mana to a certain extent can also manage the natural physiological processes of a human with mana.
However, using such methods in the long term only harms the body’s organs and further distances one from being a human.
Eating, sleeping, and excreting can be considered the basic needs of a living being.
Even humans, who combine emotions, reason, and thought, are no exception.
To suppress these needs is to essentially give up on being oneself.
It means becoming a different being, potentially one that cannot understand human desires and emotions.
To borrow the words of his master, it could be said that it’s a monster disguised as a human.
―Never forget that you are human. The words of Master Seo Jeongjin.
Kang Hanbyeol followed his teachings.
Magic originates from imagination, and diverse imagination stems from emotions.
Without suppressing desires and losing emotions, humans cannot expect diverse imagination.
Even to achieve magical feats, one must know how to set limits.
Satisfied with the bathroom inspection, he returned to where he had left his luggage.
“I wonder where the roommate who shares the room with me is.”
He glanced towards the two-tiered bed upstairs.
Clothes were laid out downstairs.
Seeing a suitcase nearby, it seemed like his roommate, sharing the same room, had arrived first.
Since they weren’t visible in the room, they were probably outside.
It seemed like greetings could be postponed.
With that judgment, Kang Hanbyeol decided to begin unpacking slowly.
“I do want to use the bed downstairs, but there’s no choice. I’ll use the one upstairs.”
Unfortunately, the bed downstairs was already taken by the roommate.
Kang Hanbyeol, feeling regretful, decided to use the upper bunk bed.
After climbing onto the top bunk, he placed his personal items on the shelf attached to the wall.
Among them was a photo taken with his master, Sabu, most recently.
Looking at that photo, he made a resolution.
“Just wait and see. I will prove that there is no one stronger than Sabu in this world.”
Tugwi Seo Jeongjin, who was regarded as one step below the leaders of the Shigamun.
His disciple, Kang Hanbyeol, dreamed of becoming the strongest and changing the public perception.
After a while, Kang Hanbyeol got off the bed and finished unpacking.
Since he didn’t bring many things, it didn’t take long to organize.
With nothing else to do, he went out to the veranda to feel the night breeze.
“So, I’ll be spending 3 years here.”
Lights were visible in the darkness.
They were lights from another dormitory.
Kang Hanbyeol gazed at the scenery absentmindedly.
It was during this that the door opened.
“Oh, you’re my roommate. Hello?”
The male student wearing round glasses greeted Kang Hanbyeol, holding a bulky bag in both hands.
He seemed sociable.
“Hello! Let’s have a good semester together! I’m Kang Hanbyeol.”
“I’m Park Sa. I specialize in Shield Techniques. Let’s get along well.”
“If you specialize in Shield Techniques, you must be aiming to be a Guardian, right? I think we’ll get along well.”
“Thanks for saying that. What discipline are you entering? It feels like Sword Techniques for you…”
“Right, for now, I’m in Sword Techniques.”
“For now?”
“If there’s a discipline that suits me better, I’m considering changing disciplines.”
“Maybe in the Middle Academy, but it’s better to stick to one discipline and focus on it… Or you could major in multiple disciplines. Oh, sorry. I’m being too nosy for a first meeting.”
“Don’t worry about it. Feel free to speak your mind. I’ll do the same.”
They shook hands in front of the second-floor bunk bed.
The two exchanged their full names.
True to his aspiration to be a Guardian, Park Sa was taller and broader-shouldered than Kang Hanbyeol, looking sturdy.
However, his physique was not bulky but rather lean.
The glasses on his face gave off an intellectual vibe.
He was different from the typical image known for Guardians.
He was a person with a twist.
At that moment, he adjusted his glasses.
“By the way, your name is Kang Hanbyeol, right? From what I remember, wasn’t there another person with the same name as you, who was also Tugwi-nim’s disciple? Could it be…”
“Yes, he is my master.”
“…I was right after all. My roommate is Tugwi-nim’s disciple…”
With his eyes obscured by the shining glasses.
The doctor, who had figured out Kang Hanbyeol’s identity, raised his eyebrows as if showing interest.
He openly expressed his goodwill.
“It seems like I’m lucky. Let’s get along since we’ve met like this. By the way, it hasn’t been long since you arrived, right? You probably haven’t visited the market yet.”
“The market?”
“Since you can’t send all your household items from home to the dormitory, you need to buy necessities separately. So, this is a trip to buy things necessary for living alone in the city…. Do you need to buy anything too?”
“Hmm, I haven’t thought about it…”
“Anyway, I’m planning to go back to the city tomorrow to buy what I couldn’t get today. If you have time, why don’t you come along? I can guide you.”
“Oh? Really? That would be nice.”
The doctor persuasively insisted.
As Kang Hanbyeol wanted to explore the Academy City, he had no reason to refuse.
He readily accepted.
“Shall we have breakfast tomorrow morning before we head out? If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I might not be good at explaining, but I know a lot of miscellaneous things. About the Academy City, the Geumgang Academy, or the students entering this year. I’ll share what I know within my scope.”
“Really? Then, do you know who the strongest person is at the Geumgang Academy?”
Kang Hanbyeol didn’t know much about the world of the Academy City.
The doctor’s words piqued his interest.
On the other hand, the doctor responded cheerfully.
As he had a liking for explaining things, he enjoyed it.
“If we talk about the strongest person here, it’s none other than Director So Hye-ryul, who is known as the Star Witch.”
“What about among the students?”
“Among all grades, it’s this year’s City Eun, the student council president. A prodigy of the Divine Inspection Department. Both in terms of reputation and skills, no one dares to challenge him. Even the top ten families in the same grade seem to defer to City Eun, who was originally ranked first.”
“Being ranked first means… they are the strongest in this academy, right?”
“Exactly. To exaggerate a bit, you could say they are the top among students in the Academy City. Because they are the top-ranking student in the best academy in the Academy City.”
“What about among the first-year students?”
“Well… We don’t have enough information about the first years to make a definitive judgment. But based on the entrance exam results, the top and second positions are likely candidates. Following them are those belonging to the top ten lineage.”
“Who are the top and second positions?”
“The top is Yeon Hanul from the Magic lineage. She’s famous as the disciple of the Seven-Colored Witch.”
“Magic lineage… Is there no Swordsmanship lineage? And who is the second?”
“The second is from the Swordsmanship lineage. Just like City Eun, he’s from the Divine Inspection Department.”
“What’s his name?”
Seo Jeongjin was often compared to the heads of the top ten families in the same generation.
He was usually considered an equal or slightly inferior.
Therefore, as a disciple, Kang Hanbyeol couldn’t help but be interested in them.
Especially in the head of the Divine Inspection Department.
―If you had to pick the most cautious opponent to engage in a life-and-death battle, I would choose Doe Yeeik from the Divine Inspection Department. That’s what the current head of the Divine Inspection Department says. He’s so unpredictable.
―More so than the Master?
―Of course, I’m more unpredictable! But if I try all sorts of tricks, he can handle it with just his swordsmanship. There probably isn’t anyone in this world who can match him in swordsmanship.
Seo Jeongjin spoke highly of the head of the Divine Inspection Department, Doe Yeeik, to that extent.
Because of this, Kang Hanbyeol felt a sense of rivalry towards those in the Divine Inspection Department who would live in the same era as him.
Gang Hanbyeol listened carefully to the name coming out of Dr. Park’s mouth.
“It’s Do Gyunwoo. Until the entrance exam, I was mocked with names like Rabbit or Lion Cub, but this time, entering as the second-ranking student, I’ve proven to everyone my undeniable ability. In my opinion… his potential might even surpass Do Si-eun, the student council president. Or maybe more than that.”
“…His name is Do Gyunwoo.”
Do Si-eun and Do Gyunwoo.
To remember them, Gang Hanbyeol repeated their names silently in her mind.
The moment of meeting them awaited her.
—
◈
The morning of the entrance ceremony dawned.
I had to wake up to the morning call from Yeonhae in the sky.
My voice was groggy.
“Hello…?”
[Did you sleep well? It’s time to get up. Get up now.]
“…Heaven. What time is it now?”
[What time is it…?]
“Just let me sleep for 10 more minutes… so wake me up in 10 minutes.”
[Sigh… I knew you’d say that. Just 10 more minutes?]
“Yeah…”
Yonghae had barged in last night.
He couldn’t sleep because he was excited about the entrance ceremony tomorrow… no, that guy dragged me to the gym.
In the end, I had to sweat it out with him until dawn.
Having moved my body so vigorously, it was inevitable that I would be tired.
In a dazed state, I explained to Yeonhae and immediately lost consciousness.
I intended to sleep deeply for 10 minutes, but 10 minutes felt too short.
Then, she called me again.
“Ugh…”
[10 minutes have passed. Get up now.]
“Just 5 more minutes…”
“No. You’re already late.”
“…”
“Aren’t you sleeping now? Don’t sleep. Don’t. Get up. Gyunwoo? We need to go to school.”
“We don’t go to school anymore…”
“Get up, Gyunwoo. We need to go to the academy.”
“I want to graduate quickly…”
“We haven’t even started school yet.”
“Sigh…”
“You’re so kind. Gyunwoo, you have to get up. If you keep sleeping, you’ll be late.”
“…Yeonhae.”
[Hmm? Are you up? Why?]
“Your voice is pretty.”
[…Hmm? Ah, what are you saying so early in the morning! You startled me!]
“It sounds like a lullaby in my ears…”
“No! Don’t sleep! Open your eyes!”
“I’ll leave the enrollment oath to you….”
“No. You can’t…. Dogyun-woo, please don’t do this. Wake up….”
“Goodbye, everyone. I will break free from all the restraints and constraints of this world….”
[…Looks like you’re awake. Are you teasing me?]
“I woke up while talking to you. Did you sleep well?”
“Yeah. I did.”
Switching the phone to speaker mode,
I stretched and got up.
As I pulled back the curtains, a bright sky fitting for the enrollment ceremony stretched out before me.
“The weather is nice today.”
“It doesn’t seem too cold, which is nice. Go wash up quickly.”
“Yeah, I’ll do that. Where should we meet?”
“At the elevator. I’ll wait around the time you come out.”
“Got it. See you later.”
“Don’t forget to wear your uniform.”
“Yeah, I’ll hang up now.”
“Yeah.”
One, two, three….
Counting to ten in my mind as if leaving a lingering feeling, I hung up the phone.
She didn’t like it when I hung up quickly.
For some reason, even though she wouldn’t directly confront me, she would sulk or pout if I hung up abruptly.
‘If I count to ten before hanging up, maybe she’ll treat me a little better that day.’
Having known Yeonhae-nim for five years, I discovered this aspect as well.
She had a complex psyche.
If there were such a thing as Yeonhae-nim psychology, wouldn’t there be followers after me.
I lightly chuckled and washed myself thoroughly in the bathroom.
After drying my hair and body, I sprayed on some body spray.
It was a body spray that Yeonhae-nim, Goeunbi, and Lisa had persuaded me to buy.
“The scent is quite nice.”
I’m not sure who picked out the fragrance.
Before using it, I hadn’t paid much attention, but now that the scent emanated from my body, it felt refreshing.
It seems worth the money, given its quality.
Soon, I changed into my uniform.
From Noble mtl dot com
“Hmm… Looks good.”
Standing in front of the full-length mirror, I carefully checked my outfit.
White dress shirt and red tie.
On top of that, a beige vest.
As an old-timer in the game, wearing a school uniform in the game made me feel strange.
Not bad. No, good.
After a while, I turned my body in the mirror and put on black boots before heading out.
[Hello?]
“Hey, I’m outside now.”
[Got it. I’ll head out too then.]
I called Yeonhae and walked towards where the elevator was.
When I pressed the button to go to the 1st floor, the elevator stopped right below.
The door opened, and Yeonhae was standing there.
“….”
“Why are you like that?”
“No… the uniform suits you well.”
“Really? Thanks.”
“Yeah, it looks pretty.”
“… It’s not the first time you’ve seen it, right? You saw it last time when we tried on uniforms together…?”
“What I saw then and what I see now are different. And back then, it wasn’t tailored either.”
For female students, they could choose to wear pants or a skirt.
The pants were similar to the ones I was wearing, and the skirt was a bright pink like the one Yeonhae was wearing.
She had black stockings on below.
Meanwhile, she wore a red ribbon around her neck instead of a red tie.
I gazed at her for a while.
She, too, stared back at me piercingly.
Her red eyes scanned me from top to bottom as if scanning me.
“Your tie is loose. You should tie it properly.”
“My neck feels tight, so I left it like this.”
“You have to take an oath at the entrance ceremony later, it wouldn’t look good if you keep it like that.”
“Then I’ll fix it when we get there…”
“…Okay, that’s enough. You look neat. And did you spray some body spray? It smells nice.”
“Really?”
Before I could finish my sentence.
Yeonhae, who had come closer, reached out and adjusted my tie.
After she smelled me up close and checked my condition again, she seemed satisfied.
As she came closer and smiled after smelling me.
“It still feels a bit tight…”
“Just for today, let it be.”
I touched the warmth of the lingering late summer sky on my neck.
I wanted to loosen my tie, but unfortunately, I couldn’t bring myself to do so as she seemed to notice.
Eventually, the elevator came to a stop.
We headed towards the restaurant on the first floor.
“It’s nice that there aren’t many people.”
“Because we left an hour early.”
As seniors and juniors entering the school, we had to go through a rehearsal for the entrance ceremony.
That’s why we had woken up an hour early to come and have breakfast.
We looked around the quiet restaurant, picked up our trays, and got our food.
There were two types of breakfast.
A typical Korean meal with fried eggs, sausage stir-fry, kimchi, soup, rice, and so on.
A Western meal with scrambled eggs, toast, morning bread, cereal, bacon, various jams.
Apart from these two types, there were also different kinds of cup noodles in a corner.
Of course, the thought of having cup noodles for breakfast never crossed my mind.
I chose the Korean meal, while Yeonha chose the Western meal and we found our seats.
“Taking an oath at the entrance ceremony… I don’t want to…”
“Are you still saying that? Accept it now. It’ll get better if you go and practice.”
“Will it really? Do you think so?”
“Let’s eat first.”
“I’m too nervous to eat.”
“Can I have the morning bread then?”
“…You eat well in the morning.”
“People live by eating, you know.”
There was also a drink bar.
While having breakfast, I got up and brought a drink for Yeonha to have.
“Here, have this.”
“Thanks. It’s nice that the tea is warm.”
“Let’s get up when it’s time to sit.”
“Okay.”
Before we knew it, we had finished breakfast.
We sat by the window, sipping our drinks, and chatted away.
The reason we weren’t going straight to the rehearsal was that there was still some time left and also because the class assignments were about to be announced.
“In three minutes, they’ll announce the class assignments.”
“I… hope we end up in the same class.”
“It would be nice if that happens…”
Yeonha was hoping to be in the same class as me.
Unfortunately, the chances were slim.
Since the number of classes exceeded 50.
‘One class has 50 students…’
Even if we assumed the minimum number for the entire first grade, it would be over 2,500 students.
Among them, it was almost miraculous for us to end up in the same class.
“Well, we’ve been in the same class since 5th grade elementary school, haven’t we?”
“Well… that’s true. But Haneul, this time…”
“Are you hesitating again? Or don’t you want to be in the same class as me?”
“…No. Of course, I want to be in the same class as you.”
Yeonhaneul glared at me sharply.
I lowered my head to avoid provoking her.
Then, I quickly urged her.
“Let’s pray for another miracle like we’ve had before this time.”
“Yeah. Please… Miracle, happen…”
Yeonhaneul, who had placed her smartphone on the table, clasped her hands together.
Her gesture was adorable.
I secretly took a picture of her while she closed her eyes and prayed.
Finally, it was time for the class assignment results to be announced.
We logged into the Geumgang Academy website and searched for the class assignment notice.
Clicked on the ‘Check Results’ button.
An information entry field appeared.
[Name]:
[Date of Birth (8 digits)]:
[Check Results]
I entered my name and date of birth.
Now, all that was left was to press the check results button.
“When I count to three, we’ll check simultaneously. Got it?”
“Got it. But even if we do that, the results…”
“Hush.”
“Let’s press while praying for a miracle.”
“Good idea.”
Yeonhaneul took a deep breath.
We placed our smartphones on the table, leaned our heads together, and bowed.
Soon, she signaled.
“Miracle, please happen. One.”
“Miracle, happen…”
“Two. Please, please, Miracle…”
“…”
“Three! Miracle, please!”
Almost simultaneously.
We pressed the results inquiry button.
Could it be that the server had a problem due to others checking their classes?
The screen remained blank without any change.
“Please, let a miracle happen….”
“….”
Yeonha prayed silently.
And shortly after, the screen changed, revealing the class assignments.
We quickly checked our classes.
[Cheering for your year. Student Dogyeonwoo has been assigned to Class 17 in Grade 1.]
[Cheering for your year. Student Yeonha has been assigned to Class 8 in Grade 1.]
“….”
Silence fell.
I watched Yeonha, who couldn’t take her eyes off the screen.
“A miracle… didn’t happen….”
Yeonha’s pupils trembled.
With a quivering voice, she said,
“I need… diapers….”
Her ears drooped like a rabbit’s.
Yeonha choked on her words.
I hope that’s a translation issue – “I need … diapers”??