Translator: Wan ED/PR: Personal Ghost
14. Mid-term exams (3)
It gradually intensified.
Her vision was completely dyed black and red.
Now she was able to clearly feel her vision being dyed by ominous colors even in darkness.
The darkness could no longer protect her.
‘I can’t be alone. I’m going crazy!’
Out of desperation, she began to search for places with people.
The place with the most people was Wings Hall self-study room.
If she mixed with the students studying overnight, she could relieve the strange changes to her vision for a very small bit.
‘When exams end, it may all go away. This may be just because of exam stress.’
She hoped for it throughout the entire exam period.
Those stains, those sounds, that blood gushing out of nowhere.
All exams will end and it will all completely disappear like magic.
‘It’s the same…’
No, rather it intensified.
Now that the exam period ended, the self-study room became empty.
She had no idea where to go.
‘What to do, what to do…’
There were still many students in the dormitory cafeteria.
It seemed that she spent the entire day in the cafeteria, but she couldn’t even taste the Moon Rabbit Rice Cakes that came out on this special occasion.
However, where will she go when the evening comes, and the cafeteria will be closed?
If she goes home, her parents will be worried.
Should she flee outside of school to go to the 24h cafe…?
“Can I sit here?”
The black-red stains and buzzing disappeared like a lie.
In her clear vision stood An Dain.
“Dain…?”
“We couldn’t meet during the exam period. Let’s eat together.”
An Dain was smiling slightly.
It was a rarely seen smile.
Did something good happen?
Unknowingly to her, her mood had raised, and the corners of her mouth raised following An Dain.
“Do you want to go with me to the central zone library after we eat a meal? Ju Su… No, someone I know recommended a book to me, so…”
“Don’t!”
Hearing that horrible word, her voice raised again.
“Ah…”
She always acts terrible towards An Dain.
The guilt and remorse washed over her entire mind.
Her voice was pretty loud, but thankfully the cafeteria wasn’t crowded and the exams ended, so the students gathered didn’t pay attention as they were busy chatting.
She looked around and then spoke in a lower voice.
“I’m sorry, Dain. Don’t go… Never go to the central library.”
An Dain’s eyes flickered, then she gave her a nod.
It seemed she thought about using the 1st year library or the Wings Council library, though the hours of their operation were shorter compared to the central library.
She changed the topic before An Dain fell deeper into her thoughts.
“To-Today…Do you want to do a movie night, maybe? And chat. In my or Dain’s room!”
“Okay. Wanna come to my room?”
“Yeah…! Dain, thank you so much…”
Thinking about the world without stains and buzzing, at least until tomorrow, she could smile for the first time in a very long time.
***
[1]
The old school’s classroom, filled with the smell of musty dust[2].
Yeom Junyeol with a scary face stretched his hand out in the air towards me who finished the embarrassing coming out as red-something. He summoned Red Dragon.
Paaa—
Above Yeom Junyeol’s fingertips, a subspace crack appeared.
Inside of it surfaced the crystallization of his power and flames, the red dragon.
I didn’t feel any hostility or killing intent.
I had experienced a few battles, so I was able to recognize his bluff.
But I didn’t know his purpose.
‘The level is still low. Red Dragon’s size and the power of the flames coiling around it aren’t that high either.’
The moment when Red Dragon made a motion as if it was about to spit fire at me.
Yeom Junyeol gave a stop signal.
“As expected, you’re not a member of the Yong tribe.”
“Yong tribe…?”
“To stop me from searching for Red Wall Thief, some Yong tribe members pretended to be the Red Wall Thief a few times. But as Their descendant, I can’t even make an attack motion towards Them, so They were discovered straight away.”
The Yong tribe was making such crazy things behind the scenes!?
Whatever it was to make me or stop me from becoming Yeom Junyeol’s master, they continued to behave this way.
I can bet Snare’s original photo…I can bet a copy of Snare’s photo that this lost-for-the-world son fool Yeom Bangyeol also had a part in this crazy play.
“My apologies for pretending to suddenly attack you… Though it seems that you were aware I’m not planning on attacking you.”
“No problem. Sorry for impersonating you.”
“It’s fine. Thanks to it, the Fantasy Controversy was discovered and Seeum could come to school.”
My Playable Character, Yeom Junyeol, is truly a nice guy.
He suffered an annoying thing because of me, so it was a situation where I wouldn’t say a word even if he beat me up with his fists once.
“Do you know why I was searching for you?”
“Because you want me to be your master.”
Yeom Junyeol had a bit of a surprised expression that then turned delighted.
“Will you… accept me as your student?”
Seeing this reaction, I guess he really wanted me to be his master.
I was the one who grinded Yeom Junyeol throughout numerous free quests to foster his character.
I had a rough understanding of how he should develop.
Even so, before that, I had to make a request.
“There is a condition.”
“Yes. Please tell me!”
Yeom Junyeol made a face which could be put into a commercial clip.
It seemed that I was exploiting this kind Yong tribe’s descendant, so my conscience hurt, but I couldn’t come up with a better move.
“5th May. At Jamsil baseball stadium, throw the first pitch and then watch the game until the end. In addition, you have to keep the fact that you’re throwing the first pitch a secret until that day.”
Every year on 5th May.
On Children’s Day, at the Jamsil stadium, one of the ace performances of Korea professional baseball that can boast 8 million cumulative spectators every year will be held.
The two rival teams with Jamsil baseball stadium as their homeground.
Ju-Oh Dragons.
TC Knights.
Every year the two teams play a game at the stadium on Children’s Day as home teams.
From those two teams, it was a tradition that when Ju-Oh Dragons played as the home team, the first pitcher on Children’s Day belongs to the Yong tribe, following the team symbol.
“… Do you mean the Jamsil Children’s Day derby match between Ju-Oh Dragons and TC Knights? When Ju-Oh plays as home team, the Yong tribe member goes and shows their Gwangrim, and every two years they throw a first pitch.”
“Yeah. Exchange places with the Yong tribe member who was selected as the first pitcher, so you can do the first pitch. When the game is safely over, I’ll become your master.”
As one of the top 10 world teams, the Red Lion boasted the greatest popularity within the country.
The same went for the Yong tribe behind the Red Lion.
Ju-Oh Dragons used the opportunity to take ‘Dragons’ as part of their name and actively invited Yong tribe members and Red Lion team members as first pitchers.
“… Yong hyungs and uncles felt annoyed, so They would always secretly run away during the 4th or 5th round. Will I really become your disciple only by throwing the first pitch and watching the game until the end?”
“Yeah. And don’t forget to keep it a secret until that day.”
“Yes!”
Yeom Junyeol didn’t show any particular doubt and replied energetically.
I expected him to have more questions and dig deeper.
When I stared at him without a word, Yeom Junyeol made a confident face and said:
“I thought I will have an opportunity to get to know you as much as I want if we become master-disciple. This condition is some kind of a test, right?”
In a sense, yes.
But I have no doubts that Yeom Junyeol would do his part.
“5th May, that’s the day when you will become my teacher.”
After such nice words, he added something very useless.
“Please wait, Red Wall Thief.”
I almost blacked out.
If I become Yeom Junyeol’s master, I would have to stop him from using that title.
***
Next day.
Students finished their exams and took a good rest.
The atmosphere of madness which dominated Eungwang School subsided.
The only joys and sorrows mixed over the exam result.
On the general bulletin board, dissatisfied comments that the water temperature of the Han River is still too low, so it’s difficult to fall into, arose.
‘They may be saying it as a joke, but it would be difficult to fall into the river in any case, because of Song Manseok’s Han River Cycling team.’
I read a few comments on the general bulletin board with a wry smile.
I went to school early in the morning, so I was passing the time in the classroom.
Swish—
I heard the sound of an automatic door opening and closing.
The guy who entered the classroom walked up to me without saying any particular greeting.
“What is the matter that you called me for here so early? Is it something which is difficult to share through a device?”
Hwang Jiho, who I was waiting for, arrived.
I got down straight to business before other kids came.
“Incidents from two weeks before the mid-term exam. The students who have received comprehensive eye inspections at our school infirmary and applied for a device replacement. Among them, the students who belong to the School Magazine Editorial Club. I need a list of students who meet at least two of these three conditions.”
The curse activated just before the mid-term exam.
‘If I tried to forcibly stop this matter at this time, the kids I don’t know about might have been cursed with something I don’t know about.’
So I could only leave it alone even though I knew about it.
But the students who were cursed had some reason to deserve it.
‘Maybe the temptation was too difficult to resist.’
As a student, who wouldn’t want to receive a higher score on the exam?
It was a natural case to want to choose a bit easier road.
Still, it was the wrong choice to make.
“The issues between the School Magazine Editorial Club and Newspaper Club, is it related to this?”
“Yeah.”
“After hearing Mun Saeron’s story, I tried to dig into the School Magazine Editorial Club. Something is strange there.”
You tried to dig into it by yourself?
I began to feel that Hwang Jiho’s attitude truly changed.
He felt like a different man…no, like a different Jin from the chairman who at his school becoming a mess, replied ‘what about that?’.
“I couldn’t tell whether the guys who are on the surface backing the School Magazine Editorial Club had a connection to Choe Pyeondeuk’s gang or not.”
Of course they have.
“If you looked into the School Magazine Editorial Club, you would guess that they were the ones who actively supported the promotion of Choe Pyeondeuk’s gang work… They don’t have a core authority nor are close with each other, they don’t even receive any profit from it.”
Hwang Jiho lived for 5 thousand years, but I guess it was a bit difficult to understand.
Even for other humans, it would be difficult to understand.
“They are ‘followers’.”
“… Ah, that’s what they are.”
Choe Pyeondeuk’s gang, which had connections to high-ranking people, were all replaced.
Choe Pyeondeuk was rotting in the Silver Shadow Building’s basement and other people were kicked out of Eungwang School and received judgment of the law.
‘However, it’s not the end.’
When a proper villain goes too far, followers form around them.
Even if they don’t receive any rewards, there are people who are just satisfied by doing something for their idols.
Choe Pyeondeuk was doing very well as a villain while committing all kinds of misdeeds, so he had followers.
“Jo Uisin, perhaps those students meeting the conditions you spoke of, are…”
“Yeah. They’re students under the influence of the followers.”
“Why do those followers target the School Magazine Editorial Club?”
The reason was related to Eungwang School’s history.
“Do you by chance, remember 15 years ago, when the Wings Council was formed? Because of the Wings Council, their plans were delayed, and all directors were fired.”
“… Yeah. I also remember the face of the Student Council president who had a one-to-one meeting with me.”
“Even the signature campaign which received signatures of the entire school didn’t work. The directors were pressured into a corner only after the Student Council spilled the incident to the media.”
The one to settle down the incident was Hwang Jiho.
After seeing students raising their fists and thanks to the Student Council’s president changing his mind, he probably roughly investigated the incident.
Hwang Jiho didn’t refute me.
“The followers who saw this incident thought like this: Wouldn’t it be helpful if they controlled the trustworthy press club of this school? So 10 years ago, the School Magazine Editorial Club was created.”
“… How controlling the highschool club of all things would be helpful?”
“The story is different if it’s the sole official press club of the most prestigious highschool in Korea. Even when they borrow a student’s name to spread dogshit, the students wouldn’t have a place to actively refute it with another article. Besides, the outside will take the ‘opinion of all Eungwang School’s students’ at face value.”
“I see. It would be difficult to touch the press club. Teachers or student organizations wouldn’t be able to easily punish them unless the articles they made were bluntly and actively lying. Because it could be seen as a media control.”
A bit of a frown appeared on Hwang Jiho’s forehead.
I decided to continue my explanation streak.
“For example, let’s say that 100% of Choe Pyeondeuk’s misdeeds were discovered. However, if you spread articles as if it’s the students who are at fault, you can create a contradictory image. The articles which leaked outside were also written by a student, so it will make both sides look like they were wrong in the eyes of the public, and it will be divided in half. And if you publish an article leaking out a few pieces of subtly manipulated evidence, you can even crush the spirits of the victim students.”
“…I get why they continue this even after Choe Pyeondeuk disappeared.”
Hwang Jiho, who listened to my every word until now, seemed to make the same guess as me.
He couldn’t perfectly understand humans and seemed to be confused, but when I threw him a clue, Hwang Jiho understood straight away, befitting his age.
“When Choe Pyeondeuk was here, they wanted to be helpful for him and now that he disappeared, they seem to want to glorify his history. And they can do it to be prepared in case Choe Pyeondeuk returns.”
I nodded at Hwang Jiho’s words.
Originally, the villains are good at indulging in absurd thoughts.
There was no way that the group of followers, who made a fuss in the game, easily changed their stances, because Choe Pyeondeuk’s gang disappeared from the school.
“Got it. You need nothing else besides that name list?”
“Prepare to hire new teachers. And keep a close watch on the pigs.”
If the school side heavily interferes in this case, it will be ruined.
And I was concerned about moving the powers of the Ho tribe which had already a lot to do.
‘If I make a mistake, Jegal Jaegeol may notice and try to stop what I’m about to do.’
I thought about what moves I had to play and put them to use.
***
After classes.
Today 1/4 quarter student representative meeting was held.
From our class, the ones participating were Kim Yuri as the class president and me as the vice class president.
In Kim Yuri’s case, she also belonged to the Student Council, but in situations when class executive duties overlap with duties of the other student organizations, participating as the class executive takes precedence.
For that reason, the Student Council president, Guideline Club president, Wings Council president and General Club Council president…
Each of those student organization’s representatives were chosen during their 2nd year and as a rule, they couldn’t become a class executive during their 3rd year.
“I have been to the Student Council Hall a few times already, but I always think the facilities are really good.”
I entered the central zone Student Council Hall’s corridor with Kim Yuri.
In the corridor, holograms with Eungwang School’s history and student organizations’ activities opened before us.
“Ask if you’re curious about anything!”
As a member of the Student Council, Kim Yuri was familiar with the Student Council Hall, so she walked in front of me and introduced me to the place’s facilities.
“Right. Uisin! Have you read the materials?”
“Yeah. They were very well done. Sorry I couldn’t help.”
“No, I didn’t say anything and did it alone anyway.”
While chatting with Kim Yuri, I was moving towards the meeting room A, used for the representative meetings, when someone suddenly walked up to me and spoke:
“Hey, Jo Uisin.”
“Yu Sang-hun, what are you doing here?”
Yu Sang-hun was together with An Dain in the 1st year class 1.
In the game, the 1st year class 1 class president was An Dain and vice class president was one of the illegally admitted bastards.
Surely, Yu Sang-hun didn’t become a vice class president?
“Are you also a class executive?”
We were in different classes and I wasn’t the type to talk in detail about all things which were happening in each of our classes, so I had no idea.
Yu Sang-hun was usually a person of a few words unless it was something related to basketball.
“Yeah. Illegal admission bastard was kicked out, and I turned into a vice president.”
Seeing how he was making an expression that he would rather not do that, I guess he became one by force.
He was a person who wouldn’t shrink in front of An Dain’s aura and could stand beside her, so as a rare talent, he was made into the vice president.
The illegally admitted bastard was forced to endure it because of his ambition.
And so, in the game, he was a maniac who harassed An Dain with Choe Pyeondeuk.
“Ah, I hate student representative meetings.”
Yu Sang-hun’s expression was terrible.
He was a guy who hated annoying things, but were there also some other reasons?
“Shh!”
In that moment, Mun Saeron appeared with a grin and held up a finger to her mouth.
Mun Saeron was the 1st year class 2’s vice president.
In the game, there was a description that the reason she had aimed for the vice president position was because she could hear various rumors during the student representative meetings.
‘The president of class 2 is Ju Su-hyeok.’
Mun Saeron pointed with her other finger at the end of the corridor.
“… And my favorite part was when the main character opened the window and said ‘It’s okay even if there is no sun[3]’.”
“Oh, me too…! Then the line afterwards ‘Until the moment when flowers wither’!”
Ju Su-hyeok and An Dain.
In the corner of the corridor, the two of them had a casual date pretending to be a book appreciation club.
I guess they recommended books to each other when they last saw each other and then took the end of exams as an opportunity to read them.
But what is up with you fluently reciting those lines?
Surely, you didn’t memorize the entire book, right?
“… Got it?”
Mun Saeron stopped us from interrupting the two while sending us signals with her eyes.
Kim Yuri, who saw An Dain, at first had a surprised expression, but then she started nodding with a very happy face.
‘I guess they had a very good conversation even after I left.’
When I was rejoicing inside…
Thump.
Someone bumped into my shoulder.
Did they bump into me intentionally?
The corridor was quite wide, so why?
“Make way, 1st year.”
The one who collided with my shoulder was one of my Playable Characters.
The Student Council president, ‘Iron Lock Tao Wonu’.
‘It’s the first time we meet in person.’
He was the character with the Gwangrim I decided to use when beating up illegal admissions on April Fool’s Day.
He was a hardworker, who obtained Electro Arts without any talent in it solemnly through his efforts.
A leader who supported the Student Council executive Yu Sang-hui, who after Yu Sang-hun’s death was gradually losing herself to hunting demonic beasts, and stayed by her side to the very end.
The Student Council president Tao Wonu was like a hot-blooded boy who came out of a comic book. He wasn’t able to graduate and died protecting the school until his last moments.
‘Was his character originally like this? Why is he so captious?’
Just then, Tao Wonu saw Yu Sang-hun at my side, and he suddenly turned agape.
“Ah, my brother-in-law is here.”
What type of nonsense is that again?
Mun Saeron’s eyes started to shine at the word ‘brother-in-law’…
Swish!
With the sound of cutting wind, frighteningly fast attacks came down at Tao Wonu’s stomach and back.
From the front Yu Sang-hun smashed him with a fist, from the back Yu Sang-hui gave him a good thrashing with the Vital Point Strike.
Tao Wonu, who didn’t avoid and took on all attacks, staggered.
“Wonu, if you’re gonna be crazy, then be crazy when you’re alone. What are you doing being a lunatic for in front of your juniors?”
“Madman.”
Yu Sang-hui who was condemning with a smile and Yu Sang-hun who had a rotten face made a great combination.
They matched even in their attack timing. Those two were really siblings.
“Haha… Ha, not even one of the whips of love given by my future family hurts!”
What are you talking about when making a face as if you’re filled with pain?
My Playable Character and our school Student Council president was a complete madman.
*~*~*
[1] Conversation between Jo Uisin and Yeom Junyeol – it’s hard to show in English (like always), so I’ll note down that Yeom Junyeol is using a polite tone towards Jo Uisin, while Jo Uisin is using a casual tone. Now, that puts Jo Uisin higher in status and age in terms of politeness levels.
[2] musty dust – ‘musty’ in raws stands for the word which means ‘disgusting, nose-itching smell’ mainly from mold or smoke. So it could also be ‘smoky’ dust?
[3] It’s okay even if there is no sun — ‘Sun’ could also mean ‘a cherished existence/being which gives you hope’… Also, author, what is this? What are you talking about? That looks very suspicious, you know that, right?
* Previously I said that at one moment Jo Uisin used a polite tone when thinking about Yeom Junyeol. After staring at it for a few hours, getting some sleep and asking around, I assert that I was wrong. Though the grammar form used there is formal, in this context it’s just fancy quotation… Well, I won’t go into Korean grammar here. In short, this translator was wrong and they are very sorry about it.
Translator’s note: I swear, everyone in this novel is lovely and I’ll jump into a fire for them, but some just make this really hard at first.
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