Translator: Wan ED/PR: novio
15. 1/4 quarter student representative meeting (2)
Playable Character Jegal Jaegeol.
Jegal Jaegeol’s superpower manifested as an extremely rare kotodama[1] skill.
His Player nickname was Aquamarine Poet.
‘This Player’s words are like poetry and those words shine like aquamarines’ was a comment he received with his nickname.
Jegal Jaegeol’s rare power and noble character caught the attention of a god appearing in the Ancient Egyptian myths. Higher being Thoth decided to personally bestow him a blessing.
The god of knowledge, science, language, time, the moon, and the guardian deity of the library, that Thoth bestowed upon him a blessing.
[I hope thy words will always be true.]
With that blessing Jegal Jaegeol couldn’t tell a lie, so he received a higher being’s protection and was reborn as an even more powerful Player.
A righteous, powerful Player.
The head of school affairs, in charge of all the work in the school.
The moment such a person became the advisor of the Newspaper Club, taking over the school’s press became difficult.
The ‘followers’ devised a plan to remove Jegal Jaegeol.
They succeeded in their plan with the usage of students as bait. He was expelled from Eungwang School.
However, there were guys who could never accept his retirement from Eungwang School.
[Teacher Jegal-nim, why are you sick! It’s not true, right? You’re pretending to be sick, right?]
[We’re currently gathering a party to obtain an SSR rank recovery item! So please prepare to go to school!]
[If an SRR rank item won’t do, we’ll go to Russia to obtain a UR rank item!]
[Just bring yourself! We prepared everything, even socks!]
[We have a wheelchair and movable hospital bed, so come out!]
The 2nd year class 0 students abandoned all classes and whatnot, and chased after Jegal Jaegeol.
The 2nd year class 0 didn’t appear in the game, but the description of their continued conversations outside Jegal Jaegeol’s dark room did.
Jegal Jaegeol was worried because the students were skipping classes because of him.
He showed his dying appearance before the 2nd year class 0 once.
The game only showed Jegal Jaegeol’s back of his almost completely transformed form.
The screams and lamentations poured out when they saw Jegal Jaegeol’s appearance through the crevice of the door.
[I hate it, it can’t be…]
[Teacher-nim is a liar… You said you’re going to be our homeroom teacher until we graduate…]
[Ahh…]
There was no way to help Jegal Jaegeol’s body with a standard item.
As a matter of fact, he was no different from a corpse.
The higher being Thoth, who cherished him a lot, could only slow his time to extend his life a little and help him organize his life.
The 2nd year class 0 students were the worst, but they were also the strongest rascal Players.
After facing Jegal Jaegeol, the clever guys realized the truth and despaired.
‘Besides, Jegal Jaegeol was worried that the students he had saved would get hurt, so he hid the entire matter.’
Seeing Jegal Jaegeol like this, the 2nd year class 0 students made up their minds.
They weren’t able to protect Jegal Jaegeol, but they would protect what he left behind.
‘One of those things was the Newspaper Club.’
The 2nd year class 0 which already has nothing to lose, walked a thin line between law and crime, and screwed up everything the School Magazine Editorial Club was trying to do.
Whatever it was a blackmail, reducing grades or punishments, the 2nd year class 0 stayed the same.
‘We’re going to beat up those guys to death even if we die.’
With this mindset, the 2nd year class 0 gave all they had.
‘Without Jegal Jaegeol there was no teacher who could control the 2nd year class 0…’
Why did the rascals that went down in the Eungwang School history suddenly do all that shit only to the School Magazine Editorial Club?
Everything naturally drew attention and it became difficult for the followers to move.
‘At first they planned to quietly manipulate public opinion behind the scenes, but like this it would backfire on them.’
In the end, after half a year of the great clashes, the followers gave up.
The devotion of Jegal Jaegeol’s students and 2nd year class 0 protected the Newspaper Club.
Until the end of the game, Eungwang School students didn’t suffer due to the plots of the school press.
After the followers became quiet.
The 2nd year class 0 attended school as if they died.
Only on teacher’s day, Jegal Jaegeol’s birthday and memorial day, they would once put a picture of him on every hologram in the school.
‘In the game, they remained as a legend even though they never appeared in the CG and were only mentioned in the text conversations or background descriptions.’
The two people who lead that 2nd year class 0, president Geun Chansol and vice president Wang Chansol made a colorful appearance at the 1/4 quarter student representative meeting.
“What about our teacher?”
“You’re in the Newspaper Club. Is it something about the club?”
“These days, because of the Newspaper Club matters, teacher Jegal-nim doesn’t have time to play. Do better!”
“Okay, let’s hear about it. Tell us, what is it?”
“Yeah. Tell us about it.”
Worthy of the PMH acknowledged Jegal Jageol’s loyal fans.
Geun Chansol and Wang Chansol’s eyes flashed and they pounced at me.
“Teacher Jegal Jaegeol-nim is in danger.”
Geun Chansol and Wang Chansol blinked very quickly and spoke very quickly.
“Huh? Are you saying our teacher-nim is doing something dangerous? Is he hurt? Uh, what is it about?”
“Our teacher Jegal-nim is such a hogu it’s dangerous.”
“Danger? What is it?”
Those two felt restless straight away.
If I had to pick the craziest person in the Eungwang School, those guys would come up on the top of the list, but even so, they were genuinely thinking about Jegal Jaegeol.
“There are people who hold the lives of several students, they plan to make a transaction with teacher Jegal Jaegeol-nim. If it goes on like this, teacher Jegal Jaegeol-nim will accept the trade and sacrifice himself.”
If some unknown person comes and speaks like this, they’re asking for a beating.
However, now I’m a Player who made a name for himself as the Unknown Supernova.
I also have a reason to protect Jegal Jaegeol as a member of the Newspaper Club.
I’m talking about his life, so whether they believe it or not, they will have to try to decide whether it’s dogshit nonsense or not.
“… Why won’t you talk about it with the school or Player’s Association?”
“Right. Why, why? Isn’t Eungwang School staff strong? Even the Player’s Association works hard these days.”
That’s a reasonable doubt.
“If the truth leaks out right now, those students will die. Even if those students are rescued, other students may be caught and they will be used to make a trade in a way I don’t know about.”
The dark mastermind’s name, their location and so on, I didn’t have information about that.
How many people do they have, who is involved and how?
So if I want to catch these villains, I need the part of the scenario to proceed according to the game.
If the deal proceeds in a way I don’t know about, it’s the end.
“If it’s teacher Jegal Jaegeol-nim, he will take the risk if even one student’s life is at stake. He is just a person who would rather die than put a student in danger. Teacher Jegal Jaegeol-nim cannot know about this.”
If this becomes known to the school staff, there is a big chance that it will reach the ears of the villain or Jegal Jaegeol.
I have to finish this case as quietly as possible.
“Right. If it’s true, then teacher Jegal-nim is going to die like a hogu. If it’s really the truth!”
“… Is there evidence we can trust?”
“How did you know this!?”
I couldn’t explain everything or give clear evidence, but I had a clue.
“I can’t share my information channel, but I have something worthy of evidence.”
I opened a hologram.
“The names of the hostages. Currently, these students are suffering from a powerful curse. They are all members of the School Magazine Editorial Club, which caused problems with the Newspaper Club.”
I showed them a name list sent by Hwang Jiho.
I asked Hwang Jiho to search based on three specific conditions.
First, students who received an overall eye inspection in the school infirmary.
Second, students who applied for device replacement.
Third, students who belong to the School Magazine Editorial Club.
‘I searched for the students who meet at least two of those conditions and I was going to choose those which I would observe in person.’
But there was no student who met only two of those conditions.
The only five students who met these conditions met all three of them.
‘Because they committed a transgression, they have little to no one to consult with and would be groaning in pain.’
An Dain’s dormitory friend would be the only person who was a bit better off.
Because thanks to An Dain’s ‘special constitution’ the influence of the curse would disappear when she was around her.
“… Let’s check it out?”
“There is even a 2nd year. Let’s throw them out! The School Magazine Editorial Club was unlucky, even before!”
“That’s a good mindset, Geun-Chan. I agree.”
Geun Chanseol and Wang Chanseol each downloaded the name list on their device.
‘Done. It’s the same as if I already obtained 2nd year class 0’s cooperation.’
Even if they observe for a moment only, they would be able to immediately tell that those five people lost their minds.
“So, let’s say it’s all real. What can we do for you?”
“We know that we have to hide the existence of the hostages from teacher Jegal Jaegeol-nim.”
The 2nd year class 0 probably will immediately like this suggestion.
“Please kidnap teacher Jegal Jaegeol-nim on the day I designate.”
The two people’s hearts seem to flutter at the word ‘kidnap’.
The corners of Geun Chansol and Wang Chansol’s mouths curved up, little by little.
I guess they came up with dozens of jokes at this one word.
“It’s enough if you play with teacher Jegal Jaegeol-nim for a day unnoticed.”
“Call!”
“We’re gonna do this!”
They still didn’t check the guys on the list, but they already agreed.
It turned out that the name list was for nothing.
‘Teacher Jegal Jaegeol-nim, I’m sorry. It’s all for the teacher’s sake.’
The 2nd year class 0 kidnapping Jegal Jaegeol as a joke was nothing weird.
Everyone will think it’s naturally something that 2nd year class 0 would do.
It would act as the highest rank smokescreen.
***
After exchanging device codes with Geun Chansol and Wang Chansol.
The moment I returned to my dormitory room, I fell down on the sofa and activated a device.
‘There is still someone I had to contact through the device today…’
The first screen to open was the picture of Snare sleeping while covered by the cherry blossom petals.
It seemed that the mental wounds sustained by the ugliness of my Playable Character today healed.
‘There are many messages I had to check.’
Multitude of messages came from the guys who I couldn’t talk to face to face these days.
The first to catch my eye was Ju Su-hyeok’s Bread Shuttle observation record.
[Ju Su-hyeok] He didn’t smoke today!
Then was the long ignored nagging of Jang Namuk.
[Jang Namuk] Sang-hun are you alright, Uisin are you alright, why aren’t you checking your messages? Exams ended, are you sick? Are Eungwang School exams really so hellish? The normal tests in Military Academy reflect on the school records, so it’s relatively relaxed here… You prepare even during ordinary days, so let’s not get sick during mid-term exams.
Even an encouraging message from Seong Siwan arrived.
[Seong Siwan] At today’s student representative meeting, the 1st year class 0 materials were really well done!
Hello from Bak Seung-hyeon.
[Bak Seung-hyeon] Be careful of the season change’s cold.
After roughly checking and answering, I looked at the place where an overwhelming amount of unread messages piled up.
It was a chatroom with Eun-ho’s descendants, the three siblings.
[Eun Niho] Uisin oppa! Today Baekho-nim and the divine beast fought!
What!?
Among all the news I heard today, this one was most shocking.
My playable character and Snare fought?
Whose side should I take?
[Eun Jaeho] It seems that recently Baekho-nim read a bit of the divine beast’s mind. Then they fought.
I had no idea what you’re talking about.
It seems that the youngest Eun Jaeho, who is barely a teenager, still lacks communication skills.
[Eun Seoho] I think the divine beast was waiting for Jo Uisin hyung at the entrance…
[Eun Niho] Baekho-nim said ‘Jo Uisin is busy. Can’t come’, so the divine beast got angry. I guess it was really waiting for Uisin oppa.
It was because of me!
Indeed, what could my Playable Character and our Snare do wrong?
What side, to hell with that, it was me who was the culprit.
While I was lost in the sense of guilt. The youngest sent a picture.
The instant I saw the picture, I think I heard the sound of my heart dropping.
‘It’s the picture of a sulking Snare!’
On the living room sofa, where I always sat when I came to Hwang Myeong-ho’s mansion.
Snare buried its face into this sofa and didn’t even look in the direction of the device.
Be it the posture in which it was lying down or the no eye contact treatment, they all expressed ‘I’m upset’.
‘It hurts my mind, but it’s cute…!’
When this case ends, I have to play with Snare no matter what.
The picture was, of course, saved.
‘Now it’s my turn to contact the person I was delaying and delaying contacting.’
He was an extra grade[2] character whose face appeared only a few times early in the game.
At first I couldn’t remember well.
But in this world, he was one of the people who possessed power and worked hard for the Eungwang School.
If so, was there any reason? I continued to think.
[Me] Are you busy?
[Hong Gyubin] It’s okay! Today I finally don’t have to work overnight after a long time ^^!
Then are you getting off work?
But he would have to prepare to work from now on.
Even if my reasoning was wrong, I planned on borrowing Hong Gyubin’s power.
[Me] It’s about teacher Jegal Jaegeol-nim.
The reaction was exactly as I expected.
The message was marked as read, but there was no answer for a few seconds.
And then…
[Caller: Hong Gyubin]
Hong Gyubin called straight away.
*~*~*
[1] kotodama – it’s belief that words, be it written or spoken, have a mystical/magical power, which can affect the world. The word is Japanese, but it was popularized in Korea with the advent of the internet, so it’s also often used in Korean. The literal translation of Korean word would be: ‘language/speech power’, similar to the Japanese translation of kotodama.
[2] extra grade – I’m writing ‘grade’ but in fact it’s ‘extra rank’ in raws. Now, if you remember the rarity ranks (SRR, UR etc), then you may remember that EX is short for (Extra). Everything is saying that Jo Uisin means that Hong Gyubin is the extra as a character extra, not a rarity rank extra. But! Be careful, because the author just LOVES to say something like this and make a magic trick with it later.
Translator’s note: Sorry, this translator is currently busy picking up their broken heart from the floor.
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