Chapter 551 – Alone at School (1)
—
– Park Seungyub
There are numerous reasons why I dislike school.
I hate spending time in a classroom with kids I’m not even close to, and I’m not fond of being forced into mind-numbing studying either.
— Ziiik!
“If there were no school, a loser like you would be more like an Australopithecus!”
Is that plain talk or formal speech?
I also hate Sofia, who hurls insults at every opportunity.
“I don’t like you either.”
— Ziiik!
Her childish personality just makes it worse.
Yumi was never like this!
What did Yumi teach her when she was her student?
“I learned as much as you did from Lee Jaseong.”
Cough!
That moment left me speechless.
What does she know about the Master when she’s never even met him?
— Ziiik!
“I think you just made a marking mistake.”
“I don’t make mistakes!”
What seems like a mistake is simply the guidance of fortune—
“Be quiet during the exam!”
There’s a huge gap between Yumi and Sofia’s magical abilities.
Sofia doesn’t have the power related to physical manipulation like Yumi does. On the other hand, Yumi can do things like ‘mind-to-mind communication,’ which is pretty handy.
It’s more the case that I’m not used to things and occasionally making mistakes.
“The answer to question 17 looks like number 3 to me.”
“It’s four.”
“Why are you so confident just by guessing?”
“I trust myself.”
“No, you’re JUST guessing!”
I’m the fortune boy!
— Ding dong!
“Everyone, turn in your test papers!”
The quiz in Korean history was finally over.
*
The grading result: a solid 70 points.
My evaluation of this is—
“Seriously? This was so easy, how did I only get 70? The questions were practically lifted from the textbook!”
That’s the highest score I’ve ever seen on a Korean history test.
“Are you Chinese or something?”
“Hey!”
I couldn’t hold back and yelled, startling my classmates, making me leave the classroom awkwardly with a forced smile.
It looks like I’m still more comfortable actually speaking than just writing things down.
“That’s pretty harsh! And it’s still higher than the class average.”
“Thinking about it, I did well. The other kids solved the problems while you guessed. You got a 70 from randomly guessing answers? That’s impressive!”
“So—”
“And you’re proud of getting a 70 by guessing.”
“Of course! Luck is part of my talent!”
In this area, I never waver.
The greatest hero of all time doesn’t let ordinary folks’ jealousy get to him.
“Are you seriously wishing to be good at guessing test questions?!”
That surprised me a little.
My guessing skills have nothing to do with dreams; they come from a blessing of luck.
My teammates wouldn’t mix that up.
After Sophia and I returned to reality about ten days ago, she still doesn’t really understand my powers.
“No, this is a blessing. Wishing is different.”
“Wait, is being the top dog of Bangbae Middle School really your dream?!”
“Th-That’s not true!”
Sometimes, Sofia thinks I’m some kind of idiot!
Am I crazy?
Why would I wish to be the top of Bangbae Middle School?
I actually made two significant wishes.
First, the resurrection of my parents.
That was completely fulfilled.
Second!
“Ha ha…!”
Thinking about my newly acquired power already made me proud.
In that moment, a tiny voice tickled my ear.
“Why didn’t you resurrect the Master? He was your beloved one.”
“…”
*
Around lunchtime, I made my way to Class 5 of the third year.
There were plenty of boys already on tiptoes, spying on the classroom, and I could guess why.
There’s a notable celebrity in Class 5.
“Hey, hey, did you hear?”
“He’s going to become an idol trainee soon!”
“Wait, didn’t he say he was going to act?”
Hearing rumors about acting, idol training, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
From what I know, “him” is the type who wouldn’t be owning up to practice diligently anywhere.
Suddenly, a mysterious phenomenon occurred.
The focus of the students gradually blurred.
They shook their heads gently as if waking from a dream and dispersed to the sides.
The intriguing feature of the ‘Management Bureau Smartphone’ – the power of the recognition-inhibiting barrier.
Just as I expected, a girl emerged from outside the classroom.
“Yawn!”
“…”
“You idiot! Why are you hanging around here instead of going to the dining hall?”
The second-ranked student at Bangbae Middle School, Miro—
“Did you get everyone’s permission for that ranking game?”
“Uh, nah.”
“Anyway, let’s go.”
While heading to the school cafeteria, the kids started whispering again.
Miro’s looks are far too glamorous to live unnoticed.
“Ugh, so annoying. Just watch. This is why being someone special like me is tough!”
What’s with the sudden princess syndrome comment?
I want to tell Kain about this later.
“It’s time to chase them away—”
— Tap!
Just as Miro was about to pull out the ‘Management Bureau Smartphone’ she received from Ahri, I swiftly snatched it away.
“Whoa! What the heck!”
“Dumbass! Didn’t Ahri Noona tell you not to use it often?”
“…”
“Are you planning to use it again right after you just did?”
Her actions are quite reckless.
Is she thick-headed?
It’s not that simple.
I know that using the recognition-inhibiting barrier too often has negative effects on ordinary people, but she doesn’t seem to care.
So—
“It’s not that you’re thick-headed, but rather that your personality stinks.”
Sofia’s biting remarks often contain painful truths.
*
— Click!
“Done. Now nobody can come in.”
You don’t need to ask how I did it.
It’s probably some kind of magic unique to Sofia—I wouldn’t understand if I listened anyway.
Regardless, thanks to that, the three of us found freedom in the empty classroom.
“Ugh~! I really hate school!”
“So do I…”
Miro and I expressed our honest feelings.
And then there was a faintly blonde girl letting out a sigh.
“Sorry, but you two need to attend school for another ten years to be regular people.”
“Seungyub, why does she only say such downer things?”
“Uh, there’s a saying about tadpoles not knowing what frogs are like.”
“What’s that got to do with tadpoles and frogs?”
“A tadpole becomes a frog when it grows up,”
“No way?”
“Absolutely.”
“Seungyub, have you ever raised a tadpole before?”
“Uh…”
“You dimwit! I’ve raised them before. Tadpoles just squirm around in the water for a month before dying.”
“Maybe it’s because you raised them wrong that they all died?”
“Hah! You’ve never raised a tadpole—”
— Clap!
Sofia clapped her hands, abruptly ending the conversation.
“Please! Both of you just be quiet.”
Her expression looked like she was on the verge of tears.
“When a tadpole grows, it becomes a frog. What Seungyub was trying to say was that frogs don’t know what it was like to be tadpoles. It seems he was pointing out that I’ve been in school for so long I’ve forgotten about my childhood.”
“Ha ha! That’s it! Did you hear that, Miro, you idiot—”
“Please, just shut up.”
“…”
The classroom fell silent.
At the moment Sofia had a weary expression, Miro grumbled.
“Her personality is really weird. She talks in circles!”
“I’ve always tried to be polite to you all. Sometimes, you bend my heart, and that’s the problem.”
“I miss Kain…”
I found it a bit strange every time Miro would say she missed Kain.
Many people admire Kain, but few would spill it like Miro does.
I wonder how Sofia feels about Kain.
Is he still an object of worship?
Or is it—
Who knows?
More pressing, the reason we gathered today is different.
“I have a message from Ahri!”
Sofia and I turned our attention to Miro.
“First, an answer regarding Sofia’s request.”
Sofia’s request.
After we reached reality together, Sofia realized her circumstances inside the ‘Soul Vessel’ and demanded something.
“Could you take me out of the Soul Vessel?”
To an NPC, the Soul Vessel is like a ‘boat across dimensions.’
A tool that allows non-participants to enter or exit the curse room from reality.
Having already returned to reality, there’s no need to still be on the boat.
Honestly, I was also pleased with the request.
Keeping Sofia in the Soul Vessel is very uncomfortable for me.
More than anything, this place is not meant for her.
“It seems possible. Souls contained inside the Soul Vessel can be swapped, meaning we can extract your soul. After that, we can seal Sofia’s soul with a ‘special tool’ and implant it into a body prepared by the Management Bureau.”
Just hearing that feels like a huge story.
To be honest, it’s a wee bit unsettling.
“However, are you ready to ‘serve’ the Management Bureau?”
“… I’ll think a bit more about it.”
“Next topic! This is Seungyub’s message for you.”
“Huh?”
“Be careful with your actions. I got ‘retrieved’ by the Management Bureau right as I started, and you did too since you started in the same school as me.”
“True.”
“We are all exposed to the watchful eyes of the Management Bureau.”
“…”
“So, don’t approach the other comrades who haven’t been exposed yet recklessly.”
“I’ll remember that.”
*
Miro and Ahri were monitored by the Management Bureau right from the beginning.
Since I’m in the same school as Miro, I’m probably already under their surveillance too.
Sofia’s existence has likely been detected as well.
Of course, since Sofia wants to escape the Soul Vessel with the help of the Management Bureau, it might not matter.
It’s like we’re ‘discarded bodies.’
Therefore, we should avoid rushing into meetings with comrades who haven’t yet been exposed.
Sofia answered in a calm tone.
“Interesting.”
“Hmm?”
“Regarding Ahri, seems her loyalty to the organization is remarkable since she joined right at the start…”
“…”
“But judging by this conversation, she seems to prioritize you guys over the Bureau.”
“Well, this is also a question from Grandfather.”
“A question from your grandfather?”
“Ehem!”
Soon, Miro whimsically mimicked Grandfather’s voice.
“Seungyub! Why didn’t you resurrect Yumi? I thought you’d revitalize her through dreams.”
“…”
That’s the second time I’ve been asked that today.
Other comrades probably have the same curiosity when they meet me.
The reason I didn’t ‘summon’ Yumi through ‘dreams.’
“… It’s a one-time thing.”
“What?”
“Applying reality through dreams can only happen once per loop, as the Merchant said.”
“…”
“I don’t want that kind of resurrection. If I ever wake Yumi up, I hope it will be an eternal reunion without parting ways again.”
For some reason, my face went red.
Nooo! My mouth just said that?
Unlike Miro, who blushed too, Sofia pressed farther with sharp questions.
“Then you did revive your parents, right? Are your parents less precious than your Master and beloved one?”
“….”
“Well, that’s possible. Kids can forget their parents as they grow older, right?”
A biting remark even during this!
“More importantly, you seem to be considering the possibility of moving to the ‘next loop,’ huh?”
“Hmm?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Not so much that I’m considering it, just a feeling? If it’s just a feeling, it’s a pretty ominous intuition.”
Our brief meeting ended there.
*
Back to the seventh period, math class.
As always, I plunged into deep slumber.
…
I woke up with a refreshed feeling.
From this moment on, something felt off.
It’s normal that waking up from a sweet sleep during class shouldn’t be refreshing.
Usually, the teacher or a friend would wake me before I can enjoy that peaceful moment.
But I felt refreshed.
Because no one woke me up.
No one was there to wake me.
To put it differently….
“What is this?!”
Everyone, excluding ‘Park Seungyub’ from Bangbae Middle School, had vanished!
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