<102 - Friends Doing Assignments>
There are countless obligations in the world.
The obligation of students to adhere to academy rules.
The obligation of new students not to wander around late at night.
The obligation of learners to earnestly complete their assignments.
Sadly, it’s tough to keep all these obligations at once.
“Seriously? To complete my assignment, I need to set up targets 50m, 100m, 150m, and 200m away at night, but how do I follow the rule of not wandering at late hours?”
Jiang was filled with complaints.
Hitting the targets wasn’t a challenge at all.
He had long been bored learning the memorization techniques for distant target practice from his mentor.
He could hit the targets even with his eyes closed, while jumping out of windows, and while diving from tall buildings or trees.
The real problem was finding suitable targets indoors and the fact that memorized items had to be retrieved once thrown.
‘Looks like there’s no sleeping for me tonight.’
He had been warned by his mentor that not growing taller would be a consequence of wandering out late at night. It seemed he would keep the title of the third shortest student in Class 981 for a long time.
“Hey. Have you seen Oknodie?”
“Nope, haven’t seen her.”
“Really?”
“I was too busy staring outside the lounge because I didn’t want to study. I’m sure of it.”
“Thanks. As thanks, I’ll let you have the fish next time it’s served in the cafeteria.”
“Wow! You’re so kind!”
According to the testimony of the quick but dim-witted Cat Beastfolk, Xenia, Oknodie hadn’t returned to her room.
Considering that Oknodie was also taking the [Distance Weapon Mastery] class, it made the situation sound quite significant.
‘So, she must be doing her assignment outside?’
Oknodie knew an unusually large amount about the Gift Academy.
Now she knew the source of that information too.
The wisdom left behind by the seniors was marked in the Room of Double-sided Strips.
A secret place that could only be accessed at designated times and locations.
That was the Room of Double-sided Strips.
‘There must be a hint there!’
With so much information, it was impossible to memorize everything, but that was the only place to find the academy’s hidden secrets.
2:22 AM.
Waiting for that moment while generating targets against a tree outside to throw and memorize.
Tak tak tak!
“Stop right there!”
“Unauthorized escapee! If you don’t return to your dormitory willingly, I’ll give you ten times the penalty points!”
A student was being chased by the security.
They had been caught trying to sneak out of the dorm after curfew.
‘Such a clumsy move.’
If you’re going to sneak out, at least hide well.
If caught, at least run well.
For whatever reason, the student was foolishly running away from the security.
Jiang was about to dismiss them contemptuously, but when he saw the face of the fugitive illuminated by the streetlight, he reconsidered somewhat.
He jumped down from the tree and darted into the nearby bushes, pulling the escaping student in as they passed by.
Gah!
“Shh. Be quiet. You don’t want to be caught, do you?”
While Jiang covered the fugitive’s mouth to keep them quiet, the security ran past them.
“Mob, right?”
The fugitive was Mob.
The student who had earned a ridiculous amount of demerit points in the [Distance Weapon Mastery] class alongside Oknodie.
“And who are you?”
“Oknodie’s friend.”
“Thanks for helping me. I had to sneak out since the instructors definitely wouldn’t let me go due to my urgent assignment, and look where it got me! They’re a bunch of idiots!”
Jiang scrutinized Mob carefully.
“Hmm.”
“What?”
“Something seems off. Oknodie said she likes strong people.”
“Ugh, I know I’m weak.”
“Do you cook well?”
“I can make fried eggs.”
“Do you treat someone out well?”
“I’m out of points. I only eat one meal a day.”
“That’s odd. What could Oknodie possibly see in you?”
Titosso, although a coward, was wealthy.
Just by seeing the ridiculous treasures they towed around, one could tell.
They’re skilled.
That’s why it’d be no problem for Oknodie to hang out with them.
But Jiang knew.
Oknodie was strangely indifferent toward students who weren’t wealthy or strong, and while she would respond to what someone said, she’d make no effort to socialize.
‘She must unconsciously recognize the person’s value.’
Assassins are trained in this.
To quickly determine if someone is a target they could kill anytime, if they need preparation, or if they are extremely difficult to take down.
They’re trained to instinctively assess the strength and killability of their enemies.
‘Cooking and wealth. Among those they can kill at any time, Oknodie only has two exceptions.’
Mob didn’t fall into those two exceptions.
He was truly an exception of exceptions.
That’s why it was curious.
What did Oknodie see in this kid?
He looked ordinary and had average skills.
“Oh! I remember now. You take the [Distance Weapon Mastery] class too, right? You use memorization instead of a bow.”
“Remembered it now?”
“Sorry. When we last finished the race, you talked to me, but I was so tired, I didn’t really remember.”
“Your memory is pretty ordinary too.”
“Ugh. I’m sorry for being ordinary. Anyway, thanks to you, I’m alive. I need to go do my assignment now.”
At least there was something redeeming about that seriousness of his.
“Useless effort.”
Jiang poked at Mob’s nerves.
“If you were a competent person like Oknodie or me, maybe. But someone ordinary like you won’t ever succeed in completing the 1000 points assignment no matter how hard you try all night.”
“Maybe you’re right. But I still have to do it.”
“Why? Even if you fail, you’d just get a little penalty points. You were last in the last race, right? Haven’t you already accumulated enough penalty points?”
Mob’s score was already beyond redemption.
It was in a tragic state.
“If I give up, it means I’m someone who can only do this much.”
“Hmm?”
“I know how everyone, from the instructors to friends and others in different groups, looks at me.”
Mob wasn’t stubborn out of ignorance.
He was more desperate because he knew.
“Still, one person believed in me.”
“Huh.”
“That one person is cooler than anyone I know.”
“Is that Oknodie?”
“Don’t tell Oknodie. I’m embarrassed.”
“Are you maybe in love?”
“No, not at all! I just don’t want her to be blamed and laughed at because of me.”
Mob remembered.
“During the last race, some seniors said things like, ‘The top student from Group A is nothing special,’ and, ‘A Border Region kid is still just a Border Region kid.’”
“Such irritating people.”
“It was my fault. Oknodie got such comments because she dragged back the lagging me.”
Someone took the blame for him.
If someone asked what the worst way to humiliate a man was, Mob could point to those moments.
“Oknodie doesn’t want people to think she stepped back for someone like me, so I absolutely can’t give up on this assignment.”
“Boring. It’s such a dull and ordinary story that I could yawn.”
As Jiang discreetly wiped away a tear, he boldly stepped ahead.
He couldn’t help but be ignored.
Just as Mob wore a forced smile, Jiang spoke to him.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you coming along?”
“Coming along? Where to?”
“A place where new students can train without worrying about the instructors during the late hours. I think we might find it.”
There are two types of people in the world.
Those who take assignments lightly and those who see them as a task worth their lives.
Assassins belong to the latter.
Because if they fail to eliminate a target, they’re the ones getting eliminated.
Such beliefs make lower-class students who aren’t serious about everything loathsome to her.
– This is ridiculous. I’ll give up.
– Should I just go eat?
– I saw on the way here that I could borrow a card from the store. Let’s play cards.
These are the kind of students who would abandon even an archery assignment.
Would they be able to carry out a request that risks their lives?
Not a chance.
Once you fall behind, you’re always left behind.
Yet, the only one in front of her who was trying so hard to be the latter.
‘I think I understand a bit. Why Oknodie recognizes this guy as a friend.’
2:22 AM.
After entering the Room of Double-sided Strips, Jiang came out with the information he wanted.
“Alright, follow me. There’s a secret training ground in the Magic District.”
“Wow, amazing. To go in and out of buildings without making a sound.”
“Ha. Don’t be surprised at everything. How uncool.”
Even while grumbling, Jiang checked to make sure Mob was following closely behind.
His kindness further sparked Mob’s enthusiasm.
“Huh? You’re from Group C, right?”
“…Are you on a night date?”
“No way! I’m just here at the training ground. What about you?”
By the window near the entrance to the Magic District.
Kasia, who had been covered by a blanket, locked eyes with Jiang with an intensity that startled him.
He was taken aback.
Even his assassin-like gaze wasn’t something anyone could easily handle.
Even by mistake, making eye contact would usually cause even instructors to look away sometimes.
But this kid, Kasia, unwaveringly received his gaze, to the point of making him feel competitive.
“Just. This place feels comfortable.”
“What a peculiar kid.”
Comfortable? Pfft.
The chair was uncomfortable, and his muscles were stiff.
This was a place you wouldn’t be able to sleep even if you paid for it.
Plus, behind him was an instructor exuding murderous intent.
If someone told her to sleep here, she’d reach for her dagger.
It was quite an intriguing sight.
Oknodie would surely have intervened.
‘If you don’t want to talk, then don’t.’
But that was that.
She wasn’t Oknodie.
There was also just an ordinary boy lingering behind.
Not a good situation for a contest.
“You’re quite strong, huh?”
“You’re the one who’ll lose.”
“Let’s have a match sometime.”
“…Hmph.”
Leaving behind the snobbish girl and the fearsome instructor, they headed to the entrance of the secret training ground.
“It’s sad for the instructor. A student is sleeping by the window while they have to put up with discomfort beside them.”
“She probably feels even worse than the instructor.”
“Why’s that?”
“Ah. Never mind.”
The secret facility was the cleaning supply closet in the students-only restroom.
‘Smartly built.’
If you just opened it, a common cleaning tool closet would appear.
But what if you spilled magic power in a set format on a magic pass?
The whole cleaning tool closet would come out, revealing an illegal modified training ground.
“Wow.”
As they entered with Mob’s awe, a male student guarding the training ground entrance looked at them dumbfounded.
“What are three first-years doing in a secret training ground only two weeks into enrollment?”
Waving his hand beyond the astonished boy, Oknodie, who had been shooting arrows at the target, greeted them.
“Whoa! Jiang and Mob! How did you find this place?”
“I followed the strips. Oknodie, you did too, didn’t you?”
“Uh, yeah! I did! Hehe.”
Liar.
If she hadn’t looked at the strips, how else would she have found this place?
It was just impossible to put aside her curiosity.
A smile crept onto Jiang’s lips.
