She runs.
“Master!”
She calls out to Kim Deok-Sung until her voice is hoarse.
His footsteps halt.
“Ugh, this is driving me crazy. Hey, didn’t I tell you not to call me that?”
Kim Deok-Sung frowns.
There’s still no trace of affection in his eyes, only disgust.
But Nishizawa Eri doesn’t mind that gaze.
In fact, she likes it.
Unlike other guys, he doesn’t see her as an object of desire.
She speaks with a trembling voice.
“…Why did you save me? I haven’t even been forgiven, and I’ve done you a lot of harm…”
“That?”
Kim Deok-Sung hesitates for a moment, then waves his hand with an expression of annoyance.
“You agreed to be my underling if you lost in the duel. Getting expelled is a bit of a hassle. I can’t use you then. It’s not because you’re pretty that I saved you or forgave you. I saved you because you’re still useful. So, get ready to crawl until you drop dead. If you become useless, I’ll toss you out without mercy, so keep that in mind.”
Hearing his words, Nishizawa Eri’s eyes widen.
She wipes away her tears with the back of her hand.
Nishizawa Eri finally understands Olivia’s words.
Only Kim Deok-Sung is worthy of having the French Princess as his personal maid.
‘The princess was right.’
There’s no one else.
A man who doesn’t see her as an object of desire.
The kind rescuer who covered up her mistakes and saved her from the brink of expulsion.
If he could save her from the edge of a cliff, she would gladly offer her whole self to him.
Nishizawa Eri smiles faintly.
“…Okay. I’ll be Master’s loyal slave!”
“Is this really insane? I’m going crazy, damn it. I’m leaving. Don’t follow me. Before you die.”
Kim Deok-Sung waves his hand in disgust as he takes Olivia with him.
Watching his back grow distant, Nishizawa Eri smiles.
She feels warmth radiating from the collar around her neck.
“Master is kind.”
Her small murmuring drifts away with the spring breeze.
Kim was lucky too.
The morning after the disciplinary committee.
On the way to class.
It takes thirty minutes to walk from the dormitory to the main building with the classroom.
It’s unnecessarily long.
And it’s not just that.
The artificial island where Shuo Hero Academy is located in Tokyo Bay boasts an abnormal size.
It’s several times bigger than Yeouido.
This is all because the original author thought that just being big without a plan would be good, wanting to create a school city.
Of course, the author had his own excuse ready.
‘It’s because of the ruins beneath the academy.’
The hastily made setting is that the artificial island where Shuo Hero Academy is situated was actually constructed to seal underwater ruins.
The reason why the head of the global terror organization, New World League, Messiah, obsessively focuses on destroying an academy full of punks is really because he covets the underground ruins.
The reason why I’m obsessing over destroying an academy where only petty, stinky kids hang out is actually because I’m after the underground ruins.
The underground ruins of the academy, ‘Broken World,’ is the key setting in the latter part of the original story.
It’s set up that only a select few in the world, including the president, Seira, and the association president, Ichiro, know about the existence of the ruins.
But that’s that.
“It’s too far.”
I can’t help but feel annoyed about waking up early every morning.
Even when I tried to avoid the first period during course registration, it was a struggle.
The university dorm isn’t this far from the lecture hall.
As I was starting to get tired on the endless path to school…
“Today is a delightful morning, huh? Hehe.”
Olivia is smiling for some reason.
Usually, I walked to school with the protagonist, but Olivia started joining us two days ago.
I don’t know why she’s doing that, but I know she won’t listen even if I tell her not to come, so I decided to just let it be.
Besides, it’s convenient since she insists it’s the job of a personal maid to carry my bag.
If only she wouldn’t have those tsundere outbursts, it would be nice.
“If that girl weren’t here, it would’ve been great.”
Olivia’s gaze shifts to Shinozaki Rin, who’s to my left.
I don’t know how she heard about Olivia joining the school path, but Rin also started tagging along yesterday.
“Kurosawa is my childhood friend. There’s no reason not to walk together, right?”
“I know that’s just an excuse! Aaaah!”
“Isn’t it a bit excessive for a personal maid to carry the master’s bag every morning?”
“Hmph! My duty as the personal maid, Olivia Napoleon Bonaparte, is to prevent riffraff like you from getting close to my master! So vanish now!”
With her left hand gripping my bag and her right hand resting on her ample chest, she proclaims confidently.
Can we tone down the personal maid talk in front of everyone?
And master? My cheeks are burning.
“Oh my, it seems you have no intention of hiding the relationship anymore.”
“Did she say master…?”
“Truly ‘Black Beast’… How scary…”
The gazes of the cadets start to gather.
But so what?
“Black Beast?”
What does that even mean?
No way.
“That’s a nickname attached to Kim.”
Without even asking, Kurosawa Yuji kindly answers.
Just like I expected, he’s a nice guy in the most useless way possible.
I feel rage bubbling up inside.
I was prepared for the day when I’d get that damn nickname, whatever it was.
But to think it would be ‘Black Beast,’ a name that makes me want to puke just hearing it.
How can every single day feel like a new level of crap?
This crazy light novel world!
“To be honest, I think it’s a fitting nickname.”
“…Hmph. Fool, the biggest idiot in the universe!”
Rin and Olivia, who were just arguing, now glare at me as if they’ve teamed up.
“What’s fitting? Stop spouting nonsense. And I know there’s bad blood between you two, so stop fighting in the morning! It’s making me queasy.”
At this rate, if the morning path remains like this, I might as well ditch everything and go to school alone.
I don’t want to start my day feeling sick just from the walk to school.
Rin and Olivia go silent like ghosts.
“Hmph.”
Olivia’s cheeks puff up as she sulks, still dissatisfied.
“Chomp.”
Rin bites her lip.
Talk about a comeback.
Ugh, maybe I should just keep quiet.
But at least it’s nice and quiet now.
Just as we were walking about halfway down the silent path to school…
I spot Nishizawa Eri in the distance, putting trash into a big burlap sack with a claw.
Eri is here.
Looks like she’s doing community service.
Seeing her reminds me of the horrible thing that happened yesterday.
When she calls me “Master,” I thought I was dealing with a horror movie killer.
Chills ran down my spine.
Does she really think I saved her because she’s pretty?
If it weren’t for the chairman and the final boss, I would’ve been expelled ages ago.
“Master!”
Nishizawa Eri waves excitedly, her smiling face beaming at me.
“Ugh…”
An expletive escapes my lips.
I’m pretty sure I told her not to do that, yet not a single person in this crazy world seems to listen when I point it out.
“I’ve been doing community service since this morning. Aren’t you proud? Praise me!”
Nishizawa Eri beams as she approaches me quickly.
Praise? What is she, out of her mind?
“Praise? Community service is a punishment. If you’re being punished, just take it like a champ and stop bothering me.”
I don’t know what she’s confused about, but I have no intention of forgiving her.
Just remembering everything I’ve been through with her is infuriating.
I should be thankful I haven’t been kicked out.
“I got it.”
Nishizawa Eri grins widely.
What’s with her?
Has she really lost it since that time?
A sigh escapes me.
It’s just a relief that I don’t have to see her in class since she’s suspended except for important classes like the model gate practice.
If I had to hear that “Master” nonsense in class, I might flip my lid.
Rin steps forward, glaring coldly at Nishizawa.
“He’s right. What makes you think you can talk to us like that?”
For some reason, Rin looks especially pretty today.
Exactly. Do this instead of that seductive nonsense.
Nishizawa Eri furrows her brow.
Her eyes sharpen.
The familiar expression she wears whenever she’s about to hurl insults at me.
“Our relationship isn’t your concern. And by ‘we,’ don’t you dare say that, Shinozaki. Coming from a woman who’s all muscle and no grace, that’s just offensive.”
Nishizawa shoots back at Rin with venom.
What is with these two?
Rin’s eyebrows twitch.
She coldly smiles and places her hand on her chest.
Rin’s navy blue eyes lock onto Nishizawa’s chest.
“Speaking of womanly qualities… I don’t think someone with such a flat chest should be talking. I’ve heard guys prefer bigger ones. By that standard, doesn’t that make you the one lacking in womanliness?”
“W-Who says it’s small! It’s NOT small! Absolutely NOT flat! It’s AVERAGE! A perfectly full B cup! And a big chest is just a heavy blob of fat!”
“Insulting my fullness won’t puff up your lacking size, so sad for you.”
Chest size? What?
What kind of nonsensical talk am I listening to since this morning?
This is madness.
My head is spinning and I’m feeling queasy.
It feels like the sky is turning yellow.
The toast I had for breakfast is rising up.
Is this school run more exhausting than climbing Everest?
Fighting against my nausea, I look at Nishizawa Eri.
Both Shinozaki Rin and Nishizawa Eri are distasteful to me, but if Eri is minus one thousand, Rin is minus ten million.
“Hey, Nishizawa. Stop unnecessarily picking a disgusting fight and just keep doing your service. Unless you want to get expelled.”
So I need to side with Rin to end this disgusting and doomed battle.
“…If Master says so, fine. I’ll do it.”
“Don’t call me Master. You don’t want to die, right?”
“I’ll work hard for community service! For Master!”
“I’ll serve diligently! For my Master!”
Nishizawa Eri quickly backs away holding a bag and tongs.
That last remark must be deliberately trying to mess with me.
Of course, there’s no such thing as a normal person in this insane world.
“The service of the region’s top ultra SSS-rank beautiful girl… Truly the Black Beast…”
“Could it be that satisfaction isn’t possible unless it’s grand?”
“I’m starting to respect her…”
“Just how far does Kim’s beastly power extend?”
I can hear the voices of the students.
I’m going crazy.
By the time I get to school, I feel like I’ve aged ten years.
I want to tell them to shut it, but doing so would only spread more rumors about me being a beast.
It’s a real catch-22.
At that moment.
“Did you take my side?”
I hear Shinozaki Rin’s voice.
I turn my head.
I see Rin’s enlarged navy-blue pupils.
“I didn’t do it because I wanted to. I did it reluctantly because I couldn’t stand that damned Nishizawa.”
Who said I liked you?
Just thinking about that chest size is enough to make my blood boil.
I don’t get why Rin is so obsessed with chests.
As if I’ll ever need to have the Shinozaki surname. Seriously.
“…I get it now.”
Shinozaki Rin turns her head and gives a faint smile.
“Hey, what’s so funny that you’re smiling like that?”
“I wish my exclusive maid would step back.”
“What?! You of all people…”
“Both of you shut it. If you don’t, I’ll leave you behind.”
The two fall silent again.
It’s like they’re hunched over a whip. A whip.
I sigh and walk quietly along the now peaceful path to school.
The main building of the academy comes into view.
Finally, I’ve arrived.
*
Shuo Hero Academy Main Building.
1st Year A-Class Classroom.
Last class time.
“Today, I will be organizing pairs for the model gate practice!”
Mayuzumi-sensei waves her hand while holding the attendance sheet.
The model gate practice is done in pairs of two.
Not only that.
Unlike the typical web novels where teams are often made up of four or more, most practices at Shuo Hero Academy are done in pairs of two.
“An opportunistic idea to get the protagonist and the heroine alone together for some lucky raunchy events.”
The model gate practice is the last episode of volume 1.
This is the pivotal moment where Olivia acknowledges the protagonist Yuji’s abilities and qualifications as a hero after he single-handedly stops a suddenly appearing otherworldly creature, thus developing feelings for him.
Naturally, the protagonist’s partner is expected to be Olivia.
The problem is me.
It’s obvious that I, Kim Deok-Sung, the extra who got completely wiped out in volume 1, wouldn’t be mentioned in the original.
“Now, I’ll announce the pairings!”
Mayuzumi-sensei places a hand on her chest and clicks the presentation remote.
With a weird sound effect, the pairings appear on the screen.
As expected, Olivia is paired with Kurosawa Yuji.
“Why is my partner someone like you?”
“Um, please take care of me…”
“Don’t talk to me.”
I can hear their conversation from behind.
It’s a tone that genuinely expresses dislike, different from when they were just being tsundere.
Since the lucky raunchy episode got wrecked and any connection between them has almost vanished, it’s only natural.
This part is just like the original.
Now it’s time to check my pairing.
“Please let it be Ishihara. Just let it be Ishihara.”
Although their delinquent tone and calling me ‘bro’ are irritating, there’s no one as easygoing as her.
Ever since the cherry blossom festival, she’s been cooperative, so it’s perfect for putting her to work.
As I search through the student list for my name, I find…
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