CH 29

{ Chapter 29 – Prelude to the Incident }

One week after the start of Oh Ji-seok's class:

"You want me to present evidence that monsters truly exist?"

As Oh Ji-seok was in the midst of explaining strategic tactics in preparation for a battle scenario with a monster, one of his students posed a question about the existence of such creatures.

"I understand it in theory, but I want to see it in reality."

“……..”

“It has already been a week since we received training to catch non-substantial beings in the Great Monster training class. So I think now it’s essential for us to trust and follow the professor.”

Before the class president elections, temporary president Lumia, who was selected by grades, asked the question while holding the gun.

"Of course, you won't believe it now.  However, please be patient and wait for a little while."

“It's difficult to trust you with such an ambiguous answer…”

When Oh Ji-seok explained with a smile, Lumia responded with a bright smile as well.

“The existence of monsters will be revealed before the end of the first semester.”

However, Oh Ji-seok's clear voice interrupted Lumia's words, resounding throughout the classroom.

“If that happens, everything will change. From the Academy Tactics Manual, which specializes in dealing with unintelligent beasts, to the rules for dealing with villains, to the unwritten rules that force heroes to ‘kill’.”

“Are you sure?”

"Yes, I'm confident. Not only you, but the whole world will be swept up in a revolutionary upheaval. If that doesn't happen, I will resign from my temporary teaching position and face disciplinary action."

With a voice full of conviction, no student dared to openly question him, even if they harbored doubts inside.

"There are two types of great heroes."

Once the children fell silent, O Ji-seok, who glanced at his watch and confirmed that the bell was about to hit, began to wrap up the class.

"Heroes created by the era, and heroes who create the era. These are the two types."

At the same time as the bell rang to announce lunch, Oh Ji-seok continued to speak while picking up his textbook.

"I hope that you will become heroes who create the era."

After leaving those words, he quietly left the classroom.

"..........."

Even though it was lunchtime, which most of the children had been looking forward to, for a while sat still.

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“So, do you think it’s real?”

Among the first-year class 1 students who gathered in the cafeteria for lunch, such a question popped up.

“The monster the professor is talking about?”

“If you listen to what he is saying, it seems like it could be real…”

Then, one by one, the children began to open their mouths.

“Well, I don’t know…”

"The rumor about the 'monster' and people who can or turned into 'monster' are mixed in society..."

"But there's no concrete evidence, right?"

"Who knows? Since he's from the 'Secret Intelligence Service', he might know something."

The children's reactions were generally skeptical.

What Oh Ji-seok had emphasized particularly for the past week was the true form of a 'humanoid' beast or monster. It was the fact that the monster, which had been known as a ghost story, actually existed in society.

"Well, if it's not revealed to be true by the end of the first semester, he said he'll resign. So let's just wait~"

"Idiot, our mid-term exam scores are not the professor's responsibility."

Although Oh Ji-seok was confident enough to stake his resignation on it, the children all looked uneasy because it was a matter directly related to their grades.

“The professor is right...”

In such an atmosphere, someone's voice resounded softly.

"...The monster does exist."

Upon hearing that, the attention of the students was all focused on one place.

“Shhh...”

Lumia, who was carrying her food tray, sat down at the table and placed a finger to her lips, whispering quietly.

"Let's keep it a secret between us for now."

“The Child of Prophecy vouches for it…”

“So you’re saying it’s all real…?”

Thanks to that, the atmosphere changed in an instant.

– Mumble mumble…

Ariel, who had been glancing at the situation from the side with food stuffed into her cheeks, muttered quietly to herself.

‘Looks like everyone has already become friends.’

It was definitely not that her classmates were bullying her.

Despite the still not-so-favorable public opinion, the children in Class 1 of Year 1 were all kind and treated her well.

However, Ariel found it difficult to fit in with the crowd of students, as she struggled to adapt to the atmosphere at the beginning. Eventually, it became a habit for her to eat alone.

For some reason, she thought that if she went next to them right now, the atmosphere would become cold.

‘…That’s enough.’

And ultimately, Ariel had no desire to make friends in the first place.

Because people who treated her well always had a bad ending. For example...

Even her older sister…

“Excuse me!”

“……?”

Ariel, who had a suddenly dark expression, raised her head with her eyes wide open at the voice she heard in front of her.

“Because there are no seats!”

A girl with twin tails was sitting in front of her seat with a very excited expression.

‘She's my partner…’

For some reason, Ariel had been staring at her partner, who had been absent from class since the first class a week ago.

“Hehe. I really wanted to try this low-quality food at least once.”

“……?”

“Oh, no. I mean, the 'Great-quality food'.”

Hastily correcting her slip of the tongue, she picked up the tteokbokki, which was back on the menu after a week, with a fork.

“Yum.”

And then she started eating the tteokbokki with an excited expression.

“…!?”

But soon, a shocked expression appeared on her face.

"Um, something's wrong!"

"Yes?"

"This food is not right!"

She quickly drunk water and mumbled.

"It's, it's wrong! The water is spicy too!"

"Excuse me."

“Heroes always eat this kind of food in case of torture!! I underestimated the hero!!”

"Hey, when it's spicy, drink milk."

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh....."

As Ariel advised her while she was still in a daze with sauce in her mouth, she stretched out her hand like a puppy and stuck out her tongue.

“……!”

However, there was no milk on her plate.

“Heh heh…”

Thanks to this, Ariel's partner was in distress, on the verge of tears, not knowing what to do.

“I, over there… If it’s not there, can you just give it…”

After hundreds of moments of contemplation, Ariel closed her eyes and handed her milk over with trembling hands.

"It seems like students can't handle spicy food."

While putting milk bottle on her plate, someone passing by said.

– Gulp, gulp…

Without even confirming who gave her the milk, she started drinking it frantically like it was the elixir of life.

“Phew…”

Soon after, she put down the empty milk carton and looked to the side, coughing.

“Cough, cough. Thank you so much… Thank you.”

"There is no need for thanks. It's my duty to help when student was suffering."

Oh Ji-seok with a smile on his face said that and was about to move on.

“I will definitely reward you for today’s work!”

"No, there's no need for..."

“No... There is no room for rejection!”

As Oh Ji-seok tried to refuse, she firmly shouted.

"If you received help, repay it double! That is my grandfather's teaching!"

"...What is your name, student?"

When Oh Ji-seok, who was stunned for a moment after hearing that, asked her name, she, who was shrugging her shoulders with a happy expression, answered with a proud expression.

“I’m Minamo…”

“……..”

“… It’s Hiroko!”

As Ariel's partner stopped speaking for a moment, as if she had bitten her tongue, she continued with an even louder voice to finish her introduction.

“Is that so.”

Oh Ji-seok stared at the student who introduced herself as Hiroko, then smiled again and walked away.

“…Somehow, they look alike.”

“Yes?”

"Nothing, just enjoy your meal."

Ariel, who had been staring at her with sad expression for some reason, frowned in shock.

‘…Who was the woman next to him?’

A great beauty, whom she had never seen before at school, was walking beside Oh Ji-seok.

‘A lover?’

Thinking about that for a moment, she clung to her spoon, then shook her head.

‘He’s a temporary professor who came this year, so that can’t be the case.’

But then, who the hell was that woman next to him?

Why was Professor Oh Ji-seok going to eat with that person?

The last few days he had always been eating with her.

Why?

‘What did he...’

Ariel, who had been quietly scratching the empty plate with a spoon, muttered to herself as she came to her senses.

‘There's nothing special between me and the professor.’

Oh Ji-seok only did his duty as a teacher.

Always making the mistake of buying two meal tickets, always handing out delicious side dishes, and always looking at her with a warm smile.

It would all be because of her.

“Oh, by the way… are we in the same class?”

“…yes.”

That was all she needed to think about.

Why did her heart ache for no reason when she looked at him smiling brightly from the other side?

"Nice to meet you, let's work together in the future!"

"Haha..."

Ariel, who was trying hard to smile politely to Hiroko, quietly put down the dish she was holding on the table.

“…Me too.”

She didn't know, but for some reason, today she didn’t feel like eating.

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“You.”

As I was walking into the cafeteria after class, I heard an unexpected voice from behind.

“……?”

Someone grabbed my shoulder from behind, and when I turned around, a woman was looking at me with a very guarded expression.

"Why are you like this?"

I already knew who she was.

Lilia Schurz. A professor at the academy who had been on sick leave until recently, and was currently the homeroom teacher of first-year Class 2.

But that was the only information I knew about her.

“Don’t pretend you don’t know, Trauma.”

As I stared at her, she spoke and I finally realized who she really was.

"...Miracle Shine, is it you?"

Judging from the way she was biting her lip, I thought it was true.

"It's surprising. I thought you were just one of the students at the academy, but you're here working as a professor while looking so mature..."

“Quiet, be quiet.”

It was nice to meet her in an unexpected place, so while whispering, Miracle Shine urgently covers her mouth and said.

“I mean, that figure only comes out when you transform…”

“Is that so.”

Then the surrounding attention started to focus on us in an instant.

“…Hmmm, Oh Ji-seok. The material I mentioned earlier.”

The girl, who had momentarily trembled under the envious gazes of the male students, wrapped her arm around my shoulder and began to move forward with an awkward smile.

"You, what's up with that?"

"Pardon?"

Then, as we entered the cafeteria, she started whispering in a low voice.

“The International Hero Seminar.”

“……?”

International Hero Seminar. It was a venue for exchange between top-ranking heroes, held once every three years, and a symbol of peace where all top-ranking heroes gathered.

“Why were you invited there as Oh Ji-seok?”

“It’s the first time I’ve heard of it.”

I was invited there, what else could this be?

“Don’t pretend you don’t know. The Hero Association president personally asked for you to be invited.”

“…….”

"What kind of game are you playing?"

As I was being dragged with a headlock by her, I realized how the situation was unfolding after hearing her words.

"...I don't think it's related to me."

“What?”

'If you were invited, it's natural to go in-'

"The one playing the game is not me or on my side."

'-Even if it was the enemy's base, so to speak.'

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Meanwhile at that time:

“………”

With the seminar invitation in hand, Lee Se-ah, who had used her abilities after a long time was quietly standing up from her seat.

“…I have to go.”

A person who looked very similar to Kang Ha-neul, died tragically between the torn beasts and the giant monsters that had stopped their activities.

Ariel and the Absolute commander were holding him in their arms with tired expressions on their face.

Lumia, who stood still next to him, then sits down with no strength.

“I have to… find out the truth.”

It was she who had witnessed the great event that would take place at the seminar to be held a few days later.