[Translator - Helga ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
Chapter 16
On the first day of the new semester, in the student council room.
Shin A-sol stared blankly at the computer screen, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. The words "[How to Destroy a Barrier's Medium from the Outside]" stared back at her in bold, mocking her empty document.
"I don't know what to write!" she groaned, running a hand through her hair.
How did she end up in this mess? All she'd wanted to do was catch a thief, but somehow she'd ended up smashing the academy’s prized statue. And now, instead of detention, she had to write a paper explaining the science behind it.
“They told me to find the thief? I broke the statue trying to catch the thief, so why do I have to write this?”
Destroying the statue in the swimming pool was a necessary step in solving the case, in her opinion. Shin A-sol felt deeply wronged that she was being punished for trying so hard to catch the thief.
However, the vice principal didn’t see it that way. When he saw the shattered statue, he clutched at his neck and was rushed to the hospital.
"Apparently, that statue cost over a billion won. It was much more expensive than it looked," Okamoto had muttered, shaking his head. "I can see why he fainted. He would have demanded full compensation from you if it weren’t for the professors shielding you. You should be grateful they let you off with just writing a paper."
Okamoto clicked his tongue in disbelief as he recalled the professors gathered around the shattered statue.
"This is the first time this statue has been destroyed since the academy was founded. How did you do it?"
"...What? You smashed it with your shield? That's impossible! How could that be?"
"It's more believable if you told me you cracked a rock with an egg!"
"Explain in detail how you were able to directly damage the statue within the barrier. Describe the principle, structure, and the circumstances. Don't miss a single detail!"
Unlike the vice principal, the professors were more interested in studying Shin A-sol's incredible strength that allowed her to shatter the statue. They convinced the vice principal that Shin A-sol's ability to break through the barrier was more valuable than the statue itself, and as a result, she was able to avoid paying compensation and instead was assigned to write this paper.
"You're always causing trouble without thinking, but somehow you always manage to get out of it. What's your secret? How do you keep from getting expelled after causing so much chaos? Teach me your ways..."
Okamoto's playful grin faltered as he abruptly clamped his mouth shut. He'd seen Shin A-sol's hand move towards the shield leaning against the wall.
Shin A-sol fiddled with the shield, her eyes narrowed in thought. Finally, she sighed and said, "Cut the crap and help me. You saw everything that happened. You must have some idea about the theory behind it."
It was true.
While Shin A-sol was more of a doer than a thinker, Okamoto was the opposite. In fact, he had quickly grasped the principle behind Shin A-sol's barrier-breaking technique after witnessing it at the pool.
"Well, I don't know everything..."
"I knew you'd say that. Just give me a hint!"
Okamoto hesitated, looking at Shin A-sol, who was practically begging him for help.
Shin A-sol was ranked third overall in the previous semester. Okamoto was ranked one spot below her, in fourth place. He didn't think he was foolish enough to help a competitor just because they were friends.
'Normally, I would have scoffed and refused,' he thought.
But he couldn't easily dismiss her this time.
After all, it was Shin A-sol.
"Well, I suppose I could help you a little..."
"Really? Thank you! So, how should I start the first paragraph?"
"But I can't just help you for nothing."
"Aw, don't be stingy..."
Shin A-sol pouted, and Okamoto pretended to be busy.
"Do you think I have nothing better to do? The whole Alchemy Department is in an uproar because the 'Garden' is suddenly malfunctioning."
"The Garden? Why is it broken all of a sudden?"
Shin A-sol was startled. Even after being at this academy for so long, she had never heard of the Garden malfunctioning.
"How should I know? Anyway, the departments that rely on the Garden for materials are in a panic. I’m helping you out of the kindness of my heart, despite being so busy.”
"Fine, fine. What do you want? I'll do anything!"
Okamoto's heart raced at her promise. He desperately wanted to ask her what she would do.
‘Okay, I’ve got her hooked!’
In truth, the story about the Garden was just an excuse. Unlike the other students, Okamoto's family was a major corporation, so he could easily obtain alchemy materials outside of the academy.
‘Stay calm. I need to play this right...’
He knew that going too far would ruin everything, so he tried to hide his excitement.
"Well, then, how about we go see a movie this weekend..."
"What? A movie? Out of the blue?"
“Yeah, there’s a movie I’ve been wanting to see. It’s not like I’m trying to hang out with you or anything! I just really wanted to see this movie...”
Shin A-sol chuckled and pulled out her phone.
"Oh, come on. If that's all it takes, I'll show you ten more times. Just book your own ticket. I don't really like watching movies."
"What, what? Wait a minute!"
Okamoto hastily tried to stop Shin A-sol from booking the movie tickets on her phone.
"It's not polite to make a guy watch a movie alone, is it?"
"What does that have to do with being polite..."
"It does! I'm helping you with your paper! You should come with me to the movie and keep me company! And buy me popcorn and a cola! That's only fair!"
Shin A-sol looked dumbfounded at Okamoto's outburst.
Realizing he'd gotten carried away, Okamoto tried to salvage the situation.
"Ahem... What I mean is, movies are more fun when you watch them with someone else."
"You didn't have to yell about it... Anyway, then just book two tickets. But what movie are we going to see?"
Okamoto hesitated for a moment.
For the past few years, Okamoto Daichi, 21 years old, had been guarding Shin A-sol from countless suitors at this academy.
He had been putting on a convincing act as her friend all this time, and finally, the opportunity had arrived to take their relationship to the next level.
‘What should I suggest? Maybe an action movie?’
Considering Shin A-sol's usual preference for fighting over anything else, an action movie seemed like the logical choice.
“I bet you couldn't understand a thing. Professor D's classes are so difficult they're known all over Europe."
The students clicked their tongues, looking pityingly at the student who had taken the class.
However, the student who had taken the Deconstructionist class shook their head firmly.
“It was definitely difficult, but it was definitely worth learning.”
“What?”
“You guys will never know. You have no idea how amazing Professor D’s class is. I had a huge realization today.”
The student's eyes sparkled as if they had discovered the meaning of life, causing the other students to whisper that they must have been so shocked they'd lost their minds.
"...That's a pretty good reaction."
Listening to the conversation from below the professor's office window, I closed the window and sat down. I reread the message in front of me.
[The students who attended your lecture were deeply impressed.]
[The Deconstructionist Department scores of the students who attended the lecture have increased.]
[The overall favorability of students towards Do Jin-hak has increased.]
[Do Jin-hak's reputation score has increased by -40!]
My first lecture impersonating Professor D had been a success. None of the students in the class had doubted my identity or thought the lecture was subpar. In fact, they were so impressed they spent the entire class in awe.
"Do Jin-hak's lectures are pretty solid."
The only problem with Do Jin-hak's lectures was that he was too much of a genius to effectively teach ordinary students. If someone couldn't understand him, he thought they must have a brain made of poop.
"He's never lived with an ordinary brain."
That was why Professor D's classes were notoriously difficult. He couldn't understand why others couldn't understand him.
But I was different. I wasn't a genius like him.
I managed to understand the basics of the Deconstructionist class, which was only a small fraction of his knowledge, and was able to simplify it enough for the students. It seemed to work perfectly.
"Well, not perfectly for everyone."
I glanced back at the bottom of the message.
[Seo Su-kyung's favorability towards Do Jin-hak has decreased significantly.]
[The relationship between Do Jin-hak and Seo Su-kyung has changed from 'acquaintances' to 'uncomfortable'.]
While the overall favorability of the students had increased, one person stood out. Seo Su-kyung, who had stormed out of the class, had become hostile. Once a relationship becomes hostile in the military strategy relationship system, it becomes very difficult to restore it.
That was exactly what I wanted.
‘That family could easily get their hands on Deconstructionist Department’s lecture materials.’
Seo Tae-hee, Seo Su-kyung’s mother, was known for her excessive love for her daughter. She would go to hell and back for her only child.
Knowing this, I had prepared my lecture with the intention of humiliating Seo Su-kyung. If I didn’t, she would find a way to exploit Do Jin-hak.
“There’s no need to keep Seo Su-kyung around now that Gianluca is in the Deconstructionist Department.”
The vice principal’s quest to elevate the status of the Deconstructionist class could be easily achieved with Arche alone.
Seo Su-kyung was too dangerous to keep close. I had managed to get through today’s lecture, but if I continued, she would eventually suspect my true identity.
It would be best if she left on her own accord, but...
“With her stubborn personality, she won’t give up easily.”
After humiliating her in front of the students, she would definitely try to get revenge.
However, I wasn't too worried. I could predict her next move.
“I’ve collected plenty of data on Seo Su-kyung over the 137 times I’ve died.”
It was the evolved, powerful Seo Su-kyung that was truly terrifying, not the mere student she was now.
The current Seo Su-kyung was nothing more than a pawn in my hands...
Grrr...
[Mental state is deteriorating due to blood thirst.]
[ENP status is unstable.]
[ENP is rapidly increasing.]
[Find blood before your ENP reaches its maximum!]
[Current ENP: 120/180]
“...It’s already this low?”
I must have exerted too much energy during the lecture.
Due to my hunger, my ENP status was becoming unstable, causing my stats to increase more rapidly with each action.
I rummaged through the bag where I had hidden my blood packs.
Rustle-
......
......
......
They were empty. All the blood packs I had brought from the lab were completely drained.
“I used them up faster than I expected.”
I had used an unexpected amount of energy right after arriving at academy.
But that wasn’t a problem. There was plenty of blood in this academy.
“Well, then, let’s go get something to eat.”
Click-
I opened the door to my office with a lighter step. My mood was good, but not just because the lecture had gone well.
As a vampire, no matter how many delicacies I ate, I could never feel satisfied.
For me, the time to feed was both disgusting and one of the few pleasures in life.
[Translator - Helga ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]