Episode 152 Presidential Election (2)
The time when the purple sunset falls beyond the horizon. Dusk falls over the Academy.
The summer heat has completely disappeared, and fallen leaves have spread a carpet on the road.
Thud, thud.
I was taking a walk around the academy grounds. I usually walk like that when I need to calm my restless mind.
“Is it already fall?”
As I took a step forward, I stepped on ripe fallen leaves. It was the season when the sky was high and horses were getting fat. The night wind was chilly, and it was easy to catch a cold.
‘I wonder how Chloe is doing.’
During today’s class meeting, Instructor Lee Won-bin said that Chloe’s return to the academy may be delayed somewhat. It seems that it is not just due to the funeral of her family.
‘I hope it’s nothing serious.’
I headed towards ‘that’ bench, worried about her inwardly. My walks always ended at that place.
It’s time to organize my thoughts. Even if it’s just because of the association membership card, is this the right choice to run for office?
I have already been involved in affairs several times. To the extent that my determination to live as background character A when I entered school was meaningless. However, all of that was directly related to survival.
This time, on the other hand, things were a bit different. This time, I took off my shoes and jumped into the affair.
Even if you don’t find the monolith, your life won’t be in danger. It would be better to constantly strengthen your weapons while searching for artifacts. Nevertheless, I prioritized obtaining fragments of memory.
As I gained them one by one, I was sure that I would eventually understand why I fell into this world. That was why I was confident. I also wanted to try for additional rewards.
‘Once we get the Monolith, let’s collect the remaining five in one go.’
As I was walking, lost in thought, the bench I always sat on came into view. And today, someone had already taken the seat. A very unexpected person.
‘… Yoo Se-in?’
A picture of Sein sitting on a bench, tapping away at her phone. She was so absorbed in the game that she even wore a headset.
Se-in sensed my presence and rolled his eyes to look at me. Judging from his expression, he seemed to have expected me to come.
This area was originally sparsely populated, but at some point, people began to appear more frequently.
After Abel and Saki, now even Yusei. It seems like it’s now a hotspot for major figures.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you supposed to sit here? Come and sit down.”
Seriously, how can that clitoris not work? Even though she’s a saint. Every time she utters a word, the sound of the number of believers decreasing comes to my ears.
‘Was there ever a god left in this world in the first place?’
Didn’t Professor Damien(?) say a while ago that there are no more gods left? The God of Swords wiped out all the gods and ended up taking his own life.
‘Then what is this god that people worship?’
As I stood there blankly, absorbed in my thoughts, Se-in knocked on the seat next to me as if complaining. It was a sudden meeting, but it was a good opportunity.
There were already many things I wanted to ask Se-in. All we had done was chat in passing in the hallway a few days ago.
From then on, Se-in seemed to be secretly avoiding me. The reason must be because of that ‘divine punishment’.
Even if I forcefully asked the world, I didn’t think I would get what I wanted. And it could lead to unnecessary misunderstandings.
If I were to visit the young people who are hungry for gossip, and I were to visit them one after another? Just thinking about it makes my forehead wrinkle.
I slowly approached and sat down next to Se-in. Only then did she take off her headset and put her phone away. Se-in readily opened his mouth.
“Don’t worry.”
“… … ?”
“I will never have a romantic relationship with you or anything. Don’t worry.”
At the sudden words of the saint, a look of absurdity came over my face.
The expression on Se-in’s face became very serious.
“A saint is someone who has the duty to love the entire world. Therefore, she is a being who cannot love just one specific person. That is what makes a saint.”
“… … ..”
“I am a saint by name, so I cannot add more sin to a sinful man.”
As he said that, Se-in stared at me intently. Then he smiled faintly and stepped back.
Se-in stayed like that for a while. I sighed.
It seems like she’s saying that because she’s a saint, she has to love everyone, so she can’t love just one person.
The first words are these… … . I feel so discouraged. I tried to hide my feelings and asked her.
“I won’t ask you a bunch of questions since you already said something before. Instead, just answer this one thing.”
Se-in just shook his feet without saying a word. I took it as affirmation and opened my mouth again.
“You don’t have to answer verbally. Just nod and answer in a roundabout way. I have one question for you.”
“… … .”
Only then did Se-in nod slightly. The answer came.
“Yusein, I know you have a clear connection to the status window. That’s what I’m most curious about, but you can’t answer because of the divine punishment.”
Nod nod.
“Honestly, I don’t really care what your identity is. Why you came to the Academy. I’m just curious about one thing. What I’ve done and what I’m going to do so far, is it all intentional, like the system or something like that?”
“No.”
A firm answer. Se-in shook his head.
“No one dares to interfere with you, not even if it is God.”
“… … ?”
Se-in shook her butt, indicating that she would not take any further questions. She turned around.
“Sword Demon, you are a greater being than you think. You just haven’t found your way yet and are wandering around. If you just keep moving forward straight, your humanity will wither away… … .”
Se-in trailed off. Then, without even turning his head, he continued speaking.
“So, don’t doubt what you want to do. Worrying is the part of the weak, and the strong show it through their actions.”
After finishing speaking, Se-in walked away. After looking at his back for a moment, I also got up.
* * *
After parting ways with Kang Geum-ma, Se-in walked aimlessly through the night. She reminisced about their meeting a little while ago.
“That’s all I can tell you… Ugh!”
At that moment, Se-in felt a sharp pain in her heart, as if it were a string. She covered her mouth and coughed.
A series of muffled coughs echoed. Blood formed on the palm of her hand covering her mouth.
The person who was looking at my hand burst out laughing with a look of disbelief.
“Ha, is this what you’re saying just because I told you that?”
Se-in looked up at the night sky. The stars twinkling sadly stared back at her like gazes.
“… … .”
“… … .”
A brief staring contest. Se-in clicked his tongue and covered his forehead.
“Hey, no matter how much you guys hate him, you still take it out on me for giving me some advice? You’re so petty that you’ll get wiped out by one person.”
“… … .”
“Enough, enough, you little punks. You’re all talk. Your heart is narrower than a mouse hole, and you’re more fearful than a newborn baby. Are you a god? You keep punishing me so often that I’m now in need of a blood transfusion!”
Se-in, who had been sulking at the sky, quickly wiped the blood off with a handkerchief. Then, as if nothing had happened, he calmly took his steps.
Her slender body twitched slightly in the chilly autumn breeze.
* * *
Recently, a rumor has been circulating among cadets regardless of grade level.
“Did you hear that? There are also first-year students running for president this year. Two of them, too.”
“Wow, that’s ridiculous. Isn’t this unprecedented? No, but no matter how great the first-year students are this year, the presidential election is a bit different. The Joaquin Academy election isn’t some kind of popularity vote.”
“That’s right. No matter how strong the force is or what, in the end, it’s a position where you have to prove your abilities in all directions.”
“… Rumor has it that this presidential election isn’t just about voting.”
“what!?”
“Shh! This is information that I had a hard time hearing. It’s not just a simple vote, there’s a competition before that. Of course, since there are two first-year students, there’s a total of seven people. So there are too many, so let’s narrow it down a bit.”
“So what is the contest about?”
“Well, I don’t know about that. Well, I guess it’s because the school values practical training that they make us bicker with each other.”
“Hey~ Even so, this is a contest to decide the election candidates, so why are we having a fight? I don’t know, but I think it’s a noble and dignified way that suits our Joaquin Academy!”
* * *
I was blankly staring out the window in the classroom when suddenly a text message came flying in.
== ==
(From) Joaquin Academy Administration Office
[Web transmission]
(Guide) Before the presidential election, notice of the contest details.
All students registered as candidates for student body president are requested to gather in the medium conference room on the 3rd floor of the main building before the start of the 4th period today.
== ==
As I was staring at my phone, Ryozo spoke to me.
“What’s going on? Are you getting spam texts? If so, just tell me so I can track the number and make all of your calls go dead… .”
I showed him the text without saying anything. Ryozo, who was quietly scanning the text, turned his gaze to me.
“It’s already starting.”
“Yeah. There’s still over two weeks until Election Day, so I guess they’ll be holding the contest a bit early.”
“Don’t feel too pressured. The intention of this competition is obvious even without watching.”
The day before yesterday, there was a notice that only the candidates would compete. Ryozo guessed that this was the association’s opinion.
Suddenly, two first-year students were added as candidates, so the upperclassmen of the previous years would not be happy about it.
Before the full-scale election, we will need to appease the discontent of the second and third year students. The most effective way to do this is to differentiate between the first year students and the second and third year students.
So, Ryozo’s hypothesis was that the contest was an alternative proposed by the association that hosted this election.
‘Anyway, it just means more annoying things have happened.’
When the time came, I went straight to the conference room. When I arrived at the 3rd floor of the main building, Manager Ha, who had been waiting, greeted me.
“Oh, oh, hello. I will guide you to the conference room.”
Chief Ha, who was avoiding eye contact as usual, followed her and we reached the conference room.
Squeak.
As I opened the door, the first people to arrive caught my eye. At the same time, their cold, sunken eyes all turned to me.
“… … .”
Those people are all my competitors. They seem to have gathered some momentum, but it seems they can’t hide the hostility in their eyes.
After looking around, I sat down on an empty chair.
Just then, I felt a very faint energy on the back of my head. It was familiar yet ominous… it was magic.
I suddenly turned my head. I looked at each of the faces that had been glaring at me just a moment ago.
A man with his brows furrowed in complaint, a woman squinting with her eyes like a flounder, and a patient staring at the ceiling with his eyes wide open.
As I looked at the three people, my hands naturally went down to my pockets.
“I never thought you’d still be at the Academy.”
