Episode 6 The Academy is not easy (2)
An evening where the Asrahan sunset is fading away.
Joaquin Academy life has already entered its first week.
I skipped dinner and buried myself in my assigned dorm bed.
“Fuck.”
Just one curse word was chewed in my mouth. My stomach growled and protested, asking for even the scraps of food, but the incompetent owner had no choice but to hold his stomach and console himself.
I hesitated for a moment, then jumped up and gulped down every last drop of water.
“You drank it all.”
His weak vocal cords trailed off as if he was trying to hold back his words due to hunger.
Why am I starving like a beggar? That’s what I want to say.
This crazy academy also takes money from the cafeteria. Okay, let’s say they can’t provide free meals.
‘Isn’t 50,000 won for stir-fried pork going too far?’
Even the 1.5L bottle of ‘Yeongchangsu’ that I just drank was bought for 10,000 won at the on-campus mart.
It’s been almost a year since I came to this world, but this is the first time I’ve seen prices this crazy. Even if it’s a school for the upper class, I think this is a bit too much.
That doesn’t mean I starved for a whole week.
I ate rice that cost 5,000 won from the mart on campus with seasoned seaweed I brought from home as a side dish for an entire week.
The seaweed soaked in tears was saltier and sweeter than usual, with added saltiness. Even that was gone now.
For reference, my monthly living expenses are 400,000 won.
Honestly, I refused because I thought that amount was too much, but my father said that it was a given as a father and put some money in my pocket. I regretted my past self who pretended to be mature and waved it off. I should have accepted it when it was given to me.
I stared blankly at the label on the empty water bottle.
‘brig…….’
Suddenly, when I think of the military, tears well up in my eyes.
There, they provided us with three meals a day without fail.
I never thought there would come a day in my life when I would miss jjambbap. Right now, I can roll around and eat even the terribly tasteless fried mackerel fillet in my mouth.
I let out a deep sigh and curled up on the bed again. I need to conserve energy. Slow down my metabolism and breathe as slowly as possible.
I thought of my parents at home. To be exact, the soybean paste stew that my mother used to make. I added cubed radish and thinly sliced green onions.
Somehow I feel like I won’t be able to eat it again. Right now, I feel like I could lick the bottom of the pot. Instead of tears, saliva flowed from my mouth.
‘still.’
I said briefly in my mind, ‘God bless you.’
Paat-
== ==
[Protection of the Sword God]
If you cut it, it will be cut.
[The level of the flesh has increased to (1▶2).]
[The level of the flesh increases and the standard of the sword is relaxed.]
[※ The protection is activated only when the sword is less than 30+(2) centimeters in length and less than 5+(1) centimeters in width.]
== ==
A faint smile spread across his sunken face as the now somewhat familiar interface came to mind.
The hard training with the bald instructor began to change my body shape. Whether it was because of the training or because I was not eating well, my flabby belly fat disappeared and my lean abs were revealed. My baby fat also disappeared in an instant and my jawline became sharp.
My physical strength also improved noticeably, and I was able to keep up with the drills at the training ground every morning. Even in the short period of a week or so, my body was adapting and evolving surprisingly quickly.
I don’t know for sure, but I think it might be because the inspector pierced the blood.
Although the sword’s specifications haven’t surpassed sashimi yet, if you gradually raise them, you’ll be able to hold a short sword.
‘Why am I happy?’
Clearly, up until the entrance ceremony, I was afraid of even holding a knife, but strangely, now my hands tingle if I don’t hold a knife. It seems that Gaho has an effect on my personality.
I shook off my thoughts and shook them off. Thinking about that part right now didn’t really change anything.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Someone knocks quietly on the door of my dorm room.
My first thought was, ‘Who is it?’, but thinking it must be the dorm supervisor, I had no choice but to get out of bed and open the door.
“uh?”
What was in front of me was Chloe standing there, timidly.
* * *
I had barely talked to Chloe since the first day. She just kept avoiding me in class. That was why her visit felt so unexpected.
“Did I disturb your rest… …?”
Chloe spoke in a whisper, her voice still crawling.
“What’s the bother? I was just lying down. By the way, what’s going on?”
“… I haven’t seen you in the cafeteria for a week. I thought you might be feeling unwell… … .”
She looks at me with worried eyes.
I wanted to be honest. I couldn’t bring myself to go because of the crazy price. But my pride as a man wouldn’t allow it.
“Oh, that’s… I don’t really like to eat food made by others.”
I really like food made by others.
“Ah, ah. I see.”
“Yeah, so don’t worry.”
Chloe muttered with disappointment.
“Let’s go buy some groceries from the on-campus mart and have dinner together… … .”
“let’s go.”
“yes?”
“Aren’t you going to have dinner together? I’m good at cooking, so I’ll do the cooking. Chloe’s dorm is across the street, right?”
It is not the way of a martial artist to refuse an invitation.
As I quickly took the lead, Chloe followed behind in a panic.
A humming tune echoed through the deserted dormitory hallway.
* * *
Entering Chloe’s room, I looked around. It was a bit large for one person, and had a white sofa and bed against a white wall.
It felt a bit like a hospital.
The teenage girl’s home had an overly plain and neat feel.
I thought there would be a few stuffed rabbits on the bed, but all there was to the interior was a few books on the desk.
As the cool night breeze blew, the pure white curtains fluttered softly.
“I’m sorry the room is messy… … .”
Huh? There isn’t anything?
Chloe watched me closely and started taking out ingredients from the refrigerator. From sea bream to flounder, sea bass, salmon, tuna… Even fish I had never seen before were frozen in Styrofoam boxes and stacked like Legos.
If I bought this much at the on-campus mart where a bottle of water costs ten thousand won, how much would it cost?
Exclamations of admiration came out of my mouth without my knowledge.
“You like fish a lot, don’t you?”
“Oh, yes. Because I’m from the seaside.”
“That’s a good thing, my specialty is cooking fish.”
“Oh, really?!”
Chloe’s round eyes sparkled. I added, rubbing the bridge of my nose with my finger.
“Well, can you put everything in except the sea bream? I think one will be enough.”
“yes!”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at the energetic answer. My hands were also trembling, so I decided to cut up some sashimi to cheer myself up. I was hungry, but for some reason my heart was pounding and my energy was surging.
‘But the problem is… … .’
Kitchen knives lined up next to the sink have sharp blades.
The moment I touched that, the protection would be activated. Thinking about the excruciating pain that would follow, my appetite completely disappeared.
“Do you have a longer knife?”
“Something a little longer?”
“Yeah, as you know, my weapons are swords like that. So I guess it makes it a bit awkward to use.”
She nodded slightly, indicating that she understood.
Then he went to the closet and fumbled around for a Japanese sword that was longer than him. His expression suddenly darkened in amazement.
“Is this enough?”
“No… I’ll just use that kitchen knife.”
When I let out a deep sigh, Chloe looks puzzled, as if she doesn’t understand.
‘I can’t help it.’
Okay, let’s finish it in 30 seconds.
Aren’t I the man who was called the best swordsman in the country? It’s possible.
When I motioned for Chloe to step back a little, she quickly took a few steps back.
She swallowed and sweated at the sight of me treating the fish with reverence.
After I activated the ‘Painless Protection’ spell, I quickly took out a piece of rose-patterned sashimi that I had been eyeing from the knife holder. It felt good in my hand.
Then an unwelcome message flashes across your retina.
[The Sword God’s protection food is manifested.]
At the same time, the sashimi flashed and curved precisely into the sea bream’s gills.
* * *
“It was so delicious!”
“That’s fortunate.”
Is there a higher honor for a chef than hearing that the food was delicious? But right now, I just nod with a pale face in agreement.
21 seconds.
That’s how long it took me to scale, debone, gut and fillet a sea bream.
It could have been roughly prepared, but the chef’s pride engraved in his bones would not allow it. Thanks to that, the meal was so good that it felt like a masterpiece of a lifetime.
So much so that I feel like this is the prime of my sashimi life.
When expressing the protection, the phrase ‘the food of the swordsman’s protection’ comes to mind, so it seems that the operation varies depending on the use.
It may seem like a really useless ability, but it is a mysterious ability that can be useful in some strange corner.
“How is Mr. Geumma so good at cooking?”
“I used to work part-time at a Japanese restaurant.”
“Are you working part-time?”
Chloe rolled her eyes and asked back.
“You don’t know what a part-time job is, do you?”
Her head nodded slightly.
“…sorry.”
“No, it’s nothing to be sorry about.”
At that moment, I realized the difference in status. Chloe looked up at me with a baby bird-like face. I let out a small breath without letting it show. I thought that everyone grew up in different environments.
“It’s not that important. Anyway, I’m glad you enjoyed the food.”
She nodded vigorously, signaling her approval. A pleasant smile appeared on her lips at the sight.
“Since you prepared the meal, I’ll do the dishes!”
To be honest, I was the one who got it for a high price, but I was impressed by Chloe’s look in her eyes as if she was repaying the favor, so I left the dishwashing to her. It was also a bit annoying.
Chloe blushed and felt embarrassed, perhaps feeling a sense of responsibility.
Chloe pointed to the desk by the window and suggested that I sit down and rest. I sat down on the window sill, patting my stomach in fullness.
I looked down at the school through the open window, bathed in the warm light of the full moon. Dark clouds floated in the night sky.
Clang!
“Oh, I’m sorry!”
It looks like she broke a plate while washing the dishes. I was thinking about helping her, but I quickly shook my head. That’s also an experience. I grew up like that too, that’s what I’m saying.
Bam-
As a gust of wind blew, a crumpled notebook that had been hanging on the corner of the desk fell to the floor.
I picked up the notebook to put it back on the desk. I didn’t mean to look at it, but the content seemed to be roughly like a diary.
“I received help from someone during the class assignment test today. I must repay them later!”
Looking at the round font and the teddy bear sticker, I can’t help but think that Chloe is definitely a girl of her age.
The soft night wind blew once again and turned the next page.
『The person who saved me turned out to be in the same class as me. His name was Kang Geum-ma. My heart was pounding and I didn’t know what to do, so I couldn’t bring myself to talk to him!! >~<』
‘So this is why I couldn’t talk.’
This time my hands turned the next page naturally.
“The Sword Demon Army.”
… … …
… …
…
·
…
… …
… … …
『I love you, I … I love you, …
Clang!
The plate is broken.
“… … .”
“… … .”
Silence fell on the room.
“Did you see it?”
“no?”
