Episode 92 Final Exam (2)
Choi Seol-ah’s pupils dilated in shock. It was not a metaphor, but her heart sank. She opened her mouth with a pale face.
“… Ha, ha. Hello, guys! I’m Instructor Kim, who will be in charge of your group for this final exam! It’ll only be for one day, but please take good care of me.”
At Joaquin Academy, Choi Seol-ah is known as Instructor Kim. However, Choi Seol-ah is not her real name.
When you make a contract with the Legion Commander, you sell your humanity. This includes your name from your human days.
“… … .”
A stinging frown licked the side of Choi Seol-ah’s face. Kang Geum-ma quietly looked at her.
Rachel’s eyes began to sparkle with hostility as she noticed the blatant gaze. She perceived Kang Geum-ma’s gaze differently.
‘A fantasy about an older woman.’
She was as tall as a jangseung, but her appearance did not show any curves. But Kanggeomma could not take his eyes off her. There was even a strange emotion in his pupils.
As time passed, the atmosphere became as cold as ice due to the misunderstanding caused by the situation. It was as if a scene from a love drama was being broadcast live.
Choi Seol-ah tried hard to ignore the stares, but her body and speech became stiff.
“Why, of all people, was I assigned to that crazy guy, or rather, that crazy person’s group!?”
Choi Seol-ah thought to herself. She didn’t use any curse words.
Because I was afraid that my true feelings might be revealed.
Kanggeomma’s eyes were cold and calm, as if they could read one’s thoughts. Black pupils completely devoid of emotion. Even a brief glance at them filled me with fear.
‘Sigh, but I have to do what I have to do.’
Choi Seol-ah opened her mouth again, hiding her anxiety.
“Hey, even though I’m pretty, it’s embarrassing when you stare at me like that, guys!”
“Beauty is a piece of shit, it shouldn’t look like a purple pumpkin.”
Rachel snorted. The blood vessels on Choi Seol-ah’s temples clumped as she smiled.
The way she treats her instructor, calling her a precious daughter, is just plain wrong.
“Hmm- They say having a lot of fat on your chest doesn’t make you pretty, radish-haired student!”
“This fucking bitch!”
When Rachel turned her head in both eyes, Choi Seol-ah said with a sneer.
“What kind of habit is that to have in front of a teacher as heavenly as yours? Huh!?”
“Huh, what? The sky is fucking crazy. My chest is as flat as a stone floor!”
“Oh, no matter how stupid you are. Have you forgotten why I’m accompanying you? I’m the instructor in charge of your group, the instructor in charge. Not only do I do safety inspections, but I also ‘judge’ the grades. Let’s keep quiet and not lose our temper and ruin the entire group’s score, okay? You’re halfway there if you just keep your mouth shut.”
“… … .”
I’ve only eaten Academy food for five years. I’ve learned long ago how to suppress the spirit of such proud and arrogant cadets.
‘Responsibility of the solidarity.’
Rachel glared at Choi Seol-ah with her eyes wide open. Her molars were grinding as if she was chewing on something.
Regardless, Choi Seol-ah smiled brightly and collected the weapons. This was how she felt the taste of power that had disappeared with her master’s death.
Dang⎯ Dang⎯
The sound of a bell rang out widely. It was coming from the iron bell hanging at the top of the special hall.
Then, the huge door that had been standing tall opened with an ominous noise. The dark background beyond the door.
The cadets groaned at the resonance of magical power flowing out through the crack in the door. Their eyes were filled with anxiety.
But a strong sense of nostalgia lingered on Choi Seol-ah’s face. It was a moment when she could feel the feeling of visiting her parents’ house while living in her in-laws’ house. The corners of her mouth naturally rose.
“Okay, shall we go!?”
Choi Seol-ah took the lead with excitement.
Kang Geum-ma followed, his hands in his pockets, and Rachel and Sanha-na followed him on either side like wings.
* * *
“Wow, is this your home?”
“Hey, slow down! Aren’t you here to watch from behind!? Which instructor is in the front!”
Choi Seol-ah, who was walking in front, let out a gasp. Rachel, who was getting angry at him, was trembling. Her footsteps seemed heavy.
“Phew, you were acting so crazy outside, but now that you’re inside, you can’t come to your senses? You’re not soft on the outside but strong on the inside, you’re strong on the outside and weak on the inside, really~”
“Haa- haa- you, if you go out, you’ll really get caught.”
Choi Seol-ah ignored Rachel’s nagging and her eyes sparkled like a child on a field trip.
As a villain, this sinister environment must feel like home to her.
Since he was half-human and half-horse, his magical affinity would be much higher than that of a normal human. But now, maybe only the dregs of magical power remain?
When Choi Seol-ah was assigned as the instructor in charge, I wondered if there was some kind of plot. It was just a joke, but a villain is a villain.
But her eyes were filled only with affection for life, and she seemed suspicious… Other than that, she didn’t seem to have any worries.
‘Does selling your humanity make you simple?’
Well, even if she harbors evil intentions, Choi Seol-ah alone isn’t much of a threat. And if she gets the hint, she can just show you the stinging taste of the knife again. I took my eyes off Choi Seol-ah and looked around.
‘It’s definitely not ordinary.’
As soon as I broke through the blackout curtain, what I saw was Gwanglim.
A landscape with trees, rocks, and streams evenly distributed.
One of the recordings was a forest made entirely of grayish white. When you stepped on it, the pebbles that filled the floor crumbled and crumbled. If the Earth were to be destroyed, it would look just like this.
‘If this is the scale of the Demon Realm, then what is Gehenna like?’
The air is so spicy that it makes my chest feel heavy. Perhaps it is the aftertaste of magic.
The air current was fierce enough to make my hair stand on end, although not as fierce as when I met Agorna Mine.
In fact, Rachel has been speaking less since she entered the special room. Her face is pale, so it seems that the air is quite stuffy. You can train your body, but you can’t train your insides.
On the other hand, Senior Hana just moved her legs without saying a word. I asked her.
“How are you feeling?”
“It’s still bearable, but it’s definitely tough… …. You look fine, Geomma.”
“It’s not completely fine, my skin is a bit sore.”
“I feel like I’m going to throw up at any moment, but you’re just feeling a little stingy, haha… … .”
Senior Hana let out a faint smile. Judging from the slight trembling of her knees, it seemed like she was starting to feel tired.
‘… It seems like Senior Hana doesn’t have any particular affinity for magic.’
She is one of the suspicious members of the same club. Although the possibility that she is a villain who infiltrated like Choi Seol-ah has not been ruled out, her reaction does not seem to be just acting.
‘Let’s wait and see.’
I glanced at my senior for a moment and then looked at the road ahead. There was only a gray forest spread out without any signposts. I couldn’t even guess where the first checkpoint would be.
The magical power scattered there seemed to be disrupting my sense of direction, and I felt like I was just going around in circles. As evidence, there were footprints that seemed to be ours on the broken gravel road.
I didn’t think it would be enough, but I was worried that if things continued like this, even an hour would be too short.
It is a situation where direction, location, and geography are all out of the question.
‘If this continues, I’ll be disqualified.’
Will a proper solution come out if the crew members put their heads together? Rachel, who is like a wild horse, is walking while sweating profusely, and Senior Hana is also doing a little better, but her expression doesn’t look all that good.
Among the crew members, I’m the only one who’s still sane. Did I develop a resistance to magic because of what happened? Either way, it’s not the most important thing right now, so I decided not to worry about it.
Since the club president Rachel couldn’t do her job properly, I ended up taking on the role of the acting club president. It’s annoying enough being the club president, but now I’m taking her place during final exams too…
But if I were to just let this pass by, I was concerned about what the test rewards would be. The Academy’s educational method is to give generous rewards in proportion to the difficulty.
“… Hmm.”
I wanted to use the power of the Sword God’s protection, but my sensory area was greatly reduced because I didn’t have Sashimi in my arms. So I thought about threatening Choi Seol-ah and stealing the Sashimi.
However, that is a clear disqualification. If I were alone, I would not hesitate, but there are two eyes watching. I swallowed the regret that had risen to the root of my tongue.
However, spinning around in place doesn’t suit my personality either. As someone who was born Korean, I am used to ‘quickly, quickly.’ I continued walking and became lost in thought.
Isn’t there a clever way?
A convenient, fast and efficient way.
‘If only I could detect magic power, I think I could do something… … .’
He kept mumbling the two words, magic and perception.
A feeling of being stuck in a rut.
… … !
Just then, a current passed through my left temple and exited out the other side.
I raised my head. My eyes met with Choi Seol-ah’s, who was humming with a bright expression.
Choi Seol-ah flinched loudly, then scratched the back of her head and laughed.
‘Found it.’
A scene I had seen on the news flashed through my mind.
Dogs detecting drugs at the airport.
I smiled at Choi Seol-ah. Choi Seol-ah’s shoulders trembled. It was as if she had a premonition of her near future.
* * *
Same time.
Thud, thud.
The group led by Leon was crossing the wilderness. Behind them were two women walking with tired looks, Saki Ryozo and Erio Fine, a second-year Lang class member. A kind-looking male instructor was following them like a tail.
“I think we’re around the first checkpoint?”
Leon, who was walking in the lead, turned around and waved his hand.
A bright smile hung on his lips, contrasting with the pale faces of his crew members. Ryozo barely managed to catch his breath and looked at Leon.
‘…Isn’t it hard for him?’
Even just breathing in the air made my lungs tingle and sting. But somehow Leon’s face glowed.
I knew he was a candidate for the occupied warrior, but he was still neat and tidy even in the special room that was infinitely close to the devil’s realm. It was like his own home.
“Excuse me, captain, can we rest for a bit?”
“I’m sorry,” Erio Fine said, leaning on his knees. Her pink hair brushed past her shoulders. Her breathing was ragged and rapid.
Leon blinked and answered with a bright smile.
“I think we’re almost there, but just try a little harder, Erio-senpai.”
“…ah.”
Erio let out a weak sigh, then bowed his head and nodded. Ryozo frowned at that sight.
“Hey, Leon.”
“Huh? What’s going on?”
Leon tilted his head and asked back. His eyes were empty and showed no sense of problem. Saki’s eyebrows twitched once and she gave a fierce rebuke.
“What are you trying to do now? Senior Erio is having a hard time keeping up with your rhythm!”
“Yeah, why is that?”
“Hah, why!? Don’t you have any idea how self-righteous you are right now?”
Leon looked at Saki blankly and spoke in a dry, mechanical voice.
“I don’t want to ignore my senior’s opinion, but as a leader, I have a purpose to fulfill and a responsibility to shoulder.”
“Responsibility? To me, it just looks like you’re playing the captain’s game by wearing the captain’s armband!?”
“Ryozo, you are free to take my words however you want. But I have no intention of dragging along even the members who cannot trust and follow me.”
“…what?”
“I don’t know much about the atmosphere of the travel club you belong to, but I don’t think you should expect anything like a black horse from me.”
Soon, Saki’s face darkened and she let out an angry roar. It was only for a moment, but the sharp eyes of the archer did not miss him.
The moment I mentioned Ganggeomma, Leon’s eyes turned cold. I saw clear hostility towards Ganggeomma in his eyes.
“Why is the name of the swordsman mentioned here!”
“I didn’t mean anything by it. I just said that I’m not as thoughtful as a swordsman.”
“hey-!”
Leon took another step without any change in expression. Saki’s sharp voice reached his back, but he continued walking without even looking back.
“What kind of guy is that!”
Saki glared at Leon’s back with a fierce look in her eyes.
Erio, with a pale complexion, moved his feet with a faint smile as if everything was okay.
As the anger in Saki’s pupils did not subside, the male instructor who was chasing Fumi spoke softly.
“Well, when you’re young, you grow up fighting. As a leader, the burden will be immense, considering the place you’re in. Just try a little harder.”
“… … .”
Although she looked displeased, Saki soon let out a long sigh.
‘It’s already hard, so it’s stupid to give up here.’
Saki nodded slightly. The male instructor responded with a bright smile.
She started walking again. Step by step. The sound of three people’s footsteps echoed across the gray-white gravel. The male instructor stared at their backs for a long time.
“Hmm.”
An eerie light flashed across his eyes as he muttered in a muffled tone.
“… A warrior who can sense magic.”
The instructor opened his dark, ringed eyes.
