Chapter 137 – Beginning of the Second Semester (1)

“Ha.”

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

The air, filled with a familiar scent, filled my nostrils. It felt strange after so much time, but little by little, I got used to it again.

I slowly opened my eyes. Before me, the narrow room unfolded.

“I’m back.”

The atmosphere of the dormitory was just as quiet as ever.

It didn’t have the opulence of the hotel I stayed at during the expedition to the Undead Dungeon. However, this modest room moved me much more.

I pushed my suitcase into a corner and, without hesitation, took off the clothes I had been wearing for nearly eighteen hours.

From Switzerland to Korea, then from Incheon Airport to Joaquin Academy—it had been a really long journey.

When the break started, excitement kept me from noticing, but intercontinental flights completely drained the body.

‘No wonder people talk so much about jet lag.’

Before showering, I lay down on the bed.

The creaking of the rough sheets was surprisingly comforting.

I felt euphoric, as if I had truly returned home. After all, it had been an intense vacation in many ways.

……

I stared at the ceiling for a while, and my eyelids began to close on their own.

I wouldn’t mind sleeping right away, but I decided to get up from the bed and head to the bathroom.

“Might as well shower and go for a walk.”

Shhhhh—

As the hot water ran down my skin, I organized my thoughts and set my next plans.

The water pressure at Castle Sigurd had been ridiculously weak, so this finally felt like a decent shower.

‘The vacation really disappeared in the blink of an eye.’

Training with the Swordmaster, the Undead Dungeon, the trial of the Sword Saint’s Legacy—each one had been a significant event.

I faced life-or-death situations more than once, but I also obtained unexpected rewards.

The “Stone of Immortality,” the rank upgrade of the “Regeneration Blessing,” and the fragments of 【???】.

That’s why now was a good time to assess everything.

Besides, in a few days, the second semester would begin.

And that meant the war would start in two and a half years.

The shadow of calamity loomed over us.

Since I had already defeated Agor and the Draugr, I couldn’t just sit back and do nothing in the face of the impending Second Human-Demon War.

The demons were enemies that exceeded all expectations.

Especially the Demon King’s Army Commanders. In the game, each of them was said to have the power of an entire nation, and that was no exaggeration.

If Agor Fire, the Commander of the Fifth Corps, was already a walking disaster, then the others…

The Fourth Commander, Fermush (Earth); the Third, Vesna (Water); and the Second, Kuarne (Wind).

Since the Commanders were stronger in ascending order, these demons had to be true monsters.

And above them was the Demon King.

An absolutely ridiculous lineup of enemies.

Fortunately, the entrance between the Underworld Gehenna and the human world was still sealed.

But that barrier would break in just two and a half years.

In short… we were screwed.

If the First Commander, Lycan (Lightning), weren’t sealed by the Primordial Hero, I wouldn’t even see a chance of victory.

It was impossible to leave the fate of everything solely on Leon’s shoulders.

At least, that’s how I saw it.

That’s why I had to prepare.

If things continued like this, humanity itself would disappear from this world.

There were three things I needed to do.

First, obtain more Magic Crystals.

Fortunately, I already had one, so there was no need to rush.

I still needed two more, but first, I had to thoroughly analyze the special abilities of the Stone of Immortality.

‘Even so, it would be best to gather materials from demonic beasts and reinforce my equipment in the process.’

Second, prepare myself as the next Seven Stars.

I was chosen to fill the Swordmaster’s position.

My trip to Switzerland had been part of that preparation.

I didn’t know exactly when I would assume the title, but I couldn’t just sit idle.

There were opponents even more troublesome than demons that I had to deal with.

The nobles, the Hero Association, the media… I didn’t want their attention, but it was inevitable.

At least with monsters, I only had to cut them to pieces, but with people… it wasn’t that simple.

Still, I had time.

The Swordmaster said I had at least half a year before the succession.

After all, taking over as a Seven Stars wasn’t something done in just a couple of months.

Even presidential elections took several months.

“And lastly…”

Third, find artifacts.

It was a recent goal, but perhaps the most significant one.

The system explicitly told me to find the artifact “Monolith.”

Therefore, I had to prioritize it.

‘I don’t like playing along with the system, but…’

Fortunately, rumors said that the Hero Association would intervene at Joaquin Academy this semester.

And most artifacts were under their control.

If I played my cards right, I could get close to them.

It wouldn’t be easy, but… had anything ever been easy?

Compared to risking my life in battle, treasure hunting didn’t seem so bad.

Besides, this kind of task would be much easier with the help of the club members.

I stepped out of the shower and shook the water off my body while reaffirming my resolve.

As I put on my clothes, I murmured to myself.

“I wonder how everyone else spent their vacation.”

We spent months together, but during the entire break, I didn’t have a single contact with them.

I had no idea that the Nibelung territory was beyond the reach of telecommunications.

Basically, I lived like a hermit without access to civilization for a month.

So I had no news of them.

Although, as the saying goes, “no news is good news,” so they were probably fine.

Still, Ryozo worried me the most.

At the end of last semester, her expression had looked really dark.

I put on a tracksuit and zipped it up to my chin.

Then, I grabbed my sashimi.

It was time for a nighttime walk.

***

Kang Geom-Ma naturally walked toward his usual bench.

He had tried expanding his range, but in the end, he always ended up in the same places.

Maybe this was what it felt like to be an old man who only visited his favorite restaurant. Besides, the academy was so big that he still hadn’t memorized its layout properly.

…A few minutes passed as he wandered aimlessly. Eventually, he approached his usual bench.

However, someone was already occupying it.

Light blue hair and an elegant demeanor. Saki Ryozo was sitting there.

“Oh, what? Ryozo, you’re already back at the academy?”

“……”

Although he greeted her enthusiastically, she didn’t respond.

With narrowed eyes, Ryozo glanced at him sideways before letting out a haughty scoff.

‘What’s her deal?’

It was the first time he had seen his friend in a month, yet her reception was cold.

The night air was as icy as her attitude.

Kang Geom-Ma stood there, puzzled, until Ryozo spoke emotionlessly.

“Are you going to just stand there like an idiot? Didn’t you come to sit on the bench? If you’re here, sit.”

“…Ah, right.”

With a tilt of her head, she gestured to the spot beside her.

Kang Geom-Ma nodded awkwardly before sitting down next to her.

“By the way, when did you get back to the academy? There are still five days left before classes start.”

“……”

Ryozo silently sipped from the cup in her hand. Then she furrowed her elegant brows and stuck her tongue out halfway.

Whatever she was drinking, she clearly didn’t like it.

After taking a breath, she answered briefly.

“I never left.”

“……?”

“I didn’t go back to Japan. I stayed here the whole time.”

“You didn’t go home for the break?”

Ryozo shot him a look of disbelief.

“I was supposed to, but I didn’t. Why? Simple—I didn’t want to. It’s not like anyone was waiting for me.”

Her voice dropped in tone. There was a restrained emotion in the way she spoke, an almost cutting coldness.

“Geom-Ma, I’m sure you’ve already figured it out. I hate my home. I mean, what people call a palace. No, more than hating it… it gives me chills.”

“……”

“It’s not a fun story, so let’s leave it at that. By the way… how was the U.S.?”

Kang Geom-Ma was momentarily taken aback.

‘Ah, right. When reporters asked where I was going, I said I was heading to the U.S.’

It had been a lie to hide his whereabouts during the break.

“Well, about that…”

“Forget it. I’m sure you had your reasons. If you don’t want to talk, don’t.”

“You’re not curious?”

“I am, but everyone has their own business. You didn’t ask me why I hate my home, did you? Just because I’m curious doesn’t mean the other person has to answer.”

“……”

Ryozo brought the cup to her lips with a somber expression. But this time, again, she made a face of disgust.

“Ugh! How do people drink this? This is pure poison.”

“What are you drinking?”

“Coffee.”

“Coffee? You? Drinking coffee?”

Kang Geom-Ma was dumbfounded.

He had always seen her eating sweets like yokan, but now coffee?

“Is it that weird? It’s just that adults always drink it, so I thought I’d try it. But honestly, do you people actually enjoy this? It’s so bitter it numbs my tongue. And you even drink straight espresso.”

“……”

Kang Geom-Ma didn’t do it for pleasure—just because it was cheaper.

Ryozo took out a yokan and bit into it.

Only then did she seem to relax, savoring the sweetness melting in her mouth.

It was like a Korean soothing the greasiness of a heavy meal with kimchi.

The tension in the air eased slightly.

The night progressed, and the crickets chirped with less energy as the summer heat faded.

“……”

“……”

The campus was quieter than usual since there were still five days left of the break.

In the silence, Ryozo murmured in a low voice,

“…Still, how could you not send a single message all month?”

Kang Geom-Ma pretended not to hear.

His senses were sharp, and from experience, he knew that responding to those casual comments would only get him into trouble.

“Hey! I’m talking to you! Are you going to ignore me?”

“I thought you were talking to yourself.”

“Who would monologue so obviously? Besides, if someone sends you a message, the proper thing to do is reply. No matter how busy you were, not a single message all month?”

“There was no signal where I was.”

“No signal in the 21st century? Well… I guess the U.S. is big.”

Ryozo let out a deep sigh.

She seemed to accept his response.

She stood up and dusted off her skirt.

“I’m leaving. Looks like you just got here today. Get some rest…”

A faint shadow of disappointment crossed her face.

But without hesitation, she turned to leave.

“Ryozo.”

Kang Geom-Ma’s voice stopped her.

Her back tensed slightly.

“I was glad to see you again. Classes start in a few days, so I’ll see you then.”

Ryozo remained still for a moment. She slowly turned her head to look at him.

“……”

Kang Geom-Ma was smiling completely naturally, waving at her.

His expression was genuine.

That pure reaction made Ryozo puff out her cheeks. It was annoying.

This meeting hadn’t been a coincidence, but that airhead didn’t even realize it.

Why had she been sitting on that bench at that exact time?

Why had she been drinking coffee even though she hated it?

He didn’t even ask.

Just thinking about it made her frown.

The coffee in her mouth tasted even more bitter.

As she glanced at him sideways, she muttered something.