Chapter 237 – The First Snowfall (1)
8e7JwfFrom the very first day, the Heavenly Class creaked a little.raYVHlb
ApTAs its de facto founder, I was genuinely worried about its future. I feared I had created something unnatural. After all, the Heavenly Class was unprecedented.JIn
fD7zuFNIf this world was based on Miracle Blessing M, then in game terms.L8qOYXU
YOjxs‘A system error. A bug.’loHuei
0ZLGyNot only had a background character A become one of the Seven Heroes, but he had also founded his own class. Things going off balance was hardly surprising. Though I had anticipated that.MOgJW7E
od7m‘Being prepared is one thing—accepting it is another.’4zEJr
8A2swdBut over time, I came to realize. All those worries had been unfounded.2X3cg4
vWtSbThe students followed Meain’s instructions without complaint. Yesterday, today, tomorrow, the day after, and the next. They died twenty times a day.pm8F
x0uHvFThe ways they died were varied. Out of respect for their rights and mental health, I’ll refrain from sharing the details.lXs27
djxEzEven so, they didn’t give up.Haz8
au6gEven if they vomited breakfast, fainted from nosebleeds, or their skin turned ashen—they leaned on trembling knees to rise again.Yyyy
g9IOThey straightened backs bent from exhaustion. They somehow revived their bodies and minds soaked in fatigue.n5qg
DWSIYUmAll to build immunity against the primal fear of death.FbX5Bv
v7uYw‘Why are they pushing themselves this hard?’PbrCMZI
vpL5neThere was no material reward involved. The fact that not a single one complained made me even more concerned.5Sjo
oWXIf any of them had said they were going insane, I would’ve gladly spoken with Meain. I’d have asked her to tone the class down. This was bordering on abuse.ZH6HsX
01bRUmsThey were kids who had joined the class simply because they trusted me. They could’ve asked for that and more. They even had the backing of the resources promised by the Prime Minister.DZ2dfSB
buuYet they remained silent. Even with faces like corpses—not a single complaint.OxLfL
7gHxq4‘Even if they are students from Joaquin Academy, even if they were carefully selected…’wqLc
ddDIn the end, they were still minors. If something bothered them, they had every right to say so. No one would blame them for that.GjWew
hDb2It was a right any teenager should be able to exercise. At least, that’s what my first teacher used to preach.JPI
61oo9T—A child has the right to be a child. It’s much better to cry out when something hurts than to pretend to be mature. Holding it in just makes it rot inside.SxhY
si3‘Master, but why are the teens in this world like this?’PoLtvdi
HLSSo, about a week after the Heavenly Class started, I asked Speedweapon.M0HiosT
gDPHis answer was this.HZS8A
bK5“Of course it’s tough. Dying is still something I haven’t gotten used to. Every time my vision fades, I get scared. I think, ‘What if this time I really die?’ ‘What if, when I open my eyes, I’m already in the afterlife?’ But why do we endure it? Well… I hadn’t really thought about it because the days have been so chaotic. But now that I do, it must be ambition. A near-voracious desire to be stronger. I think that’s why everyone grits their teeth and bears it. At least, that’s my reason.”iYMS
pAqAIn that moment, I shuddered.9ReJBk
FrqiDbHis words eased the uneasiness that had been circling in my heart. To think this was the same Speedweapon who had trembled in fear before the Demonic Siren just six months ago.BpkzMpa
nZN‘I never imagined hearing something like that from him.’ZBq
3rBtAt this age, you relearn what strength is—from someone far younger than you.X7yk
S4LDyI was filled with remorse.q38n8
Mk0gCi2“Without realizing it, I kept treating them like mere teenagers.”RsW9TK
gJxWZXMaybe, unknowingly, I had become the very thing I hated most when I was young—a condescending adult. A bitter old man.stths
kQ2HadC***FMdvXJK
oYKbTTime passed mercilessly.m2F
oWxmCXUIt had already been a month since the yellow and red colors of autumn had vanished. The sky remained covered with gray clouds, and the days repeated their gloomy tone. In tune with that, the students’ clothes grew thicker with each passing day.ToO
rXUgMWhoosh.uWxw
MAhTAaThe cold air cut to the bone. The true start of winter. The wind was biting.fbP
y6Homx“Ugh… brrr.”gN8ovwi
FrwsOCI buried my mouth in my scarf. Buttoned up my coat tightly and rubbed my hands together like a mosquito.G0m
gJTjTT5“Why is it so cold?”Rop3
UL1myI didn’t have a mirror, but my lips must have been purple. My hands, ears, and the tip of my nose were red from the blood pooling at my extremities.hVL
w95IjAWinter in this world felt colder than usual. Before leaving the dorm, I checked—it was around ten below zero. Even for December, it was freezing.j8i
OuS‘If this is just the beginning of winter, what’s the full season going to be like?’d85WUd
AdYqGrumbling from the cold, I picked up the pace.7a1A
SyPNJI was heading to the director’s office. Ever since the Celestial Class was created, I’d been meeting with her every week.WZ9eFUj
RR8nV‘Though calling it a “meeting” is a stretch—it’s more like a tutorial.’JWY
eQJiTmCWhen I met with Media, we usually discussed strategies. Not just about the Celestial Class, but also about international affairs, demon movements, etc. Topics you wouldn’t learn in class.RQN
EWwN3BThanks to that, my narrow perspective had expanded over time. Of course, it also meant extra work, but Media wasn’t free either. She juggled just as much to make time.HBIwNJ
PfmdZComplaining alone would’ve been inconsiderate. Still, with today’s cold, it was hard to get out.ZkhvOIN
f0AE“If it were closer, I wouldn’t even complain.”dm6
pZdTjSJoaquin Academy was huge. Enormous. Ridiculously huge. And with the freezing wind, I noticed it even more.sAe8ick
GXq6DQThe dry leaves crunched coldly beneath my feet. If only it snowed, I could at least enjoy the sound of stepping on snow.GRL
noBI tilted my head back to look at the sky. It remained gray, the clouds moving slowly. It didn’t look like it would snow.Ai2
TEBAGSqI sighed and lowered my head. Just then, a hint of color appeared at the edge of my vision. Sky blue. A color forgotten in winter fluttered softly. I called her name without thinking.7kR
9uZ0“Ryozo.”6BPcqYJ
2lKRyozo turned her head toward me. She wore a red scarf that matched well with her hair.sgypf
BTw5X5zShe looked at me with a serious expression.ILcpiN
aY1Hm“What’s this? You, outside on a weekend?”fgsvtA
Aw6KHer tone was cold. I gave a sheepish smile.rhW
EcG“Going to the director’s office. I’ve got weekly meetings with her.”awrVMo3
kKqqbu“I see. What a pain in this cold.”sr2
Eq8N“Yeah, something like that.”rt3geg
06dRDry exchange of words.tBquP8K
MFvSince the Heavenly Class was formed, my relationship with Ryozo had cooled a bit. Not for any particular reason—just because we didn’t cross paths as much.kXWy1
03sykI had a lot on my plate, and Ryozo seemed busy too. Dying twenty times a day in a subdimensional space and still studying wasn’t easy. I wasn’t the only one strapped for time.XkmrIM
4ZqaiRK‘But this is just too awkward.’ZIN
WwWRyozo was one of the founding members of the exploration club, the precursor to the Heavenly Class. Even if we were a bit distant now, she was a very special friend to me.0DuHT
EjI‘There’s still time before my appointment with the director.’ACi
0yV9I decided to start a conversation.JQnyynx
L7N7beL“Ryozo, you don’t usually come out on weekends either.”e8a
FwH9BShe stared at me. It was a strange look. Cold yet warm, but not lukewarm.60E0
4RP“I…”kzYIZNo
SlitvZDAfter a short pause, Ryozo spoke. It seemed hard for her, but she finally said it.tUsSF
GvzHfdV“…I’m going to see my mother.”VSrszB
g5N0L1I blinked. From her point of view, my face must’ve looked ridiculous. Maybe that’s why she gave a faint smile.JEygQNu
1E8“Isn’t it a little cruel to make that face after asking?”D5WzuS
4GIeI got flustered.X3dO
sgIwOy“Ah, it’s just… well… I’m happy for you.”ObuRFpx
d3o3k“Pfft.”44GV2
MVgA short laugh. Her breath dissipated from her tense lips.fiOIo
OR7pqM“Did you know you’ve changed a lot since I met you? Back when you showed off by throwing that knife at the target…”UbC8D
ByAbgZ“……”FzmZz
0o7That was when I was completely unhinged. Deep in the adjustment phase to the “Blessing of the Sword God.” A kind of adolescence.eNOhPN
s66K5NAfter overcoming that process, as my “character level” rose, I became more normal.gd17FL
ouwPMR‘Thinking about it now, I was totally insane.’EIGcf
H5zeI scratched my brow with my thumb, embarrassed. Ryozo took the opportunity to tease me.sIp
dX6“Seriously, I thought, ‘What kind of idiot is this?’ But now you’re all sentimental.”KEcl6
v7fRyozo spun on her heels and started walking alongside me. Through her sky-blue hair, her profile appeared from time to time.Xr1X4gh
IJBwyzA“Actually, yesterday Saki Hina sent me a message. It was a link with my mother’s current address.”xWjzp
E2d“……”0TabLE5
SuC“To be honest, I didn’t expect anything. I thought the promise back then was just a way to dodge the issue. But something must’ve changed, because Hina surprised me.”2yQ
lBTzSomething in her words didn’t sit right with me. Ryozo was cautious. The type to check a bridge a thousand times before crossing. But now…6OCuoR
sEDS‘She’s convinced.’py2Iyjn
gmicShe had no doubt that the address was her mother’s. That wasn’t like her.kwTAV
Lea3ExAnd it wasn’t that her personality had changed. If it had, I would’ve noticed the moment I saw her today.D7lpZ
gnn‘After nearly a year together…’CECfS2
dQSSo, why was she so sure? The reason was simple.bovtl
BjkOfRyozo tilted her head slightly.Ebc4Fv7
mqi“Did you figure it out?”qsSOIZi
3bHn5ro“……”SVSA
mGnbI didn’t respond. Sometimes silence is the best answer.bAA
YNQdRyozo looked forward again. As if she didn’t want me to see her expression.bdtGDN
RzsD4rN“Yes. I already knew my mother’s address. The first thing I did after creating Vixbig was to search for it. And since Vixbig is so powerful, it found her instantly.”9s0w
AA9H7rYMaybe because she was touching on something painful, her breathing and pulse were uneven.Y9xeA3d
M4P“But once I had it, I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t just show up and say, ‘Your daughter’s here.’”M0hoJf
r7ZAtAs a child, she must’ve been afraid. Maybe her mother didn’t want to see her. Maybe she’d be rejected. Maybe she had a new family already.JX4w
e6UGVhp“What’s the point in knowing where she lives if I don’t know what she wants? And if she doesn’t want me, I’d just be a bother. So even though I knew, I pretended I didn’t. But…”DWVjt1
Vkz4The wind paused for a moment. Her voice, previously barely audible, became clear.y7GqcjY
Qg8OYU“…For Saki Hina to know means my mother agreed to give her address. Yes. That has to be it.”fR8GO
kN0sirRyozo clenched her fists.o2O
igO“If Hina knows, it’s because she got it from the Foundation. And of course, that means they asked my mother if she was okay with giving it to me.”DMvAC0
Ms1WSFMaybe it was all just rationalization. But even so, she decided to believe it.gNZOQ3
KxjE07UMaybe it was just an excuse to justify her impulse. But even so. She made a choice. She’d go see her mother. She gathered her courage.6EW0
sal‘But…’gR69
MKFkSShe couldn’t take the step. That’s why she wandered around campus in the middle of winter. Hesitating.5BK
k5JThen I showed up. And seeing my face amidst all that confusion, she felt like crying.AOSMorR
McBQShe tried to run. But she couldn’t move. It had been a month since she last saw me up close. And she had missed me. A lot.XHJ
OM8AEven though she knew she’d be embarrassed, she stayed. Standing still. And that led to this. To confessing her weaknesses and justifying her decisions.cUPv
LmF6The metallic taste of blood spread through her mouth as she bit her cheek in embarrassment.HPSi
UUpThen—cMMWeCY
mrP0rS“Ryozo.”oulRX
MfBoXVShe looked up at the sound of my voice.orTz
5000zpWith a smile that could melt the winter cold, I said,KGiLWhp
82n“Let’s go together.”AJbFkxY
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Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaWhy all of sudden? well its fine I guess.
Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaSuspicious.
Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaWhat?
Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaWise words.