NOVEL NEXT chapter 38
Chapter 38
Academy City
The academy city where the game takes place.
In my past life, Mara Island was located at the southernmost tip of Korea, but in the world I was reborn into, there stood the academy city at the southernmost tip.
“Hey, Gyenwoo! Over there! Look over there!”
“…Yeah. I see it now.”
“The fact that it’s an island made by people is truly amazing….”
Listening to the captain’s announcement that we would soon be able to see the academy city.
As I and Yeonha stood on the deck like everyone else, we caught sight of the academy city.
The vague figure at the edge of the horizon was gradually revealing its true form.
“It’s my first time seeing it in person too. It’s worthy of Hyunee’s admiration.”
Listening to Yeonha’s excitement.
I recalled the description of the academy city in the game.
An artificial island made up of 25 administrative districts, like a shrunken version of Seoul.
A comprehensive institution for educating outstanding hunters.
A paradise for Korean hunters with autonomy ensured by hunters.
A lawless land of powerful individuals, with dark aspects embedded within.
“I’ll have to spend three years in a place like that from now on.”
As someone who loved this game in my past life, my heart fluttered with excitement, yet I couldn’t help but feel anxious thinking about the hardships to come.
Nevertheless, I decided to enjoy this moment purely for now.
But it seemed the triplets were not faring well.
“Uwek….”
“…”.
Since boarding the ship from Jeju Island, the triplets had been suffering from severe seasickness.
The ones who followed us onto the deck were only vomiting repeatedly without even getting a proper look at the academy city.
Hanging onto the railing as if they were about to die, scattering vomit into the sea, their appearance was pitiful.
I couldn’t help but sigh as I watched them.
“You haven’t been on the ship for that long, why are you struggling so much?”
“Have you ever experienced seasickness?”
“Experienced it…?”
“Have you experienced it… Uwek!”
Pathetic, truly pathetic.
It’s embarrassing that such kids want to become hunters.
Or are they like that because they’re kids?
I clicked my tongue in disapproval.
“If those who want to become hunters can’t even endure seasickness, what will they do?”
“So Hyunee said she’d cast a spell to help with seasickness… Ugh!”
“You said not to cast it… Ugh!”
“One shouldn’t rely on magic… Uwek….”
When I took a plane from Incheon, I recognized it from the time I ate a lot at the airport lounge.
They really pour out a lot.
Drip, drip!
To the point where seagulls were flying around the triplets as if rumors of a great restaurant had spread.
“Gyeonu, it seems like the kids are struggling too much. Wouldn’t it be better to cast a spell on them now?”
“When have I ever said something wrong? We should reduce the attitude of relying on magic. What will you do if you end up in a situation where you can’t use magic, or if magic fails? Are you going to fight or die because of seasickness? Those who wield swords in the first place, they shouldn’t rely on magic, right?”
“I, I’m not a stickler…”
Yeonnaneul seemed worried about the triplets, but it was fine. They wouldn’t die from that level of difficulty.
I knew the triplets’ stamina, and if they really felt like they were going to die, they wouldn’t even have the strength to say that.
They were guys who had rolled and grown under me for five years.
And I’m not a stickler.
“I’m just saying the obvious.”
You shouldn’t rely on magic.
You should improve yourself without relying on magic, and you should know how to train yourself.
That’s how you become strong.
I don’t know if you can improve seasickness without relying on magic.
There’s no ill will towards the triplets.
Really, none at all.
If anything, I had grown fond of them by now.
So, scolding them is just that, yeah.
“No, why did you decide to take a boat…”
“It’s not like we don’t have money…”
“We should have just used a warp gate…”
Meanwhile, even after the triplets found some stability, they didn’t stop grumbling.
To them, taking the boat seemed quite dissatisfying.
“Well, I can understand that.”
Should I call it immigration?
For security purposes, you could only enter the Academy City via Jeju Island.
At this point, there were mainly three transportation methods available for immigration.
One was taking a boat like us, the other was taking a plane.
The last one was…
“If we had just used the warp gate, we wouldn’t have had such a hard time…”
“We were counting on using the warp gate…”
“The warp gate…”
The warp gate that the triplets were mumbling about incessantly.
An artifact created by the surviving humans after the Great Upheaval, the warp gate was always mentioned along with the development of the world.
By reducing the distance between coordinates to 0 and leaping through dimensions to the designated coordinates, you could instantly enter the Academy City by using the warp gate.
“The cost is not insignificant, though.”
Of course, the cost was not a burden for me, a direct descendant of the Shingeom family.
The triplets, who were sponsored by that family, and Yeonnaneul, sponsored by the Seven-Colored Witch Hong Ye-na, also had the conditions to use the warp gate.
Nevertheless, there was a reason why I decided to board a ship and enter the Academy City.
“Kang Hanbyeol did the same.”
In the game “Brave Hearts,” Kang Hanbyeol, who received guidance from Tuigwi Seo Jungjin, descends to the world and concludes the prologue by boarding a ship to the Academy City.
“Kang Hanbyeol”
“Wow, that’s the Academy City!”
At that moment, players could tour the Academy City through Kang Hanbyeol.
Just like what we are seeing now.
I chose to board the ship to witness scenes like in the game.
Above all…
“Haneul said she wanted to board a ship.”
It was something that happened last year.
While preparing for exams together, Yeon Haneul, who was younger than me, suddenly mentioned wanting to see the sky and the sea.
“The Academy City is an artificial island. So, if you live there, you’d see the sea a lot, right?”
“Probably. Why?”
“Well, I’ve never been to the sea, so I want to see it with my own eyes.”
“You’ve never been to the sea?”
“Yeah, never been once. When would I have gone to the sea?”
“…I’ve only seen it in pictures or videos.”
As I became close with Yeon Haneul and our childhood friend, and as she became a part of our family for over five years,
Whenever our family went on trips, we often took Yeon Haneul with us.
But then, I heard her words and realized that I had never gone to the sea with her.
“I saw a picture of the Academy City floating above the sea before, and it was incredibly beautiful. I even thought, ‘Is there a place like that in our country?'”
“…The Academy City’s dimension is unstable, and the state of the atmosphere is different from here. That’s why a different environment is created.”
“Right, so it seems like a mysterious place. Oh, I really want to go. See the sea, board a ship, and see the scenery from that picture. But I have to pass the exam first.”
“Then you must pass.”
“Yeah, I have to.”
That memory remained vivid in my mind.
I boarded the ship to fulfill Yeon Haneul’s wish.
And it seemed like I did the right thing.
“The scenery is so beautiful. Even the color of the sea has changed now. It’s really different from the surroundings.”
Yeon Haneul was delighted.
That was enough.
The triplets were not a coincidence.
I called out the names of those sitting on the floor.
“Ttomani Gold, Silver, Bronze.”
“….”
“If you’re going to be lying down, you might as well buy something to drink inside.”
“Why are you… when people are struggling….”
“Heaven, is there something you want to drink?”
“Me? Um… Since the sea breeze is blowing and the weather is a bit chilly, I want something warm and sweet. Is there something like warm strawberry milk? If not, something with strawberry or chocolate would be nice.”
“Got it? I’ll go for hot chocolate. Oh, something warm.”
Yeonnaneul no longer had any particular resistance to feeding the triplets.
She had become so accustomed that the menu came out naturally.
Meanwhile, the triplets who received the order looked crestfallen.
“Heaven has fallen too….”
“Looks like a lifetime of shuttlecock…”
“Should we quickly get some mint chocolate on a whim?”
“Stop the nonsense and just go get it quickly. And if you get mint chocolate, you know, right?”
At that moment, I should really dive into the sea.
It’s not that I hate mint chocolate.
It’s just not my taste.
Anyway, I chased away the triplets and approached Yeonnaneul.
Then, she lightly clinked.
“Even though you act so indifferent, you’re actually worried about the twins and telling them to rest inside, right? You should have just told them to go in and rest, without fussing over it…. Was it awkward?”
“….”
…No. Really not.
Yeonhaneul was misunderstanding on her own.
I decided to leave her misunderstanding instead of correcting it.
To correct it, I would have to talk a lot, and it might seem like making excuses.
“Alright, let’s just enjoy the view.”
“Yeah! By the way, it’s cold out here….”
“Why not warm it up with magic?”
“You said not to rely on magic.”
“But you can.”
“Why am I allowed to do it?”
“Because I’m right here.”
“….”
“You’re a magician, and I’m a swordsman. If one side is at a disadvantage, the other…”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“What?”
“That’s how it is. Oh, but now my hands are starting to itch….”
“Then warm up with magic.”
“….”
“Or should I go in and melt my body?”
“Never mind. I’ll just drink the warm drink the twins bring and melt while looking at the sea.”
◈
The triplets brought the drinks.
After that, they just handed over the drinks, saying they would rest inside, and then left.
Sip.
Drinking the hot chocolate they gave.
I brought up the status window.
[Personal Information]
Name: Do Yeon-woo (Male, 17 years old)
Nickname: Rabbit and 2 others [+Detailed Info]
Affiliation: Laon Middle School
[Possessed Gifts]
Instinctive Evasion
[Physical Abilities]
Stamina: 37 → 65 (62+3)
Strength: 34 → 59
Endurance: 32 → 55
Agility: 43 → 71 (68+3)
Magic Power: 30 → 48
Luck: 25 → 32
Remaining Points: 1 [+Detailed Information]
The accomplishments of the past five years were recorded.
Physical strength, muscle power, endurance, and agility had greatly increased.
Although the amount of mana in the body hadn’t increased significantly, mana efficiency had improved.
Luck hadn’t risen much since it required relatively less attention.
Nevertheless, it was a proud achievement.
However, there was some regret.
“If only the right environment had been provided, I could have achieved more…”
As each ability surpassed 50, the rate of growth slowed down.
The required experience points increased, pushing the limits higher.
Consequently, the usual training alone couldn’t push the abilities further.
“Still, training in the Academy City and experiencing the game’s story will surely lead to further growth.”
It was bound to happen.
Deciding not to dwell on it too much, thoughts drifted elsewhere.
“I still haven’t met Kang Hanbyeol.”
In the game, Kang Hanbyeol enters the academy through a special admission agreement between Seo Jeongjin and the chairman, not through the entrance exam.
Being already noticed as a disciple of the Two-Return, he gained even more attention.
If it’s the protagonist’s fate, then it’s fate.
By now, he might be rolling under Seo Jeongjin’s guidance, unaware if there’s an exam.
Unfortunately, meeting Kang Hanbyeol would have to wait until after entering Geumgang Academy.
It seemed like a bit more waiting was necessary.
“What are you thinking about so deeply?”
At that moment, when I was lost in thought, Yeon Haneul suddenly spoke up.
I decided to brush it off casually.
“…I was thinking about the exam. The practical exam at Geumgang Academy is known to be tougher than at other academies.”
“Are you getting nervous now? Weren’t you saying Geumgang Academy was a piece of cake before?”
“I never said it was a piece of cake.”
“Still, you gave off the vibe that you’d get in no matter what. You said, ‘You and I are strong, so we’ll pass the exam no matter how tough it is.’ You even said the Triplets couldn’t make it, but we will. Are you changing your tune now?”
“No, we’ll make it.”
“Then there’s nothing to worry about. No matter how tough the exam at Geumgang Academy is, we’ll do well. Right?”
“Yeah, right.”
Even though there was no guarantee of passing, Yeon Haneul showed no doubt in my assurance.
Seeing her playfully banter, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
It was precisely at that moment that someone approached us.
“Are you two also going to take the exam at Geumgang Academy?”
“….”
I think I just heard about Geumgang Academy. If not, I’m sorry.”
A woman approached us with a friendly smile.
Despite it being our first meeting, she approached us without hesitation.
“I see her here.”
I knew about her.
She was a character who was part of Kang Hanbyeol’s party in the game.
The self-proclaimed “Insider”, Goeunbi.
I never expected Goeunbi to be on the same boat as us.
With that crazy thought in mind, I opened my mouth right away.
“You’re applying to Geumgang Academy, right? Are you applying there too?”
Might as well get to know each other now.
According to the game’s setting, Goeunbi, a ranger-type character, was known for her cheerful and sociable personality, making her a well-known figure among Geumgang Academy students.
But she still had her moments.
“Goeunbi.”
“Hey, how am I an insider? I don’t have many friends, do I? I’m an outsider, an outsider!”
That arrogance.
I, in my past life, was dumbfounded by that message.
How many friends does one need to consider themselves as such?
It was to the extent that she was known by nicknames such as the self-proclaimed “Insider”, the affectionate arrogant one, or the boastful one.
As inferred from that, in the game, she played the role of gathering information for Kang Hanbyeol, who was not well-informed about her surroundings.
“Great! I’m applying there too. It’s nice to meet someone applying to the same academy here. I’m Goeunbi. Let’s get along well from now on.”
Since she approached me first, it was a good thing for me.
I was already planning to approach her anyway.
“I’m Doyeongwoo. Nice to meet you.”
“Your name is Doyeongwoo. If we meet in the exam, let’s cooperate then.”
“That depends on the exam content. If we end up as opponents, we can’t help it, but if not, let’s not hold each other back.”
“That’s what I mean. Let’s have a friendly competition! Instead of holding back to beat the opponent, let’s encourage each other.”
Goeunbi responded enthusiastically with a cheerful face, nodding vigorously at my words.
It was just like how she was in the game.
“If we compare her to an animal, she’d be a friendly, cute puppy.”
I wasn’t the only one who thought that way; in the game community, Goeunbi was described as a Welsh Corgi, one of the breeds of dogs, so much so that even those unfamiliar with the game knew about it.
There was a famous meme where a brown-eared Goeunbi, holding a bone labeled ‘information’, wagged her tail to receive praise from her owner.
“She even had a ‘woof!’ speech bubble.”
When I recall that screenshot,
I couldn’t help but feel closer to Goeunbi.
But….
“He seems to be shy around strangers.”
Unlike me, Yeonhaneul was hiding behind me, covering his face.
Goeunbi’s smile, which broke down people’s guard, seemed to have no effect on Yeonhaneul.
Nevertheless, she didn’t mind and was talking to Yeonhaneul.
“Wouldn’t you tell me your name too? Actually, my eyes have been on you since I first boarded the ship. Because I like pretty people! Your hair is really beautiful. It’s not dyed, right?”
“…Call me Yeonhaneul. Hello.”
“Yeah, hello! By any chance, can I touch your ear? Oh, rabbit ears….”
“Um… sorry.”
Swoosh, and when Goeunbi tried to close the distance, Yeonhaneul completely hid behind me.
Yeonhaneul was using me as a shield, pushing against my back.
Then he whispered to me.
“Help me out a bit. I find it hard to deal with such lively and sparkling people!”
“Just treat her like you treat me…”
“How do I treat you? You’re close to me, but she’s meeting you for the first time. Besides, she’s a style that’s too burdensome for someone like me…”
…There was an otaku here too.
Oh, is he really an otaku?
I rolled my eyes upon hearing Yeonhaneul’s whisper.
I reluctantly decided to step in and explain the situation on behalf of Yeonhaneul.
“Um… he’s a bit shy, that’s why. And Ain’s ears are sensitive, so you shouldn’t touch them carelessly. The tail is the same. Please understand.”
“Oh, I see. I didn’t know that and was going to touch them as I pleased, I’m sorry.”
“…No, it’s okay.”
Goeunbi wasn’t completely clueless.
She understood Yeonhaneul’s attitude and tried to be less burdensome.
After exchanging a few more words, she waved her hand and stepped back.
“Well, I have the others with me, so I’ll head back now. Gyunwoo, Haneul, see you next time!”
“Sure, see you next time.”
“…Bye, take care.”
Finally, the ship arrived at the port.
The futuristic building emitting a sense of near future and the world tree obscured by clouds in the distance were looking down on us.
[This passenger ship is docking at the Academy City. We sincerely thank all passengers who used this passenger ship today. Please be mindful of any forgotten items and disembark according to the crew’s instructions. Lastly, we wish all exam takers good luck.]