NOVEL NEXT Chapter 5
005 – Knight on the D Line
“Leap and emotion are different attributes. It’s an impossible combination. What on earth happened to you?”
The balding assistant manager asked me.
How did it happen? I bet you’re curious.
The truth is, the second ability, Emotion (鑑定), wasn’t something I awakened by myself; I received it from Seoga-eul, and those people didn’t know that.
Isn’t it an amazing ability?
I wanted to sing Seoga-eul’s praises right away, but then I remembered that Seoga-eul kept the fact that she could transfer her abilities to others a secret.
“There must have been a good reason for that.”
In this world, there were those who betrayed humanity, and that guy made a large scar on Seoga-eul’s belly, putting her life in jeopardy.
If I spoke the truth, I might get punished by that traitor, so I decided to play it safe for now.
“It seems the balding assistant manager knows one thing but not two.”
“Balding what? And what do I not know?”
“Leap. Doesn’t it feel like more than just jumping? I have the concept of leap, so it’s entirely possible for me to jump to a new realm that you’ve never seen before.”
There’s a saying about crossing the dragon gate.
It tells the story of a carp that leaps up a treacherous cliff and eventually ascends.
In other words, leap encompasses not just jumping but signifies profound change.
“If you think about it that way, it’s easy to understand, right?”
“That’s not nonsensical.”
A look of concern creased the assistant manager’s face.
At this rate, those few remaining strands of hair might fall out.
Although there had been some commotion, the enrollment process ended that way.
“So, where do I go now?”
“Classes A to C are regular classes. Usually, those who’ve awakened concepts like you go to special classes D or F, but you’ll probably be in D class. Third-year D class.”
Upon hearing “D class,” everyone exchanged meaningful smiles.
# # #
I was told the D class was a special class.
Something like a gifted class or an advanced track.
In other words, it’s a place only for the chosen few.
“Not surprising at all.”
Even though I now had the face of a high school senior, inside I was a young man well past twenty.
Naturally, it made sense that I would be more outstanding than my peers.
8:40 AM.
As I entered the D class before the first class started at 9, all eyes were on me.
The gazes gliding over my uniform and face felt rather prickly.
“Who are you?”
“That uniform… I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere.”
“Is he a transfer student for D class?”
Was it thanks to Emotion? I could read interest and curiosity in everyone’s gaze.
At least it wasn’t rejection or hatred, which was something.
So, where do I sit?
Can I just sit anywhere?
While I was pondering this, I locked eyes with someone.
“Ah, you!”
A girl exclaimed in shock.
I was shocked as well.
It was quite unfair.
“What? You’re the one with the big butt. What a terrible fate! Are you following me? Are you a stalker?”
“Big butt? Stalker?”
“What are you suddenly talking about?”
Students were fluttering around.
Baek-Yeoul blushed and seemed at a loss.
“Big butt…”
At that moment, it seemed the seat next to Baek-Yeoul was empty, so I quickly sat there.
The very last seat. Lucky me. I could pretend to sleep during class and not get caught.
The only downside was that I couldn’t see Seoga-eul? I expected she would definitely be in this special class, but it seemed she was in F class instead.
“Hey, I’m not a big butt, I’m Baek-Yeoul!”
“Baek-Yeoul?”
“Not winter, but Yeoul… Anyway, Hanam-jin! What are you doing here? This is a special class!”
Baek-Yeoul asked me.
She had a large band-aid on her forehead, probably from a hard hit. I decided to answer briefly before she made more noise.
“Well, I guess I’m special, so it’s a special class?”
“……”
Baek-Yeoul, silent like a mute who had swallowed honey.
My words contained such an obvious truth that she couldn’t argue back. I was the one with the questions.
Why was this big butt here in a special class?
“Big butt, I see you have a concept too.”
“Of course!”
“So what kind of ability do you have?”
“Me? I’m that….”
Baek-Yeoul seemed deeply flustered and stuttered like a broken robot. Watching her twist her short hair with her fingers was obviously a tic.
「Name: Baek-Yeoul
Status: 《Embarrassment》 – Extremely embarrassed!」
The holders of concepts are incredibly special people; what could she possibly be embarrassed about?
Well, does she hold a concept she’s unable to share with others?
“What are you hesitating for? Are you so uncomfortable with your underarm hair coming in after puberty that you awakened the concept of being hairless?”
“…No!”
Swoosh-.
Just then, someone approached me.
“I heard there would be a transfer student from the homeroom teacher, and it’s you? I’m Jeong-ui-seon, the class president of D class. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me anything.”
He was tall and strikingly handsome.
Dude, why are you so good-looking?
As he extended his hand, I took his hand strongly.
“I’m Hanam-jin.”
“I have one question; is that uniform from the English high school?”
“Oh, how did you know?”
“Of course. If I hadn’t come to this stage, I was also planning to enter that English high school. My mom and dad are alumni of that school. Judging by your name, you must be pretty good at studying, right?”
“Hehehe, among dropouts, I’m probably the smartest!”
“Dropout… We’re all dropouts, right? High schoolers are originally dropouts.”
As the class president laughed heartily, the girls around us also giggled.
I would have to go through all kinds of silliness just to get a laugh from a girl.
The smiles of good-looking guys are so unjust.
Oh, how I wish this filthy world would just end!
But fortunately, this world is set to end in exactly a year.
This guy, Jeong-ui-seon, will just be an ordinary person in that ruined world.
Why? Because I had never heard the name Jeong-ui-seon before.
This guy probably was never called “Supernova” or “hero” and fell behind.
Thinking that made me feel a bit sorry for him.
“Anyway, if you have any questions, feel free to ask me anytime.”
He smiled brightly.
A refreshing smile directed at me. Honestly, it was nice to look at because he was so handsome.
He seemed to have a good character, too. In many ways, he was similar to me. You could say we were kindred spirits.
“You said you’re the class president? Then let me ask just one thing. Is Seoga-eul in this school? Surely she can’t be in our class.”
“Seoga-eul?”
The class president’s eyebrows slightly furrowed.
Normally, such a small change would be hard to notice like a tiny ant’s hind leg, but thanks to Emotion, I could read that minuscule wrinkle.
Understanding the meaning, however, was a different matter.
At that moment, the bell rang.
“Everyone, quiet down. Let’s ventilate a bit.”
Soon, a man wearing an eye patch walked into the classroom and tapped the podium firmly. He looked to be in his late twenties to mid-thirties.
He wore a uniform with three diamonds on it, which resembled a major’s insignia.
“Today, we have a transfer student, but since you all seem to have talked about it among yourselves, let’s skip the introduction. So, you know we have a discussion class this morning? Make your desks into a circle.”
Discussion class?
Now that I think about it, studying at school sounded really bothersome.
What am I doing here?
I need to meet Seoga-eul soon.
Just then, someone poked me in the side.
It was Baek-Yeoul.
“Hey, do you think you’ll get to meet Seoga-eul? Dream on!”
“Why not?”
“It seems you really don’t know anything. Did you see the badge on the class president’s chest? The one shaped like a knight in chess? That’s the knight’s mark.”
Now that I think about it, there was indeed a gold badge shaped like a knight’s head on the left side of the president’s chest. I wondered what kind of decoration that was, but it seemed to have a meaning.
“It’s a mark that only students with good grades and achievements among the concept holders can obtain. It’s like a knightly title compared to medieval times. You have to accumulate points to get it.”
Oh, so the knight badge signifies an excellent student.
Suddenly, I became curious about what kind of badge Baek-Yeoul had.
Swoosh-.
With a uniform-like attire, it wasn’t too obvious, but Baek-Yeoul’s chest was quite ample.
Her face was also pretty.
If a girl like this sat next to you, most boys would be thrilled, right?
If my heart wasn’t filled with the shining “Seoga-eul,” I would have been delighted.
“Yeah, I’m a pawn.”
Swoosh-. Baek-Yeoul proudly stuck out her chest.
Pawn?
Down to my last breath, are you still whining about that ruined cellphone? No, she means that the badge on her chest resembles the pawn in chess.
“Being a pawn is just like being a foot soldier. Is that something worth bragging about?”
“Hey, this ‘pawn’ is not easy to get, okay? Only students from the special class can wear it!”
“Then I’m a pawn too.”
“Exactly. I’m just a lowly pawn like you. The difference between you and Seoga-eul is vast, just like the difference between a knight and a queen on the chessboard. Did you mention points?”
“Can you buy that knight badge?”
“Yep. Besides that badge, you can also get a special room in the dormitory or be served selected meals using points, you know? Seoga-eul only takes those special lectures.”
“Hey! You there! Stop talking!”
Swoop-.
When Baek-Yeoul buried her face in a book, I realized from our recent conversation why this Yeongsa High School was referred to as “the stage.”
This place resembled a chessboard.
It looked flat and equal, but it undoubtedly had ranks and classes. Those with more points became the rulers.
If you equate points to money, status, power, it really feels like a microcosm of society, doesn’t it?
“So, what’s the point?”
“What do you mean?”
“Hey, big butt. You seem to misunderstand. On the same stage, even a pawn can capture a queen.”
“No, pawns are chess pieces and queens are… Aren’t they supposed to be unable to capture each other?”
“Hey! Didn’t I tell you not to talk! Ah, you guys. Hanam-jin, you seem really excited to be here right after transferring. Come on out! You’re one of the participants for this discussion! The topic is written in front of you, so check it out!”
「On the Maintenance of the Death Penalty」
“This is quite a serious and profound topic.”
“You are special. Therefore, soon enough, you’ll play significant roles as leaders throughout this nation. That’s why it’s crucial to discuss and debate complex and sensitive topics. Now, Hanam-jin, go ahead and choose your opponent for this discussion.”
As I stepped forward and looked at the classroom, I saw unfamiliar faces.
When our eyes met, Baek-Yeoul hid her head, squeaking.
Should I call her? But if I did, it would just look like I was picking on her, so I dropped the thought.
“Seeing as I’ve only been here for a short while, the only person I really know is the class president.”
“The president?”
“With Jeong-ui-seon?”
“You’re going to debate with him?”
A stir swept through the classroom.
Did I accidentally choose someone I shouldn’t have?
Soon, the one-eyed teacher smiled as if genuinely pleased.
“Hanam-jin. If you debate with the class president and manage to collect votes during the election, I’ll give you ten thousand points per vote. By the way, if you get points, you know the benefits increase, right? One point is worth one won in cash.”
Is the opportunity to gain points already here? Ten thousand won per vote? Am I just too lucky?
By earning points, it’ll become easier to connect with Seoga-eul through those special lectures she attends.
“Well, let’s give it a shot.”
After all, a high school-level discussion is just the right territory of a dropout.
On the other hand, I was an adult who had experienced a lot in life.
Class president, I bear no malice, but I will take you down in five minutes flat.