RE: Player again

375

[Chapter 110]

[The New Rising Class of Middle School Academy (3)]

The middle school academy has been unsettled lately. Even though it's a new year and semester, the atmosphere is different from usual years.

Especially the 031 class, the highest grade in middle school academy, was having difficulty harmonizing between existing and emerging forces.

In the eyes of existing 031 class students, the newly transferred students seemed to have taken the places of dead friends.

Although they understood intellectually, their hearts couldn't accept it.

Moreover, most students attending middle school academy had various vested interests.

The existing established interests were also undergoing major changes.

"Sigh... I envy Hayang the most these days. Or how nice would it be if our group had someone like Subin?"

Ryu Yeonhwa graduated.

Eunha who no longer diligently did morning training skipped training and came up to the lecture building rooftop early in the morning.

From this position, he could closely examine students jogging around the academy.

But there was already a guest.

"Hah... I thought I could finally breathe but how can this happen? It's too much. Why are people around checking me when I'm just trying to build my own force?"

"It means you've become dangerous enough to need checking."

"I know. How dangerous a person I am. But I can't help feeling annoyed."

Yeongwon Group's direct descendant Yoo Dojun.

Yoo Dojun who sat on the floor and put his feet between the railings while leaning his head on the railing kept sighing.

As a result, Eunha had no choice but to listen to all his complaints.

It's good I brought breakfast.

Eunha leaned his back on the railing and handed him a sandwich packed from the dorm cafeteria.

Yoo Dojun reached his hand over his head and received the egg salad sandwich.

"Just a sandwich? Ah, bread with strawberry jam. This is nice. Where did you get it?"

"They pack it if you ask at the dorm cafeteria?"

"I should ask sometimes too. Eunha, I envy you. I really envy you who has the leisure to eat sandwiches."

"Stop grumbling and just eat the sandwich."

The cheers of students jogging could be heard from far away.

Judging by the loud fighting spirit, they were probably 1st years who entered this year.

Eunha put the sandwich in his mouth with their cheers in the background.

The egg salad between the bread fell to the floor along his hand. He licked the back of his hand with his tongue then soon frowned.

Because Dojun kept talking without knowing the grace of sharing half his sandwich.

"I heard there wasn't any discord at all in Sirius Group? The reason newly transferred students whispered among themselves was just how not to offend Noh Eunha's mood..."

"This won't do. Give me back the sandwich."

"I ate it all knowing you'd say that."

"Sigh..."

Only Sirius Group's faction.

Didn't have conflict with emerging forces at the academy.

The reason it seemed like there was conflict at first was a happening that occurred while they quietly exchanged information among themselves.

I don't know if I should like this or not.

Noh Eunha, himself, played a part in there being no conflict with emerging forces.

Because rumors about him spread so much, those receiving Sirius Group's sponsorship shrank back not wanting to offend his mood unnecessarily.

Even though no Sirius Group direct descendants were attending the academy currently, Eunha was showing dignity beyond what direct descendants have.

As proof, when he went to the meeting, people inside even welcomed him loudly as if by agreement.

In the end, the new force united under fear of Noh Eunha.

It was a funny yet sad matter.

This happened even though Eunha just stayed still at the Sirius gathering.

"Oh, our class is passing by there. There are many kids gathered around Parang hyung and Eunhyeok?"

Then Yoo Dojun pointed at students newly entering the path.

They were 031 class male students.

At the front, Mok Minho and Galaxy Group's collateral descendant were having a battle of nerves while racing.

And regardless of their battle of nerves, Parang was running while taking care of 031 class Ain.

It's understandable.

Stupid hyung's position is abnormally high with so few Ain attending middle school academy.

The so-called Noh Eunha corps.

It was a joking term academy officials used.

It sounded corny at first glance, but the term Noh Eunha corps was continuously expanding its influence within the academy.

Also because students called Noh Eunha corps were classified as promising rookies.

As a result, even among promising rookies, promising rookies belonging to Noh Eunha corps were receiving higher evaluations.

And as they became 3rd years, the connections they personally forged became networks, and became the catalyst for new factions to form.

Whether they knew it or not themselves.

"It looks nice. Ain were probably suffocating living while being openly ignored, but look how happy they are with Parang hyung taking care of them like that."

"You can see that from this height?"

"Eunha, my eyes are good? I even know what your underwear looks like. I saw earlier it's quite expensive..."

"Are you twenty-five? Shut up a bit."

"Hah... This is how I live."

Among them, Parang and Seona were in quite abnormal positions.

The two were Ain.

While it might be understandable for high school academy, middle school academy with one Ain per class wasn't a very good educational environment for Ain.

But Jin Parang and Jin Seona gained authority and popularity that no one could treat harshly.

Their existence couldn't help but be objects of envy to Ain who often lived suffering harassment from students in middle school academy.

Moreover, being around Jin Parang and Jin Seona belonging to Noh Eunha corps would inevitably significantly reduce bullying from other students.

At some point, Ain came to receive protection from the two.

The gaze towards Ain within middle school academy changed somewhat.

Seona is sharp so she won't be swayed by those Ain but...

I'm a bit worried about Parang hyung.

Eunha quietly clicked his tongue.

The few Ain in middle school academy formed one force while two factions coexisted within it.

One was the moderate faction centered on Jin Seona trying to live quietly without standing out at the academy as much as possible.

The other was the hardline faction centered on Jin Parang sometimes doing dangerous things trying to live cheerfully at the academy.

The moderate faction would be handled by Seona, but it was unknown what would happen to the emboldened hardline faction in the future.

Because Jin Parang definitely didn't have the personality to manage people.

In his previous regression, he was called . Although there were complex reasons he received such an alias, there was no room for excuse to be called in the aspect that he ended up being used.

"Yeah, what will change by lamenting here... I'll go down to the classroom now."

"Ah, wait a moment."

Yoo Dojun's words were right.

What's the use of lamenting?

In the end, it's something he has to do even if he dislikes it. As long as he doesn't give up his aspiration to become Yeongwon Group's chairman, he had to walk a harsh path.

The same was true for Eunha.

Eunha grabbed him as he was about to return to the classroom.

"Why?"

"You still have the artifact I gave you before, right?"

"That... what. The ring you gave me last year because of the final evaluation? I'm keeping it like this for emergencies since you said it has protective magic engraved..."

Yoo Dojun who put his hand inside his shirt and showed the necklace with the ring threaded.

Eunha snatched it away.

Yoo Dojun made a dumbfounded expression at the suddenly occurring event.

"Hey! How can you take back what you gave!?"

"You don't need it anymore."

"Friend, I said I'm keeping it for emergencies. Huh?"

"I'll make you a similar one later."

"Sigh, fine. But, an artifact with protective magic cast by senior Ryu Yeonhwa."

"She seems very busy these days so it'll probably be hard. I'll try asking."

"Yeah... You'll try asking. Hah, I better not expect. So? What are you going to use that for?"

Dojun knew well he couldn't beat Eunha through his experiences so far.

In the end, he gave up and changed the topic.

Then Eunha answered nonchalantly.

"To give to Haesoo hyung."

"Haesoo hyung? That hyung at the workshop? Hey, isn't it right for me who looks weaker than that healthy-looking hyung at first glance to have the artifact?"

"He needs it more than you."

As if there was no need to explain further.

Eunha cut off Yoo Dojun's words.

Then he soon put the ring threaded on the necklace in his pocket anywhere.

Because you never know what will happen.

Although the blood that flowed last year hasn't been forgotten by people in the world yet.

Blood will fall again on blood that hasn't dried.

No, it 'will be made' to fall.

☆

From the middle school academy instructors' standpoint, they had to pay attention to help 3rd year transfer students adapt to academy life.

But they were overlooking one crucial fact.

They failed to consider the 031 class who lost friends to death while focusing on transfer students.

Memories of death are deep-rooted.

Even if they seem fine outwardly, they're completely rotten inside.

As a result of the academy overlooking that, existing 031 class students felt a sense of loss and deprivation towards newly transferred students and harbored feelings of rebellion against them.

Moreover, no matter how much middle school academy considered 031 class transfer students, there was no way they could consider each individual's heart.

To make matters worse, the battle of nerves between existing and emerging forces starting from 031 class spread to 032 and 033 classes, and major changes were currently taking place.

It was then that instructors keenly felt.

Their mistake.

"So we need to come up with a harmonization policy for 031 class somehow?"

"I think existing 031 class students are dissatisfied because we favored transfer students, and students who entered exceptionally couldn't easily accept the culture that had been prevalent at the academy."

"Moreover, the academy turns a blind eye to whatever is done as long as skills are good unless it's an extreme crime. It's understandable for existing 031 class students whose hierarchy was determined by skill to find it distasteful that transfer students are trying to exert their skills."

The academy advocating meritocracy encouraged competition among students.

As a result, 031 class students who entered from 1st year and became 3rd years now were unconsciously ranking each other.

In that situation, transfer students who didn't struggle at all suddenly entered 3rd year.

Transfer students tried to compete with existing students to show off their strength.

It was understandable for existing 031 class students who had secured their positions to some extent and became the highest grade in middle school academy to be dissatisfied.

"But I think competition is inevitable. It may be a problem now, but if left alone it will sort itself out."

"So I think this is more important. I'd like to create an opportunity for 031 class students to understand each other."

"Opportunity? What kind of opportunity?"

Lee Gukjong who became a middle school academy instructor last year.

He put forth an opinion to the instructors.

Instructors' attention focused, and Lee Gukjong unfolded his thoughts.

"So you're saying let's make a mentor-mentee system?"

"Have existing students help transfer students adapt to academy life. I think they could understand and become close to each other through that opportunity."

"Not bad. Making existing 031 class mentors and transfer students mentees..."

Instructors put their heads together.

It wasn't bad.

Rather, they regretted why they didn't think of this method from the start.

If they had, the current situation would have been somewhat better.

But it was already spilled water to regret.

Instructors compiled the 031 class student roster to create the mentor-mentee system.

137 enrolled students, 163 transfer students.

Even if assigned 1:1, there seemed to be quite a few transfer students left over.

Therefore, instructors looked for those among existing 031 class who could become mentors for 2 students.

They decided to cut by grades first.

"Noh Eunha is... cut right?"

""""Cut.""""

One instructor picked up Noh Eunha's student record and opened his mouth.

The rest of the instructors nodded in unison.

With this, they could save one transfer student who would have to watch Noh Eunha's mood.

"Of course give Hayang 1 more... Eunwoo seems fine too?"

"How about Seona?"

"Seona... Yeah. It's better to give her one more. Group Ain together. Problems could arise unnecessarily otherwise."

Humans looked down on Ain.

Ordinary people hated Ain.

Players treated Ain poorly.

Ain were socially weak.

However, it couldn't be denied that the world was moving in a better direction because of their existence.

Nevertheless, discrimination doesn't disappear.

The 3rd year general supervisor knew that, so he instructed to assign Ain mentors and mentees together to prevent any problems that might occur.

Ironically, Ain were separated to protect Ain.

There shouldn't be big problems with Jin Seona and Jin Parang there though.

Moreover, instructors were already thinking inwardly that Jin Seona and Jin Parang would somehow resolve problems even if they arose.

Honestly, because of those two, 031 class had noticeably less discrimination against Ain than other classes.

"Then roughly assign like this... Anything else to do?"

"Besides this, we need to announce position assignment results within this week."

The mentor-mentee assignments were roughly finished.

The general supervisor who stretched asked if there was anything else to do.

Then one person raised their hand and spoke.

Come to think of it, 3rd year middle school academy students had to choose positions as players and take classes centered on their specialized positions.

Although high school academy has many people, middle school academy had few numbers so almost everyone could be assigned to the division they wanted.

"It's a bit late this year because of transfer students... Well, they would have chosen classes well on their own."

"Yes, in a way existing 031 class kids had holes in every division because their numbers were so few."

"Haha... What an unfortunate thing."

Unlike earlier, instructors shrugged their shoulders lightly.

Lee Gukjong discreetly called the youngest instructor and told him to bring the position assignment results.

After a while, the youngest instructor came back out of breath with the results.

Instructors gathered around.

"Let's see, who applied for dealer, the flower of player divisions."

"How is dealer the flower...! Caster is obviously the flower!"

Instructors fought while highly evaluating the divisions they majored in.

Without joining their argument, the general supervisor read down the names of students who chose each division from top to bottom.

Then his finger stopped.

"Isn't this result wrong?"

"Huh? That's correct though?"

"No, that can't be..."

"Is there a problem?"

The general supervisor frowned.

It hurt to say with his mouth.

He passed the results to the instructor with the loudest voice among instructors.

It was Instructor Lee Gukjong.

He who suddenly received one page of results had to read it while receiving attention from instructors.

"It's the guardian division. Let's see... The student who applied for the guardian division is─"

Lee Gukjong recited nonchalantly.

Then he swallowed his breath after confirming the name written at the very top.

""""......"

Instructors' breaths stopped too.

Their gazes turned to Lee Gukjong.

Lee Gukjong thrust his head towards the results to see if this was really true.

The letters didn't change.

In the end, he had to continue speaking.

"─Noh Eunha."

It was a result no one expected.

☆

That day, evening.

Eunha found Byukhaesu's workshop.

The final evaluation hadn't started yet, so there was no need to hand over the ring he "received" from Dojun to him yet.

But Eunha had separate business with Byeok Haesoo, so he decided to deliver the ring while he was at it.

"By the way hyung, you're not really living in the workshop, right?"

"I'm not living there, I'm not. You nagged me last time not to live in the workshop without even washing, so I'm going home to wash and sleep comfortably? I just go to sleep and come back though..."

"You'll ruin your body like that. Be careful."

"How healthy do you think my body is..."

Byeok Haesoo wiped his sweat with a towel and chuckled.

Unlike his previous life, Byeok Haesoo was very healthy.

Money and honor made him overflow with energy.

Although Eunha was glad to see him like this, sometimes memories of one-armed Byeok Haesoo popped up and he couldn't shake off his worry.

"So? You're giving this to me?"

"Yeah. Always wear it. Infuse internal mana into the ring in emergencies."

"I know how effective it is since I made it... Why are you giving this to me?"

"I think hyung will need it."

Byeok Haesoo who picked up the necklace with thick fingers tilted his head.

Eunha shrugged his shoulders.

How could he say it?

I think hyung will need it.

Eunha glossed over with those words. Because he didn't want to tell him the detailed inside story.

Meanwhile, Byeok Haesoo who knew nothing accepted it as if that's how it was.

Without harboring any suspicion.

"Well, I should gratefully accept if you're giving me such a good thing. Thanks. I'll use it well."

"You should only use it in real emergencies. You know that's hard to make again, right?"

"I know. I made it, after all."

Eunha emphasized playfully.

Probably no emergencies will happen to Byeok Haesoo living in the workshop except during the final evaluation.

Thinking that, Eunha tried to talk about his purpose for coming here.

Byeok Haesoo nodded.

"I hurriedly procured materials because you suddenly sent that chat..."

Byeok Haesoo who got up from his seat brought a few materials.

He picked up a circular wooden shield and brought it to Eunha's left wrist.

The wooden shield was quite large.

"I'll have to cut it a bit."

"You can use a big one too. It's not like you'll use it seriously anyway."

"Then why did you ask me to make defensive equipment?"

Byeok Haesoo was dumbfounded.

There were dealers who handled shields, but as far as he knew, Eunha was aiming to be a dealer who prioritized speed.

Moreover, hearing Eunha's request, the shield he was asking for was for guardians, not dealers.

"I'll make it since you asked, but what on earth are you going to use a guardian-exclusive shield for?"

Byeok Haesoo was genuinely curious.

There was no need to hide it.

Eunha spoke as if it was no big deal.

"From 3rd year, we choose one division to learn professionally, right?"

"So?"

"I chose guardian."

"......"

A truly calm answer.

Byeok Haesoo silently demanded an answer.

This time too, Eunha continued speaking as if it was no big deal.

"I think I need to do some legwork..."

"Oh my..."

To get close to Lee Cheonsu who would have chosen the guardian division.

He decided to look for any guardians he liked among newly transferred students while he was at it.

Byeok Haesoo chided him saying there's no weirdo who would directly take guardian classes to find guardians except you.

☆

And the next day, the mentor-mentee system was announced at middle school academy.

The mentor-mentee status of Noh Eunha's corps was as follows:

Mentor

Division

Mentee

Kim Minji

Ranger

Ja Huira

Chae Junyeol

Noh Eunha

Guardian

Kang Sihyeong

Mok Minho

Dealer

Kim Byeongguk

Yoo Nagyeong

Mentor

Division

Mentee

Bae Subin

Caster

Park Daye

Yoo Dojun

Navigator

Oh Minsik

Jung Hayang

Navigator

Han Eunhye

Guardian

Lee Cheonsu

Jin Seona

Telepath

Rangi

Baduki

Jin Parang

Telepath

Aries

Chii

Choi Eunhyeok

Dealer

Yoo Junhyeok

An Yona

Hoshimiya Kaede

Ranger

Jegal Eunsol

Cha Eunwoo

Supporter

Kang Yeseul

Ranger

Yoon Saechan