1. How to Create a Character (3)
Yeah, if you’d done even a little research into Awakener society, there’s no way you wouldn’t know.
“That Na Yuhan…?”
“Why?”
“Nothing.”
The con artist approached us, smirking.
Are you pleased? You must be. Just don’t forget I set the stage for you.
“Hello, I’m Na Yuhan. I look forward to working with you all.”
A neat and tidy school uniform with every button fastened to the top. Neatly styled hair and a gentle voice.
Right now, he looked nothing like the image you’d associate with a “delinquent.” If I had to put it into words, should I say he was like a noble straight out of a fairy tale?
Anyway, a few kids who’d been making sullen faces at his unexpectedly neat appearance—nothing like the rumors—now looked surprised.
“Yuhan is from Awakener society!”
“Really? He must know a lot, then?”
“Of course. Feel free to ask me anything you don’t know.”
“Really? Then… there’s a rumor that there’s a trick to leveling up quickly. Do you know it?”
“Um, I mean the way to handle your ability…”
The scammer answered every question without fail and acted all friendly.
This punk brushed me off with a “well, who knows” when I asked him, but look at him pretending to be kind now that he sees a chance to farm his reputation. It’s pathetic, watching him bust his ass from day one to rebrand his image.
Well, he knows the game inside and out, so he’d know exactly how this world will spiral into ruin.
He may have possessed a body with terrible specs and a garbage personality, but if he wants to live, he’d have to try his best one way or another.
Still, it was obvious that the current him wouldn’t treat anyone as important except the “main characters” of the game, so even the sight of him being kind to the kids didn’t look good to me at all.
Because it was obvious that to him, both I and the other kids were nothing but extras to raise his reputation.
While Na Yuhan—smiling—was adjusting the flow of conversation to naturally blend into our group, the homeroom teacher came in as if it was time.
“Welcome to Guardian Academy, brats!”
The homeroom teacher—characterized by his rugged, muscular build—said with a toothy grin.
“As you all know, what you’ll be learning is how to kill monsters.”
At those words, a student shouted playfully.
“I want to be a researcher, not a Hunter!”
Laughter burst from everyone. I laughed too. The homeroom teacher also grinned, seeming pleased by the situation.
The mood was quite good. I glanced at the con artist beside me, who was awkwardly raising the corners of his lips as if swept up by the atmosphere, then looked ahead again.
“Good. Still, you’ll be learning basic countermeasures, so keep that in mind!”
“Yes!”
At the energetic reply, the homeroom teacher stuck his thumb up and nodded. He’s an energetic one…….
“Then, before anything else, I have a question for you.”
Bam! The homeroom teacher’s hand struck the lectern.
“Why do you regard monsters as your enemies?”
The homeroom teacher asked us with a serious expression, as if his cheerful face from moments ago had never existed.
“Simply put, what we do is kill. Monsters possess intelligence too. Perhaps we could even become friends.”
The class stirred at the homeroom teacher’s words.
Is it okay to say that? Of course you kill monsters! Various reactions popped up.
And I…….
“Even so, we must be hostile to monsters. Because the majority of them move with the goal of exterminating humanity.”
I didn’t think much of it.
“That was my answer.”
What’s important to me is my family. And what my family needs is money.
If killing monsters is necessary for that money, then I can kill monsters.
That judgment wasn’t limited solely to killing monsters. Because I can do anything for what I hold dear.
That was my unwavering answer, one that would never falter.
“I hope you all find your own answers! Dismissed!”
With those final words, the teacher finished his sermon and handed out notices, schedules, and so on.
I watched the teacher’s back as he finished briefing us and left the classroom, while checking the various apps updated on my device.
Today’s class was over. Time to go. I fixed my grip on the suitcase I’d dragged all the way here and stood up.
I heard the chatter of kids who’d just become friends making plans to hang out.
The con artist declined the kids’ invitations and left the classroom alone. He must be going to train.
Hmm, I think there was an event where he’d meet the main characters like that.
The main characters would definitely be valuable connections, so I needed to build a relationship with them too. But it would be weird if I, who just met him today, followed at his heels like a puppy.
Let’s give up on this opportunity.
…I wish I at least knew the training room number.
This school was ridiculously huge, so there were a ridiculous number of training rooms.
“Na Hyeona, we don’t have classes today, want to go to a café together?”
“Sorry, I have to unpack today. Let’s go tomorrow!”
Nothing I can do. I’ll wait for the next chance.
I appropriately declined the invitations to hang out from the kids I’d gotten close to and decided to unpack at the dormitory.
The other well-off kids had sent helpers in advance to get everything ready, but I didn’t have the money for that.
Guardian Academy differentiated its support for students by rank, matching its meritocratic slogan. Naturally, the dorms were also divided by rank.
But……
I sat on the fluffy bed and looked around the room.
It’s better than I thought?
The room provided to me was an excellent studio apartment with clean basic furniture and plenty of space. To think this was the lowest-quality room for F-rank. As expected of Guardian Academy.
Maybe it felt even better because it was the first room of my own since reincarnating.
I pointlessly tried sitting at the desk provided on one side.
Hmm, sitting like this, I vividly remembered worrying about which heroine character to feature in the study room. The younger kids’ gazes were sharp……. They still misunderstand me, what can I do……?
And I need to make sure the kids at our orphanage each get their own room too…….
Housing prices in this world were no joke either. Buying a home is the hardest thing, whether in my previous life or this one.
No, now’s not the time to get sentimental. It’s more profitable to use this time to plan for the future.
Status window!
Still disgustingly low stats. The only thing somewhat decent is my stamina, maybe?
Do I have no choice but to hope for stat increases through leveling up?
The level-ups in this world feel too much like a random gacha, so I hate relying solely on them.
While looking at what seemed like unchanged contents, I realized there were strange letters floating at the very bottom of the status window.
Update? What is this now?
And why is it proceeding on its own?
The moment that question crossed my mind,
light burst from the status window.
What?!
…What?
While I was bewildered, the status window was spitting out text on its own.
What on earth is happening?
I stared blankly at the new texts filling my vision.
The texts poured out information arbitrarily and then vanished.
I wondered if I was dreaming, but the few windows still remaining in front of my eyes told me this was reality.
……Let’s stay calm for now.
An update? What on earth is happening?
It’s not something terrifying like a downdate, right? The world isn’t screwing me over even more, is it?
Teacher, help me!
I summoned my imaginary teacher in my mind.
Back when, after expelling the violent director, the orphanage’s meager sources of income had dried up and a serious financial crisis hit.
“Hm? Money? Don’t worry. Teacher will find a way.”
She smiled distantly while hurriedly hiding an organ trade poster…… our puppy-like teacher.
Witnessing that scene was when I felt the greatest terror of my life…….
Nothing is scarier than that! Alright. I’m not afraid of anything now. Bring it on, bastard!
After taking a deep breath, I glared at the window calmly.
Hm…… so this is, a reincarnator compensation?
A dedicated system, something like that?
No, I’m grateful, but…… why did something like this only appear now?