During the five days of the Geumgang Festival, all sorts of events occurred throughout the academy grounds.
Finding the parents of a lost child, subjugating monsters that appeared in the festival area, arresting perverts, testing one’s strength against named Hunters, mediating disputes between students, resolving ghost stories tied to the Geumgang Festival, mini-games, becoming a food critic and choosing between two booths burning with rivalry, fighting a villain who challenged Kang Hanbyeol to a duel in order to reclaim the weapon taken by the Fighting Ghost, and so on.
There were far too many to list.
Realistically, with our own schedules to keep, there was no way we could clear every event.
So I picked out the ones that seemed worthwhile and subtly recommended them to my friends.
—If you ever go to Indigo Lake, try stopping by the dalgona-making booth. I went with Haneul yesterday, and it was pretty good. They make dalgona with magic…
—I just saw a post on HelloBuy saying Red Beard Hunter showed up. Haerang, didn’t you say you wanted to meet Red Beard Hunter? Why don’t you go ask him to teach you a thing or two?
—Apparently, near Inyeon Hall, the fried dumpling booth and the tteokbokki booth are competing to see whose food tastes better. Shouldn’t you be the one to step up for something like that, Eunsol?
—I heard a rumor that there’s a pervert wandering around wearing nothing but a trench coat… If you’re bored, why not go catch the pervert? I think it’d help you relieve stress too, Yuri.
—Hanbyeol, be careful. Someone I know just contacted me, and they said a villain suspected to be the Eight-Foot Ghost was spotted on the grounds. Looks like he came to retrieve the armament that Master Fighting Ghost took from him…
Like that.
I skillfully coaxed my friends into resolving the events.
—Hmm… Somehow, this feels suspicious. Were rumors always this fast? And why do you know so many people? You always teased me for being a social butterfly…
—Geonu, is the information reliable? Can you tell me the exact source?
Of course, there were people like Go Eunbi and Park Sagun who grew suspicious from time to time.
The two of them, who would normally have played the role of hinting at event clues, were especially so.
But I pretended not to know anything and dodged their questions well enough.
—That’s right, I went there with Geonu, and the dalgona was pretty good. If you have time, you should go.
It also helped greatly that Yeon Haneul played along.
That was how I was able to promote my friends’ growth.
‘The problem is the events that occur randomly, without a fixed time or place…’
For that part, I had no choice but to run around myself.
And so, on the second day of the Geumgang Festival.
After spending the entire morning frying jeon and finally earning some free time, I strapped on an armband so I could proudly roam the grounds.
It was the armband of the Geumgang Patrol, which maintained public morals and security during the festival.
In other words, it was a symbol of public authority.
“As expected, people need to hold power. As long as I have this, no one can defy what I say.”
“Geonu, I’m only saying this just in case, but you know you can’t abuse your power, right?”
Geumgang Patrol activities consisted of patrolling designated areas in teams of four.
So, in place of our team leader, who had briefly stepped away due to personal circumstances, I was currently walking around the grounds with students from the swordsmanship track.
I was already acquainted with my team members, so hanging out with them wasn’t uncomfortable.
We even exchanged jokes from time to time.
‘It’d be nice if an event occurred while I’m working as patrol…’
Meanwhile, as I waited for a certain event, I kept my attention on the communicator that patrol members used to contact one another.
I thought that if I was lucky, I might hear news of the event.
It was then that the triplets came into view.
“Aren’t those my lackeys?”
It was near Silver Lake, where our class’s traditional tavern was located.
The triplets were grilling meat and drinking alcohol at a booth with the lake as their backdrop.
Their mouths were split into grins so wide that they seemed to reach their ears even from a distance.
I could easily guess why.
‘Some people are working their asses off, and those bastards are grilling meat with girls?’
Surprisingly enough, despite going around with the bizarre nickname of Geumgang Academy’s Cerberus, the triplets were rather popular.
Unlike me, they had even received confessions from female students several times.
‘…Damn it, even those guys get confessed to, so why don’t I?’
It wasn’t that I wanted to receive a confession, but it was a matter of pride.
In any case, I had no idea what tricks the triplets had pulled, but they were laughing and chatting with the female students.
Feeling indignant, I immediately walked over to them.
“Hey, Gold, Silver, Bronze.”
“G-Geonu! H-how did you get here…!”
“Ah… you’re on patrol? G-good work…”
“Wh-what’s up, Geonu?”
Perhaps because they knew they were guilty, the triplets jumped in fright the moment they saw me.
I showed them my armband and opened my mouth.
“This is a violation of public morals. Men and women must keep proper boundaries, yet you’re drinking together and grilling meat? In broad daylight, by the lake, no less?”
“Ah, shit. What’s with him again? Men and women must keep proper boundaries…?”
“That nutjob’s at it again. He just can’t stand seeing us do well.”
“Even if you put your hand on your heart and thought about it, isn’t that really not something you should be saying? Hey, keep that up and you’ll get stoned.”
“Are you talking back to me right now? I see. You want to be locked up in detention until the festival ends.”
“Ha… That guy should never be allowed to hold power. Despite the way he looks, he’s a total dictator…”
“A real nutjob with some serious double standards.”
“Geonu, it’s a good day for us. Let’s not make things unpleasant.”
The triplets sighed with fed-up expressions.
Whether they said anything or not, I tore open a pair of disposable wooden chopsticks and picked up some meat.
I had felt it from the moment I smelled it grilling, but it was delicious.
As expected, meat had to be grilled over charcoal.
At the same time, while making a lettuce wrap, I glanced at the female students sitting across from the triplets.
‘Haneul is a hundred, no, a thousand times prettier.’
It wasn’t that I was particularly comparing appearances. Yeon Haneul’s beauty was simply that exceptional.
My nose rose slightly with a strange sense of satisfaction.
I felt generous.
“I’ll let it slide just this once. I’ll pay for the meat, so have fun today. Starting tomorrow, go sweat through training instead.”
“What? Really!? What’s gotten into you? Thanks, Geonu! We’ll eat well!”
“Hey, guys, order more! Geonu’s treating us today!”
“But Geonu, can’t we skip training during the festival…”
“No, you guys have to train. And our class is running a traditional tavern near here, so stop by there later too. Don’t raise some other shop’s sales. Raise our shop’s sales.”
“If we go there, can we drink for free?”
“There’s a friend discount, right? What about freebies?”
“I’ll tell Arin you said it’s on you.”
“If you get too fond of free things, you’ll go bald. Pay for what you eat. I’ll give you some service on the side, though.”
As someone who was using the triplets like my own hands and feet, paying for them wasn’t out of the question.
I just had to work them that much harder and torment them that much more.
Wishing them luck in their romantic endeavors, I paid at the counter and left the booth.
“Please let it go badly. Please break up. What kind of student dates? They should just study and train…”
“…”
Some of us couldn’t even date because we were trying to stop the end of the world.
To be honest, until I got into a relationship, I wanted no one else to date either.
If anyone dared to engage in public displays of affection in front of me, I would stab them with a bamboo spear on the spot.
Long live the singles.
“You agree too, right?”
“Y-yeah… I agree.”
The students accompanying me as patrol members nodded without voicing any complaints.
Satisfied with their response, I decided to continue walking around the patrol area.
That was when a message came through the communicator attached to my chest.
[A monster has appeared in the direction of the Culture Hall! A rabbit-type monster wearing an eyepatch over one eye and carrying a bundle over its shoulder. We are currently identifying the individual. It is fleeing toward Silver Lake. Anyone nearby, please begin searching for the monster if possible. Device use is permitted!]
At last, the news I had been waiting for arrived.
And what was more, if it was headed toward Silver Lake, that was precisely where I happened to be.
* * *
Because of the visitors who came to see the Geumgang Festival, the mana they unconsciously emitted was inevitably affecting the state of atmospheric mana in some way.
Naturally, rifts formed, and situations where monsters emerged from within were unavoidable.
The event monster I was aiming for belonged exactly to that category.
A Rank 2 monster, Cyclops Rabbit.
‘In the game, it was a monster you could run into by chance at a booth selling food. You discovered it secretly stealing and eating the shop’s food.’
As a Rank 2, the Cyclops Rabbit wasn’t that dangerous a monster for students aspiring to become Hunters.
However, it was extremely quick, and at times it could even move through the air, making it difficult to fight.
On top of that, it would mock people as it harassed them, then flee into the crowd.
Just like how the patrol members were currently contacting one another and tightening the encirclement in order to catch it.
‘Found you.’
Around then, I was able to spot a pink rabbit holding a white bundle that likely contained food.
The rabbit wore a black eyepatch marked with an X over its left eye.
It was definitely the Cyclops Rabbit.
Kyukyu!
Rabbits were sensitive animals.
Perhaps that trait applied to it as well, because even from far away, it noticed my presence and turned around.
‘I can’t let you run away like this. Where do you think you’re going?’
I increased my speed so I wouldn’t lose it.
Stepping on the ground so I wouldn’t crash into the bustling crowd or trip over my own feet.
Making full use of my agility, which exceeded 70, I rapidly narrowed the distance between us.
Kyukyu!
As if it felt threatened by my speed, the rabbit ears that had been folded down spread wide open.
Then, not content with boldly throwing away its bundle to lighten its body, it began hurling the contents at me.
Naturally, there was no way I would let myself get hit.
I released the blue lightning residing in the Navy-Blue Sword, which I had been gathering from the moment I began chasing it.
By cloaking myself in blue currents, I temporarily boosted my physical abilities.
Furthermore.
I cast a spell that applied current control.
I gave myself and the Cyclops Rabbit the magnetism of the north and south poles.
The result that followed was exactly as intended.
Kyukyu! Kyuuuk!?
The creature, which had been trying to flee by bounding into the sky, suddenly fell toward me as if pulled in by gravity.
It struggled desperately not to lose to the magnetism, but it was no use.
In the meantime, I had narrowed the distance even further, strengthening the magnetic pull.
In the end, it had no choice but to lose its balance midair and come flying toward me.
The match was as good as over there.
Lion’s Claw
Rousing blue lightning with the Navy-Blue Sword, I cut the Cyclops Rabbit cleanly in two.
Unable to resist at all, the creature helplessly surrendered its life.
Its body, split into two pieces, turned into particles of mana and vanished.
A mana stone and a spellstone dropped.
‘I’ve wanted this so badly.’
Holding the spellstone, which contained a yellow glow, I opened the information window.
[Cyclops Rabbit’s Spellstone]
◆ Consumable Classification
—Spellstone
◆ Detailed Description
—A spellstone originating from a Cyclops Rabbit.
◆ Detailed Effect
—Upon absorption, you can learn the Void Treading Step skill with 100% certainty.
The Void Treading Step skill granted the principle of consuming mana to run through the air as though running across the ground.
The spellstone for Void Treading Step, which was exceedingly difficult to obtain, could only be acquired in perfect condition through this event.
After checking the information window, I raised the corners of my mouth.
‘Until now, whenever aerial battles broke out, all I could do was watch from below. But now, with Void Treading Step, I’ll be able to take part in aerial combat.’
I couldn’t even begin to describe how frustrating it had been until now.
But from now on, things would be different.
In order to test my compatibility with the spellstone, I infused it with the mana inside my body.
It was fine.
I didn’t have to worry about being rejected.
Because…
‘I could learn it in the game too.’
I calmly observed the changes taking place inside the spellstone.
After accepting the mana from within my body, the spellstone soon flashed with yellow light.
The compatibility matched.
‘I’ll have to mind other people’s gazes for now, so I’ll absorb it after returning to the dormitory.’
Including the students who had fallen behind midway, unable to catch up to me from afar, the people belonging to the security patrol were running over.
Seeing them, I quickly slipped the spellstone into my pocket.
Then, pretending to be calm, I raised the hand holding the magic stone and said,
“I took care of the monster! The magic stone is right here.”
* * *
By now, Do Gyeonwoo was probably hard at work as part of the security patrol.
Yeon Haneul, who had matched her shift with his as much as possible, decided to focus on her own duties as well.
Among them, aside from managing the casino as the class representative, there was also paperwork related to operating the booth.
She went to the student council room to take care of several documents.
“Ah, Sieun unni. You were inside.”
“Welcome. Are you here to submit documents? Put them in the box over there. I’ll look at them later.”
Unlike the people enjoying the Geumgang Festival outside, student council president Do Sieun was sitting at her desk, wrestling with paperwork.
She looked tired.
Yeon Haneul worried about her.
“Unni, are you okay? Make sure you take breaks while you work. What if something goes wrong because you overdo it?”
“I’m taking breaks in my own way. Still, thanks for worrying about me.”
Do Sieun gave a bitter smile.
Yeon Haneul approached her and looked over the documents on the desk.
Then she glanced around the student council room.
The student council officers all seemed to be suffering under their workload.
With good intentions, Yeon Haneul asked Do Sieun,
“You look like you have a lot of work. If it’s okay, can I help? I’ll have some free time soon anyway. Gyeonwoo is working with the security patrol, and the others all have their own schedules, so I was wondering if I’d have to spend it alone… If it’s okay, I’ll help.”
“We’d be grateful if you did, but… are you really okay with that? What if you end up doing nothing but work without resting?”
“No. I’m fine, unni. I’m happy just being able to help you.”
“…All right. I’ll gratefully accept your kindness, Haneul. Then could you go over there and help split up some of the General Affairs Department’s work?”
“Okay, I will.”
If it was simple paperwork, she was confident.
For Yeon Haneul, this was a chance to earn points with Do Sieun.
After receiving instruction from the head of the General Affairs Department, she quickly got the hang of it and began working through the documents.
Some time passed after that.
“Department Head, I finished these.”
“What? Already?”
“…”
Yeon Haneul completed the work in a short amount of time, surprising the people around her.
There were not even any deficiencies to be found in the documents she had handled.
“She’s a talent. Then do you want to try this too?”
“Yes, I will.”
It was from that moment that the head of the General Affairs Department’s gaze changed.
After confirming Yeon Haneul’s ability, the department head requested slightly more difficult work from her afterward.
She readily accepted, and the result was no different this time either.
‘Does she have a talent for administrative work?’
Thanks to Yeon Haneul, the burden had lightened considerably.
Do Sieun watched her, now working beside the head of the General Affairs Department, and fell into thought.
‘She seems like she’d do well as a student council officer….’
The student council president’s term, scheduled to end this year, did not have much time left.
Once the Geumgang Festival came to a close, the time to elect the student council president to be appointed next year would soon approach.
There were two leading candidates.
No matter which of them became student council president, Do Sieun wanted to offer as much help as possible for the sake of the students.
In that sense.
‘Should I recommend Haneul as a student council officer?’
Do Sieun agonized over it.
I Became the Childhood Friend of the Mid-Boss