It was a shame she had not ended up in the same class as the people she was close to, but there was nothing she could do about it.
As Do Gyeonwoo had said, she could only hope to meet good people in the class she had been assigned to.
After parting with her friends in the hallway, Lisa found her classroom and went inside.
‘I think I’m almost there….’
First Year, Class 12.
Perhaps because there was not much time left before class orientation began, many students were already seated.
Lisa looked for a place to sit, glancing over them to see if there was anyone she knew.
‘Ah, those are the people I cooperated with during the third practical exam. So we were in the same class….’
Fortunately, there were not none at all.
She could see a few students she had worked with during the entrance exam, as well as some she had competed against.
Bow.
‘Yes, hello.’
There also seemed to be people from the Grace Empire, and some students caught her eye as they bowed their heads in greeting, as if showing proper courtesy.
Lisa gave a slight nod in response.
Among them were people she knew.
‘That person is… the young lord of the Cherish family.’
Though her place in the imperial succession was low, Lisa was nevertheless undeniably an imperial princess.
If the members of prestigious houses, including the Ten Great Families, had grown up undergoing harsh training from a very young age in order to become Hunters, then she, as an imperial princess, had grown up receiving all manner of education befitting royalty—court etiquette, social graces, dance, politics, economics, and more.
Memorizing the number, names, crests, histories, ranks, and genealogies of the noble houses loyal to the Empire was also part of her education.
In the case of influential noble families, she even had to memorize the faces of their members.
There was no way such a person as she would fail to recognize those of noble status.
She had exchanged greetings with the young lord Cherish a few times at banquets in the imperial palace.
Though, as the words implied, they had only exchanged greetings, so she could not say they were close.
Even so, meeting someone from her homeland made her feel a little glad.
“Who is she? Someone from a prestigious family?”
“Wow… We’re in the same class as someone like that….”
“A foreigner?”
Meanwhile, the students who did not know Lisa’s identity began whispering among themselves.
Her appearance was both exotic and outstanding, and she exuded an air of elegance in and of herself.
It was only natural that she would draw their gazes.
But Lisa, who had lived a life accustomed to receiving attention, showed no reaction as she sat down in an empty seat.
Naturally, her eyes fell on the male students sitting a few rows ahead.
“Sagun, then does that mean there aren’t any classes? Today ends with orientation?”
“That’s right. Today we’ll greet the homeroom instructor, hear a brief explanation about academy life, and that’ll be it. If we do anything more… maybe the class will introduce themselves to each other?”
“Still, it’ll end earlier than I thought. Hmm, what should I do with the extra time….”
“If you don’t have anything special going on, how about performing the entrance ritual with me later tonight?”
“Entrance ritual?”
“What the entrance ritual is….”
The two male students seemed to know each other, sitting side by side and chatting away.
The male student who appeared to be leading most of the conversation had his eyes hidden by the light reflecting off his glasses.
Still, from the impression he gave, he seemed intellectual.
And the other male student was.
‘He’s handsome.’
The thought came to her naturally.
Lisa had cultivated her refinement in the arts as well, and possessed an exceptional aesthetic sense.
Even in her eyes, the male student’s features were outstanding.
The proportions between his forehead and eyes, eyes and nose, nose and chin were all equal, making it feel as though she were admiring a well-crafted sculpture.
‘His atmosphere is different from Gyeonwoo’s.’
His eyes brimmed with vitality, and his sharp jawline faintly revealed a masculine charm.
At the same time, the way he smiled and conversed with the boy sitting beside him gave him a somewhat innocent, childlike quality.
If a child grew up while preserving their pure heart, would they turn out like that?
Being with him seemed as though it would infect one with lively energy before they even realized it.
He was the sort of man who could easily captivate a woman with no immunity to the opposite sex.
His atmosphere was different from Do Gyeonwoo, who abruptly slipped past a woman’s guard with a face that seemed to disarm her wariness.
He was a handsome man of a different kind.
Lisa absentmindedly observed the male student until the homeroom instructor entered.
“Nice to meet you. I am Su Hoguk, and I will be teaching you for the year.”
“….”
The instructor standing at the lectern introduced himself.
The students flinched under his sweeping gaze.
His eyes were as sharp as though they would pierce straight through them, and simply fierce.
At the same time, they were able to recall his epithet from his name.
‘If it’s Su Hoguk….’
Lisa realized it easily as well.
It was a name no one who had applied to Geumgang Academy could fail to know.
No, even those who had not applied would likely have heard it before.
Punishment Sword Su Hoguk.
Before becoming an instructor, he had punished countless villains and become an object of fear to them.
He could be called the natural enemy of villains.
With such a person becoming their homeroom instructor, it was only natural that the murmuring grew louder.
He immediately settled the atmosphere.
“Everyone, quiet. There will be plenty of time to talk about me later, so stop and let’s get on with orientation.”
“….”
“From now on, under me, you will….”
Su Hoguk conveyed the information the students would need for life at the academy.
The students quietly listened attentively.
After that, they took time to briefly introduce themselves.
“Hello, my name is Lisa Evangel… Grace. I believe there may already be some of you who know me, but even though I am a member of the imperial family of the Grace Empire, please feel free to call me Lisa….”
The self-introductions were given in the order listed in the attendance book, with each student standing up from their seat to speak.
When Lisa’s turn came, she informed the students of her status, while also saying that she wished to get along with them as equals, regardless of status.
The reaction was generally favorable.
‘Phew, what a relief.’
Lisa inwardly sighed in relief.
She had no intention of being treated with deference as an imperial princess.
At Geumgang Academy, her status was, to the end, nothing more than that of a student.
That was what she thought.
To begin with, this was not the Grace Empire, but Korea’s Academy City.
It would be laughable in itself to try to receive deference from people who were not even subjects of the Empire.
After sitting down, she decided to familiarize herself with the faces of the students who had become her classmates.
“Hello, I’m Park Sagun. For middle school….”
‘So that person is called Park Sagun.’
Before long, the male student wearing glasses stood up from his seat.
He was one of the two male students who had caught Lisa’s eye just earlier.
Park Sagun.
Lisa remembered the male student’s name, and continued to observe the students afterward.
Eventually, the self-introductions had moved on to a student with the surname Hwang and were nearing their end.
“Then the last student is… Kang Hanbyeol? Why is his name written at the bottom?”
“….”
“Ah, he was Lord Fighting Demon’s disciple.”
An unexpected existence emerged from Su Hoguk’s mouth.
The Fighting Demon’s disciple, Kang Hanbyeol.
Upon hearing the name that had until now only been surrounded by rumors, the students began to murmur.
“The Fighting Demon’s disciple?”
“Didn’t they say he didn’t apply for the exam this time?”
The Fighting Demon was revered as a being beyond the ordinary world, and was said to be comparable to the heads of the Ten Great Families.
If someone was said to be his disciple, of course they could not help but draw interest.
Moreover, to the students who would live in the same generation as him, he was also a potential competitor.
On the other hand.
“There was a rumor that he would be admitted through a special exception. Was that actually true?”
“If his surname is Kang and he was called last, doesn’t that mean it really is?”
“….”
The rumor that the Fighting Demon’s disciple would be admitted through a special exception had spread here and there.
For the students who had struggled through the entrance exam and passed, it was a rumor that made them feel a sense of relative deprivation.
Because of that, their reaction was not very favorable.
The murmuring only grew louder.
“Everyone, stop talking and be quiet. And where is Kang Hanbyeol? Stand up from your seat and introduce yourself already.”
“…Yes.”
“….”
In that situation.
The Fighting Demon’s disciple stood up.
The students’ gazes turned toward the direction from which the voice had come.
A male student with hair close to dark brown was standing there.
‘That person is….’
He was the male student who had caught Lisa’s eye just earlier.
She blinked.
‘So that person was Lord Fighting Demon’s disciple.’
Lisa’s homeland, the Grace Empire, had once received a favor from the Fighting Demon Seo Jeongjin.
Because of that, unlike the other students, she felt less antipathy toward the Fighting Demon’s disciple.
In addition, Geumgang Academy was a place that even the Ten Great Families could not touch carelessly, and the chairwoman, So Hyeyul, was known as a wise and fair-minded person.
She also judged that there must surely be a reason he had been admitted through a special exception.
‘For instance, perhaps his skills are considerable….’
Imagining something along those lines.
Lisa became curious about what the Fighting Demon’s disciple would say to the students who did not welcome him.
Would he deny the suspicion of special admission?
Or.
“Hello, my name is Kang Hanbyeol! Since I didn’t take the exam like all of you, I may not look reliable, but I’ll work hard so that my skills can be acknowledged from now on! I look forward to being with you!”
“….”
Would he break through head-on?
The Fighting Demon’s disciple, Kang Hanbyeol.
He chose the latter.
* * *
Hong Yena finished orientation and had the students introduce themselves.
After that, we ended up choosing a class representative and vice representative who would be responsible for the big and small matters that occurred in the class during the first semester.
“First, we’ll elect the representative. Would anyone who wants to demonstrate an admirable spirit of service and become the class representative raise their hand?”
“….”
Wearing an aloof expression.
Hong Yena, standing at the lectern, encouraged the students to participate.
But not a single person responded to her by raising their hand.
That was only natural.
‘Who would want to do something so troublesome….’
Maybe if they gave out Geumgang Coins.
There was practically nothing to gain from being class representative.
They would have to go through all sorts of trouble, such as conveying the homeroom instructor’s instructions, handing out printed materials to the students, and helping the student council prepare official events.
And if there were any benefits to be gained from doing all that, it would be things like getting closer to the instructors and student council, or having one more line written on their school record as some kind of credential.
But for a Hunter, skill was everything.
In living in the world of Hunters, the sentence “Showed diligence, responsibility, and leadership as class representative” was of no help whatsoever.
“Is there no one who wants to volunteer? If you volunteer, the instructor will get you snacks and give you candy every day!”
Naturally, both Hong Yena and assistant homeroom instructor Yu Noeul reacted as if they had expected this.
Standing in front of the whiteboard, Yu Noeul tried to entice the students with food.
Leaving that aside.
‘To think that person would become the assistant homeroom instructor….’
Yu Noeul, who had obtained her instructor’s license and had been appointed as an instructor for the first time this year.
At the current point in time, she was twenty-five years old.
She was a character who appeared in the game, and her role was to tell the player how to develop their character.
If things had followed the flow of the game, she should have been assigned this year as the assistant homeroom instructor of the class Kang Hanbyeol was in.
Yet for some reason, she had abruptly become the assistant homeroom instructor of our class.
‘It’s probably So Hyeyul’s doing.’
That was the only way I could think of it.
Considering that Hong Yena had become the homeroom instructor as well, there was a high possibility that So Hyeyul had intended it.
It was not a bad thing for me.
Both Hong Yena and Yu Noeul were people I could rely on sufficiently.
Although Yu Noeul becoming my assistant homeroom instructor meant the predetermined future had gone off track, it was not something to worry about too much.
She did not have any particular influence on the development of the story.
She merely fulfilled her role as a guide for character development.
The problem lay elsewhere.
‘Su Hoguk hasn’t changed too, has he? I hope not….’
Punishment Sword Su Hoguk.
As the person who would become Kang Hanbyeol’s homeroom instructor this year, he was a fairly important figure in the story.
Just as Yu Noeul’s future had gone off track, I hoped his future had not been thrown off along with it.
Since Lisa should have ended up in the same class as Kang Hanbyeol, I would have to ask her later.
It was then.
“Me. I’ll do it.”
“Wow! Arin, you’ll do it?”
Min Arin, who was sitting beside me, suddenly raised her hand.
Yu Noeul clapped her hands in delight.
‘…If it’s Min Arin, it makes sense.’
The other students seemed unable to understand why Min Arin was stepping forward as representative.
But I could easily accept it.
She harbored the ambition to prove her own excellence and become the student council president.
Which meant taking on the role of class representative held at least some value for her.
“Is there no one else?”
“….”
“If not, we’ll close it here. Arin will be the class representative. I’ll be counting on you for the semester.”
“Yes, I’ll do my best.”
In the end, due to the lack of other applicants, Min Arin was appointed class representative.
Next, it was time to choose a vice representative.
“Anyone want to apply for vice representative? The instructor will treat you well~ I’ll even give you candy.”
“….”
The situation was the same as before.
Even though Yu Noeul, dressed in a sky-blue shirt and black skirt, fervently urged the students on, everyone remained silent.
“Anyone want candy?”
‘That candy probably tastes like scorched rice too.’
Unfortunately, no student came forward to volunteer as vice representative.
In the end, Hong Yena, who could delay no longer, had to step in.
“If no one volunteers, I’ll pick someone myself. No objections?”
Hong Yena’s gaze swept across the room.
Most likely, the students’ sentiments—including mine—were the same.
I quickly lowered my head, afraid my eyes might meet hers.
‘…Why is this taking so long?’
But even as time passed, Hong Yena didn’t choose anyone.
Having kept my head lowered had grown uncomfortable, so to gauge the situation, I quietly raised my head.
And.
“….”
I made eye contact with Hong Yena.
She was staring straight at me.
Somehow… it felt like she had been waiting for me to raise my head.
‘Miss Witch, you can’t do this.’
Anxiety crept over me.
I shook my head for dear life.
Hong Yena somehow took that as agreement and nodded.
The corners of her mouth stretched into a long grin.
“Then the vice representative will be Gyeonu, who entered with the second-highest score. I’ll be counting on you for the semester. Gyeon. U. Ya.”
I shouldn’t have sat in the very front row.
There was only one thing I could say.
“…Shit.”
Why is this witch doing this to me?
What did I even do wrong?
* * *
Class representative elections were being held in the other classes as well.
The situation was mostly similar.
The students did not want to volunteer for an election that offered little benefit.
Because of this, the instructors had no choice but to select students themselves.
At times like these, the standard they usually used was entrance exam scores.
Because of that.
“Yeon Haneul.”
“…Yes?”
“Ha-neul, who entered as the freshman representative, should be the class representative.”
“Whaaaat!?”
It could be said that Yeon Haneul’s appointment as class representative was inevitable.
Her name called out of nowhere, she was startled out of her wits.
Her hair stood on end, and her rabbit ears shot straight up.
“In-instructor, I….”
“Ha-neul, you’ll just have to work hard.”
“….”
“Then next, we’ll need to choose a vice representative.”
I can’t. I can’t do it. Really, I can’t.
Really, really, really….
Yeon Haneul pleaded with the homeroom instructor in a trembling voice.
But no one, including the homeroom instructor, listened to her pleas.
They simply moved on to selecting the vice representative.
“Uuugh….”
“H-Ha-neul, fighting!”
Yeon Haneul’s rabbit ears drooped.
Her face crumpled into a teary expression.
Go Eunbi, who was sitting beside her, awkwardly comforted her.
While inwardly relieved that she herself hadn’t become class representative.
But Go Eunbi ended up in the same predicament as her.
Because Yeon Haneul had earnestly begged her.
“Eunbi.”
“…Hmm?”
“Please… help me… okay?”
“….”
So that Go Eunbi couldn’t run away.
Yeon Haneul tightly grabbed both her hands.
Go Eunbi couldn’t help but be swayed by her welling tears, and more than anything, by her desperate longing.
“What will you do for me if I become vice representative?”
“I’ll do whatever you tell me!”
“Really? Then can I touch your ears?”
“You can touch them right now if you want.”
“And your tail?”
“My tail… is only for Gyeonu….”
“Ah, maybe I shouldn’t be vice representative.”
“M-My tail too, you can touch it! But… wear gloves and be gentle….”
“Wear gloves?”
“….”
“But I want to touch it with my bare hands?”
“…Fine. But don’t hurt me. And don’t tell Gyeonu… It’s a secret.”
“Yeah, great! Ha-neul, I love you!”
Contract sealed.
Go Eunbi’s face brightened.
She hugged Yeon Haneul.
Her hands, sneakily….
became the childhood friend of the mid-boss.