Academy's Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Chapter 9
First off, I checked out the book under my name.
The librarian was getting ready to clock out, so it was better for me, a TA, to borrow it than some student with restrictions on what they could take.
Of course, we still hadn't decided who would actually take the book home.
"That book. I found it first."
"Didn't I grab it first and check it out? I'll read it overnight and hand it off tomorrow, so why don't you head to bed?"
"No. I'll read it, and I'll lend it to you tomorrow."
Neither of us had any intention of backing down.
In my case, I already had so many books checked out that I didn't really need to read this one tonight.
But the memory of getting screwed over a few days ago flashed in my mind, and I didn't want to hand it over for no reason.
"That's our Healing Studies professor's own book. I have to read it to understand the lectures."
"Was it required reading for students? Surely books related to assignments or coursework are stocked separately in advance."
"...It's not like that. It's just a book I want to read."
Ah, for a second there I thought it was some must-read for conducting the class.
If it were, I'd have no choice but to hand it over, but since it's not... well. I'm not trying to get cozy with this girl or anything, so no need to yield.
"Either way, isn't it checked out under my name? So I should be the one to read it."
"...Fine, return it now. I'll check it out instead."
"The librarian's probably already prepping to leave. How do you plan to return it and check it out?"
"Ugh... You did this on purpose, checking it out under your name knowing that."
The girl made a face like she'd been totally had.
I couldn't help but look smug. I hadn't intended it at all, but Bluffing had kicked in.
She glared up at me, clearly pissed, and said,
"...I'll remember this."
She shrugged off the coat she'd been wearing over her uniform and draped it over her shoulders.
Even though it was spring, the night breeze was chilly, but she seemed plenty heated. In the process, I caught a glimpse of the name tag on her left chest.
Curiosity got the better of me, so I tried to read her name.
But she turned and headed toward the dorms so fast I couldn't make it out clearly.
'...Pretty sure it said Seo Ye-rin.'
Seo Ye-rin, Seo Ye-rim. One of the two, for sure.
If my eyes weren't playing tricks, probably Seo Ye-rin.
There was a main character in the original story with a similar name, I think.
What an insane coincidence.
"...?"
Same age as the heroine, same name. Even attending the exact same academy.
The only difference was the description of her appearance in the original.
That's when it hit me that something was off, and I whipped around.
But she was already gone.
I muttered the worst possible conclusion.
"...Hold on."
Seo Ye-rin and a spear.
Those two pointed to one side character.
How had I missed something this crucial?
'...Now that I think about it, how many people actually train with a spear at dawn anyway.'
In academy genres, there have to be multiple heroines, right? A heroine who gets help from the protagonist is great, but one who solves her own problems is appealing too, don't you think? Hmm, maybe a heroine stronger than the protagonist is too much. Eh, whatever, I'm sticking with this setup.
Eve had said.
A goddess of war swinging a spear, her long straight hair flowing behind her.
The Divine Spear, Seo Ye-rin.
Stronger than the protagonist in the early novel.
And far in the future, a monster among monsters who could shave mountains with a single spear thrust and crush armies of beasts without breaking a sweat. By the story's lore, her pure talent put her in the world's top five.
And I'd gotten into a tussle with her?
"I'm screwed..."
Right now, she was just a fresh-faced first-year with plenty of girlish charm, but give it a year, and she'd be a player who could look down on most active pros.
No, even now, her basics were impeccable.
In a situation where I should be buddying up to a student like that, I'd fought over a stupid book.
I must've been out of my mind. Totally insane.
No amount of regret could turn back time.
Feeling sick to my stomach, I skipped dinner and dove into my books. Naturally, the first one I cracked open was the light green one.
The book I'd wrestled Seo Ye-rin for.
I hoped it was worth it.
"What a letdown."
It was a standard textbook style, no personal tips or advice from the professor herself.
Might as well have been an actual textbook at that point.
The main story hadn't even started yet, and I'd already blown my shot with one of the heroines for something worthless.
I clutched my head in despair.
Damn, if I'd known, I would've pumped Eve for more details on Seo Ye-rin.
Of course, I didn't get a wink of sleep that night either.
How could I in this mess?
* * *
A vast, empty cavern.
Traces of people having been there were everywhere, but no living souls remained.
Well, except for one.
"Tch, thought it'd be useful. What a bust."
The man, drenched in blood like he'd showered in it, stared at the gem in his hand and chucked it to the floor in disappointment.
He could probably sell it for a fortune on the market, but that wasn't his concern. It just pissed him off that he'd gotten splattered.
The blood caked on his skin and clothes had long since dried hard.
Ah, this won't come off even if I suck it now. Guess I need new ones.
"Buying new is such a hassle. Maybe raid a nearby shop."
Good idea.
No need to spend money, and he could grab whatever clothes or gear he wanted. He figured he'd snag some gifts while he was at it, so he picked up a bag from the floor.
This would do for carrying presents.
He shook it out, and a bunch of one-use items tumbled freepotions, bombs, that sort of thing.
Looked like the owner had been desperate to survive. Not that it mattered; he'd killed everyone in sight just moments ago.
As potions shattered and bombs clattered to the ground...
Clink!
Something totally different fell out.
Something gleaming gold.
"Hm? What's this? Only this one's different."
Curious, he picked it up. It was a small locket. Pressing the button revealed a photo inside.
A middle-aged man and woman.
A kid sandwiched between them.
"Had a family, huh. But whose is it?"
His gaze drifted to one wall of the cavern.
Piles of corpses stacked highevery kind imaginable.
Flesh and bones of humans and monsters all mixed together; impossible to pick out faces.
The middle-aged man could be in there, or the woman. Or maybe the couple had died side by side, all lovey-dovey.
Husband and wife were one body, promised to each other till death and beyond.
Clink!
He tossed the locket away.
Not an artifact or anything. Just trash he didn't need.
Anyway, he'd scored plenty of loot today.
As he sorted through the worthwhile stuff...
He sensed someone behind him.
Familiar footsteps. Familiar breathing. Familiar heartbeat.
Every detail screamed someone he knew.
"Ah, Horn-head's here?"
"...You're always so rude."
"Nothing new there."
The blood-soaked man turned to see a suited man. He looked gentlemanly enough, but horns protruded from his headout of place.
Not some Halloween costume or anime cosplay.
Those horns were part of his body.
Fully functional flesh and blood.
"Demons allowed in a place like this? This is Nine-Tail Guild territory."
"Obviously, I doctored all the intel before coming. You think you're fine after this massacre? Murder in an S-rank guild's zone. Tough to survive that."
"No sweat. Just dodge and run from anyone you see."
They chatted casually about horrifying topics.
Demons, murderwords that'd make any passerby freak out.
Lucky for them, it was a sealed dungeon. No third parties to eavesdrop.
"So why'd you come all the way out here? Another job?"
"Obviously. You think I'd bother meeting a lowlife merc like you in person for anything else?"
"Alright, what's the gig?"
The horned man pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket.
The bloody man took it and unfolded the contents. Blood smeared the ink, but he could read it fine.
Yeah, reading it was no problem.
Shing!
The bloody man drew his sword from his waist and pressed it to the demon's throat.
Smooth as flowing water.
"...You in your right mind?"
His tone had shifted from flippant to deadly serious.
"Raid the academy? Chilseong Academy, no less?"
Insane.
Even hitting an S-rank guild HQ for terror would be smarter.
Raiding any academy was tough; one of the world's top five? Forget it.
Not worth considering.
Zero survival odds. His instincts, honed by decades as a merc and hitman, were screaming.
"You wanna fight or something?"
Killing intent oozed from him like fresh blood.
But the demon was a monster too, one who'd cast aside humanity for his title. This much killing aura was nothing.
"Haha, relax. The professors will be heading out within the week."
"...For real?"
Professors were the academy's top firepower.
Each one a villain you'd have to watch out for, but without them, raiding was doable.
"Of course. Have I ever bullshitted you?"
"...What about guards and upperclassmen? Even without profs, they're variables."
"I'll loan you beasts. His Lordship said to spare no support."
"Viscount? That lazy noble's ass is off the throne? This must be big."
Still flippant.
The demon swallowed it, but the disrespect to nobility? Unforgivable.
Now the demon radiated thick killing intent.
"I won't demand manners from trash like you, but keep flapping that loose tongue, and your neck snaps soon."
"Don't worry. I see plenty of string left on this lifeline."
"Hah! Can we really trust a guy like you with the big op...?"
The demon felt a migraine coming on.
This clown was always like this.
Looked dumb and useless, but his skills had even great nobles eyeing him.
p>Not his type, but it was the viscount's direct order for this grand undertaking. No room for personal grudges.
To wrap it up, the demon dangled an offer he couldn't refuse.
"Succeed, and I'll give you that reward you've been singing about."
"What's that?"
"Whatever you want."
"Deal."
As the demon turned to leave...
The man spoke up.
"...Oh, right."
"What? Got something to say?"
"Nah, I took the job, but I didn't catch the exact success conditions."
He'd jumped at the reward without hearing the fine print.
It wasn't just "raid Chilseong Academy."
"Didn't I say?"
"Yeah, just 'raid.' No conditions mentioned."
"Two main ones."
The demon held up two fingers.
Huh, fewer than expected.
Not bad, thought the man.
"First: snag the book from the library's basement level 1."
"A book? Any book? Can do porn?"
"A black book. Black leather, black paper. Bring it."
"And the second?"
The demon's lips split into a creepy grin.
He looked thrilled just thinking about it, practically drooling.
"Massacre the first-years."
The demon smacked his lips.
"Crushing all those so-called next-gen heroes? That'll be a sight."
At the mad reply, the man thought,
Demons really are nuts.
"Okay, no backsies later."
Of course, accepting without hesitation made him a nut too.