Chapter 9: I Became the Last Place in the Academy

Friday was always a good day.

Just thinking that if I endured this, I could rest for two days starting tomorrow gave me some strength.

On days I didn't have to go to the academy, I didn't have to eat in the bathroom,

nor did I have to be mindful of others while studying, or be ridiculed during practice.

Of course, I wasn't planning to just rest on my days off.

Who knows when a monster might appear? Only a monster could probably rest easy.

So, I had to decide on a schedule and determine what to check and where.

After the academy day ended, the time until I returned home as the sun set was too short.

Since I could go out from morning on the weekends, I might be able to look around more.

As I pondered this and twirled my pen, time flew by again today.

When the bell rang for lunch, everyone went to eat, and I blankly watched them go.

This is the end of this week.

On the first lunch break of Monday, I felt overwhelmed thinking about how to spend this week, but when Friday actually arrived, I felt like I wanted to reward myself for enduring it well.

Should I go buy some bread?

As I was about to get up, a person's shadow approached me closely.

"Kanna, do you want to eat together today?"

What?

In response to the sudden question, I raised my head.

When I turned my gaze to the familiar voice, Yun Hamin was standing there.

...Why is he suddenly asking me to eat with him?

Could it be that he has something to ask because of what happened yesterday?

It was a bit sudden, and since it was Yun Hamin, I couldn't help but look around.

Fortunately, most of my classmates had gone to eat, so only a few people were left, and their gazes were all that remained.

"...Ah."

I tried to answer, "Why?" but I accidentally bit my tongue, so the words didn't come out properly.

I hardly ever have anything to talk about with anyone in the academy.

"...Would it be a problem?"

It wasn't like he was asking as if it wouldn't matter if it was a problem. Seeing him ask so cautiously, I was dumbfounded and turned my head slightly.

Sure enough, Orca was next to him, and I became aware of her presence.

Orca met my eyes once, but she didn't seem to think it was her place to interfere, and she simply stared at me with her mouth shut.

To be honest, I wanted to refuse.

I'm already in last place, so the attention I get is no joke.

They pretend to ignore me, but if they see something to criticize, they immediately laugh as if they knew it all along.

And now I'm going to eat with the top and second-ranked students? No matter how you look at it, it doesn't seem like a good picture.

Even if I wanted it to look like they were going to help me study, the world doesn't always work that way.

But suddenly, a thought flashed through my mind, and my body stiffened.

If I refused such an offer, I might be seen as someone who "dares to refuse?" and the bullying might get worse.

Stiffened, I groaned and then nodded.

"...S-sure."

"...Why are you using honorifics? We agreed to speak casually yesterday."

It's because of the people around me, why!

More than that, please be considerate.

Honestly, if you asked me if I could be bullied more here, I wouldn't know, but I didn't want to experience some unknown territory, so my heart was pounding.

I felt like Orca's eyes narrowed.

"Ah, that's right..."

It wasn't like Yun Hamin was wrong, so I quickly agreed and scratched my head.

Just when I was getting used to being isolated, suddenly having someone to eat with was quite a burden, perhaps because I wasn't used to it.

The academy cafeteria was incredibly large.

There were two or three types of meal sets, and students bought them with money. In fact, this place was a sanctuary for those with many friends.

I had tried to eat here a few times, but there were only seats for multiple people, and no seats for eating alone, so people like me who ate alone were a nuisance.

Actually, everyone eats well on their own, but maybe they just don't like me because I'm in last place and they're giving me the side-eye.

But today was different.

Yun Hamin was next to me, and Orca was there too.

Everyone's attention was focused on one place, and it wasn't on Yun Hamin, who was at the top, but on me, which made me feel like I was going to throw up.

I already feel like I'm going to have a panic attack whenever I get attention from the people around me these days, so how can I endure it if there are even more people than my classmates?

I ordered the cheapest C set and groaned as I looked at the food on my tray.

French toast, bacon, strawberry jam.

It was much better than what I usually ate, and since the space where I was eating was different, the feeling I got from facing it was completely different.

As I was about to start eating, Yun Hamin, who was sitting across from me, asked cautiously.

"Kanna, are you going to the village again today?"

"...Ah, yeah. I have to go."

Orca is next to him, and even if she wasn't, there are many eyes watching, so he must be no ordinary guy to talk about it so confidently.

Doesn't he think what I said was a lie?

"What about tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow... I guess I'll go."

I said that and glanced at Orca.

Orca was next to him, and she seemed interested in the story, so she was listening intently.

"...Hmm, did you two have some kind of conversation on the rooftop yesterday?"

I flinched at those words and couldn't say anything, but Yun Hamin answered coolly as if there was nothing to hide.

"I happened to have time to talk yesterday."

"Is that so? What's this about the village?"

"Ah, that's..."

He was usually so cool and laid-back about spilling everything, but it felt strange that he seemed to be watching my reaction at times like this.

Honestly, I don't even fully trust myself, so what's the point of trying to have a conversation?

I took a breath and accepted Yun Hamin's request for help, continuing the story.

"...Because monsters might appear, so to prepare for that..."

"Is that so?"

When I trailed off, Orca answered as if cutting me off.

It wasn't like she heard a specific date, but she didn't seem to care much.

We live inside giant walls, surrounded by a barrier that even covers it, so it's absurd to think that it could collapse to the point where it can't be controlled.

I nodded.

No one trusts what the person in last place says.

It even seems like I'm just trying to get lucky because I don't have the skills.

This was my position.

I didn't have any power or credibility, so no one really believed me.

Still, the good thing was that Yun Hamin, the protagonist and top student, didn't just dismiss my words and move on.

Orca listened to the words for a moment and then carefully asked Yun Hamin.

"...Hamin, what do you think when you hear this story?"

"It might not be a far-fetched story."

"What's the basis?"

"I'm looking for it."

"......"

I haven't said anything yet, but the gaze directed at me is too sharp.

I was just about to start looking for evidence.

I'm looking for evidence that doesn't exist yet, but Yun Hamin said he would decide after seeing it. That's what's amazing.

Originally, Orca's reaction was the most natural reaction.

"...Haa. Yun Hamin. You took a week off, but you need to realize that there will be exams every week from now on."

"I know. But..."

"There's no evidence."

Yun Hamin smiled bitterly at the sharp voice and then closed his mouth.

"Then it's a far-fetched story. The barrier doesn't break that easily, and even if it did, monsters wouldn't invade right away. And even if they did, it's not something Kanna needs to worry about."

It was the right thing to say, and I hung my head.

Now that it's come to this, I need to quickly find evidence on my own and present it to Yun Hamin and Orca.

"...Yes."

I had nothing else to say, so I just answered quietly.

"Kanna, it's not easy to improve your ranking in a place where everyone is fiercely trying to improve their ranking, but if you study magic and put in the effort, you might be able to get out of last place in the end."

Orca didn't stop there and gave me generous advice.

In short, she was telling me not to waste time doing useless things and just study.

"Okay, thank you."

Of course, she meant it in a good way, so I have nothing to say, but this was more important to me than studying, so I could only say okay and ignore her words.

Yun Hamin lives, but Orca dies at the very end.

I really didn't want to be caught up in what's right in front of me and miss something far away.

"Come to think of it, we're friends, but we haven't exchanged contact information. Do you have a device?"

Yun Hamin clapped his hands as if trying to change the atmosphere and showed me his device.

It's easier to call it a smartphone, but here it's called a device.

"...I have one."

"Then let's exchange. What about Orca?"

"Sure. Let's exchange."

I nodded, and suddenly two people appeared in my contacts.

We exchanged contact information and ate together as friends, but for some reason, I didn't think this was a friendship.

If we had created this atmosphere when we first said let's be friends, would I have thought of them as friends?

I stared at my device for a moment and then turned my head.

"Should we make a study group later?"

Yun Hamin said that jokingly and laughed, and Orca shrugged.

***

The next day, Saturday, I woke up early in the morning and put on my uniform.

I didn't have time to relax on my day off, so I hurried my steps.

When I arrived at the high-speed taxi stop to move, Yun Hamin was there, smiling brightly at me.

"Hi."

What, why is he here?

"...Why are you here?"

I asked, patting my surprised heart, and Yun Hamin lowered his greeting hand and answered coolly.

"I heard you were going to do it again today, so I came just in case."

"...Since morning?"

"Yeah."

How should I react to this?

Of course, it would be more thorough if Yun Hamin was there, but it was too sudden, and I was speechless.

In fact, I clearly asked last night if he wanted me to help, but I was afraid that only I would get cursed if his position as the top student was scratched because of that, so I said it was okay, but he came on his own.

If Yun Hamin's grades were damaged, that kind teacher might get angry, saying I was talking nonsense, and above all, Orca would be very angry.

Orca aims to be the top student.

But that's because everyone wants to be at the top when they've all done their best, not because someone wasn't focused and slipped, resulting in an accidental top spot.

And if Yun Hamin were to fall to the bottom because of me not letting him study? From that day on, we would no longer be able to call each other friends, even superficially.

I at least don't want our relationship to turn sour.

"...Go back."

I waved my hand at Yun Hamin.

"Huh? Didn't you need help?"

"No, I don't."

I said curtly and turned away.

As I was looking around, wondering where to look first, Yun Hamin followed me.

"It's faster with two people, right?"

I sighed at his words and snapped at him.

"...It's a ridiculous story anyway."

"But aren't you genuinely looking for it?"

"......"

"I don't know where you saw or heard it, but if you're serious about it, you must have some trust in that information."

I couldn't say anything to his sharp voice.

Contrary to trying to push him away, the reason to push him away disappeared completely.

"We've been that way, so shall we go around this way?"

"...Ah, no, wait a minute."

"I'll buy you lunch today."

That's a bit tempting.

"Let's go!"

Yun Hamin shouted coolly, led me, and got into the high-speed taxi.

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