NOVEL WEB Chapter 12 - Why Are You Above That (2)
“Ah, damn. I’ll be late for the entrance ceremony too. Driver, are we almost there?”
In the hunter era.
Cha Dahye, the eldest daughter of
-Ding!
Cha Dahye quickly opened her phone to check the data that came through internal communications.
She had given orders to find out and inform her about the top performers in each field of the entrance exam.
Cha Dahye was carefully scanning through the top performers when her gaze suddenly stopped at one point.
Combat Division Exam 1st Place: Lee Dojin
Predicted Class Assignment: Combat Division Class 1
“…Lee Dojin?”
The expressionless face in the ID photo.
The record of dropping out of Athena.
It was clearly the Lee Dojin she knew.
Her mind went completely blank.
“H-how is the name of a mana inability person…”
In the combat division, not the non-combat division, one cannot even enroll if they cannot handle mana.
“Did he succeed in handling mana?”
That can’t be.
Even So Yueun, who was more obsessed with Lee Dojin than herself, had failed after mobilizing all the resources she could from the first-class guild
Did Lee Dojin accomplish that on his own?
“What the hell…!”
“Ahem, Miss. We’ve arrived.”
The private driver cleared his throat and spoke when a sudden curse came out of Cha Dahye’s mouth.
Cha Dahye hurriedly got out of the car.
And rushed towards the large auditorium where the entrance ceremony would be taking place.
So Yueun, the youngest daughter of Changcheon Guild, was standing in line for Research Division Class 1, a non-combat division.
So Yueun had talent for mana, but chose the research division because her potential was only C-rank.
“Now, it’s time for one new student representative to take the enrollment oath. Would the student whose name is called please come up to the platform.”
So Yueun opened her eyes wide.
To clearly see the student who would come up now.
The meaning of being the new student representative is significant.
The strongest student among the current first-year new students.
It could be seen that way.
Although the non-combat division is clearly necessary for the hunter world, in the end, the hunters absolutely needed in this world were those in the combat division who fight monsters.
That’s why the ‘new student representative’ was always selected from the combat division.
‘I have to make them join Changcheon somehow.’
Bringing promising talents to Changcheon.
That alone made her, who had no talent in combat, gain favor in the eyes of her father, ‘Sword Emperor So Daecheol’, who was the owner of Changcheon.
Whether they were high school students or not, if she saw potential, she immediately made them form ties with Changcheon behind the scenes.
Her skill in this was quite remarkable, earning her trust from So Daecheol despite being the youngest daughter.
The words of the staff member she had been focusing on continued.
“New student representative, Lee Dojin.”
So Yueun’s eyes widened.
The three syllables that should never have been heard.
Echoed in her ears.
“That can’t be…”
Her heart rate increased.
Her stomach began to churn.
Her close friend Kim Minjeong, who was next to her, shook her head.
“N-no way. It must be someone with the same name, Yueun. How could that Lee Dojin… Huh?”
Thud-
Thud-
The sound of footsteps slowly climbing the platform.
So Yueun stared at the man climbing the platform.
“Lee… Do… Jin.”
Her shoulders trembled with a chill.
A sensation of blood flowing backwards spread throughout her body. As if she might collapse to the ground at any moment.
Her stomach churned nauseously. A terrible headache bloomed in her head.
The gait of gently taking one step at a time with an expressionless face.
It was exactly the same as that day.
The day of the entrance ceremony at
-Athena top entrant, Lee Dojin.
The day she faced a brilliantly shining jewel.
But the jewel that had lost its luster, that she had crushed, destroyed, and discarded.
“Why… are you up there.”
Why is he climbing the platform once again?
And on an even higher platform at that.
The genius whose wings had been clipped and fell.
Had climbed back up alone from the edge of the cliff and reached the summit again.
As if to say he wasn’t a vessel that would crumble just because someone like her had abandoned him.
As I was suddenly called as the entrance representative and headed towards the platform, I was annoyed.
At the far left, where people holding important positions in the academy were gathered.
Because of Sword Empress Yoo Seol-ah there.
Didn’t she say yesterday that there would be no need for things like oaths?
I sent a mental message to Yoo Seol-ah, who was looking at me with a bright smile.
(I thought you said there wouldn’t be things like this to do.)
(You even know how to use mental messages! Student Lee Dojin. Hehehe, I said there would be nothing to do as the top entrant. I didn’t say anything about the entrance representative.)
What a pointless word play.
The image of the Sword Empress I knew was completely shattered with this.
Thud.
As I climbed onto the platform, the spectacular sight of 2,000 students lined up in rows came into view.
About half, a thousand, were mana users.
The rest must all be from non-combat divisions.
But whether combat or non-combat division, there were too many people to even recognize faces.
And this platform was too high.
My classmates from Athena must be somewhere too.
They might be quite surprised.
Now, I didn’t feel any particular emotions about it.
This should be enough proof.
That the efforts you laughed at, the sword path I walked, were not wrong.
“New student representative, Lee Dojin.”
With the entrance oath finished, the entrance ceremony ended.
Lee Dojin immediately moved to his assigned class.
Combat Division Class 1.
It was a class of 55 people who had achieved the highest scores in the combat division entrance exam.
In front of the main entrance of the combat division building.
A familiar woman blocked Lee Dojin’s path.
It was Cha Dahye, who had blocked his way on the day Lee Dojin dropped out of Athena.
With short black hair and wearing sophisticated glasses, Cha Dahye stared at Lee Dojin with sharp eyes.
“How did this happen? You were a mana inability person.”
“Do I have to explain that to you?”
“…Did you find a solution to the inability and deliberately hide it before dropping out?”
“Think whatever you want.”
Cha Dahye didn’t move out of the way despite Lee Dojin’s cold response.
Cha Dahye let out a deep sigh before opening her mouth again.
“As the new student representative, you’ll obviously receive a full scholarship. Weapons, artifacts, accessories, and various other expensive equipment. Taebaek will support you with these. With no conditions.”
“I don’t need it.”
“…It’s meant as an apology for underestimating you. I’m saying I’ll give you things you can’t get no matter what market you search or what dungeon you explore. You’d be at a loss if you refuse just because you don’t like me.”
Lee Dojin smirked.
Why are there so many people saying they’ll give him things?
“I already have a better helper than you.”
There was a helper like salvation in his heart who had lowered a rope when he was hanging at the edge of a cliff.
Lee Dojin passed by Cha Dahye, whose face had completely stiffened.
Cha Dahye clenched her fist. So strongly that her arm trembled.
And she let out a bitter laugh.
“I’ve lost everything. To you.”
She was a spear user in Combat Division Class 2. Though she was the daughter of a businessman, she had talent in combat too, so she had gritted her teeth and worked hard.
But she couldn’t make it to Class 1.
Lee Dojin being the new student representative obviously meant he was in Class 1.
She lost as a martial artist.
And since he said he already had a better helper than her.
She lost as a businessperson too.
‘Will the Sword Emperor move?’
Changcheon Guild, which So Yueun had taken Lee Dojin to in order to awaken his mana, given his innate talent for combat.
Changcheon, which had directly confirmed during Athena’s vacation period that no mana was generated in Lee Dojin’s dantian despite using numerous methods like injecting refined mana stone solution.
And now Lee Dojin, who had that body, becomes the new student representative of Iroaz Academy?
‘They won’t just sit still.’
Sword Emperor So Daecheol, who had directly observed from beside his daughter So Yueun, would certainly have questions about this.
Cha Dahye was certain of that.
After passing by Cha Dahye, I headed straight to Combat Division Class 1.
As soon as I opened the door, all the students in Class 1 looked at me.
Because of that damn new student representative thing, everyone seems to recognize me.
“Dojin! Lee Dojin!”
It was a voice I’d heard somewhere before.
A woman with pink hair tied in a ponytail caught my eye.
“It’s been a while, Baek Hwayeon.”
As expected, Baek Hwayeon was in Class 1 as predicted.
Baek Hwayeon suddenly rushed towards me.
Is this kid thinking of fighting as soon as we meet after two years, no matter how crazy she is about swords?
Thud!
Fortunately, it wasn’t the sound of being stabbed by a sword, but the sound of Baek Hwayeon embracing me.
“I’m glad to see you! Friend!”
“…Yeah, good to see you too.”
It’s nice to see you, but please let go.
“Heheh!”
Baek Hwayeon made a laugh similar to her master’s as she left my embrace.
“What have you been doing for 2 years?”
“Training.”
After answering quietly, I glanced around.
Except for three or four people, everyone was glaring at me.
I could guess what they were thinking.
-Who are you to be the new student representative?
That’s probably what they’re thinking.
They must all have thought they were the protagonists of the world.
A laugh escaped at the tingling air.
Baek Hwayeon, who was in front of me, also raised the corners of her mouth in a grin.
“Seems like it’ll be fun, right? The academy.”
“It does.”
It seemed like it would be very fun.
Baek Hwayeon started whispering quietly so others couldn’t hear.
“I heard from Master. You used a wooden sword in the entrance exam too?”
“Yeah.”
“When are you going to use a real sword?”
I can’t use one, I’m telling you.
“Wooden swords are more comfortable.”
“Ugh… I’ll make wooden swords uncomfortable for you someday. Definitely.”
Baek Hwayeon puffed up her cheeks.