NOVEL NEXT Episode 117
Episode 117
Finally, the school trip destination is going to be announced. Even though it’s 5 am, everyone is excited and making a fuss.
‘What crazy school announces the school trip destination the day before?’
And they call people in from the crack of dawn.
But glancing around, everyone is looking at the principal politely with sleepy eyes, unable to sleep from excitement. I think what’s the big deal about being polite to the principal? But it seems my opinion is in the minority.
“Not excited?”
Ryuseong suddenly asked from behind. Of course I’m not excited! I’ve already been there as Jeong Ian. But obviously, saying that would cause a big problem, so I picked an appropriate answer to blend in.
“I’m not idle enough to have expectations for such trivial things.”
“You don’t always have to expect big things.”
“My expectations are more precious than a thousand gold, so why should I use them on small things?”
First of all, the school trip itself is not such an exciting and thrilling activity. Flocking together, being crowded by people, boring and tedious activities, control, surveillance… The only fun would be secretly deviating under that control. And as a specialist in deviation, those things are boring to me now.
Anyway, I just replied indifferently, but for some reason, Ryuseong’s eyes became sentimental. Why?
‘Are you misunderstanding something again…?’
As the cold morning air brushed my skin once, Ryuseong fastened the front of my clothes and said,
“You looked tired, so I was wondering.”
Tired? Actually, I didn’t sleep well either. Because all sorts of scum around me are trying to stick to me, gilding me with that damn “hero” title. Things that would never have dared to approach me before, they seemed to mistake that I’ve gone soft just because I saved some people.
‘But even though I look like this, my concept is scoundrel, human trash, schemer, dark mastermind.’
First, I’ll punish the guys who bothered me and the guys who couldn’t stop them from contacting me… By the time that brief disturbance passed, it was already too late to fall asleep. Be grateful that I didn’t want to send out news about sending someone to the afterlife right after the news that I saved people.
So seeing me a little tired, Ryuseong seemed to guess that I also stayed up late in anticipation of the school trip.
“Pfft.”
It’s funny. Cassis Demilang excited for a school trip, even if you’re smitten, there’s a limit. Why are you acting so affectionate today? If you adore me like this, it makes me want to adore this and that too…
‘This and that, literally this and that…’
Thinking that and looking up at Ryuseong, strangely Ryuseong flinched and avoided my gaze. The tips of his ears were slightly red, what is he imagining? For the first time, I started hoping for the school trip destination announcement to start quickly. After hearing it quickly and getting it over with, taking Ryuseong to a locked room and just roughly…
“…Therefore, I will now announce the destination for tomorrow’s school trip.”
At some point, the skeletal principal finished his boring speech. Everyone’s slightly dead eyes started sparkling. Scanning that scene with indifferent eyes, I noticed someone being more indifferent and disinterested than me, doing something else. That crazy senior who caused the outrageous test paper theft attempt incident last time.
The principal announced in a cool and powerful voice,
“This year’s school trip is to Gyeongju.”
What?
Lee Hyang unintentionally asked back and covered his mouth. The indifferent senior muttered in an equally indifferent tone,
“I knew it would be like this.”
On the other hand, most people seemed to not have expected this. Lee Hyang briefly made a sad face.
“I asked the elders for duty-free liquor!”
No, if the elders around Lee Hyang had definitely attended Areah Academy, they wouldn’t have hinted at an overseas trip by mentioning duty-free, not knowing. Weren’t the elders around Lee Hyang who lied together to tease a kid too much? The kid is simple and feels sorry.
Unlike Lee Hyang who became sad, Shin Myohann seemed to have no particular thoughts, while Hae Yuna seemed to be thinking about something else, as if she had some ulterior motive. Meanwhile, Capone seemed disappointed and Logan was the only one here who was excited. What? Does he have an old-fashioned hobby?
Ryuseong seemed uninterested in that topic now as before, and kept looking only at me, so I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. It’s cute, but why is he acting so differently from usual? It feels somehow strange…
Diedrich grumbled in a slightly louder voice,
“Then we’ll go and see Seokguram Grotto or something?”
Although Diedrich lived in Korea for a long time to absorb a lot of spiritual energy in Daehan where the best spiritual veins flow, he is a foreigner after all, so hearing from a foreigner’s mouth that Gyeongju is a boring school trip destination felt unfamiliar. So when I looked at him, Diedrich hurriedly took a loyal stance and waited like a dog waiting for orders.
‘…This is interesting.’
Good. I also find Gyeongju questionable, but it might be more fun than I thought to take these traitors around. After the incident in the chapel, the three conspicuously stuck to me as usual and showed greater signs of obedience. However, Capone’s mood was darker than usual, Logan had a healing mana wound on his cheek, and Diedrich had a bruise on his eye that he tried hard to cover with makeup. What on earth did the three of them do? Did they have a duel?
‘Show me a little too.’
Even if the school trip is boring, there will be at least one interesting sight.
The principal made the bombshell announcement and ran away, and a single professor went up to the empty podium and grabbed the microphone instead. It was Dohyun.
“Ah, young people? Hey, listen. Detailed instructions will be delivered separately, but there’s an announcement that must be made beforehand, okay? Sit down, sit down.”
However, the students whose excitement had already leaked out naturally didn’t follow those words well. Seeing various rude and unruly people, Dohyun said,
“The most important announcement! Drinking, smoking, and bringing karaoke machines are prohibited on the school trip.”
Boos erupted from all directions. That’s understandable, since the students of Areah Academy are all adults over 20 years old!
While they were angry about why we couldn’t even drink, I muttered blankly,
“Why would you bring a karaoke machine on a school trip…? Why do you even have to ban such a thing…?”
Then, a senior and classmate who was secretly doing magic homework among the students said,
“Ah, that. There’s a sad history. Last time, the karaoke machine went out of control…”
The senior’s words were barely audible due to the angry crowd, and immediately after, Dohyun picked up the microphone again and everyone became quiet. As a result, the truth about the out-of-control karaoke machine incident was cut off there and left to wander in the abyss forever…
“This is because we’re not going somewhere to play, but on a school trip (修學旅行) to cultivate each other’s learning. Keep in mind that you will be controlled more strictly than usual. Of course, I believe most students will follow this intent, but I think some idiots’ deviations will also be inevitable.”
Obviously. What’s the fun of enduring it if you don’t deviate when you go?
“But listen. No matter what deviation, crazy thing, trick, deception, or tactic you try, it’s useless.”
At that moment, when I was expecting how trite a threat or warning would come out, Dohyun declared,
“Because I’ve tried them all before!”
…You. Aren’t you supposed to be an educator? This is another fresh crazy talk. As expected, Ryuseong, who was doing something else, choked as if he had a coughing fit when he heard that. And Dohyun said, gesturing with his arms crossed like someone who had played around a bit,
“Try it if you can. I’ll see through everything.”
At the threat they heard for the first time in their lives, the will of some who were preparing to smuggle things in was seen to be broken.
A moment later, Hae Yuna, who had lowered her head, muttered,
“Okay… Then there’s no choice…”
I turned to look at Hae Yuna. Hae Yuna’s eyes were filled with strong will, fierce competitiveness, and curiosity and inquisitiveness…
‘Professor Dohyun, is this okay?’
—The kid has been provoked?
***
Lee Hyang, whose dream of duty-free was shattered, hurriedly finished today’s assignment and wandered aimlessly around the academy. Even if it was a trite Gyeongju, it was still completely different from the daily life of Areah Academy, and perhaps that alone could be quite good. Wouldn’t the same training be less boring if done somewhere else?
Lee Hyang, who had packed his luggage in an instant, realized that for some reason, Hae Yuna was nowhere to be seen. It’s strange, normally she would have come and chatted incessantly or complained busily.
So he looked around, but he only ended up picking up the distracted Shin Myohann and wandering together. Finally, much later, the two came across Hae Yuna hiding in the warehouse and opening an orange juice pack.
“What are you doing?”
When Lee Hyang asked, Hae Yuna said in a suspicious fluster,
“Drinking orange juice.”
“Secretly in the warehouse?”
“I want to drink a lot.”
“You only drink other brands of orange juice.”
Shin Myohann, who had been listening to that suspicious conversation, suddenly pointed behind Hae Yuna.
“That! A syringe. And there’s a slight smell of alcohol in the air… Don’t tell me you’re putting soju in the orange juice pack?”
Then Hae Yuna sighed.
“Haa. This is why a quick-witted friend is trouble. If you snitch…”
Hae Yuna made a gesture of lightly cutting her throat with her hand. Lee Hyang became restless. How did my friend become so reckless? Still, if I’m with Shin Myohann and the two of us join forces to stop her…!
“No, I think you’re a genius. Let me join you.”
Lee Hyang despaired at Shin Myohann’s answer.
***
And so, on the day of the school trip.
Everyone packed this and that, and some packed snacks.
Among them, some snacks were orange juice packs that were convenient to drink.