Academy’s New Guard is Unusual - Chapter 10

Chapter 10

In the game, Elysium Academy was attacked by villains whenever things got a little too quiet.

The opponents were always varied, too. The Republic, dark mages, barbarians, cultists, and so on. It was like a full-course meal.

I used to wonder why they were always breached despite being so vigilant-.

‘The Elite Guard was a villain’s den from the start.’

I clicked my tongue inwardly while looking at the squad members sitting around the round table.

The Saint of the Outer God, the Chang-gwi, the Barbarian, and even the Principal’s trigger button. The villains I couldn’t find no matter how hard I looked in the game were sitting there, all cozy together.

‘Lucky me.’

The corners of my mouth curled up on their own.

Yeonjol isn’t an easy game. And the mode I possessed into was Hard Mode.

You can never beat it by only walking the peaceful path. I had to take every risk.

Since danger had come to me on its own in such a situation, how could I not be glad?

“Sit.”

Hanswell offered me an empty seat. Once I sat down, Hanswell pointed at me and opened his mouth.

“This is a new recruit, the first in a long time. I’m sure you all feel just how short-staffed we are. Don’t go pulling any stupid stunts.”

“The entrance ceremony is the day after tomorrow, and you’re only now replenishing the Elite Guard? What a shitshow.”

Scarlet cut off Hanswell’s words with a voice laced with laughter. Hanswell’s eyebrows stiffened.

“We’re short-handed, so they sent someone in a hurry.”

“The other squads were replenished ages ago. We need time for training, you know.”

Hanswell bit his lip, as if she’d hit the nail on the head.

“Well, even if it’s a piece of shit, we have to do what we have to do.”

Scarlet stood up with a smile in her eyes. A crude-looking liquor bottle was in her hand.

“Scarlet, sit down.”

“Why? It’s our squad’s tradition.”

“Have you already forgotten the trouble that happened last time?”

“Who knew that new recruit would be such a lightweight? Right?”

Scarlet looked around at the squad members with a foxy smile, seeking agreement. Ludric just nodded as if he had no interest, and Milo tried hard to avoid her gaze.

“Tradition is important. It deserves to be respected.”

Volkan said in a serious voice, uncharacteristic of a barbarian.

“He says so, doesn’t he?”

Scarlet smiled at Hanswell. Hanswell bit his lip.

“Now, drink it in one go. That’s the tradition.”

Scarlet held out the glass she’d poured liquor into.

I lightly swirled the glass. The smell of strong liquor stung my nose. Beneath it, very faintly, there was a sweet scent.

‘It’s poison.’

It wasn’t a lethal poison with immediate effects. It was a very sinister poison that would reveal its fangs after a time delay, once it had accumulated multiple times.

As I lifted the glass, murderous gazes pinned me down.

I used those gazes as a side dish and drained the glass.

And-.

“Delicious.”

I shook the empty glass at Scarlet.

“This is fun.”

Scarlet’s red lips curled up deeply.

It was the kind of smile the Saint of the Outer God, the legendary villainess who sacrificed a thousand students, would make.

‘I won’t be bored.’

I smiled back.

“Scarlet is a dangerous woman. It’s not good to make an enemy of her.”

Hanswell called me out separately and warned me seriously.

I knew Scarlet was dangerous better than Hanswell did.

Because the Saint of the Outer God is the iconic villain who kicks off the late-game story.

However, Hanswell was more dangerous than Scarlet.

If the Saint of the Outer God is the beginning of the late game, the Principal is the major villain of the late game.

If I mess with Hanswell, the Principal will pop out.

Even now, there was a high possibility that the Principal was watching Squad 42.

‘I must be careful.’

Since the opponent was that Principal, I couldn’t help but be tense.

“Phew, the hazing will be severe. But they aren’t bad people.”

They’re all major villains, and he says they aren’t bad people-. I let out a dry laugh.

“You must be tired, so let’s start with some rest. The rooms are double occupancy, and you’ll be sharing with Milo. It’s over there.”

Hanswell showed me to the room.

The room was simple. Two beds and two wardrobes were all there was. Yet, it was a mess. It looked just like a doghouse.

I sat on the bed that was in better condition and reviewed the situation.

‘Villains are gathered here.’

But killing the villains right now wasn’t a good move. They hadn’t caused any problems yet. If I dealt with them beforehand, I might invite unnecessary suspicion and potentially provoke the Principal.

And in the first place-.

The goal isn’t to kill the villains, but Evangeline’s graduation.

Even though the villains of Squad 42 are big shots, killing them won’t make Evangeline graduate.

Above all, even if I killed Scarlet early, someone else would just become the Saint of the Outer God.

‘I’ll have to reform them.’

It was a kind of side quest.

“Milo, what is going on?”

Milo flinched at the soft voice that felt like it would melt his ears.

Milo liked beautiful women. No, he was crazy about them. He had even fought, risking his life, for a beautiful woman he’d just met.

Scarlet was a stunning beauty that he would normally welcome with open arms, but Milo was terrified of Scarlet.

It was because he knew the venom hidden behind that bright smile.

“Hmm? Milo, answer me.”

Milo really wanted to answer, too. However, he couldn’t.

How could he say he got beaten up by a fresh recruit? There was no evidence anyway.

“You seem very comfortable these days?”

Scarlet’s chilling words brushed against his back. Milo swallowed hard and shook his head.

“That’s not it.”

“Really? It seems like it. I thought you’d forgotten about Charlotte.”

Milo’s expression stiffened at the word Charlotte.

“Charlotte will return. How heartbroken would she be if she came back and found her spot gone? Hmm? If it were me, my heart would just sink.”

Milo bit his lip hard. Ludric inhaled deeply on his cigarette, and Volkan prayed quietly.

Scarlet whispered, looking around at the squad members.

“Keep in mind. The reason you’re all fine right now is thanks to Charlotte’s sacrifice.”

Then, she gently stroked Milo’s hair.

‘Damn it.’

Milo scratched his head vigorously and headed to the room.

Milo had also planned to beat the youngest and kick him out.

The problem was that the youngest was good at fighting. Not just good, he was really fucking good. Milo hadn’t even been able to graze him.

But he couldn’t tell the truth because it would hurt his pride.

‘Damn it.’

Milo muttered a curse and opened the door.

Then, he saw a brutal back. It was a back packed with muscles despite the lean frame.

Rough scars covered those muscles. The scars were so hideous that he looked like a monster.

Above all…….

“Hmm?”

When he turned at the sound of presence, he saw a strange scar on his right chest. It looked like marks made by thousands of teeth chewing on it.

Just looking at it made his blood run cold.

He couldn’t even fathom what kind of life he had lived.

At that moment, he made eye contact with the owner of the back.

“My, I’ll have to teach you how to knock.”

Grave said, casually clenching his fist.

“No, this is my room-.”

Milo felt genuinely aggrieved.

I opened my eyes at the rustling sound.

‘A strange ceiling.’

I muttered the joke and exhaled, and the things that had piled up were pushed away smoothly. The smell of rot and blood filled the room.

I slowly got up and stretched my body. Crack, even though I’d only slept for a moment, my body was stiff like a corpse. It was an unavoidable side effect.

At that moment, someone approached.

It was Milo.

Milo suddenly threw a punch at me.

To think he could attack already after I trained him just yesterday, he had good spirit.

I moved my feet lightly. Milo, who had thrown the punch, fell forward.

Thud! Even though a heavy sound erupted, Milo got back up and rushed at me again.

“Damn it! Die!”

“Your stance is too high.”

I clicked my tongue and kicked Milo again. When my foot landed accurately on his solar plexus, Milo gagged.

“What? You were definitely sleeping?”

Milo said, drooling.

“I don’t sleep.”

“What kind of bullshit is that-.”

Milo cursed roughly and rushed at me. I moved my fist without bothering to explain. My fist landed accurately on Milo’s face.

Ugh-. Milo collapsed right there. I followed up and threw another punch. Milo hurriedly raised his guard.

“You have to watch the attack and block. If you put up your guard so sloppily, you get hit like this.”

“Wait a minute-. Ugh!”

“Now, again. This time, block properly.”

I kindly corrected Milo’s posture. Milo was rambling about something, but I didn’t bother listening.

Milo is closer to a beast than a human. There was no need to use words.

How long had I been kicking him? Milo raised both hands high and barked.

“Woof! Woof! Woof!”

I loosened my hands with satisfaction.

“That was a good morning workout. I look forward to tomorrow, too.”

“Morning workout?”

Milo muttered with a face like he’d eaten shit. I stretched refreshingly.

Milo wore a sullen expression again, as if he hadn’t just been beaten.

“It’s time for duty allocation. Usually, the youngest goes around waking everyone up-.”

“So?”

“Just saying.”

Milo grumbled quietly. Even though he’d just been beaten, his attitude was still very stiff.

“How do we do duty allocation?”

“During morning roll call, the Deputy Squad Leader distributes the support requests that come in from each squad. However, since the entrance ceremony is tomorrow, everyone will be assigned to support that. Ah, starting today, new students are coming in, so there’s also new student guidance.”

“New student guidance?”

“Taking new students and dropping them off at the Dormitory.”

Milo explained while grumbling.

‘Ah, the intro.’

The intro of Yeonjol was entering the academy by carriage. It seemed the Guard Corps operated that carriage, too.

It was welcome news.

“I think I’d like the new student guidance.”

“So? What?”

Milo looked at me with a face asking what I wanted.

He was certainly stupid. I kindly repeated it clearly again.

“I want to take charge of the new student guidance.”

“New student guidance is usually handled by Ludric-nim. Since it’s the academy’s first impression, they only pick good-looking or pretty people.”

“That’s fortunate. I’m good-looking.”

“What kind of confidence-. No, I’m telling you, you don’t just say you want to do it. The Deputy Squad Leader distributes it.”

“My, I misspoke.”

As I nodded lightly as if I understood, Milo looked at me with a relieved face.

I looked at such a Milo and said firmly.

“I will take charge of the new student guidance.”

Milo blinked his eyes stupidly. Perhaps he understood my words belatedly, as Milo’s face turned into one that looked like he’d eaten shit. Soon, Milo nodded reluctantly.

“Fine.”

I tidied up my messy hair.

“I’m telling you, that’s not how it works-.”

Milo grumbled quietly.

At that moment, a broadcast came from the magic tool on the ceiling.

[Today’s morning roll call is an outdoor roll call.]

It was a somewhat familiar sound.