# Chapter 59. Field Trip (1)
Before I knew it, the midterm evaluations were over.
Naturally, I topped the rankings.
In the Department of Combat, the students seemed as helpless as toddlers due to the personalized tutoring they receive from the professor.
The Department of Magic’s practical exams were unexpectedly simple as well. By using a gun, my weapon from my past life, as inspiration for the required magic, I found it quite manageable to pass.
“Hey, wait a minute!!”
As someone shouted down the hallway, I kept walking. Since I don’t have many friends, I wasn’t particularly interested in whoever had called out to me, but then someone grabbed my wrist, forcing me to turn around.
“I said stop! Why do you keep ignoring me?”
‘Who is she…?’
I have no idea who she is. I think I’ve seen her somewhere before, but I can’t place her. I don’t often remember faces anyway, but if I can’t remember her, she must not be particularly remarkable—an extra, at best.
She does have an attractive face, but her brown hair indicates she’s not one of the main characters.
Because she grabbed me, I became curious rather than confused.
“What is it?”
“…Did you see the results of the midterms? You topped this semester’s rankings, right?”
“Well, yeah… but…”
“…Do you not recognize me?”
“…”
“Hmph!”
What else could I say? After picking a fight during the welcome ceremony, most of the first-year students already see me as an adversary and avoid me as much as possible. I’m always the loner, but it doesn’t bother me too much because Ria is usually around. Still, with neither the Department of Combat nor the Department of Magic offering me a single friend, I am pretty much friendless.
“You’re Tia, right? The runner-up in the Department of Magic. Being second means you’re the next best after me.”
“Uh… yeah, that’s right.”
Was she here to bully me? A runner-up jealous of the top-ranked student trying to pick a fight?
Fortunately, this is the hallway, so I don’t need to worry about getting pushed off the rooftop and becoming a ghost jumping around like a bean.
“So, why did you call me?”
“…Um, well….”
Did she struggle to speak? The woman in front of me hesitated to respond.
I’m Korean, and I find slow decision-making frustrating, even across dimensions. Even if the circumstances have changed, the Korean aversion to slowness remains rooted in my very being.
“I’ll be leaving if you’re not going to say anything.”
“Wait! I’ll tell you!!”
Just as I turned away, she grabbed me again, yelling in frustration.
“All my life, people have called me a prodigy. I had absolute confidence in my magical abilities, and I believed I’d swiftly reach the top.”
Now she’s boasting? It might seem silly that she stops me only to boast, but I decided to keep listening, curious to see what her endgame was.
“But my father disapproved of me studying magic… and told me that my value lies in marrying a good man and contributing to the family’s prosperity.”
Ah, a typical older-generation mindset. Although outdated, it’s not uncommon in this world.
Didn’t older people in my previous life also shout at women saying they should focus on housework? These musty old ways don’t change, even across dimensions.
“I made a deal with my father. If I graduate at the top of the Department of Magic, he’d leave me be.”
“Alright….”
By that point, I had a rough idea of what was coming.
On the surface, it appears she’s solved everything with her talent, but perhaps she’s fighting just as hard to escape her predestined path.
Realizing that she, too, is striving against her fate made me feel a sense of kinship, slightly relaxing my previous coldness.
“But then… you showed up. A reckless newcomer with no connections.”
“Mmm…”
“To be honest, your abilities amaze even me. You come up with ideas I’d never think of. I’ve heard about you, and still, I’d like to learn from you. Since you possess a unique talent for magic, lessons from you could help me become the top student.”
I was genuinely surprised.
Rather than being jealous and bitter about being outranked, she chose to humbly seek my guidance. It’s not easy for someone to put aside their pride and ask for help, and I understood the courage that must have taken.
“Well, I don’t see any problem with it…”
“Wh-what? Really?!”
Naturally. I’m not particularly intelligent, but I have a large amount of innate mana, and because of memories from my previous life, I possess far greater imagination needed for magic. To the people of this world, I might just seem like someone gifted with extraordinary talent.
Additionally, although she wasn’t a character from the original story, she had potential, and helping her grow could be a beneficial long-term strategy.
“Do you know about the field trip next week?”
“Yeah, I do. The professors made sure to announce it in full force.”
The field trip after the midterms is an important event. It’s a critical moment for me in the story.
“Do you have any special plans for the trip?”
“Not yet. It’s barely even been mentioned, so it’s unlikely I’d have plans laid out so soon.”
Fair enough.
Now that I think about it, this girl Tia was the runner-up. In another life, she would have been at the top. Even if I didn’t have my previous memories to cheat, she’s clearly a hard worker.
Although I haven’t interacted much with the other students because I don’t have close friends, I remember she received many positive evaluations in class and exams. She’s smart, talented, and appears to be well-liked, earning the trust of professors. Her leadership skills are uncertain but probably average.
Since she wants my guidance, there’s no reason to reject her. She’s practically the ideal companion I’ve been looking for.
“So, how about we do one thing together?”
For this field trip, students are divided into teams by department to make moving around easier. While the grouping exists mainly for organizational purposes, most students either go solo or with their close friends. But for this trip, I want to stick with this girl.
Why?
Because during this trip, the followers of the Evil God will make their presence known to the world.
—
*
“…There’s been no communication.”
“Have we been discovered?”
“Possibly. The atmosphere at the Academy seems more cautious recently. The protective barriers have been strengthened, and there are more guards patrolling.”
In a dim office, a man reviewing documents momentarily frowned at the words of his assistant.
“Still, it’s fortunate. Even if we’ve lost a few contacts, we still have at least one left.”
“What will you do?”
“Hm… it appears the Academy is planning a field trip next week. We should use that.”
KUHNG! KUHNG!
“Damn muscle-heads! I explicitly asked for the contact to be used….”
The vibrations that shook the office caused the man’s eyebrows to furrow, and almost simultaneously, the door burst open, and a large figure stomped into the room.
“Yo, grandpa! What’s got you so deep in thought? Why don’t I just go wipe them all out?”
A hulking mass of muscle entered, casually addressing the man as “grandpa.”
“Destroyer… I’ve told you not to barge in without invitation…”
“Eh, what nonsense? Anyway, isn’t there some mission I can help with?”
“There’s no way…”
Wait. Is there a strict law against it?
With the mass movement of students, it’s inevitable for their guards to be slightly less vigilant. Even in such a prestigious academy, fully controlling and monitoring every student individually would be impossible.
If this brute is allowed to run amok, it would not only cause chaos but also help us extract Prince Rab, who we’ve been keeping tabs on.
Although we’ve had a plan in place, fewer eyes watching will make the execution smoother.
“These days there’s nothing to do, no missions, nothing to smash… I might explode!”
“Not bad…”
“Huh?”
“If you follow the control instructions, I’ll consider it. How wild you go doesn’t matter, but you must return promptly when the recall signal is sent.”
Hearing that he’d be allowed to indulge his destructive instincts, Destroyer’s grin widened from ear to ear.
“Really? You mean it!?”
“Yes. This should keep you quiet for a while. I’ll inform the Lord. Until the operation begins, stay disciplined and prepare.”
“That’s easy! HAHAH!”
With a laugh full of satisfaction, Destroyer left, and the worried assistant checked on his boss.
“Uh… Will you be alright?”
“What makes you think I won’t be? Just ensure the proper surveillance team is ready to monitor our guest.”
“Yes, understood.”
After the assistant departed, the man returned to the remaining paperwork.
“It won’t be long now. The day when the Lord rises as the true God is approaching…”
