I’m Not Becoming a Graduate Student! – Chapter 7

“So you’re asking me to accept your apology…?”

“Exactly! I was rude yesterday. I really regret it.”

“R-really?”

Sion took Geivolg’s outstretched hand.

Swinging Sion’s hand up and down, Geivolg was beaming with joy.

He naturally sat beside Sion.

“By the way, that’s impressive! I can’t believe you made a contract with a spirit right after enrolling in magic school! It seems like you really have a talent for Spirit Magic, Sion.”

“Is that so…? Honestly, I’m a bit bewildered. This is my first time experiencing something like this.”

“Sure, you might think that way! But in our kingdom of Rodenburg, we have a saying.”

Click!

Geivolg pointed his index finger and made a serious face.

“Fortune favors the prepared!”

“O-oh….”

“So, Sion! Stick your chest out! You’re absolutely amazing!”

“Oof!”

Bang!

Geivolg slapped Sion’s back hard.

He laughed mechanically, “Hahaha!”

Patrick, who had also been sitting next to Sion, chimed in.

“Hey, Geivolg… right? The second-best student of the academy.”

“Do you know me? That’s right! My name is Geivolg Rodenburg. And what’s yours?”

“Patrick Hansen. By the way, I’m from a baronial family. Nice to meet you.”

“Ah, nice to meet you!”

They shook hands, with Geivolg showing no surprise at the mention of Patrick’s title. Sion nodded at this.

‘Seems like he’s not a discriminatory person…’

Patrick, being a baron’s son, was treating Sion, a commoner, fairly. He seemed completely unconcerned with social classes. He even bowed to Sion, a commoner, to apologize.

‘Really an misunderstanding? Then…’

Sion recognized a type like Geivolg. The one who speaks in proverbs, with a pedantic and formal tone. He also carried the vibe of a ‘model man’ drawn from pictures.

In many ways, he misunderstood and ended up receiving criticism from those around him.

You occasionally see these kinds of personalities in the military or university. They might lack flexibility, but they adhere to rules and regulations diligently. Sometimes it can be annoying, but because they don’t get entangled in personal feelings, it’s hard to dislike them.

Geivolg Rodenburg is that kind of person.

…if he were in the military, he’d probably be a staff officer.

He’s not lacking in personality to be a friend. In fact, he would be a more fun person to be with.

“I’m looking forward to today’s class! Academy lessons always have this thrilling power that makes a man’s heart race.”

“Right…? What was today’s lesson again? Something about dungeons, I think.”

“Sion, didn’t you check the timetable properly? Today’s lesson is that—”

Just then, with a loud creak! Bang!

The classroom’s front door swung open.

“Bah ha ha ha! Good morning, everyone! Welcome to class, youngsters!”

A ridiculously short but muscular man entered.

Muscle bulged everywhere you looked at this guy.

His tight-fitting clothes and short shorts made his muscles even more prominent.

‘…Wait, he looks like a statue.’

Despite this, the guy’s muscles truly looked like a sculpted work of art.

Is this what it would feel like if powerful deities like Hercules were reincarnated? His face appeared to be perpetually smiling, which made him even more likable.

If a person with a moderate amount of muscle had such an outfit, it would have been very unpleasant.

But it was hard to see him as the same kind of person since he was so extraordinarily muscular, especially his height, which seemed to be about 130 cm—ridiculously short.

It felt like he had crossed over the uncanny valley and was headed towards extraordinarily amusing mountain physique.

While Sion harbored rude thoughts, the incredibly short muscular man wrote his name in block letters on the blackboard.

“My name is Bariyes! Feel free to call me that. By the way, I’m a dwarf!”

Murmurs erupted.

The mention of dwarves made the students stir.

No, the stir wasn’t because of his race.

“Bariyes…? Is he the same Bariyes I know?”

“I’ve read about him in a fairy tale! S-rank adventurer Bariyes…!”

“I never thought I’d actually meet him!”

“…But doesn’t he have too many muscles? The fairy tale was a bit exaggerated…”

“Shh!”

From the gathered information, it seemed that Bariyes was a famous S-rank adventurer.

He was even said to be a character in a fairy tale.


Born a commoner, yet gaining such fame—he’s practically a legend in the adventurer community.

Sion’s eyes sparkled.

‘Adventurers… they really do exist!’

To Sion, this place was a medieval fantasy world filled with swords and magic. Considering the presence of elves, social classes, and magic, it would feel lacking without adventurers.

And Bariyes was a dwarf after all.

“You all know the name of my class: ‘How to Survive in a Dungeon’. Listen, youngsters. What do you think is the most important thing to survive in a dungeon? The frail-looking guy at the front!”

“…Me?”

Sion realized he was the only frail-looking male student among the male students in the Magic Department.

Especially in the presence of the burly Geivolg and the hearty Patrick.

“Yep! I won’t ask twice! Answer me!”

“Um… Uncertain variables… maybe?”

“Wrong! You can’t prepare for variables, no matter how much you try!”

“Ah.”

He’d answered boldly, but was immediately met with a wrong buzzer.

Sion’s shoulders drooped.

At that moment, Bariyes’s gaze turned to the back row.

“The bold young lady who raised her hand! Go ahead and answer.”

“I’m Estroja Perrawell. I—”

“Wrong!”

“…Huh?”

Before she could even finish her response, Bariyes shouted curtly.

“Whatever ‘Estroja’ is, it’s not needed in a dungeon! Someone else!”

“…”

Estroja fell silent.

With his fanatic demeanor, no one dared to answer.

Only a few were forced to answer.

Bariyes clicked his tongue and began to write something on the blackboard.

“Looks like the Magic Department has nothing but show-offs. The frail guy who at least answered ‘variables’ might be the best here. Listen well, youngsters.”

Tap tap!

He wrote confidently on the blackboard.

It was… a single word.

“That is information!!”

Information.

Sion instantly grasped the meaning of that word.

‘Information… that includes not just knowledge about dungeons or monsters, but also about allies. So, that’s why I said variables were the closest thing.’

Dungeons are a series of uncertainties.

Isn’t a dungeon essentially a nest of monsters?

A person wandering around their territory must always be wary of enemy ambushes at any moment.

That’s why information is essential.

What kind of monsters spawn in the dungeon? Is it cave-shaped or flatland-shaped? Can these monsters fly or not, etc.

Information was a definite way to increase the success rate of exploring a dungeon.

“From now on, I shall impart to you youngsters, the practical knowledge of dungeons that you wouldn’t learn from books! Got it?”

“Yes!”

“Your voices are too quiet. Did you come without breakfast, you guys?! Speak louder!!”

“Yes!!!”

Hearing Bariyes’s pleased laughter, Sion smiled widely.

Honestly, he had been quite disappointed by Professor Lunia’s class yesterday…

But today’s dungeon class seemed like it would be quite enjoyable.

While Sion was getting excited about the direction of upcoming lessons, Bariyes suddenly pulled out a wooden barrel from his bag.

There were more than twenty wooden sticks in the holes of the wooden barrel.

Sion’s expression quickly hardened at the sight.

…Please don’t tell me that’s what I think it is?

“My class will also include dungeon practice. Naturally, if you enter alone and die, it’s a pointless death! So, you’ll enter in groups.”

“……..”

“Since it’s orientation day, I won’t conduct class today. Instead!”

Thud!

He placed the wooden barrel on the teacher’s desk.

A wave of unease washed over Sion as Bariyes grinned widely.

Please, just not that.

“There will be a group drawing for group assignments!!”

“……….”

The students’ expressions soured.

Indeed, for academy students… no, for university students, there’s an unavoidable fate.

It was the time for ‘group projects’ or ‘team plays.’

‘Damn, I was too careless.’

Sion had reincarnated here not as an undergraduate, but as a graduate student.

During his junior or senior year, he’d been a hermit who barely engaged in club activities.

He had forgotten all about campus life and real university classes.

And now.

The moment the word ‘group project’ was mentioned,

Past unpleasant experiences flooded his mind like a movie reel.

Having held consecutive funerals for his grandmother and grandfather, the aloof Joon-hyuk declaring boldly that there was no time for team play in the graduating year.

Seung-jun, who promised to make a ppt, would bring back a Bonobono template.

Even Dong-pueng-chao, who activated the ‘I don’t know much about groups’ move…

“Sion, why are you suddenly like this? Are you okay?”

“It’s nothing….”

His face turned pale enough for even Patrick, who sat next to him, to worry.

Meanwhile, students were already lining up to draw wooden sticks.

“The students from the Magic Department are 24! We’ll form 6 teams of 4 each. The sticks have numbers from 1 to 6 written on them, so just pick one quickly!! Hey, come up and pick!”

At Bariyes’s words, a few students stood up one by one.

“Sion, let’s go. Geivolg too.”

“Ha ha, sounds good! My heart’s racing!”

“…Haah.”

Reluctantly, Sion stepped forward.

‘Please let me just meet normal team members.’

He silently prayed in front of the drawing box.

The selfish prayer was not that he wanted to ride the bus. He wished only to avoid a ridiculous situation where he would be the one driving the bus, and the bus would break down in the middle of the journey.

“Bah ha ha ha! Don’t hesitate and hurry up, frail one!”

“…Yes!”

Sion closed his eyes and quickly drew a wooden stick.

‘Number 4…!’

It was number 4.

The ominous thought of ‘death’ flashed through his mind, but he tried to calm himself down.

First, he had to find the person who drew number 4.

As Sion looked around, Patrick approached him.

“Yo, Sion. What did you draw?”

“I got number 4.”

“Whoa! I got number 4 too. We’re on the same team! Nice to meet you moving forward?”

“Really??”

Sion clenched his fist in joy.

Having Patrick on his team meant he could rely on him.

He was quick-witted and could handle any tasks given.

‘Great start! Now, as long as the last two members are normal, we should be fine!’

Sion felt elated.

It seemed like their group project would be successfully completed for the first time.

Excitedly thinking he might even earn an A+, that was until Geivolg came over with a smiling face.

“Haha! So this is number 4. Nice to meet you all.”

“…Huh?”

“I drew number 4 too. Seems like we’re destined to be together. Let’s make the most of our time as team 4!”

Click!

Geivolg stretched out his index finger and smiled brightly.

On the contrary, Sion’s smile faded.

‘Geivolg…? Uh oh….’

It might not be so bad?

But on the flip side, it wouldn’t be that great either.

It felt like holding a ticking time bomb, not knowing where it would explode.

‘It’s okay! It’s still manageable. Geivolg is a variable I can control. There’s still one spot left…!’

Sion held onto hope.

As long as the last person was normal. As long as they could be cooperative and wouldn’t discriminate against a commoner and a baron’s son…

“Excuse me.”

Just then, a clear voice rang out from behind Sion.

A voice so pure it stirred a solemn feeling within him.

Her hair was pure white.

“I’m in team 4. Looking forward to working with you.”

Estroja Perrawell, holding a wooden stick with the number ‘4’ written on it.

…In that moment, the number ‘4’ seemed to represent death to Sion.