SRS 110

Acting Headmaster. Monster Slayer. Grade Hoarder. The White Dragon of Fantasiademia, the one who defeated the angel professor….

Rumors swirled around Yohan. Since none of them were nicknames he wanted, Yohan felt embarrassed among the whispering students and had to keep his head down throughout the entire class.

After finishing his duties and returning to his room, Suhyeok chuckled and teased Yohan. Yohan grew serious and hugged his pillow.

“…What on earth does it mean that he chose me as his proxy?”

“Well, doesn’t that just mean he took you as his disciple? The angel professor is an angel. Those kinds of races tend to speak in complicated ways, you know.”

“…It’s not complicated, it’s just how they speak.”

“What? Why are you getting so defensive?”

Suhyeok gave Mikael a bewildered look. Yohan, the only one in Room 304… no, the entire first year who knew Mikael’s race, broke out in a cold sweat. He watched Mikael turn his head away, then beckoned him to his bed and sat him beside him. Patting Mikael’s back, Yohan continued his conversation with Suhyeok.

“He didn’t say it like that. I just told him I couldn’t be a teaching assistant because the headmaster had asked me to do something else.”

“Then I guess that request must have seemed pretty special. Maybe the headmaster isn’t the type to ask students for favors.”

“That doesn’t fit when he dumps so much work on people.”

“True.”

Suhyeok, who hadn’t forgotten the tasks the headmaster had passed off to students in the commercial zone, frowned, nodded, then sighed.

“But he asks you, Yohan, more often than anyone else. The students are bound to think you and the headmaster are close.”

“We’re not close.”

“Oh, right. Let’s just go with that.”

“……”

“I said we’ll go with that. Why are you looking at me like that?”

Yohan glared at Suhyeok, clearly skeptical of his own words, then let out a sigh. Kylus, emerging from the bathroom, gave them a look that said, “Are you still talking about that?” before plopping down and joining the conversation.

“So, what was this thing you were asked to do?”

“You know the divine beast. I was planning to use that as an excuse.”

“Ah, the divine beast.”

“Come to think of it, how’s its condition?”

“Well…”

Yohan shifted his gaze toward the drawer. Worried it might hinder its growth, he had carefully placed the sleeping divine beast inside and never opened it since.

“Is it alright if I open it?”

He grabbed Mikael’s collar as he spoke, and the latter blinked in confusion, his eyes wide and round.

“Why are you asking me?”

“Because I thought you might know. The divine beast of Fantasiademia is a sacred animal, right?”

“…Even I don’t know everything about the divine beasts of Fantasiademia. But I’ve heard sacred beasts form an emotional bond with their owners, so when it comes to them, usually acting on your thoughts or feelings is the right answer.”

He gave helpful advice even though he claimed not to know much. That’s why Yohan couldn’t help but seek Mikael’s counsel. His friend had many strengths, aside from his clumsy attempts at comfort.

“Then… let’s just take a look.”

After some hesitation, Yohan decided to open the drawer. It would satisfy his friends’ curiosity and also ease his own worry about whether it was growing properly.

As he carefully opened the drawer, the heads of the students from Room 304 crowded over it. The divine beast was soaking wet, twitching and writhing.

Its breathing wasn’t peaceful. 

Yohan’s face paled at the sight of the struggling divine beast.

“Is… is this how it’s supposed to grow? It looks like it’s in pain.”

“Divine beasts naturally experience pain while growing, so it should be fine.”

“But doesn’t it seem to be struggling unusually hard? Its breathing sounds so unstable.”

“That’s proof it’s eating high-quality food. The more intense the pain during growth, the stronger the divine beast becomes. And that pain usually varies depending on the food and environment. The better the environment and food, the better the divine beast becomes.”

Mikael soothed Yohan’s worries. Hearing this from an angel like him, Yohan stopped worrying needlessly and gently stroked the struggling divine beast with his gaze. He couldn’t touch it carelessly, afraid it might harm it.

“If you’re really worried, channel some divine power to it. It’ll help.”

“Alright.”

“But don’t overdo it.”

Mikael, standing close behind Yohan, looked down at the divine beast alongside him and advised on the process of transferring divine power. Yohan carefully channeled his power as instructed. The divine beast’s face, which had been struggling, visibly relaxed more than before.

“It seems to be working…!”

Whispering softly, Yohan looked at Mikael, his face filled with pride and joy.

“……”

After meeting his gaze for a moment, Mikael covered Yohan’s face with his hand. Confused by this unexpected action, Yohan tilted his head.

“Mikael?”

“Good job. Now close the drawer and let it rest.”

“Okay.”

Even without resolving his confusion, Yohan took Mikael’s words at face value. When it came to the divine beast, he wanted to follow his advice as much as possible.

Seeing Yohan like this, Suhyeok clicked his tongue.

“This is like a clone, a clone.”

“A clone?”

“Meaning you follow Mikael’s words like you’re replicated.”

Uncertain if it was praise or criticism, Yohan simply gave a look that said he understood. Suhyeok remarked it was fortunate the divine beast was growing well, glancing sideways at Mikael.

“Hmmm.”

“…What?”

Mikael stepped back slightly at the meaningful gaze and asked what he meant. Suhyeok chuckled playfully and called out to Yohan.

“Yohan, Yohan.”

“Hm?”

“Does your god permit homosexuality?”

“Huh?”

“Cough!”

“…Im Suhyeok.”

Yohan was flustered by the sudden question, Mikael started coughing as if he’d swallowed wrong, and Kylus frowned.

“Um…”

It was a question he’d never considered before, so Yohan searched his memory for the temple’s rules. There was no explicit prohibition against homosexuality. The Empire didn’t forbid it either. Heterosexuality was the norm, but he’d heard stories of noblemen occasionally keeping male concubines.

“Probably not? God would consider all love precious.”

His uncertain tone made Suhyeok laugh.

“That’s a relief.”

Not understanding why it was a relief, Yohan kept turning his head this way and that for a while, even after Suhyeok laughed and returned to the bed to lie down.

***

Amidst all the commotion, the week ended, the weekend passed, and Monday arrived. Yohan, who still hadn’t met the headmaster, spent the whole day and changed clothes with his friends.

It was the guard’s uniform.

“Ah. Yohan.”

Isaac, who had just come out of the hallway, spotted Yohan and his friends rushing out of the room in their uniforms, and waved. He scanned their unfamiliar uniforms with a strange look before speaking.

“First patrol today?”

“Yes.”

“I hope nothing weird happens.”

“Me too.”

“Don’t worry, Isaac. If any monsters show up, we’ll take care of them. Kylus will do the hard work.”

“I’m the one doing the work, so why are you taking the credit?”

“Well, my achievements are my achievements, and your successes are also my achievements.”

“……”

Kylus, his eyes wide in exasperation, turned away, he refused to deal with the young man. Isaac stammered in confusion. He seemed to think his presence was causing his two friends to fight. Yohan patted his shoulder.

“He’s always like that. We’ll be back, Isaac.”

“Uh-huh. …Be careful!”

Isaac mustered the courage to offer his support. Yohan nodded, silently impressed that his timid friend still attended Fantasiademia despite all the incidents and shocks he’d endured, then headed toward the Rose Garden.

“Saying ‘I’ll be back’ seems too easy for you, Yohan.”

Mikael blurted out nonsense, perhaps nervous about his first patrol. Yohan, who had been mediating between Kylus and Suhyeok, silently pleaded with his eyes, “Why are you doing this too?” before arriving at the Rose Garden.

The guard captain, who had arrived earlier, looked at the first-year guards. He informed Yohan and his group of the results from the previous patrols.

“During the patrols last Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and the weekend patrol, we discovered and eliminated dimensional monsters every time. The probability of encountering one today is high. Keep your weapons close at hand and take all possible defensive measures before departing.”

“All of them from the last patrols?”

“Yes.”

It didn’t seem like he was lying. There was no reason to lie in the first place, so Yohan looked at his friends, feeling slightly tense.

“…I’ll cast blessings in advance.”

“Hand over your weapons so I can cast an enhancement spell.”

Yohan and Mikael, who possessed support abilities, completed the enhancement and protective measures they could perform in turn. Yohan meticulously wrapped a divine power shield around his friends before turning to the guard captain. When asked if he wanted a blessing too, he quietly declined. His armor creaked and shifted with his movements.

“We’re starting patrols. Begin with the first-year building.”

“Ah, are we checking other areas too?”

“Yes. I hear you first-years still live within the barrier. Be careful; using your abilities becomes inconvenient if you enter other grades’ areas.”

“…….”

Yohan was briefly flustered by the unannounced patrol zone, looking at the guard captain with a bewildered expression. The difference in how easily they could use supernatural abilities inside and outside the barrier was not something to be dismissed so lightly.

At least among them, only Mikael and him were affected by the barrier’s impact on their abilities. Theyo already experienced the difficulty of using their powers when they had to go to the headmaster’s office and venture into other areas. But if it were other students, it would have been quite a headache.

…I can’t help but feel uneasy.

Yohan, already beginning to distrust the captain, followed the one walking ahead, quietly clasping his hands together in prayer.

If God was listening to his pitiful yet sincere prayer, he could only hope for a miracle to ensure nothing happened during this patrol.