SRS 83

Yohan was on his way back to the dormitory after finishing the gymnastics class with the griffin, when he found the central hallway of the West Tower crowded with students huddled together.

The loud chatter blocked the passage. Yohan tried to squeeze through them but gave up and rose on his toes to see ahead. He wondered what they were crowding around for when he noticed a large notice posted on the wall. Everyone seemed to be reading it.

Hm? This feels familiar.

It was the same feeling he’d had when the academic schedule had been posted.

“What’s going on? Why is everyone here?”

Suhyeok, who came late, asked after seeing the corridor. Yohan spotted a familiar face among the students who had arrived earlier and grabbed his arm.

“Isaac.”

“Oh, Yohan.”

“Why’s everyone gathered here?”

“Looks like the school issued a new announcement.”

“A new announcement?”

What announcement could there be after the end-of-month aptitude evaluations?

Was it just his imagination, or did the back of his neck feel cold? He hoped it was.

When Yohan asked while trying to hide his nervousness, Isaac awkwardly shrugged. He seemed not to have understood the situation either.

Yohan turned again to check the paper on the wall. It was too far to read, and he hesitated for a moment, but then Kylus stepped forward to control the crowd.

“Everyone, move to the side. Leave space for people to pass and make sure everyone can see the notice.”

The first-years hesitated but then backed against the wall as Kylus gestured with the scabbard in his hand. Thanks to that, a narrow path opened, and the disorganized crowd arranged itself, making it easier to move.

“Thanks, Kylus.”

Yohan thanked his friend for stepping up, then, like the others, moved sideways along the wall to read the notice.

<Notice>

Dear proud students of Fantasiademia,

Recently, the frequent attacks by dimensional monsters have caused great damage to the school and inconvenienced your daily lives. We express our regret for failing to prevent these incidents in advance.

The school has been continuously investigating the cause of the attacks and discovered yesterday that a fatal rift has opened in the dimensional gate.

It has been determined that this rift cannot be repaired by artificial means. The headmaster is currently working on resolving the incident, but a swift solution is unlikely.

Therefore, until the rift disappears, attacks by monsters are expected to continue. Please stay alert at all times and prepare for possible assaults.

The school is doing its best to take responsibility and resolve the situation, and frequent business trips by professors are to be expected. We ask for your understanding.

If a high-grade monster appears, report it immediately to your superior. If the monster can be subdued, please do so.

To ensure safety, we are also recruiting guard squads by grade. Students who wish to participate in guard activities should visit the swordsmanship instructor, the Phantom Sword Master.

Once again, we apologize for the continued damage caused by the appearance of monsters within the school and ask you to stay cautious until the crack is restored.

Thank you.

Written by – Serdik Agor

By order of – The Nameless One

Once he finished reading the notice, Yohan understood why everyone was so agitated.

“You can see how tired he is just from his handwriting.”

Suhyeok clicked his tongue and muttered. Yohan read the notice again, written under the Nameless One’s command, and grew solemn.

If it was the headmaster he knew, the announcement would have been something irresponsible like, ‘Monsters are coming through the open rift, so just be careful, and if you’re interested, join the guard squad.’

It made him realize how remarkable it was that the vice headmaster had written this instead. There was a reason Serdik Agor always looked so tired.

“So that’s why there’ve been so many monsters lately.”

“Ah, right. Didn’t they say one attacked during swordsmanship class too?”

“Yes. I heard that in the taming classes, dimensional monsters show up almost every time.”

“They must have it rough there too.”

As Suhyeok and Kylus continued talking, Yohan realized that attacks had been happening even in areas he didn’t know about. Understanding that the situation was worse than he thought, he carefully reread the notice, memorized its content, and started walking again. Now that he understood the school’s situation, he decided not to complain about the monsters anymore.

“Yohan, you’re just leaving?”

“Yes.”

“What about the guard squad? You’re not joining?”

Suhyeok asked, sounding surprised. Yohan nodded.

“Mm, probably not. I don’t think I’ll have time for that too.”

“Well, that’s true. But hearing that from you feels weird. Are you sure you’re the real Yohan?”

Suhyeok narrowed his eyes jokingly. Yohan laughed and nodded.

By now, he knew it would be reckless to take on guard duty on top of his current workload. After taking the end-of-month evaluation once, he’d realized how exhausting it was to handle so many subjects.

He already had too much to study. If he tried to do guard duty too, he’d fail at both. When he insisted he couldn’t, Suhyeok looked regretful as he glanced at the paper.

“Then you’ll have to give up earning shop points.”

“…What?”

Shop points?

Yohan stopped mid-step. When he asked for an explanation, Suhyeok pointed to the notice.

“You didn’t read the text at the bottom properly? Look closely. In small letters at the very end, it says that students can earn shop points based on their activity in the guard squad.”

“……”

At Suhyeok’s words, Yohan stepped closer to the paper again. Squinting and bending forward, he finally spotted the tiny letters at the bottom. The writing was so small it could have been made by an ant.

The school had hidden bad news in small letters before, but now it hid good news the same way. What on earth was this school trying to do?

It was amazing how they managed to get everything wrong.

“…It’s written so tiny I didn’t even notice. How did you catch that?”

“A real hunter should be able to handle at least this much.”

Suhyeok said proudly, hands on his hips.

Every time he said something like that, Yohan grew more curious about what kind of beings hunters were in his world. Suhyeok had once described them simply as monster hunters, but judging from what he said, they weren’t that simple.

…He’ll tell me when the time comes.

Yohan set aside his curiosity and straightened his back.

So they’re giving shop points based on activity.

Yohan still hadn’t earned any shop points. There were rumors that students with excellent end-of-month evaluation scores would receive points as academic awards, but nothing had been confirmed, and the final grades hadn’t been announced yet.

That meant joining the guard squad was the only way, for now, to earn any points.

“…Let’s do it.”

He was in debt. The thought of the gold coin he owed Mikael pushed him to decide.

When Yohan changed his mind, Suhyeok smiled as if he’d expected it.

“Yes, I knew you’d say that. Kylus, you’re joining too, right?”

“I am. The more gold I earn, the better sword I can buy.”

It seemed Kylus, who had grown more obsessed with weapons, was planning to join as well. Yohan instinctively looked around for Mikael, then sighed when he remembered that Mikael was still in the Sky Garden.

“I can’t ask Mikael right now.”

“Why ask him? He’d obviously say yes.”

“Hmm. Knowing Mikael’s personality, I don’t think so.”

Mikael disliked bothersome things, so Yohan doubted he’d volunteer for guard duty and go looking for extra work.

“Hm… really? I’d say the odds he’ll join are a hundred percent.”

“…You think so?”

Yohan tilted his head, unsure how to take Suhyeok’s confident answer. Suhyeok pointed at him.

“Of course. You said you’re joining.”

“…?”

“Mikael sticks to you like glue. I can’t tell if you’re his shadow or he’s yours.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“…It means you two are close friends.”

When Yohan looked at him curiously, Suhyeok paused for a moment before replying in a calmer tone.

He laced his fingers behind his head and turned around.

“Well then, let’s go see the swordsmanship professor.”

“Mm.”

Seeing his impatient friend, Yohan checked his wristwatch. There was an awkward amount of time left before first period, and if something happened on the way, they might be late.

“Since we’ve time, how about finishing the general education class first, then going?”

“Ah, that makes sense. Let’s do that.”

Fortunately, Suhyeok didn’t seem determined to go right now. Relieved by his easy agreement, Yohan went back to prepare for first period.

“Oh, Mikael.”

Later, when he met Mikael again in the Divine Studies classroom and mentioned the guard squad, he answered just as Suhyeok had predicted, he said he would join without a moment’s hesitation.

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

After finishing all the general education classes,

Yohan gathered with his friends from Room 304, and they headed to the swordsmanship training hall. Kylus, who often sparred one-on-one with the Phantom Sword Master, turned red and pale by turns, as if just looking at the training hall made his stomach churn.

Yohan patted his friend’s back once and started looking for the professor. He searched around for a while but couldn’t find him, and just as he was about to give up, Suhyeok suddenly let out an “Oh?” and stepped into the inner area of the hall.

Yohan and the others exchanged looks, then quickly followed him.

“There he is.”

Suhyeok, who had arrived first, whispered in a low voice. The Phantom Sword Master stood before a door at the far end of the hall labeled ‘Closed Training Hall,’ guarding it as if he were its gatekeeper.

“This feels ominous.”

Kylus crossed his arms and muttered while staring at the professor. Suhyeok frowned and agreed.

“Yes. Something about this atmosphere feels… wrong.”

For some reason, a grim aura surrounded the professor. Yohan rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was seeing things, and jumped a little when the black energy vanished completely.

That was when it happened.

“So, you’re first-years.”

The swordsmanship professor, who had been standing with his eyes closed, suddenly spoke. Considering the distance, it was surprising that he had noticed them.

Yohan and his friends hesitated, unsure if he was talking to them, but took a step forward. The professor opened his eyes, looked over the four students one by one, and grinned.

“Good. I knew you four would come. First-year prodigies like you couldn’t possibly skip something like this. Very well, I shall grant you the chance to prove your worth. Come here and show me your talent.”

“……”

At the professor’s stern voice, Yohan and the others fell silent. True friends can understand each other without words. All four turned at the same time.

“Uh..!”

The professor reached out his hand toward them as they tried to leave. Suddenly, as if telekinesis had taken hold, their bodies floated off the ground and were dragged toward his grasp.

“Go on, young first-years!”

Laughing heartily, the Phantom Sword Master pushed open the massive stone door of the Closed Training Hall he had been guarding and threw the four of them inside.

“You have two days, brats. If you escape the Closed Training Hall on your own within that time, you pass. If time runs out and I have to drag you out myself, you fail.”

With his terrifying smile and explanation, the heavy door closed.

“No, we’re not doing this!”

Suhyeok shouted indignantly as they were thrown through the air, but the door didn’t open again.