30 Years Have Passed Since the Prologue

3 – 3. There must be a terror incident on the academy admission train. (1)

Every genre has its formula, what is called a cliche.

When you think about it, it’s natural. In order for a set form of a specific genre to be established, there must be common elements.

For example, let’s look at the classic hero genre. According to Ivan’s thoughts, the format of this tiresome genre is as follows:

The Demon Lord or antagonist appears.

The hero forms a party.

The hero embarks on a journey to defeat the Demon Lord.

The process of defeating the subordinates of the Demon Lord one by one occurs.

One of the subordinates becomes enamored with the hero.

At the end of the journey, the Demon Lord dies, and the world regains peace.

Ivan, based on this format, considered this world to be a classic hero genre.

But now, Ivan was painstakingly extracting the memories of Kim Sunwoo from 30 years ago and compiling a list.

What is the formula for academy stories?

Ep3. There must be a terror incident on the academy admission train.

The princess lamented, as if she could be from the Stark family, ‘Winter is coming,’ but that was wrong.

It is now January. Obviously, it’s midwinter, and not long ago, they even had an extravagant New Year’s party at the orphanage.

In other words, there was still plenty of time before the university started its semester.

“Academy….”

Ivan, now lost in thought, fondly recalled the impulsive burning of his reference book 30 years ago.

Among them, he remembers there were probably a few academy-related ones. Now, he doesn’t remember the names well, but it seemed to involve things like celestial horses going to the academy, or a swordsman going, or a shaman going, or a sorcerer going…

If I were to jot down things that come to mind in a hurry, it would go something like this:

They’re like some sort of academy regulations.

“Anything can come to the academy.”

Literally, anything from cowboys to celestial beings, anything can come.

So, that means even assassins who lurk behind the precious sons and daughters of the Hero Party are included.

“The academy is bound to be invaded.”

Sadly, the academy suffers more invasions than a frontline fortress.

Statistically, it’s widely known that if the protagonist doesn’t drop out, there’s a 98% chance the academy will be invaded.

“Demons hide within the academy.”

With the Demon King dead, all seven dragon generals gone or missing, and demons either enslaved or pushed to the ends of the world at this point.

Suddenly, in the heart of the United Kingdoms, disregarding any plausible way they could just infiltrate an educational institution.

It means supporters of demons or the demons themselves will definitely sneak into the academy.

Let’s exclude races like goblins or orcs. They don’t have the appearance to hide even if they tried.

It’s better to assume beings capable of shapeshifting like succubi or demons are the ones hiding.

“There are traitors among the undergraduates and staff.”

You have to search for staff so hostile to the protagonist that it’s oddly suspicious.

That person is likely a demon sympathizer.

“There are secret ruins or hidden artifacts within the academy.”

Jansc University, established just a decade ago, a newly built state university commissioned by the king himself in the capital, yet for some reason, it’s assumed there are “secret rooms” within…

“The undergraduate students at the academy can be broadly divided into three types: students, antagonists related to demons, and government agents.”

Here, students don’t necessarily refer to model students who study diligently. These guys are ticking time bombs as well.

They’re prone to getting into trouble, often needing rescue, and unfortunately, the protagonist is the only one who can save them.

Apart from those students, the ones not getting into trouble are further divided into two categories: the quiet students whose names are barely mentioned and the students jealous of the protagonist.

Up until this point, it could be considered part of an adorable school life. The problem lies ahead.

Students related to demons. In reality, these are individuals who should be classified as demon sympathizers, demon spies, or demon zealots.

“If they stand out, eliminate them beforehand.”

The director, a former commanding officer from the Annihilation Unit, squinted and underlined the sentence.

The best way to protect allies was to annihilate enemies.

Up until now, it’s nothing more than ordinary hobbies or the like.

“Next are the government agents.”

If the children of international dignitaries have enrolled in large numbers, it is only natural that agents would be dispatched to protect them.

The problem is that, in most cases, agents do not embark on expeditions for the sole purpose of carrying out one mission.

In other words, the bodyguards for these children would, in their leisure time, operate as excellent spies for the friendly nations.

These individuals cannot be easily eliminated. Since they are not citizens of the host country, any attempt to harm them immediately becomes a diplomatic issue. After all, on the surface, they are just students.

“If there’s no age limit, it wouldn’t be strange for active-duty agents to enroll during wartime.”

Ivan, the orphanage director and former special forces officer, stroked his chin in contemplation.

“It might be better if those who know come. At least we can communicate with them.”

Ivan looked at the battle axe displayed on the wall near the entrance to the director’s office, lost in thought.

“Considering the academy’s exams, training, and other situations, if an instructor says it’s ‘safe,’ crises are sure to follow.”

This is the reason why companies abolish their own safety inspection systems and outsource all safety inspections.

Given the nature of the academy, where there are more spies, assassins, demons, and traitors than students, the only safe place is probably the principal’s office.

Even Dumbledore didn’t die outside the principal’s office.

Normally, the principal or dean is a position that should be handled by an administrator. Strangely, in the academy, it was ‘common sense’ for the principal to be the strongest in the world….

Next. The most important thing.

Let’s recall the ‘ending conditions’ of the academy genre….

“The ending conditions of the academy are ‘survival’ and ‘world peace’… Wait. Just a moment.”

If this world is the academy genre, and everything that has happened so far is just a ‘background event.’

Let’s summarize.

The Demon King appeared, a hero killed the Demon King, and the world regained peace.

At this point, four years after the end of the war, the United Kingdom is on the brink of falling apart. Each nation is now focusing on rebuilding, but competition for resources and colonial disputes are escalating.

In the numerous occupied territories that were once the stronghold of demons, military administrations from various countries are still exploiting demon slaves.

At this point, what could be considered the main story?

“World war? No, that’s not it.”

In the academy genre, the protagonists are individuals in and around university level, not just high school students. If a grand war called a world war were to break out, the limitations for such students to play an active role would be too clear.

So then….

“The resurrection of the Demon King…?”

Ivan took a sip of his coffee and stared at his notebook with sunken eyes.

No matter how you look at it, that seems to be the most logical. The story of the descendants of the hero party confronting the resurrected Demon King to restore peace to the world.

Assuming the resurrection of the Demon King is a constant, and assuming that students drop out around the second year…. If we anticipate that the academy invasion will occur at least one year later.

“What needs to be done right now?”

He added one more sentence to the memo paper and then got up, grabbing his coat.

“It’s a sure thing that there will be a terrorist attack on the Academy entrance train (or transportation).”

Ever since Harry Potter, in the world of trains, Academy admissions always used the train. (In some cases, carriages were also used. The commonality between trains and carriages was that both were vulnerable to terrorism. In fact, all modes of transportation were vulnerable to terrorism. There was no difference in walking.)

And this united kingdom continued to use the military supply trains that had been laid down fiercely during the war as civilian transportation trains.

Of course, even military supply trains were vulnerable to terrorism. Ivan’s 18 years of military service could attest to that.

Since the demons also enjoyed using trains for inland military supply, Ivan had dealt with train terrorism so many times, both preventing and perpetrating it.

That was the routine for the Extinction Squad.

Ivan missed South Korea today too. Riding the train, it was a peaceful world where the only thing you had to worry about was not terrorism or demons, but rather battles over seaweed and tuna kimbap.

Macbansuk and tuna kimbap had been added to Ivan’s “shopping list for when I return to Earth.”

*

“Watch and see! Seriously, watch me! Everyone, watch how successful I am!!”

Carrying a musical instrument bag and a suitcase, Essidis stood on the train platform and looked around the crowd with enthusiasm.

The crowd was holding up large placards to welcome her.

– Princess of King Einar! Top admission to Saint Jensk University!!

Not even close to being the top, but Essidis didn’t argue. Those people had deliberately put up that wording to enjoy her reaction.

– Proud! The best in the Drovan Kingdom! A beauty!

– Continuing the blood of the great conqueror King Einar, she challenges orchestral domination!

“Orchestral domination!! Who cares!!”

Essidis screamed and turned around to board the train.

Laughter echoed behind her.

Bad, bad people. They couldn’t even cheer for her…!

As the train departed, she buried her face between her sleeves and sobbed as she moved away.

The crowd watching her from behind the train window dispersed with a loud commotion.

“Miss, I’m sure you can stay strong.”

“What do you care, you’re not her relative!”

“Those Krassilov Kingdom guys are so weird, I can’t trust them at all…”

“But still, her elders didn’t send her alone. She’ll be fine.”

The crowd that had mocked Essidis, the retinue of King Einar, left with their concerns expressed.

Essidis Einalstotir, the warrior princess of the Hero Party, ‘Butcher’ Einar Ulriksson’s daughter.

Admission to the Music Department Symphony Orchestra at Saint Janskr University!

*

The very train that Ainar’s procession had given a grand farewell to, two days later, derailed near the border of the Kingdom of Krasilov.

Naturally, Ivan was not surprised that the admission train departing for the academy was entangled in ‘terrorism.’ Instead, he gripped a pistol and an axe.

*