chapter 16
“You John, come into our meeting.”
The jackal’s tone was tinged with subtle commands.
Evangeles was the first to respond to his words.
“What meeting?”
Then another child standing next to the jackal said.
“We’re not going to elect the academy dean after we go on the march.”
“By the way?”
“Let’s push the jackal there.”
Whoa, I sigh. It was not difficult to figure out the reason for such a proposal.
“You’re popular in your own way, so you’ll be of great help to us.”
I’ve already caught people’s attention. Through [Bastia’s Hazing Ceremony] and this math class.
And both of them were inevitable choices to fill Sabaki’s void.
“Well. I am not interested.”
“Hmm.”
The appearance of the jackal with his hands behind his back showed composure.
“Of course, I’m not just asking for help. Say what you want.”
It was an attitude full of aspirations to show the bargaining skills of the target family. But John was not interested in this bargain from the beginning.
The event name [Election of the school year president] is the main event that influences the main story. An event that can grow in advance those who will lead the order of the empire to be reorganized in the future.
Of course, such an important event cannot be accepted on a cheap bargain in the beginning.
John said firmly.
“no.”
“Is there anyone in the world who doesn’t want anything?”
“Even if there was, I don’t think you could give it to me.”
“Listen to what.”
“First class in swordsmanship.”
It was said to break up the conversation. But the jackal didn’t say, ‘It’s too much for me to help with that.’
“If you buy Bastia with gold… .”
As you can see, jackals are really ‘aristocratic’ thinkers. As Yohan stared at him for a while, [Another Original], the reward for the characteristic [Duplicate], was activated.
Developer [Jung Yo-han]’s ability caused the system log to appear.
[Displays Jackal Frodo’s information.]
And John was not surprised by this. The information of each character was also the information that was scattered countless times in the developer log.
[Name: Jackal Frodo]
[Class Rating: Main Character]
[Strength: 5, Agility 4, Sense 3, Health 5, Charisma 5, Wisdom 5]
[Special skill]
[??? (Frodo Family Secret): This item is revealed after witnessing the secret.]
[Sailing Lv 1: You can skillfully handle ships that are smaller than the size of a sailboat.]
[Geongon One Cheok 3Lv: You can try to win by concentrating on one hit.]
what I knew. But that wasn’t the end. At the end of this status window was an item called [User Guide].
[User Guide]
[This character, Jackal, is a character with a great desire to be number one. However, his ability shines even more when he is the second person.]
John felt a little awkward at this friendly system message.
[User Guide] What? .
There was no such item in the original game. Perhaps this was added by Miri.
It left hints for the game.
This overlaps with her image of worrying about the difficulty level during game development. The jackal asked John impatiently as he gazed at her traces.
“Do I need to worry more?”
“no. done. I just have to work hard.”
John turned away, but the jackal added another word.
“Think carefully. Even if you don’t have it right now, you might need help later.”
“Hey, John is not thinking.”
Unsatisfied with the jackal’s overbearing attitude, Evangeles quietly stood up. When he got up, the size of the two people contrasted. Jackal was on the large side of his age, Evangeles was average.
“Where is this little thing… .”
One of the tallest of the jackals glared at Evangeles. Evangeles took that gaze calmly and said coldly.
“Broken legs. If you’re talking about size, bring a knife next time. I will accept it.”
“this… What?”
“Hey Cork. Don’t step out.”
The boy called Cork was a little intimidated. Because of Evangeles’ unflinching posture and the jackal restraining himself.
The Jackal spoke politely to Evangeles.
“Can I apologize instead of Cork?”
“Why, he says he has no mouth?”
“I know you’ve seen it, but it has a mouth, but I can’t handle it properly. Wherever you go, there are kids who believe only in their height and are arrogant.”
“… great. I’ll accept your apology for now.”
Evangeles finally reaped his speculation. He too had been formally trained as a knight, and his strength was not determined only by his size.
The Jackal liked the way Evangeles was not overpowered by him.
“okay. what’s your name?”
“Evangeles Hermes.”
“Evangeles Hermes… If you get to know me, you can call me Evan.”
The jackal doesn’t remember the name, not because he’s not interested, but because he’s never heard of it. Evangeles did not reveal his name when attacking Bastia.
“I… I remember the way you exchanged sword strikes with Bastia.”
“With what?”
“At that time, after defending twice, you aimed for a counterattack.”
Evangeles laughed bitterly.
Among countless students, remembering each other’s battles may be a prosecutor’s instinct to recognize opponents. And Evangeles had that instinct as a prosecutor.
“Jackal Frodo. You were aiming for the first strike.”
This time the jackal laughed bitterly.
The knight class is not simply a class to learn sword skills. So, among those who have received formal knightly lessons, there is no idiot who attacks the enemy without any tactics.
“I’m embarrassed to find out.”
“It was grand. Thinking of winning with one knife?”
“Well, the opponent is the Spring Gladiator. I thought it would be inevitable if the sum was long.”
Recalling that he was in a position to negotiate, the Jackal quickly comforted Evangeles.
“To destroy our swordsman’s weapon… It was a waste, Evangeles.”
Evangeles also thought about it many times. If his wooden sword hadn’t broken at that time, he could have succeeded.
An awkward silence lingered for a moment. For both the Jackal and Evangeles, it was strange that the other also remembered them.
In the midst of that awkward silence, a cheerful voice broke through.
“Brothers! Let’s go eat~ I’m hungry!”
Ida, who had escaped from the group of girls before she knew it, clung to John’s shoulder. John removed the Ida, bowed politely, and stood up. The jackal swallowed his regret and accepted the bow.
“Come whenever you change your mind, Johann Esperts. And Evangeles Hermes.”
Ida glanced at the jackal and pulled the sleeves of her two older brothers. So the three men and women moved away. The kid who was looking at this blankly next to the jackal said.
“Jackal. I’m here.”
“What touch?”
“John, that’s what he’s doing to run for office.”
“What are you looking at?”
“Is there a girl you’re going with? I heard he’s called Ida, but he’s already in a fur union with the owners of a girl’s clothing store? He said he made connections in that way as well. It’s quite famous among girls.”
“Hmm… , In many ways, they are coveted children.”
“Is it?”
The jackal looked at John in silence as he walked away.
***
Evangeles said after a spoonful of tomato soup.
“Are you determined?”
“what?”
“Why did you shake it off?”
John thought for a moment and then smiled. He seemed to be talking about rejecting the jackal’s offer.
John said something he didn’t like.
“I don’t know what the grade you get from buying an educator means. It was kind of funny to call that kind of suggestion.”
It was not Evangeles who received John’s words.
“But honestly, don’t you think it’s impossible? That pro is also a family. It’s the great family of the Province estate.”
Across from Evangeles and John sat Ida in a flowing t-shirt. It was the only table in the restaurant where both men and women sat together.
Ida ate the soup while carefully wiping her lips in the eyes of the boys.
And Evangeles basically didn’t like being stared at.
“Why are you eating here? There are plenty of other empty seats.”
“What did you say. My brother didn’t even rent this table. By the way, brother John.”
“why.”
“Do you want to be the head of the school year?”
“be not interested in.”
Yohan dipped the wheat bread into the soup and ate it expressionlessly.
Seeing John like that, Ida let out a small sigh. Although they grew up in the same territory, John’s intentions were hard to read.
“Brothers, are you going to march? I heard that D is tough.”
“Well. I haven’t decided yet… How are you, John?”
Evangeles and Ida’s eyes lingered on John.
Event, [First March].
This is not a mandatory event.
The academy considers positions such as administrative soldiers, caterers, and support soldiers only for applicants.
Bona Mana Ida would support the magistrates, and Evangeles would follow John’s choice.
And John’s choice was fixed.
he said with a shrug.
“Isn’t it too cool to come all the way here and fall out because you’re afraid you’ll be exhausted?”
“Well… , is it?”
Evangeles said scratching his head.
“Is it because of the money?”
“Well, there is no reason for that.”
In fact, a considerable amount of money is paid to the marching participants in the name of training expenses. Evangeles let out a small sigh and said.
“Then I decided to participate.”
Yohan smiled at Evangeles. Originally, Gangnam is for following friends.
After eating, they headed to the auditorium. The students who gathered in groups of two or three filled out whether or not to participate in the march, were provided with equipment, and lined up.
There was a woman who recognized John first in line in the auditorium.
“We’re in the same group again, John.”
“okay. Did you bring Heeyang seed grass?”
“yes. I will share it.”
Adrine handed John a pouch with the end tied. As John packed it, Adrine said.
“By the way, John. How did you know you would be in the same group?”
“It just felt that way. Are you nervous?”
“Well… , little bit?”
In every experience, the first has meaning. The [First March] event is the first military activity you do after coming to the academy, so the characters grow dramatically just by participating in this event.
For different reasons, all the main characters except for Sabaki will participate in [First March].
Because of Adrine’s natural self-reliance.
Jackal is running for the election for the school year president.
Evangeles followed a friend. someone else for money.
“Hey, choraengs. do you know That one out of the three on the march comes from behind?”
“Ah, if that Joe could come back. Kuku.”
The old soldiers booed at the new recruits. After the dozens of groups were divided, the officer standing on the podium in the auditorium said.
“The originally scheduled performance was canceled due to the circumstances of the circus.”
“what?”
It was the senior soldiers who were the first to be angry at this.
“Wow, I hate war.”
“Shall we also change positions as a group?”
And the officer at the church left them alone. The value of one veteran soldier is sometimes worth dozens. Even though it was an army with ranks, they were the ones who played an active part in the front line anyway.
When their whispers died down, the officer continued.
“Instead, I promise to give a more hospitable performance after the campaign is complete. More than!”
“Fuck, then the guy behind you won’t see it.”
“Aren’t you going to perform after everything is over? I hope for a sequel, administrative squad bastards.”
Even if it is an army without discipline, there is nothing to say. Because this was the current address of the Imperial Army.
“From Joe on the exit side. Let the march begin.”
After speaking, the officer quickly left the church. And while the senior soldiers complained annoyedly, they didn’t break the line. They’re veterans, but that means they know how to separate military action from personal grievances.
chuckle.
Toward the plain beyond the empire, the soldiers of the academy started walking. Yohan didn’t feel bad even though he was walking with his body not yet fully recovered.
It’s because I checked the leader’s face.
It was his favorite character.