ocean-life Chapter 24: Decision [4]
Chapter 24: Decision [4]
Three days had passed since the incident.
The fact that one of the world's top five academies had been attacked was a hot topic in various newspapers and broadcasts. Above all, the main focus was on the fact that Seven Stars Academy had allowed the attack to happen.
[Seven Stars Academy, which allowed the murderer's attack. Does it truly deserve to be called one of the top five academies?]
[Zero professors during the attack, what were they doing...?]
[Is an academy insider behind the attack? CCTV footage analyzed by criminal psychology experts reveals shocking conclusions!]
[Identity of the terrorist behind the attack revealed. A mercenary in his late 40s, identified as Mr. Yumo...]
Click, click!
I kept pressing the remote, changing channels.
But most news and current affairs programs were only talking about Seven Stars Academy.
This wasn't just a one or two-day phenomenon; it had been going on for three days.
"This is insane, absolutely insane."
I cursed and threw the remote.
There was no news worth watching.
Everything being reported was already known.
Even then, many were just rehashing articles from yesterday.
It just showed how much global attention was focused on this.
"What did the students do to deserve this?"
Perhaps because of the massive issue that had occurred domestically, broadcasters were in fierce competition for coverage. Reporters, desperate for exclusives, were aggressively interviewing students, reopening their wounds.
They interviewed students who were close to the deceased.
Classmates, club members.
They even swarmed Kyle, who had been at the scene.
Since Kyle had killed the monster that killed the students, the media and public's interest in him was immense. Amidst this, a certain newspaper portrayed Kyle as a scumbag who had deliberately let his friends die.
At this rate, I'm worried the protagonist might turn into a villain.
'At least my situation is a bit better.'
The media and public's interest in me was even greater than in Kyle.
Of course, reporters wanting to interview me were everywhere, but I managed to avoid them by using intensive care as an excuse.
No matter how much we call reporters "garbage journalists."
They wouldn't dare to aggressively interview someone who was seriously injured.
Especially someone portrayed as a hero who had been severely wounded while protecting students.
Of course, there were a few who tried to force their way in, but Nam Hwa-yeon and the health teacher blocked them.
"I hope the attention dies down soon..."
In the current situation, there's not much the professors or the chairman can do.
They are like prisoners on the guillotine.
Any unnecessary action would be like pouring oil on the fire.
Staying still is the best option.
All we can do is hope that the attention on the academy diminishes.
Click!
I turned off the TV and sat at my desk.
On the desk were two notebooks filled with notes.
The notebooks, densely written with a fountain pen, were enchanted with various spells.
From simple shield spells to identity verification spells that required strict authentication.
These notebooks could only be opened by me.
['Efnell's Garden' is a dungeon based on a vast natural landscape, and the hidden piece located there... The Hell of Fire requires fire resistance. It's necessary to acquire the skill beforehand. There's a secret about the Duke-class demon Agareth. If you dig into this part, it could give you an edge in the battle...]
All sorts of opportunities I remembered, characteristics of people, and such were written down.
While talking with Eve, I prioritized the knowledge I gained and recorded it. Who to deal with first, what to obtain in what order to be efficient.
"...I need to get stronger."
If I become stronger, the stories in the news,
The protagonist's suffering and others' pain will decrease.
And the possibility of my death will also decrease.
Based on the memories recorded in the notebook, I made a plan.
The first step was 'Efnell's Garden,' a dungeon that no one had yet conquered.
It's a low-level dungeon that even I, still suffering from the aftereffects of my injuries, can clear.
But the opportunity available there is exactly what I need right now.
Originally, it's an ability the protagonist would stumble upon while fighting villains. But since I've decided to shoulder all the protagonist's burdens, I'll take this opportunity too.
'...You just sit back and enjoy your school life.'
It's not a pleasant feeling, but I'm used to pain.
Enduring and persevering isn't hard.
But that doesn't mean I welcome the ongoing pain.
This damn pain makes it impossible to focus on reading.
Yet, like a pearl in the mud,
Even in that terrible pain, there was something to gain.
Whoosh, as I spread my hand, flames rose above it.
The vivid red flames split into two, forming two lines.
The shape was a double helix.
The endlessly rotating shape resembled a drill.
I was now freely controlling the double helix.
The power and efficiency of my magic had doubled.
As a mage, I had taken a step forward.
I wanted to learn more magic books, but
Unfortunately, there was no more time.
"The funeral is in 30 minutes. I should get going."
The funeral for the deceased students, teaching assistants, and security guards.
I couldn't be late for the funeral taking place in a corner of the academy.
I dressed in black and opened the front door.
At that moment, the dark, gloomy sky greeted me first.
It felt like the sky was reflecting people's emotions.
"...I'm getting unnecessarily sentimental."
I shook my head and headed to the funeral location.
Along the way, I encountered many students, teaching assistants, and grieving families.
Students I had helped, or their acquaintances, were grateful to me.
But they didn't express it openly.
Naturally, due to the unfavorable gazes directed at me.
"Hey, did you see the news yesterday? That person is Baek Seung-woo."
"I've heard rumors too. They say he enjoys eating the livers of newborns."
"Wasn't it the intestines? That's what I heard."
"Is that even important? What matters is whether that person is qualified to be a teaching assistant."
The gossip and glares directed at me.
Even though I had saved several people this time, most of the gazes remained unchanged.
The rumors surrounding me continued to spread, distorted from mouth to mouth, regardless of the truth.
It felt bad, but I didn't show any reaction.
I just walked on as if I hadn't heard anything. I'm used to being ostracized like this.
It's no wonder my only friend is Eve.
But I couldn't deny that my heart felt a bit sorrowful.
I walked towards the funeral location. There, even more people, gossip, and glares awaited.
Their gazes swept over my face and backside.
Especially, I felt all sorts of gazes on my back.
It felt like the number of gazes had doubled compared to before.
Well, thinking about it, it's obvious. The bewitching fox tail that used to attract people's gazes with just one tail.
Swish, swish~ Swish, swish~
Now that there were two tails, the number of gazes doubled.
It seems my tails have a natural talent for attracting attention.
The more gazes they attracted, the more they swayed like tree branches in the wind, as if enjoying it.
Each time, the number of gazes and attention increased.
Unaware of this, I had no choice but to quicken my pace.
***
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