Chapter 25

“Let’s wrap this up. It’s time for Professor Felix’s lecture.”

“Hey, don’t try to slip away – wait in the dormitory. You’d better be prepared if you try to run away with strange excuses like last time.”

“I heard they smuggled in alcohol from the magic department…”

Yuseong narrowed his eyes as he watched the boys walk away.

Though he’d deflected most of their strikes using Shadow Moon Style 16 and barely felt any impact, the atmosphere was concerning.

This wasn’t happening in some secluded spot, but right next to a massive building where people occasionally passed by. Yet not only did no one try to stop it, they didn’t even spare a glance.

It meant this kind of thing had become so normal that no one found it strange anymore.

[Synchronization with ‘Leon’ is complete]

[You can now use ‘Leon’s’ skills]

‘Hello?’

-Wh-who are you? How are you controlling my body?

‘You called me here and now you’re asking me?’

-Ah, could it be…

After pausing briefly as if something occurred to him, Leon soon spoke in a desperate voice.

-Please help me! If you can just help me escape this hellish situation, I’ll give you anything you want, even my soul!

‘What would I do with your soul… let’s move somewhere else first.’

After reaching a secluded spot behind the building, Yuseong first checked the status window.

Name: Leon

Class: Fighter

Level: 59

Title: Lonely Academy Student

Strength: 125

Agility: 109

Wisdom: 46

Constitution: 147

Mana: 91

Skills: Bermund Mana Training Method(C+), Mana Enhancement(D), Energy Release(D), Bermund Martial Art Form 2(D-), Combat Technique(E+), Central Noble Etiquette(E)

Physical abilities slightly higher than his original body but lower wisdom and mana.

As Yuseong threw some punches and kicks in the air to gauge the body’s general performance, Leon’s voice echoed in his head.

-Um, if you don’t mind, may I ask your name?

“Han Yuseong. Just call me Yuseong.”

-So you’re Mr. Yuseong. My name is…

“Leon, I know. By the way, are you considered strong in this world?”

-Oh, no. I’m just a simple academy student. Compared to knights or mercenaries, someone like me is just a novice.

“Wrong question. Not this world, but compared to other students at the academy? Purely in terms of ability, without bias.”

-…I think below average.

“That’s vague.”

It would have been easier if he was hiding his strength or had some special circumstances, but if that were the case, he wouldn’t have received a D+ rank quest in the first place.

‘The key is how much synergy Shadow Moon Style 16 and martial arts will have…’

If this were a world of pure physical combat like his third quest, he would have been confident. But this world had mana energy and abilities that used it.

Until he could confirm the level by direct confrontation, it was difficult to determine an exact strategy.

“Tell me everything.”

-What do you mean everything…

“Your background info, how the bullying started, why you’re staying at the academy despite being bullied, info about the people bullying you, and anything else you think I should know.”

-Um, do I really have to?

“Don’t want to? Should I just leave?”

-N-no! I’ll tell you everything! First…

The explanation that seemed like it would end quickly continued until the sun that had been high in the sky sank below the horizon and night fell.

It wasn’t that there was so much content to take this long, but Leon would occasionally become emotional and break down crying, requiring time to comfort him and resume the conversation.

“So to summarize in one sentence – you entered the academy to restore your fallen family but got targeted and are suffering group bullying. Right?”

-Isn’t that compressing it too much?

“The more concise and quick, the better.”

Details like how he showed promise from a young age, how he endured the bullying thinking of his family members who steadily supported his tuition and living expenses despite difficult circumstances, and how academy students either ignored him like he didn’t exist or bullied him weren’t particularly important information.

“So what have you tried so far to escape the bullying?”

-I tried telling my supervising professor but was dismissed being told not to bother him with mere squabbles between students.

“What else?”

-What do you mean what else?

“That’s it? If your supervising professor didn’t help, did you try other professors? Higher-ups? The dean or vice dean?”

-My supervising professor is one of the most powerful and influential among the professors. If that professor ignored it, there’s no way others would help me.

“So you didn’t try. Then have you tried resisting the guys bullying you? Like standing up to them like a man, telling them to stop bullying you – have you tried anything like that?”

-Th-they’re many and I’m alone. It’s obvious I’d just get bullied worse if I resist, how could I resist?

“My god, you haven’t even resisted?”

Hearing Yuseong’s words, Leon shouted angrily for the first time since their conversation began.

-What do you know about me to say such things? Ask others for help! Resist the bullying! You can say that because you’ve never been bullied by guys like this…

“But I have been bullied.”

-Can’t do anything… Wait, what did you just say?

“I said I’ve been bullied.”

Though it wasn’t a memory he particularly wanted to recall, Yuseong had been targeted as prey by some bad kids in middle school.

-…What kind of bullying did you experience?

“Nothing too special. I met them for the first time and they suddenly told me to buy them snacks.”

-What did you do?

“I asked them for money. I was so naive then that I thought it was just a friend’s request.”

Recalling the expression the guy had made then, Yuseong let out a small laugh without realizing it.

“The guy made a dumbfounded face and said to buy it with my own money, and I asked why I should buy his snacks with my money. Then suddenly he grabbed my collar and threw a punch.”

-Did you win, Mr. Yuseong?

“I lost. The fight stopped because class started, but I got beaten one-sidedly.”

-You l-lost?

“Yeah, I was really weak.”

There was no way a middle school student who had never fought in his life could win against a bully.

Though it was natural if you think about it, what made Yuseong different was that it didn’t end there.

-So you were bullied continuously after that?

“No, I went up to him during break after class and told him to continue the fight.”

-What?

“Of course I lost again. And lost again next break, lost after lunch, lost before going home. And when I asked to fight again the next morning, he just grumbled something and avoided me. He avoided me because he was sick of it.”

-…What were you thinking then?

“Hmm? It was a long time ago so I don’t remember well now. I’m not sure if it was because of the unfairness or my pride, but one thing I’m sure of is I thought something like ‘why should I bow down when I didn’t do anything wrong.'”

He felt no sense of justice about resisting injustice during that process.

When the bullies gave up on him and targeted another kid to bully or use as an errand boy, Yuseong didn’t try to stop it or even care.

Yuseong was just a selfish and ordinary person who was angry at an unreasonable situation.

“The result of resistance isn’t very important. You might lose and the professors might ignore your opinion. What’s important is letting them know you’re not someone to be taken lightly. Why should you endure when you didn’t do anything wrong? Aren’t you angry?”

Though he had said it casually, thinking about it now, Leon who was currently being bullied would likely just let such mental arguments go in one ear and out the other.

“Seems I said something unnecessary. Well, you must have your circumstances…”

-I think you’re right, Mr. Yuseong.

“Huh?”

The family would be harmed.

Resisting would just bring worse bullying.

Can’t win anyway.

He had tormented himself repeating countless reasons why he had to endure even though he hadn’t done anything wrong.

When in fact he hadn’t done anything wrong at all.

Though it was such an obvious fact, Leon who had become too accustomed to the unreasonable situation could only realize he hadn’t been wrong after hearing Yuseong’s words.

-I realize my mistake. I’ll try facing them myself. If I fail… well, graduating from the academy isn’t the only way to restore the family, being a mercenary wouldn’t be bad either.

“Ahem, why go that far? Just watch and eat some rice cakes.”

-No, dumping my problems on you…

“I said I’ll handle it so stay put!”

-…Yes.

Having barely avoided the crisis of almost losing the quest, Yuseong let out a relieved sigh and stood up.

“Where do you eat?”

-There’s a cafeteria but it’s probably closed now since it’s late. I have some snacks in my room if that’s okay?

“Lead the way.”

Following Leon’s guidance, Yuseong walked through the darkened night to the dormitory.

The occasional passerby looking at him with pity was slightly annoying, but filling his empty stomach took priority right now.

-You can enter the room in the left corner.

“This is it, right? Let’s eat something first and rest before we talk in detail.”

Clang!

The moment the door opened with a rusty metal sound, Yuseong felt his collar grabbed and was thrown to the floor.

“Our Leon has grown up, huh? I told you to wait in the dormitory without slipping away, yet you dare ignore my words?”

A boy with a cocky expression and posture despite being a span shorter than him.

After blinking and tilting his head briefly, Yuseong belatedly clapped his hands and said:

“Ah, you’re that guy from lunch!”

“What? Guy?”

“I have bad memory. Could you tell me your name?”

Though Leon had told him the name, Yuseong deliberately asked to provoke the boy.

Startled by this unexpected reaction, the boy soon smirked and closed the open door before walking forward.

“We’ve been going easy on you lately, right? Today you’re dead…”

Thwack!

Suddenly hit with extreme pain in his solar plexus, the boy collapsed to the floor clutching his stomach and letting out a thin groan without understanding what happened.

‘How’s the soundproofing here? Can you hear clearly from next door?’

-The rooms are magically soundproofed so you usually can’t hear much, but why do you ask?

“Because it would be troublesome if someone interrupted while I’m catching someone.”

“You bastard! Do you know who I am!”

Facing the boy charging with a murderous expression, Yuseong replied with a bright smile.

“I don’t know, so shall we take some time to get to know each other?”