Chapter 27

What was that I just saw…?

Could it be… I was on the same team as Han Min-ha’s parents in Sikrito?

This is absurd…

Perhaps it wasn’t mentioned in the original work, so I didn’t know about it?

When Professor Hyun looked at a photograph of Han Tae-woo, whom he was close to in the past, it triggered memories of those days.

That’s a possibility…

In that case, it does make some sense.

It explains why my past activity records are nowhere to be found on the internet, and why a C-level hero like me became a professor instead of a B-level one.

It’s all because I was in Sikrito.

Is this the foreshadowing in the novel?

If so, then the recurring dreams I keep having, and the scene I just witnessed at the edge of the vision, they’re likely part of the foreshadowing too.

Maybe to understand that scene, I’ll have to trigger another memory.

Perhaps… this is a side quest…

For example, to piece together fragments of the past lives of the characters who have been reincarnated…

But that’s of no interest to me.

I just need to complete the main quest.

Looking at my wristwatch, I realized quite some time had passed since I entered the Document Storage.

I hurriedly went through the records of Han Tae-woo and Seo Ji-a, searching for any significant clues.

But there was nothing out of the ordinary.

Average grades, average Academy lives.

The only unusual thing was that both of them were orphans from the same orphanage and had no family.

So after they disappeared, only Han Min-ha remained.

That was all.

It’s obvious they got married and had Han Min-ha after graduation, which wouldn’t be recorded here.

So it seems all I’ve uncovered here is that I was once a part of Sikrito and was on the same team as Han Min-ha’s parents.

Hmm…

Just in case, I decided to check Professor Hyun’s record too.

As expected, it was also quite ordinary.

His Academy life was as plain and colorless as his appearance.

I too was from the same orphanage as Han Tae-woo and Seo Ji-a.

Come on, isn’t this too convenient?

How come all the main characters are orphans without family?

“Professor… Aren’t we done yet?”

Chae Ga-yun’s voice calling me from outside.

“I’ll be right out.”

After taking pictures of all the records with my cell phone and putting them back, I quickly left the Document Storage.

Only after promising Chae Ga-yun that I would take her out to eat sometime this week, did I manage to get away.

On my way to the Lecture Hall to prepare for the next class, I reflected on what had happened in the Document Storage and my plans moving forward.

I learned that Han Min-ha’s parents were once part of Sikrito and were on my team.

I originally intended to gradually uncover their background based on basic information, but somehow already know everything.

This is crucial information.

At the very least, I can tell Han Min-ha what kind of people her parents were, what they did, and why they went missing.

However, before that, I need to have a deep conversation with Han Min-ha.

Based on my assumptions, she seems to have developed a trauma from her parents’ disappearance or death, which is why she’s rejecting becoming a hero.

Even so, as an orphan without relatives, she likely had no choice but to enter the Academy at the suggestion of the Organization.

I’ll go see Han Min-ha.

Let me talk to her and decide when to tell her about her parents.

I rummaged through my pocket and pulled out some papers.

There were two sheets: one with Yu Hye-won’s schedule and another with Han Min-ha’s.

To hold a group meeting, I always carry around the schedules to find a common free time for everyone.

Fortunately, Han Min-ha was free now, so I called her to talk for a bit.

However, she didn’t answer.

From the lack of a voicemail prompt, it seemed like she intentionally cut off the call.

What is she doing?

* * * * *

“Why didn’t you answer the call? Who was it?”

Yu Hye-won pointed at Han Min-ha’s phone with her chin while eating a pastry at the outdoor snack kiosk.

“Uh…? Oh… Spam…”

Stammering, Han Min-ha slipped the phone back into her pocket.

She couldn’t say it was the professor who called.

Han Min-ha already understood the situation and knew there was no benefit in letting Yu Hye-won think she was separately in contact with the professor.

She was afraid of being misunderstood by Yu Hye-won.

It wasn’t that she was afraid Yu Hye-won would bully her.

Rather, she simply didn’t want to lose her friendship with Yu Hye-won, the classmate she had talked to most since entering the Academy and with whom she went to the snack kiosk for the first time.

Even though she knew this outing to the kiosk, where Yu Hye-won was force-feeding her the most expensive pastries and drinks, was on the professor’s request.

Still, even this false concern was welcome to Han Min-ha like hypocritical kindness.

“Hey!”

Yu Hye-won suddenly shouted loudly.

“What…? Why?”

“Bruh, wipe the powder off your chest. It’s gross.”

“Oh… this…”

Quickly, Han Min-ha brushed off the powder on her chest.

Because her chest was so large, instead of falling on the table, the powder clung to her chest.

“Ugh, seriously… look at that…”

Muttering something, Yu Hye-won then gave a wicked smile.

“So, how’s Academy life going for our Min-ha student?”

“Uh…? Same as always… Attending classes… Physical Training… sleeping… group study sessions…”

“That’s just the basic stuff all Academy students do! I meant, for example, have you made any friends?”

At this, Han Min-ha looked at Yu Hye-won hopefully.

Seeing this, Yu Hye-won glared at her and threatened, “Am I your friend?”

“No… I haven’t made any friends yet…”

“Why is that?”

Chewing on her bread, Han Min-ha thought about the answer to that question for a moment.

But it didn’t take long to find the answer, as Yu Hye-won grew impatient and immediately spoke.

“It’s because you have bad grades, no social skills, and a creepy demeanor. Got it?”

“Mm… seems like it…”

“Who would want to talk to someone like you? Right? That’s why you’re being excluded.”

“Right…”

With the half-eaten bread in hand, Han Min-ha lowered her head.

Seeing this, Yu Hye-won said irritably,

“Make a choice!”

“What?”

“Either follow me and survive, or wander around alone and get weeded out!”

“What do you mean by that…?”

“Ugh… seriously, are you dumb? Did all your brain go to your chest?”

Yu Hye-won massaged her temples as she sighed.

“If you can’t perform academically because you’re dumb, then you should at least try to adjust to Academy life. Got that?”

“I get it.”

“To adjust to Academy life, you need friends, right?”

“I guess so…?”

“Can you make friends on your own?”

“Um… probably not…”

“If you follow me, will you make friends, or not?”

“Uh… maybe…?”

When Han Min-ha gave a somewhat skeptical answer, Yu Hye-won slammed her fist on the table.

“Hey! We can make friends!”

“Right? Then follow me.”

“But… we’re in different classes with different schedules.”

“Can’t I just chase you around during my free periods and after school? You don’t have anything to do at those times anyway, right?”

“Um… yeah, that’s true…”

So… she wants me to be under her wing…

Han Min-ha wasn’t sure if it was the right move.

It would be better than always being alone, but Yu Hye-won’s circle was completely opposite from her.

They were all high-nosed students similar to Yu Hye-won.

Among them, Han Min-ha would be treated like a black man who dived into a whites-only swimming pool in the 19th century, no matter how actively Yu Hye-won tried to protect her.

But oil and water just don’t mix.

Still, Han Min-ha couldn’t bring herself to say this.

When Han Min-ha didn’t respond, Yu Hye-won smiled slightly and tapped the table.

“No objections?”

“Uh…?”

“Great.”

Yu Hye-won glanced around.

There were her followers from earlier who had suggested going to the kiosk but were denied, now gathered apart.

“Come here.”

The followers who had been anxious about Yu Hye-won’s anger from being rude to the professor during Basic Defense class hurried over in relief when she called them.

“Do you know her?”

Yu Hye-won pointed at Han Min-ha with her thumb.

“That idiot who fainted during the Initial Assessment… hahaha!”

One follower said, getting elbowed in the foot by another quick-witted follower.

“Yeah, Han Min-ha from the lower class. You attend Professor’s class with her, don’t you?”

The follower’s response made Yu Hye-won nod.

“From now on, she’s our friend.”

“Wha…? What do you mean…?”

“Do I need to repeat myself?”

Yu Hye-won’s glare made the followers shrink back as if hit by a death laser.

The quick-witted ones extended their hands to Han Min-ha first.

“Let’s be friends. Min-a.”

“Han Min-ha…”

“Yeah. Sure. Min-ha.”

In order not to anger Yu Hye-won, her followers rushed to act friendly with Han Min-ha.

In the upper classes, Yu Hye-won’s word was law, and so Han Min-ha unintentionally became friends with upper-class students.

While trying to respond to the insincere greetings, Han Min-ha wondered inwardly:

Is this… really okay…?