Chapter 11

What’s the biggest difference between the wilderness and civilization? It’s communication.

In the wilderness, there’s barely any conversation, and the law of the jungle reigns, but civilization is different.

Instead, when difficult situations arise, you can resolve them with force—though that’s the last resort.

But sometimes, people use this to be deliberately rude, leading to violence to paint a bad image.

As someone once said, civilized people can be ruder than savages. Because a civilized person can be rude without fear of losing their head.

“What’s up with that person? A weirdo?”

“Is there really someone like that at the Academy? Why haven’t they kicked them out?”

“Wait a minute. I think that girl is the top incoming student this year? What’s going on?”

“Look at that squirrel! Super cute.”

Behold, as soon as I entered the Academy, a cacophony of rude comments flooded my ears.

Instead of feeling inspired by my contact with civilization, I was only overwhelmed by the urge to knock some heads.

Of course, there’s no helping the fact that I look a bit ridiculous. Wrapped in a rag, it’s only natural for me to attract odd looks.

Even a savage would at least wear their clothes properly. They might be revealing, but they wouldn’t go around like me.

“······Let’s buy some clothes already. Just throw on a robe or something.”

“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.”

In the end, my embarrassed companions, Luna and Eli, helped me put on some clothes.

The outfit was just the cheapest robe they could find. But somehow, it relieved me of a bit of that unwanted attention.

Still, my wild hair and scruffy beard would definitely draw stares. Even a hermit wouldn’t let themselves go like this.

‘Wow, so this is really the Academy.’

As I followed behind, I couldn’t help but look around the United Academy, where promising talents from around the world gathered.

The main stage of the Soul World, and a place that plays a crucial role until the very end. It was the place I had longed for, steeped in the traces of civilization.

Being the world’s top educational institution, the infrastructure was superb. From basic general stores to spaces for non-combat professions to practice.

It was hard to believe this was just a game world. Who would ever think of this place as a game?

By the time I caught up with my group, I couldn’t help but stop in my tracks at something that was quite bothersome.

“··· ···”

“Huh? Sivar, why aren’t you following—”

As Eli trailed off, she turned her head to where my gaze was directed. Luna, who was ahead, also turned around.

Then she followed my gaze too. There stood a tall ‘bell tower’ reaching high into the sky.

“It’s the church of Gaia. Is it unusually tall, drawing your attention?”

Eli tilted her head as she spoke. As I had mentioned before, gods exist in this world.

– The goddess of life, Gaia.

– The god of chaos, Chaos.

– The god of destruction, Gulrak.

These three gods exist and are siblings who bite and tear at each other like real siblings.

Here, the god of chaos is neither male nor female. Just like its name suggests, it doesn’t have a set gender.

“Speaking of which, Ratatosk uses lightning as well. That’s an ability tied to the god of destruction, Gulrak, right?”

“Usually, yes. It’s a god that the savages primarily believe in.”

“Luna, they’re called the Tartar tribe, not savages. We’re in an Academy, remember?”

“Sorry, that slipped out.”

The three gods, as their names suggest, have entirely different abilities.

Gaia is mainly associated with healing abilities, while Gulrak’s powers include lightning and various offensive capabilities.

But Chaos is the most ambiguous and complex. It’s extremely capricious.

Sometimes it grants healing abilities, and at other times, offensive powers. It particularly enjoys putting users in tricky situations.

Generally, it has a strong tendency to seek ‘fun,’ which is why users call it the ‘lottery god.’

However, if conditions are met, it can show the greatest potential for growth. Even seasoned players find it hard to predict, and that’s the problem.

‘I’d love to swear and let it out.’

But honestly, to me, they’re all the same. Life, chaos, destruction—they’re all the bitches who dropped me here.

If it weren’t for that, there’s no way to explain it. A demon wouldn’t call out to me in faith.

Living in the forest, my faith had dwindled to the point of hitting negative.

‘Is there a stone around?’

I’d toss a stone at the bells in the bell tower for formality’s sake. I looked around the ground.

It was a good distance off, but with my throwing skills, it shouldn’t be an issue.

“Let’s get going. We can check out the church later.”

“Got it. Sivar?”

But unfortunately, I had no choice but to postpone it. I clicked my tongue silently as I followed behind them.

Two female students and one natural guy. And let’s not forget about the giant squirrel, which caught a lot of attention.

This didn’t change once we entered what appeared to be an administrative building.

Everyone wore the same “what’s that?” expression.

“I’ve come to report, Professor.”

“······I could see from afar that it looks like there’s a bunch to report.”

This world has a concept of weekends, and the United Academy is no different.

In other words, some professors work on weekends. This is also reflected in the Soul World.

The male professor sitting at the desk on duty had a complex expression as he looked at our group.

After all, we’d just returned from the forest with a wild person. The giant squirrel was just icing on the cake.

“First, let’s ask about that person. I’ve never seen anyone like them during my tenure. Who on earth are they?”

With his short sport cut and beard giving him a serious look, the professor pointed at me and asked.

The infamous ‘tutorial boss’ among newbies, Malboro Redkar.

Though his name is humorous, it’s a nightmare for any newbie.

No matter what you do, he just won’t die. Even if you hammer him down, most of the time, it’s a one-hit wonder.

Even if you don’t land a single hit and drain his health, it’s all meaningless.

One simple compliment of “excellent!” and poof, game over.

The developers set him up so you can’t clear him, but they had to prepare for any eventuality where someone might actually defeat him.

‘I think they give bonus stats for that.’

But I guess that’s only for Luna, not me the protagonist.

Did Luna get through? That’s something I’m a bit curious about.

“I don’t know if you’ll believe me, but I’m a survivor of the Chaos Forest. Here’s how it happened…”

Luna detailed everything that had occurred until now.

From Eli almost getting killed by Manki to me smashing Manki’s face in.

However, perhaps to keep Porori’s identity as a spirit hidden, she didn’t mention the battle.

Instead, she only said that we revived the dying Porori with a potion.

“You know wild animals are unsanitary and full of germs, right?”

“I plan to give it a rabies shot and dewormer.”

“That should be fine. The problem is that person named Sivar…”

Malboro stroked his chin, looking troubled. The gazes turned to focus on me.

I simply sat there, staring blankly, doing my best to not appear harmful.

“Sivar might look like a survivor on the outside, but I think he’s not.”

“Why do you say that?”

Luna asked, her face showing curiosity at Malboro’s assertion.

What he said next delivered a slight shock to everyone.

“The Academy isn’t entirely irresponsible. Every five years, we enter the forest to create special compasses. During that process, we sometimes find traces of survivors. But five years ago, there was no trace of this person at all. There haven’t even been any missing reports.”

“So that means…”

“He either entered through a completely different entrance, or he just fell from some place. Either way, I don’t think he’s one of us.”

I had no idea there were such settings. Being so focused on survival, I had almost forgotten the details.

Still, it seemed to strike a chord with my companions, especially Luna, whose light blue eyes widened.

Eli didn’t seem overly concerned, but it was a different reaction for Luna.

Looking at her expression, it seemed she had some inkling of something. I’d better just keep my mouth shut.

“With black hair and a beard, he might look like an Eastern native, but with his fair skin, he looks a bit like a Westerner… Anyway, since I don’t know his name, it’s hard to check his identity.”

“Then what do we do? You’re not going to kick him out again, are you?”

“Ha… A barbarian who can neither speak nor read, a wilderness dweller… This is unprecedented for the Academy…”

It seems it’s a complex issue, as Professor Malboro rubbed his forehead. I must say, I really am a hassle.

Letting me in could cause some trouble, but sending me back seems just as messy.

Surely, dealing with a barbarian who can talk would be much easier. At least they’re people, not beasts.

Ideally, I’d like to argue that I’m harmless, but it seems pointless.

I should probably believe the saying that silence is golden.

“I think I need to discuss this with not just myself but with other professors and the headmaster. This is not a short-term issue.”

“So what do we do with Sivar until then?”

“First, we’ll need to give him a bath, so let’s get him a haircut first. Bathing can wait for later. As I mentioned earlier, we have to bring him to the infirmary, or he might catch rabies.”

“Kaang?”

Porori, sitting next to me, flared up at the comment of “pig.” One eye raised, looking like it was about to start something.

Meanwhile, Professor Malboro widened his eyes in surprise.

“Wha-what? Did it understand what I said?”

“It’s just that you called it a pig! Anyway, I’ll do as you said.”

“Uh… Right. After getting the haircut, come back. I’ll wash him myself.”

“Thank you.”

I could do it myself. And I’m not that dirty.

Though there’s no soap, I washed myself in the stream every single day. Otherwise, things would get really grimy.

Of course, I couldn’t express that to them. I’d just handle my own cleaning as I pleased.

“I’ll take Sivar with me. Eli, you take Ratatosk to the infirmary.”

“Got it.”

“Oh, and if you can, grab one more dewormer for him. Sivar will need it too.”

I don’t think I have any parasites either. I’ve eaten too many raw things.

But considering I have the ‘digestion’ trait, there’s a chance I might not have any. If I had parasites, I wouldn’t have digested everything properly.

“Sivar, you follow me. Got it?”

“··· ···”

Just before we left, Luna pointed at herself with her finger, emphasizing the urgency.

It seemed she was worried I’d follow Eli instead. Timing aligned perfectly as Eli began walking off to the infirmary with Ratatosk.

Looking over to their side, Luna urged with a slightly anxious tone.

“No, look at me. Sivar. Not Eli.”

“··· ···”

“You have to follow me. Got it? Understand?”

“I used to say that to my son.”

Malboro, watching in real-time, chuckled and made a joke. Luna shot him a sharp glance, though.

I wasn’t in the mood to joke around, so I nodded in agreement.

Luna looked relieved and stepped outside the administrative building.

“We need to go to a barber, not a beauty salon… so this way.”

For reference, the United Academy has separate barber shops and beauty salons.

Both can do simple haircuts, but the major difference lies in beard management.

A beauty salon can do intricate hairstyles but struggles with beard grooming, while a barber is the opposite.

Even with the protagonist modelling set, while the style can be changed, NPCs can unlock styles as favorability increases.

‘I don’t want to shave my beard…’

I just need to get a nice trim. It’s a shame with people watching, but looking neat is better.

Not long after, we arrived at the barber shop. It closely resembled a vintage Western barbershop.

Perhaps it exuded a retro British vibe. However, I’m unsure if that’s accurate knowledge.

“Welcome… What can I do for you?”

Upon seeing me, the barber flinched but quickly regained his composure and flashed a business smile.

Since this is an academy, it’s a place where various races come for shaves and grooming. Still, I’m guessing a wild dweller is a first.

Luna looked at the impeccably trimmed male barber and placed our order.

“Make it tidy as you see fit. Shave off the beard completely and trim the hair properly.”

“Got it. Please have a seat.”

“Sivar, you can sit over there.”

After the barber pointed to a chair, I obediently took a seat. The barber didn’t bother to inquire about our situation, acting professionally.

Sitting in the chair, which was softer than before, felt strange. So this is what it feels like to be cozy.

“Sivar, just a heads up—stay still even if scissors or a razor come close to your face, okay?”

“··· ···”

“Or not. I’ll just roll with it if you cause some chaos. Would holding hands make you feel safer?”

Luna said this while taking my hand. Being a fighter, her hand had calluses in various places.

Yet, this was the first time someone—let alone a girl—was holding my hand.

Just as feelings I had buried began to rise, the barber interrupted.

“Excuse me, how will we handle the robe?”

“Oh right. There’s a bit of a story behind it. Just leave it on since I’m going to discard it anyway.”

“Understood. First, I’ll roughly cut the hair and then do the shave.”

It was time to bid farewell to months of growing hair and beard.

As the barber brought out the scissors and held them near my hair, I involuntarily flinched.

After living in the forest for so long, my instincts kicked in before my rationality. Luna was right to worry after all.

At that moment, I realized just how scary ‘instinct’ could be.

“Ah! Ah! Sivar! Relax! Relax!”

I squeezed Luna’s hand more tightly than I intended while flinching.

It seemed I was gripping it harder than I thought.

Hearing her exclamation, I hurriedly relaxed my grip. Luna rubbed her sore hand before clasping mine again.

“Don’t worry. This guy won’t hurt you. Got it?”

It genuinely felt strange, like I had become a puppy. As she said, I should try to be as calm as possible.

“Is this really going to be okay?”

The barber, sensing the tension, asked in a slightly anxious voice.

When I looked over at him, he wore an expression that seemed to be gauging the situation.

“It’s fine. So please, go ahead.”

“Understood.”

Clip! Snip!

The barber sprayed my wildly grown hair with water. I almost instinctively shook it off but managed to hold back.

Next, he combed through my hair and then, in an astonished voice, spoke up.

“Um? Sir, has your hair ever caught fire?”

“What?”

“The top feels really soft, but the bottom is quite rough. This isn’t common unless it’s burned.”

Sharp observation. It wasn’t fire but the lightning that charred it brown.

Upon hearing that comment, Luna momentarily held her tongue and replied with an awkward smile.

The subtle smile carried a lot of meaning, and the barber didn’t pry further.

Snip-snap!

Goodbye, my beloved hair.

The barber cut through my hair, and I felt a strong sense of emptiness from the nape of my neck.

Snip-snapping sounds continued as he trimmed to shape the back, and finally, tidied up the bangs that had been unkempt.

Thanks to that, my eyes, which had been hidden until now, were revealed. With no mirror or lake to check, I hadn’t seen my face in ages.

Luna slowly gazed at my newly cleaned-up appearance, murmuring softly.

“…… Your eyes are red?”

It was still hard to determine my looks due to the beard. But I could see my only distinguishing feature—the deep red color of my eyes.

They were dark enough to pose a threat just by looking at them. Just like the hue of the red magic I wield.

I know those with red eyes are rare in the Soul World. To my knowledge, one must obtain a special ‘ability’ for that.

‘Could that have been the red magic?’

Now, I can hardly remember. I keep reiterating that while I’ve forgotten the finer details, the significant plot points are lost in the haze.

It’s as if I forget everything until the moment arises, like Eli’s situation. That should be sufficient.

Snip-snap!

After tidying up the bangs, Luna also trimmed the unruly beard. First, he roughly cut it with scissors.

Bzzzz!

Then, the barber shaved it down clean. You might question why there’s a shaver in a fantasy world.

It’s thanks to magic, specifically magical engineering. After all, this is a world where ‘guns’ exist.

However, guns are more like bows than universal solutions. Superhuman beings are everywhere, bouncing bullets off.

“Now, I’ll lean you back for the shave.”

Finally, the barber tilted the chair back for shaving. I blinked, still holding Luna’s hand.

Leaning back, I met Luna’s gaze directly. In her glowing blue eyes, contemplation seemed to settle.

It must’ve been triggered by seeing the color of my eyes. For now, I guess I’ll let her ponder in silence.

Swish—swish—swish—

Foam spread across my chin as the razor glided over smoothly, leaving me feeling unexpectedly refreshed.

‘But what will I do about the living situation after this wash?’

Suddenly, that worry nagged at my mind.

******

As Sivar enjoyed his shave with closed eyes, Luna was lost in thought. The red eyes she had just seen.

It’s almost safe to say that having red eyes is exceedingly rare. Even the Tartar folks who are looked down upon as savages only have red hair.

‘Books said only monsters with berserk traits have them.’

In this world, many types of monsters exist, including those with the ‘berserk’ trait.

Unlike ordinary monsters, they go into a frenzy when cornered—becoming many times stronger.

So the only choices are to deal with them swiftly before they enter that state or wait until they tire themselves out.

‘Could Sivar have that too?’

The thought of a person exhibiting berserk behavior was unheard of.

Of course, it’s possible he was simply born with red eyes. But having grown up in the ‘wilderness,’ it wouldn’t be easy to judge quickly.

‘Looking at how he took down Manki, it’s unlikely he’d enter a berserk state… but still…’

A sense of dread began to wash over her. What if Sivar really did enter that berserk state? What would happen then?

Would he go into a frenzy like a monster, or would he grasp onto the thread of reason and hold on?

“It’s all done, sir.”

As she pondered these thoughts, the haircut was now complete. Luna snapped out of her reverie upon hearing the barber’s announcement.

She couldn’t help but stare blankly at Sivar’s face, realizing they had been holding hands the entire time.

“How do you feel, sir?”

“··· ···”

Sivar, looking noticeably refreshed, stroked his chin. An expression of rejuvenation spread across his features.

Meanwhile, Luna slowly scanned his cleaned-up appearance.

The first thought that crossed her mind was this:

‘Wow, he’s handsome?’

He was so remarkably good-looking that it was surprising.

While the United Academy is filled with beautiful people, Sivar stood out even among them. Even freshly cut hair didn’t hide his attractiveness.

With a strong nose and sharp jawline, his large eyes radiated an innocent aura.

Every bit of his attractive looks shone through exceptionally well. Living wild lives with such beauty seemed rather incompatible.

“Shit.”

Sivar, oblivious to Luna’s astonishment, examined his reflection in the mirror.

Sure, shaving off his beard was a bit regretful, but the freshness was worth it.

On top of that, he’d gained handsomely from the new look. Having gone so long without seeing his face, he hadn’t expected it to look this good.

His body bore scars aplenty, yet somehow, he managed to keep his face perfectly smooth, unmarred by blemishes.

Getting even one bruise to it might mean disaster, so he needed to protect it. This wasn’t out of vanity but for a practical reason.

“··· ···”

But why wouldn’t she let go of my hand? I looked at Luna, who seemed to be in a daze.

She finally seemed to realize, pulling her hand back in a hurry. She appeared quite flustered.

“Ahem! How much does this cost?”

With her face flushed, she tried to change the subject.

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