Seoul Dragon - Chapter 50

The midterm exams are right around the corner. Only about a week left.

Maybe it's because I've been caught up in all sorts of incidents since the semester started.

It doesn't feel like much time has passed...

Perhaps it's fortunate that I've at least finished the group project?

Otherwise, I would have been working on the group project during midterms.

Although the presentation itself will be done later, not completing this would gnaw at one's nerves in many ways, so it was better to handle it when possible.

I studied for the midterms at home.

There's no point in studying at the library where I'd inevitably mingle with others, often unconsciously wasting time.

It was better to just study alone.

Actually... I didn't need to study that intensely. What is the representative ability of a dragon after all?

Overwhelming memory, isn't it? Since I can hardly forget anything I've seen once, preparing for midterms was naturally easier.

Therefore, it was enough to review the parts emphasized by professors and think about how to write the essay-type answers.

Since tests in the Korean Literature department are often dominated by essay questions... while memorizing what needs to be memorized, I needed to have some basic thoughts prepared.

Anyway, preparing for midterms was smooth. Let's ignore the occasional screams coming from my sister's room next door.

Under normal circumstances, I would have been like that too, but now there was no reason to be.

In many ways, since becoming a dragon, most things seem to go well.

I probably won't have to worry about exams like other students from now on.

Ah, I can't help but praise it again today. This blessed dragon body.

It feels like my quality of life has significantly improved since becoming a dragon. My parents have been saying the same lately.

That with my bright future ahead, I could do anything.

Of course, while saying this, I also told my parents:

They can do whatever they want, but please don't start a business after hearing some strange story.

It would only cause headaches if they ruin something with a business venture.

My parents told me not to worry.

Saying when have they ever paid attention to such things.

Anyway, I considered everything to be going smoothly. At this rate, I could easily get A+ for all my midterms.

Filling my transcript with A+ grades would be fun in its own way.

Someone might even ask if I tampered with my transcript.

No, who would say such things to me? No one would look at my transcript anyway. After all, I'm already employed.

...If that's what you'd call it.

Time passed quickly, and the midterm exam dates arrived. Everyone around me, including my sister, headed to their respective classrooms with expressions suggesting they might collapse at any moment.

Of course, this didn't apply to me.

Entering the classroom with a refreshed face, I saw the half-dead faces of Yoo Hangyeol and my juniors.

"Hello, good morning!"

When I energetically greeted them with a coffee in one hand, they looked at me as if I were some strange person.

"...You crazy girl. Did you prepare well for the exam?"

"No problem. Today I'm going for the gold medal."

"Are you giving up?"

"Of course not. It's just that studying has become too easy."

"You're being obnoxious."

"Hehe. The voice of the defeated is so sweet."

"But did you even have time to study? With all the interviews and government events you've been called to."

"To be precise, studying has become easier. Since the time needed for memorization is essentially skipped."

"Wow, that's so unfair. Damn, I'm so envious. I wish I had mutated too."

"Stop that. What if you mutate into something weird?"

"That's true, but still, I'm envious, so envious!"

"Feel free to envy all you want."

I deliberately showed off. Isn't this better than being unable to focus due to pre-exam tension?

As expected, the exam was easier than imagined. For me, it was no different than an open-book exam, so how could it be difficult? With all the answers in my head, there were no obstacles in solving the problems.

The same was true for the essay questions.

While the answers weren't written down, as long as you didn't get distracted during class, you could figure out what the professor wanted in the essay questions.

Then, you just had to write accordingly.

What professors want from us isn't perfection.

If a university student were perfect, why would they be a university student? You don't need to be perfect, just find the answer the professor wants.

And such views are usually, knowingly or unknowingly, revealed during class time. This is how you reap the benefits of paying attention in class.

Thus, I smoothly solved the problems without any hitches, reviewed once, checked for any awkward sentences... and as soon as all those procedures were completed, I stood up from my seat.

I submitted the exam and went outside.

...I should get a cup of coffee.

While drinking coffee and waiting for the next class, Hangyeol, Sihyun, and Suyeon burst out of the classroom.

"Ah, I'm doomed."

All three didn't have particularly good expressions. It seemed there were more traps than expected.

"There were too many traps..."

"So it wasn't just me."

"It felt more confusing because I studied from previous exam papers?"

At Suyeon's words, Hangyeol was shocked and said to her:

"Didn't other seniors tell you not to look at previous exam papers?"

"They all said that... but I thought the basic framework would still come from there."

At Suyeon's words, Hangyeol and I shook our heads.

"No. Our department's professors really hate it when students rely on previous exam papers, so they set traps targeting those students. The multiple-choice questions are probably a bit different from before too. Especially for Understanding Modern Literature."

"...Really?"

"Yes. That's why you're doomed the moment you study based on previous exam papers. It actually makes things more confusing. Besides, since half of the exam is essay questions, there's not much point in looking at previous papers."

"Ah..."

Suyeon's face was filled with despair. We shook our heads and said to her:

"...You'll have to retake the course, won't you?"

"Nooo! I can't!"

"How did you find the exam, Sihyun?"

"I'm not sure. But I think at least what I studied should appear... What about you, unnie? I noticed you finished first."

"Well, I did well."

"...I'm envious."

"As I said earlier, if you're envious... you know?"

"Won't a second mutation come?"

"Who knows. The world is topsy-turvy, so it might happen."

"...Please, let it be me next time!"

"Then you'd have to retake the semester too?"

"Ah, that's a bit..."

"Oh, since we're talking about mutations, let me ask: if a second mutation were to happen, what kind of mutant would you all want to become?"

When I asked that, all three gave the same answer.

""A dragon.""

"Me too, a dragon."

"Why?"

"Seeing how you are, I'm envious. Your reasoning is intact, and your abilities are overpowered."

"...Is that so? Then excluding dragon?"

"I'd like to be an elf."

"An elf? Why?"

"They're pretty. Elves usually have significantly enhanced looks that make you go 'wow'..."

"Ah, that's true..."

Come to think of it, quite a lot of people might want to become elves if they mutate.

Just looking at Choi Sia, her appearance was no joke... Of course, to me she looked extremely cute, but cuteness is also a power of appearance.

And the ability of elves is to empathize with animals and plants.

Even if direct conversation is impossible, unlike High Elves, just having animals show a friendly attitude would make quite a few people prefer elves.

I think this might be the most desired mutation among people who keep pets.

"What about you, Hangyeol?"

"Me? Well... excluding dragon, not particularly? I'd just like to keep my sanity intact. Becoming something like a Minotaur or a demon would be a bit much. But I'd also be fine with becoming an elf or something similar."

"Elves do seem to have the highest preference..."

"That's inevitable given the type of species they are."

Hangyeol seemed to prefer a more conventional species.

He seemed to want to mutate into a being that's not too flashy and can blend into human society normally.

"...It's overwhelmingly elf, huh."

"It can't be helped. The most desirable is a dragon, but if that's excluded, what's left but an elf? The rest all have some kind of flaw."

"Flaw?"

"For harpies, arms disappear and wings sprout, which is more inconvenient than you'd think, and vampires have difficulty being active in sunlight... There are probably many other species, but these are typical examples, so naturally attention gravitates toward elves."

"What about Arachne?"

I thought of Jin-ha. Being able to transform into a human while also gaining worldwide fame made the Arachne-type mutant seem like not such a bad choice.

"I'm not so fond of spiders..."

"Why not? You could become like Jin-ha. Or what about a dwarf?"

"I don't like being short either."

"Hmm..."

Dwarves seemed to have some external preferences and aversions.

"Anyway, if I mutate, I'd like to become an elf. No, at the very least, I hope my personality remains intact."

"We feel the same way. Changing too much is a bit..."

"I would have no more wishes if I could change just like Yoon Seohyun. Such a blessed creature."

Well, I still think being a dragon is the best among them... but I can't really imagine more people like me popping up.

Besides, there's no guarantee of a second mutation anyway.

If a second mutation does occur and people around me become mutants... it might be a bit fun. No, would it be rude to say it's fun?

However, if that happens, I hope they become like the good mutants around me. I hope they can enjoy their lives as mutants like I do, rather than suffering from unwanted mutations.