I Became the Academy’s Disabled Student - Chapter 173

Consciousness floated up amid the stimuli.

The speed wasnât very fast.

It didnât seem to be an emergency call for split consciousness.

I was continuously updating my magic book and studyingâ¦ Perhaps my fully automated crisis monitoring system was working well in case of emergencies.

âItâs still immature and dizzying, butâ¦ Iâll get used to it eventually.â

Splitting consciousness. I had tried it last time using the knowledge from the original work, and surprisingly, it went well.

There were many immature aspects, but I wanted to focus on the fact that I succeeded despite that.

Originally, I wanted to mimic the unique ability of âsplit consciousnessâ through homogenizationâ¦ Unfortunately, I couldnât find a person who could manifest it.

There were many unique abilities I wanted to look into as well.

However, the number of abilities I found was quite limited.

After all, I had only casually looked around Scotland and parts of China, and briefly popped into Seoul to use the gateâ¦

âThere are few manifestors of unique abilities. I have to keep that in mindâ¦â

Only a tiny fraction of the total population awakens as superhumans. Among those superhumans, only a select few manifest unique abilities.

The majority of those unique abilities are physical types without any special traits.

Basic skills like swordsmanship and spear techniques.

Elemental types like fire, water, wind, earth, and electricity.

Of course, itâs possible to gradually evolve from there, but itâs incredibly difficult.

Thanks to that, the number of uniquely gifted individuals is inevitably low.

âMost unique abilities Iâm using through homogenization were found at Shio-ram.â

There are so many manifestors of unique abilities in Shio-ram that itâs getting confusing.

If I spread my observations right now, I could say nearly all students possess unique abilities, with even a few having manifested two.

But thatâs not the case outside.

Just looking at the people Iâve met while rummaging through China shows that most of them are civilians who havenât even awakened, and there were few cases of miscellaneous superhumans and necromancers having unique abilities.

Slowly, consciousness surfaced, and soon the senses were connected.

My cheek was soft and warm.

I turned my focus.

I observed Eliaâs figure.

Elia was sitting on a sofa, and I was lying with my head resting on her thigh.

She had a yellow blanket pulled up to her chin, sleeping blissfully.

âHey, sleepyhead? Everyoneâs starting to arrive. Time to wake up~â

A gentle voice filled my ears. A delicate fingertip was gently poking my cheek. She must have been waking me like this for a while.

âHaha, that tickles, Ha-yul.â

â Hahâ¦

As I rubbed my cheek, giggles erupted. Then a warm palm started rubbing my cheek.

A yawn escaped my open mouth.

I wriggled and sat up to shake off the drowsiness that had soaked my mind.

I heard laughter from above again.

âHa-yul, you look like a caterpillar.â

[Hmph]
[Iâm not a bug!]

âThatâs not what I meant. I meant youâre cute.â

[Bugs are grossâ¦]

âHmm? Ha-yul doesnât like bugs?â

Elia, who had been playfully poking my cheek while sitting next to me, widened her eyes in surprise.

âYou didnât seem to mind them during the last dungeon raid?â

The last dungeon raid?

Ahâ¦ was that at the beginning of the semester? I suppose it couldnât be helped since there were many bugs due to the forest terrain back then.

[I couldnât just run awayâ¦]
[Bugs are ickyâ¦]
[They donât taste goodâ¦]
[I hate cockroachesâ¦]

âAhâ¦ Ehem. I shouldnât have brought that up. Iâm sorry.â

[Itâs okayâ¦]

We sat on the sofa leaning back, and a bit of time went by.

Just as I started shaking off the drowsiness, an announcement came from the door.

[Student Baek Ahrin, authentication completed]
[Student Hong Yeon-hwa, authentication completed]

Familiar fragrances brushed past my nose as the door slid open smoothly.

The feathers of the sky were rustling.

Soon, Hong Yeon-hwa and Baek Ahrin entered.

As I slightly opened my eyes, I caught sight of Hong Yeon-hwa frowning as if she had something to complain about.

Hong Yeon-hwaâs eyes met mine.

I focused and moved my lips.

âYeon-hwa.â

I didnât stutter.

Hong Yeon-hwaâs eyes sparkled as she rushed over and hugged me.

âHa-yul. Youâre okay, right? Did you finish everything you needed to do this morning?â

âYup. Donât worry.â

I buried my face in her warm chest, which smelled sweet. I rubbed my face in joy.

[Body scent]
[Happiness]
[Sweetness]

âUh, uh, itâs a relief if nothing happened.â

âWhy am I treated like an invisible person?â

Baek Ahrin, who had been standing behind us, muttered in disbelief as she stepped closer.

Her blue eyes stared straight into mine. I turned my gaze, but only saw dense gray mist.

âI really canât seem to see you. Canât you even talk to me? What is going on?â

Realizing the focus of my eyes, Baek Ahrin tilted her head.

[â¦â¦]
ââ¦â¦â

Itâs a curseâ¦ if I say that, I might end up in trouble like last time.

I tightly adjusted my confession necklace to prevent any random outbursts.

âWell, everyone has one or two secrets they canât share, right?â

Shrugging her shoulders, Baek Ahrin looked at me in Hong Yeon-hwaâs embrace, seeking agreement.

[Yesâ¦]

I nodded reluctantly.

We sat around a round table in the center of the room.

I was seated next to Hong Yeon-hwa.

Elia was next to me, and across from Baek Ahrin.

âAm I being excluded? Iâm going to report this to Shio-ram. Just so you know.â

âStop with the nonsenseâ¦â

[What made you and Baek Ahrin late?]

I had a rough idea from my observation, but hadnât precisely measured it.

Hong Yeon-hwa answered my question first.

âI was attending the âComprehensive Combat Logicâ and âAdvanced Practical Swordsmanshipâ classes. Itâs still just the introductory part, but it seems like thereâs a lot to learn.â

Comprehensive Combat Logic and Advanced Practical Swordsmanshipâ¦

Thatâs something Hong Yeon-hwa, a combat major, would likely attend.

Particularly, Comprehensive Combat Logic was a well-utilized class in the original work.

To be proficient in weapon mastery, subjects like swordsmanship and spear techniques must be completed, but overall skill in fighting was most efficiently gained through the Comprehensive Combat Logic class.

I remember the head professor was someone who used to be well-known in the magical front lines. Although he received top-level evaluation, he retired due to an injury back then.

He was remembered for being a meritorious figure worthy of honorary top-level hero status.

Especially in the second iteration, I had taken Comprehensive Combat Logic classes extensively.

The unique ability I started with in the second iteration was âFighting Aptitude.â

As the name suggests, it provided all-around enhancements in the combat department, so I had really made full use of the Comprehensive Combat Logic class.

âI took âAdvanced Magical Mechanics.â It was so complicated, my head was spinning,â Baek Ahrin replied, shaking her head in exasperation.

She was also a combat major, but unlike her varied talents, she was taking multiple subjects.

Advanced Magical Mechanics.

This course involved in-depth analysis, interpretation, and reconstruction of established magical formulas from the top to the basement.

Itâs an incredibly difficult course that, going in half-heartedly, results in minimal skill gain and wasted time.

[Did Elia only get the overview?]

âYes, I went to âAbility Healing (II)â alone.â

Elia was a student in the auxiliary majorâ¦ she had attended a lecture in the healing department.

âHmmâ¦â

They must have planned their schedule ahead of time.

After all, subjects to be taken can be known in advance, and they could have easily made plans during the first semesterâ¦ or even during vacation.

I had intended to plan with Seo-yul during the vacation, but that didnât go as planned.

Whoâd have thought resurrecting the two-headed dragon would lead to this situation?

âHa-yul, you need to decide within this week too. Do you have something in mind?â

âRight. Since youâre a special admit, you have a lot of subjects you can apply for, right? You can change in the middle, but you should be careful in the beginning.â

[Yes.]
[I have a few things in mind.]

As I answered Eliaâs question, suddenly all eyes were on me.

âWhat is it? Have you decided already?â Hong Yeon-hwa asked, her eyes shining.

[Yes.]
[Iâm planning to take mainly magic-focused courses.]

Entering the Tower of Knowledge means I can study magic thoroughly as well.

But first, I need to build a solid foundational knowledge. Until then, I plan on raising my magic level to some extent.

âMagicâ¦?â

Hong Yeon-hwaâs face, filled with anticipation, suddenly turned sour.

âMagic is good.â

On the contrary, Baek Ahrin clapped her hands, her face lighting up.

âDo you have any detailed plans?â

[Yes, Iâm going to follow the advice from Professor Riana.]
[Iâm also considering Circuit Construction (II) and Expansion/Counter-expansion (II).]

âCircuit Construction is something you should definitely take. It applies to any spell. The same goes for Expansion and Counter-expansion classes. As for other recommended coursesâ¦â

[Thanks for the suggestions.]
[But Iâll finish everything from the previous ones firstâ¦]

For now, I plan to focus on magic.

Iâll also learn about crafting as an additional subjectâ¦

âWill you take âMonster Taming and Response,â Ha-yul?â

As Elia scanned through my course list, she asked curiously.

[Yes.]
[Iâm interested, so Iâll just take one as a trial.]

Monster taming.

Itâs not a waste of time either. Itâs a general study course that only takes one or two class hours a week.

Itâs a lecture about seeing various monsters in real life and learning about tamingâ¦ commonly known as âtaming.â

It isnât a particularly popular course, but itâll help with necromancy as wellâ¦ I figured it might come in handy later on, so I was thinking of taking just one.

There shouldnât be much pressure since there arenât many assignments.

âMaybe Iâll see a unicorn here?â

Unicorn.

A high-level monster, standard rankâaround rank 4. A rare being that even Shio-ram doesnât have many of.

Ever since I blew off Bai-kunâs horn, Iâve been constantly thinking about unicorns.

Would the unicorn dislike me as well? Honestly, I wasnât so sure if it would like meâ¦

âWell, I want to take that too.â

âMe too!â

[Huh?]
[Is that okay?]

Elia and Baek Ahrin edited their schedules in real-time. I was taken aback as I asked again.

[Wonât our schedules get messed up?]

âItâs fine; weâve got plenty of free time,â Baek Ahrin said.

âI also want to join!â

Hong Yeon-hwa quickly changed her schedule.

âYeon-hwa, not you! Youâre not taming but causing a massacreâ¦ Ahh!â

âBe quiet.â

For a while, we organized the courses to apply for.

I had already consulted Professor Riana.

Talking it over with everyone and sorting things out made it quite easy.

Especially Baek Ahrinâs recommendations matched up well with the subjects I had in mind.

There were also suggestions I hadnât thought about in my plans.

Thanks to that, I was able to revise everything in real time.

[â¦] Keep that in mindâ¦

â Squeezeâ¦

I felt a sensation on my cheek.

The culprit was Hong Yeon-hwa.

She was pressing down on my cheek with a pouty expression.

âYeon-hwa?â

Curious, I tilted my head, and with a hesitant look, she whispered.

ââ¦I think I should learn magic too.â

âDo you think you can?â

Baek Ahrin, sitting across from her, tilted her head in inquiry.

âYou tore up the introduction in just two hours last timeâ¦â

âWaaah! Shut up!â

Hong Yeon-hwa screamed. The loud noise startled me next to her.

âAh, ah! Iâm sorry, Ha-yulâ¦!â

[Itâs okayâ¦]

My ears hurtâ¦

âPhewâ¦ Well, at least thatâs over.â

Elia, sitting next to me, said while rubbing her shoulders.

Just as she said, the timetable drafting was nearly finished. A final review would be needed, but that wouldnât take long.

âShall we have a snack? There are plenty over there.â

âAh, I just checked. There are many snacks, and the fridge has a variety of drinks.â

âWhat should I get for you, Ha-yul?â

[Oh, I just needâ¦]
[Just a drink is fine.]

âConfirmed~â

Hong Yeon-hwa and Elia headed towards the snacks arranged on the table.

âOh, right, Ha-yul. Want to try this?â

[Huh?]

At that moment, Baek Ahrin, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly clapped her hands as if recalling something and began rummaging around in the small pocket on her waist.

After a moment, she pulled out a black plastic bag from her white hands.

It was quite a sizable bag.

And it looked strangely familiar.

As if affirming my thoughts, Baek Ahrin pulled out the contents from the sizable plastic bag.

Soon, the table was filled with the contents.

Long, white, shiny surfacesâ¦

âWhatâs that? Rice cake?â

It was indeed rice cake. It remained soft and chewy, presumably because it was in a pocket dimension.

Hong Yeon-hwa, who was approaching with a handful of snacks, tilted her head and inquired, while Baek Ahrin shook her finger.

âNot just that. Take a good look.â

Just as Baek Ahrin said, the table was covered not only with rice cake but also various types of cakes.

âOh! Iâve had this before. Is that Songpyeon?â

Elia pointed at a collection of round cakes in various colors like white, pink, and yellow as she approached with her drink.

âYes, yes, thatâs right! But when did you eat that? I doubt itâs well-known in England!â

Baek Ahrin looked puzzled as she asked.

In this turmoil of cultural exchange, itâs common for regional characteristics to remain intact amidst the blending of cultures.

Eliaâs hometown was Englandâ¦ or was it Scotland? I wouldnât picture her munching on Songpyeon there.

âI had it before joining Shio-ram.â

Elia explained calmly.

âI had a misadventure with the gate and ended up in Seoul once. While waiting for the next gate, I wandered around and tried some Songpyeon.â

[Seoul? Joining?]
[When we first met?]

âYes, yes! Thatâs when I first tried it. There were so many food alleys around.â

âAhâ¦?â

I nodded at Eliaâs explanation.

Thinking back, while Elia hailed from England, we first met in Seoul.

Since thereâs a gate terminal in England, she could have directly headed to Shio-ram instead of going through Seoul.

Baek Ahrin looked at Elia perplexedly.

âA mistakeâ¦? You can unintentionally take a gate?â

âThere was a mix-up at the management side. You remember how there were many gate transfer errors back in March?â

âAh, that time? It was chaos. There had never been such an incident before, but it happened consecutively and created quite a buzz.â

âWell, I had plenty of time and got an ample compensation, so I had no complaints. Andâ¦â

Elia reached out to me, delicately smoothing my hair with her slender, white fingers.

âIf that incident hadnât happened, we may never have met, right? For someone else, maybe it wouldnât matter, but for me, that incident was more of a fortunate event.â

Elia beamed a warm smile. Her expression looked genuinely relieved, and I couldnât help but smile back.

[I think meeting Elia was fortunate for me too.]

I was being sincere.

I genuinely believe that meeting Elia was a stroke of luck.

When you think about it, isnât it a fateful encounter? Back then, I was in such a state of being crushed that I would have run away from any external help.

In a time like that, I happened to meet Elia, who possessed a knack for spirit affinity, and received her help.

Her unfamiliar but heartfelt assistance helped my crushed spirit lift slightly.

âAhemâ¦ Why are you suddenly bringing all the rice cakes?â

âEh? You like rice cakes, donât you?â

âWhat?â

Hong Yeon-hwa blinked in surprise.

âYou didnât know that?â

Baek Ahrin picked up a large piece of rice cake with a chuckle.

âHere, try this.â

Baek Ahrin offered me the rice cake.

It was identical to the rice cakes I had tried before.

I opened my mouth wide and took a bite off the end of the rice cake. The chewy texture felt so good.

ââ¦â¦â

ââ¦â¦?â

Suddenly sensing that it was too quiet beside me, I turned my head to find Hong Yeon-hwa looking shocked.

[But are you and Baek Ahrin okay doing this?]

âHmm? Whatâs not okay?â

âThereâs no problem with that, right?â

[Eh?]

Both of them tilted their heads as if they didnât understand my question. I felt confused at their puzzled looks.

[That]
[Canât you not make a schedule with your friends?]

âFriends? Ahâ¦â

Hong Yeon-hwa exclaimed at my reply.

Thatâs the thing, right? The ones Iâd confused with Seo-yul and Shin Seo-yulâ¦ a couple of friends.

They were quite influential and prominent individuals; Hong Yeon-hwa and Baek Ahrin had become friendly with them since they were young, right?

In the original workâ¦ No, during the first semester, hadnât they all walked together?

It seemed like that wasnât the case recently.

Hong Yeon-hwa and Baek Ahrin stared at each other for a moment.

After a brief pause, they both spoke at the same time.

ââ¦Not really?â

âItâs fine.â

[â¦] Is that so?

Though my head was tilted in confusion, as long as the parties involved say so, I guess it worksâ¦

I accepted their words and continued evaluating the courses I had planned to apply for.

[Group Chat Room: Hong Baek Team (6)]

â¶Shin Seo-yul: Hey

â¶Shin Seo-yul: Whereâd the Hong girl go?

â¶Shin Seo-yul: I just saw her in front.

â¶Yang Yoon-ha: She probably popped out to meet Lee Ha-yul.

â¶Shin Seo-yul: Damn

â¶Shin Seo-yul: That girl didnât even share her course list.

â¶Yang Yoon-ha: Isnât it about time sheâs been abandoned?

â¶Shin Seo-yul: Are you a genius?

â¦

â¶Shin Seo-yul: But whereâs Baek?

â¶Shin Seo-yul: Doesnât she also not share her course list?

â¶Yi Si-eun: I saw her.

â¶Shin Seo-yul: Huh?

â¶Yi Si-eun: She was flying with Hong.

â¶Shin Seo-yul: Weâre getting ditched by both Baek and Hong?

â¶Yang Yoon-ha: This is the Hong Baek Team without Hong Baek.

[Group Chat Room: Hong Baek-less Room (4)]

â¶Shin Seo-yul: Both of those girls are crazy.

â¶Shin Seo-yul: Like during that tournament too.

â¶Shin Seo-yul: Is the Hong girl messing with the auction right next to you?

â¶Shin Seo-yul: If it goes like this, will a war break out?

â¶Yi Si-eun: A war isnât the problem.

â¶Yi Si-eun: How about a power struggle among the three great clans with Taesan involved?

â¶Yang Yoon-ha: Do you really think a war would break out over one guy, Seo-yul?

â¶Shin Seo-yul: Donât you know realityâs worse?

â¶Shin Seo-yul: Huh? Donât you know how pretty they are?

â¶Shin Seo-yul: Looking at Lee Ha-yul now, I think a war might happen!?

â¶Yi Si-eun: Iâm not sure about war, but

â¶Yi Si-eun: If I expose the message history, youâll be the first to go down.

â¶Shin Seo-yul: If I die, you die too, you littleâ¦

â¦