Chapter 101

Chapter 101

I Became the Academy Mafia Chapter 101While the children, excited about the freshman welcome party, were noisily chatting away.

As usual, Ji Su-hyeon entered holding the attendance book, looking utterly exhausted, and smacked it down on the lectern.

“It's nice that I don't have to call attendance one by one in our class.”

After sweeping her gaze across the classroom once, she smiled and set the attendance book down on the lectern.

“About an hour left until the freshman welcome party? I'll tell you about the things you need to watch out for, so everyone pay attention.”

At the mention that it was about the freshman welcome party, the students began paying attention, and apparently very satisfied with that sight, Ji Su-hyeon continued her explanation.

“Considering what happened yesterday, and since today is the day outsiders come to see the freshmen, the atmosphere will probably be pretty stiff. So there are only a few things you need to be careful about.”

First. Refrain from indiscriminately interacting with outside guests during the event.

Second. Since outside guests and seniors will be present, refrain from making a disturbance.

Third. After the event ends, do not leave the banquet hall during the luncheon banquet.

“Well, I guess that's about it? Aside from that, I trust you'll handle yourselves properly... but there seem to be quite a few nervous ones, so I'll give you one piece of advice.”

Ji Su-hyeon paused briefly to catch her breath, then erased the playful look she'd had until now and spoke with a serious expression.

“──Don't be scared. Today, of all days, every hero in the Republic of Korea is watching over you, and it's also a day when they'll do their utmost to protect you. All you have to do is stand there, receive your seniors' welcome, and enjoy the event. Got it?”

She was right.

Even right now, apparently dozens of heroes who had graduated from Seoul Hero Academy were voluntarily guarding the surrounding area for their juniors.

If you only considered the Academy's current fighting strength, it could be said that the security was at a level where even if every villain belonging to the Villain Alliance came, they'd all be wiped out.

“Then wait here, and once the announcement starts, everyone come out to the grand auditorium. Oh, right, Han Eugene. Did you practice the oath?”

Apparently suddenly remembering that I was the one giving the oath today, Ji Su-hyeon looked toward me and spoke.

“Yes. I did practice.”

“Really? Don't mess up, and think of it as a chance to make an impression on the important people there. Though I doubt they'd even meet your standards. Heh.”

Given that Ji Su-hyeon knew about my family background, that reaction was only natural...

Perhaps she had things to prepare as well, because she left the classroom after saying that.

Was it because it finally felt like the event was right around the corner?

With only students left, the classroom atmosphere was strangely subdued compared to usual.[An announcement from the broadcasting room. An announcement from the broadcasting room. All freshmen, please gather in the grand auditorium. Once again, all freshmen, please...]

“Wow, now that it's actually here, I'm nervous. Did they say the higher-ups from the Association and representatives from the various guilds are coming today?”

Jin-woo, who had looked perfectly fine until now, stood from his seat and swallowed nervously.

“You don't have to be that scared. Our mentors alone are already incredible people, aren't they?”

“...

That's why! That crazy woman is coming to the Academy! We need to evacuate the children immediately!”

I thought he'd been unusually quiet, but apparently it wasn't because he was nervous?

Looks like he still had enough composure to joke around.

Like Jin-woo said, the auditorium was probably filled with heroes I'd only ever seen in the game, all gathered to see this year's freshmen.

And this would also be the first time I revealed myself at a public event.

In other words, my formal debut into CS society.

I'd already prepared myself mentally.

“Let's go.”

With me at the front, Class A began moving toward the grand auditorium.

The hallway was packed with students heading toward the auditorium.

The moment we stepped into the hallway and started moving, the noisy corridor instantly fell silent.

At the same time, I could feel the fear around us through my Bloodline Ability.

It was probably because rumors had spread that even during yesterday's terrorist attack, we had subdued villains on our own.

Certainly, yesterday's chaos had been serious enough that an ordinary student wouldn't have been able to endure it.

And the same was true even for chicks training to become heroes.

It wasn't as though I couldn't understand their reactions.

“Eugene.”

Amid that silence, someone raised a hand toward us and called my name.

“...

Choi Yeon.”

“Hello.”

The other students showed signs of surprise.

Seeing Jung Eui-hoon mixed among them, it seemed this was Class C, the class Choi Yeon belonged to.

“Eugene. Going to the auditorium?”

“You heard the announcement just now.”

“Are you giving the oath today?”

“...

Thanks to someone who said she wouldn't.”

“Who? Ah. Me?”

Apparently she'd never intended to give the oath in the first place, because she seemed to have even forgotten that she'd refused it.

No, it seemed she didn't even think she'd done anything wrong.

“Let's go together.”

“...

Do we have to? Can't you go with your class?”

“Why? Do we have to?”

Once again, Choi Yeon left me with nothing to say. Eventually giving up on arguing with her, I sighed.

“Do whatever you want.”

“Okay.”

The Academy's grand auditorium was about three minutes away from the main school building.

A massive building that could comfortably accommodate several thousand people.

The last time I'd been here was during the entrance exam, so if you called it a long time, it really had been quite a while.

It definitely didn't feel like that much time had passed, so why did it feel like ages ago?

“Wow, look at all the reporters lined up right from the entrance. Is this really an Academy?”

At the entrance to the grand auditorium, reporters holding large cameras had formed a crowd and were busily taking pictures of the students entering.

“That's Choi Yeon over there!”

“Choi Yeon of the Azure Sky Sword Clan!”

The reporters spotted Choi Yeon walking beside me and stopped photographing the students entering, turning their cameras toward us.

Looks like this is going to get annoying──“...

It's the Academy Boss! Han Eugene!”

“What?! Han Eugene, second-ranked at the Academy? The one giving the oath this time?”

“Student Han Eugene! Please look over here!”

And just like that, all the attention suddenly shifted toward me.

Academy Boss...?

“Who the hell came up with a nickname like──.”

“See? Good thing I distributed the advance materials to the reporters. I did well, right, Boss?”

“...

It was you?”

You crazy bastard.

“Boss, aren't you a little too moved? Of course I should do at least this much as Boss's right-hand man. Now, cheese. Cheeese~”

I genuinely thought that if the reporters hadn't been there, I might have planted my fist into his head.

For now, I decided to endure it and just get inside the auditorium...

“You reporters over there! You're not allowed to interview the first-year students yet!”

Fortunately, while the reporters hesitated for a moment thanks to the intervention of the staff guarding the front of the auditorium, we quickly slipped inside.

“Wow, I didn't know getting swarmed by reporters was this exhausting. Is this why celebrities hate paparazzi?”

Even now, Jin-woo spoke as though he'd enjoyed it.

“Jin-woo.”

“Yeah. Boss?”

“Shut up.”

“Hmph.”

After saying that to Jin-woo, I looked around inside the auditorium.

Judging by the arrangement, the first-year students were lined up by class in front of the stage. The remaining upperclassmen and outside guests seemed to be taking their places along both sides and the back of the auditorium.

“Wow, the scale really is incredible. Apparently they usually livestream this online too, but I guess they're not doing that because of yesterday's terrorist attack.”

Se-ah seemed to have separately researched the freshman welcome party, because she said that while looking around.

In the original story too, broadcast stations had come with relay vans and all kinds of equipment during the freshman welcome party.

Of course, thanks to that, the villains' terrorist attack ended up being broadcast live, which only benefited the Villain Alliance, but that wasn't something I needed to worry about now.[An announcement from the student council. An announcement from the student council. All freshmen, please take your assigned seats.]

The voice of Yuli Rodman, vice president of the student council, came through the auditorium speakers.

Since it was an Academy-wide event, it seemed the entire student council was participating as well.

Apparently sensing my gaze, Yuli, who had turned off her microphone, looked this way and smiled.

Hm? What's she saying?

I tried reading her lips as she silently mouthed something.‘Do.

Your. Oath.

Properly.

Junior.’Looks like that side had expectations of its own too...

Even though I already knew it was nothing special.

As more and more people entered, the previously empty auditorium gradually became noisy.

Despite hundreds of people gathering, there were still plenty of empty seats, making me keenly aware of just how large this facility was.

Well, there were quite a few events that took place here.

Then, once everyone had gathered in their assigned places and the noise settled down.[We will now begin Seoul Hero Academy's annual event, the freshman welcome party.]

With the voice announcing the start of the event, applause echoed through the auditorium, and I looked at the event schedule placed on my chair.

1. Greeting and address from the Dean of Seoul Academy.

2. Address from the representative of the outside guests, the President of the Republic of Korea Hero Association.

3. Congratulatory address from Seoul Academy graduate representative ‘Lee Won-ho.’

4. Oath by the Academy freshman representative.

5. Celebration banquet and lunch.

6. Closing ceremony.

“This is going to be long.”

Items 1 through 3 were all speeches and congratulatory addresses. If things went wrong, the entire freshman class might fall asleep in a catastrophe.

And because of the oath, I was seated in the very front row.

I didn't even want to imagine dozing off while sitting in the front row.

I guess the best thing to do was keep myself fully alert.

“Jin-woo. What are you doing?”

While I was thinking that and steeling myself, Young-je's voice came from behind.

I turned my head slightly and looked back to see Jin-woo half-reclined in his chair.

“Hm? Getting ready to sleep.”

“...

What are you going to do if the instructor catches you sleeping during the event?”

“Hey, hey, don't worry. I'll never get caught. If I just prop up my chin and lower my head a little, it'll look completely natural.”

So I wasn't the only one who thought this might make me sleepy...

Still, sleeping like that probably wasn't a good idea. Because...

“Jin-woo. There's a pretty woman behind you glaring at you.”

“Hm? A pretty woman is looking at me? Where── Eek!”

Following the gaze of the bastard who broke into a cold sweat and recoiled, I saw a woman glaring at Jin-woo in disbelief.

“So she came too.”

Han Yeo-eun.

The leader of Artemis Guild, one of the major guilds in the Republic of Korea.

It seemed the heroes serving as mentors to the other students had all attended the welcome party as well.

Of course, among them was Kwak Chun-sik, who was looking this way with a satisfied expression.

And.

Among those heroes sat a man who stood out, dressed in an unusually black suit and sunglasses, silently sitting there.

“Hm...”

It was Dominic Adanvanto, Calione's Consiglière.

Just like in the original story, I'd thought it would be difficult for Father, whose face was widely known, to come here, but I never imagined the Consiglière would attend personally...

It could truly be said that figures capable of stirring up the entire Republic of Korea, whether in the light or the shadows, had gathered here.[We will now hear the opening remarks from the Dean to mark the beginning of the freshman welcome party. We ask our distinguished guests and students to stop your conversations and direct your attention toward the stage.]

And before all of them, a man strode confidently onto the stage.

“Today, it seems we have many distinguished guests. It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Heo Seok-gi, Dean of Seoul Hero Academy.”

With the greeting of the man once known as Silence, the freshman welcome party finally began.