An Angel Lives in the Academy
Chapter 105: The Angel Goes to Sea (4)

“Kukuk, how’s this?”

A man, the one who effectively controlled humanity’s greatest artificial structure, Mariana Camp, grinned, revealing his white teeth.

“Even those elite Central Academy students, look at them, clueless in the face of an otherworldly environment. Isn’t that right?”

The people listening to these words were the professors of the Central Academy, the strongest in humanity. Everyone, excluding the assassination department professor, was listening to Jeb’s taunts.

Lusa was visibly seething. Klein listened to it all, making a sour expression. Hexi muttered, “How dare he insult our students.” And Rebecca lowered her head, seemingly embarrassed.

“There’s no need to even watch this Monster Festival, our Mariana will surely win. This is a battle between our troops, who have been fighting under the laws of the other world, and those students who have only ever trained in that safe human world. They’re just too flustered by the unfamiliar environment.”

One of the professors, finally, had to speak up.

“They may be flustered, but they will not lose.”

Park Jin-ho laughed.

Jeb wanted to laugh at him, mock his words, and dismiss them as ridiculous, but... he couldn't bring himself to do it.

“Besides, Captain, did you not see with your own eyes... a student who has already adapted to this environment?”

“Hmm... that boy, what’s his name again? Leffrey?”

The moment he said “Leffrey”, the professors’ expressions brightened.

Lusa looked down at Jeb smugly. Klein smiled, making an arrogant expression. Hexi muttered, “The angel, ahem, no, Leffrey will take care of it,” seeming to pray. And Rebecca immediately straightened her posture.

Seeing this, Jeb…

“…What’s with you guys all of a sudden?”

…couldn’t help but ask.

The captain of Mariana was taken aback by the professors’ sudden change in attitude.

“Sure, that boy was a little impressive.”

Jeb nodded in agreement. The way he handled giving the spirit essence to the spirits. It was a skill only achievable after being on the other world’s battlefields for several years.

Actually, Leffrey had survived the War of Annihilation, so Jeb’s assessment wasn’t wrong.

“But Professors, that boy lacks the most important thing.”

“…And what’s that?”

Park Jin-ho, who had been maintaining his composure, finally frowned and looked at Jeb.

“Hah, for a boy who’s as pretty as a girl, he’s too soft... He looks like he couldn’t even kill a bug. He lacks arrogance and viciousness. Arrogance, that’s what’s truly important.”

Jeb continued,

“Those who lack arrogance won’t survive. Malice and ruthlessness. The audacity to just break things when you’re annoyed. *That* is what’s truly needed for survival.”

Jeb’s opinion was firm. That frail, girlish-looking boy, what could he possibly do? With his angelic face, he might be able to become a child idol or something, but…

‘He wouldn’t make it as a warrior.’

That was Jeb’s judgment. But Park Jin-ho shook his head and…

“Do you really think so?”

…asked again. Thump—At that moment, they heard the sound of someone running down the hallway, a soldier who lacked proper military bearing.

“Captain, I have a report!”

A recruit’s clear voice echoed through the meeting room.

“What is it?”

“The Central Superhuman Academy students have broken through the Phobia Flower trap!”

Jeb’s face hardened slightly at those words.

“Already? Who? And how?”

The recruit, without a word, quickly set up a video device in the meeting room, then stood still next to it.

The footage was a bit shocking. Numerous students were unable to overcome the fear conjured by the Phobia Flower. It was within his expectations to see the students frozen in front of the cafeteria entrance, but…

A boy, with an angelic face, stood before them. He instantly realized what kind of trap it was, then, without hesitation, smashed the wall next to it with his bare hand.

No words, no hesitation. The boy, crushing the concrete wall, was the very embodiment of manliness. A magical studies student, seemingly moved by the sight, asked, half in awe,

“A-Aren’t you worried about getting punished for this?”

“Well, it can’t be helped.”

But Leffrey just said this confidently.

“I’d rather be punished myself… than have my friends starve. Let’s go eat, everyone!”

“Leffrey! Leffrey!”

“Leffrey, the True Manly Man! Leffrey is the best! He’s so cute!!!”

Leffrey, lifted into the air by the cheering students, was wearing a carefree, bright smile.

And as he watched the kids rush into the cafeteria to eat, he smiled warmly, as if he were their parent.

Such a young child, at that.

Of course, the reason Leffrey smiled so warmly was that the good deed of providing food to countless starving future heroes was being converted into Angelic Power.

[Doing a good deed, even at the cost of being punished, is an angelic act!]

[You have gained Angelic Power.]

[Providing food to starving children is an angelic act!]

[You have gained Angelic Power.]

[Providing a meal to hungry future heroes is an angelic act!]

[You have gained Angelic Power.]

Leffrey’s smile, the smile of satisfaction from receiving a lot of Angelic Power… Jeb, of course, had no way of knowing that.

To Jeb and the professors, all that was visible was the foolishly kind boy, happy to see his comrades able to eat.

But he wasn’t an idiot. He had figured out the weakness of the Phobia Flower faster than anyone else. And he wasn’t indecisive either. He didn’t hesitate to smash the wall of someone else’s house, Mariana Camp.

The boy was truly…

‘He’s such a good kid.’

Honestly, even Jeb found himself captivated

by Leffrey’s warm smile and actions.

But he couldn’t acknowledge it.

The captain of Mariana pretended to be furious.

He wasn’t actually angry at all, but…

“How dare he commit such an act of vandalism in someone else’s house?”

“…We’ll handle his punishment ourselves.”

Park Jin-ho drew a line.

To punish such a precious child for that? He had no such thoughts. He was just saying those words so Jeb wouldn’t get any ideas.

But Jeb shook his head.

He thought it was wrong to punish a child who had sacrificed himself for his comrades. Of course, he didn’t show those emotions.

“Ah, whatever. Just give him a warning.”

He grumbled those words.

Then he quickly changed the subject.

“Then I’ll see you all at tomorrow’s festival.”

“Yes. I look forward to it.”

“Don't punish your students too harshly if they fall short of us. It’s not a humiliation for your students to lose against troops hardened by real combat.”

“I told you, didn’t I? Our students may be flustered, but they will not be defeated.”

Crackle—Sparks flew between Park Jin-ho’s and Jeb’s eyes. Thus, the first day of the Monster Carnival arrived.

* * *

Mariana Camp’s shore. It was a date that would be considered autumn in Korea, but this faraway south sea was still burning with summer heat.

An endless stretch of sandy beach and the clear, blue sea before it. It was a magnificent sight, one that was hard to believe had been artificially created.

‘It’s so beautiful. To think I would witness a sight like this in my lifetime.’

Leffrey was completely mesmerized by the scene.

A beauty that could be compared to the world he had seen from the sky. Leffrey vowed never to forget this and turned his head.

And there, he saw beauty comparable to the scenery.

“I don’t want to wear this…”

Yumari slowly walked toward the shore. She walked barefoot, leaving footprints in the sand.

“Haah, it can't be helped.”

Why was Mari barefoot? It was because she was currently wearing an underwater combat suit. Well, to be more accurate, it was a maillot, a one-piece swimsuit.

Mari, in a black maillot, her long legs accentuated… it was hard to take your eyes off her. Leffrey, embarrassed by that thought, blushed and lowered his head.

“S-So pretty.”

Mari, hearing those words, smiled brightly.

“…Wow.”

“She’s really something else.”

“A goddess?”

As she smiled, the male students and camp soldiers around her muttered those words, smitten by her. The dragon’s sharp senses picked up all their whispers, and Mari’s expression instantly turned cold.

“Should I ask her out on a date after the Monster Festival is over?”

“Get real. As if The Seocheon Yu’s daughter would go out with someone like you.”

“Hey, but what about me? Don’t I have a chance?”

“You? You think so…? Are you really gonna try?”

A few sparks even flickered around her, an obvious sign that Mari was in a bad mood. It was difficult to tell how Mari was truly feeling since she was good at hiding her emotions, but... when it came to other men’s lust, it was something she couldn't tolerate…

At that moment, an angelic voice was heard.

“Mari, you’re so pretty. I feel like I’m looking at a celebrity.”

Leffrey, his face full of shyness, muttered those words timidly.

Mari, hearing that, smiled again.

She looked genuinely happy.

*It didn’t matter what other men said.* Mari spoke to herself in a slightly flushed voice.

“I'm glad... I'm glad I wore this.”

The next to appear was Hongwol, who was always confident in her beauty. Hongwol, wearing a pink bikini that matched her hair color, was running toward Leffrey.

“Boy!”

“W-Wol? What on earth are you wearing?!”

“We’re at the beach! It’s a superhuman underwater combat suit!”

That’s an underwater combat suit? That bikini that’s revealing much more skin than it’s covering?

“A-Are you serious?”

“Yeah, it’s a mysterious item that boosts your defense the more skin you reveal.”

Could that be true? Leffrey had no idea. He didn't have time to think about such things.

Because Hongwol had stealthily approached him and was now pulling him close, showing off her flexibility...

“Eek!”

Leffrey let out a sound a Japanese schoolgirl would make and subtly backed away.

‘Th-This is too much stimulation for an angel…!’

It truly was. Hongwol already had the most... developed figure among his friends, and now she was even wearing a bikini that highlighted her assets.

And with Hongwol blatantly clinging to him like this...

“H-Hawaawa! Wol, stop it! Please!”

Leffrey, flustered, couldn’t help but flail his arms.

“Ah, that damned cat…”

A familiar, cute voice came from behind Leffrey. It was Soya. Soya quickly shot out a question to Hongwol,

“Hongwol, are you a pervert? Has your intelligence dropped? Are you in heat?” (TL Note: The original Korean word is 발정났어? which is closer to saying “are you in heat?” Since she’s talking about a cat, I used it for the translation.) (Other Tl Note: Don’t forget to delete this TL Note dummy.)

“Witch, your words are too harsh. Wait a minute.”

Hongwol, whose “hunt” was interrupted, glared at Soya, but then, before she knew it, she burst out laughing.

“Kyahaha! What is that you’re wearing? No, seriously, Witch. Are you a kid?”

“W-What? What?!”

Leffrey glanced at Soya. She was wearing a cute, children swimsuit with frills around the waist. Ahem, well, it’s a very cute swimsuit.

Honestly, it suited Soya well.

“I didn’t want to wear this either! But they said this was the only underwater combat suit that fit me in the rental room!”

“Ah, is that so? I see. So, poor you can’t even afford a custom swimsuit…”

Heh, pffft, look at that. Is she really a kid? Look at the frills on her swimsuit. She’s so cute.

Open mockery followed,

especially from the Magical Studies Department.

“S-Shut up! You bourgeois black magic haters!”

Kwang! A massive black dog emerged from behind Soya. It was Tantalus.

“Want to see a proletariat black mage’s revolution today? I’m still growing, you know!”

“So that’s why there was so much milk in the cathedral. I understand now.”

Yumari muttered as if casually mentioning it.

Another round of laughter followed.

They say she stacks milk cartons in the cathedral and just drinks them.

Does she think that will make her taller?

Tsk tsk, by her age, there’s no hope.

Soya’s eyes teared up at those words.

“Get them!”

Soya, on the verge of tears, ordered Tantalus, and the loyal hound immediately obeyed his master’s command.

A scene where a dog was rampaging, and students were flying through the air.

Truly,

“What a mess.”

It was a complete mess.

Leffrey, seeing this mess, lowered his head. Could he really create a party with those three heroes? Would they be able to get good results at the Monster Festival?

Leffrey slowly began to lose his confidence.