An Angel Lives in the Academy
Chapter 187: The Angel Who Receives Observation Class (10)

Wiggle—wiggle—

Someone was squirming in the darkness.

“It’s, it’s cramped.”

“…Try to enjoy this cramped feeling. This feeling of being secure and protected.”

“What, nonsense.”

If you looked closely, you’d realize that it wasn’t just one person. One girl was squirming and trying to take up more space, and another girl, larger than her and incredibly flexible, was lying in a comfortable position.

“Be quiet. They’re starting to talk.”

“Hmph…”

The two girls’ gazes finally converged on a single point. At the end of their gaze were a beautiful boy who looked like an angel and a scarred boy.

“Haa. Haa.”

And the girls could hear the boys talking. A sly voice and a somewhat gloomy angel’s voice.

“So, what’s this method you're talking about?”

“Ah, that look in your eyes that shows you don’t trust me. It hurts a little.”

“Just tell me.”

Thus began the conversation between Leffrey and Gori. A conversation about killing intent, and the method to resolve that killing intent.

“Leffrey…”

“So this was the situation.”

Unlike the confident and assertive Gori, Leffrey seemed like a fragile piece of glass that could shatter at any moment. The two girls, seeing him like that, thought of one word.

‘Pitiful.’

The two girls blushed at the sight of that pitiful appearance. However, they shook their heads and immediately focused on the boy’s conversation.

The method to overcome killing intent.

However, Gori explained a method that was close to suicide.

“It’s to overcome the killing intent.”

“Overcome the killing intent?”

“Yes, you literally fight against the killing intent and make it submit to you.”

To overcome killing intent by shedding tears in front of the one you hate.

It sounded plausible at first glance.

“It doesn't make sense.”

However, as soon as Soya heard that method, she shook her head and said those words.

“Doesn’t make sense?”

“Yeah. I've also heard about that method before. However, that method is…”

Soya, realizing they were still hiding, lowered her voice and quietly muttered.

“I'll tell you when we get out. For now, let's see what choice Leffrey makes… You, it’s too cramped here, I can’t really talk.”

“I am a bit big in various places. Sorry.”

“You, you damned cat…”

Squish- Soya let out a silent scream at Hongwol's power hug.

“D-don't press strange places. It, it feels weird......”

Soya, her cheeks completely flushed red, patted Hongwol's back with her small hand.

“You're exaggerating.”

And just as the two girls were lightly bickering, Leffrey made his decision.

“So, Senior, which method will you choose?”

“I…”

Although he had an expression that looked like it would shatter and was wavering, there were still things Leffrey couldn't give up on.

“I, I’ll try to shed tears.”

And hearing those words, Soya silently lamented.

‘Why, why doesn't he discuss these things with us and instead gets counseling from that good-for-nothing nobody?’

Regret and a sense of betrayal.

‘We would have helped you, we would have done anything to help…’

* * *

“So what’s the problem?”

At a certain cafe inside Central Superhuman Academy, the two girls who had chosen a sweet and refreshing drink immediately began discussing what had happened earlier.

“I don’t like the idea of losing memories either. If something goes wrong, then the boy might forget about me.”

“…That possibility isn't zero. After all, that's exactly why this procedure was classified as illegal in the first place. To be precise, it became illegal due to the possibility of ‘brainwashing’, but well…”

But Soya’s expression was firm.

“Still, it’s better than the method Leffrey’s chosen.”

“So, what's the problem with the method Leffrey chose?”

“Do you think it’s possible for an ordinary person to shed tears in front of their archenemy?”

Hongwol tilted her head at Soya's question.

She flicked the drink with her tongue to check if it was too hot.

“Well, I wouldn't know, since I immediately get rid of such archenemies if they appear.”

Soya shook her head with a disgusted expression at that brutal answer.

“You live life so simply.”

Then Soya thought about her own past. The heads of those magic families who were jealous of her talent and those bastards who had turned her hair gray.

Twitch—

Feeling the cold killing intent leaking from her heart, Soya…

“I should have ordered a hot drink.”

…Muttered those words.

And Soya continued to speak.

“It's impossible. In the first place, the method that scarred nobody told is a method ascetic monks would use. And even among those ascetic monks who have reached enlightenment… Most of those enlightened ascetic monks would fail.”

Soya sighed deeply and looked out the window.

“Have you heard of ‘Investiture of the Gods’ before? It’s a Chinese classic.”

(TL Note: Investiture of the Gods or [Fengshen Yanyi] (봉신연의) is a Chinese novel about a war between humans, gods, and demons.)

“Hmph, the real world exists outside books.”

“I didn't expect you to know anyway.”

Soya took a sip of her drink before continuing.

“In ‘Investiture of the Gods’, there’s a saying. Immortals who have attained enlightenment through cultivation can break free from all desires except for one…”

“One?”

“They can never escape from salgeop (殺劫)—‘the tribulation of killing’. It's an unavoidable fate and desire that can only be resolved by killing someone each cycle.”

The tribulation of killing. (Salgeop)

A desire that can only be quenched by killing someone in each cycle.

Since long ago, before superhuman studies developed, it was well known that killing intent was an uncontrollable desire.

“How can Leffrey do something that even ancient immortals found impossible?”

“But Leffrey is an angel.”

“But he’s not that different from a human. He likes money, he likes delicious food… and sometimes he even shows his weak side to us.”

“…”

Lick lick.

Hongwol, having listened to Soya, nodded confidently as if she finally understood.

“Then there's no other choice. I’ll have to take care of it myself.”

“…How?”

Soya looked at Hongwol with suspicious eyes.

But Hongwol just grinned.

“Meow- I have a feeling I know who Leffrey hates. If I completely get rid of them, isn't that the end?”

“You.”

“What, is there another way?”

“But you, you also decided to become a hero.”

Hongwol, still smiling, looked at the flustered Soya.

“I will kill evil and protect the people I want to protect. That's what I think a hero is. And those people Leffrey hates are definitely evil.”

She wasn’t wrong. Those who instigate murders and abused their power, they couldn’t be called good.

Soya could only look at Hongwol, unable to refute those words.

“You can keep pretending to be a hero like that.”

“I’m not pretending to be a hero.”

“Then, how is not fighting being a hero?”

“Wait.”

However, Hongwol was much faster than Soya, and so Soya couldn't stop Hongwol.

Or rather, she chose not to stop her.

‘Maybe, this is the better solution after all.’

Although it wasn't the most ideal, but what choice did she have. Telling the boy, oblivious, to overcome something that even enlightened immortals couldn’t overcome, that’s too cruel, isn’t it?

Yes.

Soya thought it couldn’t be helped.

‘I really hate the words ‘it can’t be helped’.’

‘It’s my most hated phrase in the whole world.’

It was absolutely not a coincidence that Leffrey's sad smile came to mind at that moment.

* * *

And so, the situation ended up like this.

“…..”

“Wol, where on earth did you get hurt like this.”

“…..”

Hongwol, who had returned badly injured overnight. Leffrey hurriedly healed Hongwol, and kept asking where she had gotten hurt.

However, Hongwol couldn't answer.

Because the moment Hongwol were to answer truthfully, Leffrey would surely go berserk.

“I’m too embarrassed to say.”

“No, for you to be injured like this, it means your opponent must be incredibly strong…”

“I said don't worry about it.”

As Hongwol turned away, pretending to be upset, the bandages and dressings covering her back tugged at Leffrey’s heart.

“Wol!”

“Boy, I’m going to sleep.”

At Hongwol's cold answer, Leffrey hesitated and eventually had no choice but to reply like this.

“Okay, sleep well.”

And so Leffrey.

“I won’t be here tomorrow. Don't skip taking your medicine just because I'm not here. I added strawberry flavor since you kept saying it was bitter.”

…Said this and slowly left the room.

And a few minutes later, Hongwol's door began to open slightly. Standing in front of that door was Soya, who had changed into her pajamas.

Although it was a black pajama, the cute magical girl character printed on it clearly showed that it was Soya’s.

“Hongwol, what happened?”

“I got beat up. You can see that.”

“No way, unless your opponent was professor-level, there’s no way you’d be injured like that.”

Hongwol slowly turned around.

A large scar was visible on her stomach, which was exposed because of her tank top.

“It was someone strong.”

“That doesn't make sense. There’s no way some conglomerate, who aren't even superhuman families, could hire a professor-level superhuman.”

“Even our intelligence network couldn't figure it out. Just who is protecting those bastards.”

And what was even more surprising was that even the Mooncat Tribe couldn't find any information about their backer. Just how high-level were the beings sheltering them…

‘Who’s behind this? And who’s trying to corrupt Leffrey? The Seocheon Yu? A large guild? Or some national agency? Why?’

“This is giving me a headache. And the observation classes are just days away.”

“It’s next week. Ugh.”

“…If it hurts, lie down. Leffrey will heal you completely tomorrow, so just hang in there a bit longer.”

With those words, Soya was about to leave the room to let Hongwol rest. But just as she was about to leave, she heard one sentence.

“Leffrey said he has something tomorrow.”

“Something? There shouldn't be anything.”

Lately, Leffrey had been incredibly shaken.

So there's no way he would have made any plans.

But if there was something he had to do that required making plans…

“No.”

Soya, still in her pajamas, ran to Leffrey’s room.

Knock knock-

“Leffrey? Are you already asleep?”

Knock knock- Though she knocked on the door, there was no response from Leffrey's room. Soya couldn't wait for an answer and quickly opened Leffrey's door but…

It was empty.

‘Leffrey’s gone. Where could he have gone at this hour? Why, why did he leave? Without telling me, abandoning me…’

Soya, hiding her terrified face with her witch’s hat, quickly organized her thoughts.

‘No matter how I think about it, there’s only one reason he would leave like this. That scarred boy had mentioned a method about shedding tears. So he must be trying it out. And if that’s the case, he’ll probably try it somewhere he can be isolated if his killing intent takes over.’

And in less than a second, the answer came to her.

‘An isolated place strong enough to contain a rampaging angel. Among the lecture halls 0 to 9 that the headmaster personally designed, that's the only option.’

She knew where he was.

Then Soya's course of action was decided.

“Trying to deal with it all on his own. What are you, a loner angel? Why are you acting like you don't have friends?”

Soya’s voice was filled with anger.

The girl headed outside the cathedral without hesitation.

“Leffrey, you’re in big trouble.”

Having changed clothes with a single snap of her fingers, Soya declared while clenching her small fist.

“I'm going to show you my Black Magic Punch…!”