SRS 215

“Yohan! Have you decided which team to join yet?”

Fei, who had ran over before Yohan’s group could even reach them, asked while wagging his tail vigorously. Yohan pushed aside the tail fur that was whipping against his face and shook his head.

“No. I’m still thinking about it.”

“Aw, come on. Why are you still hesitating? Can’t you just join our team?”

“Fei.”

“Hey, no playing dirty!”

“Hale said there’d be hell to pay if I didn’t bring Yohan back. You think you’re the only one who’s desperate here?”

The attempt by a certain senior to make a unauthorized copy pushy request was immediately blocked by other upperclassmen.

However, that restriction applied only to aggressive recruitment tactics.

“Ahem. So, Yohan… if you had to pick a team for this mission, what kind would it be? Oh, I don’t mean naming a specific team, but just… what kind of style you prefer? You know, your ideal type of team.”

“Yohan, do you like teams with strong defense? We’re pretty good at that. If we get assigned a siege mission, we’re undefeated.”

“Ugh! Don’t listen to him, Yohan! They’re only like that when defending a fortress; when they go on the offensive, they lose every time!”

“Hey, Fei!”

Everyone engaged in these subtle, friendly-faced maneuvers. And it wasn’t just Yohan they were targeting.

“Ahem. Mikael? I don’t know if you remember, but two years ago… Huh? What’s with those wings?”

“Oh. Yeah, what is that?”

“Mikael, were you an angel?”

The third-year students, who had approached other top performers like Suhyeok, Kylus, and Sei, were startled when they noticed Mikael’s wings.

Wait. They had only noticed it now, even though the wings had already grown– albeit small.

Mikael’s wings were still small enough that they weren’t visible from the front.

However, they were certainly noticeable from the side; Yohan found himself questioning the seniors’ powers of observation for having missed them, when Abel stepped forward.

“Mikael’s been an angel for two years now. Why is everyone so surprised?”

“What?”

“Was he?”

“…Maybe it’s because my first year was so rough. My memory is a bit hazy.”

“You too? Me too.”

“They say beastmen lose their memories when something traumatic happens.”

“That applies to humans too, you know.”

While the seniors complained of collective amnesia, Abel stood before Mikael. Standing in front of the snow-white young man made Abel’s black hair and eyes seem even darker by contrast. The kind of black you’d get if you painted with the darkest pigment in the world.

Abel’s eyes crinkled into crescents as he looked at Mikael.

“Congratulations. I guess the curse has been lifted?”

“I seem to recall telling you it wasn’t some filthy thing like a curse.”

“If living as a first-year forever isn’t a curse, then what is?”

“…….”

Mikael, who had been standing his ground with defiance, flinched.

He couldn’t bring himself to deny it was a curse this time.

Even Yohan, who was watching the exchange, was equally shocked.

Such a vicious thing to say.

He really is a demon.

He had wondered if he was truly dangerous when Mikael was on guard unauthorized copyagainst him, but his way with words was something else entirely.

“Mikael.”

“…It’s fine. It’s nothing.”

“I think Yohan’s taken a liking to you.”

“Abel.”

“I hope it doesn’t fail this time.”

“Hey.”

“Don’t get too angry. I’m in a position where I have to make a good impression on you guys, since Calsian asked me to.”

Whether that “good impression” referred to his physical appearance or not, Abel turned away with a radiant smile.

Mikael clicked his tongue.

“…What exactly is your relationship with Abel?”

“He knew I’m an angel.”

“Does that mean you knew each other before coming to the Nameless Realm?”

“No. He ran into me while I was serving my punishment.”

“Hmm.”

Yohan tilted his head.

Could just that be enough to make them get along so poorly?

Aware of Yohan’s skepticism, Mikael sighed.

“We’re a demon and an angel. It’s only natural that a fire breaks out when you put oil and fire together.”

“But the headmaster and the vice headmaster don’t seem to get along that badly.”

“The Nameless One is a god, so that’s a bit different.”

“What about Professor Joel and the vice headmaster?”

“Professor Joel is of a lower rank. When there’s an overwhelming difference in rank, there’s no reason for them to clash.”

“Then…”

Yohan looked at Abel’s retreating back with wide eyes. To Yohan, Mikael’s [visit our site]status felt comparable to that of an archangel. If Abel’s rank was similar to Mikael’s…

Before he could finish the thought, Mikael flicked Yohan on the forehead.

“Don’t overthink it. Two years ago, my divine power was merely leaking out, but that’s not the case anymore. He should know to back down, but old habits die hard, and since my full status hasn’t been completely unlocked yet, he acts the way he does. I used to keep him in check in the past, but now that I’ve regained my power, there’s no reason to.”

“I see.”

He was finally starting to understand the dynamic between the two.

In short, it was a problem that would resolve itself given time. There was no need to worry.

He had been concerned that a fight between them during the mission might cause complications, but now he could breathe a little easier.

Afterward, Yohan’s group and the upperclassmen chatted while waiting for Professor Shinbi to arrive.

“Hey! Fei! You were trying to scout Suhyeok again!”

They bickered after catching each other making secret recruitment offers to members of Group 3. It was Abel who stepped in to rein in their competitive spirit.

“Instead of fighting, why don’t we settle it simply?”

“Simply?”

“The people who distinguish themselves first during this mission get priority on recruitment. Of course, it’s up to the juniors to accept or refuse. The point is, let’s not fight amongst ourselves over the order of recruitment or who makes the best pitch.”

“Sounds good.”

“I’m in! This school is all about strength. The strong come out on top.”

“Hey, Fei. The juniors can hear you…!”

“I agree as well.”

The upperclassmen reacted favorably. It seemed they also found the constant rivalry and tension draining.

With unanimous agreement, the recruitment war came to an end.

Thanks to that, the students of Group 3 could also breathe a sigh of relief.

“…The professor is running late.”

It had already been over fifteen minutes since they’d come out, yet Professor Shinbi still hadn’t arrived.

It wasn’t just Group 3; the other groups were also unable to set off and were waiting nearby.

While everyone was waiting, Fei, who kept glancing at Yohan, wagged his tail.

“Hey, Yohan.”

“Yes?”

“What is that plant?”

Fei’s curious gaze landed on the object Yohan was holding.

Rumors about Yohan were rife among the upperclassmen– that he was a master of divine beasts, a first-year with insane grades, or even the hero who saved the school during the Dimensional Destroyers’ raid by stepping up in place of the fifth-years who were away on a mission.

Consequently, most upperclassmen knew about Shine, but Manno was a different story.

“Yes, what’s with the flowerpot?”

“Junior. Are you actually planning to carry that along?”

Yohan scratched his cheek as the seniors looked at him like someone who was, to put it kindly, eccentric, or to put it unkindly, mentally unstable.

Was he not supposed to bring him?

He had intended to leave him behind, but Manno had woken up and insisted vehemently on coming along, so he had ended up carrying him.

Yohan looked down in a quandary at Manno, who had fallen back asleep; the creature was buried in the soil like an ordinary plant, with only his leaves visible. Just then…

Pop.

Perhaps sensing the commotion, Manno– who had been sleeping buried in the dirt –slid his roots up above the soil. Then, an eye formed on his surface, and Manno woke up. Manno blinked and looked around at everyone; seemingly overwhelmed by the many eyes upon him, he scratched his head with a leaf and lowered his gaze.

“It is a pleasure to meet you all. I am Manno– a name given to me by Sir Yohan.”

The seniors were not surprised by the fact that the plant could speak.

“I-It’s… it’s a mandrake!”

“What? That medicinal herb?”

“Where? We’ve been running low on them lately because dimensional monsters raided the mandrake fields!”

Instead, they were more surprised to see that the plant was a mandrake.

The upperclassmen, eyes wild with greed, swarmed toward Yohan. When seniors from other teams heard the news and crowded in to grab Yohan, the flowerpot swayed precariously from side to side.

-Ugh… What are you doing? What are you doing?

Yohan snapped back to reality at Manno’s complaint of motion sickness.

There was no one else to protect this plant but him.

“Please, everyone, step back.”

Yohan clutched Manno to his chest and released his divine power. The pure energy cleansed the seniors’ desires– well, not all of them, but it did purify a portion.

The life of an upperclassman at Fantasiademia was too grueling for a mere trickle of divine power to fully cleanse their hearts.

“Yohan, come here.”

Mikael pulled Yohan away from the seniors, who had calmed down slightly.

When Suhyeok, Kylus, Sei, and Bebel stepped forward to shield Yohan, a glint of challenge appeared in the upperclassmen’s eyes.

“So, you intend to stand in our way?”

“We’re third-years. How little do you think of us?”

Seniors from Teams 1 through 5 began [unauthorized copy]to band together. When he saw them suddenly ignited by a competitive spirit, Yohan spoke up.

“If you cause a scene, I won’t give you any mandrake leaves.”

“…Huh?”

“……!”

“Manno is a herb I raised and contracted with. Kidnapping or forcibly taking him won’t make him drop his fruit or leaves. In fact, he might just wither away.”

“That can’t happen!”

“Hey, junior. You must not realize the situation in the advanced herb garden; there really aren’t any mandrakes left these days. I’m not joking– there isn’t a single root remaining…!”

“Please. My graduation thesis is on mandrakes. I only mentioned it out of curiosity, but Professor Will agreed to it…! He’s expecting results now. How can I possibly change the topic?”

Several upperclassmen looked ready to grab Yohan by the trousers and beg.

Yohan broke into a cold sweat as he faced the upperclassmen who were focused entirely on him.

He had threatened them because they all seemed to covet Manno, but now he didn’t know what to do.

Logically speaking, there was only one Manno; he couldn’t possibly supply mandrake leaves to every single upperclassman. Just as his mouth went dry, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind, and his face lit up.

Yohan’s gaze landed on Abel.

So, even a demon can come in handy sometimes…!

Since the brilliant idea was borrowed from him, Yohan silently thanked him.

“Since the supply of mandrake leaves is limited, I will give them to the upperclassmen who achieve the best results in the mission without causing a scene in their respective groups. I’ll be asking the other group members about everyone’s performance.”

At those words, the ranks of the upperclassmen erupted into chaos.

“Everyone, out of my way! I’m heading to the dimensional portal first.”

“When is the professor coming? I swear… Should I just open the dimensional portal myself?”

The first-years were left speechless as the excited upperclassmen swarmed toward the main entrance while clamoring for the faculty.

“…And those are our seniors?”

A bitter lament could be heard from somewhere nearby.

“Yohan, is this really the right move?”

Suhyeok asked with a dubious expression after witnessing the upperclassmen’s behavior. Yohan hesitated for a moment, then made the holy sign.

Oh, Heavens. Please embrace them.

Sigh.

“……?”

For some reason, it sounded as though the Heavenly Lord had let out a sigh.