Academy’S Gumiho Is A Magical Genius [EN]: Chapter 102

Academy Gumiho is a Magical Genius – Episode 102

Otherworld (2)

I opened my mouth, facing their glares that suggested they were ready to hit me at any moment.

“Reason number one.”

“Don’t try to act cool when you talk. It just makes me want to hit you.”

“…If you’re going to say something like that, shouldn’t you at least let go of my collar?”

“Hmph, I’ll grab your collar every time you spout some strange nonsense. Don’t even think about objecting. If you keep doing that, I might just hit you first as an example.”

“…First.”

The first reason I blurted out after much deliberation.

The first attempt to package my nonsense plausibly.

“It’s that there’s a high probability of getting a good grade.”

“Grade?”

Yes, grade.

That was my first argument.

“The Otherworld is generally considered to be a level above a difficult dungeon. If you tackle an Otherworld, you can get an A+ even if you only complete 51% of it.”

“Oh? You’re right. An S-class dungeon only gets a B if you capture 51%. That’s a total steal!”

Lee Ji agreed with my opinion, creating a positive atmosphere.

‘Good job, kid.’

I’ll buy you a meal later.

While this argument swayed some students, like Noh Yoo-ra and Seo Yea-rin, it had little effect on the more skeptical students like Isabel.

“Wouldn’t it be more effective to aim for an A-class or S-class dungeon if you want a higher grade?”

“I agree, Si-woo. Honestly, it’s impossible for us to attack an S-class dungeon, but I think an A-class is possible. Of course, it won’t be easy, but it seems much more likely than going to an uncertain place like the Otherworld.”

“I agree too!”

The rebuttal began with Isis’s agreement.

Isabel refuted my opinion directly, and Sung Yeon-hwa agreed, shifting the atmosphere in the opposite direction.

Lee Ji listened to them.

“Really? That sounds right too…?!”

You fickle bastard.

You don’t get any food later.

I’m going to buy it for everyone but you.

‘Wow, how am I supposed to explain this?’

In fact, I had a few more pieces of information to support my opinion.

The Otherworld we’re going to is relatively easy, somewhere between C and B class compared to general dungeons.

And I know something about how to successfully navigate that world.

As a result, you can easily raise your grades to A+.

‘To explain this, I have to reveal that I came from outside the novel as a prerequisite.’

There’s no way I can say that.

In the end, my first argument was miserably shot down.

“So, do you happen to have another opinion?”

“…Right into the second opinion!”

“You’re really making a fuss.”

I heard Isabel’s grumbling and ignored it.

It’s not like I’m making this fuss because I want to be cursed at.

I had to make this scenario work, even if it meant making a fuss.

A scenario is organically connected to the cause and effect of the past and future, so you never know how the current event will affect you later.

By developing these students now, you may be able to save many people in the future. If I ignore one or two scenarios, hundreds or thousands of people may die as planned.

In that sense.

I must take the lead in this midterm exam.

‘Before they intervene first.’

I must get ‘it’ first.

No, I don’t have to get it.

Whether I get it or destroy it, ‘it’ must not fall into the hands of *them*.

If it falls into their hands…

The potential deaths of nine students at the academy will become a massacre of ridiculous proportions. Perhaps even I, who have seen so much blood in my life, will be shocked by the carnage.

I have to stop that.

In addition, I must prevent the *them* spy from hacking the safety program in Chilseong [Seven Stars Academy] and students from killing each other during the midterm exam.

There’s a lot to do.

‘As a cornerstone, first of all…’

I had to persuade the kids to come with me.

It seems like something is missing from the cornerstone to prevent the massacre.

I was desperate in my own way.

“If you tackle the Otherworld, the public’s attention and your value will increase. I guarantee it.”

“Instructor, value increase?”

“There are only a few guilds or players who are known to have attacked the Otherworld worldwide. You can probably count them on one hand. In fact, most of them are high-rankers or rankers who are making a name for themselves. If you stand shoulder to shoulder with such people…”

“You’ll get global attention.”

“Yes, Isis. As you said, you’ll get a lot of attention. If you use that well, the path to employment after graduation will be wide open.”

Well, most of the people here are daughters of prestigious families who have nothing to do with employment.

It’s important to have something that sounds plausible.

Lee Ji seemed to like it, responding to my intentions.

“Can I join an S-class guild then?”

“If you attack the Otherworld with good grades, they’ll keep an eye on you in such places, right? I can’t guarantee it, though.”

“Still, it’s important to keep an eye on it.”

Lee Ji really liked it.

Wow, you really have to be careful when you make friends with this kid.

He’s so fickle.

I’m worried about him at this point.

I’ve persuaded him for now.

The problem is Isabel…

I turned my head with an uneasy feeling, and I could see her nodding her head unexpectedly.

“…Not a bad condition. Well, if young children attack the Otherworld with few attack cases, they’ll definitely gain fame.”

You’re the daughter of a wealthy family that dominates Europe, so what’s so bad about it? I was curious, but I didn’t have the courage to ask her.

I turned my head away from Isabel and focused on the other students.

Only Lee Ji and Isabel nodded at the last opinion.

The other students didn’t seem very interested.

Well, fame and money.

Most of them are from wealthy families or are students of Chilseong, so they’ll be able to make a lot of money after graduation.

The last opinion wouldn’t be very appealing.

Then finally.

I have to bet on this.

“And finally.”

“There’s a last one?”

“You’ve prepared a lot.”

“It seems like most of the opinions are sloppy for that, but still, it’s not difficult to listen.”

Hey, you guys.

Let me talk.

Cough, I cleared my throat and continued.

“The Otherworld will be of great help in improving your skills.”

Skill improvement.

Seo Yea-rin, Isis, and Sung Yeon-hwa perked up their ears and their eyes sparkled at the words. The three of them were particularly obsessed with improving their skills and realm.

In fact, it was me who really perked up my ears, but I couldn’t see it with my own eyes because it was on top of my head.

Only Isabel and Noh Yoo-ra covered their mouths with their hands and smiled or blushed.

Not knowing that, I turned my head because I thought the two of them were plotting something.

“Is it… because of practical experience?”

“That’s part of it, but it’s not just because of that.”

“I wonder if it’s because of the gap between reality and the Otherworld. That’s probably the most likely.”

“And I’ll teach you professionally before we go to the Otherworld. There’s only a week left until the midterm exam anyway.”

You can gain practical experience with characters named NPCs [Non-Player Characters], and time in the Otherworld flows much slower than reality, so it’s suitable for training.

When I said that I would teach them more, most of the students showed interest.

The female students who learned my teachings at the last auction house.

Everyone except Lee Ji nodded, thinking that these conditions were acceptable.

Lee Ji, who couldn’t understand their enthusiasm, tilted his head and doubted whether it was a good thing.

‘With these conditions, they’ll be tempted too.’

The Otherworld is dangerous, but the safety measures are solid because it’s the academy’s midterm exam.

At least there was no way to die.

Feeling that the trend was definitely leaning towards me, I thought in my head. The reason why I want to go to the Otherworld so much.

The short description Eve said.

─How about a disaster that spreads poison and curses every time you spread your wings made of thin membranes, leading the area to death? You’re using ■■■■■ you caught as a motif.

─■■■■■. Isn’t that too unbalanced?

I don’t remember what ■■■■■ means now.

But when I recalled the context before and after, I could infer that it was something serious.

Whatever it is, I must kill him in that Otherworld before he is born.

Because I think that’s my duty.

Meanwhile, while I was lost in thought, I felt something pulling on my sleeve. I looked down to see who it was, and it was Isabel.

She pulled on my sleeve and asked.

“Besides that. Isn’t there anything else?”

“…More?”

There’s nothing else?

I thought I could just package nonsense well, but honestly, nonsense is just nonsense no matter how well you package it.

Everyone nodded when I gave the first three reasons, but it was clear that my argument would gradually reveal loopholes if I started adding other reasons.

I couldn’t answer her question, and I closed my eyes tightly, thinking that this was the end.

Ah, should I just sneak in at night?

It was a moment when my thoughts were getting deeper and deeper.

* * *

In the end, the students decided to follow my opinion.

Phew, I was really nervous, but I’m glad it turned out the way I wanted.

I took the document with the students’ consent and told D’Artagnan, the head of the department, about my plan to enter the Otherworld.

What should I say about his face at the time?

He had a lot to say, but he couldn’t say anything.

I know what kind of expression it is.

‘I want to stop you because it’s dangerous, but there’s no justification for stopping you from entering the Otherworld in the midterm exam clause. Moreover, Professor Nam Hwa-yeon, who has the next highest authority in the faculty room after D’Artagnan, agreed, so I can’t say anything more.’

In fact, it’s just the second-in-command.

The professors who learn and teach magic worship Nam Hwa-yeon.

In fact, the authority and reputation of Nam Hwa-yeon is absolute.

D’Artagnan is the head of the department, so he’s the number one in the faculty room.

If Nam Hwa-yeon really wanted his position, Professor Nam Hwa-yeon might have become Head Nam Hwa-yeon by now.

“Um… Teacher.”

“Why, Lee Ji.”

“Do we really have to do this…?”

“Of course. I promised to teach you for a week before the midterm exam.”

Thus, a week before entering the Otherworld.

I called the students and headed to a large mountain.

A mountain that is wider and more lush than an ordinary mountain.

I brought the students there for a special class.

“Teacher! Is this the herb?”

“No, it’s a poisonous herb. It won’t kill you if you eat it, but it’ll be painful enough to make you wish you were dead.”

I was teaching them how to distinguish between edible plants, herbs, and poisonous herbs in the mountains.

In addition, when you need to hide in a wildfire or emergency, what is the appropriate concentration of mud to apply to your body, etc.

I taught all kinds of practical knowledge.

It was also survival knowledge focused on the extreme.

“Oh, it’s been a while since I’ve seen this grass. Do you guys know that this grass is okay to eat as it is, but if you eat it with the white flower I saw earlier, it becomes a combination poison and causes stomach pain.”

“…Hey.”

“And that flower over there, I didn’t expect to see it here.”

“Ah, I know that! I saw it at Effnel’s flower garden where I met the teacher before. I remember reading it in a thesis and a catalog, and it’s a bizarre thing that it sprays a powerful paralyzing poison unless you collect it carefully from the petals…”

“What are you all doing now!? Isn’t that why you agreed to his opinion!?”

The heads of everyone turned to Isabel, who was angry and speaking loudly, while talking to Lee Ji.

She was looking at me with an expression that she couldn’t understand the current situation. It would have been a slightly fierce atmosphere if it were normal, but she wasn’t very scary because she had grass and dirt on her clothes.

I said to Isabel nonchalantly.

“Why? I’m teaching you my knowledge now.”

“What kind of knowledge is this! Of course, I wasn’t supposed to teach you skills or something like that!?”

“What are you talking about? What knowledge is more useful than this to the guys who go into the dungeon.”

Uh-huh, how important is this teaching.

In fact, I didn’t feel the need to teach it when I lived in a normally managed environment and didn’t feel threatened by survival.

However, you never know what will happen in the dungeon, so you must keep all possible accidents open.

What kind of grass to eat when food is scarce, and what kind of grass to make into juice and apply to wounds, etc.

Teaching knowledge closer to survival than teaching.

This was the best teaching and wisdom I could give them for a week.

Just like I did a long time ago.

This time, I volunteered to be a teacher and taught the students.