Chapter 19
“Senior, come on. It's kind of a problem if we're seen meeting in places like this, you know? The orphanage is perfect. The orphanage. That's where we're supposed to meet. You think I became a regular sponsor of your orphanage for no reason?”
“It's urgent.”
“...Tsk. If you're saying it's urgent, then it must really be urgent. But why'd you beat up my men again? Seriously. You could've just passed along a message.”
Grumbling all the while, Dmitri led Ivan to a nearby café.
The second floor was packed with citizens waiting for the university's entrance ceremony to end.
Or at least, that's what it looked like.
The moment Dmitri and Ivan climbed the stairs, the noisy café fell completely silent.
“Alright, everyone. Back to what you were doing. Act natural.”
With a casual wave of Dmitri's hand, every agent in the café instantly returned to playing the role of an ordinary civilian.
Only one table remained empty—a seat carefully positioned outside the line of sight from both the windows and the staircase.
“Have a seat. Sigh... This used to be my favorite spot. Can't use it anymore. Do you have any idea how hard it is to establish a safe house right in the middle of Pritchenkaya?”
“My apologies.”
“Forget it. So... what did you bring?”
As Dmitri held out a hand with a grin, Ivan reached into his coat and placed three small explosive devices onto his palm.
The smile vanished from Dmitri's face.
The instant Ivan noticed Dmitri's hand smoothly slipping into his sleeve, he spoke.
“I removed the detonators.”
“Could you say that before taking them out?! Damn it, you nearly gave me a heart attack!”
“If you're that suspicious of me, you shouldn't have hired me in the first place.”
“What are you saying? My job requires me to suspect even my own parents.”
Shrugging, Dmitri began examining the explosives.
After studying them for quite some time, a broad smile slowly spread across his face.
“Interesting. These were inside Yansk University?”
“Yes. Professionals.”
“Obviously. Three of them... Judging by the amount of mana, these weren't meant to blow up buildings or assassinate anyone. Looks more like a diversion.”
“Agreed. There was probably a separate infiltration team.”
“We didn't lose track of anyone on our end. It's definitely not the Crown Prince's faction. We've tagged practically every one of their people.”
Still smiling, Dmitri clapped his hands twice.
A female agent disguised as an ordinary middle-aged woman approached.
“Send these to the Magic Department at headquarters.”
“Yes, Lieutenant Colonel.”
“And the documents?”
“They're ready.”
She pulled a thick stack of files from her shopping basket.
Dmitri accepted them, skimmed through the contents, then slid them across the table to Ivan.
“This is what you asked for, Senior. We practically worked ourselves to death putting these together on such short notice. If Her Highness weren't so determined to support you... whew.”
“Thank you.”
“Don't mention it. Oh, by the way. Her Highness said she'd like to see you sometime. Have you got any free time?”
“Not for the foreseeable future.”
Ivan gathered the documents and stood up.
Just as he turned to leave, Dmitri called after him.
“Senior.”
“Hmm?”
“Your eyes.”
“….”
“They've changed. You know that?”
Ivan turned around.
Dmitri was looking at him with an unusually serious expression.
His eyes, shadowed beneath the brim of his hat, gleamed sharply.
“Calm down.
This isn't a battlefield.”
“…Mm.”
“I know it's a little rich coming from the guy who dragged a retired veteran back into the field for one last job, but...
Relax those shoulders a little.
Look around once in a while.
Neither Her Highness nor I expect you to be perfect.”
Without answering, Ivan gave a slight nod before turning away.
Watching him leave, Dmitri chuckled to himself.
“This is exactly why people need to date. You lock yourself up, never see the sunlight, and before you know it you've become gloomy as hell. Don't you think?”
“Lieutenant Colonel Petrovich... Truly worthy of the name 'Little' Ivan. His reputation wasn't exaggerated. Remarkable.”
“The first time I saw him, I nearly pissed myself. I still can't believe someone who spent four years doing absolutely nothing can still move like that. Anyway...”
Tapping the table lightly with his finger, Dmitri continued.
“Assign someone to him.
Don't leave that senior alone.”
“If his actions cross the line, should we intervene?”
“What kind of stupid question is that? Do you have a death wish?
Just observe him.
From very, very far away.”
Besides...
How far could he possibly go?
Whatever had angered him, he was probably just determined to personally track down the operative who planted the bombs.
At worst, he'd intimidate a few students.
There was no reason to provoke an angry Ivan over something like that.
While Dmitri was thinking exactly that—
Ivan was retrieving his axe and several healing potions from the dean's office.
He couldn't tell anyone.
That this world...
Might actually be nothing more than a game.
A world governed by an intricate system.
Which meant...
He had to do it himself.
Ivan sincerely believed that as he spread the reports Dmitri had given him across the table.
[Faculty and Staff Roster]
[Incoming Freshmen List]
[Complete Student Registry]
This year's incoming class consisted of roughly three hundred freshmen.
Since Yansk University operated on a three-year curriculum, the total undergraduate population approached one thousand.
Add to that the faculty and staff—professors, teaching assistants, security personnel, administrative employees, admissions officers...
Then include the unfortunate undergraduates who had gone on to graduate school, along with students whose graduation had been delayed due to leaves of absence or other circumstances.
Total: 1,733 people.
“One more category.”
He also had to examine the families of the incoming students.
Anyone who had a plausible reason to set foot on campus during the entrance ceremony had to be considered a potential suspect.
In other words, once the visiting dignitaries from various nations and every student's family were taken into account...
Total: 2,429 people.
“I know you're somewhere among them.”
Ivan pressed heavily against the stacks of documents sorted into neat categories.
Tap.
Tap.
“I don't expect you'll be easy to find.”
Arrogance was the sharpest knife that killed an operative.
“But it won't take long.
I promise.”
Transmigrators in academy stories could never live quiet student lives.
That was simply common sense.
They stopped attacks.
Monopolized fortuitous encounters.
Discovered legendary inheritances hidden somewhere.
Academy stories inevitably followed the standard wish-fulfillment formula.
How could they not?
Who would enjoy reading about someone attending school normally and quietly graduating?
Therefore...
If this person knew the original story...
Then they would undoubtedly imitate the protagonist's path.
Every transmigrator did.
Even Kim Sunwoo's first thoughts after arriving in this world had been about monopolizing opportunities and introducing modern technology.
Every transmigrator was fundamentally selfish.
A walking variable.
Someone capable of doing absolutely anything without it seeming out of place.
After the war—the war the NPCs had desperately fought and died to win—they would happily enroll in an academy and enjoy living out their transmigration fantasy.
They wouldn't want to know.
Nor would they ever understand.
The countless lives hidden away in the background setting.
To them...
This world would simply be fun.
Like enjoying a meticulously designed theme park.
Ivan already understood that this was little more than venting his anger.
Hatred with nowhere to go.
Perhaps even a pitiful form of jealousy.
"What the heck is that? Santa Claus?"
It had been nothing more than an offhand remark.
Yet that single sentence told Ivan everything about how that person viewed other people.
That casual attitude.
As though they weren't even trying to hide the fact that they had transmigrated.
As though they were simply enjoying themselves.
Those few words had thrown Ivan's heart into turmoil.
That detached tone...
As though everyone around them were nothing more than objects.
“Lieutenant Colonel! Did you see that? Damn, I was incredible, wasn't I? I stopped every single one of them, and they were Seven Dragon Generals!”
“Don't talk.”
“Hahaha... I think I could do it again if I had to. Though I do regret one thing. I should've angled my shield a little farther to the right.”
“Cherenovika.
Don't open your mouth.”
“If I'd done that... maybe I could've saved Sasha too.
That idiot...
Lieutenant Colonel.
I really regret it.”
“We're almost there.
Almost.
Just hold on a little longer.
Just a little longer.”
“When I get there, Sasha'll probably punch me once.
Still...
At least I won't be lonely.
Whether it's Heaven or Hell, we've already built plenty of connections, haven't we?”
“Please...
Be quiet.
Your blood's cooling too quickly.
Cherenovika...
Please...”
“Lieutenant Colonel...
Live a long life.
Come as late as you possibly can.
If you show up too early...
I'm going to insubordinate the hell out of you.”
Their stories were not background lore.
Surrounded by scattered files, Ivan was trapped in a nightmare.
A memory from long ago.
“Do not mourn those who departed before us.”
“For I now stand in the same ranks as they do.”
Their stories were not background lore.
“We survived in place of the finest men this age ever produced.”
“All of us did.”
Their history was not some scenario.
It couldn't be.
Within that nightmare, Ivan murmured quietly.
Listening to Kim Sunwoo's voice patting him reassuringly on the back.
Kimchi stew.
Tteokbokki.
Nachos dipped in cheese.
Spicy stir-fried pork.
Hoe-deopbap.
Sokcho mulhoe.
Hot instant ramen.
Home.
Korea.
Seoul.
The rooftop apartment.
My parents.
The subway station.
The convenience store.
The city streets at night.
Home.
I have to go back.
Steady yourself.
Don't waver.
Keep looking straight ahead.
It's alright.
We're not alone.
He clung to every thought that calmed his heart.
Until the night finally came to an end.
***
After the semester began, Eshidis found herself in quite an awkward situation.
No one wanted to eat with her.
At a university where nobles from every corner of the world gathered, being royalty alone was hardly enough to make someone an outcast.
However...
If the royal princess's bodyguard happened to be a middle-aged mountain of muscle carrying an axe while glaring at everyone...
That was an entirely different story for a group of students barely twenty years old.
“Ugh! Uncle, you've completely ruined my life!”
“And that's somehow my fault? Maybe the real problem is all those little punks trying to flirt with my niece.”
“Then why are you scaring off the girls too?!”
“Because this uncle already overheard those girls talking behind your back.”
“Waaaaah...
My college life...
...My youth...
I hate you...!”
The strongest music student in history—
Who had become a social outcast on the very first day of school—
Ran away sobbing.