Chapter 98 – Side Story – Academy of the Ruined World
Dragons don’t breathe fire on Sunday.
Is it because our biological rhythms are structured that way? Even those demons who burn the world for six days and go crazy usually rest on the seventh day. That is the only time when darkness falls on the never-ending midnight sun.
So, there are people who take advantage of that time and run away to the coast. Of course, most do not succeed. The remains of such failures often wash up on the waves along with their belongings. Food or something. Clothes or something. Or a burnt corpse.
However, there are rare cases when a survivor floats up. Age and gender vary, but most are young children. The chances of survival are high because the parents protect the child to the end.
I call such children ‘kkotnim’. There are many reasons, but there is one key thing.
They always have honey to steal. I aimed my merciless blade at the flower that had floated away for the first time in a while.
“Raise your hand.”
“…”
“Raise your hands.”
“…”
Even though I ordered it several times, Kkotnim instead cowered her body. He was probably scared when he saw this ugly knife I was holding.
In the meantime, I find out detailed information about the child. He is about eight to ten years old. The girl’s health level is below average.
And all I have is two cans and a jeweled ring. As I glanced down, the blue light held tightly in my arms twinkled. It was the only asset of that orphan left alone in this lonely world.
Maybe your parents left a will telling you never to lose that much. But she put the items down in front of me without any hesitation. She seems to be smarter than she looks.
You know what the logic of power is. When I stretched out my hand in admiration for his wisdom, he blurted out one word.
“I gave it to you, so take it with me.”
“Where?”
“That hideout.”
“… Hmm.”
He’s a bold guy.
It’s as if he’s asking for something obvious. Since you have paid a fair price, provide a service commensurate with it. That is the law of civilized society and that is the duty between people.
However, the prevailing law in this ruined world is the cruel ideology of meritocracy. Only those who are qualified to eat can eat, and only those who have the strength to live are entitled to live.
I wonder if this kid still has that ability. So she squatted down in front of him and asked a few questions.
“Okay. Then I’ll test you to see if you’re worthy of coming along. Do you know how to cut with a knife?”
“No.”
“Are you dexterous?”
“I know how to fold origami.”
“Did you learn to fish?”
“What is an octopus?”
“Do you know how to cook?”
“I’m better at eating than at doing.”
“What about laundry?”
“Can’t I just soak it in water?”
I don’t know how to do anything. I think the fact that such an incompetent creature is still alive is a testament to the generosity of civilized society.
Was this how I was reflected in that boy’s eyes too? While reflecting on old memories, I shook my head and opened my mouth.
“Okay. Then last question.”
“Ugh…”
“How many multiplication tables do you know?”
“Even the club.”
“Passed.”
Instead of a stamp, I put my thumb on my forehead and then stood up without hesitation. Then the guy sat there blankly, as if he was dumbfounded, and then he urgently ran over to grab my hand.
“Can I really follow you? Oh my god. I just said this out of desperation.”
“You know how to use such difficult words. I’ll count you as having passed twice.”
“After all, it’s something to live for a long time. Meet all these people.”
“Really…”
“By the way, what is your name? Anyway, it’s a bit difficult to follow someone whose name I don’t know.”
“…”
Was it bold? Are you being cocky? Or maybe I’m stupid in another way.
I already regret it, but the water has already been spilled.
“Erica.”
“…”
“I’m Erica.”
“Erica…”
“Call me President Erica.”
I answered him in an indifferent voice and roughly pulled his small hand.
“Once you’re done with all the stupid questions, come along quickly.”
Underground.
The only refuge allowed to the fallen mankind.
Or, a grave.
In a way, it’s kind of ironic. To avoid the dragon, you must go underground, but if you go too deep, your body will be cooked by the rising geothermal heat. Finding an appropriate line between inevitable death is the greatest task of modern humanity.
Of course, the geothermal heat continues to rise due to the dragons’ flames, so ultimately, what awaits us is destruction beyond destruction. If those lizards stop breathing fire, there is hope.
But it is unlikely that such a reality exists. In the first place, a variable that is 100% controlled by others cannot be called hope. Kkot-nim seemed to know this fact and was already complaining.
“It’s hot in the basement.”
“But it’s better here. It’s the largest shelter in this area, so it’s an appropriate size and the ventilation system is still in good condition.”
“Wait, it’s big? Then there must be a lot of other people inside. I don’t like that.”
“Not really. Before we found it, the entrance was blocked by building debris. We had a hard time clearing it out.”
“You seem to be using a lot more strength than you look, sister.”
“At that moment, an earthquake occurred. And they told me to call you Chairman.”
I gave them a stern look and then knocked on the shelter door a set number of times. Then the heavy steel door slid open, and a girl stuck her head out.
“You’re late, Erica.”
“At one point, he nagged me to come quickly.”
“Who is next to me?”
“Our academy’s reserve senior.”
“Wow. Looks like you know how to multiply?”
“He even memorized the entire multiplication table.”
“Oh my god. Then you really are a senior.”
Only then did the girl show joy and extended her hand to Kkotnim. And as soon as he took her hand, he shook it violently.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Ash. From now on, please call me Vice President.”
“Vice-Chairman? Wait, there are only two of you, but one is the Chairman and the other is the Vice-Chairman, right?”
“I brought in a very smart kid and threw him away. What if the rest of the kids die like this?”
“Please, I hope they die. So why are they so quiet?”
“I’m taking a nap. So follow me quietly.”
Ash raised a finger to his lips and led us with careful steps. As I continued to walk slowly, I heard snoring coming from inside the shelter.
It would be really dizzy if I broke all of those. However, Ash inevitably came out and walked to the front of the room, taking Kkotnim with him.
“Actually, it’s not just me and Erica. There are several other kids living with us besides you.”
“Ugh. Group life is a bit much.”
“Still, try to be friendly. We’ll be together for a long time.”
“Ugh…”
“I can’t say hello right now because I’m sleeping, but first, let’s get to know each other’s faces.”
Then she pointed with her hand to the children lying on the floor. Six flowers sleeping with the most comfortable faces wrapped in mats.
But not a single child is fine. One eye is missing. One arm is missing. Either that, or there were burn marks all over his body. Since they were children abandoned by God, they had the appearance to match.
“As you can see, there are a lot of sick kids. Jay over there lost her eye and Annie lying across from her got hit by the dragon’s fire. And most of the other kids got hurt somewhere.”
“Did you only bring sick kids here on purpose?”
“It’s not like that. It just happened to be like this. There are just so many sick kids in this world.”
“And what does it mean that they have drifted all the way here now? It means that they were children from a relatively poor family. That means they came here much later and with greater difficulty than other people.”
“That’s why it’s so stupid.”
“At least he knew how to read.”
“Hmm.”
This is a story that cannot be heard without tears. That stimulated what little compassion I had left. Even this spoiled little brat looked around at her children again, as if he was impressed.
And then he gave a very simple review.
“They’re all just ugly kids.”
“You have a mean personality.”
“I don’t mean it in a bad way. If I’m among them, I’ll be the prettiest.”
“Okay, follow me. I’ll have to feed you something to make you shut up.”
Why do I already have regrets? I dragged him to her table and placed some of her preserved food on it. Among the things he had, they were in good condition, but he immediately frowned.
“Ugh. As expected.”
“What?”
“Still, my stomach will be full.”
“Should I throw it out right now…”
While she was seriously contemplating, she began to sloppily pick up the food in front of her and eat it. Ash smiled secretly, as if he thought that guy was cute.
“Still, it has a cute side to it.”
“If you’re not cute at that age, it’s a crime.”
“Then they are all criminals.”
“You just shut up and eat.”
“But what can I do here now? Can I just eat and sleep?”
“Oh my. I guess Erica hasn’t explained it yet.”
At those words, Ash cleared his throat and answered in a very serious voice.
“This is the academy. So I have to study. How fortunate I am that a child who knows how to do multiplication tables is here.”
“Yes?”
“So Erica is the student council president here. I am the vice president. Do you understand now?”
“Uh…”
“Is there something you don’t understand?”
“Of course. In this situation, what kind of order is this from the academy?”
“Then is there anything that won’t work?”
Although it was an expected question, I ended up getting on my nerves without realizing it. Strangely, looking at this little guy’s face, he seemed annoyed.
“In a world where you might die anyway, try to do what you want. There will be some kids who pick you up at the right time, so you can try being a teacher, something you’ve never been able to do in your life.”
“There aren’t many other fun things to do, like collecting collectibles that you couldn’t get because they were expensive.”
“Not really. I’ve never lived a life of lack in my life.”
“Going on a trip.”
“How can you travel in a world like this?”
“Meeting a man.”
“Neither of us are interested in that.”
At that point, a deep sigh came out. I shook my head, trying to suppress the nightmares that came to mind.
“The things you might be thinking about right now, people who were on the verge of extinction have done them all. But the results aren’t particularly good. Even if you try to be faithful to your desires and do things you don’t normally do, it’s awkward, and you can’t enjoy it properly.”
“Hmm.”
“So, let’s do what we normally do. Both he and I have spent most of our lives at the academy. And if we keep doing this, an unselected genius might suddenly appear and save us from destruction.”
“Aha. I see.”
“Do you understand now?”
“It seems that the fewer people have experienced it, the more they think that way.”
“… Keep eating that.”
Hearing my words, he obediently buried his face toward the plate. And I felt like I would throw a tantrum if I continued to face him, so I immediately looked away.
But this time, Ash gave me a strange look. It was hard to ignore her bright smile, so she started talking in an argumentative tone.
“Why. What’s the problem?”
“Nothing.”
“Say it without bothering me.”
“No, I should just say something…”
“…”
“I think it’s a little cute every time you imitate that boy’s way of speaking.”
“That…!”
At that moment, my voice became louder without me realizing it. Then, he made eye contact with Kkotnim again and immediately cleared his throat and answered.
“It’s not like that.”
“Every time I act strong, I imitate his way of speaking. But I understand. Sometimes I end up imitating him too, probably because he left a deep impression on me.”
“… I’m not consciously following it. It just happened to be like this. And at this point, I felt like I knew why he did it.”
“Really?”
“The more dissatisfied I am with the world, the more my tone of voice changes.”
“It’s a typical loner’s way of speaking.”
“I guess that’s why I keep picking up the kids without realizing it. Even though I know I won’t be able to handle it.”
“No. It’s just because I know what it feels like to be left alone.”
“I see…”
I didn’t deny or confirm Ash’s words, but just sighed. Then, something suddenly occurred to me, so I turned my head to Kkotnim.
“Anyway, what is your name?”
“Me?”
“Yes, you. What is your name? Do you have a last name?”
“Selina Mouser.”
“Mouser? Where have I heard before…”
“He is famous as a relative of the Anbert family.”
“…”
“Ah..? Ha…”
I closed my mouth, and Ash let out a subtle moan. Then, as if he finally realized something about her, he smiled awkwardly.
“Well… There’s no way an ordinary kid could have survived this far.”
“Yesterday, the last servant I took care of died. He was a good person.”
“Is that why you were so arrogant?”
“My great-grandfather always told me to act confidently.”
“Ha…”
That last word drove a wedge into my heart. I restlessly touched my eyebrows and then let out a word in despair.
“It looked kind of annoying…”
Goofy kid