Academy’s New Guard is Unusual - Chapter 11

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 11
The elite Security Force’s morning roll call was held at the Security Headquarters. Security officers were slowly filing out onto the Training Ground in front of the headquarters.
“Why isn’t it raining?”
“An outdoor roll call again.”
Even their complaints felt strangely familiar.
‘It’s like the military.’
I arrived fairly quickly, but Hanswell was already there waiting. His hair and uniform were even immaculate.
It was rather intimidating.
“Form lines over here.”
Hanswell spoke while pushing up his glasses.
Then the barbarian Volkan emerged, and Scarlet and Rudrick came out simultaneously.
The squad leader still hadn’t shown. Instead, Hanswell, the vice-leader, confirmed the headcount and went forward to report.
Just then, Mailo approached Rudrick.
“You want to switch?”
“Yes, since they’re newcomers, wouldn’t it be better to give them some training at times like this—”
“Fine.”
“Thank you. You’re as reliable as always, Rudrick.”
“But.”
“Yes, understood.”
Mailo nodded with a sour expression at Rudrick’s curt words.
“Mailo, stand straight in line. Rudrick, extinguish your cigarette during roll call.”
Hanswell returned and immediately started lecturing.
Roll call began shortly after. A white-haired elderly man stepped forward.
‘The Security Chief.’
There was a familiar face beside the Security Chief.
A goat beard—it was Bedrick. From the way he stood close to the Security Chief, his position seemed rather high.
“Salute the Chief.”
At Bedrick’s command, the security officers snapped to attention.
“The Entrance Ceremony is right around the corner, so don’t cause any needless problems.”
The Security Chief spoke briefly and stepped down. After roll call, the squads gathered separately.
Hanswell began lecturing while reading from a paper.
“As the Chief mentioned, you’re all aware that an unusual number of first-year students have arrived. We’ve conducted large-scale recruitment for the Security Force, but the numbers are still absolutely insufficient. In times like these, we support personnel must work that much harder.”
Scarlet let out a long yawn. Hanswell’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“In any case, the Entrance Ceremony is imminent. It’s such an important event that, for the time being, support duties will be redirected toward Entrance Ceremony preparations.”
Just then, Mailo’s hand shot up.
“What is it, Mailo?”
“I’ll take charge of guiding Grave and the new students! I’ve already discussed this with Rudrick!”
Hanswell’s eyes narrowed.
“Changing duties arbitrarily without authorization is prohibited. It’s a primary cause of command structure breakdown. Second, guiding new students depends on appearance. You, Mailo, are—well, lacking.”
“Lacking?”
Mailo’s face crumpled at once.
He really does say what needs to be said. I found myself impressed with Hanswell.
“Furthermore, the other side specifically requested Rudrick. In such cases, Rudrick must be sent. That’s the rule.”
Hanswell spoke coldly while adjusting his glasses.
It was an irrefutable, logically flawless argument.
But then Mailo—
“I want to do it!! Please let me guide the new students!”
He suddenly sprawled on the ground and started throwing a fit. Hanswell’s face filled with bewilderment.
“Mailo, throwing a tantrum won’t solve—”
“Send me to guide the new students! Please!”
Hanswell tried urgently to stop Mailo, but Mailo threw an even louder tantrum.
The bizarre display drew all eyes. Other squad members burst out laughing.
In the end, Hanswell surrendered.
“Fine! Go with Grave to guide the new students! But only this once!”
Only then did Mailo stand up. Hanswell grabbed him and added a remark.
“Mailo, you’re having a private meeting with me after today’s duties are done.”
Mailo looked at me with a sour expression.
I gave him a light thumbs up.
“You damn—”
Mailo’s lips moved silently.
* * *
Elysium Academy’s security was fairly thorough. One measure was that no one could bring Mana Carriages or Carriages in from outside.
Even royalty had to dismount at the Main Gate and transfer to Academy Carriages. It was crude, but effective for security.
Guiding new students meant loading them into Carriages at the Main Gate and taking them to the Dormitory.
Since it directly affected the first impression new students had of Elysium Academy, the Security Force put special effort into it. This was why Squad 15, assigned to guide new students, was composed of beautiful men and women.
Simultaneously, it was why the female security officer in Squad 15, upon seeing Mailo, had her face crumple.
“We specifically requested Rudrick. Why did you show up, Mailo?”
Mailo wasn’t ugly. By objective standards, he was quite handsome.
The problem was his style. Short blonde hair with a slightly crooked gaze—Mailo looked like an outright delinquent. Entirely unsuitable for the Academy’s first impression. The woman’s annoyance was understandable.
“Well, Rudrick was busy, you see.”
“But why’d you have to come? There’s Scarlet, there’s Hanswell. Why you?”
“Why? What’s wrong with me?”
“Are you seriously asking?”
“What? You want to fight?”
When Mailo suddenly raised his fists, the woman gave an exasperated look.
I clicked my tongue and pulled at Mailo’s shoulder. At the sight of me, the woman’s furrowed brow smoothed out.
“And you are?”
“A newcomer. Why the sudden interest? You want to fight?”
“Hmm, in that case, the newcomer should handle the introduction. And you—stay in the driver’s seat.”
“Why—”
“If you don’t like it, just leave. I’ll cancel the support request.”
“You want to fi—”
“Very well.”
I subtly grabbed Mailo. Mailo bristled but stepped back.
“We are the first faces new students see when they arrive at Elysium Academy. Always wear a smile and treat them kindly. Especially you, Mailo. Don’t cause problems.”
The woman emphasized kindness and smiles, then shot one more pointed remark at Mailo before disappearing.
“Rough luck for the ugly.”
“You damn ba—”
I patted Mailo’s shoulder in consolation. He looked at me, his lips moved, then he frowned.
We were assigned the very last Carriage. It was ornate and splendid.
It was a familiar Carriage to me. It was the same Carriage the protagonist rode into the Academy in during the game’s intro.
‘Really just like the intro.’
Just then, Mailo, sitting in the driver’s seat, gave a pointed cough.
“What?”
“Well, since I’m technically the junior one, wouldn’t it be better if you held the reins? People are watching, after all.”
“Thanks to me, people will see you as a kind senior. You’re welcome.”
Mailo’s face crumpled completely.
Then the woman beside us shrieked sharply.
“Mailo! Smile! Kindness!”
“You damn ba—”
Mailo muttered a curse while breaking into a wide grin. His expression still looked fierce. I chuckled.
The Carriage soon set off.
Elysium Academy’s landscape was truly peaceful and beautiful. Yet to me, the image of it engulfed in flames overlapped.
To be honest, a sea of flames wasn’t the worst outcome. There were endings where it became a hellscape of demons, or where student corpses piled up like mountains.
Objective: Evangeline’s graduation
Reward: Wish Token
Failure: Death
I habitually flicked my fingers at the translucent window.
We soon arrived at the Main Gate.
The Main Gate of Elysium Academy was quite grand and simple in design. It wasn’t particularly ornate, yet still exuded a sense of refinement. A gate befitting Elysium Academy.
Security officers moved busily around the Main Gate. They seemed to be preparing to welcome the new students.
Security officers were everywhere. Some even carried instruments.
Soon, a security officer standing above the Main Gate struck a suspended gong with force.
Boooong—the deep sound announced the beginning. Security officers beside him began striking drums. They had considerable skill, having practiced much.
Other security officers lined up in front of the Main Gate. They looked like knights welcoming a king.
Just then, that familiar woman stepped forward. She wore a practiced smile.
“Kindness and smiles! We are the face of Elysium! Ha-ha-ho-ho!”
“Ha-ha-ho-ho!”
The security officers chanted the bizarre slogan in unison, raising the corners of their mouths.
It was the kind of smile you’d see from amusement park employees—perfectly courteous.
‘This is ridiculous.’
I muttered a curse inwardly while raising my own mouth corners. Mailo followed suit, grinning. Ha-ha-ho-ho!
The Main Gate opened shortly after.
In front of the Main Gate, students in School Uniforms crowded together. With their eager eyes and fluffy uniforms, they looked like chicks.
“Welcome to Elysium Academy!”
A handsome security officer stepped forward to greet them. The students’ eyes sparkled.
“Please proceed without rushing, and line up properly as you enter.”
The security officers guided the new students expertly. The excited newcomers came streaming in, going “Wow! Wow!”
From a different perspective, it was quite novel. I examined the faces of the new students. True to the Romance Fantasy Game setting, they were all beautiful.
However, I didn’t recognize any of them. As I examined the new students, I felt something was off.
“Hmm, something’s weird.”
“What?”
Mailo asked crookedly.
I gestured toward the students and spoke.
“The students’ level.”
“Level? Ah. Hehe, I heard that there were so many applicants this year they were really selective. That’s why the new students’ level is said to be record-breaking.”
Mailo spoke with a proud look, as if he himself had been complimented.
I was already familiar with that account. Students had flocked due to the Divine Prophecy, and as a result, the new students’ standards had risen. That’s why the first-year class had an unusually high concentration of geniuses.
That was definitely the setting—
“They’re pathetic.”
“Pathetic?”
Mailo’s eyes widened sharply.
“Mailo! Smile!”
At the woman’s sharp cry, Mailo hurriedly raised his mouth corners.
Just then, a high-pitched scream rang out. I turned my head and saw a strikingly handsome young man surrounded by female students.
Silver-haired and cleanly featured—his face looked familiar.
‘The Silver Knight, Karel.’
One of the major characters.
Karel was a Holy Knight created by the Divine Nation through reinforcement of combat priests.
Karel was a character who only studied Blessing among Holy Power techniques and devoted himself to Aura for the rest, and as a result made a notable impression early in the story.
Even now, there was a clear gap between him and the other students. It was embarrassing to call them peers.
Yet upon seeing Karel, my brow furrowed instead.
‘Karel is only this strong?’
Karel’s level fell significantly short of my expectations.
Karel was a student who made an impression early on. It meant he’d be among the top five among first-years.
Yet Karel was only at this level—
Something was wrong.
‘Then again, Leon was also below standard.’
Leon’s level had fallen short compared to his position as a professor.
Leon was even a veteran of the front lines. It was strange that even battle-hardened Leon fell short.
‘Something’s off.’
The sense of incongruity I’d felt since meeting Leon had deepened.
I slowly retraced the situation. Soon, I understood where things had diverged.
It wasn’t that Karel or Leon were weak. You could tell just from Mailo’s reaction.
The problem wasn’t them. It was me.
“Right—I’m just too strong.”
I clicked my tongue and brushed back my hair.
I felt Mailo’s gaze.
He was looking at me like I was a lunatic.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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