Academy’s New Guard is Unusual - Chapter 58

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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 58
I had been reincarnated into a game I had already cleared.
Of course, I hadn’t cleared Hard Mode, but upon verification, the main narrative branches were identical across both difficulties.
What we call the Main Story. To leverage the information advantage I possessed, I needed to follow the same storyline as the playthrough I’d completed.
Which meant the Main Story had to unfold exactly as written.
The problem was that the trigger point of this Main Story hinged on Volcan’s younger brother.
For the Main Story to progress as I knew it, Volcan’s brother had to go missing.
Only—if he were found with his skin flayed as in the original—Volcan would become a Barbarian.
The solution was simple.
‘I’ll just abduct Volcan’s brother myself.’
What mattered was the “disappearance.” All that needed to happen was him going missing.
If I kidnapped him directly, then sent him back safely once the incident concluded, Volcan wouldn’t become a Barbarian either.
“Why that expression on your face?”
Milo’s lackluster question snapped me from my thoughts.
“What about me?”
“That look. The one you get before you cause trouble.”
“Cause trouble? People will get the wrong idea hearing that.”
I turned my gaze toward Volcan.
Volcan was cutting bread with a knife. Quite the spectacle.
“Volcan, you’re on night patrol today?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Rear Gate checkpoint.”
The Rear Gate—I nodded briefly and returned to eating.
It was going to be a long night, so I needed to eat properly.
Just then, Volcan placed some jerky on my tray. When I looked up, he smiled sheepishly.
“You seemed hungry. I have plenty.”
“Give me bread too. That way the math works out.”
“…The math works out, you say?”
Volcan tilted his head with a slight smile and placed bread on my tray.
Uselessly good-natured fellow.
Volcan excused himself to begin his patrol. I ate everything on my tray before rising. Milo stuck to me immediately.
“Will something happen during the Welcoming Ceremony?”
“What makes you think that?”
“Problems always seem to occur wherever you go.”
“Oh, I see. That’s one way to look at it.”
“I’m quite observant.”
Milo scratched his head awkwardly.
My sarcasm had zero effect on him.
“Fine. Something will happen during the Welcoming Ceremony.”
To be precise, I was planning to cause the problem myself, but there was no point explaining that. It wouldn’t be fun if I spoiled it.
“I knew it! What is it this time?”
“Imperialists.”
At those words, Milo’s expression soured.
“Imperialists? Aren’t they the enemies of the Empire—those lunatics who massacre people spouting nonsense about pure blood? Are there actually real Imperialists?”
The Imperialists were similar to the Republic, yet different.
At least the Republic doesn’t pretend to be righteous.
The Imperialists called themselves nobles and put on airs of grandeur.
They don’t consider anyone human unless they have blonde hair and pale skin. They commit slaughter without a shred of guilt. Rather, they feel proud—as if they were cleaning house.
Darkin’s disappearance was their doing. In their twisted logic, they were punishing a Barbarian who dared to enroll at Elysium Academy.
My objective was straightforward: intercept before the Imperialists got to Darkin, then spirit him away.
That would prompt the students to organize a search, and Evangeline would break the Taboo.
“I mean, we just had the Demon Knight incident, and now Imperialists too—”
Milo grumbled endlessly as he trailed behind me.
“You don’t have to come with me.”
“I’m worried I can’t help it.”
“Worried?”
“Yes, about the Imperialists.”
Milo spoke with genuine gravity.
* * *
The Welcoming Ceremony was a long-standing tradition at Elysium Academy. Despite its name, the true purpose was hazing the new recruits.
This year, however, the Ceremony’s atmosphere was different.
The new students were so exceptional that older students found themselves reduced to supporting roles.
As a result, this Welcoming Ceremony was harsher than usual.
Harsh enough that trouble wouldn’t be out of place.
‘Or so the script said.’
I observed the students before me, muttering silently to myself.
Students wearing yellow Armbands on their right shoulders clustered in small groups. They were Student Council members.
The Student Council was composed of the most exceptional students from each year—
‘Pathetic.’
At their shoddy level, I clicked my tongue inwardly and approached.
The Student Council members’ gazes turned toward me. But that was all. They ignored me completely, as if I were invisible.
Their ill intent was obvious.
“They don’t seem particularly welcoming.”
“Maybe you’re just ugly.”
“Wait, why are you suddenly turning on me—”
While I was needling Milo, a student approached.
A familiar face.
‘Deferyn. Student Council President.’
Deferyn was like a downgraded version of the Crown Prince. Skilled and handsome, but everything about him fell a notch short of the Crown Prince’s level.
That became the reason for his eventual corruption.
“Your assistance is not required. Leave.”
Deferyn spoke tersely to me. I replied just as bluntly.
“No.”
“…You said no?”
“The Student Council President ordered me here. If you object, take it up with them directly.”
Deferyn’s brow furrowed. But it smoothed out quickly.
“The Welcoming Ceremony is a student event. Mind that you don’t meddle and ruin it.”
With that, Deferyn led the Student Council members away.
From that point on, I was completely ignored.
Which was just fine.
It meant I had freedom to act.
Soon we reached the Dormitory.
Students emerged from the building in clusters. Not a single guard from the usual Security Corps was visible.
The students looked excited, anticipating the Welcoming Ceremony.
“Milo, find Volcan’s younger brother.”
“How am I supposed to know who Volcan’s brother is?”
Simpering Milo scratched his head as he asked.
I didn’t bother explaining.
Though students poured out in waves, Volcan’s brother was easy to spot—there was only one student with dark skin among all the pale ones.
‘That’s Volcan’s brother?’
Volcan embodied the archetype of a Barbarian. His harsh features marked him unmistakably as one.
But Darkin was remarkably refined. Handsome enough that one might believe he was the Crown Prince’s sibling. His hair was even full and lustrous.
He shared only his skin color with Volcan. I genuinely doubted they were siblings, but he was the only student with dark skin.
Then I spotted familiar faces. Evangeline and Andy.
Though Darkin was handsome, students shrank back from him—perhaps because of his complexion.
As a result, he drifted naturally toward the rear, where other students the group rejected had gathered. Evangeline and the rest.
As Darkin drew near, Evangeline—naturally—stumbled over something. The timing felt too deliberately orchestrated.
Darkin reached out and caught her. In that moment, their eyes met.
A scene straight out of a romance fantasy cliché.
The only problem was that the other person was Evangeline.
“Kyiii-eeeek!”
“Oh, don’t worry—he doesn’t bite.”
Evangeline made a bizarre noise. Andy hurried to tend to her.
Darkin immediately recoiled with disgust.
Then Deferyn stepped forward and began leading the students onward.
“This way, everyone.”
After we’d walked some distance—
Deferyn stopped before a forest within the Academy grounds so thick and gloomy it looked positively ominous.
Elysium Academy’s grounds were absurdly vast. Within them lay all manner of things. Mountains, caverns, even a lake.
This forest was one of them.
“This is the Forest of Disappearance. It’s called that because students go missing here every year. In fact, a student disappeared in this forest just last year.”
Deferyn’s expression turned grave as he explained.
Most new students tensed, though some laughed. They clearly thought this was a fabricated scare tactic.
Sadly, it wasn’t fabricated.
The Forest of Disappearance was genuinely where students frequently vanished.
It was because of the Taboo, the same as the Central Library.
“In the Forest of Disappearance, students who vanished in the past emerge. They attempt to speak with you in various ways, but you must never respond. If you answer three or more spirits—”
Deferyn trailed off, building suspense.
The new students grew tense. Deferyn gazed around, savoring their fear, then added quietly:
“You vanish.”
The new students began murmuring anxiously. Deferyn twisted one corner of his mouth and continued.
“It’s an Elysium tradition to enter the Forest of Disappearance in groups of three. As long as you don’t respond, there’s no danger. So don’t be too nervous.”
Then Darkin raised his hand.
“If it’s dangerous, couldn’t we simply not enter?”
At his blunt question, the Student Council members fixed sharp stares on him. Deferyn replied with an easy smile.
“Every Elysium student will eventually enter the Forest of Disappearance. We send freshmen in to prepare them for that day. It’s an Elysium Academy tradition.”
What Deferyn said was true.
Every Elysium Academy student inevitably enters the Forest of Disappearance at some point. It’s that kind of Taboo.
But going in early didn’t mean you’d avoid it later, nor did preparation actually help—not with a Taboo of that nature.
“Just don’t respond, and there will be no issue. I think the explanation is sufficient. Anyone who wishes to withdraw may step back.”
Deferyn’s voice turned glacial.
Student Council members encircled them on all sides.
The Student Council President was openly pressuring them to enter.
If anyone backed out here, their Academy life would be thoroughly ruined.
Anyone with normal judgment would never withdraw.
But there was someone decidedly abnormal present.
“I’ll pass!”
Naturally, it was Evangeline. The problem was that she grabbed Andy’s hand and raised hers too.
“Wait, wait—why am I—”
Andy panicked, but Deferyn had already noticed. Student Council members dragged them both away.
“Are you backing out as well?”
Deferyn asked Darkin pointedly.
Darkin shook his head.
“I’ll enter.”
“Traitor!!”
Evangeline’s sharp cry was naturally drowned out.
“Form groups of three.”
Deferyn gestured with bored indifference. The new students clustered together.
Everyone else paired up successfully, but Darkin remained alone.
It couldn’t have been otherwise. He was already avoided, and now the Student Council President had openly marked him.
“What will you do?”
“I’ll enter alone.”
To Deferyn’s sneering question, Darkin replied calmly. That was the end of it.
The Welcoming Ceremony began. Student groups of three entered the Forest of Disappearance in turn.
Then I moved toward Deferyn. He looked at me with a crooked gaze.
“Two are short.”
I nodded toward Darkin, alone.
“So?”
“We’re two as well. Let’s combine groups.”
“This is the Welcoming Ceremony. Guards have no place here.”
“I’m a new student too.”
Deferyn’s eyes narrowed sharply.
“…Absolutely not.”
“Then when Darkin enters, I’ll just happen to enter at the same time.”
The Student Council handled student-related matters. They organized the Welcoming Ceremony, but that didn’t mean the Forest of Disappearance fell under their jurisdiction.
Supervision of the Forest of Disappearance was the Elite Guard’s responsibility.
He had no authority to prevent me, an Elite Guard member, from entering.
“I’ll be reporting this to the Student Council President.”
“Please do.”
With nothing left to say, Deferyn turned away, his face twisted.
He seemed to have accepted it. Milo appeared beside me, rolling up his sleeves.
“Are the Imperialists planning to target Darkin?”
“Yes.”
“Then we should protect him. Though protecting men isn’t really my preference. Tsk, and he’s handsome too—”
Milo muttered discontent.
Always so consistent, this one.
“Good news. We’re not protecting him. We’re abducting him.”
“Ha, abduct? What kind of joke is that?”
I didn’t answer.
Milo’s face gradually went pale.

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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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