Academy’s New Guard is Unusual - Chapter 91

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

Episode 91
The Student Affairs Division was one of the three most important organizations at Elysium Academy.
Among those three, the Student Affairs Division was the most directly relevant to students. To clear the game, joining the Student Affairs Division was practically essential.
The reason Logan’s Republican Hunting Quest was so important was because the reward would let him join the Student Affairs Division.
But this time, I had no intention of joining the Student Affairs Division.
Upon closer inspection, the Security Corps also had deep involvement with students.
In some respects, the Security Corps was even more closely connected to students than the Student Affairs Division.
Even if not the Security Corps, I’d already deceived Logan by claiming to be from the Security Bureau.
If I changed my affiliation here, my impersonation of the Security Bureau would be exposed.
That was why I’d rejected Logan’s offer.
But then—.
‘Honorary Student Affairs?’
I’d never heard the term Honorary Student Affairs before.
In the game, I’d always accepted the Student Affairs offer immediately whenever it came up.
But Honorary Student Affairs—.
‘That’s perfect.’
I swallowed involuntarily.
The other person was Logan.
Showing my true feelings wasn’t wise.
I suppressed the urge to snatch the emblem right then and asked carefully.
“What exactly is an Honorary Student Affairs position?”
“It’s an honorary role, but you can think of it as nearly identical to the regular Student Affairs Division. You’d be able to award students merits and demerits.”
The Student Affairs Division could assign demerits and merits to students.
Accumulate too many demerits and a student would face grade retention; gather enough merits and they’d receive a scholarship.
That’s what made the Student Affairs Division such a powerful position over students.
Merits and demerits were the Student Affairs Division’s greatest authority.
Being able to award merits and demerits meant Honorary Student Affairs wasn’t merely a ceremonial position.
“However, you’ll need my permission to do so.”
Logan waved the emblem as he added this.
‘So he wants to monitor my actions.’
While giving me the authority, he’d simultaneously be putting a bell around my neck.
Still, it was an extraordinary reward.
‘I could award merits to Evangeline.’
In the game, Evangeline frequently received demerits leading to grade retention.
Grade retention was the most fatal blow to graduation.
If I could award merits, I could prevent Evangeline’s retention.
I could always manufacture a reason for the merits.
The Student Affairs Division had another authority besides merits and demerits.
“Would I be able to access the Punishment Chamber?”
I asked directly.
At the mention of the Punishment Chamber, Logan’s brow furrowed.
The Punishment Chamber was a sore point for the Student Affairs Division.
“You seem eager to get into the Punishment Chamber.”
“Yes.”
The game I’d possessed into was a Korean academy fiction game.
True to the academy setting, the school had various chance encounters and treasures hidden throughout.
The problem was their locations.
All the chances and treasures were in hard-to-access places.
The Principal’s Office, the Board Director’s Office, the Main Building Rooftop, the Female Dormitory, and—.
‘The Punishment Chamber.’
The Punishment Chamber was where students who’d committed unforgivable sins were locked away.
The problem was that the Punishment Chamber also had a “Forbidden” zone like the Central Library.
In terms of danger level alone, the Punishment Chamber surpassed even the Female Dormitory.
But there was a treasure in the Punishment Chamber I absolutely had to obtain.
“Why do you want to go into the Punishment Chamber?”
“There are so many legends about it. I’m curious.”
“All bullshit. Just ghost stories made up by bored bastards.”
“Then what’s actually in there?”
“What’s in the Punishment Chamber? Criminals, that’s what.”
Logan answered bluntly while chewing his cigar.
Acrid smoke swept across my vision, then cleared.
“The Punishment Chamber is not yet.”
Logan pushed the emblem toward me. I quickly accepted it.
The word “yet” suggested that if I brought in more Republicans, I might eventually gain access to the Punishment Chamber.
It was good motivation.
“I’ll work hard.”
I said, pocketing the emblem. Logan chuckled quietly.
“Appointing an Honorary Student Affairs member is the Student Affairs Director’s prerogative. The honoree reports directly to me, not the Student Affairs Division itself. If an honorary member causes trouble, the Director takes the fall, so we almost never appoint anyone.”
If I caused problems, Logan would pay the price.
‘That’s reassuring.’
Suddenly I wondered why Logan would take such a risk to give me the emblem.
“But why did you give it to me?”
“You’re like me.”
Logan answered while scratching his beard.
“Surely I’m more handsome?”
“I had a face when I was young too. The Republic bastards ruined it. Goddamn Republican filth.”
Logan suddenly spewed curses about the Republic.
One thing was certain.
‘My alliance with Evangeline must never be discovered.’
I hid my true thoughts and saluted.
“Thank you, sir.”
“Quiet. Don’t go flattering my face.”
Logan waved his hand dismissively.
It was an order to leave.
“Yes, sir! I’ll do my best!”
I saluted and backed out of the room.
* * *
‘Reassuring indeed.’
I returned to the Security Corps, fondling the Honorary Student Affairs emblem.
Back at the Security Corps, Milo, whom I’d stationed with Volkan just in case, greeted me.
“Hey, can’t you tell Volkan to take it a little easier? He’s doing all the work himself like a madman. Meanwhile the other squads get to rest. Ugh.”
Milo looked worn out, the shadows under his eyes dark.
“Anything unusual?”
“Nothing particular. Just the usual strict inspections.”
Milo reported while scratching his head vigorously.
It seemed Volkan hadn’t had any unusual incidents.
‘Is everything fine?’
I’d prevented Darkin’s disappearance, which was a major trigger for Volkan becoming a villain, but I couldn’t relax.
This wretched game wouldn’t go that smoothly.
“Where’s Volkan?”
“He said he had an appointment with Darkin and left.”
“Where to?”
“He said the Cafe.”
“The Cafe? Two grown men?”
“Yes, Volkan likes the cafe on campus.”
Two hulking brutes going to a cafe? Something smells off.
“Let’s head to the Cafe.”
“Right away, sir.”
Normally, Milo would have grumbled about already getting off shift, but he obediently led the way.
After class hours ended, the academy had a considerably relaxed atmosphere.
Students sitting on grass laughing while eating, others taking walks—.
‘Quite lively.’
We soon arrived at the Cafe.
Elysium Academy was genuinely committed to student amenities.
They spared no expense on anything related to students.
You could see it in the Cafe alone.
Elegant tables and chairs around a pond, a pristine four-story building, and even a beautifully manicured garden with lush greenery.
It was an enormous facility.
‘No wonder they’re short on funds.’
How could an in-campus cafe be this massive? It was ridiculous.
There were quite a few people around the Cafe, but I didn’t see Volkan or Darkin.
“They’re probably deeper in the Garden.”
Milo pointed to the thickly vegetated garden.
Most Cafe patrons stayed around the pond.
The pond was elaborately decorated, making it quite scenic.
The garden side, by contrast, looked dingy and had few visitors. There was something distinctly impure about the atmosphere.
As I entered the garden, long leaves blocked my view.
It felt like walking into a forest.
There were students in the garden as well.
The problem was that their intentions seemed highly questionable.
“It’s called a dating sanctuary. Since no one watches it.”
“They skip their studies for this.”
“Right. Some just start making out.”
Milo even rolled around as he vented his frustration.
I pulled out the Honorary Student Affairs emblem I’d received from Logan and fastened it.
“Wh-what is that?!”
Milo let out a sharp shriek.
The students looked our way.
Upon seeing my gleaming Honorary Student Affairs emblem, the students fled in panic.
Campus romance was a demerit offense.
‘Effective.’
I fingered the emblem contentedly.
With this, maintaining an atmosphere of study seemed feasible.
Then Milo asked urgently.
“Did you transfer to Student Affairs?! I thought I said I’d do well!”
“What— no, it’s Honorary Student Affairs.”
“Honorary Student Affairs? What’s that?”
“Literally Honorary Student Affairs.”
“So your affiliation is still the Security Corps?”
“Can’t you see?”
I gestured to the pathetic blue shirt.
Milo let out a long, relieved sigh.
“Phew, I thought you’d been scouted by Student Affairs and accepted. I nearly had a heart attack.”
“I was scouted.”
“You were scouted by Student Affairs?!”
“I turned them down.”
“You made the right call! Student Affairs is overrated anyway. Better pay than Security Corps, sure— and better treatment, of course. Students don’t disrespect them… wait, then why’d you turn them down?”
Milo muttered to himself, then tilted his head in confusion.
“Shut up. Find Volkan.”
“Right! He’s probably deeper in the Garden.”
As Milo said, Volkan and Darkin were at the very back of the Garden.
The two were sitting on the ground facing each other.
Two dark, hulking figures hunched together in a dim spot—it looked like they were plotting something dangerously sinister.
Except between them sat teacups and a pretty dish filled with cookies.
The two were elegantly enjoying refreshments.
‘What are they, noblemen’s daughters?’
I couldn’t help but wrinkle my nose at the sight.
Then Darkin, spotting me, jumped to his feet.
“Boss!”
At Darkin’s shout, Volkan turned to look at me. He gave an awkward nod.
“Welcome, boss.”
“What are you two doing here?”
“We were enjoying some refreshments. Please, try one. The Cafe here bakes their cookies wonderfully.”
Darkin immediately offered me a cookie.
Volkan nodded vigorously in agreement, clearly relishing the taste.
I had no desire for a cookie from a dark-skinned brute, but their eyes sparkled with such innocent earnestness.
I reluctantly accepted the cookie and took a bite.
“…It’s delicious.”
It genuinely was.
“Haha, I’m told the Imperial-born baker makes them.”
“A baker from the Imperial family in a student cafe? That’s absurd.”
“All the better for us! Please, have more. The tea is quite fragrant as well.”
This time Darkin offered me a teacup.
I accepted without refusing and brought it to my lips.
And I downed it in one gulp, like a man.
“Tea isn’t meant to be drunk that way— you should savor the aroma—”
“Hmm. The fragrance is certainly pleasant.”
The pairing of cookie and tea was quite good. I could see why these dark bastards were doing this.
I settled in properly and sat down.
“Got any more cookies?”
“Here, sir.”
“Oh, plenty.”
“Wait, one at a time— just one at a time—”
“Why just one?”
“Cookies not cheap, very expensive. We eat only once per week.”
“That’s right. We must ration them carefully.”
Volkan and Darkin suddenly switched to fluent Imperial speech.
When I ignored them and devoured the cookies, both shrieked.
This was genuinely ridiculous.
“Milo, go buy more cookies and tea.”
I tossed gold coins to Milo. Darkin and Volkan’s eyes widened at the sight of the coins.
Milo immediately took off running.
Soon Milo returned carrying an entire basket of cookies. The tea arrived in a large bucket instead of teacups.
“They kept saying no, so I just asked for everything in bulk.”
Milo set down the bucket and basket.
Upon seeing the basket overflowing with cookies and the bucket sloshing with tea, Darkin and Volkan’s jaws dropped.
“Boss!”
“Boss!”
Volkan and Darkin cried out loudly.
Their voices rang with absolute sincerity.
* * *
‘What am I looking at?’
Raven blinked, staring straight ahead.
Dark-skinned men had gathered in a dim forest, and I’d assumed they were plotting something nefarious.
Their appearance was quite menacing as well.
But—.
‘Four men having tea?’
Raven’s feelings became complicated.

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