Rank 0 of the Awakener Special School - Chapter 35

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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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Ranked 0 Among Awakeners at the Special School
Chapter 35
Ji-woo didn’t bother wiping away the blood trickling down her hand as she answered.
“I need to leave evidence.”
“Evidence?”
“I’m going to walk out of here and tell the teachers that I was assaulted under the guise of discipline.”
Having said that much, Ji-woo set down the fountain pen she’d been holding.
“Isn’t that what you’d call an abuse of teaching authority?”
In that moment, the atmosphere in the meeting room froze solid.
One of them regarded Ji-woo with a barely concealed smirk.
This student’s behavior was really something to behold, come to think of it.
“Where do you think you’re going with that nonsense? Are you planning to run to the Director? Do you really think the Director will believe such a cheap act?”
“I’m not sure about the Director, but I don’t think my grandfather would disbelieve me.”
At the word “grandfather” from Ji-woo’s mouth, the teachers’ expressions shifted.
──The chairman of Seolhwa Pharmaceutical.
He was one of the major donors who periodically sent sponsorship funds to Gaon.
But that was purely for the company’s image.
“You don’t understand how adults work, girl. Your grandfather wouldn’t be able to cut his sponsorship just because his granddaughter scraped her hand at school.”
In fact, the chairman of Seolhwa Pharmaceutical had not withdrawn his support even when his granddaughter had an accident at school and was brought home.
In other words, Ji-woo’s threat was meaningless.
But then.
“I know. Instead, one or two of the teachers here might end up getting fired.”
“…What?”
The teachers’ shoulders tensed.
In their midst, Ji-woo added with confident assurance.
“His only granddaughter came back looking like this—don’t you think he’d grant me that small request?”
It was a lie.
Her grandfather wouldn’t give Ji-woo’s pleas a second thought.
But these teachers didn’t know about the relationship between Ji-woo and her grandfather.
“When she got hurt last year and came home, he was already quite upset. If she gets hurt again just after coming back to school, I’m sure he’ll be even more upset.”
“Do you really think lying to adults is going to work?”
“Yes.”
Ji-woo tilted her head as if confused about the problem.
“Truth doesn’t matter anyway. Besides, there’s no CCTV.”
…
…
A silence fell like cold water.
All their bluster evaporated. Not one of the teachers opened their mouth—they only watched each other nervously.
Teachers at Gaon received far greater benefits and salaries than those at ordinary schools.
…What if, just what if—
What if they lost their teaching positions because of this student’s words?
“Well, I’ll be going then. You can all sort out my disciplinary matter yourselves.”
“Wait, you there, Ji-hyo—!”
One teacher hastily grabbed Ji-woo as she turned to leave, as though her business here was finished.
He was just fumbling to open his mouth when—
Click.
The door opened. Someone had entered the Staff Meeting Room.
A tall partition stood between them, however, so it wasn’t immediately clear who had come in.
“You wait outside.”
A very youthful voice came from beyond the partition.
Footsteps followed.
In that light, shuffling walk, almost no weight could be felt. It sounded like the steps of a very small child.
And that assumption proved correct.
“Much obliged for your trouble, everyone.”
What emerged into view was a boy who appeared to be around ten years old.
‘That boy…’
His face was definitely familiar.
If it wasn’t a mistake, this was the same boy who had treated her scraped hand in front of the High School Dormitory on her first day at Gaon.
‘What’s he doing here?’
As Ji-woo took in the scene, the boy moved his small feet, pacing along the length of the long conference table with quick steps.
Not a single person present tried to stop the small child as he brazenly crossed the Staff Meeting Room.
Eventually the boy reached Ji-woo’s face.
“Long time no see, Ji-hyo.”
“…?”
“Ah, perhaps not that long ago after all.”
As the boy laughed, one of the surrounding teachers’ eyes widened and he exclaimed.
“Director! Listen to what this student—!”
The smile vanished from the boy’s lips as if it had never existed.
He neither shouted nor gestured.
He simply glanced back at the teacher, yet the man trembled as though struck and fell silent.
But what was even more startling came next.
‘Did he just say Director?’
Ji-woo stared at the boy with bewildered eyes.
Hair so silver it was nearly white, eyes round and clear as glass beads.
Looking at him again, he was just an ordinary young boy with a somewhat cute appearance.
The boy smiled again as if nothing had happened, regarding Ji-woo.
“I didn’t have time to introduce myself then. I’m called Orion.”
A small, plump hand extended toward her.
“I serve as the Director of this place, the National Gaon Special School.”
…She hadn’t misheard.
Judging by the other teachers’ reactions, the boy was certainly not joking.
“…I’m Ji-hyo.”
She grasped his hand and answered.
She’d shaken his hand before she could think.
The boy—or rather, the Director—wore a pleased smile and showed no intention of letting go.
Instead, he smoothly drew Ji-woo toward himself and looked around as he made his announcement.
“Then I’ll be taking this student with me.”
“D-Director!”
“Hmm? Is there a problem?”
“Well, no, it’s not that, but…”
“Then you all understand, yes?”
Ji-woo, standing beside the young Director, remained standing blankly, still unable to grasp the situation.
“Shall we go, Ji-hyo?”
Orion led Ji-woo away and exited the Staff Meeting Room at a leisurely pace.
Click.
As the door closed again, none of the teachers left behind made any move to stop them.
The meeting room fell into silence.
The fluorescent light that had been flickering precariously was now burning steadily, as if nothing had happened.
* * *
“All done.”
Click.
A man closed the medical supply kit and rose from his seat, then bowed respectfully.
Standing at the end of the bow was the small boy, Orion.
“Thank you for your work.”
The Director who had brought Ji-woo to his office had first called in someone to treat her injured hand.
He didn’t ask how it happened. Perhaps he already knew.
In any case, after dismissing the man, Orion retrieved some tea and cups that had been prepared beforehand and offered them to Ji-woo.
“Please, drink.”
“…Thank you.”
Ji-woo carefully lifted the cup with her bandaged hand.
White steam rose gently above the fine glass.
Holding the cup in both hands, Ji-woo took the opportunity to discreetly glance around the room.
She had been observing her surroundings since the treatment began.
So this boy was the Director, and this was his office, it seemed…
But where had that chandelier on the ceiling suddenly come from?
And what about the red carpet covering the floor?
“Are you very surprised?”
“Yes, somewhat… It’s more lavish than I expected.”
“Hmm? You mean that?”
The Director, Orion, laughed with obvious amusement and sat on the sofa across from her.
“I meant—weren’t you surprised to be dragged into a Disciplinary Committee meeting?”
“Ah, yes, I was.”
In truth, his arrival had been good timing in many ways.
If he hadn’t appeared…
‘I might have completely lost control.’
Though she’d maintained composure, their mention of family had made her grip on reason slip.
“Anything else?”
“…Pardon?”
“Weren’t you surprised that such a young and cute boy turned out to be a Director?”
Ah…
Ji-woo took another sip of tea and nodded belatedly.
“Yes, well… I suppose that’s possible. There are many kinds of Cores in the world, after all.”
At that, Orion raised one eyebrow slightly in surprise.
“You believe my youthful appearance is due to the power of my Core?”
“Isn’t it?”
“Correct. However, most people don’t think that way. Especially not young students.”
Orion sipped his tea and settled back loosely against the sofa.
“A Core allows anything to be possible with the right mindset. For a man past sixty to become an elementary schoolboy is nothing difficult.”
Sunlight pouring through the floor-to-ceiling windows illuminated the young Director’s face.
“But here’s what I wonder, Ji-hyo.”
Suddenly his voice grew quieter.
…Perhaps it was her imagination.
The temperature of the air around them seemed to shift with his tone.
“What do you think would happen if we Awakeners didn’t move according to society’s wishes?”
“…I’m not sure what you mean.”
“If all Awakeners wielded this great and special power for personal greed rather than for society’s benefit.”
What if, as a result, crimes or catastrophes arose that ordinary people couldn’t possibly prevent?
“The answer is simple. Society would treat Awakeners as a threat.”
After all, that’s how perception worked.
Once an idea took root in people’s minds, it was terribly hard to change it back.
Orion stirred his tea lightly.
Even in that small, gentle movement, a whirlpool formed in the water.
“So for us Awakeners to live comfortably, society must continue to see us as nothing but ‘virtuous and righteous beings.'”
Their eyes met, and he smiled.
“Young Awakeners who haven’t even reached adulthood mustn’t be seen committing evil. Society must never know if someone here bullies a classmate, harasses them—”
Click. He set down his cup and clasped his hands together.
“Or even kills them.”

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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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