As the grand sound of trumpets filled the air, tens of students settled down on the ground as if releasing tension or fulfilling a predetermined agreement. Among those standing unscathed were only around ten individuals, including the main characters and about ten others, including myself.
Well, to be precise, not everyone was unscathed.
The trembling of my fingertips intensified. It was all because of the chaos I caused by offering to use my Clean skill on Haru.
Teachers who had barricaded the field like a fortress now approached the injured students with kind smiles, saying, "Well done," as they neared.
"Huueong!"
When an adult approached, one student burst into tears as if awakening from a nightmare. Their sobbing became the trigger for several others, and the teachers awkwardly comforted them as more students shed tears.
It made me feel sorry for them, even for myself. I couldn't help but think about the hardship at such a young age.
Despite the loud fuss, there was only one healer among us, the teacher who assisted in engraving Sihyun's class mark. They struggled, armed with a staff, to treat the students.
Soon, sweat formed on the teacher's forehead. Even a quick glance around revealed dozens of injured students. It was a daunting task for one person to handle alone, and I looked at the teacher with sympathetic eyes.
"Aren't you a healer too?"
"…?"
Turning my head towards the unmistakably directed question, I found a fiery orange-haired boy at the edge of Sihyun's gaze. His forearm, which he seemed to be staunching, oozed crimson blood.
"Why would I be?"
Responding nonchalantly, the boy furrowed his brow.
"Then shouldn't you also help with healing?"
"Why should I?"
"Huh?"
Without a hint of hesitation in my questioning, the boy's expression crumpled further. Sihyun, showing signs of fatigue, stared at the boy. Swiftly, shifting my gaze, I looked at his name tag: it read 'Kang Donghyuk.'
It was an ordinary name. Considering this was a world within an internet novel, he didn't seem to be a central character. Yet, confronting him like this made me skeptical as Sihyun.
He was a student too, and the responsibility for healing rested solely with the teachers. Moreover, they were the ones who initiated this, so it was the school's responsibility to take care of it. Even elementary school kids knew the basic principle that one should take responsibility for their actions.
So, even if I had enough mana, I couldn't find a reason to intervene by myself.
"Don't you see the injured ones?"
Perhaps trying to appear hypocritical, I blinked at Donghyuk, who was attending to the injured students. It was regrettable for the injured, but it wasn't my concern.
While I might be seen as kind and altruistic, unfortunately, I wasn't that type of person. Though I felt sorry for the injured students, I didn't want to unnecessarily involve myself when I was in a precarious situation too.
Especially not when someone demanded treatment from me as if kindness was their right.
Exhaling softly, I gazed at Donghyuk. It felt like I knew what he wanted.
"Do I have an obligation to treat you?"
Actually, the reason would probably be asking me to treat myself first. It was a request for help from another healer since it was painful and frightening to wait for the healer teacher.
But in essence, it wasn't help.
Donghyuk flinched as if struck by my words. His expression betrayed his surprise. To Sihyun, who was facing him without hiding his seventeen-year-old emotions, it was just a hollow laugh.
As Sihyun finished his business, he completely disregarded Donghyuk.
As the students' treatments neared completion, the Four Heavenly Kings naturally gathered around Sihyun and Yuseo. As Haeun and Hamin approached, a playful sound echoed.
"How many did you catch? Less than Haru hyung, right?"
"Quiet down."
"Huh? Is that Junggok?"
Wow! Hamin, who said it doesn't matter how many you catch as long as you kill them all, looks embarrassed!
While blocking their conversation, Haeun's mocking voice resounded across the field. Seeing Hamin, who seemed like he might cry even though he wasn't hit that hard, complaining to Geonu, he blinked, unsure of what to do.
I was wondering what kind of combination this was as I observed the three. When Haeun spotted Haru and brightly smiled upon seeing him, he shied away behind Sihyun, still not entirely comfortable.
"You were awesome earlier!"
"…Ah, ...Ugh, yeah."
Haru, still hesitant, spoke while hiding behind Sihyun. Sihyun nudged Haru to step forward with him. Haeun was the most exhausting type like that.
If there were an MBTI test, Haeun would definitely start with an 'E', making me want to avoid getting involved in the hassle. Just as I was about to leave, the head teacher, who was in a meeting with the other teachers, grabbed the microphone.
*Beeeeeep!*
The sharp sound of the microphone made everyone turn their attention to the teachers, including Sihyun, Haru, and the Four Heavenly Kings.
As everyone's eyes turned abruptly due to the unexpected noise, the head teacher, who had been scanning the children, began to speak.
"We will now begin announcing the results of the placement exams!"
The eyes of the previously droopy students instantly widened. There was no cheer, but applause followed. After the brief applause, the announcement began.
"First, we'll announce the results the teachers have assigned, then reveal the final class placements based on the survey. After the announcements, each of you will receive a personalized academic report based on your pairings, and following that, we'll disclose the top 10 outstanding students. Now, starting with Class D, let's call out the names. Jo Yeonhee!"
Kim X, Park Tra, Namu myeong, and others—names streamed out one after another, and kids scattered across the field, slipping to the right side like sifting through a sieve. Glancing quickly, Sihyun noticed those who had fled from the Irregulars. He swallowed hard; it seemed unlikely he'd be assigned to Class D.
There was no way he could drag himself to Class D when it was just a place for those who were lacking.
"Next, we'll announce Class C. Students called, please line up to the left of Class D. Lee Jihan, Kim Chulsoo, Ahn Yeonghee…"
Once again, the called students formed a shorter line for Class C than D. If Class D comprised kids who either ran away or didn't participate, Class C seemed composed of students who moved or opposed but didn't achieve much. Sihyun didn't expect his name to be called until the teachers finished speaking.
Sighing with relief after experimenting with an unfamiliar ability, Sihyun felt a wave of comfort. Now, all that was left was to calmly join Haru and move to Class B.
"Next, Class B. Called students, line up to the left of Class C. Kang Donghyuk, Nam Jihwa…"
Contrary to Sihyun's expectations, his name wasn't called even after Class B's announcements.
As fewer names were called for Class B and the line completed, Sihyun looked bewilderedly at the headteacher. But until the teacher finished announcing the next class, their lips remained sealed.
The eerie situation added an unnecessary sense of unease. Hoping it was just an oversight, Sihyun waited, but as soon as the teacher began announcing the next class, their lips parted.
"Now, let's announce Class A. Ban Haru, Lee Hamin, Yoo Seowoo, Jeong Daun, Lee Jihye, Baek Geonu."
A select few were called to Class A. Sihyun felt something was amiss when his name wasn't called even from Class A.
Come to think of it, there was one other person whose name hadn't been called yet. Someone who was supposed to be in Class A—among the Four Heavenly Kings, Kang Haewoon's name hadn't been called either. Facing the reality, Sihyun turned to glance at Haewoon, only to meet eyes that seemed to harbor similar thoughts. Their gazes locked, mirroring the same suspicion.
"Haven't been called yet?"
In a tone so casual it almost sounded playful, Sihyun observed Haewoon's expression. There didn't seem to be any special knowledge behind his words, but his relaxed demeanor created an eerie sense of something unsettling. Opting not to respond, they both awaited the teacher's words, but even Class A shifted to the right side of the field, leaving the two remaining students standing in the vastness. Among 96 students, the presence of just two felt oddly desolate.
"There are still two students whose names haven't been called yet. Judging from their contributions to the Irregulars incident, both of them should go to Class B."
As expected.
It was a wise judgment. Sihyun silently nodded in agreement with the expected result. The headteacher, noticing Sihyun's resigned acceptance, smiled and opened their mouth.
"However, considering their abilities, both students have been finally placed in Class A!"
Then, the headteacher delivered a harsh pat on Sihyun's back.
Clap, clap, clap!
Caught amidst the shower of applause, Sihyun's back tingled, his lips quivered in disbelief. He had thought at best he'd end up in Class B, not in Class A due to a correction based on abilities.
Treating a wound that was embarrassing to even call a need for protection or healing during the placement test had now become the end result of all his efforts. Sending me to Class A for doing what?
Although he wanted to raise objections about fairness, the approaching teachers guided Sihyun to the line for Class A. Standing at the end of the line, Geonu glanced at him. Sihyun's expression showed his bewilderment at the bizarre turn of events.
The survey results caused some shifts in the class compositions, as expected. However, there were no changes among the students in Class A.
Class A: 8 students, Class B: 18 students, Class C: 30 students, Class D: 40 students.
The final class allocations were sent out with academic reports linked to pairings. As the chime sounded from the ring, Sihyun instinctively pressed the ring, and a holographic window appeared before him.
[Academic Report]
1st Year, Class A, Kang Sihyun
Reaction: A | Damage: F | Judgment: S
Cooperation: B | Support: S | Adaptability: A
Remarks: Healer Class Awakener
Special Note: Exceptional adaptability.
> Final Result: Class A
It felt like a nightmare. Already trapped in a nightmarish situation, something even worse had happened, causing Sihyun to gnaw at his inner lip. Despite blinking and shutting his eyes, the unchanging report denied reality, making him feel as though he were choking. His lips dry, throat parched, he suddenly found a water bottle thrust in front of him.
Startled by the unexpected bottle, Sihyun lifted his head to see Geonu still offering the water with an impassive face.
"Drink."
Seeming parched, his puzzled eyes widened slightly at Geonu's barely audible, subtly adolescent voice, tingling his ears with its ambiguity.
With a quizzical expression fixed on Geonu, Sihyun accepted the bottle. Under the sunlight, Geonu's blue hair shimmered as if about to scatter. Glancing at the sight for a moment, Sihyun took the bottle and, once he regained composure, let out a hollow chuckle at himself for accepting a water bottle.
There's a limit to how holy one can be.
Grateful in his own way, he nodded and twisted the bottle's cap. The water, tepid as it streamed down his throat, was enough to quench his thirst. As he drank, a moment of relief washed over him.
"Now, we'll announce the top 10 outstanding students. Starting from the 10th place! In 10th place, Kang Donghyuk!"
"Pfft—!"
Startled by the announcement, Sihyun spewed the water he was drinking. His surprised azure eyes turned toward himself, but more than that, his incredulous gaze locked onto the headteacher.
Spitting out water at the mention of rankings was truly…
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