Chapter 3: I’m Sorry for Acting Out

Ruah sat on the bench, observing the new students. she’d seen this scene countless times in the game, but witnessing it in person felt different.

‘This is the beginning of the game.’

Of course, Ruah knew the contents of the test.

Even the results.

[In this test, where each student unleashed their skills on the punching bags, the protagonist would barely make it into the special class, ranking tenth.]

‘So, the protagonist will be revealed here.’

[In Hunter Hunting Academy, the protagonist’s appearance and name were customizable. This meant there was no way to know which of these students, with what name and appearance, was the protagonist.]

Since she couldn’t distinguish them by looks, she had to rely on story-driven actions.

‘I have to watch until the test is over.’

With that thought, Ruah crossed her arms.

“You have five minutes. Those aspiring to be healers, imagine the punching bag as a patient and use your skills. It’s all measured by computer anyway….”

As Proctor Park Sihyuk was speaking, a student quietly raised their hand. Suah, being the helpful assistant, noticed first and called out to the proctor.

“Teacher! It looks like someone has a question!”

“Hmm? What is it?”

Everyone’s attention focused on the student.

It was a girl standing in the middle of the formation.

She wore the same tracksuit as the other students, but her posture exuded a certain elegance. Black hair that reached her waist, neatly cut bangs, and two katanas, one long and one short, at her side.

She had the air of a delicate noble lady, but Ruah knew she was anything but frail.

‘Hoshikawa Himari.’

An international student from Japan, a country also affected by the Gate incidents, and one of the top damage dealers.

Born into a prestigious family, she was an elite who had been trained in her family’s swordsmanship from a young age.

‘She enrolled in Felix Academy to gain new experiences… outside her family.’

Ruah recalled her in-game persona. The way she cut down monsters without losing her composure captivated many gamers.

Ruah was no exception. If she had to choose her favorite student in Hunter Hunting Academy, Himari would be her first pick. Plus, her performance as a companion was incredible.

‘She’s even prettier in person….’

she was thrilled to see Himari in a resolution far surpassing computer graphics, but the problem was that she could only look.

Hoshikawa Himari was now a real person, not a game character.

In other words, she was subject to Ruah’s social anxiety.

No matter how close she felt to her internally, if this noble lady spoke to her, she was sure she’d faint on the spot.

“A question? Student, your name is….”

“Hoshikawa, Himari.”

“Alright, what are you curious about?”

Himari nodded slightly and replied.

“What happens if the target… disappears before five minutes?”

Her Korean was a little awkward, but not distractingly so.

“Disappears? What do you mean?”

“It might be… destroyed.”

“…….”

In short, she was saying the punching bag wouldn’t withstand her power. At her declaration, which was practically a challenge, the surrounding students let out low murmurs of awe.

“Hahaha!”

However, Proctor Park Sihyuk burst out laughing, as if he had heard a joke.

“Don’t worry! Every year we have plenty of hot-blooded youngsters, but at least in the past ten years I’ve been proctoring, no new student has ever destroyed a punching bag.”

“Is that so?”

No one else noticed, but Ruah clearly saw it.

The glint in Himari’s eyes.🎇🎇

‘she’s bruised her ego.’

With the pride of being the heir to the prestigious Hoshikawa family and the skills to match, her pride couldn’t be underestimated. That’s why her companion recruitment quest was notoriously difficult.

She had just told her it was “impossible,” so what would happen next was obvious.

“Now, gather your mana!”[magic]

The students gathered mana, necessary for activating their skills, in their own ways. Some took deep breaths, others adopted specific postures.

Himari simply closed her eyes.

“Ready….”

Tension filled the athletic field—

“Begin!”

“Haaa!”

The quiet field instantly became a cacophony of noise.

The new students yelled as they struck the punching bags with their swords, axes, or fists.

Many of their attacks were imbued with basic D to C-rank skills like

[Slash]

[Triple Strike]

[Mangle].

“Take this! And this!”

“Hya!”

Everyone moved non-stop, trying to inflict as much damage as possible within the five-minute time limit. Aspiring healers showered the punching bags with healing skills until their faces turned red.

However, Hoshikawa Himari remained still.

“…….”

She simply placed her hand on the swords at her side, staring at the punching bag as she slowly lowered her stance.

Sensing her killing intent, the students around her stopped and looked back at her.

“Haa.”

Just as they thought her movement had stopped in her low stance—

—Whoosh!

“Whoa!”

A wave of air, almost like a sonic boom, erupted from around Himari’s scabbard. It was strong enough to ruffle even Ruah’s white coat from a distance.

As the wind settled, everyone looked up.

With all eyes on her, students, proctor, and Suah alike—

—Slice.

Himari’s punching bag slid down diagonally. Cleanly and precisely bisected.

“…Hmph.”

Himari straightened up as if nothing had happened. After a brief silence, everyone applauded.

—Clap, clap, clap!

“Whoa! She actually cut it!”

“That’s awesome!”

“She’s definitely first place….”

A-rank skill, [Hoshikawa-Himari].

Even among the new students, those with A-rank skills were few, and those who could use them like this were even rarer.

It was befitting of the heir to a prestigious family that had honed their sword-drawing technique for generations.

“…Thank you.”

Himari gave a slight nod to her classmates who were applauding and cheering. But she didn’t make eye contact with anyone.

‘Of course.’

Himari’s purpose in coming all the way to Korea was to gain new experiences.

She must have seen cheering crowds countless times back home, so it was no wonder she wasn’t interested.

The class placement test ended quickly.

“Time! Stop!”

Park Sihyuk pressed the stopwatch and announced the end. The exhausted new students collapsed on the spot.

“Huff, huff.”

“With this much… I should make it into the special class… right?”

With the students’ part done, it was time for the teachers to work.

“Nurse Ruah!”

Ruah was startled by the voice calling her and looked up.

Proctor Park Sihyuk was waving his hand.

“Could you please check the students for injuries? I think a few of them overdid it!”

“Y-yes….”

“Ex-excuse me….”

“?”

“Those who are injured, please line up. I-I apologize for the trouble! I’m sorry!”

Ruah bowed deeply. Fortunately, the new students complied.

“She’s cute….”

“Look at how she rolled up her sleeves because the coat doesn’t fit.”

The new students whispered, looking at Ruah. They were simply amused by her cuteness, but to Ruah, it felt like they were all mocking him.

‘I want to quit….’

“P-please show me where you’re hurt.”

“I sprained my wrist.”

A new student extended a red, swollen wrist.

“Ah, just a moment.”

Ruah closed her eyes.

After a brief pause, text began to appear against her darkened vision.

——————————————-

[Currently Equipable Skills]

[Healing (Lv.MAX)]

[Perfect Healing (Lv.MAX)]

[Diagnosis (Lv.1)]

[Currently Equipped Skills]

[None]

——————————————-

It was the familiar skill setting screen from Hunter Hunting Academy.

There was no limit to the number of skills a character could learn. They could acquire any skill, be it healing or offensive, but they couldn’t use them all at once.

Only skills equipped in the three slots before entering combat could be activated, so it was common to equip a combination of skills that had synergy.

‘Well, this is to be expected since I’m an NPC.’

As a school nurse, both [Healing] and [Perfect Healing] were maxed out. But the third skill, [Diagnosis], was new to Ruah.

Ruah equipped [Healing] and [Perfect Healing] before opening her eyes.

“Th-then, I’ll heal you…!”

She placed her hand on the injured area.

“[Healing].”

Mimicking the in-game motion, the skill activated.

“Ooh.”

A green light emanated from Ruah’s palm, and the student’s swollen wrist quickly returned to normal.

“Thank you, teacher!”

“Huh?”

The student bowed their head to Ruah.

“…….”

Ruah was momentarily stunned.

“What’s wrong, teacher?”

“It’s nothing.”

She was a bit bewildered. It was the first time she had ever received a thank you.

Helping someone and receiving their gratitude in return. For Ruah, who had spent her life shut in his room without helping anyone, those words resonated deeply.

‘I’m… useful.’

It was just a matter of touching the injured area and saying “Healing,” but even that helped the students.

She felt a swell of emotion in her chest.

“H- [Healing]!”

“Wow! Thank you!”

Involuntarily putting more energy into it, Ruah efficiently healed the students in line. Cuts from weapons closed, and sprained joints returned to normal.

“Thank you, teacher!”

“He, hehe, th-thank you!”

Using skills consumed mana. Ruah’s forehead was now sweaty, and her legs were trembling.

But her heart was filled with joy like never before.

“Teacher, don’t overdo it, okay?”

“Yeah! I’m fine!”

Even Suah, who was distributing water bottles to the students, offered words of encouragement.

The line of injured students dwindled quickly. After healing the last student, Ruah looked around.

‘Anyone else need healing? Anyone else?’

The quieter a person usually is, the harder they go once they get started.

Ruah was in that state right now.

Even though no one asked her to, she scanned the new students who were organizing their weapons and clothes, looking for anyone else to heal.

“…Ah!”

Then, she suddenly remembered someone.

Ruah approached Hoshikawa Himari.

‘I can do this now!’

With his current surge of courage, she might be able to exchange a few words with her. This was a rare opportunity to meet her favorite game character in person.

“Um, excuse me!”

“Hmm?”

Himari looked down at the small creature that had appeared before her.

“…You are?”

Ruah felt herself shrink under her sharp gaze. Her low, calm voice made it seem like she might draw her sword if he had a trivial request.

“Ugh….”

The moment she faced Himari one-on-one, a primal fear washed over her. She wanted nothing more than to turn around and run.

But Ruah was braver than ever before.

“Um, is your left ring finger alright…?”

The power of [Hoshikawa] was immense, but her skill, as a new student, wasn’t yet perfected. So, until the protagonist helped her, she would injure her left ring finger every time she used the skill.

“……!”

A flicker of surprise crossed Himari’s expressionless face.

“Why do you ask?”

“Eeeeek…”

Under her intensified gaze, Ruah trembled and whimpered, her courage shrinking.

“I thought you might need healing….”

“No. I do not need your help.”

—Thud.

“Argh…”

Ruah’s legs gave way, and she collapsed. Himari glared at her once more before walking away briskly.

“Ah, hahaha…”

Ruah couldn’t leave until the new students had cleared the athletic field.

Tears welled up in her eyes. Himari’s gaze had been like a predator eyeing its prey. A fear etched into her very DNA. She thought she was going to be devoured.

“Sorry for being presumptuous, sorry for being presumptuous, sorry for being presumptuous…”

The swell of emotion in his chest deflated, and her confidence evaporated. she was back to her usual self.

“Sister… I mean, teacher!”

Suah, noticing Ruah was still on the field, approached her and offered her hand.

“Why are you sitting here? Aren’t you coming in?”

“N-no, you go ahead.”

“Why?”

“I have some things to think about…”

she couldn’t possibly tell her she’d also leaked something other than tears. she hoped there were spare underwear in the infirmary.