Chapter 129 : Chapter 129
Chapter 129: Rome Academy (1)
Around the time the letter that departed from Rome arrived in Korea, specifically at Taewoon High where Yoo jin was located.
Rome, Italy.
A marble magic tower built atop ancient city walls.
A red carpet stretching between them.
A place where sunlight poured through a massive window engraved with the symbol of the Holy Order of the True Cross.
That was the Rank 1 Awakened academy in the world.
Rome Academy.
The door to the principal's office on the top floor opened smoothly, and a woman in a white dress walked in.
On her head sat a silver circlet that looked like a holy crown.
A faint scent of lilies spread through the air.
The principal of Rome Academy stood up from his seat and bowed his head slightly.
"Have you come, Holy King Maria?"
He was an elderly gentleman with blue eyes.
His name was Totti, the principal of Rome Academy.
"Ah, seriously, Principal, please don't call me that. Just call me Karina."
Contrary to her elegant appearance, her voice sounded like that of a young teenage girl, no different from any other high school student.
"How could I call you by your name when you are the treasure of the nation?"
"Please! Then I'm going to call you Grandpa instead of Principal!"
"You can't do that. We must strictly distinguish between public and private matters."
"No, then just call me by my name like any other student!"
"I cannot. For I am a priest and a principal."
"So old-fashioned."
"It cannot be helped. For I am an old man."
Totti, wearing a holy robe engraved with the emblem of Rome, beamed a smile.
Today, this verbal spat ended in the grandfather's victory once again.
Karina, the Holy King, pouted her lips in defeat and plopped down on the sofa.
Watching his granddaughter, Totti picked up the tea beside him and poured it in front of her.
"What brings you here so early? You usually don't show your face until lunch."
The aroma of warm tea filled the office.
"Ah! Right! Is it really okay?"
"What are you referring to?"
"Ah, what we talked about last time! Inviting the guests!"
Totti smiled at Karina's suddenly brightened face and nodded leisurely, already knowing the answer.
"Ah! You mean that. Of course. I have received permission from both the Vatican and the Holy Order of the True Cross."
"As expected! Grandpa is the best!"
"Oh dear... the Holy King, the pillar of Rome, shouldn't show such an image."
"What does it matter! It's just the two of us! And what's wrong with a granddaughter acting cute to her grandfather! God will understand this much."
"Haha, well... God is indeed one who understands everything."
Tap, tap.
Totti's gentle hand patted Karina's back.
"Are you that happy?"
"Of course! You don't know how much I've wanted to meet him!"
"Is that Returnee from Korea really that incredible?"
"He's not just incredible! He defeated the Supreme King with a single finger. And he instantly annihilated the heretic who claimed to be a god, the Revolutionary Army! Also, if you look on Nutube...."
Karina was chatting away like any other high school student.
Chirp, chirp.
Though it wasn't about K-pop or celebrities and interests typical of teenagers back then.
The sight of her acting not much different from other kids caused Totti's eyes to sink slightly.
The Pillar.
Agent of God.
Holy King.
Maria.
The weight placed on her shoulders was not ordinary.
Because of that, she could not enjoy a normal life.
And that always weighed on Totti's heart.
For his granddaughter.
To have her eyes sparkle like this.
Ten years ago.
The time before she even entered elementary school.
Wasn't this the look she only had on Christmas?
A smile spread across Totti's lips.
"But will that man, who didn't even respond to the invitations of the other Returnees, come just because we invited him to Rome Academy?"
It was a pure question.
Upon hearing Totti's question, the corners of Karina's mouth stretched wide.
"Of course. Based on what we've seen of him so far, he can never... absolutely never let this pass."
The Holy King smiled brightly.
Karina's gaze turned toward the window.
The beautiful campus was clearly visible.
And in the distance, the city of Rome was captured in a single view.
"Because he is a teacher who values his students more than the world."
Her eyes were firm, yet mixed with curiosity.
However, the emotion most present in her expression was conviction.
Taking in that sight, Totti closed his eyes slowly.
"I see. A teacher who values students more than the world... I would certainly like to see him at least once as well."
Outside the window.
The cathedral bells rang.
***
Korea, Taewoon High.
Yoo Jin's room in the dormitory.
"What's this? Why is it so long?"
Yoo jin just threw the letter on the floor.
Tap.
"I'm hungry."
Yoo jin opened the lid of a cup ramen and poured hot water.
Whether an important letter came to a Returnee.
Whether the world was in an uproar or not, only one thing mattered right now.
Hunger.
While the ramen was cooking, Yoo jin turned the TV back on and mashed the remote buttons.
[It has already been some time since the revolution failed....]
Click.
[The private conversation between the President and the Returnee. What happened during those five minutes? In this special broadcast....]
Click.
[Korea's Returnee. The Demon King once again draws the world's attention....]
Click.
"Aaagh! I don't want to see this! Why is it only stories about me!"
Yoo jin's brow furrowed.
No matter how many times he changed the channel, only stories about him flowed out.
"No, it's not just because it's about me. Is there nothing I can just watch comfortably! Why do only heavy stories keep coming out! The world? I'm not interested! Isn't there a channel where I can just mindlessly eat cup ramen!"
Yoo jin's irritation filled the living room.
Click!
[....]
It stopped at one place.
Calm seawater.
Quiet narration.
Peace.
"...Ah, this is good."
A fishing broadcast.
Finally, the remote fell from Yoo jin's hand.
"This is how it should be."
Regaining his composure at last, Yoo jin picked up the ramen.
First, a sip of the broth.
The intense spicy flavor woke up the cells in his whole body that were still half-asleep.
"This is it. Phew...."
The taste of MSG scratching his throat.
Next, Yoo jin put the noodles in his mouth.
Slurp!
The springy noodles hit his lips and uvula.
The happiest time in the universe greeted him.
"Watching without thinking. Eating without thinking. This is what a happy morning is, what else could there be."
A day when he didn't even have to go to work.
A bite of ramen as soon as he opened his eyes.
Coupled with a screen that offered no resistance.
The vacation, a legal period of rest.
Yoo jin was enjoying his vacation better than anyone.
The noodle-slurping continued.
Slurp!
"...."
Slurp!
"...."
It continued like that.
Slurp!
"...."
Slur....
"Aaaaaagh!!!!!"
Yoo jin let out a freakish scream and set down the ramen.
"Fine! I get it!"
In the empty room.
Yoo jin shouted.
Yoo Jin himself didn't know the reason.
But something was bothering him.
His eyes were fixed on one spot.
"Ah, if anyone saw me, they'd think I'm a madman...."
Yoo Jin moved his steps toward where the letter was lying on the floor.
A soliloquy that wasn't quite a soliloquy.
The letter he had thrown on the floor without even reading because it was a pain.
It felt as if that letter were alive, watching him even as he picked television channels and shoved ramen into his mouth.
"Haaa...."
With his eyes hardened, Yoo jin picked up the letter that had fallen on the floor.
Pushing the torn envelope away with his foot.
"Let's see... they wrote a long one...."
Unnecessarily elegant gold.
It was high-quality stationery that made one wonder even how such paper was made.
The letters written upon it also looked so straight and beautiful.
The sender was clearly Rome, Italy.
But the characters written were Korean.
Well, since it was an invitation sent to a Returnee, they likely translated it, or someone capable of both interpreting and translating gave assistance.
Smack—
Yoo Jin started to read the letter officially this time.
Using terms like "Your Excellency" or "Sir."
A letter that felt like an immense amount of effort was poured into it, though not quite flattery.
If you removed those unnecessary words, the gist was simple.
We invite you to Rome Academy.
Exchange of Returnees.
We invite you to the world's best educational institution, which has never been opened before.
We invite the students and Teacher Yoo jin.
If you contact us, we will send a private jet.
That was the main point left.
"They're inviting the kids as well as me?"
Yoo jin's eyes moved down very, very slowly.
The world's best educational institution?
Rome Academy?
He himself didn't care.
It was a pain.
On top of that, another Returnee called?
He didn't want to go regardless of who called.
However.
"The kids...."
The faces of his students flashed before Yoo jin's eyes.
Jin-ho, Tae-wook, Ye-na, Seong-hyeon, the twins... the faces of every child in the class.
Even if to Yoo jin it was merely the epitome of unnecessary annoyance.
It was different for the children.
What was Rome Academy?
The Rank 1 educational institution in the world.
The academy with the best facilities in the world.
The best faculty in the world.
A literal new world for Awakened where the strongest artifacts and magic towers gathered.
There were many talented students, not just natural-type ability holders.
It was said they possessed knowledge and abilities that were incomparable in terms of magic.
If one were an Awakened.
If one were a student.
The place they would absolutely want to visit at least once in their lives.
Rome Academy.
Smack—
Yoo jin's mouth became a straight line.
"Hmm...."
He was conflicted.
From a Returnee's perspective, he had already torn it with his eyes the moment he saw the invitation.
Because there was no need to see it, and he didn't want to go.
It wasn't about weighing gains and losses.
It was simply a pain.
He lived well without going there.
Since Yoo jin was someone who habitually kicked away the trillions of won the nation offered to give him.
However.
The features on his face gathered toward the center.
Groaning sounds followed.
It wasn't necessary for him.
But if he thought about the children....
The conflict lengthened along with the sounds of groaning.
Because Yoo Jin also knew.
Rome Academy.
It was said that the best mages were there.
And the best swordsmen as well.
On top of that, geniuses were scattered everywhere.
The world's best faculty was also abundant.
Artifacts described as gifts from God were lined up.
National-power class.
Strength that can sway a nation.
Usually, Returnees were called that.
But Yoo Jin had also heard through the grapevine that in Rome, there were many things of national-power class that wouldn't fall behind such Returnees.
Since even Yoo Jin knew about it.
Naturally....
Tsk!
Clicking his tongue once, Yoo jin let out a deep breath.
"I wonder if the kids would like it...."
It was vacation time too.
It would have the vibe of an overseas trip.
And the best part was that he could give the children an experience that couldn't be bought with money....
Yoo jin's eyes were dazed from the conflict that made his head throb.
"But. I am a Returnee...."
Wouldn't learning from him be enough?
It might be the best educational facility in the world.
But the school where a Returnee teaches was only this one where he was.
On top of that, since he was the homeroom teacher... the Class A kids even more so....
"Should I just ask...?"
Twitching his eyebrows, Yoo jin picked up his smartphone.
Then, he cautiously dropped one sentence into the Class A group chat.
You guys, if a field trip to Rome Academy is possible, who wants to go?
A silence followed for a moment.
It was quiet.
"Of course. What more would they need when they're being taught by a Returnee."
It was just as Yoo jin reached toward the remaining ramen with a relaxed expression.
Ding!
Yoo Jin's eyes moved.
Ding!
Ding!
Ding!
Ding!
Ding!
Ding!
...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yoo jin's smartphone burst into flames.
"...."
Are we going to Rome Academy?
I want to go!
ROME!!!!!
The Rank 1 academy in the whole world.
I heard it's famous for not allowing observational classes there.
The security is insane too.
There are lots of pretty girls too.
I heard there are many strong people, and even beastmen.
I heard there are many people even more incredible than S-Ranks.
It's a product of magic!
But can we really go?
Though some strange things were mixed in the middle....
They liked it this much?
Good grief.
"Why are these rascals so excited? The guys who said they were busy because it was vacation...."
His eyes turned like arrowheads.
"Academies are all the same, seriously...."
Even while clicking his tongue.
Yoo jin's gaze was pressing the numbers at the very bottom.