Chapter 134 : Chapter 134
Chapter 134: Rome Academy (6)
The dormitory was located up a flight of stairs along the western hill.
"Whoa……."
Seong-hyeon was the first to let out a sound.
It had white exterior walls that could pass for a hotel.
Every room featured a balcony that looked like a small private garden.
A fountain and garden sat in the center, and behind them, the entire city of Rome could be seen at a glance.
"This is a dormitory?"
"It’s a hotel……?"
"No, I’ve never even seen a hotel like this."
The dormitory’s exterior looked like a fusion of ancient architectural styles—as if created by an AI image generator—and modern practical architecture.
"At this rate, it's not Rome Academy, it's Rome Hotel Academy……."
"Just how much is the dormitory fee?"
"Our school's dorms are on the nice side, but they can't even compete."
The Class A children's mouths were hanging open.
In front of Class A, who were lost in admiration at just the exterior.
De Marco stepped forward holding an assignment sheet.
"I will now guide you through the room assignments."
The children's gazes gathered simultaneously.
At the mention of room assignments, the children's eyes sparkled.
Even more so than during a school trip.
"Since these are the rooms you will use for a little over a week, please listen carefully. The rooms are set up in groups of four, and each room will include one student from Rome Academy."
The children's eyes doubled in size at De Marco's voice.
"A Rome Academy student too?"
"So we're sleeping together?"
Unlike the children who were just surprised, the twins' mouths moved quickly.
De Marco's eyes took in the twins, who looked ready to charge at him.
"The rooms are quite large, but well, sleeping together is sleeping together. It's a large studio format with two bunk beds."
"Ooh!!!!"
Im Jong-sin and Im Jong-il high-fived, though no one knew why.
"This method was devised by the Principal of Rome Academy and Teacher Yoo jin. Though it is a short time, it is intended to create a good synergy between the students of Rome Academy and Taewoon High."
It was unclear what kind of synergy he was talking about, but it didn't matter.
The children were already in a festival mood.
Wasn't it obvious?
A new environment.
New meetings.
New connections.
For 18-year-olds, it was impossible not to get excited.
The students of Class A, lined up in a row, all shared the same expression.
An excited look where anticipation and fluttering hearts coexisted.
De Marco, who had smiled slightly at the children's reaction, quickly regained his composure and opened his lips again.
"Then, I will call the names on the list immediately…… Oh, right…… before that……."
De Marco, who was looking into his tablet PC, seemed to remember something and took his eyes off the screen.
And simultaneously, the gazes of the Class A children shifted to one spot.
It was partly because De Marco's head moved, but the approaching footsteps and the presence drawing closer naturally drew the students' eyes there.
Ten students were walking in a line.
Most were male, but a few female students were visible among the small group.
The approaching students lined up behind De Marco.
"These are talents specially chosen by the Principal and the Holy King. They are all proficient in basic Korean, so you don't need to worry about communication."
Since when did Korean become a basic requirement?
No matter how much the Great Awakening Era had arrived.
The language of another country didn't just become a basic skill.
Although the universal languages remain money and power as always.
Even if Korea had risen rapidly during the Awakening Era.
It wasn't quite at the level of English prior to the Awakening Era.
The Awakening Era was an age where power was everything.
That meant these students were that impressive.
Either they were smart enough to master another language in a short time, or their abilities were exceptional.
If not that, then they were talents who could speak not only Korean but several other languages as well.
Whatever the case.
It meant they were not ordinary students.
"Since we are short on time, let's do the introductions during the room assignments."
Despite De Marco's voice, the gazes directed at each other didn't waver in the slightest.
"Ah, how passionate. Tsk…… I envy that youth."
"Someone might think you're fifty years old."
Though he spoke like that, a smile similar to Lee Si-wang's was etched on Yoo jin's lips.
"The dormitory will use the 10th floor, the top floor of Building A. That entire floor has been cleared out. First, Jin-ho and Kang Tae-wook. And……."
Step.
Step.
Someone approached the side of Jin-ho and Tae-wook, who were standing at the front.
Neat attire.
An upright posture felt even within that.
Neatly trimmed hair and glasses that made the stiff image stand out more.
The Model student.
That was how the boy was remembered.
"These three will use Room 1001."
Jin-ho and Tae-wook made brief eye contact with the Model student.
"It’s been a while since the three of us were paired like this."
"Take care of us."
At the voices of Kang Tae-wook and Jin-ho, the Model student merely gave a small nod without a word, answering in place of speech.
The Sure Victory Team that had faced the Supreme King.
The combination of three people who didn't seem to fit at all had gathered once again in Rome.
Watching the scene from the back, Yoo jin stroked his chin.
"Hmm…."
"What is it? Are you worried about those three?"
"No, it's not that. That fellow…… what is it, why does he look so familiar today?"
"What do you mean? Saying a student looks 'familiar'……."
Despite Lee Si-wang's voice, Yoo jin was still stroking his chin with a look of agony on his face.
"Ha…… what is this uneasy feeling……."
"I'm the one who feels uneasy. What's wrong…… it's not Jin-ho or Tae-wook. That leaves…… Oh?! Um……."
Lee Si-wang, who had been nagging Yoo jin, suddenly took the same stance as him.
Even the expression.
"What is it…… since you put it that way, Teacher, I somehow feel a sense of familiarity too……."
Lee Si-wang also furrowed his brow deeply, wearing an agonized expression.
Urgh.
Yoo jin and Lee Si-wang wore painful expressions, like puppies needing to go to the bathroom.
The reason they were reacting this way was clearly because of that Model student.
However, neither of them knew the reason.
It seemed to be because he was wearing civilian clothes instead of his usual school uniform.
Just who were they being reminded of?
Why was that style so familiar?
Yoo Jin and Lee Si-wang were unable to find a clue.
"Hmm……."
"Urgh……."
The more they tried to remember.
The deeper their contemplation grew.
It felt like they were falling further into a labyrinth.
The Five-Second Rule.
It is said that if an answer doesn't come to mind within five seconds, it won't come no matter how much time you spend.
That was the case for Yoo jin and Lee Si-wang.
Yes.
In the end, it meant the two of them couldn't recall the answer and just kept agonizing over it.
Leaving behind those two with spinning heads, the room assignments continued.
"The Rome Academy student who will stay in Room 1001 with these three students is…… a 2nd-year undergraduate, Leo Valentino."
No sooner had De Marco finished his sentence.
Step.
Step.
Neat footsteps resonated.
And
"……."
"……."
"……."
The Class A students' gazes were devoured by a single student.
One of the students who had been standing in line behind De Marco moved to his side.
Then he stopped in front of where Kang Tae-wook and the others were.
Pure white clothes that were hard to believe were a school uniform.
Long blonde hair reaching down to his chest.
A beautiful man with skin as white as if snow had fallen beneath that blonde hair.
'Leo Valentino.'
A student with an appearance that didn't look like a classmate at all.
The lips of the boy, who wore a cold expression, moved slightly.
"I am Leo Valentino."
An expressionless face and a voice devoid of pitch followed, but.
Gulp.
All the Class A children watching from behind froze.
Shivers—
They knew this feeling well.
'Bloodlust'
Unlike the way he calmly delivered his first greeting, he was emitting an incredible amount of bloodlust from his entire body.
It wasn't just bloodlust.
Goosebumps that made the skin crawl.
Yes.
This feeling.
The instinct felt when meeting an overwhelmingly strong person.
Upon hearing the name, they understood even more.
Why their bodies were having an abnormal reaction?
The Class A students' shoulders were shrinking.
At that moment.
"We met sooner than I thought."
"Seriously."
"……."
Voices rang out, breaking the frozen bodies of the children in the back.
The owners were.
Kang Tae-wook, Jin-ho, and the Model student.
A small crack appeared on the icy face of Leo Valentino.
His eyes moved slightly, though minutely.
His lack of expectation was caught at a glance.
"There's no need to say 'please take care of us', right? Since we roughly exchanged greetings from the Magic Tower."
At Kang Tae-wook's voice, Leo Valentino, who regained his expression, moved his blue eyes.
Leo and Kang Tae-wook's gazes crossed in the air.
"……."
"……."
Silence followed.
And behind their silence, an even colder atmosphere filled the place.
Ice Prince vs. Ice Prince.
It was the meeting of the Ice Princes of Korea and Rome.
In their confrontation, which felt like it would freeze everything.
"Now, now, you can finish your greetings later. We have to do the next room assignments…… Return to your spots."
At De Marco's voice, Leo turned his body and went back to where the Rome Academy students were.
"Phew……."
The children, who felt like they had been trapped underwater, let out deep exhales.
"What is with that guy……."
"Seriously…… are we the same age?"
"Seriously. But what's with that bloodlust, wow……."
The children, shivering, took in the sight of the blonde's back.
He was a student whose depths were unknown.
However, they knew one thing for certain.
That student.
Is ridiculously strong.
It wasn't just because of the bloodlust that froze their bodies.
'Leo Valentino.'
There wasn't a single student here who didn't know that name.
The most recently announced S-rank.
The one who held the title of the world's youngest S-rank.
That guy was Leo Valentino.
***
Leaving behind the cold first encounter with the youngest S-rank.
Room assignments continued.
"You will use Room 1003 together like this. Next……."
De Marco, taking his eyes off the Rome Academy student returning to his spot, moved his gaze back to the tablet PC.
"Miss Ye-na."
"Yes!"
Park Ye-na raised her hand high.
The names of two other Class A female students followed.
"The student who will be sharing a room with you is Ria Seraphino, a Holy Attribute Magic major."
A female student with pure white hair approached De Marco's side.
Legs like a model.
Pure white hair that wasn't easy to find.
Even red eyes that captured one's gaze.
The children's mouths fell open at her appearance alone.
The Chinese S-rank Awakened.
The beauty that could topple a kingdom.
Her beauty didn't pale even when compared to Shaw, who was top-tier in terms of aesthetics.
"Ria is a child with one of the most prominent Holy Attribute talents even here. I hope you form a good connection."
As soon as De Marco finished speaking, Ria Seraphino bowed nonchalantly toward Ye-na and the girls.
"Whoa…… she looks strong even by her name. A Saintess vibe……."
Ye-na's eyes sparkled.
De Marco smiled slightly at the sight of the excited Ye-na.
He continued the next room assignments with that fresh feeling.
"Next is…… Seong-hyeon."
"Yes!"
Seong-hyeon raised his hand.
He looked full of spirit.
No, he was wearing a more excited expression than anyone else.
Even his nostrils were flaring.
De Marco's expression paused for a moment at that sight.
"Haha…… I guess you're excited to make ne… new friends, ha… haha……."
De Marco, wearing an awkward expression, quickly scanned the assignment sheet and called the names.
"Chang-ho and Yeong-seon will also use Room 1005 with Seong-hyeon. And the Rome Academy student who will stay with you is…… Yelena…."
Flash!
At De Marco's final word, the eyes of the nostril-flaring Jo Seong-hyeon grew three times larger.
As if his eyeballs would fly out like missiles at any moment.
"Yel…… ena……."
A laugh forced its way out along with the name from Seong-hyeon's mouth.
Yelena.
A name that makes one's heart flutter just by hearing it.
To anyone's ears, this was.
"No way……!"
"A girl!"
At the twins' fuss, Jo Seong-hyeon's eyes grew even wider.
Seong-hyeon's body began to tremble.
His cheeks turned red.
His nostrils, which had stopped flaring, began to flare even more.
And.
"Ju…."
His voice was emitting all these emotions as one.
"Ju-hee! I'm sorry! This is a revelation from the Lord!"
The sight of Seong-hyeon shouting hallelujah.
The fullness of the Holy Spirit dwelt upon his face.
Toward Seong-hyeon, who had suddenly found religion where none existed.
The sound of someone approaching was heard.
Swish.
Swish.
Yelena.
That…… beautiful…… one whose name alone shook the heart…….
Thump!
Thump!
"……."
Beautiful…….
Thump!
Thump!
"……."
Seong-hyeon's head, which had been shouting hallelujah, turned toward where the sound came from.
Blink, blink.
Blink, blink.
There.
"Hey!"
A gym-rat even greater than Principal Ma Jae-min stood there.
"Nice to meet you, friend!"
Shit.
"Balls……."