Chapter 47
After finishing the call with Lia, I immediately got ready to head to the Academy.
Honestly, I wanted to throw everything away and become one with my bed—but that wasn’t an option.
Since the call had taken up most of my morning, I would be late if I didn’t leave right away.
So, I hurried out and managed to arrive at the classroom just in time.
When I opened the door, I saw the same familiar faces as always.
Dan Chun-woo, sitting with his eyes closed and acting all high and mighty as usual.
Helena, quietly enjoying her book.
And Park Siwoo, still sitting at his desk with that vacant look, lost in thought.
He seemed more troubled than ever after what had happened yesterday, his expression tangled with mixed emotions.
I didn’t expect him to change overnight because of yesterday’s incident.
But he had definitely gained enough of a reason to change.
Whether he used that as a stepping stone to rise higher or stayed where he was—it was entirely up to him.
Lowering my presence, I crept up behind him to mess with him a little.
Like a leopard stalking its prey, I crouched low and swung my arm toward his back.
Whoosh—
My arm cut through the air.
Did I miss? No, he dodged.
Just as I reached out, he pulled his chair forward, narrowly avoiding my sneak attack.
For that to be possible, he must have had his senses open from the very start, even while deep in thought.
I couldn’t help but let out a dumbfounded laugh.
So much for thinking he wouldn’t change in a single day.
He turned his head and gave me a smirk.
“Did you really think that trick would work again? Guess you don’t learn, huh?”
“This punk—?”
Was he seriously throwing my own words back at me?
I pinned his chair in place with my foot so he couldn’t move and smacked his back several times.
Smack! Smack!
A sharp sound echoed, followed by Park Siwoo’s pained yell.
“Ah! It hurts! It hurts! I said I’m sorry, stop!”
“That’s what you get for provoking people.”
“You’re the one who tried to hit me first…”
He glared at me, looking all wronged.
I ignored it completely and asked,
“So, are you doing any better?”
“My back’s on fire, you jerk.”
“Sigh, not that. You’ve been out of it since what happened with Senior Dahee.”
His expression grew serious as he understood what I meant.
“Honestly, I’d be lying if I said I was fine. But what can I do? I can’t stay down about it forever. Besides, hearing this from you is kinda embarrassing. You’re probably the one having the hardest time.”
“Hey, when things are rough, there’s no point comparing who’s suffering more. Pain isn’t something you measure against someone else’s.”
At that, Park Siwoo’s eyes widened in surprise as he stared at me.
For some reason, his expression annoyed me.
Then he spoke.
“Wow, didn’t expect you to say something that mature.”
I silently raised my fist.
After I’d just given him some adult-level wisdom, this was his response?
As I started walking toward him, he naturally began to back away step by step.
Just as our little chase was about to start, the classroom door slid open with a clatter.
“Everyone, take your seats.”
It was Instructor Kang Jae-seok.
Dark circles hung under his eyes, a rare sight for him.
His gaze landed on me.
“Cadet Yoo Seongwoo, take your seat.”
“Yes, sir.”
I left Park Siwoo alone and sat down.
The morning assembly began as usual.
“Today, I have one announcement. I think this is something you cadets will be quite happy about.”
At his words, the cadets began to murmur excitedly among themselves.
Instructor Kang Jae-seok was a quiet, serious man—not the type to joke or exaggerate.
If he said it was an announcement that would make cadets cheer, it had to be genuinely good news.
I already had a feeling what he was about to say.
For an event to trigger right after giving Park Siwoo his weapon…
“Next Monday, instead of regular classes, we’ll be having a field trip.”
“Waaah!”
The classroom erupted in cheers.
As with any school, a field trip meant a legal day of freedom—escaping boring lessons and training to enjoy new experiences outside the Academy.
One cadet raised their hand high.
“Do you have a question?”
“Yes, sir! Where are we going for this field trip?”
“The Seoul Artifact Museum—”
The moment he said that, groans and boos filled the room.
But Instructor Kang wasn’t finished.
“—was the original plan. However, due to a Villain intrusion, the facility is undergoing repairs, so the destination has been changed.”
“Oooh!”
The cadets’ eyes sparkled with renewed anticipation.
“Instead of the Seoul Artifact Museum, this field trip will be held at the Beast Farm.”
“Ooooooh!”
The cadets erupted in cheers once again.
Beast Farm.
Unlike the others, I could only frown.
Because the Beast Farm event wasn’t supposed to happen until half a year later, during the second semester.
In the original game, the field trip was meant to take place at the Seoul Artifact Museum.
Was it because of my duel with Yoo Iseo before the entrance ceremony?
I never imagined the schedule would change so drastically.
That was a serious miscalculation on my part.
Could these guys really handle what was about to happen?
Most likely, Berid’s influence had something to do with this decision.
I needed to look into it.
Meanwhile, the others were all excited, completely unaware of what this meant.
I couldn’t blame them for it, though.
Despite its name, the Beast Farm was practically a fantasy version of Jurassic Park.
It was known as the nation’s top theme park—where Beasts roamed within a beautifully landscaped park under tight management.
To witness with one’s own eyes the terrifying creatures once thought to be symbols of fear—there was no way it wouldn’t be popular.
But what truly made the Beast Farm the best was something else entirely.
That was—the Colosseum.
The brutal, blood-soaked battles between Beasts were the Beast Farm’s greatest money-maker.
Countless people tried to get their hands on tickets just to see it.
Its popularity was so immense that people were willing to pay hundreds of thousands of won in extra fees for admission.
At that moment, Instructor Kang Jae-seok spoke up.
“For reference, we will not be watching the Colosseum.”
“Boo—!”
Boos erupted from the male cadets.
The blood-splattering clash of giant monsters—definitely the kind of thing boys their age would love.
“Silence, all of you! Do you think this field trip is a game? We’re going out there as an extension of class!”
Despite Instructor Kang Jae-seok’s shout, the students’ excitement didn’t fade.
Because they didn’t know.
That it would be they themselves who would end up fighting those giant Beasts in that very Colosseum.
After class ended, I went straight to the Student Council Room with Park Siwoo.
Since Seo Da-hee’s death, the Student Council had been running on the edge.
It was already a small, elite group that handled everything with only a few members, so even one person missing was a huge blow.
To make matters worse, Yoo Iseo—the highest authority—hadn’t been attending the Academy, let alone participating in Student Council affairs since Dahee’s death.
Work kept piling up, yet there weren’t enough people to handle it.
It was only natural that Ha Yoon, the Vice President, had taken on the role of Acting President to lead the Council.
When I opened the Student Council Room door, I saw Ha Yoon sitting in the president’s seat, busy with paperwork.
Dark circles hung heavy under his eyes, and his face had grown thin—he looked like half the man he used to be.
Though he appeared worn out, I knew everything was proceeding exactly as Berid had planned.
There was no way a skilled Demon like him would get exhausted simply because of extra work.
Even that was just an act—part of his deception.
When he noticed our arrival, Ha Yoon greeted us warmly.
“Welcome. I heard you went through quite an ordeal yesterday. My apologies for calling you in.”
“No need to apologize. It’s times like these when we should be helping even more.”
“Thank you, Junior Park Siwoo. Please hang in there a little longer. This hardship won’t last much longer.”
At that, Park Siwoo asked,
“What do you mean by that?”
“…After Dahee’s death, I realized that the Student Council can no longer operate as a small elite unit.”
He closed his eyes tightly, feigning sorrow.
“As you both know, it’s simply impossible for the three of us to manage all the tasks. Especially with only first-years and no president.”
“That’s true,” Park Siwoo agreed.
And he couldn’t help but agree.
For the past two weeks, we had been coming straight to the Student Council Room after classes, working late into the night.
There was no time for training or leisure.
It was just endless paperwork and school management—like employees trapped in an exploitative company, working overtime without rest.
Remembering that, Park Siwoo grimaced in disgust.
“So I submitted a proposal to the Instructors. And they approved it—the Student Council is now allowed to recruit additional executives.”
“Meaning?”
“Yes. From now on, the Student Council will abandon its small-unit system and transition into a department-based structure to better manage the Academy.”
Impressive.
A truly systematic strategy.
He was expanding his territory—making his move to seize full control of the Academy.
No doubt the new Student Council executives would be Berid’s subordinates, Demons from Pandemonium.
Even if Yoo Iseo were still here, she wouldn’t have been able to oppose it.
After all, it was true that the workload had become overwhelming.
Then Park Siwoo spoke up.
“I agree with most of what you said, Vice President. But… if the Student Council expands like this, what happens to our previous duties—like Demon elimination and investigations?”
“A very good question. As for Demon elimination, I plan to create a separate, classified department within the Student Council for that purpose.”
“I see.”
At Ha Yoon’s words, Park Siwoo’s expression darkened slightly.
“Why the long face? You don’t look pleased.”
“It’s just… it feels strange. The Student Council will be so different from how it was when I first joined.”
“I understand how unsettling sudden change can be. But please try to understand. The sooner those of us left standing regain our footing, the better we can protect the Academy—just as Dahee wished.”
“…Yes.”
At those words, Park Siwoo quietly nodded.
Just as Dahee wished, huh?
I clenched my teeth, rage boiling inside at Ha Yoon’s shameless words.
Smooth talker. He really knew how to twist his tongue.
Knock, knock, knock.
Just then, someone knocked on the Student Council Room door.
“Ah, looks like the new Student Council executives have arrived. Let’s greet our new colleagues.”
At Ha Yoon’s cue, the door opened—and the new Student Council executives made their appearance.