After Lee Ye-Eun informed that I was a member of the World Tree clan, I could clearly feel that the treatment of me at the academy had changed.
"Wow, it's really amazing. In my 20 years as a professor, I have never seen a genius like you!"
"Ji-Hyuk, do you have time today? Actually, I was going to hang out with the guys of E-rank today, but they suddenly told me that one of them couldn't come today... ."
"Oh, this is how you solve it… you teach very well. Thank you so much for teaching me! So what's this... ."
… which was rather amusing, if only it wasn't so blatantly obvious.
In fact, I'd always known that I didn't have a good image in my class.I had a rough idea why, but... it was too late to change it now, and since I didn't feel very uncomfortable, I let it slide.Even if they were professors, they didn't pay particular attention to me.They seemed to think I was just an ordinary student who could be found anywhere.
But suddenly everything changed.It was right after it was revealed by Lee Ye-Eun that I was actually a member of the World Tree clan.Of course, everything was fabricated and manipulated, but on the surface anyway, I was a member of the World Tree clan.And have enough power to aim for the position of head of the clan if I want.
My classmates were still able to look at me cutely to a certain extent.Both boys and girls talked to me more than necessary and pretended to be friendly, as if they had heard where I was from, or had decided that if they were friendly with me, it would make things easier for them later.
However, I never imagined that the professors would be more unusual.The professor who did not even know my name and only called me by my attendance number suddenly tapped me on the shoulder while calling my name in a friendly manner, and definitely the professor who had told me off last time saying, work a little harder, praised me as a genius who works hard, and there was even a professor who secretly told me I was talented when he saw me solve a previously solved problem that anyone could solve, and that he could teach me separately if I wanted.
Honestly, it was very annoying and uncomfortable.
"What do you think? Isn't it funny?"
"…… ."
After hearing my story, Mandragora twisted his roots and took an arms-crossed posture as if to say, that must be a lot of trouble.I quietly said to that guy what had occurred to me the other day, thinking that he seemed to be getting really expressive these days.
"By the way, well that… I think I need to change the way I address you."
"…… ?"
"I've been calling you hey, you, Mandragora. It's kind of weird to call you like this. If you don't mind, I'd like to give you a name... ."
"……!!!"
At those words, Mandragora jumped out of the tank.He was a guy who screamed silently while looking at his dry body, which was probably like that because he had walked around outside for a while.And such a guy came out immediately, and was shaking his roots as if he was really excited.He looked as if he were dancing.
"Well… how about Gora? Because Mandragora is... Ouch."
I got a slap on the cheek.The guy was looking at me with somewhat cold eyes.After being slapped a few more times like that, I brought a dictionary saying you should choose it yourself.
"If you hit any more, I won't be able to talk. It's also your name, so pick the one you're attracted to."
"…… ."
At those words, he opened up the thick dictionary and began to diligently search for words.After a while, he pointed at one and looked at me.
"Let's see, Fiducia? It's a Latin word that means trust…."
When I looked at him with a subtle expression, he shook his roots as if asking, what's wrong?But eventually, as if he understood, he put down the root and pointed to something else.
"Beauty… ?"
"…… ."
"Ouch! Say it with words, with words!"
Without saying a word, he started slapping me.I didn't know when and where the hell he got his Latin fantasies, but he was picking out only the weirdest words that it was making my head hurt.
"Hey, let's just go with Gora. It sounds good and straightforward."
"…… ."
Hearing my words, he silently stood up.Then he pointed to the calendar and made a gesture as if he was scratching from today to the day after tomorrow.
"Let's think about it until the day after tomorrow?"
Nod nod.
"… All right, then, let's come to an agreement in two days."
He and I shook hands again through fingers and roots.I looked at the clock as I watched him go into the tank with a resolute back.It was time for an appointment.
"I'll be out for a while. Keep the room safe."
"…… ."
At my words, he shook his roots in the tank as if telling me, don't worry.Then, he sat on top of the spirit stone and took a pose, similar to that of a statue famous for thinking.
Looking at him with an involuntary smile on my face, I quietly closed the door so that he wouldn't be startled.
* * *
"Of course. You didn't expect that much?"
When I told Ivan the worries I had told Mandragora, he dismissed my worries in one word.
"It's not that I didn't expect it… I didn't expect it to be so blatant."
"My friend, even I, a fallen aristocrat, have people who sometimes talk to me like that, but what if a member of the World Tree clan, even a person from the main clan who is directly below the head of the clan, appears? That too like, as the saying goes, falling from the sky."
To be honest, I was a little surprised myself.A friend of mine who I have been spending time with without thinking was actually a hidden member of the World Tree clan.He said, bursting into laughter as if it were funny no matter how much he thought about it.
"Don't worry about it, just go on as usual. Many people would probably tease you or be happy if you pay attention to other people's gaze and suddenly change your attitude... . Because this kind of interest is fleeting anyway, and in a few days, all the people who would naturally get tired and fall off will fall off. If you give them an excuse for no reason, they will stick to you, so be careful."
"Umm… ."
"No, you should still be careful what you say and do for a while. You're still a member of the World Tree clan, that too one of the successors who suddenly appeared. There's no harm in being careful."
Your position is different from a fallen aristocrat's.Ivan said that and laughed as if it was really amusing.
"Thanks for the advice."
"What thanks between friends?"
As I looked at him sipping his tea with that sly reply, I asked bluntly.
"… don't you feel bad?"
"Huh? What's there to feel bad about?"
He asked, staring at me as if asking me what I was talking about.
"Ah… Well. I was actually a little surprised, but honestly, it was a secret that you couldn't tell anyone, right? I understand. If I were in your shoes, I would have done the same."
"…… ."
"But well… Honestly, to be a little selfish, I wish you could have given me an explanation or at least said something. Still, I'm grateful that you came to talk to me like this. For now, it means that you trust me to some extent."
That's enough for me, he said and waved his hand.I silently thanked him and began to dwell on what he had just said.
He was certainly right.To at least those who are close to me, I should personally visit and explain the behind-the-scenes.It was courtesy and trust.
"…… ."
"Anyway, don't worry too much. Everyone will understand you."
Ivan said encouragingly, noticing my worries.As he said this, people around me did not just understand the fact that I was a member of the World Tree clan... they reacted quite a bit.
Choi Hyun-Woo and Jin Ye-Seul reacted as if saying, what's the problem now?Lee Yu-Na was frightened and trembling, but later I found out that her awkwardness was due to the fact that most of her debt was owed to people related to the clan.I thought Cass Lyle would hate it, but it seemed that he didn't have time to pay attention to me due to the problems related to Professor Alice Blesbuck.He added that he didn't like Lee Ye-Eun, not the World Tree.And Han Soo-Young....
"…… ."
She was clearly distancing herself from me and avoiding me lately.And that attitude, in turn, gave me an opportunity to organize my thoughts clearly.
That I am from another world.And that I have to go back someday.I couldn't hide that forever.
It wouldn't have mattered if I had kept it hidden forever, but now that Lee Ye-Eun had already found out about it....I knew I had to tell at least Han Soo-Young, Choi Hyun-Woo, and Jin Ye-Seul.And, if possible, to my friends sitting right in front of me, Ivan, Cass Lyle, and Lee Yu-Na.
I don't know what this will lead to, but somehow I knew I had to.… Although I shuddered to think what the reaction would be in the case of Jin-Ye Seul.
"Oh, Soo-Young and Hyun-Woo are passing by."
I immediately stood up at Ivan's words.Han Soo-Young and Choi Hyun-Woo were actually walking together in the distance.
They were talking about something, but as soon as they saw me approaching, they showed distinctly different reactions.
"Oh, Ji-Hyuk!"
Choi Hyun-Woo smiled and waved at me happily.
"Oh, I'm in trouble. I really just remembered that the professor called earlier, so I'll go back for a moment!"
On the other hand, Han Soo-Young said something without breathing as if she was rapping, then quickly turned around.And before I could even come closer, she ran away.She was so fast that I couldn't even think about following her.
"…… ."
As I was watching the scene, dumbfounded, Choi Hyun-Woo tapped me on the shoulder.
"Cheer up. Soo-Young is someone who apologizes right away if she thinks it's her fault."
"… It's not what you think."
"Huh? What, weren't you two fighting?"
What kind of nonsense is this guy spouting again?When I looked at him with such a meaning, he was smiling at me in a kind of teasing way.And he told me not to worry.
"It'll be fine. She's probably a little confused. Soo-Young has always been smarter than me, but she also thinks a lot."
Saying that, Choi Hyun-Woo playfully tapped my shoulder with his fist.
"……!"
Then suddenly, he became contemplative and took a few steps away from me, and began to look around intently.After a while, he sighed in relief and said to me.
"I think… she'll probably run around and run to the library and hide for a while."
It's always been that way.Whenever she is in trouble or confused about something, she goes where the books are and hides.He added quietly.
"Why don't you go ahead and wait? Maybe in the library, she wouldn't be able to run away properly. I think you should talk to each other once then."
I gladly decided to follow his advice.
* * *
"Found it… ."
I pulled out an old book and muttered quietly.It was the very skill book I had spent the previous few days going around the library looking for.
Serene Mind [Rare]
― Increases mana recovery.― Helps the user to feel and handle mana more sensitively and delicately.
[Effect][Active]― Allows the user to enter the 'Concentration' state for a certain period of time.― In the 'Concentration' state, the mana status increases by one level for a certain period of time.― In the 'Concentration' state, the probability of stabbing the opponent's weakness increases for a certain period of time.
I finally found it, and holding it in my hand, I couldn't hide my somewhat empty feeling.
"I didn't realize it was hidden in the Oriental Studies section, not the Philosophy section… ."
Then why the hell was I doing that so far?Laughing unknowingly, I quickly learned it first.It was a skill that had no harm in getting it.
Following Choi Hyun-Woo's advice, I immediately went to the library and waited for Han Soo-Young.However, I couldn't just pass the time, so I was looking for the skill book that I had been looking for before by reviving my memory.
The reason I couldn't find it for over a week was that I remembered the hidden place incorrectly.It was when I was shaking my head at the end of my search feeling a sense of emptiness.
"… She's really here."
It was as Choi Hyun-Woo said.Her red, beautiful hair, which could be seen from a distance, was fluttering in the distance.I decided to turn around and approach her as much as possible so that she wouldn't notice.
"…… ."
I quietly and slowly approached her from her blind spot, just in case she noticed.It was when she was about to head for the reading room after taking some books.
"Soo-Young."
"Hiyaaak!"
When I appeared calling her name, Han Soo-Young screamed like a hissing cat.The problem was that she was so startled that she threw the book she was holding at me unconsciously.
"Ak!"
After being hit with a book in my nose, I fell backward.Lee Ye-Eun, Jin Ye-Seul, and Han Soo-Young, why the hell do women I know wield violence when they're startled? as I was wondering that, I felt a warm sensation in my nose.
"Ah… ."
"Ji, Ji-Hyuk. Are you okay!?"
Han Soo-Young freaked out and approached me as I hurriedly grabbed the nose dripping with blood with my palm.She knelt down and looked at me with fidgety, guilt-filled eyes.
"Let me see, huh? No, don't put your head back! If you do something wrong, you'll die!"
"No, hey. Be quiet."
In the end, until the senior wearing big glasses came to us and kicked us out with a look of displeasure, Han Soo-Young kept crying and rubbing my face with her sleeves.
