Chapter 10: Academy Heroine’s Right Diagonal Back Seat

I'm hungry.

Well, to be precise, I'm not really hungry.

It might sound nonsensical, but that's how it feels.

Even though I'm practically skipping breakfast and dinner and only eating lunch at the academy, I don't feel any hunger.

It almost feels like I could skip lunch and still be fine.

But since I used to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner religiously, I guess it's more of a mental hunger.

I grabbed my breakfast for today.

I had divided a macaron into twenty pieces, ate one for dinner yesterday, and another one for breakfast today, leaving 18 pieces.

Eighteen. It's infuriating.

According to reliable information from the CIA, a single high school girl has the combat power equivalent to two special forces soldiers, and three high school girls together can take on a tank.

But I am not an ordinary high school girl.

Having mastered Goryeo martial arts and being able to emit flames from my body, my combat power is at least equivalent to three high school girls.

In other words, I can take on a tank by myself.

Don't you think a 1/20th piece of macaron is insufficient fuel for a tank?

I popped the crumb-like piece of macaron into my mouth, savored the sweetness until it fully dissolved, then donned my uniform and headed out, resolving to go grocery shopping on my way home today.

When I arrived at school, I found the class rep sweeping the classroom floor again.

She flinched when I walked in.

It seemed like she was quite shy.

Unlike yesterday, I had no reason to visit the teacher's office, so I just sat down at my desk. The class rep approached me timidly and greeted me.

"Ah, hello?"

"Hello."

Her shyness was endearing, so I smiled and returned her greeting, making her blush.

The class rep was cute when she was shy.

She continued to sweep around my desk, still blushing.

...Seeing her diligently cleaning made me feel guilty for just sitting there.

I got up, grabbed a broom from the supply closet, and joined her in sweeping the floor.

The class rep seemed happy as she cleaned, smiling slightly the entire time.

When we finished, other students started arriving.

For some reason, a few students who had never spoken to me greeted me.

What was going on? Had the aura of an outcast disappeared because I became friends with Sylvia?

I nodded and greeted them back.

"Good morning, Scarlet."

I ignored Yoon Si-woo's greeting.

It was history class.

The history teacher looked like a seasoned war veteran.

His face bore a large scar, both arms were prosthetics, and one leg was a prosthetic.

Honestly, he looked more like someone who should be teaching how to defeat monsters rather than history.

Despite his appearance, he spoke in a soft, gentle voice, teaching without raising his voice.

Academy history class: usually where they explain the world.

While I read the details in the book, listening to the lecture was incredibly boring.

It was all about when witches appeared, what monsters emerged, and so on.

The students' minds were clearly wandering, and the teacher noticed, sighing and stopping his writing.

"I know these lectures are boring. History test scores are not crucial for becoming a hero, so I understand if you're not interested. I'm not going to force you to pay attention."

The teacher looked around the classroom and pointed at a student in the front row.

"You there, do you know why the academy's symbol is a shield?"

"Yes! It's because a shield represents standing at the forefront."

The teacher nodded.

"Correct. A shield only has meaning when it's at the front. If it stays in the back, it's useless. So, you should also strive to be at the forefront like a shield. I'm sure the teacher who teaches 'Hero's Mindset' emphasized that."

A few students chuckled.

They must have remembered the enthusiastic teacher who filled the two-hour class on the first day.

She was a cute teacher who repeatedly asked, 'Do you understand?'

Unlike her, this teacher had a completely different demeanor.

"I believe the purpose of the history subject is not much different from the 'Hero's Mindset' subject. If you read your textbooks, you'll see that we exist now because of the noble sacrifices of our predecessors. History is about reflecting on those sacrifices."

The teacher's words carried extra weight, given his prosthetic limbs.

This made the students pay more attention.

"If there's one thing I want you to learn from this class, it's this."

The teacher paused before continuing.

"Don't think of sacrifice as something grand."

The students looked puzzled, so he elaborated.

"I'm not belittling the heroes in your textbooks. They did commendable things, and we owe our current peace to them."

The teacher opened a textbook.

"But don't think they acted heroically because they were extraordinary. They're just like you. To be able to sacrifice without hesitation, remember that sacrifice is not a grand gesture but a natural one. Keep that in mind, and I don't care if you sleep or daydream during my class."

With that, the teacher cleared his throat.

"I've talked long enough. The rest can be learned from the 'Hero's Mindset' teacher. Let's resume the lesson."

The teacher continued his lecture in his gentle tone.

Unlike earlier, the students were more attentive and contemplative.

As for me, I thought Sylvia was pretty.

Nothing else mattered to me.

"Ah, I want some dessert."

After finishing her meal, Sylvia muttered to herself.

Like a student who has spent three years at a school can recite its lessons, after three days as Sylvia's friend, I could read her thoughts to some extent.

Her statement was purely about wanting dessert.

She wasn't explicitly asking me to buy it, but I couldn't miss this opportunity!

"I'll get some macarons."

I told Sylvia and almost reflexively dashed to the snack shop.

The movement from getting up to running to the shop was flawless, with no delay.

Ah, have I realized the essence of friendship?

When I returned with the macarons and handed them to Sylvia, she looked a bit surprised as she accepted them.

"Oh, um... thanks?"

How does it feel to have what you want delivered without asking?

If I keep doing this, I might become an indispensable friend to Sylvia.

'Heh, it's too much trouble to go to the shop. I can't live without Scarlet!'

That devilish thought crossed my mind as I chuckled to myself, but Yoon Si-woo and the class rep were staring at me.

Did they figure it out?

I quickly hid my expression, worried they might have noticed my sinister intentions.

Their expressions turned puzzled.

After school, it was time for the decisive action.

On my way home, I stopped by a discount mart near my house.

I had to find food that could be called a meal with my remaining 7,000 gold.

The meat section.

No need to look.

With my current funds, meat was a luxury.

Buying it might feel good, but it would be my last supper.

Seafood? Definitely not.

It's smaller in quantity but more expensive than meat.

I quickly bypassed other sections until I reached the vegetable section.

In the vegetable section, I saw a sign.

[Lowest Price! 300 grams of mung bean sprouts for only 1,000 gold!]

I felt a sense of destiny.

This was it.

Nothing else mattered now.

Mung bean sprouts last about four days if stored properly.

If I eat only mung bean sprouts until my next allowance comes in?

Amazingly, it perfectly matches my remaining 7,000 gold!

It felt like a predestined plan, and I wondered if this mung bean sprout was left just for me.

I bought the mung bean sprouts and returned home.

Once home, I stood in front of the stove.

I filled a pot with water and put it on the stove.

I turned on the stove and waited for the water to boil.

When the water boiled, I would blanch the mung bean sprouts.

I wanted to stir-fry them, but I didn't have any ingredients for cooking.

No oil, no simple seasonings like salt or sugar.

The fridge was empty, too.

It looked like no one had lived here for a while.

To live like this, you'd have to be a VVIP for delivery apps or eat all your meals outside, but it didn't feel like that, so I must have entered this body right after moving in.

Lost in thought, the water started to boil.

I rinsed the mung bean sprouts and put them in the pot.

Ideally, you'd remove the roots for better texture, but in my current situation, I couldn't afford to waste anything.

I didn't blanch them for long.

Just enough to soften them slightly while keeping their crunchiness.

300 grams of slightly blanched mung bean sprouts.

This was my precious food for the next four days.

I took a small portion, less than a tenth of it, and put the rest in the fridge.

I had to eat sparingly today.

Since I wouldn't be going to school over the weekend, I had to cover all meals at home.

I resisted the urge to stuff my mouth with a handful and instead picked up one sprout at a time.

I savored the fibrous texture as I chewed.

Chewing slowly, I detected a faint sweetness.

I wished I could chew on it forever, but sprouts aren't gum.

Feeling a bit regretful, I swallowed the tiny remnants and picked up another sprout.

I repeated this until the small portion I had set aside was gone.

Chewing slowly made me feel somewhat full.

I finished my meal with a piece of the macaron I had divided into twenty.

A satisfying meal brought me happiness.

This is bliss.