“…That’s true, I suppose.”
I said, feeling somewhat awkward. A strange sense of regret washed over me. Perhaps, seeing that consistent post every time I logged in, I had unknowingly developed a certain familiarity with it.
Come to think of it, I don’t recall seeing such a post before my regression. Maybe I only discovered the Hero Minor Gallery much later back then, after the Field Training Raid incident…
…Of course I wouldn’t have seen it. By then, the person who wrote those posts would have already been dead.
“You two, you shouldn’t be fighting like that in school.”
Then, an unfamiliar presence approached.
The now-familiar notification sound accompanied it.
[Character Notification]
[Aisy]
[Full Professor, Heroics Department, Cradle Special Education Institute for Superhuman Development]
[Hero Ranking: B-Class, 98th]
[True Name: ???]
[Affiliation: ???]
She had a face that immediately suggested a pleasant personality, and a balanced, firm physique visible beneath her sky-blue suit. In her ears were ice crystal-shaped earrings, seemingly a manifestation of her power.
Even without the notification, I probably would have recognized her as a Heroics professor right away.
The woman who approached smiled, glancing between Han Sua and me.
“Especially when a hero interacts with a civilian, you must be extra careful. Didn’t you learn this yesterday? The mindset of a hero. Indeed…”
“It’s not like that, so you don’t need to worry.”
Han Sua retorted curtly. Her personality, honestly. Even if she was a villain, how could she speak to a professor like that?
“It’s fine. We really weren’t fighting.”
I stepped in front of Han Sua, trying to smooth things over.
“Sua and I are friends. We were just talking, and our voices got a bit loud, which must have led to a misunderstanding.”
“Oh my… with Sua…?”
The female professor’s eyes widened in surprise as she looked between us. When Han Sua reluctantly nodded, her astonishment grew even greater.
“…And here I was, completely unaware.”
She then smiled softly, as if relieved, and said,
“Goodness, I completely misunderstood.”
“It’s alright. Anyone could have. I apologize for causing you unnecessary concern.”
“Huhu, such a polite student. I’m sorry to have interrupted your good time.”
“…Pardon?”
“You don’t need to be so formal. Our Cradle doesn’t strictly forbid romance, after all. So, have a good time, you two~?”
The female professor, having delivered some lengthy speech, waved her hands dismissively and departed. A lingering sense of unease settled on the tip of my tongue.
‘…Was the misunderstanding truly resolved? At least Han Sua probably won’t end up in front of the school violence committee.’
“Why?”
“…Nothing.”
Under her unspoken pressure, I averted my gaze. Han Sua was glaring at me with an incredulous look.
“Honestly, tell me.”
“Ugh… It’s just, I was struck by how good your acting is. Doing such heinous things behind the scenes, yet you can still smile so sweetly at the professor…”
“What nonsense are you spouting? Of course you should be polite to adults. You should focus on yourself. Snapping at the professor like that…”
Han Sua’s mouth dropped open in disbelief. Faced with a conversation going nowhere, I changed the subject.
“Is that professor popular? I have a feeling she would be.”
“…Very. She has a good personality, and she teaches her classes in a way that’s easy to understand.”
Han Sua nodded.
“She’d probably easily win first place in a popularity poll.”
“Anything else?”
“Anything else? Like what?”
Han Sua asked back, her face devoid of understanding. I looked at her for a moment before shaking my head dismissively.
“…It’s nothing.”
****
“…Wow, how many zeros are there?”
After school, I stared at my bank account, my mouth agape. An absurd amount was displayed, so much that I wondered if it was even real.
A sum of money, larger than I had ever seen in my life—even before my regression—was now in my possession.
I was struck anew by the terrifying power of knowing the future. To think such results could be achieved simply by capitalizing on market fluctuations.
The money I had borrowed from Yuha had become no more than a drop in a pond. I should pay her back quickly, lest she worry again.
‘Or what if I returned it tenfold this time…’
I quickly shook my head at the thought. That was too much. She would undoubtedly worry about the source of the money.
If nothing else, I could always buy her a gift or something.
I don’t particularly crave money, but I plan to steadily accumulate it. And perhaps launder it a few times.
Aside from living expenses, this endeavor itself seems quite costly—things like repairing my suit or securing a hideout.
“Let’s call it a day for now.”
My mind immediately drifted to other thoughts. The female professor I had encountered with Han Sua earlier that day kept lingering in my mind, disrupting my concentration.
Aisy, was it? B-Class 98th rank was certainly a hero with some recognition and skill, but… she was completely unknown in my memories.
‘…But why did the character notification appear for her?’
I synthesized my past experiences and conjectures. Not everyone I encountered triggered such a notification.
Given that even the small-fry villains from the bank incident had notifications, it didn’t seem like skill or strength was the sole criterion.
Important character notifications had appeared for The Doctor, Yuha, and Han Sua. They were individuals connected to the future’s great evil, my immediate circle, and the worst year, respectively. Regular character notifications appeared for those connected to unfolding events, even if they weren’t as crucial as the others.
‘…Earlier, the female professor’s affiliation was clearly shown as a question mark.’
Why was that? She was already affiliated as a full professor at Cradle. Did she have another, original affiliation besides that?
‘…A spy from somewhere?’
If so, it wouldn’t be from Hwaryeon. Aisy was, after all, an official hero with a ranking. Moreover, Han Sua clearly knew her as a professor.
If she were affiliated with Hwaryeon, Han Sua would surely have recognized her.
“…Aha.”
I quickly arrived at the answer. An individual unknown even to Han Sua, a Hwaryeon spy, a hero with a ranking, and a Cradle professor with a separate affiliation.
Then there was only one answer.
She must have been sent by the Hero Management Bureau.
More precisely, someone from the Bureau must have planted her.
“Let’s put that aside for now.”
Eventually, I would have to expose their rotten core, but there were priorities. There weren’t any immediate incidents involving the Bureau. For now, simply identifying such an individual was a significant achievement.
I gathered my thoughts and checked the schedule in my notes again.
The highlighted text gleamed brightly.
[Event Calendar]
[April 9th, Cradle Field Training Raid Incident]
‘So, less than ten days remain.’
Han Sua’s face resurfaced in my mind. For merely being a rude young lady, I had observed an unexpectedly solid side to her up close.
Even knowing she was already in my grasp, she had vehemently resisted upon hearing the news of the bank raid.
Dilligent, and possessing a certain courage. Yet, such a girl had tried to backstab the heroes before my regression, was exposed, and died. Something about that felt… off.
“Enough.”
I shook my head. There was no need to delve into Han Sua’s circumstances.
Since I told her to do as she pleased, the incident would proceed as originally planned. In any case, as long as Han Sua didn’t die.
After all, she was an indispensable element in bringing down the Hwaryeon Group.
[Message]
[Thirst: 63%(+1%)]
-Warning level reached
[Body Collapse Rate: 18%(+2%)]
-Follow-up action recommended.
My body still seemed to have some leeway. I had a feeling that finding the Saintess right after the Field Training Raid incident would be perfectly timed.
After all, to prevent her death, I would have to act immediately following that event.
But where on earth was she hiding? She wasn’t visible anywhere on campus, nor did she seem to engage in external activities like Psyche or Flame Mist, and I couldn’t find any information about her on the Hero Minor Gallery.
‘…She must be somewhere within Cradle, though. Since she’s somewhat famous, finding her shouldn’t be too difficult.’
Having reached a reasonable conclusion, I immediately called Han Sua.
*Ring, ring… click.*
[H-Hello?]
“You picked up quickly?”
[I-I was resting. Why? What’s going on?]
Han Sua’s voice trembled with unease. It was understandable, given that I had called her out of the blue in the middle of the night.
“Han Sua. Tomorrow marks the start of the period for applying for field training groups, right?”
[Y-Yes, it is… Why?]
Her voice wavered even more. I said with a smile,
“Let’s be in the same group.”
****
“Alright, everyone, as you know, today marks the beginning of the field training group formation period!”
Professor Aisy’s cheerful voice resonated from the podium. She was already a popular professor, but today, the students’ cheers seemed even louder.
The phrase ‘field training’ carried that much power.
Field training for the Heroics Department was fundamentally different from the norm.
It was an opportunity to depart for a Bureau branch where revered active heroes resided, to see them up close. To refuse this would be tantamount to admitting one was unfit as a prospective hero.
Typical training consisted of two-person teams.
One student from the Heroics Department, and one from the General Department.
Students from the General Department were also members of Cradle. Heroes could confidently undertake field missions because there were always those who supported them, both materially and spiritually, from behind the scenes.
Thus, the purpose of field training was for them to work together, performing their respective duties, coordinating their efforts, and ultimately enhancing their understanding of their professions.
“If any students wish to pair up, please submit your application forms in advance. If you don’t submit your forms by the deadline, Cradle will assign partners randomly.”
And Baek Yuha, listening to the professor’s explanation, had sparkling eyes.
Her chest pounded almost to bursting as she imagined the events to come. The moment she had dreamed of was finally approaching, filling her with profound emotion.
“Hee… I want to see Woojin.”
Baek Yuha murmured, her voice swelling with anticipation.
