Reader Mage 142-Like Aliens, Fool

It was a Saturday morning, and yet, everyone was seated in the auditorium, dressed in their tracksuits, and silently looking forward to the empty podium as they waited patiently for the main event of the day.

Hakyun didn’t like it. But when had he ever?

“This is utter nonsense,” the boy grumbled. At this point, it was a ritual. He always did it whenever they were pulled out for an event. “Why do we have to be away from our dorms so early in the morning, eh?”

“When are you ever going to stop this?” Chima asked from the safety of his seat. He had put rlin in between him and Hakyun, well aware that if they sat beside each other, they would end up reaching for each other’s throats.

rlin wouldn't lie. He was kind of exhausted from playing diator. And it was even worse today, because he couldn’t forget about Choi Sangook’s conversation.

He muffled Hakyun and Chima’s conversation and his eyes swept over the auditorium, seeking the bully. He found him not long after, to the far side of the other row, resting his cheek on his palm as he stared silently at the podium like the rest of the lot.

rlin’s brows furrowed, surprised at how calm the lad looked when he kept his tongue in his mouth, and, for a brief mont, wondered about how his relationship with his family went.

From what rlin had gleaned from the conversation he had listened to, they didn’t seem like a lovely family. In fact, if he used his as a basis for comparison, he would claim that his family was a lot more loving.

Perhaps he was reaching. How could he co to such a conclusion from just a minute or two of a conversation between a father and a son? But he couldn’t help but feel that such was the case.

Choi Sangook had a lot of pressure on his shoulders as the heir to his father’s guild and company, rlin realized. And maybe that played into why he was so adamant to be an ass to every person he thought below him.

rlin had heard his father explicitly state that the boy avoided any relationship with friends of unacceptable caliber to theirs. And rlin disapproved of such advice. Friends were the best things to ever happen to a person. No one could do anything alone. Not even the son of the guildmaster of one of the top guilds in South Korea. That was even evident in the fact that the curriculum of Prestige Academy appreciated teamwork.

“Hakyun,” rlin started, and Hakyun and Chima’s argunt ca to an abrupt stop. “Is there anything you can tell about Choi Sangook’s family?”

Hakyun’s eyebrows twitched. “Why are you suddenly interested in his family?”

rlin glanced at his roommate, who was studying him with that probing gaze of his, and licked his lips.

“I overheard his discussion with his father,” he answered truthfully. “They didn’t sound like a loving family. That’s why.”

“Listenong in on another’s phone call aside, golden spoon families are barely always held together by love, l,” Chima chid in. “So I’m not surprised you got that impression.”

Chima’s first words had been spoken with a reprimanding tone. rlin sighed at that. He had known it wasn’t right to sneak up on another and listen to their conversations without their consent. But what could he have done when they had been inviting him to?

Okay, that wasn’t an excuse. But it didn’t matter any longer now. The deed had been done.

“I’m not sure,” said Hakyun after taking a few seconds to arrange his thoughts. “It’s not like I ever got the chance to truly know him.” He paused. “I did go to his house once. Mrs. Choi was lovely. She even baked cookies. And she was lovely to Sangook too. Ah. He has a sister too. But she was still a baby at the ti. I never got the impression that there was sothing up with their family at the ti. But, granted, I didn’t et with his father. And that was the last ti I also paid them a visit. Sangook stopped being my friend right after, like I said before.”

“I see.” rlin sighed, nodding in appreciation.

He had never thought about it before, but Choi Sangook and Hakyun falling out of their friendship so quickly and abruptly was not sothing that made sense. Children were simple creatures. They enjoyed making friends, and hanging out. But, at the sa ti, their decisions could be greatly influenced by soone with a greater hold on them.

Considering what he had heard from Choi Sangook’s conversation with his father, rlin felt like it was safe to say that Choi Sangook’s father didn’t like the fact that Choi Sangook had made an attempt to beco friends with his driver’s son, and had influenced his child’s decision.

Perhaps it was because of the fact that his decisions had almost been influenced by his parents as well, but rlin was pissed at the realization he had co to.

However, Choi Sangook’s family wasn’t his family. And he had no right to involve himself in sothing that didn’t concern him.

He had only been curious. That was all.

The door to the auditorium flung open, and a couple of students hurried in, panting. Everyone turned in their direction with a gasp, even the second years who should, normally, be reprimanding them for running about.

“They’re here!” the boy in the lead of the pack voiced. “Crown Academy and Nikita Academy students are here!”

Murmurs rose up in the auditorium. Each person turned to who was seated beside them in either excitent or curiosity. But everyone shared one common thought. And it simply involved their expectations of the students of the first and third ranked Mage Academy in the world.

“What did they look like?” one asked, kneeling on his seat as he faced those who had rushed in.

“Like aliens, fool,” his friend said, hitting his buttocks. “They’re green and have pointy ears.”

“Shut up,” he retorted.

“You better sit down,” his friend continued. “If Professor Jung catches you the way you are, you’ll be in for a week of library duty.”

The lad shivered. He imdiately set himself straight and sat down. But his question hung in the air, with no intention of vanishing into the void.

“I didn’t see them,” the leader of the scout pack said. “Just two black coaster buses. But they’re here, that’s for sure.”

The murmurs resud once again at that. Hakyun turned around and folded his arms, scowling.

“Hmph. What’s all the fuss about? They’re just students like us,” he complained, not even trying to hide the jealousy leaking into his tone. rlin was certain he was wishing they were the ones who traveled to a different academy so that they were being expected in such a grand manner. Hakyun always fancied those little glory monts after all.

“I’m sure they’re curious about us, just like we are about them,” said rlin.

Hakyun raised a brow, and nudged his glasses. “I never said I was.”

Chima scoffed. “Yeah, sure.”

“What was that, brute?”

rlin sighed.

A couple of minutes later, the speakers of the auditorium chid, and everyone rose to their feet to welco the instructors of Prestige Academy, and the headmaster.

rlin’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of Headmaster Im Ilseong. He was yet to receive any verdict on the man’s decision with him and his situation.

The staff all took their seats in front of their banners, the headmaster in their center, and Professor Jung stepped forward to the microphone as she always did.

“Good morning to you all,” she greeted.

“Good morning, professor!” they all replied in unison.

Professor Jung smiled. “I do hope you all an that.” They laughed. “It’s good to see that you all are doing well after the Tower raid. I’m sure it was very tough, but you all did exceptionally well, regardless of if the results were in your favor or not. I comnd you all.”

The students whistled in appreciation. Professor Jung cleared her throat after a few seconds and they all fell silent once again.

“Now we will be moving on to the inter-academy festival and competition which will be comncing on Wednesday,” she resud, and the silence suddenly beca heavy. “The festival will be a simple one. I’m sure you all have invited whoever you wanted to. There’ll be songs, plays, and lots of food. It’ll be a ti for you all to kick back and relax a bit.”

No one cheered. They all listened attentively regardless of the fun which was implied by Professor Jung’s words. The tournant carried a greater weight to them at this mont. Nothing derailed their thoughts from its path.

“As for the tournant,” Professor Jung resud, and everyone shuffled on their seats. “It will be in two stages. The first will be an open-world expedition, deciding which two of the three academies will move on to the final stage. And that will be a one versus one battle tournant.”

The air stiffened. Everyone gulped and so tightened their fists in anticipation.

A 1v1 battle tournant. rlin licked his lips. It was the perfect place to show his parents that he was strong enough to take care of himself.

“The details of the tournant will be sent to your smartwatches as usual,” Professor Jung continued. “Now, I will go ahead to explain the rules, and, more importantly, pick out those who will be competing. But first.” She paused and gestured at the door to the end of the podium. “You may all co in.”

Everyone’s eyes shifted to the door and stayed on it as it was pulled open and a group of students walked onto the podium.