Chapter 15 – Scammers and Deceitful Students (2)
‘Ishiel hasn’t come back to pester me, then that only means our magic case must be resolved.’
Jeongjin was lying in his bed, eating some snacks. He also contemplated about Editor’s Authority and the author’s purpose for sending him in this world. But in the meantime, he couldn’t come up with a conclusion because he hadn’t received any response from the mail he sent to the author some time ago.
‘The author asked for assistance to revise this story, but I don’t know pats he wasn’t to change and how he wants the story to be revised… He’s only silent and leaving me to do things independently. I’m afraid to put things at risk should I do something imprudent.’
Then, he had no choice but to pursue his future in this new world.
After he went to the bank, all he did was ate and slept all weekend, and if found himself bored, he just played with the cat. Then he happened to read the rules specified in his school notebook.
First, dropping out was possible with the guardian’s consent.
‘There’s no way my father would agree with this one. He already poured so much money into school. So away with it, I guess.’ He thought.
The second was about expulsion: failing an exam twice a row could get a student expelled. Likewise, an expulsion also counts if a student fails to complete two-thirds of the attendance in the semester.
All right! I’ll choose this one instead.
Finally, he skimmed through his textbooks once. Then he realized an important fact.
Even if he has Promise, he couldn’t read new books at an outstanding speed as he had done before! He tried it several times but only found it futile. Memory in the Promise seemed to work only if a person had already read the book thoroughly. Books he hadn’t read would be needed to perused as he did in the first world.
Why would you do that? Sigh
Jeongjin laid back on his bed after throwing the textbook away. The cat, who sprawled out beside him, saw it, and soon, the two quarreled.
“You stupid thing, don’t you think it’s a good time to read books now?” the cat complained.
“No, I’m a stupid boy. Studying is useless.” Jeongjin answered in an impassive tone.
“Meow. What a pathetic b*st*rd. You already failed your last exam, one more, and you’ll expel.”
“Oh, I hope that happens.”
His Sunday evening came to an end just like that.
***
The next morning, Monday finally came.
Jeongjin took his time going to the lecture hall for the first-grade students. Going to school won’t make much difference in life now. Despite having committed suicide, the teachers and students treated Jeongjin aloofly, as if he were invisible.
Therefore, Jeongjin didn’t pay his teacher’s attention and only found himself sleeping at the back of his classroom amid classes. He waited languidly for the lunch bell to sound.
‘My back hurts — It’s been a while since I’ve slept on a desk like this. I should just stop going to class starting tomorrow.’
As part of school policy, the regular classes only lasted for three hours in the morning on Mondays and Fridays. Most students continue to study and train themselves according to their personal choice of profession in the afternoon. But of course, it’s a different case for him.
‘I should grab a bite,’ Jeongjin thought, feeling hungry.
He tried to look for the school’s canteen. And upon finding it, he took his time, feeling at ease, for it still deserted.
‘Oh, the lunch menu has three courses.’
A handwritten menu has displayed at the entrance of the restaurant, where a list of soup, grilled fish, stewed berries, and cream presented. After reading the menu, his eyes skimmed lower, down the small letters below, where the restaurant offered bottles of wine.
‘I guess minors can drink here, no wonder the bank permitted me to drink.’
His usually dead eyes suddenly flashed for the first time. It was the second happiest thing that happened to him after he checked his bank accounts.
‘Ah, and I was worried I have to quit drinking for years…’
There was only one good thing he valued while he was working at the publishing house.
Most of the authors of academic books were mainly professors. And they knew the expensive, high-quality liquors. Generally, it was an office custom that they entertain the authors. But, in some small companies only kept running by the president’s connections, the authors had been the one giving them gifts.
As a result, alcohol was always plentiful.
Despite his meager monthly salary, he was still able to taste good quality wine offered as gifts and during holidays from these lavish clients.
‘This one is similar to Alsace wine that Professor Noh Youngshin bought as a box. It tastes less sour, and there’s no hint of sweetness. Oh, the weather is perfect for a good drink.’
After eating his meal, he finally ordered a glass. With this luxury, he became obsessed with resting for several days, especially when he had an ideal place to drink. But somehow, he was worried that this weak body wouldn’t be able to stand his drinking habits, but he confidently this teenager’s liver was still clean.
When he was through with his dessert, Jeongjin received a glass of liquor from the server.
It was currently the month of May. The view of budding, summer roses along the lined fence outside the window looked beautiful. The wind was cold, he had nothing to do, and he had delicious wine to drink.
Finding himself quite emotional for a moment, he could only think, ‘Now this is living!’
But suddenly, a loud voice in the restaurant disturbed Jeongjin’s fancy thoughts.
“So, it was you who were drinking the leftovers, why are you even lying? It’s already obvious – the first-year lecture hall always reeks of alcohol! Get out of here, you bastard! These are complimentary drinks, and not for you to get drunk on!”