As soon as the promotion ceremony ended and I returned, Hyeji, with a gloomy face, said she would leave first and went back to the dormitory.
Even when I called out to her, she didn’t respond, and after sending a few texts, the number 1 in the chat room still hadn’t vanished.
I even tried calling her.
– “Don’t come here. It’s all f*cked up.”
Scared, I stopped contacting her further.
Elcia said she’d be going to the Forest of Elves with the Escort Elf over the weekend to manage public sentiment.
By the process of elimination, only Jeong Ahyeon remained.
Thinking she’d be at the Martial Artist Concept Guild, I contacted Jeong Ahyeon but she was at the academy, so I quickly called her over.
So now…
“Jeong Ahyeon, shouldn’t you be off polishing statues at that guild?”
“This weekend, I’ve taken a leave of absence.”
“……What kind of leave on a weekend, f*ck.”
[Working on a weekend, that child shows potential as a research student!]
‘Seems like the professor’s blood is boiling again, 3 days of HAL gaslighting is coming in.’
[Sorry! Please don’t do that!]
At that moment, I remembered the research students.
Surely, I needed to meet them soon.
Anyway, now that Jeong Ahyeon was here, I got straight to the point.
“Perfect. Get me some food.”
“……If you’re going to talk nonsense, I’ll just head back.”
“Oh my, who accidentally took a photo of someone retching?”
“Can I have the honor of treating the scholar to a meal? I’d appreciate it.”
In an instant, the tables turned between Jeong Ahyeon and me.
Blocking Jeong Ahyeon’s hand making a sneaky grab for my phone, I gracefully moved towards the cafeteria.
On the way, I spotted several new posters plastered all over the campus bulletin board.
I pointed at one and asked Jeong Ahyeon.
“What’s that?”
“Phew. If you’re this ignorant, then I worry for your future.”
“Looks like there’s still space left to stick a photo here?”
“It’s student council election season.”
‘What the f*ck is that idiot doing?’
[That demon spawn…]
For being an election season, there were a surprisingly large number of applicants.
I wondered why and expressed my confusion to Jeong Ahyeon again.
“Why are there so many applicants?”
“It seems the scholar really knows nothing.”
“Oh! There’s a video, too?”
“When the hell was that video taken!!”
Jeong Ahyeon quickly explained.
In a bit, they were going to elect a student council president to serve for a year at the academy.
Grade didn’t matter, but mostly first-year students moving to second year applied.
Since by third year, they’d be too busy prepping for job hunting.
Lastly, Jeong Ahyeon mentioned that the voters were students, faculty, and professors recognized as people under labor law.
[…Isn’t the serialization period overlapping with election season?]
‘Kim Shinwoo will participate.’
[That’s election law violation!!!!!]
“Isn’t it just nothing much?”
“Contrary to appearances, once elected, the student council president holds absolute power.”
“Should I apply too?”
“Stop it. You have nothing remarkable to show off.”
Student council president.
Absolute power.
But it’s not the right time yet.
Before turning my back, I quietly murmured while looking at the election posters.
“Next time baby.”
[…Isn’t that line highly likely to eliminate the next opportunity?]
‘Shut it.’
*
The next day.
Today, I had urgent places to go, so I was moving alone.
This time, I brought no one with me.
It was purely for my goal.
Yeah.
Today, I was heading to the research building.
Today was Sunday.
The professors wouldn’t be around, only research students were coming in.
That too, mostly master’s course students.
My goal was to meet those research students today.
[What are you planning to stir up when you get there?]
‘Just some groundwork.’
Since I was dragged around by Professor Pilyong at the beginning of the first year, I now knew the locations of the professors’ research buildings.
First, it’s Professor Pilyong’s research building.
Sure enough, there were a lot of research students moving around sluggishly.
As I appeared, they all fixed their hollow gazes on me, and as they naturally reached for the ability detector, I halted their actions.
“Everyone here is a master’s course research student, right?”
“……That is correct.”
Just in case, I prepared a meticulous question to confirm they were indeed master’s course students.
“What’s a professor?”
“A dog bastard.”
“What’s a PhD?”
“A f*cking bastard.”
Perfect.
I took a moment to catch my breath and kicked things off.
“Research students, you’re working hard on a Sunday.”
“What is the purpose of your visit?”
“Let me get straight to the point.”
Feeling the texture of the paper in my pocket, I spoke again to the research students.
“Do you think you receive adequate treatment?”
“……What if we say we don’t?”
“How would you feel if I could ensure you receive adequate treatment?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“For instance, being treated as a ‘person’ under the law?”
In that moment, a small spark of hope began to glimmer in the dying eyes of the research students.
Like a candle flickering on the verge of going out, but…
The fact that the spark was alive was what mattered.
Of course, it wasn’t a complete trust yet.
“Do you think a mere student could accomplish that?”
“I can’t do it alone.”
“Then don’t give us false hope.”
“But what if I’m not alone?”
“…What?”
Instead of answering, I pulled out a piece of paper from my pocket.
It was a document obtained from Cheonma in exchange for the address of Old Man Kanghyuk.
The content, of course, was suggesting a dramatic improvement of the research students’ poor working conditions.
I cautiously handed the paper to the research student.
With a look of both disbelief and curiosity, the research student took the paper and they gathered around to slowly read it.
It didn’t take long for their eyes to blaze from tiny flickers to roaring flames.
The look akin to discovering an oasis in a desert while almost dying.
Simultaneously like a castaway on a deserted island seeing a passing boat.
Since they were in despair, hope was all the more beautiful and sweet.
Especially as that hope seemed increasingly possible.
Like passing a sacred artifact, research students kneeled and returned the paper to me.
No longer did I see their dying figures.
Instead, what emerged were the dying embers slowly rising from the ashes.
In other words…
The appearance of ‘people’ starting to rise again from hardship.
“Shinwoo, do you think it’s possible?”
“To be honest, I think just the Cheonma makes it a bit difficult.”
“……Is that so?”
Once again, a gloom started to spread among the research students.
Wasn’t it said that it’s more evil to give hope only to take it away than to be in constant despair?
They were about to fall deeper into despair than before.
Until my next words came.
“But what if there’s a signature from a person involved in the academy?”
“Are you talking about us?”
“What if, in addition to your signatures, there’s also a signature from a significantly higher position?”
“Ohhhh…….”
“And what if there’s help from high-ranking government positions?”
“O savior…”
Tears of hope began to flow from the research students.
I handed them another paper.
This one was to gather signatures from the research students.
While the research students diligently signed, Piece spoke to me.
[Who will you ask for help since the professors won’t lend a hand?]
‘That’s already decided.’
That old man.
The same bastard who snatched the seat I was sitting in during the last faculty meeting.
I was aiming for the chairman.
[…Isn’t that their seat to begin with?]
‘First one to sit gets it.’
Before I knew it, the research students had completed their signatures and handed the papers back to me.
In preparation for any unexpected situations, I conveyed some precautions to them.
“Even if it doesn’t happen right away, I’ll make it happen within a year.”
“Understood!”
“And just in case, please keep this confidential for now.”
“Of course!”
One of the research students who stood at the center of the group spoke to me.
“Do you need anything else?”
“Not for now, but later, when you become ‘people’, I’ll ask you then.”
“Take care!”
Receiving a 90-degree bow from the research students, I left Professor Pilyong’s research building.
Now it was time to visit the rest of the professors’ research buildings.
I began my pilgrimage to all the research buildings.
Like going to a holy site.
Reverently and calmly.
It felt like the demeanor of a pilgrim.
*
I managed to gather a plethora of signatures from numerous research students.
Initially, they were wary, much like before.
But as tears of emotion flowed under the Messiah’s words…
That sight was truly pleasing.
Even after visiting since early morning, there were so many research buildings that by the time I returned to the dormitory, evening darkness was gradually settling in.
Of course, the lights in the research buildings weren’t off yet.
[Do you not need signatures from the PhD students?]
‘That would actually be poison.’
Research students in the PhD program hold potential to become professors.
They’re a bunch with evil minds, looking to exploit those who aren’t recognized as people.
They can evolve into professors in the blink of an eye.
Moreover, even if the master’s students band together, they often exploit the master’s students whenever they get a chance.
So, if they happen to learn about today’s events, there’s a high likelihood they would stir up trouble or become uncooperative.
That’s something my professor slayer would never allow.
Upon returning to the dormitory, I carefully stored the papers with the signatures.
Then Piece raised another question.
[But will freeing the research students benefit you?]
‘Not right away. But it’s definitely necessary.’
Martin Luther King.
You had a dream, right?
I also have a dream.
To break the academy.
The first is to secure evidence against the chief.
The second is to liberate the exploiting forces.
