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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Future Knowledge (3)
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"I believe this strategy is the optimal one."
I turned my head and spoke to the instructor.
The instructor gave a small nod.
Then, his mouth slowly opened.
"…Optimal, you say. Jin… Yuha. A cadet, were you?"
"Yes."
"Alright, Cadet Jin Yuha. That was a novel approach. Now, I have a question. Why do you believe it was the optimal approach, and why did you not use a tank or items? Please explain."
The instructor turned his head towards the hologram screen, looking at the tank still spinning in place.
'…A novel approach? Why optimal? Why didn't I use a tank or items…?'
For a moment, my brow almost furrowed at the instructor's words. But I quickly understood his intent.
'Ah, a courtesy for newbies?'
I subtly shifted my gaze to the side.
There, I saw Shin Sehee with a bewildered expression, and most of the other cadets looking impressed.
'Indeed, a rush build would seem novel to newbies.'
Back when I was active as [KimchiCreamPasta] on the Velvetsra strategy forum.
Even just posting one rush build would get countless comments from the 'babies' like, 'Gasp!? How do you do that!?'
I nodded, recalling that time.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
It's only natural to nurture and spoon-feed newbies who lack basic knowledge.
The instructor, who devises strategies with the same perspective as me, was trying to help the cadets understand by asking such an obvious question.
'So he even provided plenty of items and included a tank? To tell them they weren't actually needed.'
Internally, I corrected my earlier assessment of the instructor as a pathetic man.
And to meet his expectations, I opened my mouth.
"First, if you use a tank, you can't maintain all characters' health at full HP."
"…Full HP?"
"Yes. If a tank had been used here, we might have ended the battle faster. However, isn't the most beautiful outcome one where everyone subdues the enemy without taking any damage?"
I said that, conveying the meaning, 'I am one of your kind.'
The instructor's eyes widened.
"…A beautiful outcome."
He uttered the words as if in admiration.
Yes, it must be that no one in this world understood you until now.
It must have been stifling and frustrating.
Living as the only two-eyed person in a world full of foolish one-eyed people must have been incredibly lonely.
Hadn't I, too, felt a sense of awe when I encountered this build just moments ago?
He quickly composed himself and questioned me again.
"…Then why did you not use items? If you had, you could have completed that beautiful outcome you spoke of a little faster."
"It would be a waste."
"…A waste, you say?"
"Yes, highly concentrated acid is difficult to acquire and a very efficient item. If we were to use it on mere A-rank monsters, then later, when a moment truly required acid, we might regret having used the item now, wouldn't we? I believe if you can avoid using something, it's best not to."
"I see. Future battles, then…"
"Naturally. Consumed resources don't return."
Seeing the instructor's surprised expression once again, I let out a small laugh.
"I know, Instructor, that you prepared this test with the same thoughts as me."
"…I did?"
"Yes, otherwise, you wouldn't have specifically placed two healers in a basin terrain, along with four monsters coincidentally hostile to each other. Weren't you trying to teach us to eliminate enemies all at once through their internal strife?"
"…"
The instructor seemed to have a lot he wanted to say, but he kept his mouth shut.
***
"…Wow. I really couldn't have imagined that."
"Right? I naturally assumed the tank would block upfront, the healers would heal from behind, and they'd gather the monsters and use items…"
"Oh!? What you thought of sounds pretty plausible too!"
"No. What I thought was garbage. If you do that… most of the party members would get seriously hurt."
The cadets murmured among themselves, watching Jin Yuha's solution.
"…Isn't that the one? The visual quota."
"Yeah, the one with the good modeling."
"But having a sexy brain too? Isn't that kind of cheating?"
"…He must have studied ahead."
"Can you even study ahead for something like this…?"
The cadets were surprised by the novel intent of the problem that had just been presented,
and they were exclaiming in admiration at Jin Yuha, who had perfectly solved it.
"I apologize, Instructor."
Jin Yuha, who had solved the problem in an astonishing way, bowed respectfully towards the instructor.
"I had accumulated fatigue from the previous class. I intended to just rest my eyes for a moment, but I fell asleep without realizing the class had begun. This won't happen again."
"…Is that so. It's good that you're aware."
"And I ask for your continued guidance in the future. If I had known beforehand what an excellent class this was, I would never have dozed off."
"Alright."
All the while, Jin Yuha's eyes sparkled, and he kept trying to engage the instructor in conversation.
The instructor curtly and coldly cut him off.
"By the way, Instructor, you prepared such a light problem because it's the first class, right?"
"This, light…? A mere pastime…?"
For a moment, the instructor's eyebrow twitched. However, Jin Yuha didn't notice and continued speaking.
"Yes, but I do think it was an appropriate problem for clearly demonstrating the difference between an efficient strategy and an inefficient one. I look forward to even more beneficial classes in the future."
To others, it looked like Jin Yuha, who had brilliantly solved the problem, was respectfully apologizing to the instructor, and the instructor was kindly accepting it—a heartwarming scene.
But Shin Sehee, who was quick to read people, could tell.
Right now.
That instructor.
Is frantically,
And incredibly flustered.
His face was dazed, as if his thoughts had stopped.
Cold sweat was continuously beading on his forehead.
'…People don't usually know things like that, Mr. Jin Yuha!'
Jin Yuha had brought a future strategy into the present.
And absurdly, he was explaining it as if it were common knowledge.
'Yes, in the future, that would be a common strategy.'
Perhaps as a result of looking into the future for too long,
Jin Yuha seemed not to have noticed that he had pulled a future strategy into the past.
'Mr. Jin Yuha, you fool…'
"Then, I'll visit you occasionally, Instructor."
Jin Yuha smiled brightly and said to the instructor.
The instructor desperately composed his face and gave a reluctant nod.
"…Uh, yes. Do that."
Then Jin Yuha turned his back and headed towards the rear.
Thump.
Returning to his seat, Jin Yuha sat down next to her.
Shin Sehee looked at him with a complicated gaze before opening her mouth.
"Mr. Jin Yuha."
"Hm?"
"That, the instructor just now…"
"Ah, you noticed it too, then?"
Jin Yuha spoke with an unusually bright expression.
"That instructor, don't you think he and I would get along really well?"
"…Pardon?"
"Tsk. I really didn't expect there to be a class like this. Can't I take this class more? Oh, can a cadet also be a graduate student? If graduate school involves researching and refining builds like this, I'd seriously consider it."
Jin Yuha was running wild like a train with broken brakes.
Shin Sehee felt that if she left him like this, something truly terrible would happen.
"Mr. Jin Yuha."
She swallowed hard and called out to him in a low voice.
"You can't."
"…I can't?"
"No, cadets are not fundamentally permitted to hold dual positions as graduate students."
"Hmm, then later, after achieving some results, I could request permission for a dual position…"
"And Mr. Jin Yuha, don't you have a lot of things to do in the future?"
In that moment, Shin Sehee saved an instructor.
"Later, when everything is over. Wouldn't it be right for you to do what you wish then, Mr. Jin Yuha?"
"Ah."
Jin Yuha's mouth hung open.
He slowly closed his eyes.
"Ah, thank you. You helped clear my head. I got a bit carried away, thinking I'd found someone of my kind and that this class was so good."
Jin Yuha scratched his head and conceded.
"Thank you for listening to me."
"Still, it's a bit of a shame…"
Jin Yuha clicked his tongue, saying.
Shin Sehee looked at his crestfallen expression.
She was thinking that future knowledge shouldn't be carelessly revealed in the present, but her mouth uttered words different from her thoughts.
"…Well, there are still many classes left, and… w-wouldn't it be alright to, um, visit occasionally and talk about strategy?"
She had just thrown the instructor she painstakingly saved back into the gutter.
"I knew it!"
Jin Yuha's face lit up.
'Ah, why do I always end up like this whenever I get involved with him…'
Shin Sehee buried her face in her hands.
*
And so, the 'Understanding Position Formations and Organization' class concluded.
As all the cadets were preparing to leave.
"Shin Sehee, class is over, what are you doing now?"
Jin Yuha suddenly said to Shin Sehee.
"Hmm, this was the last lecture for today. I'll probably head back right away? But why do you ask?"
"Ah, I was planning to go shopping today, and I was wondering if you'd be free to come with me."
"Pardon…?"
Thump—
Shin Sehee looked at Jin Yuha with a startled expression.
'Did this man just ask me to go shopping with him…?'
Her heart pounded rapidly at his words. Her mind was momentarily thrown into confusion, but
she quickly thought about how much money she currently had in her account.
'…Hmm, I can probably draw around a billion won right now. If it's a bit short, I can get some from Secretary Kim.'
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Shin Sehee nodded.
"Yes, alright. But shopping so suddenly? Is there something you need?"
"Ah, I originally intended to get gear for my party members before we fought the tutorial boss, but Choi Aram appeared earlier than expected, so I couldn't. So I'm planning to get them ready before our party activity this weekend."
Shin Sehee's elated mood instantly plummeted.
'Ah, party members…'
She wasn't a formal party member, after all.
She knew there was nothing she could do about it.
And as someone in charge of managing the party, it was only natural for her to accompany him to acquire such equipment.
He wasn't asking her to come on a private date, but as a public duty for the party.
'…Still, it's fine. Seeing as he doesn't even try to hide that he sees the future in front of me now, he must truly trust me.'
Shin Sehee rationalized it that way, trying to calm her turbulent heart.
'Yes, this is something, at least. I should be content with this.'
"Tsk, party member gear… To be honest, store-bought items aren't really useful at all… But it's better than nothing."
Jin Yuha spoke in a voice that held no hint of understanding what she was thinking.
"Hmm, first, Kang Dohee doesn't use weapons, so I'll look into armor for her. Lee Yuri needs a shield, and Im Gaeul needs a sub-weapon… And Shin Sehee…"
"Huh…?"
Shin Sehee's eyes widened, and she stared at him as her name was suddenly mentioned.
Jin Yuha tilted his head and asked back.
"What's wrong?"
"…Are you, are you getting something for me too?"
Jin Yuha furrowed his brows, as if she were speaking nonsense.
"Of course."
"But I'm not a combat-oriented class, and I'm not a formal party member…?"
Jin Yuha stared intently at Shin Sehee, who was speaking hesitantly.
"…It seems you're mistaken about something."
"…About what?"
"The idea that you're not a party member. I think you're wrong about that."
"Pardon…?"
"I'll tell you clearly right now. Shin Sehee. You are my party member. And you've never done anything strange to me."
A shiver—
At his words, a shiver originated from her back and spread throughout Shin Sehee's entire body.
Emotions welled up fiercely.
'I'm one of them, too…'
Then suddenly.
Huh?
Wait a minute…
But, why would he suddenly say something like this…?
C-could it be…
"Mr. Jin Yuha."
Shin Sehee swallowed hard and looked at him with hopeful eyes.
"…The text I sent yesterday… did you s-see it?"
Then Jin Yuha ominously raised the corner of his mouth.
"Yep, saw it."
"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Her face instantly flushed bright red, and her pupils began to tremble uncontrollably.