Korean, math, science.
History was adjusted and geography was added.
Honestly, it made sense that heroes who protect people should know locations immediately when monsters break through the Wall and invade. I couldn't argue with that.
The problem was that we weren't just expected to have general knowledge—we needed to pinpoint specific locations with absolute certainty.
While the written portion changed like that, the practical portion transformed dramatically into what could be considered my worst nightmare.
Combat training, where I thought I could reverse my academic standing, was completely suspended and replaced with field training, putting me in an extremely difficult situation.
Being at the bottom rank of the Academy made one somewhat undesirable even in the professional hero world.
Each region had its own agency, and naturally, they wanted to recruit students with higher grades to help their areas prosper. Even when selecting from the lower ranks, they would obviously choose someone higher up rather than someone at the absolute bottom.
That's why I disliked these new evaluation criteria so much.
I felt like I was clearly heading toward failure, but I didn't want to give up either, so I was seriously contemplating what to do.
"...Ugh."
My head was already throbbing just looking at the geography textbook.
Honestly, I was somewhat confident in memorizing this material. Even if I couldn't do anything about abilities that were closer to physical capabilities, this was something even someone with poor intelligence could memorize given enough time.
While I was groaning like that, a shadow approached me. I looked up thinking it might be Yoon Ha-min, but it was Orca standing there instead.
"Oh, hello?"
"Hello, Kanna."
When I greeted her with wide eyes, she responded with a gentle voice.
We had met on Saturday and parted ways without accomplishing much, and our last encounter ended with me looking rather pathetic. Because of that, I hesitated repeatedly, not knowing what to say.
Break time wasn't long. Conversations during breaks barely had time to shift through one or two topics before they were over.
So before an awkward silence could settle in, Orca, who seemed to have something to say, spoke first.
"I was wondering if you were okay after what happened before."
"Ah, I'm fine. My legs are perfectly normal."
I answered her concern by lightly tapping my thigh with my fist.
If before I couldn't move properly due to the aftereffects of the accident, now I felt better as the stiffness had somewhat subsided.
The fact that I could walk and had come to the Academy on my own two feet was proof of that.
Hearing my words, Orca hesitated before nodding. Since I said I was fine, she seemed reluctant to say anything more about it.
There was no reason to discuss such matters in the classroom, and I wanted to avoid it for fear of causing a commotion.
After hesitating for a moment, Orca brought up something else.
"It's a shame that what we learned before has become useless now."
"Oh, right. It's okay! Heroes can't just train for human combat anyway."
I waved my hand dismissively.
Whether she was sympathizing with my disappointment about the removal of human response training and combat skills, she wore a regretful expression.
I truly hadn't expected this change, but I was trying to accept the current situation regardless.
Orca gave a bitter smile in response. Her smile seemed to look at me with admiration.
"It's amazing that you can think that way. Most people would find it difficult."
Saying that, Orca gently took my hand resting on the desk and quietly continued.
"I was worried. After we parted like that, and then with what happened... it felt like it was all my fault, like it was my problem..."
Orca trembled. I opened my eyes wide at her sincere concern.
Since Orca didn't know that the Mysterious Person could find me, she seemed to feel guilty instead.
If only she hadn't invited me to the mansion.
If only she hadn't left me alone.
Seeing her seemingly blaming herself made me feel uncomfortable.
I wanted to tell her that none of it was her fault. I wanted to explain the truth and say so many things.
But there were limits to what I could say, and spreading too much information would cause its own problems. Since I felt most comfortable sharing only with people I trusted, I kept my mouth shut.
Unless it would truly result in numerous casualties and eventually lead to both my death and Yoon Ha-min's, I intended to keep quiet.
"No, it was just bad luck. When someone gets hurt or dies because of monsters, it's never anyone's fault."
Though I couldn't tell the truth, I could say this much.
So I told her to put her mind at ease.
Orca nodded, seemingly at a loss for words.
"Thank you for saying that."
"I... I appreciate your concern too."
With those final words, Orca turned away with a somewhat relieved expression.
It seemed like a natural reaction now that she had checked on me and resolved her guilt.
Monday already included one geography class.
It was dreadful having to memorize maps and the special zone designations that heroes used to refer to different areas.
Given the circumstances, I couldn't complain, so I clutched my throbbing head and filled my notebook densely, trying hard to memorize everything.
After barely making it through the four morning classes, lunch time finally greeted me. As I sighed deeply, holding onto my exhausted mind, Orca approached me first.
"Kanna."
"Huh?"
When I responded with a dazed voice and looked up, Orca chuckled at my appearance and continued.
"Let's go have lunch."
How much could there be to say during lunch time? Obviously, she was suggesting we eat together.
But that wasn't what I wanted right now.
A good portion of April's stipend had already disappeared on repairing my school uniform. Because of that, I couldn't help but be constrained when it came to meals.
So I shook my head.
"No, I'll eat separately..."
"Do you want to eat bread instead?"
She was clearly being considerate, but why did I feel so strange about it?
I wondered if I was being overly sensitive.
"I have my reasons...!"
I stood up abruptly and left, almost like I was running away.
I thought it wouldn't be right to make people who could afford to eat well settle for convenience store bread.
*
Sitting next to Orca during class, I kept nodding off without being able to concentrate. I usually didn't doze off, but today it was beyond my control.
Orca woke me up occasionally, but even that had its limits. Even when my eyes were open, I wasn't really awake.
What classes did we have today, and what content did we study? Trying to recall made my throbbing head seem to protest against thinking any further.
Whenever my consciousness briefly returned, Kanna came to mind.
Since what I had seen while staying up at night was Kanna sleeping quietly beside me under the same blanket, it wasn't strange that her image kept appearing before my eyes.
Well, to others, it would probably seem quite strange.
Even to me, there was no room for excuses.
I couldn't exactly say, "I got excited and couldn't sleep because I tried to share a bed with a female classmate." I groaned and covered my face with my hands, moving them up and down a few times as if washing my face.
By the time I finally managed to open my eyes, it was already lunch time.
I couldn't help but think this week's exam was already a lost cause.
No, I could review sufficiently when I got home. But Kanna would be there when I got home... Checkmate, cornered. All sorts of expressions came to mind, driving me crazy.
While I was groaning like that, a voice called out to me.
"Yoon Ha-min, it's lunch time. Let's go eat."
I silently nodded at those words. Orca sighed deeply in response.
"You look terrible today. Did something happen?"
It was something I couldn't tell even if my lips were torn apart. I shook my head as if it was nothing.
"No, it's nothing..."
"Kanna said she'd go ahead to eat lunch."
"...What? Huh? Kanna did?"
It was a moment that instantly awakened my foggy mind.
The sudden disappearance of Kanna seemed unbelievable and potentially dangerous, making me look up.
"Yes, it seems we'll have to eat just the two of us today...?"
"Uh, umm..."
This wasn't good. I didn't think Kanna should be left alone.
Unable to figure out how to express my anxious feelings, I finally moved my feet.
"L-let's go find her once!"
"W-what?"
I shook off my fatigue from earlier and moved forward, taking the confused Orca with me.