I Possessed a Broken Academy Instructor

Chapter 4

Jin Crow was heading to the Military Police, carrying the liquor bottles he had packed in a box.

‘It's a bit of a waste.’

Even the less effective ones were useful as a temporary measure, but he couldn't do something as foolish as falling out with Idealle over mere alcohol.

Because of that, Jin Crow was able to let go of his lingering attachment without much difficulty and made his way.

‘Seeing it in person makes it hard to control my expression.’

No, the truth seemed to be that he had more important things to worry about.

Sigma Satellite City.

The culmination of the United Human Star Nation's technological prowess, built solely for the military academy.

It was a place where a satellite, previously little more than a wasteland, had been completely remodeled for the sole purpose of establishing the 'Central Special Mission Military Academy'.

‘It might seem like an excessive investment for a place with only 5,000 cadets and a total population, including administrative staff, of no more than 10,000... But considering its importance, it wasn't strange at all.’

The Central Special Mission Military Academy is an institution that produces Special Mission Officers.

A Special Mission Officer is a Superhuman who uses Psionic Energy with their Gear, and each individual is managed as a national strategic asset.

In other words, the investment was, if anything, insufficient, but by no means excessive.

Of course, there were many other military academies besides the Central Special Mission Military Academy, but more than that…

‘Annoying.’

His thoughts didn't last long.

It was because as soon as he stepped outside, the gazes from his surroundings were even more unwelcome than he had expected.

Cadets walking towards him would change their path upon spotting him, or an instructor who was just about to light a cigarette would throw it away and enter a building upon making eye contact.

“…”

“…Ahem.”

Whether it was instructors or cadets, no one openly disrespected him, but anyone with a bit of sense would notice.

Jin Crow. Now that he had become this person, he was being thoroughly ostracized.

‘Being treated this way for something I didn't even do is more irritating than I thought.’

He thought about trying to control his expression for a moment, but quickly gave up.

Whether it was because of the lingering effects of the Awakening Agent or because the nearly thirty liquor bottles were heavy, maintaining a blank expression was quite an ordeal.

How long had he been walking?

When the on-campus Military Police building he had seen on his Watch came into view, he began to walk a little faster.

Of course, even at that moment, he was racking his brain to survive.

‘A theory lecture might be easy for now, but thinking about the future, it offers no benefit.’

His life was on the line.

He couldn't just rely on the protagonist, Baek Hwi-young.

Moreover, Baek Hwi-young was closer to a growth-type protagonist rather than a typical overpowered one.

It was undeniable that he was strong, but the galaxy was just too vast.

The problem was that he couldn't act too conspicuously either...

‘As I thought, is that the only way?’

It was then.

“…What the.”

Just as he was passing the cadets' dormitory, the groan of an unfamiliar man grazed his ears.

It was a faint sound he normally wouldn't have heard, but perhaps because he had taken the Awakening Agent, it came through clearly.

“Huh? What's wrong?”

Followed by a question filled with cheerfulness.

Why was it?

Jin Crow turned his head, driven by an inexplicable intuition, and upon identifying the person who came into view, he couldn't help but take a deep breath.

“Jin Crow.”

His name brushed past his ears.

He looked at the man at the end of his gaze.

A man with ashen hair and eyes.

And a small-statured woman with light brown hair and eyes.

Even if he had seen them in real life, he would have unconsciously turned back for a second look based on their appearance alone.

However, what stopped Jin Crow in his tracks wasn't the couple's looks, but the fact that he instantly recognized who they were.

‘Baek Hwi-young. And Miel Angbereu.’

Both were figures that no reader of ‘Galactic Chronicles’ could fail to know.

Not only the protagonist, Baek Hwi-young, but Miel Angbereu was the main heroine.

However, the important thing now wasn't something else, but the fact that his eyes had met Baek Hwi-young's.

Step-.

Baek Hwi-young, who had been staring at him with ashen eyes that were even more sunken than he'd thought, had already walked right up to him.

“Jin Crow… Instructor.”

Seeing him up close was a new experience, but there was one thing he couldn't help but notice.

‘…What's with his eyes?’

His faded, ashen pupils were clearly focused, but beyond that focus was an endless void.

It was like… facing someone who was lacking something.

Whether he knew what Jin Crow was thinking or not, Baek Hwi-young glanced down at the box, twitched his eyebrow slightly, and then opened his mouth.

“These are… liquor bottles, aren't they?”

The way he spoke, as if he already knew what they were, made him unconsciously flare up.

He might not have been fully aware of it himself, but the original Jin Crow would never have accepted a cadet 'daring' to show such an attitude in front of him.

Was that why?

Jin Crow furrowed his brow and replied.

“What does that have to do with a cadet?”

As if to prove it, Jin Crow himself, the one who had uttered the words, swallowed in momentary bewilderment.

Fortunately, however, Baek Hwi-young didn't notice that fleeting agitation.

“I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Hwi-Hwi-young. I-I mean. Hi-hic!”

It was because Miel Angbereu, who had been watching from the side with anxious eyes and a cold sweat, hurriedly grabbed his head and forced it into a bow.

No matter how much of a Superhuman one was, they couldn't discern a person's minute facial expressions through a simple feeling.

Thanks to that, Jin Crow was able to hide his momentary unease, return to his blank expression, and continue speaking.

“Cadet Baek Hwi-young... Quite curious, I see. I'll remember that.”

There was nothing more to be gained from this conversation.

“Tsk.”

With that, he clicked his tongue lightly and walked away.

“S-Sorry! Hic!”

Of course, even then, Miel Angbereu was still on her tiptoes, holding Baek Hwi-young's head and forcibly keeping it down.

Right after Jin Crow had disappeared in the direction of the Military Police, Baek Hwi-young finally grabbed Miel Angbereu's slender wrist, pushed it away, and spoke.

“He's gone. It's okay.”

“Hi-hic! Hi-hic!”

Was it because of her light brown hair?

Or because of her particularly small frame?

At the sight of her trembling like a little squirrel, a laugh escaped him unconsciously.

“S-Scary…”

Tears were even welling up in Miel Angbereu's eyes.

It was partly because she was naturally timid, but it wasn't a completely baseless reaction.

‘Even if you can erase the smell of the battlefield, the aura remains.’

Even those who disliked Instructor Jin Crow didn't dare open their mouths in front of him.

Some said it was because of the faction behind him, but in truth, everyone knew.

‘Just who are you…’

That perhaps, he might be the most dangerous man in this military academy.

Watching Jin Crow's back slowly disappear into the distance, Baek Hwi-young stood there for a long time.

“The commissary, aren't we going…?”

Of course, Miel Angbereu, who had by then stopped hiccupping, was standing beside Baek Hwi-young, anxiously fidgeting and watching his expression.

***

Regardless of what Baek Hwi-young was thinking, or whether Miel was getting hungry, Jin Crow had to force back the sigh that rose to his throat.

Of course, it was a sigh of relief.

‘I've passed another hurdle.’

‘Let's not look back.’

‘Don't want to make eye contact by accident.’

Feeling needlessly stuffy, Jin Crow unbuttoned his shirt and quickened his pace.

Fortunately, the Military Police building was just a stone's throw away, so he was able to enter the building in less than five minutes.

Vweee-.

Perhaps because cadets and instructors came in quite often, the door opened without any special security device.

“Yeees~? What can I... Oh my?”

The inside of the Military Police building was much cleaner and simpler than he had expected.

How should I put it?

It felt like a police station decorated with a bit more minimalism.

The military uniform was white with gold engravings, and the epaulets bore their rank along with the mark of a Special Mission Officer.

Considering that the standard uniform for the United Human Star Nation's Special Mission Officers, including instructors, was black, there was a definite difference.

“It's Jin Crow!”

“…That's rude.”

“Oh my, it's Instructor Jin Crow?”

“You're still speaking informally.”

He replied as such and placed the box he had brought on a nearby table.

Soon, Jin Crow looked at the red-haired woman with an endlessly ditzy-looking face.

“Hehe.”

She, who wore the epaulets of a Major on her shoulder just like Jin Crow, had been sitting with a dazed expression, but then approached him as if that had never happened, her distinctive red eyes flashing.

A Military Police officer with red hair and red eyes.

An impression that was hard to forget.

She didn't seem to mind his gaze scanning her over, and with a face still full of laughter, she nonchalantly opened her mouth.

“What's the big deal? Let's just speak informally. We're the same rank, anyway. Ah, though it does depend on when you were commissioned. I was…”

“…Enough. I'd like to get straight to the point.”

“Gasp, you're the type to move fast?”

He had prepared himself, but as expected, she was a difficult type to deal with.

In many ways.

Because of that, rather than pointing out her rude attitude, he suppressed his irritable voice and spoke.

“That's enough unnecessary talk. This is the alcohol the Commandant ordered me to surrender. If possible, I'd like you to store it rather than dispose of it.”

“Alcohol? Why are you telling me that now? Put it down, quickly!”

At the word 'alcohol', she quickly passed Jin Crow and reached the box, and soon began to rummage through the liquor bottles inside with a flushed expression.

“Th-This is Jack Dainiel 32-year? And this is a Wild Phoenix 41-year…!”

For someone wearing a Major's epaulets, her demeanor was endlessly frivolous, and he almost let his guard down unconsciously, but soon, as he recalled her name, a forgotten tension ran down his spine.

‘Obia. Obia Timist.’

She too was one of the main characters of the novel.

Nothing good would come from getting more involved with her.

For now, it was best to avoid getting involved with Baek Hwi-young, Obia, or Idealle as much as possible.

Yes, for the time being.

‘Until my thoughts are sorted out.’

Because of that, he spoke to Obia, who was busy rummaging through the liquor bottles.

“Well then, I'll be leaving.”

“Huh? You're leaving already?”

He left the Military Police station without answering.

That was definitely the Obia Timist from the original story.

It felt like his ears were bleeding.

“…Salute.”

Jin Crow ignored the reluctant salutes of the military police officers he occasionally encountered and walked to a nearby smoking area, putting a cigarette in his mouth.

Tchick, shhhh-.

Was it thanks to the nicotine pressing deep into his lungs?

His mind cleared up, if only a little.

‘This is killing me.’

‘I haven't even done anything, but I'm completely drained.’

However, even in that moment, his mind was endlessly moving in a complex and dizzying way.

He had smoked about half the cigarette when…

Step-.

He turned his head at the sound of sudden footsteps from behind and found himself frowning before he knew it.

“Can I borrow a cigarette? Hee.”

“It's a bad habit. Buy your own to smoke.”

“Eh?”

It was a reply that had come out before he could even consciously react.

Belatedly, Jin Crow opened and closed his mouth as if to add something, then turned and left.

Meanwhile, Obia, left behind in the smoking area with a dumbfounded expression, watched him walk away.

Soon, her eyes sparkled as she muttered softly.

“…He's changed. He's definitely changed.”

It was a single phrase, filled with extremely dangerous curiosity.