A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

Due to the beetle-eating incident, Don burst into tears for quite some time.

I simply watched without doing anything until Don finished crying. All I could feel was the crispy texture of the beetle.

After a while, when the crying subsided, Don glared at me with fierce eyes. His swollen eyelids were quite striking.

“I’m going to tell Dad everything!”

“Okay.”

“Don’t ever give me a beetle again!”

Such typical words from a five-year-old. I listened to Don and, after a brief moment of thought, opened my mouth.

“I’ll find it first.”

“Huh?”

“You have to eat it all.”

“N-No! Don’t eat it!”

Until now, I hadn’t played with kids, so I didn’t know.

How fun it is to tease kids. Their reactions are so pure and delightful.

Whether Don struggled to protect the beetle or not, I quietly followed behind him.

Occasionally, there were insects that looked quite tasty, but this time, I held back.

Otherwise, he might really sulk. One instance of ruining his innocence is enough.

“Oh. This is fascinating…”

“Looks delicious. Thanks for the meal.”

“Ah, ahhh!!”

Of course, insects, plants, or mushrooms with poison ended up in my mouth.

Even a small amount of poison could be dangerous for Don. In the worst-case scenario, it could be life-threatening.

Even if it wasn’t fatal, there was a chance of permanent damage. This was a precaution against that.

“Don’t eat it! That’s mine!”

“No. I’m going to eat it.”

“Seriously!!”

Don stomped his feet in frustration, but there was no helping it.

What Don was about to grab was a mushroom—one that stings just by touching it.

If ingested, it could paralyze the entire body with its potent venom. But to me, it was nothing more than a unique texture.

‘Most poisons feel like a fizzy sensation, like carbonation.’

Even if I consumed a stronger poison, the worst I’d experience was a bit of diarrhea the next day.

Feeling the popping sensation in my mouth, I followed behind Don.

Fortunately, he avoided touching anything poisonous and played with ordinary bugs instead.

Sometimes, he spent time playing with harmless animals like squirrels.

“Let’s go now. I want a snack.”

“A snack?”

“Yeah. Ice cream. Do you want some too?”

Ice cream sounded good to me too. I nodded and replied.

“Beetles are delicious too.”

“I’m not eating that!”

That’s a bit disappointing. Beetles are so tasty.

Eating them raw might be off-putting, but when cooked, they’re not so bad.

Even when I lived in the forest, I treated them as snacks. I even roasted cockroaches, which were better than expected.

‘A delicacy.’

Ice cream or candy has a strong sweetness, but insects have a certain crispy texture and a unique flavor.

They’re surprisingly addictive, so I’d grab a few to eat whenever I entered the forest. Even now, it’s the same.

But there’s a slightly cloying aftertaste. That’s why ice cream is the perfect snack.

“Huh?”

“What?”

But then, what’s this? Near the dog hole, I encountered someone entirely unexpected.

She, too, seemed surprised to meet me here, blinking her golden eyes before breaking into a welcoming smile.

“Sivar?”

“Ellie?”

It was Ellie. Lately, she had been so busy studying that it was hard to see her.

As soon as she saw me, she approached with a radiant smile that could outshine the sun.

Don, who had been walking ahead, grabbed onto my pants and hid behind me at the sight of a stranger. He’s surprisingly shy.

“Wow… That lady is pretty.”

Or maybe not. Maybe he’s just embarrassed.

While I chuckled inwardly, Ellie came right up to me.

A faint yet refreshing herbal scent wafted from her, a fragrance unique to her.

And as always, her potion pouch, which was as beautiful as ever, caught my eye. I felt an overwhelming urge to hug her.

“What brings you here? And who’s this little one?”

“This is Don. The instructor’s son.”

“The instructor’s son?”

Ellie looked at Don with a puzzled expression. As soon as their eyes met, Don shrank back even more.

Since Ellie isn’t in a combat role, she wouldn’t recognize his name. So I simply said he’s the instructor’s son.

Well, honestly, it wouldn’t matter much to her. She’d probably just think of him as a cute little kid.

“Hi there. What’s your name?”

Ellie bent down slightly to meet Don at eye level. Don hesitated, just like he did with Jane, before quietly speaking.

“…Don. My name is Don.”

“Hi, Don. I’m Ellie. How old are you?”

“Five.”

“Same as Sivar.”

“…Huh?”

Wait a second. Did she just say I’m five years old?

I looked at Ellie with a bewildered expression, but she just smiled mischievously.

Judging by her tone, it was a joke, but for some reason, it didn’t feel like one. Especially considering how she often treats me like a kid.

“So why did you come into the forest? This area should be off-limits.”

“Through the dog hole.”

“The dog hole? You mean the one right over there?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s funny. I came through there too.”

No wonder she’s in the forest—she found the dog hole. But I’m a bit curious about how she discovered it.

That curiosity didn’t last long, though, as their conversation soon made it clear.

“How did you find it?”

“A cute squirrel showed me.”

“A squirrel?”

It seems Porori guided her. That little guy is good at following requests.

But it’s still dangerous. Porori might even be nearby.

Since we’ll be heading back to the academy soon, it doesn’t matter much. It’s probably best to leave the dog hole as it is for now.

“I’m heading back now. Are you and Don going back too, Sivar?”

“Yeah. We’re going to get ice cream.”

“Then let me join you. I’ve been craving something too.”

“Sure.”

Somehow, the three of us ended up walking back together. The dog hole was just ahead, so it didn’t take long.

But an amusing situation unfolded here. Don, being the smallest, wasn’t a problem, but Ellie was.

“Ugh…! Ngh…!”

“…”

Perhaps because of her large chest, she struggled to squeeze through the dog hole.

If I’d known, I would’ve gone through first and pulled her in, but I hadn’t thought of that.

Still, she managed to get through somehow, and the matter was resolved. Her clothes got a bit dirty, but she didn’t seem to care.

“What did you play in the forest? I was gathering herbs.”

“I caught a beetle.”

“A beetle?”

“Yeah.”

“I see. I used to catch bugs and play with them too. Sometimes, I even roasted and ate them.”

While buying ice cream, we chatted about this and that. Naturally, I chose chocolate ice cream.

Don went with plain vanilla, and Ellie picked strawberry. After buying the ice cream, we sat on a bench to rest.

“By the way, Nuna.”

“Yeah? Do you have something to say?”

“Why is your chest so big, Nuna?”

Don suddenly asked this out of nowhere while eating. Even though he’s just a kid, it was an undeniably shocking question.

Ellie looked a bit flustered but cautiously asked back.

“Why are you asking that?”

“Women all have big ones. Mom does, and so does Jane Nuna. But yours is the biggest.”

It seemed to stem from pure curiosity. At his age, it wasn’t surprising.

Especially since Ellie stood out so much, it was bound to catch his attention.

Perhaps understanding Don’s innocence, Ellie thought for a moment before shrugging and answering.

“I’m not really sure either. Maybe because I eat well and sleep well? Oh, and I sometimes eat bugs in the mountains. I also drink a lot of milk.”

“Ew. Like Sivar Hyung?”

“Yeah. Do you want to try it someday?”

“No way. Beetles are my friends. You’re not supposed to eat friends.”

Saying that, Don shoved the rest of his ice cream into his mouth. Then, he hopped off the bench and dashed off somewhere.

I should follow him, but since we’re inside the Academy, there’s no reason for him to go missing. Besides, I can just sense his presence.

With Don no longer squeezed between Ellie and me, I subtly shifted closer. Coincidentally, Ellie did the same.

“Sivar.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you want to lie down?”

As soon as Ellie suggested it, I lay down without hesitation. The soft sensation of her thighs reached my head.

Ellie smiled warmly at my clinginess and gently stroked my hair. As always, it naturally put my mind at ease.

Thanks to my Wild Instinct, I’m usually quite sensitive. I react quickly to small noises and remain alert if someone approaches from behind.

But when Ellie hugs me with open arms or gives me a lap pillow like this, it’s a different story. I just want to close my eyes.

“Is it uncomfortable?”

“No.”

“Sivar, you’re such a baby. That’s why you’re so cute.”

Ellie said that while softly caressing my cheek. I couldn’t help but smile bashfully.

I opened my previously closed eyes and looked up. But a massive mound blocked my view.

No matter how I tried to move my face, I couldn’t see Ellie’s face. This was a problem in its own way.

‘I’m starting to feel sleepy…’

So I stayed still, and my eyes slowly closed. The faint scent of herbs made me feel like I was in a forest.

More than anything, Ellie’s hand stroking my head gave me a sense of peace. What would happen if I just fell asleep like this?

“Are you tired? If you’re tired, you can take a nap.”

“Can I?”

“Yeah. If anything happens…”

Ellie trailed off mid-sentence. Judging by her movements, she seemed to have turned her gaze elsewhere.

At the same time, murmuring sounds reached my ears. Something felt off, so I slowly sat up.

-Hey! Get down from there! It’s dangerous!

-Someone, please help get that kid down!

It’s Don. As soon as I heard the voice, I ran straight toward it.

Behind me, Ellie shouted, “Wait for me!” But Don was my priority. What kind of trouble had he caused this time?

Soon, I arrived at the source of the commotion: the center of the Plaza. Not the Memorial Tower, but the location of the Hero’s Statue.

If the Memorial Tower is situated in the exterior plaza, the Hero’s Statue is located at the center of the Main Building.

Since it’s vacation, non-students can’t enter the Main Building, but walking around outside is allowed.

“Wow! I made it!”

“…”

Before long, I spotted Don. In that short span of time, he had climbed to the top of the massive statue.

The statue, modeled after a hero holding a sword high, now had Don perched on its neck like he was riding a horse.

‘So this is why they say it’s dangerous when kids are quiet.’

I always wondered why adults made kids wear squeaky shoes. But there’s nothing like that here.

I pushed through the murmuring crowd and headed toward the statue. Normally, getting close to the statue is prohibited.

If you get too close, the guards will intervene. But since Don is a child, they must have let their guard down for a moment.

“Wait! This area is off-limits…”

“Just the kid.”

“Sorry. I’ll hurry and get him down.”

I shoved past the guards and began climbing the statue.

The statue was larger than I expected, so it took some time to ascend, but it wasn’t a big deal.

Eventually, I reached the neck area and came face-to-face with Don. Being a kid, he showed no fear.

“Oh? Hyung, you came too? It’s really high up here!”

“Yeah. It’s high.”

So come down. Soon, I’ll take you somewhere even higher.

Muttering to myself, I grabbed Don’s clothes. My hands were big enough to hold him with just one hand.

Everything would’ve been fine if not for one thing I hadn’t anticipated—his unpredictability.

As soon as I grabbed his clothes, Don squirmed as if to shake me off. Already struggling to maintain balance, I wobbled.

Slip—

“Huh?”

“Ah.”

In the end, he slipped off the neck. The moment I saw Don falling, I tensed my legs.

Then, I lunged forward, catching Don with one arm. To brace for the fall, I grabbed the hero’s neck with my other arm.

It looked like I had the hero in a headlock. From here, I could slowly descend…

Crack!

“Huh?”

But then, something unexpected happened. The hero’s neck snapped clean off.

Though the statue had stood strong since the Academy’s founding, time spares nothing.

I fell, clutching the hero’s head under my arm. Twisting my body mid-air, I shielded Don as we landed.

As for the hero’s head? I had already tossed it to the ground. Right now, Don’s safety was all that mattered.

Thud!

A heavy impact hit my back. Since I’d braced myself, the damage wasn’t too severe.

“Are you okay?”

“Y-Yeah…”

Don looked dazed, clearly startled by the ordeal. I carefully loosened my grip on him.

Glancing to the side, I saw shattered pieces of stone scattered around—the remnants of the hero’s statue’s face.

“Sivar! Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Yeah. I’m fine, but…”

While responding to Ellie’s concern, I turned my gaze toward the statue.

The Hero’s Statue was now completely headless, as if it had been executed.

‘Should I consider this a stroke of luck…?’

Somehow, I had managed to remove the Devil’s Magic Circle.

And it was the most controversial magic circle among players.