Chapter 35
What makes a good team member?
It's character.
Some might argue, "Isn't it ability?"
Of course, ability is important, but it's not a necessary condition for the team I belong to.
Why? Because *I* have the ability.
[With a master who possesses unparalleled, god-defying skills, who dares to compete based on ability?!]
"That's true. But your tone seems a bit sharp, don't you think?"
[W-what are you talking about?! No way!]
Anyway, it's character!
As a team member, all they need to do is listen to me!
"In other words, as long as they have good character, even five guys like that black-haired dude would be fine!"
"Hey, I’m still from Class A, you know…"
I shut my mouth at the sudden, gloomy voice of the black-haired guy.
I didn’t realize I had spoken my thoughts out loud.
Well, I’m just stating the truth, so I have nothing to be ashamed of.
It’s just that the listener might get hurt, so I’m being considerate.
[As expected of the master! Your compassion for others runs deep in your heart!]
"What do you mean 'runs deep'? What are you talking about?!"
[It’s just a typo, okay?]
Have you ever seen such a shameless guy?
There’s no way this guy would make a typo with his specs, so this was 100% intentional.
Anyway, this guy has been like this for a while now, so I’ll let it slide.
"We prioritize character. Therefore, join our team, you stuttering delinquent."
"Me? W-why?!"
"Do I have to explain everything? Shut up and join!"
"Eek! Please spare me!!"
I was trying to let him into the team, but the delinquent started crying, kneeling, and begging for forgiveness.
Now I look like the bad guy.
[How is this even about judging character?]
"Well, he looks like he’ll listen to me. If he listens to me, he’s got good character."
[Then does that mean I, who absolutely obey the master, also have good character?]
"Don’t use the word 'character' for someone who doesn’t even have human rights."
[That’s so mean! Waaah!]
So, in short, good character means someone with human rights who listens to me.
"Waaah!"
Damn it, while I was distracted for a second, the delinquent ran away crying.
I thought about pulling out my Geichu to catch him again, but I decided to let it go this time.
"Go get him, Linia."
So, I ordered Linia to catch the delinquent.
"Why me? And why do we have to catch him when he clearly doesn’t want to join?"
"I’ll give you 1 gold if you bring him back."
"Right away, my lord!!"
Linia chased after the delinquent like a storm and brought him back in no time.
"Uwaaah! Please spare me! You don’t even seem to like me that much, so why do you keep trying to make me join your team?!"
The delinquent, dragged by the back of his neck by Linia, resisted stubbornly.
I pointed at him confidently.
"And you, why are you refusing when I’m offering to run the washing machine for you personally?"
"What do you mean by 'washing machine'?! Are you planning to throw me into a washing machine?! Please spare me!!"
The delinquent, being the ignorant delinquent he is, took the word "washing machine" literally.
"It’s a metaphor, you idiot. If you, say, reconcile with that brother you don’t get along with, or show some reliable behavior, people might think, 'Oh, this guy was actually a good guy all along.' Wouldn’t that be good for you?"
"Who’s going to give me that evaluation?!"
"I will."
Seriously, how dumb do you have to be for me to explain everything one by one?
If you’re not smart, just shut up and do what I tell you to do!
"If you're not smart, just keep your mouth shut and do what you're told."
"Wow, he just said that straight to his face."
At my words, Linia was impressed and patted the shoulder of the delinquent she had brought over.
"You understand. Laniel isn't a bad guy, but his personality is a bit rough."
"What's wrong with my personality? Want to try a wage freeze?"
"Your personality is very merciful and hearty."
"Good that you know. Why do you have to say such things out loud?"
Of course, I knew Linia was bad-mouthing me, but it was unusual for her to handle the situation so flexibly, so I decided to let it slide this time.
However, this year's salary increase will be paid in bananas.
"Anyway, we've secured one team member."
"Is it confirmed?! What about my opinion?!"
"Do you want to live with Gaychu in a 3-pyeong room for three days?"
"P-please, not that!!"
"Will you join the team or not?"
"I-I'll join."
The delinquent joined our team, tears of gratitude streaming down his face.
Now, shall we look for the next team member?
"Us! Us! We want to join the team leader's group!"
Just then, the three Dangdang sisters quickly approached us.
But.
"You three stick together, right? Our team already has three members from the Department of Magic Engineering, so one of you would have to drop out."
"Hiiing, that can't be."
"Right! If one drops out, one will be lonely!"
"Can't be helped."
Unfortunately, the three Dangdang sisters were out.
Actually, I'm not that disappointed. They're not bad kids, but listening to the three of them chatter at the same time makes my mind go numb.
Looking around, I spotted an easy target.
"You, join our team."
"The team leader's group has a lot of top students. Although the current class isn't about competing for grades, building connections with top students seems efficient. I'll join."
An engineering student joined the team.
Now, six members.
We need around 10 members, so we still need about three more.
But my academy network is quite limited, so I can't think of anyone.
Therefore, I decided to ask the team members for their opinions.
"If you know anyone, bring them to the team."
"I don't know anyone."
"Me neither."
"None."
"I don't have anyone either, but thinking about it, a team of five might be more efficient.
Talking about forming teams reminds me of something that happened when I was in the Efren region..."
They all have no friends. Meanwhile, the engineering guy talks a lot.
What do these guys think about human relationships anyway?
In the end, I'll have to bring someone myself.
I looked around and spotted the three bald brothers from the unmanned department.
"Hey, you three bald brothers, join my team."
"We're not brothers. Do you even know us?"
"I don't. More importantly, why are you all bald?"
"We shaved it!!"
"Shaved or lost, if you have no hair, you're bald, right?"
"It's different!!"
I just stated the facts, but the reaction was intense.
They look like monks, but their personalities are not so peaceful.
But these guys come as a set of three, so bringing them in would roughly complete the team.
"I don't care about the difference. Are you joining or not?"
"How are the team members in the team leader's group?"
I pointed to where our team was gathered.
"Hmm, there are a lot of top students from the entrance exam. Not bad."
Thanks to the three of us, including me, who have impressive credentials among the gathered members, the three bald brothers were easily recruited.
I returned to the group leading the bald guys.
“Looks like everyone’s here now.”
“Hello, fellow students. We are followers of the Sect of Seclepia.”
The bald guys introduced themselves without being asked.
Were they religious?
They looked like they’d fit right in at Shaolin Temple, but why did they believe in a Western-style religion?
“If you’re recruiting us, how about recruiting the Saintess of Seclepia as well? She happens to be in the same grade.”
Unlike our group of loners, the bald guys seemed to have connections.
Saintess, huh.
“Is your Saintess also bald?”
“Our Saintess has a full head of hair.”
I see. A full head of hair.
If the Saintess were bald too, this would be the perfect Shaolin Temple version of this world.
Anyway, having more people you know can be troublesome, but having more strangers is even worse.
Of course, it’s not ideal.
Recruiting more people here doesn’t seem like a good choice.
Besides, a religious Saintess? Not really someone I want to associate with.
We’ve already recruited the three bald guys, so there’s no helping that.
In my experience, bald guys might be prickly, but they’re generally harmless.
Like that bald minister from my past life.
[That was a master-made artificial baldness…]
‘Shh. Anyway, bald is bald.’
“I don’t plan to recruit more members here. Is that Saintess the type to struggle without a group?”
“Not really. She probably already formed or joined a group.”
“Then that’s settled.”
The recruitment ends here.
Since the group is complete, we just need to report to the supervising professor, but since I’m acting as the supervising professor, I might not need to. Still, it’s better to inform the homeroom teacher just in case.
That way, if any issues arise later, it’ll be easier to pass the buck.
“Wait here. I’ll go report to the homeroom teacher.”
With the group seeing me off, I went to find the homeroom teacher and spotted him right away.
“This guy is still so stern! Smile a little. Smile.”
“You’re the same as ever.”
The homeroom teacher was chatting while slapping the back of the black-haired guy’s father, the cliché Count.
What’s this? Do they know each other?
Well, a professor at the Imperial Academy might have connections with a Count’s family.
Not my business, so I approached the homeroom teacher and handed him our group list.
“I’m acting as the supervising professor, but just in case, I came to report.”
“Oh? Good job. You didn’t have to report, though.”
The homeroom teacher skimmed the list.
The black-haired guy’s father glanced at the list too and frowned.
Did he see his son’s name on the list?
Making that face at his own son’s name—seems like quite a dysfunctional family.
“Leventhesia.”
The black-haired guy’s father frowned and muttered ‘Leventhesia,’ not his son’s name.
What? Did he make that face after seeing my name, not his son’s?
“Ahaha, class president, you should go. The group is waiting.”
The homeroom teacher seemed to catch on to something and gestured for me to leave quickly.
“Are you Leventhesia?”
Just as I was about to leave, a cold voice pierced my ears.
The black-haired guy’s father was staring at me with a murderous look.
“No.”
So, I confidently said no.
I’m from the Leventhesia family, but I’m not Leventhesia herself, so it’s not a lie.
“I see.”
The black-haired guy’s father’s demeanor instantly calmed down.
Does this guy have some grudge against the Leventhesia family?
Since he’s the black-haired guy’s father, he’s probably around the same age as my father. Is the cause my father?
"Accidents are caused by my father, but I'm the one who gets the brunt of his anger?
Anyway, the atmosphere is terrible, so I need to get out of here quickly.
Just as I was about to leave in a hurry—
'Raniel!! What are you doing? Hurry up and come here!'
Linia, who's as useless as a gorilla in my life, called out to me with a voice so loud it echoed everywhere.
'Raniel?'
'Tch.'
'Raniel Leventhesia. Is that your name?'
The black-haired guy's dad's aura grew menacing again.
What’s with the crazy look in his eyes? What did I even do?
'Why did you lie?'
'My name is Raniel. I am from Leventhesia, but I’m not Leventhesia itself.'
'Are you playing word games with me?'
In an instant, the black-haired guy's dad grabbed me by the collar and lifted me up.
Why are these barbarians so obsessed with grabbing my collar?
Is my collar some kind of delicacy?
[How dare they grab Master's collar!! Should I kill them, Master?]
'You stay on standby for now. I’ll call you if things get worse, so stay quiet.'
[Yes! I’ll be fully armed and ready with my eyes wide open!]
Anyway, I’ve had enough of being polite.
I didn’t even do anything, and he grabs me by the collar just because of my name?
'Word games? You’re quite petty for a count.'
'Not only word games, but you also lack manners.'
'I’m not generous enough to show manners to someone who’s hostile toward me.'
If things escalate, I’ll just hit him, count or not.
Whether it’s someone else’s dad or whatever, I come first.
Just in case, I glanced to the side, and the homeroom teacher was watching the situation with great interest, as if it were some kind of entertainment.
That guy, he’d look perfect with a bag of popcorn in his hand.
Giving up on the teacher’s intervention, I glared straight into the black-haired guy’s dad’s eyes.
Just as we were in the middle of a staring contest—
'Father, stop it.'
The black-haired guy intervened.
He couldn’t even make eye contact with his dad and was trembling like crazy. It seems he’s really scared of his dad, but he still managed to step in.
'Who’s your father? You don’t have the right to call me father.'
What, is he Hong Mo or something? Can’t even call his own father ‘father’?!
The black-haired guy’s dad responded with a chilling coldness, as if frost was forming in the air.
'Th-that’s….'
The black-haired guy shrank back as if he wanted to dig a hole and disappear.
What, did he do something wrong? If someone said that to me, I’d just charge at them. Why is he shrinking back like that?
What a boring guy.
Their relationship seems worse than I thought.
But their family issues are none of my business, so can you let go of my collar now?"
