I Became the Academy’s Disabled Student Chapter 167

Ti passed quickly.

The sun set and rose countless tis, and eventually, the gentle warmth of spring gave way to the blazing heat of sumr.

The second sester had arrived.

It was a cause for celebration.

If it were socially acceptable, I would have stood up, clapped my hands, blown an elephant trumpet, and congratulated myself.

It was like the cultural tradition of celebrating a 70th birthday—a recognition of soone surviving to such an age.

For , it was similar.

When I first moved into the dormitory at Siyoram Academy, locked in my room and scribbling theoretical notes, I had a gnawing fear that I wouldn’t survive past the first sester.

Yet here I was.

Sohow, I had made it through ti’s passage alive.

...Though there had been plenty of complications along the way, the fact remained that I had survived.

Sure, my life was still precariously hanging by a thread, but I had no intention of dying quietly.

For now, I patted myself on the back for making it this far.

The path to school was bustling with cadets after nearly a month-long break.

For the record, Seo Yul was left in the care of Hong Yeonhwa’s maid, Ariel.

Just like in the first sester, I left the dormitory and boarded the self-driving bus.

By now, I was used to the stares that bore into from all directions.

—Beep.

But today, those stares felt especially blatant.

Almost comparable to the start of the first sester… or perhaps even more intense.

I could understand why.

Over the break, I had caused quite a few incidents.

For one, the news had spread that I had been retroactively added to the Guhwa family registry as one of their bloodline mbers.

Not only that, but the story of manifesting the family’s unique ability, Guhwa Flas, had also gotten out.

Fortunately, news of the Beacon Sword hadn’t leaked yet.

During the Guhwa family’s annual gathering, I had not only drawn their ancestral Beacon Sword but inadvertently infused it with my essence, changing its color to match my own.

Many people had witnessed the scene, yet it seed the family had successfully kept the information under wraps, at least for now.

Choi Jiyeon herself had inford that they were still deliberating the matter and would share the outco later.

I could imagine how complicated the situation must be.

The Beacon Sword was a treasured heirloom, wielded by the family’s founder.

Its symbolic value was imasurable, and for to have casually dyed it in my essence in front of a crowd…

I was fortunate not to have been scolded outright.

‘Anyway.’

Though I hadn’t changed my na to Hong Hayul, I had been formally affiliated with the Guhwa family as a special cadet, which must have sparked considerable attention.

However, that buzz had quickly been overshadowed by the two-headed venom dragon incident.

Even that dragon had lost its head to .

With two major incidents connected to , it was only natural for people’s gazes to be drawn.

—Beep.

...But the emotions behind those gazes were strange.

Admiration, pity, or even negative feelings like jealousy or disdain would have made sense. Yet their stares felt lukewarm and ambiguous.

I felt my face flush and tugged at Hong Yeonhwa’s sleeve.

Her red eyes looked down at .

“Let ... down.”

“No.”

Her firm voice cut off my request without hesitation.

Hong Yeonhwa shook her head as if to say I shouldn’t even dream about it and held closer.

Although the second sester had started, my appearance hadn’t reverted to normal.

My hair was still white, and my body remained in its regressed state.

“Why... not?”

“Do you really need to ask, Hayul?”

—Poke poke.

Elia, walking alongside us, poked my cheek with her finger.

Her golden eyes silently asked if I was truly clueless.

I averted my gaze and turned my head slightly.

It had been just two days ago.

I had collapsed, vomiting blood from my entire body, nearly causing my attendance for the sester to be denied on the grounds of needing rest.

The fact that both Professor Liana and my ntor had witnessed the scene only added to the scrutiny.

After fervently convincing everyone that I was fine, I was finally allowed to attend school, but my situation still looked like this.

I resembled nothing less than a troubleso child being fussed over.

The stares around grew even stranger.

‘What kind of start to the morning is this...’

I couldn’t bring myself to lift my head.

Entering the classroom finally gave partial freedom.

Hong Yeonhwa had tried to hold again, claiming my small fra would make it difficult to see over the desk, but I managed to fend her off by using Sky Wings as a makeshift cushion.

Reluctantly, Hong Yeonhwa sat beside .

Our seat was the sa as in the first sester, at the very back of the classroom.

Originally, the spot by the window was mine, but Elia had claid it.

“Wow, you’re early, huh?”

Baek Arin, also from the sa class, arrived a few minutes later.

She clicked her tongue as she noticed Hong Yeonhwa and Elia sitting on either side of .

“You used to sit up front. Why are you here now?”

“Why are you bringing this up now? Elia used to sit up front too, but you’re not saying anything to her. This is discrimination!”

Baek Arin plopped herself down next to Hong Yeonhwa, grumbling.

It was a minor detail, but I couldn’t help noticing the complicated magical auras surrounding .

On my left, Elia’s warm golden light shimred. On my right, Hong Yeonhwa radiated fiery crimson flas mixed with cool blue ice and water.

The auras were simultaneously comforting and overwhelming.

Soon, the front door opened, and Professor Liana, our horoom teacher, entered the classroom.

“It feels like we just t yesterday, but here we are, starting the second sester already... Ti flies!”

Standing at the podium, she bead as she began the morning assembly.

“Everyone is present with no tardiness, so we’ll skip roll call and jump straight to the announcents.”

The cadets listened attentively to Professor Liana’s words.

Even if the announcents had been shared in advance, there could always be changes.

“Starting today, the period of ‘freedom that isn’t quite freedom’ has ended, and the formal sester begins! Cadets will now select and attend the lectures of their choice!”

At Siyoram Academy, the first sester serves as a sort of trial.

During the first sester, cadets experience a variety of courses predetermined by the administration, and in the second sester, they choose the ones they wish to focus on.

Because of this, the second sester is longer than the first.

“This week is the course registration period, so most lectures will simply involve orientations and basic introductions! You may have already had a taste in the first sester, but the second sester can be quite different, so choose carefully for a smooth and successful term!”

At Siyoram, course registration doesn’t happen during the break but rather at the start of the second sester.

While it might seem like an inefficient system, it has functioned without issue so far.

“I imagine many of you have been eagerly awaiting the second sester! Lecture hours are generally shorter, after all. Of course, additional activities like clubs will make things just as busy, but it’s still better than the chaotic lecture schedules of the first sester, right?”

The second sester also marks the start of club activities.

For the first-year cadets, this is their first opportunity to join a club.

There are various types of clubs:

From skill-improvent clubs like swordsmanship, spearmanship, and archery to academic ones focused on monster strategies, dungeon statistics, and erosion zone analysis.

There are also hobby-oriented clubs, such as baseball, soccer, table tennis, gardening, reading, and movie or music appreciation.

The primary purpose of Siyoram’s clubs is recreational.

Most clubs are designed to relieve the stress cadets accumulate, functioning as an outlet for relaxation.

This is likely why many cadets look forward to the second sester.

Clubs also play a role in networking.

By the ti cadets enroll at Siyoram, their potential has already been proven. Simply graduating ensures they’ll be considered top-tier talents outside the academy.

Building connections with such individuals can only be beneficial. It’s also a way for cadets without a strong background to gain access to influential groups.

Similarly, those without affiliations can find a place to belong through these connections.

“And now, for the final announcent!”

Professor Liana clapped her hands for emphasis.

The cadets straightened in their seats.

“In the second sester, we have a long-standing Siyoram tradition—the ntoring program! This is where juniors and seniors work together to guide and enhance each other’s potential!”

ntoring.

It was perhaps the most significant feature of the second sester.

“The ntoring program pairs first-year and second-year cadets. Both parties can nominate their preferred partners, but participation is optional!”

The ntoring program was sothing I had been eagerly anticipating.

Lee Jiyeon, who had much to say about Seo Yul, was a second-year, and I planned to request her as my ntor.

“This week is also the registration period for ntors! Between registering for courses and ntors… whew, it’s going to be a busy week!”

Professor Liana let out a mock sigh, drawing a few nods of agreent from the cadets.

Indeed, this week would be hectic.

With course registration, ntor applications, and club considerations, the first week of the second sester, which was supposed to offer more free ti, paradoxically felt busier than the first sester.

Since I hadn’t completed my course registration, my morning schedule was empty.

As a result, I found myself separated from the others.

Hong Yeonhwa and Elia had been fussing over , worried I might suddenly collapse again like a few days ago, but I managed to escape their watchful eyes.

I felt a bit guilty, but I had my own matters to attend to.

Specifically, I planned to work on reversing my current physical state.

—Ding!

While walking, I sent a text via my smartwatch.

Once I received a notification confirming it had been sent successfully, I nodded and closed the holographic display.

Without delay, I submitted a ntor request to Lee Jiyeon. Better to send it early and make an impression than risk being too late.

‘I hope she accepts…’

Anxiety crept in.

Though I had established a small connection with her in China, I wasn’t sure if that would be enough for her to grant my request. Solidifying a relationship with her through the ntoring program seed like a good move.

Of course, whether Lee Jiyeon would accept was another matter entirely.

If she refused, I’d have no choice but to explore other options.

—Ding!

‘Huh?’

As I sighed and pulled up my list of courses to register for, a notification popped up with a holographic display.

[Unregistered Contact: Identified—Lee Jiyeon]

▶ Lee Jiyeon: Cadet Lee Hayul.

▶ Lee Jiyeon: If you have ti, may I et with you?

I blinked in surprise.

‘It hasn’t even been a minute since I sent the request…’

Had she just happened to check her ssages at the right ti? Even so, her reply felt unusually fast.

Tilting my head in curiosity, I replied that I’d et her.

“Welco, Cadet…”

[?]

The sight that greeted at the café was shocking.

Lee Jiyeon looked disheveled—her hair in a tangled ss, dark circles under her eyes reminiscent of a panda, and her complexion pale enough to make her seem like a patient in dire need of bedrest.

She was clearly in no condition to be out and about.

‘…What is going on?’

I couldn’t fathom why Lee Jiyeon looked like this.