It had been a week already after I went for my first mission, and I still cannot remove the man’s corpse image in my head. Not only was it disgusting, but I hope that it will not happen to me.

“Where’s Julia? How come I haven’t seen her today?”(Cassey)

Yeah, Julia will be gone sometimes for a whole day but appears the day after. No, in fact, a lot of higher-class students are the same. Sometimes those annoying flies would be bugging around, but sometimes they would disappear.

“I wonder where.”(Daniel)

“You guys forgot what Mr. Fernandez told us? We can take missions now. You know what that means.”(Josh)

He said as he chews the food in his mouth, with some flying out of his mouth as he talks.

“That’s a lot of people. How are they not running out of missions left?”(Daniel)

With all that people, you’d expect them to run out of missions in a day, and it will take a while for the board to be filled with them again.

“That’s because the Academy would make the missions themselves. If there’s a missing item mission, it was probably purposely made missing. All you have to do is to read or look for clues, then find it.”(Josh)

Oh! That means a lot of them will be made by the Academy, not because the Academy needed help, but to train the students? That’s crazy cool. Doesn’t it mean if there are subjugation-like missions, there is a chance that it’s set up? Do the other students even know this?

“How come you know so much?”(Cassey)

“Ohohoho, unlike the both of you, Mark and I had been taking some missions ourselves. Though, it was only the easiest one.”(Josh)

“Right, we know why they’re set up because dude, you see, when we finished one of them the day before, the mission will appear again. Same item, same requester, but different location.”(Mark)

What? Then if they’ve been taking missions, then how come they have the time to attend our classes? Is it because of the difficulty?

I have a ton of questions. Like, if everyone could take an easy mission, then why would the others take harder ones that require a whole day?

“Yeah, dude. We’re not bums.”(Mark)

Cassey was looking at both Josh and Mark with an aggravated face.

“What? Oh! Did he hit something? Pride maybe? Ohoho ahaha.”(Josh)

Cassey wanted to say something back but gave up.

“Sigh… No, but I didn’t expect the both of you to be so… Active? I had the impression that you two will be wasting your days lazying around.”(Cassey)

I looked at Cassey, who stopped eating altogether. She had a defeated face.

“When do you guys take your missions?”(Daniel)

“After the classes end.”(Mark)

So about the time when I go to the café.

“What?”(Josh)

“N-nothing, it's just… You see… it’s embarrassing to get a mission by myself… So… Can I take a mission… With you guys?”(Cassey)

“Pfft, no way, dude, we’re just going to argue with you the whole time and go nowhere.”(Mark)

Josh nodded.

“But the both of you argue all the time.”(Cassey)

“Well, this one is different. This is about money. I guess.”(Josh)

“Yep, money.”(Mark)

“I’m done talking with the both of you…… Oh! That’s why huh, ehehehehe.”(Cassey)

Cassey laughed weirdly. She then looked at both Josh and Mark.

“W-what?”(Josh)

“Nothing, I just thought that you two make a good pair if you know what I mean.”(Cassey). She winked.

“What? Hell no, dude! That ain’t it!”(Mark).

“Woah Woah, princess gorilla, what are you smoking?”(Josh)

Mark was shaking both of his hands in front of his face. While Josh was shaking his head.

“How about you, Daniel? Let’s take a mission together. These two couple doesn’t want us bothering them.”(Cassey)

“What!!? You long-haired bitc-“(Josh)

Cassey pointed her spoon on Josh’s face.

“What? Continue what you were going to say.”(Cassey)

She was standing up and pointed the spoon directly in front of Josh’s eyes.

“Okay, okay, calm down, dudes.”(Mark). Mark, who was beside Josh, held Cassey’s spoon down and calmed her up.

“Well, Daniel?”(Cassey)

“I can’t”(Daniel)

“Why? Is it because of Julia?”(Cassey). She asked in an aggressive voice.

How did Julia’s name get into the conversation?

“What? No, it’s because I found a job outside.”(Daniel)

“Oh? I… I see.”(Cassey)

“Dang dude, where?”(Mark)

“Y-yeah. It’s just somewhere.”(Daniel)

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“C’mon, tell us.”(Mark)

Crap, I just dug my own grave. I want them to stay away from that place as long and far as possible.

“Umm, just a… Construction job.”(Daniel)

If I told them it's construction instead of a café, then they wouldn’t ask to visit, right?

“How’s the pay? Is it good?”(Cassey)

“I don’t know. I haven’t received mine yet. But I’m sure it’s okay.”(Daniel)

This is mixed with truth and lies. I got about 5k from the mission I did last week, but not the pay from the café yet. I don’t even know yet what to do with the money.

“Ahhh! I can’t believe I’m the only one who wasn’t doing anything. This is embarrassing.”(Cassey). She put her head on top of the table.

“Princess Gori, just ask Julia and join her.”(Josh)

“She’s a star student now. Don’t you think that she’s taking more demanding missions that require her to take the entire day off? I’m not sure if I’m good enough for that. I’ll just get in the way. Not only that I asked for help, but also got in the way.”(Cassey)

I’m starting to take pity on her. If the people in that café were ordinary, then I would have asked her to work there.

“Josh, Mark, just take her with you. I’m sure your team need a brain.”(Daniel)

“W-was that an insult? Wow, dude. I don’t think that’s how you convince people. Tsk tsk tsk. Try again, bro.”(Mark)

“That’s just a joke… Look at her. Isn’t she pitiful?”(Daniel)

We looked at the depressed Cassey, who had her head resting on the table.

“Okay, okay. Fine. But in one condition. You will listen to us and not decide things for yourself. So once we decided what to do, you can tell us your opinion, but you can’t force it on us if we rejected it. And you have to what we’re supposed to be doing too. You can’t just laze around.”(Josh)

“Yep, yep.”(Mark). Mark nodded.

“Really? Nice! When do we start?”(Cassey)

“After school. Meet us up at the mission board after class. We’ll take the easiest ones, so don’t complain.”(Josh)

“Nice! Nice! Thank you, thank you.”(Cassey)

Was it not me who convinced them? Thank me too, damn it!

As I got inside the café, the cats were swarming on a table. The one sitting at that table was Jenny.

“Hey, Janitor! You’re here. Come here, come here.”(Jenny)

Every time, she would call me Janitor. At this point, I don’t even care anymore.

“What?”(Daniel). I said in an annoyed voice.

“Oh! I like that tone. Not like the first time we met. Remember?”(Jenny). She smirked and looked at me mockingly.

“…. Look, what do you want?”(Daniel)

“Haha, don’t get angry. Are you ready for a new mission? I already told Anton that I’d take you for this one.”(Jenny)

What?! Anton is scary, but I’d rather go on a mission with him than you.

“Oh… But I might be busy in the coming days, soooo.”(Daniel)

“Don’t worry, it’s tonight. I already got the Master’s permission.”(Jenny)

!!? What?! Ask me first!

“I… See. Can I decline? I’m not into this today.”(Daniel)

“Nope! I already prepared everything.”(Jenny)

Oh my god. Can I punch you real quick? Just a light jab is enough.

“Okay? What kind of mission is it?”(Daniel)

Okay, at least tell me what kind of mission it is. I’m not too fond of surprises.

“Retrieval, of course. You’re like, too weak for the other kinds of stuff.”(Jenny)

Oh no… I don’t want to do that again.

“Don’t worry, you won’t be throwing up in this one… Maybe.”(Jenny)

Jenny had been teasing me about what happened during my first mission. Every time I saw her after that day, she would laugh at me.

“Yea, yea, So?”(Daniel)

“Don’t worry about this one. It isn’t like the first one you took. It’s more exciting than that!”(Jenny)

“What do you mean by exciting?”(Daniel)

“We’re retrieving a branch member’s equipment. But the problem is that some soldiers are checking that place. It seems that he failed to assassinate the target and attracted unwanted attention, and also left his equipment. That’s not good, you know.”(Jenny)

“It isn’t?”(Daniel)

“Course not. They might find a trace where that branch’s hideout is, and if that happens, they might find ours”(Jenny)

“You mean this café?”(Daniel)

“No, this was just the Master’s hobby. But if you need weapons, go down to the basement. That’s where he’s keeping the weapons. This place used to be a storage for all types of equipment. So that when we are in the area, we can get a mask and some weapons without having to go back to the main base.”(Jenny)

“Is it alright to tell me all of this?”(Daniel). Is she not worried about me knowing too much?

“It’s fine, it’s fine. You’re one of us now. Oh, get me some ice cream at the back too.”(Jenny)

“Okay…”(Daniel)

Just right after we close down, Jenny hurriedly pulled me over into her car.

“Jeez, you’re so slow. What if we were late?”(Jenny). She put on her seat belts and started the car.

“Well, I told you I don’t want to go. And it was already past the Academy’s curfew.”(Daniel). So I know that the curfew thing isn’t affecting me because of them. But I want to let her know how much I hate going with her.

“You don’t have to worry about that. We can take care of things like that.”(Jenny)

Like the last time, we went outside towards the Whalelight district, but we headed in a different direction.

“If it was so important, why do I have to go? And are there not other members that could do it better and faster?”(Daniel)

“It’s for your experience! You need to know these kinds of things. I kind of lied about that this is an important mission. The equipments are not really that important, what’s important is experience. Fighting experience.”(Jenny)

My head hurts. I don’t want to do this again. I wish I could just quietly work in the café without having to worry about these things.

“Do I really have to, though? I’ll just remind you. I’m a low-priority student, lowest in the Academy’s hierarchy. Why waste time on me?”(Daniel)

“Because it's fun. The others are too serious, don’t you think so?”(Jenny)

How would I know?

“Sometimes it's better powering the weak than those already strong ones.”(Jenny). She smiled.

“Sure.”(Daniel)

Hmm, this might be a good idea considering that the last time I receive EXP was back from the cave. Killing one or two people won’t affect humanity as a whole, right? So it’s probably alright. But about the system’s quest, I discovered something.

At first, I thought they would disappear since I wasn’t able to finish them for a few days, but it wasn’t the case. So I asked the system just to clear things up, but it seems that the quest only disappears when I left the area where the targets at for a few days. So as long I’m in the Academy, I can take my time.

“We’re here.”(Jenny)

We’re in front of a random building. There’s not a lot of people in the area since it’s a bit secluded.

“Here?”(Daniel). I pointed at the building.

“No, look at the front. See all those people? They’re soldiers.”(Jenny)

Now that I looked to where she pointed, I do see some people in the distance. And from where they’re standing, it seems like the back of a police station, a small one at that.

“So, where are the equipments?”(Daniel)

“Inside…”(Jenny)

“No, I mean where exactly?”(Daniel)

“How would I know?”(Jenny)

She looked at them one more time and told me that her plan was to flatten everyone. I disagreed and told her that it would attract more soldiers to come our way.

I looked over in their direction again and tried to come up with a plan.

“Wait a minute… That’s”(Daniel)

In the distance, I saw Julia, not only that but there’s someone with her. Someone I know very well.

“Cath?”(Daniel)

“Who?”(Jenny)

“Density, don’t hurt those two.”(Daniel). I pointed at both Julia and Cath.

They were talking casually with each other.

“You forgot who’s the boss here, didn’t you? But who are they? Two-timing? You’re still a kid, but you’re already this wild, aren’t you?”(Jenny)

“I’m not. They’re both my friends.”(Daniel). I tightened my hands and looked at Jenny.

“Woah, stop being so serious, I might start not liking you. You wouldn’t want that.”(Jenny)

“But, they’re my friends.”(Daniel)

“Okay, okay, I won’t do anything to those cute little friends of yours.”(Jenny)

How long have they been this close to each other?

Julia knows who Cath was because of me. So she should know my relationship with her. I’m not sure about Cath, but she did saw Julia and me together quite a few times.

“So, what do we do?”(Jenny)

“I-I don’t know.”(Daniel)

Jenny then put on her mask and a sweater similar to what I was given and wearing. She then walked out of the car’s door.

“Jen-Density! Wait! Stop!”(Daniel)

She didn’t stop and continued walking towards them. I then quickly put on my mask and grabbed the weapons that I got from Anton. A bow, a knife, and some arrows.

Dang you, Jenny!

I quickly followed right after her.

“Hey, you, who are you? where are you going?”

One of them yelled at Jenny, who was coming at them with a mask on.

“T-that mask!”

Splat!

The guy who realized who Jenny was was quickly turned into a puddle of blood. Some of his bones were still sticking out of it.

“Kyaa!” One of the students screamed, while the others, including Julia and Cath, got their weapons ready and started casting spells.

Please! Please! Please Don’t get messy!