ReLife Player

[Elementary school entrance ceremony].

It’s a spring breezy day.

The children gathered in the auditorium listened to the principal’s speech with partial anticipation. The children, who had just graduated from kindergarten and now felt like adults at the thought of becoming elementary school students, listened to the boring and long speech. (E/N: Ah…I’m really graduating this year…2024…)

«Yawn~»

Of course, it wasn’t Eunha. Unimpressed by being an elementary school student, he sat on a plastic chair and yawned.

«What an embarrassing thing to do, the principal is talking….»

«This is what children are….»

You think something exciting is about to happen when you enter elementary school, right? Do you want to be told you’re a model student because you’ve been studying hard?

Sorry, it’s not happening, because reality is shit. This is why it’s a no-no….

«Yeah, go ahead and enjoy it to your heart’s content. I’m not interested.»

«You know you’re such an asshole, right?»

«Yeah, yeah~»

Minji was full of enthusiasm about becoming an elementary school student. Just looking at her wearing a skirt, which was unlike her usual running and jumping, showed that. But it would only last a few days.

Eunha shook his head as he watched her sit upright with her back straight.

He didn’t need to say anything, Minji would be back to her normal self before soon.

«Guys, the teacher said to be quiet….»

Hayang was nervously wondering if the teacher was going to scold them. Unlike Minji, she seemed to be nervous under the pressure of being an elementary school student.

And Eunhyuk said.

«Captain, how many strong kids are in this school? When are you going to eat ?»

«I’m not going to eat. You should stay still.»

«If you say you’re the strongest in the first grade, then I’m next. Hehe.»

«Please stop….»

For Eunhyuk, the dream of going to elementary school was significant, even more than Minji. Since that day, Eunha had been teaching him a little about swordsmanship and mana, as he had asked. He was planning to train him soon.

Sooner or later, you’re going to have to roll, boy.

Eunha vowed to teach Eunhyuk the hard way, even if it meant not returning to a peaceful life.

[─With this, I look forward to your enjoyable school life].

Meanwhile, the principal’s speech ended.

«Haa.»

Eunha sighed softly as he watched the principal walk down from the podium.

«First grade class 4, please follow your teacher from now on.»

The children gathered in the auditorium to go to their assigned classes.

Eunha was assigned to class 4. Curiously, Minji, Hayang, and Eunhyuk were also assigned to class 4.

Maybe it was the same this year.

As we walked from the auditorium to our classes, I was already getting tired of the kids’ chatter.

Following the procession to class 4, Eunha had a vague idea of what his elementary school life would be like.

«Eunha~»

«Ahh!»

Their parents were waiting in the hallway, and his mother, who was sandwiched between them, called out to him. Eunae, who was being held by his mother, also saw him and held out her arms for a hug.

«See you later.»

«Ouch!»

«What are you doing there, you’re not coming back soon!»

Eunha waved and left, and Eunae whined. I wanted to give her a hug, but Minji’s hand held me back into the classroom.

«Please take your seats in the order the teacher calls you!»

Yoo Ji-na, the teacher of class 4, was a glazed-looking woman. She wore round-rimmed glasses and was consciously exhaling as if she were nervous.

Standing at the teacher’s table, she opened the attendance book and seated the students in alphabetical order, starting with the window seats.

Eunha, whose number was first on the list, was assigned a seat by the window. It was a few seats away from Minji, and he wanted to look out the window,

«We’ll reassign the seats when we get the key numbers.»

Darn.

It was nice while it lasted.

I wonder if she sensed his disappointment.

Minji turned her head so she could see his face and gave him an accusatory sneer.

You’re already showing your true colors. Yeah, you’re going to be a delinquent.

«…From now on, we’re going to introduce ourselves, so from roll call number one, please stand up and introduce yourself.»

Class 4’s teacher Yoo Ji-na’s words made the kids giggle.

The child sitting in the front was almost in tears, and there was no way she could introduce herself properly.

She was on the verge of crying.

Minji, on the other hand, was like

I prepared for that!

She stood up with a huge smile on her face.

«Hello. I’m Minji from Hyehwa-dong. I went to Doan Kindergarten for kindergarten, and I want to make good friends and have fun like I did in kindergarten. I like watching dramas, listening to music….»

The way she spoke without taking a breath made Eunha feel less energized, and he stuck his tongue out at the thought of it being poisonous.

But it was too long.

It was hard to listen to the middle. The only thing I remembered were the first few words.

It was the same for Yoo Ji-na.

«We don’t have much time today, so we are going to leave it at that, Minji. Can you finish it next time you have time?»

«Sure, I’ll take that.»

Minji sat down regretfully, but the kids were relieved.

Thanks to her, they learned that when introducing yourself, you shouldn’t overdo it.

Luckily, the kids who had been preparing their introductions while she spoke were now able to open their mouths without getting lost.

«The next one is… No Eunha, would you like to introduce yourself?»

«Sure.»

Eunha paid no attention to the other children. He had been staring blankly out the window since Minji had taken his seat and only looked up when it was his turn.

He introduced himself extremaly brief.

«My name is Noeun, and I’m from Doan Kindergarten. Let’s get to know each other.»

If the other kids talked about their favorite foods or hobbies, Eunha kept it really simple.

«Uhm, Eunha is that all?»

«Yeah.»

He didn’t want to be the center of attention.

‘The child is so bold and determined.’

Yoo Ji-na, who hadn’t been teaching for long, was puzzled by Eunha’s shrugging shoulders, but then she called on the next student.

«Yes, I’m…from…Seongbuk Kindergarten…..»

«Hi, I’m….»

The minutes ticked by, and eventually it was Hayang’s turn to introduce herself, who was sitting near the back of the classroom.

«Next, Jung Hayang, would you like to introduce yourself?»

«Yes, yes!»

She was nervous. She scooted out of her chair and stood up, her pupils doing earthquakes. The pink ribbon was flicking back and forth like a dowser searching for a water vein.

«I, I’m Jung Hayang….»

Hayang cringed under their stares.

Cheer up.

Come on, Hayang!

She wanted to sit down and hang her head, but when she saw Eunha and Minji cheering her on from the front, she regained her composure.

«Like Eunha and Minji, I’m from Doan Kindergarten. I like to read books, and I like to drink tea. I might not be good at dealing with strangers, but please talk to me a lot!»

Ms. Hayang’s self-introduction ended with a round of applause from the children. Relieved, she crossed her arms over her chest, thanked them, and took her seat.

I should probably stay outside until Eunhyuk makes his announcement.

Eunha was about to turn his head away when a figure flashed into his vision.

What?

«Next. …Jin-seo-na.»

The girl who was sitting behind Hayang.

Eunha’s gaze was drawn to the girl as she stood up from her seat.

It wasn’t because the girl’s hair was flowing blonde.

Her triangular ears reminded him of a fox. And a fox tail that resembled quotation marks.

And finally, red eyes that had been altered by the mana in her body.

Is that real?

Wow, that’s weird!

Isn’t that a monster?

I think she’s weird.

My mom told me earlier that I shouldn’t play with her.

No wonder the children’s attention was drawn to her.

She had the markings of a monster that you can’t find on a human.

«Seo-na, can you… introduce yourself?»

Even Yoo Ji-na the fourth-grade teacher, was cautious about calling her by name.

Could she read the wariness of the teacher?

Of course.

The child called Jin Seo-na lowered her head with cloudy eyes. Her voluminous tail twitched downward as if it had lost its strength.

«…I’m Jin Seo-na. I didn’t go to kindergarten. From now on… well, let’s get along.»

Seo-na read the meaning of the gazes directed at her from the moment she stood up.

Now that she had everyone’s attention, she finished her introduction faster than Eunha. She sat back down, even though the kids hadn’t clapped yet.

The children’s gazes never left her as she finished, and some of them chatted with nearby children, while others tried to pet her wagging tail.

«Ah…!»

«Wow, that’s interesting.»

«What are you doing, Mommy said you can’t touch him!»

«Oh….»

«Huh? Why?»

«I don’t know. She said don’t touch her.»

«…….»

It wasn’t friendly attention.

Their gazes were like those of looking at animals in a cage.

They’d heard something, and they were looking at her with open disgust.

I didn’t know that an Ain was in our class.

Eunha, on the other hand, was looking at her with the same indifferent gaze as he did the other children.

Ain (亞人). People affected by distorted mana called children born with mutated genes.

However, Ain didn’t grow up like most other children who received their parents’ love.

Ain were the scars left behind by the <End of the Century Destruction>. Those who lost loved ones to the monsters could not help but think of the devastation of the End of the World Destruction whenever they saw an Ain, whose appearance reminded them of the monsters.

Ain were the target of persecution and discrimination. Those who could not directly destroy the monsters would instead target an Ain, who bore the marks of monsters, for their hatred.

Ain were not monsters by any means.

They were merely genetically altered by the influence of omnipresent mana while in the womb. Unable to hide their disgust and hatred of monsters, society labelled them as nothing more than monsters.

«If you want to take out your anger, kill a monster.»

Why do they torment innocent children like this?

Even when his opponent was an Ain, Eunha didn’t have any discriminatory thoughts. As a former player before regression, he knew well about Ain.

Parents usually abandoned their children, fearing that they would be judged by society.

Since no genetically matched parents could be found, abandoned children were either left to die, somehow survive on their own, or, if they were lucky, be taken in by an orphanage or church.

There was no way a child treated this way could ever be expected to have a normal economic life.

Ironically, the world of players who hate and kill monsters is where they take refuge.

So, there was no prejudice against Ain for Eunha, who had included Ain as a teammate before regression.

«Next. Jin…Sena.»

The children’s gazes didn’t move even as the next in line stood up to introduce himself.

But they couldn’t help but look away when Eunhyuk jumped out of his seat with a thud.

He was too conspicuous.

«Hi! I’m Eunhyuk Choi from Doan Kindergarten, let’s get to know each other! My hobby is sword-wielding, and I love sports! Next time you’re free, let’s play soccer on the playground! I’m learning how to control mana from the captain these days!»

«Captain?»

One of the kids asked, and Eunhyuk continued with a twinkle in his eye.

«That’s right! You guys don’t know who the captain is, do you? Our captain is right over there….»

Please stop!

Eunha slammed his head on the desk. He thought he’d graduated from kindergarten and wouldn’t be teased by the kids, but Eunhyuk had struck a chord.

Eunhyeok Choi, you’re going to be in trouble from now on. I’ll show you what hell is.

«So be good to me in the future, and don’t think of messing with this class’s boss because he’s our captain!»

«Eunhyuk, sit down now. And don’t use words like ‘boss’.»

As the kids were getting into Eunhyuk’s pace, Yoo Ji-na sat him down.

He glanced over at Eunha,

«And Eunha, can you stay afterward? I think I need to talk to your parents outside.»

What did I do wrong!

Eunha protested with an innocent look on her face, but Yoo Ji-na was already calling out the next child.

Captain~!

Eunhyuk, oblivious to Eunha’s feelings, greeted him with a bright smile.

«Haa….»

«Haha, shame on you. Please don’t tell you’re from Doan Kindergarten.»

Minji, who had already abandoned her schoolboy costume, pouted her lips and looked back.

«Haaa, I can’t wait to go home.»

Eunha sighed, no longer having the energy to fight back.

Minji laughs at him, feeling embarrassed and ashamed.

Eunhyuk looks at him like he needs a compliment.

Guys, don’t fight!

And finally, Hayang, who just pouts her lips while looking away.

The first day of elementary school was like that.