Chapter 1: Don’t make me laugh. Why would I do that to you?

It was three months ago that I first reincarnated here.

I had been transported into a game called Broad Academy Online, where I had spent nearly three months.

For reference, Broad Academy Online is a modern academy-themed game.

“Ugh!”

Today, I loaded a pile of cardboard and paper onto the old lady’s cart.

“Thank you so much, student… It must be hard to help me every time…”

“It’s no trouble at all. I enjoy doing it.”

Once again, I helped the old lady gather papers.

It wasn’t anything grand; I collected all the paper and cardboard generated at the academy and handed it over to her.

For someone of her age, it must be quite tiring to collect all these documents and boxes by herself, so I was just lending a little support.

Every time she thanked me and bowed her head, I felt a strange sense of pride in this small act of kindness I had been doing daily.

Huh… I need to hurry back to class. Today, the old lady gathered a lot of papers, and for some reason, I feel even more satisfied.

At first, I was filled with despair about being trapped in a game I didn’t understand.

However, as time passed, my heart began to calm down.

This place had more resources and food than I expected, and, above all, it had an infrastructure similar to Earth.

I could enjoy everything I used to on Earth: my phone, computer, and even the internet.

In fact, I could say that my situation was even better than when I was on Earth.

I had been a shut-in, unable to find a job and spending my days playing games in my room.

But now, I had enough leisure time to help others.

Suddenly, something came to mind, and I activated my status window.

Status Window

[Status Window]

Name: Lee Hyunseung
Occupation: None
Strength: 5 ▶ Endurance: 9 Luck: 7
▶ Durability: 6 ▶ Agility: 5 ▶ Dexterity: 8
Traits: None
▶ Skills: None

As usual, the underwhelming stats caught my eye.

Hmm… Just in case something happens, I should gather hidden pieces like “hidden peace” in advance, maybe?

In fact, I was an experienced player who had played this game for a long time.

So, if I put in the effort to become stronger, it would be possible to find hidden pieces or job change certificates to switch to hidden jobs.

As long as I put in the effort, that is.

Well, I guess there’s no real need for that.

I am not some protagonist from a novel.

After all, the academy provides a monthly living stipend, and as long as I perform well in written exams, I receive a decent treatment even if I can’t excel in practical tests.

There’s no need for me to join an adventurers’ guild and risk my life fighting monsters in dungeons.

Various researchers have high status and income too.

Therefore, rather than going through the arduous process of obtaining hidden pieces or hidden jobs, I aimed to live comfortably by using the knowledge I already possessed, scoring high marks on the written exams.

Thanks to the knowledge I accumulated over more than ten years of playing this game, I consistently scored full marks on written exams, ensuring that my future would be paved with success.

If I maintain a high rank in the academy’s written exams and get into the Magic Tower, I can live safely while earning a high income.

There was no reason for me to return to Earth. As long as I graduated from this academy smoothly, I could live a lavish life here, unlike on Earth.

I knew every little detail about this game.

So, once I entered the Magic Tower, I would fully utilize my knowledge to write papers, gain fame, and earn substantial money, living a life entirely different from the one I had until now.

Indeed. This is the best plan.

I could receive recognition even at the academy.

It was evident that I could get a direct job at the Magic Tower upon graduation, where I could quickly gain fame with my knowledge.

Since I didn’t need to take revenge on anyone or return to Earth, it was odd to go through the trouble of becoming stronger.

Just three more years… I just need to endure for three more years.

Foolishly, I thought that way.

That morning, I headed to the academy as usual.

The day’s activities were the same as always.

I arrived at school two hours early and gathered all the scattered waste papers around the school before the old lady who collects them arrived, making it easier for her to take them.

“Ugh… I’m done now.”

Looking at the pile of waste I had gathered in the corner, I felt a sense of pride.

Still, living with just basic stats brings a lot of inconveniences.

Should I at least raise my strength stats a bit? It would make gathering the waste easier.

I chuckled and shook my head.

Thinking about gathering hidden pieces just because I want to sort out some waste properly? I guess I’ve gotten a bit too comfortable.

As I let my mind wander and passed some time, the old lady who collects paper arrived at the academy as usual.

“Good morning, Grandma. I’ve gathered everything for you today.”

“Oh dear… you really don’t have to do this…”

She looked at me with worried eyes as she spoke.

“You’ve worked hard since the morning… please accept this…”

In her wrinkled hands were several boiled eggs.

“You really don’t have to give me these…”

Collecting waste paper all day just to make a living must already be tough for her, yet she still gave me a gift as a token of gratitude.

It wasn’t expensive or anything grand, but it made my heart swell.

Is this what it would feel like if I had a family?

I was an orphan.

I grew up in an orphanage, and when I became an adult, I scraped by with part-time jobs, spending most of my time holed up at home playing games.

I didn’t have any real friends or acquaintances, but at least things had changed since I arrived here.

At least now, I had someone I could help and build a connection with.

I peeled one of the eggs and popped it into my mouth, chewing.

– Chew, chew.

To be honest, I didn’t particularly like boiled eggs.

But the ones the old lady gave me had a distinct sweetness.

They felt precious—not the eggs themselves, but the sentiment behind them.

I was changing. I was learning the satisfaction of helping others and the joy of mutual cooperation.

I was beginning to understand the value of sharing moments with someone else.

“Grandma, the eggs are really delicious. Thank you.”

“Oh dear… I feel bad, giving you something so small…”

“No, I really love eggs!”

We shared some small talk, and after spending the morning with the old lady, I headed to class as it was time for school.

– Chatter, chatter.

What’s going on?

It was strange. Normally, everyone would be seated, preparing for class by now, but all the students were standing.

Wait… isn’t that my desk?

Even stranger, they were all gathered around my desk.

One of the boys, Seong Hyun-wook, shouted at me as soon as he saw me.

“Hey, that crazy bastard is here! Hey, Lee Hyun-Seung, have you lost your mind or something?”

Seong Hyun-wook wasn’t someone I normally talked to much.

Seong Hyun-wook was an important character in the game, but since I had no intention of following the game’s storyline and was solely focused on entering the Tower of Magic, I hadn’t bothered to form deep relationships with those around me.

That’s why I was so taken aback. It was bewildering to have someone I wasn’t even close to screaming insults at me out of nowhere.

I responded, flustered.

“What’s going on? What did I do?”

Then, Yoo Hee-yeon, standing behind him, glared at me.

Yoo Hee-yeon was another main character in the game, and like Seong Hyun-wook, I had no significant connection with her either.

She shouted at me, her voice sharp.

“You didn’t do anything? Then what is this?”

She pulled out a phone from my desk drawer.

What’s that?

I only kept academy-related books in my drawer. That strange-looking phone wasn’t mine.

But that wasn’t the important part.

– Click.

When Yoo Hee-yeon opened the phone, the gallery was full of pictures—pictures of her.

What the Fuck? What is that?

The photos were clearly taken without her consent, at various places: the academy, her home, the training grounds, a cafe, restaurants…

She had been photographed in multiple locations, and it was obviously done secretly.

Yoo Hee-yeon looked at me with eyes full of disgust, as if she were staring at trash.

“This phone was found in your desk, filled with pictures of me taken without my knowledge. What have you been doing behind my back? Why have you been stalking me? Tell me!”

“What? Stalking you? Why would I?”

All I wanted was to live quietly.

My goal was to graduate from the academy, enter the Tower of Magic, and secure a stable income.

Why would I risk everything by stalking one of the main heroines? It made no sense.

She scoffed at me before continuing.

“Because I’m pretty, you probably couldn’t resist stalking me, right? This is exactly how guys are. Too cowardly to even talk to me to my face, so you resort to this dirty crap behind my back. Does this make you feel better?”

“No… What are you even talking about? I didn’t do this! That’s not even my phone! My phone is in my pocket.”

I pulled out the phone from my pocket to show them, desperately trying to plead my innocence. But it didn’t matter.

“You used a disposable phone, and now you think that weak excuse will work? You’re pathetic, like a piece of trash. Low and disgusting. I had some hopes because you had decent written test scores, thinking maybe you were a person of intellect, but it seems I was foolish to expect anything from someone who couldn’t even awaken their profession.”

Let me make this clear: it’s not that I couldn’t awaken a profession.

I didn’t—because I didn’t need to. But that wasn’t what mattered right now.

What mattered was clearing my name.

The pressing issue was figuring out why a phone filled with photos of Yoo Hee-yeon was in my locker, and how I was going to overcome this situation.

Fuck…

No matter how I looked at it, I couldn’t see a way out of this mess. They had already made up their minds about me, and no matter what I said, it wouldn’t change anything.

So, despite my inner turmoil, all I could do was continue to stupidly insist on my innocence.

“I… I didn’t do it… W-what are you talking about?”

My classmates glared at me. Among them were even the heroines from the game.

“Disgusting… repulsive…”

“Die, you piece of trash.”

They looked at me as if I were literal garbage.

I shouted at the top of my lungs.

“I-I didn’t do it! This is unfair! Fuck! Why would I even stalk her?!”

Despite my desperate screams, all I received in return were icy stares.

Then, Seong Hyun-wook stepped forward and spoke.

“Isn’t it because Yoo Hee-yeon is beautiful and strong, and you were jealous? You know she’s on a level you could never reach no matter how hard you tried. On top of that, she’s got a pretty face and great test scores. Isn’t that why you liked her? Or maybe because your practical test scores sucked, you wanted to get stronger, so you sneakily followed her around like some pervert?”

If I wanted to, I could become way stronger than that Yoo Hee-yeon. Envy her strength? Because of my practical test scores? What a load of crap.

$are\; youeventalkingabout?!Whythe$ would I…”

I was about to shout more, but I stopped.

Because I realized something, they weren’t listening to a word I said.

“Pathetic.”

“Why does he even live like this? What a piece of trash.”

“Look at the way he’s swearing… so scary…”

I had already been branded. Branded as a filthy, disgusting criminal who had stalked Yoo Hee-yeon.

From afar, Yoo Hee-yeon looked at me with utter revulsion.

It seemed like everyone in Class A had already decided that I was guilty. Their gazes were chilling to the bone.

Fuck… So this is how it’s going to be, huh?