TRPM 246

chapter 246

On the Day of the Sports Festival

I was about to wear my school uniform as usual when I saw the class T-shirt hanging on the hanger and sighed.

Instead of the uniform, I put on the class T-shirt and came out into the living room.

“Son, you’re up… Oh my, is that the class T-shirt? It looks good on you.”

“……”

My mother said that as she looked at the pink class T-shirt I was wearing.

I couldn’t tell whether she genuinely thought it suited me or if she was just being considerate.

But one thing was certain:

My mother still didn’t know what was written on the back of my T-shirt.

“If she saw this, even my mom would probably crack a smile.”

Even if she tried to hold back her laughter so as not to hurt me, I’d feel it anyway.

“Oh, my, look at me. Mirae already made lunchboxes and left them here.”

My mother said this, pointing to the stack of lunchboxes on the dining table.

As I expected, Yeon Mirae had packed enough lunchboxes not only for me but for everyone in our class.

As for the contents… I decided to check them at lunchtime.

So I placed the lunchboxes in my personal space and sat at the table to have breakfast.

After a while…

“… I don’t want to go to school.”

After my mother left for work, I slumped onto the living room sofa and muttered that.

Maybe it was because of the T-shirt, but I really didn’t feel like going to school today.

“I’m not even participating in any events anyway.”

If I participated in the sports festival, it would disrupt the balance, lowering everyone else’s motivation and potentially ruining the entire event.

That’s why I had already declared that I wouldn’t take part in any events, and although the teachers felt sorry, they accepted my decision.

So, I was planning to just watch this year’s sports festival.

“Then maybe I don’t even have to go… I’m just watching anyway.”

I thought that internally, but I wasn’t seriously saying I wouldn’t go, so I got up from my seat.

After struggling with my own laziness, I eventually headed to school without being late.

When I got near the school, I saw students wearing class T-shirts in all sorts of colors.

Many others were wearing their gym uniforms over their class T-shirts.

“Maybe I should have worn my gym clothes too.”

As I thought that and looked at the T-shirts of students not wearing gym clothes…

“… Wow…”

The slogans on the back of some T-shirts were surprisingly intense.

Compared to that, the phrase on my back, “Banded Flathead Brat,” seemed almost silly.

“Is this really okay?”

There were some normal slogans, but the proportion of joke phrases was far higher.

I’d heard that the sports festival would be recorded, like the previous wire training, and shown during the graduation ceremony…

The teachers would mostly film from the front so the slogans wouldn’t be seen.

Thinking this, I headed to the classroom.

Even though the opening ceremony would be held on the field, there would likely be a headcount in the classroom first.

“Hey, Geonwoo… or should I say, Banded Flathead Brat, you’re here?”

“……”

As soon as I entered the classroom, I saw Lee Doomin starting to joke around.

Let’s see… the phrase on Doomin’s back was definitely…

“Yeah, the pervert who has a crush on the teacher.”

“Ugh…!”

The damage seemed worse for him.

Doomin looked down, apparently wounded by the words.

…Though, to be fair, he does have a crush on the teacher.

He confessed to the teacher during introductions on the first day without any shame, but now he seemed embarrassed.

“I’m not a pervert, I’m a gentleman…!”

“……”

Was that really the problem?

I looked at him with mild disdain and then glanced at the other students.

They were all chatting in their class T-shirts.

Among them, three stood out particularly:

“Nuts Crusher… seriously, when did that happen that you’re still bringing it up…”
“I’m not a one-trick pony in supportive magic… I can use other spells too…”
“Commoner… I was called a genius—or at least a prodigy—in elementary and middle school, and now I’m a commoner…”

These were Ryu Ayoung, Lee Haeun, and Kang Garam, distressed by the phrases on their backs.

Hmm…

“I feel a little bad for them…”

I silently apologized in my mind as I took my seat.

Then, Kim Eunyeon, who had been waiting nearby, approached me and handed me a bottle.

“… What’s this?”

The bottle looked like an ordinary drink, but it wasn’t.

It seemed to be a potion made by Eunyeon’s alchemy… but why hand it to me all of a sudden?

“It’s a potion to… temporarily… boost adrenaline production…”

“That’s doping.”

Was she trying to make me cheat at the sports festival?

I handed the potion back to her.

I wasn’t participating in any events, and even if I were, I wouldn’t drink something like that.

“It’s fine… there are no side effects…”

“That’s not the point.”

I sighed and sent Eunyeon back to her seat.

While drugs that temporarily boost adrenaline are legal for awakened ones during dungeon raids, using them in sports is, of course, illegal.

“She’s trying to get me to break the rules naturally… I’ll have to report this to the association later.”

While I was thinking that, it became time for the sports festival’s opening ceremony.

“Is everyone here? Let’s see… yes, everyone! Let’s go outside!”

Our homeroom teacher, Son Ji-hye, wearing her tracksuit, opened the classroom door, counted us, and led us to the field.

Other classes followed their teachers as well, and soon we were lined up in rows and columns on the field.

“… At least unlike elementary and middle school, the students follow instructions pretty well, so the opening ceremony won’t take too long.”

Even though they were chatting, no one broke formation.

Once everything seemed ready, the principal, vice-principal, and grade head took a high place and began the ceremony.

After the national anthem and the principal’s opening speech, the opening ceremony concluded.

The teachers then led us to the stands.

I assumed non-participating students were to sit here and cheer.

However, there was one problem…

“Ugh… why are we sitting in the sun?”
“Yeah, there’s shade over there, but not here.”

Our assigned stand had no canopy.

It wasn’t midsummer, so it wasn’t too hot.

“… Think of it as sunbathing…”

I felt a little better thinking that, but the other students shielded their eyes from the bright sunlight.

Unfortunately, our stand faced south, so it would be somewhat painful to watch the sports festival.

“Ha-eun.”
“Hmm?”
“You know that magic to block light, right?”
“Uh… are you talking about Blind? But that blocks all light to obscure the enemy’s vision. Isn’t it useless in this situation?”

I shook my head at Lee Haeun’s question.

“If you adjust the wavelength of the blocked light, it’ll be quite useful.”
“The wavelength of blocked light… ah!”

Haeun looked enlightened, drew a magic circle, and began adjusting it.

“Light is a form of electromagnetic wave. The light we see is only the visible spectrum.”

Shorter wavelengths than visible light are UV or X-rays, longer wavelengths are infrared.

Blocking UV and infrared while letting visible light pass would reduce eye strain.

Since visible light passes, our view wouldn’t be affected.

“Done!”

Haeun, having learned this in middle school science, completed the barrier with ease.

She had also been studying psychology, neuroscience, and anatomy to learn mind-type magic, so this was easy for her.

“Wow… it’s like wearing sunglasses, but clearer than actual sunglasses.”

Thanks to Haeun, the students could watch the sports festival comfortably while preparing to participate in their events.

I wasn’t participating, but the others were.

Each student planned to join at least one event, even Haeun and Eunyeon, who weren’t good at physical activities.

“Ah… Announcement from the sports festival operations team: a table tennis match will be held in the gym…”
“Oh, I’ll go play table tennis.”
“Have fun!”
“Announcement: the soccer match schedule will be drawn. Team captains, please come to the center of the field.”
“Ah, I’ll go for a moment too!”

As the festival officially began, students busily moved around to participate or cheer, creating a commotion.

“… It’s hectic.”

I decided to stay in my seat.

Haeun and Eunyeon went to play table tennis because they didn’t want to participate in more strenuous events.

They’d be back soon.

I decided to watch the soccer match from the stands instead.

“… Hmm?”

While sitting quietly, a female—or rather, a cross-dressing male—caught my eye in the same stand.

“Ugh… can I run well? I’m not even an awakened with aura abilities…”
“……”

It was our homeroom teacher, Son Ji-hye, nervously sitting in the stands.

“… Geonwoo, why is the teacher so tense? Is there a bonus involved in this sports festival?”
“No, I don’t think so. There might be some small prizes, but it’s not like the teacher gets a bonus if our class performs well.”

I explained the reason for her nervousness to Elena’s question.

“Probably because of the relay race.”
“Relay race?”
“Yes.”

It’s simple. Teachers also participate, split into two teams for a relay.

I remembered it from before my reincarnation, and it likely hasn’t changed.

“… And Teacher Son Ji-hye…”

She’s as uncoordinated physically as our weakest students, Haeun and Eunyeon.