TRPM 91

chapter 91

Even if it’s called an inter-school exchange match, both our school and the other school are small middle schools specialized for awakened individuals.

That means even if you combine all the students from both schools, it barely exceeds 500 people.

Because of that, the scale isn’t that big… but since it’s a rare event, outside visitors are allowed on days like this.

What that means is…

“Geonwoo! Haeun! Fighting!”
“Go Ayoung and Amin too!”

Not only my parents but also the parents of my friends… and…

“Isn’t that person… the head of the Cheolhyeol Guild…?”
“And Yeon Mirae is here too…?”

… Not only did people from the Cheolhyeol Guild I’m connected to come,

“Geonwoo! You can do it!”
“Arthur, can you keep it down a little? I’m embarrassed…”

… but even Arthur and Rachel, who should be enjoying their newlywed life in England, came to watch the exchange match.

I mean, other people showing up is one thing, but you two—why are you really here?

I thought this as I stood on the edge of the school’s sports field.

For the soccer match.

As always, I was tied up with a blanket and tug-of-war rope, my senses blocked with a blindfold and earmuffs.

“……”

Normally, I didn’t mind being in this state for handicap soccer matches, but now, playing in front of so many people like this, I felt humiliated.

“Geonwoo!”

While I was thinking that, a ball flew toward me.

It wasn’t aimed at me; it was probably a pass meant for another student nearby.

‘… Humiliation aside… I still have my part to play.’

Thinking that, I pushed off with the strength in my ankles and leapt.

Bang!
“Ah?! What the—!”

I kicked the ball precisely in midair.

The student from the other school who had been about to receive the ball flinched in shock, showing a stunned expression.

I didn’t see it firsthand, but that’s probably what happened.

The ball I kicked flew directly to one of our students near the center line.

“Nice pass!”

That student dribbled the ball toward the opposing team’s goal, but after a fierce struggle, it was taken away, and they fell.

“Oh no…”
“Yikes, what happened there?”
“Isn’t that dangerous?”

Some spectators looked worried for the student who lost the ball.

In truth, for awakened individuals, that level of physical struggle isn’t a problem, but as my mother had felt when watching me spar with Elliot in England, many people would feel uneasy watching children engage in such intense contact—even if it’s soccer and not sparring.

“Ah?!”

As I thought that, a student from the opposing team charged like a rhino with the ball.

I couldn’t see him, but from his presence, I realized he was the one who had provoked our students during vacation…

‘The one who confessed publicly in front of Ryu Ayoung.’

He was the strongest-emanating kid among their students.

And…

Bang!
“Ah?!”
“Whoa?!”

He bypassed not only our team’s forwards but also our midfielders and quickly reached the area with me and the defenders.

‘Definitely strong.’

Compared even to our school’s students, he was powerful.

Among our grade, who could stop him…

Swish!
“Got it!”

Before I could finish thinking, one of our students slid across the grass and successfully took the ball.

‘Lee Doomin.’

Doomin, our attacker, rushed over and stole the ball. Since being defeated by me, he’s been like my subordinate—but in other words, he’s extremely talented, unmatched by other students.

Of course, “talented” here means among middle schoolers—not someone extraordinary like me or Haeun.

Anyway, Doomin kicked the ball toward the opposing team’s goal.

Bang!

The shot was long, so the speed slowed midair, and the opposing goalkeeper blocked it.

In that way, the soccer match between our school and the other school proceeded quite thrillingly.

Of course…

“Aaaah…!”
“How do you block like that…?! And without using aura too!”

I looked ridiculous, yes, but I still did my part.

If I just cover my position well, that’s enough for my role.

I did only that much.

“Goal!”
“Waaah! Goal!”
“That was Amin, right?!”

Our school won 1-0 against the other school.

“The soccer match has ended. After a short lunch break….”

I followed the teacher acting as the announcer, still tied up, toward my mother and the others waiting.

Click!
Click!
“……”

Apparently, my appearance was amusing because I sensed people taking photos of me.

I ignored them and reached my mother, speaking to Yeon Mirae, who was sitting nearby.

“Sis, can you untie me?”
“Sure, got it.”

Finally, I was free from the blanket and tug-of-war ropes, as well as the blindfold and earmuffs.

“Phew. I feel alive now.”
“… Am I wrong to assume? Can an aura master, at least, sense their surroundings precisely even with a blindfold and earmuffs on?”

The head of the Cheolhyeol Guild, Ji Hyungman, asked after seeing how I tracked my companions’ positions during the game.

Ji Hyungman knew I was an artist, but others around didn’t know my identity, so he asked as if I were a child.

Arthur answered instead of me:

“You’re not an aura user but a psychic, right? To answer your question… it depends on the person.”

Right.

Being an aura master doesn’t automatically mean you can sense everything. It simply means you have enough aura to create an aura blade and freely manipulate it. A person with sharp senses might still detect surroundings without being an aura master.

‘Of course, the three “aura masters” here—me, Yeon Mirae, and Arthur—all have exceptional senses.’

Thinking that, I told my mother:

“By the way, I’m hungry. Let’s eat lunch.”
“Shall we? Looks like the cafeteria just opened.”

Even if people flock to the cafeteria, it’s better to get in early for warm food.

The cafeteria staff would try to keep the dishes warm, but later eaters would get slightly cooler food.

We could also go out to a nearby restaurant, but that’s troublesome.

And probably not many people would skip the cafeteria to eat out.

“Hohoho…”

Yeon Mirae smiled mysteriously and began taking folding chairs and tables out of the pocket dimension.

People around wondered why she was doing this now—including me.

We watched as she set everything up.

“Ta-da!”

She placed several dishes on the table.

…It seemed all homemade, not ordered.

Many dishes looked labor-intensive.

I looked at Yeon Mirae and realized:

“Last night, you worked hard for Geonwoo and Haeun’s exchange match, huh.”

So she stayed up all night cooking?

…Why?

I couldn’t understand why she went so far, but Haeun seemed thrilled.

“Wow! You made all this?”
“Of course! What do you want to try first?”

Haeun’s eyes shone, but she wasn’t the only one excited.

“Wow!”
“Haeun, your mom made this?”
“No, Mirae unnie made it. My mom can’t cook like this.”

Haeun’s classmates gathered around, looking at the food. Her mother flinched but ignored it.

“Mirae, you’re that good at cooking?”
“I can follow recipes from the internet well enough.”

She set up more chairs and tables and added more dishes.

How much did she prepare?

She likely anticipated other students crowding around.

“…gulp…”
“Hm?”

I heard someone swallow behind me.

“…What is it?”
“Uh… uh…”

The student who had publicly confessed to Ryu Ayoung approached, swallowing nervously, and shouted:

“…Just wait and see!”
“…What?”

I wanted to ask what that meant, but he ran off like he was fleeing. Seriously, what’s with him?

“Looks like he came to show off his lunchbox.”

Arthur whispered.

“Lost in soccer, but wanted to win in lunch. Saw Mirae’s food and realized he lost.”
“……”

Somehow, it reminded me of Lee Doomin crying after losing in every event in the first semester.

The boy who lost in soccer, feeling dejected, ran to his mother, who had come to watch the exchange match.

She showed a camcorder:

“Oh, my son! I got footage of you breaking through the other kids!”

Unlike her son, she wasn’t concerned about winning or losing.

She was simply happy to see her son play well.

But realizing he was upset about losing, she shifted attention and opened a bag.

“Son? Look at this.”
“?”

She took out a large lunchbox, opened it, and revealed its contents.

“…Wow.”
“Filled it with all your favorites.”

The boy stared in amazement, then asked:

“Mom, can I show this to the other kids?”
“Of course!”

A lunchbox to boast about.

I used to do that when I went on school picnics…

She watched him run off with the lunchbox. Oddly, he ran toward kids from another school, not his own classmates…

A moment later…

“Lost again…”
“Hm…?”

The mother didn’t understand why her son seemed dejected again.