I Became the Drug-Addicted Childhood Friend

Translator: Elisia

Editor/Proofreader: SemiPickle

━━━━━━♡♥♡━━━━━━

There was even a place selling bandages.

It was a shop that sold medical supplies.

I bought several syringes as well.

Even though Han Si-Hoo had brought the vials, there might not have been syringes.

Unfortunately, the medicine I wanted wasn’t among the pharmaceutical supplies.

But still, the Academy is really huge.

You can find everything you want here.

“When is the entrance ceremony?”

I asked while on the way back to the dormitory.

“Entrance ceremony?”

“Yeah.”

The Academy’s vacation is short.

Since it’s a place built to train kids to hunt monsters, it seems like they can’t rest for too long.

“Three weeks left.”

Is that three weeks left of vacation?

Just thinking about having to mingle with the Academy students already made me feel tired.

No, it’s good to make friends.

Right?

Even so, I really don’t want the effect of the drugs to wear off.

“Do you have anything else you need to take care of?”

I should make sure I’ve packed everything before going to school.

Especially right before entering.

Isn’t there something other than the uniform?

“No, you’ll be fine without anything special.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, school supplies… Well, you don’t really need to buy them, and even if you use weapons, the Academy will provide the basics…”

His words trailed off.

Is there a problem?

“That’s all fine, but you’ll probably be reassigned to a new dorm around the time of the entrance ceremony. From then on, you’ll be in a room alone.”

“Got it.”

So, I’ll be getting a new dorm room.

“…I wonder if you’ll be alright.”

Han Si-Hoo said in a worried tone.

He tends to underestimate me.

“I’ll be fine. I can manage on my own.”

I’ve never had any issues living a normal life so far.

There’s nothing I can’t do without Han Si-Hoo’s help.

I’m just a normal person.

No problems at all.

I only take medicine because I’m unwell.

I’ll gradually get healthier from now on.

So, there was no need for Han Si-Hoo to worry.

He couldn’t stay with me all the time just because he was concerned.

For now, it was fine since it was vacation and there were no people around, but later on, people might start looking at us strangely.

“But how will I get the drugs from now on?”

“They said they’ll deliver them once a week.”

“Delivery?”

“There’s a delivery system operated by the Academy. For now, I’m set to receive them on your behalf.”

“I see.”

Was there something like a post office in the Academy?

Since it’s a place that gives special treatment to Awakeners, they really do have everything.

“And soon the Academy will give you a device. You can use it as a phone substitute for a while.”

“Okay.”

I thought I would need one anyway.

You need a way to communicate.

“If there’s ever a problem at the Academy, tell me right away. I’ll be with you for now, but later… who knows.”

“Got it.”

I hope there won’t be any reason to say anything.

It’s best if no problems come up at all.

“Anything else you’re curious about?”

After that, Han Si-Hoo explained what was in the Academy and how the Academy system worked.

It was interesting just hearing about it.

A hierarchy based strictly on merit.

If Yoo Seo-Ah were placed in the Academy’s rank pyramid, where would she land?

The bottom?

Maybe not the bottom if I had the drugs.

[3 hours 55 minutes]

Not these drugs.

Drugs that would be good for fighting.

Should I ask the doctor for them?

I don’t have his contact info, so that’s impossible.

“Can we not go home anymore?”

Han Si-Hoo had taken care of the drugs, but still…

Home is home.

“For now… it’s difficult. Once your body fully recovers, we’ll go. The Academy will give us an exit pass by then.”

When I visited Han Si-Hoo last time to borrow money, I think I had received something like an entry pass.

It’s probably a similar system.

“Even during vacation?”

“During vacation, you can go out freely, but since you’re not officially a student yet, it’s different for you.”

Is it because it’s a boarding school?

Not everyone here came voluntarily, so the restrictions are strict.

“I see.”

They say runaways are practically treated like criminals.

It’s a place meant to put a leash on Awakeners.

But I’m not an Awakener.

Without the drugs the doctor gave me, I can’t fight.

Suddenly, I remembered being beaten by Academy students.

If I had power, could I have fought back?

I had only gone outside because there was no food at home.

I think I’m hungry.

“What do you want for lunch?”

“Whatever you want…”

Weren’t we heading to the dorm?

Come to think of it, we did talk about getting food.

We’re in the restaurant area.

I see several shops selling food.

There are quite a few upscale-looking places.

There are only a few people around, so it’s pretty quiet.

“Let’s go there.”

We went to a suitable restaurant.

As expected, the service was automated.

“There aren’t any people here.”

“Yeah. Some places even have machines cooking the food.”

That must really save on labor costs.

I ate the food, not knowing if it was made by a machine or a person.

Fried rice with meat on top?

I don’t know the name.

It was delicious.

Better than canned tuna.

And no worries about cutting my hand on the lid.

***

It was a brief, ordinary day.

Just a normal day, eating with a friend.

I didn’t know such a thing was possible.

There’s no eternal uphill or downhill.

Who said that?

It’s time to use the drugs now.

Because my mood is heading downhill.

How long has it been since we returned to the dorm?

[34 minutes]

Anyway, now it’s really time.

The drugs.

As soon as I held the syringe, my head was already filled with a sense of pleasure.

I could feel my heart pounding.

That familiar anticipation.

The only time in the day when I genuinely smile.

-Push.

[5 hours 5 minutes]

I feel better.

The effect seems too short.

If I ask for more, would they give it to me?

Han Si-Hoo was staring at his phone, probably having received a message.

There were the bandages I had bought.

Not wanting to bother Han Si-Hoo, I went into my room.

I sat on the floor and started.

I rolled up my sleeve and wrapped the bandages around my arms.

It’s simple.

After doing it a few times, I started getting the hang of it.

Left arm done.

Now the right arm.

It didn’t go well, so I tried again.

The bandage kept slipping from my hand.

“Seo-Ah?”

“……”

The bandage I had wrapped around my arm unraveled again.

I thought I was almost done.

“Seo-Ah?”

Han Si-Hoo entered the room and asked.

“Uh, yeah?”

A brief silence.

It’s not strange to be wrapping bandages, but I felt like I’d been caught doing something I shouldn’t.

“I’ll help.”

Han Si-Hoo sat down close to me.

“Oh, okay.”

I’m so useless.

At this rate, I’m just a burden on Han Si-Hoo.

I can’t even wrap bandages on my own.

“Sorry… I can’t even do something this simple.”

I felt downcast.

I tried to do it by myself in my room, thinking he might come help.

Isn’t he getting messages from the heroines? What if he can’t meet them because of me?

There’s no way the vacation story could be this boring.

“It’s fine. You don’t need to apologize.”

While wrapping the bandages, he avoided looking at the wound, as if he didn’t want to see it.

He seemed a little sad.

[4 hours 55 minutes]

Even though the drugs were still in effect, I felt strange.

Maybe now that my mind is clearer, I’m seeing myself more objectively.

It would be bad if I kept relying on Han Si-Hoo.

I wanted to help him somehow.

“Ah, Seo-Ah, about earlier when I called you.”

He finished wrapping the bandages.

“Yeah?”

“There’s something called the basic ability test that you take before entering the Academy. They want you to go for it.”

“The basic ability test?”

Is this the test to see what kind of power I have?

If I were the main character, it would probably show some insane magic level that’s off the charts.

Like, wow, you’re just a student, but you’re already this powerful! Something like that.

Too bad I’m not the main character.

“They’ll skip some of the tests, the difficult ones or the ones that might strain your body.”

“I see.”

“Should we go now? We’ve still got time, so we could rest first if you want.”

“I’ll go now.”

I want to know that I’m useful somehow.

I can’t be completely worthless, right?

It would be nice if someone told me that.

We left the dormitory.

Now that the bandages are on, I feel a bit more confident.

Even if my sleeves roll up, the wounds won’t be visible, so that’s a relief.

“For an ordinary person, it’s not a particularly meaningful test.”

“Okay.”

We talked as we walked.

“Don’t be too discouraged if the results are bad. It’s just a measurement for Awakeners.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Is he telling me not to be disappointed by the results?

Han Si-Hoo has probably already taken the test, so he knows well.

“But what do they measure?”

“Natural magic power, Awakening rate, and…”

I have no idea what he’s talking about.

I thought it would be like game stats or something.

“Awakening rate?”

“Oh, it’s a measure of how well you can control your awakened abilities. For regular people, it’s 0.”

“What about you?”

“98. The max is 100.”

As expected, the protagonist has high stats.

“If you’re in the magic department, there are things like attribute compatibility and more, but since I’m not a mage, I don’t really know much.”

“Got it.”

I didn’t really understand from just hearing about it.

It’ll be faster to see for myself.

“There’s a machine for the measurements. You’ll understand once you see it. It’s not difficult.”

“Okay.”

What kind of machine can measure that sort of thing?

“Hey, Si-Hoo.”

“Hmm?”

“If the test shows I’m not an Awakener, would I be expelled?”

It would be strange to attend the Academy if I weren’t an Awakener.

There’s no need to measure anything—I’m just an ordinary human.

I’m not a superhuman like Han Si-Hoo.

Even when I took the drugs, I lost overwhelmingly.

Why did I even try to fight then?

There was no chance of winning.

Anyway, even with the drugs, I can’t measure up to Han Si-Hoo.

There’s no reason for me to stay at the Academy if I’m not an Awakener.

“…No. You won’t be expelled. It’s a special case.”

He answered after thinking for a moment.

Special, huh.

I guess it’s not me who’s special, but Han Si-Hoo.

Whether being exempt from expulsion is good or not is another matter.

“I see…”

[4 hours 45 minutes]

We had been walking for a while, and some time had passed.

The Academy grounds are really vast.

It feels like the size of a town.

We arrived at the place where the test would be held.

A neat and large school building.

That was the impression I got.

It didn’t seem to be a place solely for tests.

Nothing will come out of the test except the fact that I’m weak.

I just hope it’s not a physically demanding test.

Han Si-Hoo had spare syringes with him.

Still, I didn’t want the drug’s effect to fade too much.

But there was no need to worry.

There were plenty of syringes prepared at the test site.