Even though my family isn’t as wealthy as a chaebol family, we don’t have to worry about money.
The atmosphere at home was generally harmonious, but there was one big flaw.
“Shaman, how is our Tao’s fortune?”
My parents believed their business became successful after receiving a reading from a shaman.
It might have been a combination of hard work and luck, but my parents were so devoted that they credited all the success to the shaman.
As a result, I also had to obediently follow the fortune the shaman had told me.
“Your son’s name is Shin Tao, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“This child has a fate that requires him to be involved with the dead.”
“Huh? D-did you mean something like being a contract killer?”
“No, not that! I’m talking about work like burying bodies or taking care of graves!”
Since I have strong positive energy, the shaman said I should work in places that are full of negative energy, like cemeteries or funeral homes.
So, when I had just entered elementary school, my career path was already decided by the shaman.
While other kids my age dreamed of popular jobs like lawyers, streamers, or soccer players, I had to aim to become a mortician.
A mortician’s job involves washing or moving dead bodies, burying them, and offering condolences to the bereaved family.
Sometimes, when faced with mutilated corpses, it requires a strong mental fortitude to hold back from vomiting and properly dress them in their funeral clothes.
Since the job is not preferred due to its unpleasant nature, it was easy for me to become a mortician.
I didn’t have any special talents, but my persistence and mental strength made it a natural fit for me.
However, even if it was a good fit, staring at corpses all day long would naturally lead to depression.
To shake off the gloomy feelings, I took up reading web novels as a hobby.
***
“Ugh! This is it! Damn, this is sex!”
Lately, the web novel I enjoyed reading was called How an Extra in the Academy Survives.
The protagonist, Luke, becomes possessed by an extra character and competes and grows by interacting with other characters in the story.
I felt a sense of kinship with Luke, who had no talent at all, and his struggle to survive was captivating.
Especially the thrill of overcoming difficulties with strength gained from enduring painful experiences!
The dopamine that flooded my brain made me temporarily forget my troubles.
‘The sweet reward after all the hardships is something to be envious of. No matter how hard I work, there’s no sweet reward for me.’
That was true of my current situation as well.
I had been stuck on duty for two consecutive days due to my senior’s unreasonable request.
Even if I managed to finish the two sleepless nights, the only reward I’d get would be a small amount of pay.
And if I collapsed from overwork, it would probably go towards hospital bills.
“Yawn! I knew it, two consecutive sleepless nights are impossible…”
I tried to shake off my exhaustion by reading the web novel, but as soon as the dopamine-inducing scenes ended, fatigue overwhelmed me.
My eyelids grew heavy, my vision blurred, and my upper body slowly began to tilt forward.
When the hard surface of the desk touched my cheek, everything went black as if the film had cut off.
“Gah!”
Just as I was about to give in to the sleepy sensation, A memory of being caught by my senior and waking up with a nasty shock flashed through my mind.
I opened my eyes wide and quickly shot up from my seat.
I was trying to show that I wasn’t asleep, but then…
“…Huh?”
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing in front of me.
With loud cheers echoing, people were running across a field stained with blood.
On the opposite side, monsters I had never seen before were charging toward them.
Soon, the two forces collided, and blood and screams started pouring out from all sides.
“What is this? Is this a dream?”
I desperately hoped it was a dream and pinched my cheek hard.
But the pain that sharply shot through me whispered, ‘You’re screwed now.’
***
I opened my eyes to find myself in a different world.
Some might say this is like a dream, but I’m sure they would never say that if they actually experienced it themselves.
Especially in the middle of a battlefield—this felt no different from experiencing hell.
Even when I barely made it to a nearby village, things were still as hopeless as ever.
I had no money, so I was forced to sleep on the street.
Forget about a place to sleep, I needed to find a way to get money if I didn’t want to starve to death.
Luckily for me, I had a way to earn money in this world as well.
Just like a mortician, I could bury bodies and earn money.
By coincidence, the village was struggling with the increasing number of dead soldiers piling up every day.
Needing quick money, I started burying the bodies for a small fee from the village.
***
After spending a year like this, I had earned the infamous nickname “Scavenger.”
Apparently, people didn’t like the idea of using the bodies of soldiers who fought honorably at the frontlines to make money.
However, with no family or acquaintances, I couldn’t survive in this world unless I earned money.
Despite receiving all kinds of insults and glares, I had no choice but to keep working.
I thought I’d keep living this way as a mortician.
That was until a special visitor came to see me.
“Here you are.”
One day, while I was still making graves on the mountain behind the village, A distinguished old man, wearing a suit and a bowler hat, approached me.
His eyes were sharp, his posture was upright, and his clothes were neat, as if they had been measured with a ruler.
Anyone could tell he was no ordinary person.
“Each body burial costs 1 gold. However, there is a lot of demand right now, so the earliest I can start is in three days. Is that okay with you?”
“I’m sorry, but I didn’t come here to request a body burial. I’ve come to scout you.”
“Huh? Me?”
“I know it’s hard to believe, but I’m serious. There’s something I’d like you to do. If you’re interested, would you consider working at our academy?”
“An academy? Are students dying that often that you need a mortician?”
It was a natural question for me to ask, but the old man blinked in surprise.
He then started laughing loudly, rubbing his beard.
“Haha! Don’t worry. What I want you to do is manage a cemetery within the academy grounds.”
“A cemetery at the academy? That’s interesting.”
“Among the academy alumni, we gather the bodies of heroes whose origins are unclear and bury them in the cemetery to honor their accomplishments.”
“Is it really okay for someone like me to manage such a place?”
“Although it’s embarrassing, I’ve been watching you for the past few days. I was curious about the infamous Scavenger and what kind of person you really were. But, contrary to what the rumors say, you carefully wash and move even badly mutilated bodies, and you genuinely pray for their souls.”
“Doesn’t everyone do this?”
“At least in the society I came from, if you handled someone’s body carelessly, you’d be looked down upon severely.”
“Personally, I don’t want to do anything that would defile the deceased. I would prefer to handle the body with respect, but the undertakers of this world seem to be different.”
“As soon as I saw you, I thought you would be perfect as the cemetery caretaker for our academy. Moreover, the current caretaker is nearing retirement, so we need someone new.”
“I’m not sure if I can do it well.”
“I’m confident you’ll do just fine. Also, I’d like you to work somewhere where your value is better appreciated.”
“Thank you for thinking so highly of me.”
“So, what do you think of my offer? The salary will be more than enough, and the benefits will be fully provided.”
“Well, if you’re offering so much, I don’t think I have any reason to refuse. I’ll give it a try.”
“Haha! You made a good choice!”
The old man patted my shoulder and smiled with satisfaction.
It might have been a hasty decision, but it seemed better than just moving dead bodies all the time.
For that reason, I decided to quit being an undertaker and take the position of the academy cemetery caretaker.
“By the way, what’s the name of the academy?”
“Oh, I haven’t told you yet. Don’t be too shocked when you hear it.”
The old man raised his lips meaningfully.
It was a smile full of certainty, as if he was sure I would be surprised.
‘Would I really be surprised when I don’t even know the name of the country I’m staying in?’
“The prestigious academy, which prides itself on being the best in the world—Wellton Academy!”
To my surprise, it was the academy I knew.
‘Wait, this was the world from the novel?’
‘Was I in a novel world?’
I came to realize several things as I started working as a cemetery caretaker at Wellton Academy.
First, I was in the world of “How an Academy Extra Survives,” commonly called “AEXSAL.”
It was definitely the main stage of the novel, Wellton Academy.
I had been transferred into a novel world and happened to catch the attention of the academy’s president, leading to my employment here.
It was a bizarre coincidence, but something about it felt oddly contrived.
I had never sent a long letter of more than 5,700 words criticizing the novel or its author, after all.
In fact, I was a loyal reader, even following the latest chapters, and I felt unjust.
Second, I realized I had been transferred to a time five years before the story of “AEXSAL” began.
Luke hadn’t enrolled yet, and the academy only had students I didn’t know.
“Is it starting three years from now…?”
I had spent one year as an undertaker and another as a cemetery caretaker, so there were still three years before the story would begin.
Since I entered the academy earlier than the main character, it was a perfect opportunity for me to monopolize all the chances within the academy.
But I didn’t touch any of the opportunities.
After all, I had already found the best job.
It had a high salary, provided housing, and offered generous weekly holidays and bonuses.
‘Who would turn down such benefits, especially when compared to a large corporation?’
Thus, I decided to leave the world-saving task to Luke and live as a cemetery caretaker.
“Ha! Who would’ve thought I’d find my dream job in another world?”
When I first arrived in this world, I was disappointed, but now I felt nothing but joy.
It was unfortunate I couldn’t read web novels, but I figured watching Luke’s achievements in three years would be enough of a thrill.
I was grateful for the opportunity to witness the scenes from the novel and was planning to fulfill my duties as a cemetery caretaker.
‘I’ll live as a cemetery caretaker for the rest of my life.’
After bowing toward the direction of the president’s office, I headed to the cemetery early in the morning for work.
I was so dedicated to my work that there was nothing to fix, but I still made sure to find things to do.
***
“This kid really works hard. I wish the academy students were half as diligent as this one.”
It was when I was struggling with a sickle to trim the weeds.
Suddenly, I heard a gruff voice from behind me.
“Of course, they’re all spoiled brats who only care about themselves. What else could you expect?”
Then came a sharp voice.
“I’d like to rip out their minds, but there’s nothing we can do about it.”
“It’s truly a lamentable thing.”
There were voices of seriousness and gentleness.
They were all voices I had never heard before.
‘Could it be a group of mourners?’
Slowly, I turned my head to look in the direction the voices came from.
To my surprise, four people with distinct personalities were openly sitting on a gravestone.
“What are you doing?! Get off the gravestone right now!”
I shouted at the four, pointing out their improper behavior, and they looked at me with wide eyes, surprised.
It was as if they had witnessed something impossible, and they all reacted the same way.
Somehow, I felt like I was the one who had done something wrong, and I hesitated.
“What? You can see us?”
“Pardon?”
“Can you see us?!”
“I-I can see you?”
I awkwardly nodded at their strange question.
“Ha! This is a first!”
There were four people: a swordsman who looked like a troublemaker, a magician dressed in outrageous clothes, a barbarian with his chest bare, and a deer beastwoman wearing a laurel crown.
They not only looked different, but their overall atmosphere was also unique.
The common thing was that their bodies appeared slightly transparent.
“How can you see us? Did you use necromancy?”
“Calm down. I don’t sense any dark magic from this kid.”
“Comparing someone who works diligently to those who have fallen into evil is an insulting act.”
“Right! The person who planted beautiful chrysanthemums in my grave can’t be a bad person!”
‘They were having a conversation I couldn’t follow.’
‘What did they mean by planting chrysanthemums in my grave?’
‘I remembered planting chrysanthemums a month ago, but I was sure no one was around at that time.’
‘If they had seen me while casting the invisibility spell, that would make sense…’
‘Maybe they were people who had to hide their presence all the time.’
“Excuse me! If it’s troublesome that you’re here, don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone.”
I offered to help, and suddenly, the four started laughing loudly.
They stared at me, whispering to each other, and then began laughing openly.
I had no idea what rhythm to follow.
“Hehe! You really don’t seem to know what’s going on.”
“Do we look like we’re alive to you?”
“Pardon?”
“We’re dead. We’ve long passed away.”
The reason their bodies appeared transparent wasn’t due to magic.
They were ghosts—spirits who had not yet moved on.
“We were heroes who saved the world but couldn’t leave because we still had lingering attachments.”
They were heroes from the academy who had died for some unknown reason and couldn’t move on.
In other words, the change was in my body, and now I could see their souls.
Shocked by this revelation, my legs went weak.
As I tried to sit down, the swordsman quickly grabbed my arm and pulled me back up.
“Hey, look at this. You can see and even touch us?”
“What? Is that for real?”
Now that I thought about it, I could feel the calluses on the swordsman’s palm as I was holding his arm.
“Look! Can’t you see that I’m holding this kid’s arm?”
“Wait! If that’s the case, isn’t this the opportunity we’ve been waiting for?”
“Hm, the personality seems fine, but we just need to improve that weak body.”
“Ah, finally, the Earth Mother has answered our plea. We are forever grateful to the Earth Mother!”
They continued talking among themselves, as if they knew something I didn’t.
Looking at them, I felt a sense of pressure.
It seemed like I was about to get involved in something troublesome.
As expected, they soon surrounded me.
“Why are you doing this? Let’s just talk!”
“Talking is good.”
The most intellectual-looking of the group, the female magician, stepped forward.
The pressure remained, but I thought it was better than being threatened with a sword.
“I’ll ask you directly. Would you like to become a hero like us?”
“No, thank you.”
“Well then, die!”
As soon as I rejected, she slammed a thick book on my head.
They weren’t heroes—they were just crazy people.