The Angel Who Brings the Rain (8)

A chance to give my sister a smackdown. And a chance to become a hero. What on earth did that mean?

"I see."

Yumari understood what the boy meant.

'He wants me to resolve this crisis and gain fame... The whole world is watching this mess right now.'

The spirit's blessing currently unfolding held the scheme of the student council president—her own half-sister, Yusihyun. And the goal of that scheme was to tarnish her image worldwide and knock her out of the successor race.

But what if she resolved this chaos and broadcast it to the entire world?

'I'd naturally gain massive popularity.'

For a hero, public popularity was crucial. Heroes were a kind of celebrity—the more famous, the greater their authority.

It was undoubtedly a tempting offer.

However.

"No thank you."

"Huh...? What did you say?!"

Refri panicked. Wait, why not?

His plan was simple. If he used Klein Magic to tell Yumari the monsters' weaknesses and traits, she could exploit them to shatter their illusions easily.

Yumari defeating the monsters would build up his angel power? People called this unfair setup one thing.

'Auto-farming. Can't pass up angel power auto-farming!'

Unable to contain himself, Refri blurted out hastily.

"I know those monsters' weaknesses. And their habits too... With your abilities, you could take them down faster than the professors. I'll relay the weaknesses to you telepathically from the ground."

Yumari's expression brightened a little. Seeing the change, Refri thought she'd been convinced.

But that was just ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his delusion.

"I see. So you do have something to rely on... Still no."

"Why?"

"There's no benefit for you."

No benefit? What was he talking about—angel power auto-farming was the ultimate benefit!

Refri bit his lip.

Kwaaaah—

The monsters' roars echoed. The professors were swiftly dismantling the illusions, but Refri's memories from Lephriel were even faster.

"Is that important right now?"

"Yes, it is. The entrance exam incident, teaming up with me today, grabbing the Mirror Flower for me instead..."

Yumari continued expressionlessly.

But Refri could tell. That blank face was an act.

Her real expression right now was...

"And your past spreading across the world... It was all sacrifices on your part."

Yumari caressed Refri's cheek.

His heart pounded. Yumari was truly a beautiful girl.

"You hate me. So why sacrifice so much for me?"

Right. Why had Refri made so many sacrifices for Yumari?

He cursed her as a traitor in his heart every day... yet sacrificed more than anyone.

'Because of angel power!'

Was that really it? As a habitual liar, he had to ask himself again.

Had he really only helped her for angel power?

'Angel power...'

The boy recalled the one-room apartment from his past life. A large poster of Yumari had always hung there—one of his most cherished possessions.

On the night she betrayed humanity, that poster was torn and thrown in the trash.

'Truth is... I knew. What I should have truly been angry about...'

The real target of his rage was...

Society, which ignored Yumari's mother's suffering. The adults who overlooked Yumari being bullied in her family.

And he had already been part of that society back then—an adult with no right to rage.

No, he owed an apology to this young half-dragon girl.

Sorry for not protecting you when you were little. Sorry for ignoring your sadness and pain.

So Refri murmured,

"I don't hate you anymore."

"Pardon?"

"Feel it. Dragon power can tell, right?"

He placed her hand on his chest.

Yumari's cheeks flushed slightly.

"Right?"

"...Yes."

"And what do you mean no benefit for me? You're a noble dragon descendant. Plus, from the super-rich Seocheon Yu family—and you won't repay favors? You've been tallying it all up, haven't you!"

"...I should."

Refri nodded.

"Jack's already repaying me diligently. I'll be expecting it."

"Yes..."

He smiled.

"And when this is over, let's be friends."

"Friends?"

"Yeah, not those fake ones you make. Real friends who actually care about each other."

Why emphasize "friends"?

Obviously...

It was all for farming angel power. As seen with Soya, befriending a girl was peak angelic behavior.

'Can't miss out on angel power farming.'

Classic greedy-angel Refri.

Of course, to Yumari, this boy saying such things just seemed utterly angelic...

"Go on then, Yumari. I'll be waiting."

"...I'll be back."

With those words, Yumari took flight. The blue horns sprouting from her head proclaimed her a being who truly belonged in the heavens.

She soared higher and higher...

Like a dragon ascending to the skies.

Thus began Angel Refri's auto-farm... No, Hero Yumari's first steps.

* * *

Klein, blasting magic from the air, couldn't help but smile at one particular sight.

"Ho ho."

The boy he'd marked as his successor was sending messages to a girl flying through the sky.

"What on earth is he up to?"

Klein eyed the girl. She was strong—not professor-level, but beyond assistant instructor. Still young, so she lagged in experience and stats compared to the professors.

Yet she was outperforming them against the illusions.

How?

'Intriguing.'

As a magic engineer, Klein ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had a bad habit of not enduring curiosity.

So naturally...

'Have to eavesdrop for a bit.'

He tapped into Refri's message magic.

"That monster's blood is acidic! Attack from range, but always watch your firing line!"

Klein was impressed. It had taken him minutes of observation to grasp that habit...

Spotting it instantly?

Of course, Refri had past-life memories, but Klein had no way of knowing.

"Weak point is the throat. Approach during its big swing and focus fire!"

And pinpoint accuracy too. Truly astonishing observation skills.

'Wait, with that level of observation... Wouldn't it be better for him to fight directly? Why yield all this honor and glory to Yumari?'

Klein pondered.

Why was the boy handing monsters he could defeat himself to Yumari?

What was Yumari's situation now? How did the Mirror Flower go berserk? Why was the magic department boy holding it...?

After a moment's thought, Klein muttered,

"...Student council president, you've crossed the line."

Klein's face hardened.

But seeing Refri, he smiled again.

'Fame is essential for a hero's life... And he's yielding it all to Miss Yumari. Sacrificing his own feats to protect her...'

How heroic.

Klein felt his chest stir for the first time in ages.

'Uncovering the Seocheon Yu family's tangled politics alone, without any backing. And willing to forgo ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠all that glory for his comrade—a true sacrifice...!'

Of course, he couldn't keep such praiseworthy facts to himself.

Even patient Klein couldn't resist bragging about his disciple.

Infused with the caster's realization and emotion...

Thus, Professor Klein's misunderstanding spread to the entire faculty.

What Refri did for auto-farming had twisted into a massive misconception among the terrifying professors.

Park Jinho messaged Klein. Rusa too.

And a timid voice chimed in.

But it was promptly ignored.

Park Jinho's voice returned.

Klein eyed Park Jinho as he continued.

Instead of answering, Klein shared a video.

A man ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bellowed in front of superhumans.

The video ended.

Instantly, the students by the lake all looked skyward.

They had no choice.

An immense rage was condensing in the heavens.

Park Jinho muttered in fury.

"Fine. A battle of the lowly, is it?"

As Refri's "lowly" guardian, he couldn't sit this out.

The professors smiled in unison.

Rusa laughed while tearing apart a flying monster.

Next...

And the timid voice again.

Ignoring Rebecca's confusion, Park Jinho declared,

Of course, the other professors didn't acknowledge it.