Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: How to Steal the Protagonist's Woman
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After the special magic class ended, I grinned to myself and opened a communication line with Armonia.
The conversation we were having was about Sonya.
After attending the club for a few days, her reactions to my pheromones had been better than expected.
Whenever club activities wrapped up, Sonya would ask only me to stay and help with cleanup.
Then, while we cleaned, she'd stick close and chat nonstop—close enough that it felt a bit excessive.
Especially yesterday, her expressions had started softening, making me think maybe I could make a move today.
By the time I schooled my expression, Luna had already slipped out of the classroom.
What timing...
I awkwardly resumed my chat with Armonia.
Tomorrow was tomorrow, though. Today was today.
For now, Sonya took priority.
Drunk on excitement, I headed to the club room.
I could've gone right after class, but I didn't want to walk with that punk Louis, so I always left with a five-minute buffer.
When I arrived, the other three were already seated, waiting for me.
And as usual, punk Louis picked a fight.
"You're finally coming quicker? You're always late."
He'd stopped using formal speech with me.
Not that I used it with him either.
Sonya scolded Louis.
"Louis, he's only a few minutes late. Don't be so harsh."
"Sorry. It's not that it bothers me, but I feel bad for making you two wait."
Louis quickly wiped the displeased look he'd shot at me and apologized to Sonya.
I sat next to Sonya and apologized right away.
"Sorry. I've been running into someone awkward lately."
"... ."
You bastard.
Today's club started with the usual glare-down between me and Louis.
Clap, clap.
Sonya clapped with a smile.
"Today, we're trying something a bit unique."
"Like what?"
"Using magic jointly."
It was a game where two people faced each other and created a magic circle, then the third tossed a steel ball through it.
The target was a cylindrical wooden pillar about thirty centimeters tall.
First up, Luna and Louis would make the circle while I threw the ball.
Not interested in the experiment, I stared hard at Louis's forehead.
As he drew the circle, Louis had an uneasy glint in his eyes.
Clearly worried I'd chuck it at him.
Luna and Louis finished the circle, and on signal, I tossed the steel ball between them.
Whoosh—bam!
I hadn't thrown it hard, but it sped up passing through the circle and slammed into the wall.
But I hadn't aimed at the wall...
The target pillar stood there innocently, untouched.
"What? Why'd it hit the wall?"
"I threw it straight."
"It didn't even come close. What the..."
Punk Louis griping again.
Sonya came right up beside me to explain.
"It's because of the mana pressure difference between you two."
Apparently, the mismatched mana pressures from the two circles affected the ball's path, sending it astray.
Most experiments in this Lightning Magic Research Club had zero practicality.
Sonya explained that while most magic was direct application of its primary attribute, lightning was trickier to wield outright, so it had evolved toward creative methods.
But those creative methods often proved unusable in the end.
"Still, until last year, Maximilian Winter threw himself into research to find practical applications. But since he passed away, we can't even run experiments like this anymore."
The guy who got thunderstruck by his own magic.
He probably never imagined his long-used spell would kill him.
We passed the time like that, tossing steel balls.
Bonus: Louis was scared I'd hurl one at him.
About an hour later, club activities ended.
"Good work today, everyone. Thanks for always participating."
"It was fun for us too."
"I never use lightning magic otherwise, so it was refreshing."
"I enjoyed it too."
"Oh, and... Suho, could you help with cleanup for a bit?"
"Sure thing."
Sonya asked me to help clean up, as always.
Then, an unexpected interloper appeared.
"I'll help too. It looks like it'll be quick anyway."
"...?"
"Ah... Th-thank you."
The punk who always trailed after Luna post-club was suddenly offering to help.
Sonya looked flustered too.
And then the killer blow.
"...I'll help too. Sorry for always bailing."
"Huh? Luna, don't you have somewhere to be?"
"...Looks like we've got time for this."
"... ."
Luna said it while eyeing me.
Louis and Luna hurriedly started cleaning.
I was pure despair... no, I had become The Scream itself.
I pretended to help, but all I touched were some steel balls and wood scraps.
A quick sweep of the floor, and it was done.
Cleaning up the post-experiment debris took less than a minute.
I hadn't really expected to seal the deal with Sonya today.
But I'd hoped for some progress.
Luna ruined it.
Louis was just extra.
As I blamed it all on poor innocent Luna, Sonya's voice cut in.
"Um, could you two maybe take this trash to the incinerator? I need to talk to Suho alone..."
"...Sure, we'll handle it. Let's go, Louis."
"...... Got it."
Luna grabbed the basket of experiment debris and left. Louis gave me and Sonya a lingering look before following her.
Once they were gone, Sonya approached me.
"Th-thanks for always helping out."
"No problem. I help because I want to."
"Um..."
Sonya hesitated, fumbling for words.
I screamed internally.
Damn, I figured a place like Schutra Magic School could just let you jump a student no problem.
My rationality was shot thanks to Sonya.
After a few seconds' hesitation, Sonya spoke.
"Are you free tomorrow by any chance?"
"...Tomorrow?"
"I heard students with shops can stay out overnight."
"Oh, I don't really know..."
Come to think of it, I vaguely remembered hearing shop owners got perks like that.
I had nothing to do outside anyway.
I'm a homebody by nature...
If there's no reason, I don't even think about going out.
"About the other day... I'm sorry, and I wanted to treat you to a meal outside as thanks. I know a good spot..."
"Oh, uh, sure, I'd be grateful..."
Not the scenario I'd hoped for.
Adjunct professors were still professors.
If I messed up and she reported it up the chain, I'd be screwed.
I didn't think Sonya was the type, but we'd only known each other a week.
Nothing to do but take it slow...
The moment I stepped back one pace—
"This time together, kyaa!"
"Eek!"
Sonya slipped on an uncleared steel ball and toppled toward me.
Luckily, I caught her upper body, preventing a floor dive.
"... ."
"... ."
Somehow... I ended up hugging her.
We faced each other for dozens of seconds.
"Hmph."
"Mm."
Silent Sonya suddenly kissed me.
Life really is seven parts luck, three parts skill.
"Should I just dump it in here?"
"Yeah, probably just shake it out."
Following Louis's words, Luna emptied the trash into the incinerator.
She'd never done anything like this before.
She'd grown up with servants handling everything.
But this was Schutra Magic School.
A professor's orders were absolute here.
Neither Louis nor Luna minded, though.
They both liked Professor Sonya.
After dumping the trash, Louis glanced sidelong at Luna.
"Luna... Got time today?"
"No."
Luna answered Louis without a hint of hesitation.
Louis blocked her path and asked,
"...Did I do something wrong?"
"Huh?"
Only then did Luna look at him. Louis wore a hurt expression.
"Ever since school started, you haven't made time for me. It kinda stings."
"Sorry. Important stuff."
Luna replied curtly.
"...It's not about that guy, is it?"
"... ."
Luna knew any answer here would fuel misunderstandings.
To her, Seong Suho's talent was as important as Louis's... no, more so.
Even if his family had raised her, she couldn't give this up.
But she didn't want Louis getting the wrong idea either.
So Luna told her first-ever lie.
She feigned discomfort as she answered him.
"...No."
"...Sorry. Of course not. I jumped to conclusions. If you say it's important, it must be. Tell me when you're ready."
"...Thanks for understanding."
Feeling a pang of guilt deep inside, Luna headed back to the club room with Louis to return the basket.
"Honestly, I don't like that Professor Sonya brought that guy along."
"...Weren't you trying to join the club with him before?"
"Yeah."
Louis laughed brightly.
"That's how we shine—by being around trash like him."
"... ."
Luna was at a loss for words.
Louis hadn't been talented as a kid.
It wasn't until age fifteen that he started drawing notice.
But the more talent he gained, the stranger his personality grew.
He began looking down on everyone around him for being so superior.
Though he hadn't shown it openly yet...
Almost back at the club room, Luna scolded him.
"Still, Louis, don't push him too hard."
"...Luna, why are you taking his side?"
"It's not that. Fighting just tarnishes your image. It doesn't look good at school."
"...Fine."
With Louis's grudging reply, they reached the club room door.
Slide.
Luna opened it.
"...Ah."
"...Huh?"