Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: How to Steal the Protagonist's Woman
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During the short time Luna was on the platform, all sorts of events unfolded.
The assistant professor's scream, Louis's protests, the dean's sudden appearance defending Seong Suho, and somehow managing to take the exam.
After defending Seong Suho, she tried invoking the magic circle again.
'...Stay calm, stay calm.'
No one could deny that Luna was facing the most unfavorable exam conditions imaginable.
On top of that, she'd been so distracted by the homework Seong Suho had assigned her lately that she hadn't practiced the magic circle invocation separately.
The moment she focused and began drawing the magic circle, streaks of sky-blue light gracefully traced out before her eyes.
'...I can draw it like this?'
Luna herself was astonished even as she drew it.
She had perfectly completed the magic circle invocation—something she hadn't properly reviewed—in a single try.
It took about 40 seconds.
Compared to monsters like Seong Suho or Louis, it was lacking, but it was still top-tier performance.
The instant Luna finished her magic circle, she looked straight at Seong Suho.
'It was real. When I do as he says, I'm actually improving.'
She'd simply followed Seong Suho's instructions, and yet her magic circle invocation skills had improved dramatically in such a short time.
This was the moment when all her usual efforts to vividly visualize the magic circle in her mind paid off.
Witnessing her own growth with her own eyes, Luna felt a hot surge rising in her chest.
Luna returned to her seat, and right after, Seong Suho stepped up to the platform.
At the assistant professor's signal, Seong Suho unhesitatingly began drawing the magic circle with his finger.
He sketched a sun-like circle, then wove golden threads inside it like braiding, forming runes.
Luna stared at him in a daze.
She'd always seen him create magic circles with just his eyes without moving from her side, but this was the first time she'd properly watched him invoke one.
In Luna's eyes, Seong Suho's magic circle was a wondrous work of art.
Seong Suho completed the lightning-element magic circle in an instant, received his grade, and then casually erased it from the platform like scribbling it out.
"Ah..."
She desperately wanted to see more, but regrettably, her greed didn't reach Seong Suho.
He returned to his seat as nonchalantly as ever and sat down.
'He still looks off...'
Luna had been closely observing Seong Suho's condition and growing worried since earlier.
'...What was that about dust?'
As she recalled their earlier conversation and gazed at him, she felt his eyes on her.
She'd been staring blankly, unaware that Seong Suho was looking back at her the whole time.
Luna mouthed words at him while looking his way.
'Thank you.'
Seeing this, Seong Suho shrugged, smiled, and turned his gaze back to the platform.
Luna smiled at that too and focused on the other students' exams.
..
..
Once all the students' exams were over, the dean and assistant professor left the lecture hall.
As Luna tidied her desk and was about to speak to Seong Suho, she noticed someone approaching her.
It was Louis.
Luna sighed inwardly.
'Haa, please...'
Luna could predict what was coming.
He'd show up saying he had something to talk about and ask to chat.
She might have enjoyed conversing back when she had plenty of time, but right now, all she wanted was to spend every minute, every second with Seong Suho.
"Luna, I need to talk about club stuff today. Let's chat for a bit."
'As expected... Huh? For a bit.'
But then Luna suddenly remembered yesterday's events and reflexively replied.
"Didn't you quit the club?"
"...How did you know?"
"Ah..."
Only then did Luna recall the circumstances under which she'd heard about it yesterday.
The cabinet.
Memories from inside it started resurfacing.
It was something she'd overheard in that place where she shared body heat with Seong Suho.
But as she recalled yesterday, Sonya came to mind too.
'...Something definitely happened between those two.'
She knew she shouldn't jump to suspicions carelessly, but she couldn't shake them off.
Louis spoke to Luna.
"...Luna, let's talk for a sec."
"Can't it wait until after club?"
Luna absolutely did not want to create a situation where Seong Suho and Sonya were together without her.
Unaware of Luna's thoughts, Louis replied as if giving up.
"Haa... Fine."
But at that moment, she remembered her schedule after club ended.
'Oh right. After club is...'
Meeting Seong Suho was about an hour after club finished.
That left plenty of time to talk with Louis.
But she was already mentally preparing to rush off, wash up, fix her clothes, and do her makeup the second club ended.
"After club end—"
"Ah! Sorry. I have plans after club, so how about tomorrow?"
"..."
Luna immediately went over to Seong Suho.
"Let's head to the club room quick."
"Huh? Right now?"
Luna wanted to steal even a little alone time with him before Professor Sonya arrived.
But she couldn't put her plan into action.
Louis grabbed her wrist and pleaded.
"Luna, please, just talk with me..."
"......Haa... Fine."
Luna told Seong Suho to go to the club room first, then stepped out of the lecture hall with Louis.
Even as she left, her anxiety wouldn't settle.
If she'd gone to the club with Louis like old times, she wouldn't feel this distraught.
'Something's definitely going on with Professor Sonya...'
Louis spoke to the fidgeting Luna.
"...That guy told you, didn't he?"
"...? What do you mean?"
"About me quitting the club."
"No, I... heard it from Professor Sonya."
Luna didn't want to drag him into this conversation.
"Anyway, Luna, quit the club. Join another one with me."
"...What are you talking about?"
"There's no reason to stay there without me anyway."
Luna pondered his words deeply.
'...There is a reason.'
Luna felt awkward refusing Louis's request.
He was a friend, and his family had protected her.
They were like benefactors.
'But that's that, and this is this.'
Still, once Louis latched on, he never let go easily.
He was the type to stick like glue until you agreed to go wherever with him.
To get past the moment, Luna made an excuse.
"If even you left and I quit too, it'd look bad. I'll stick around a bit longer."
"...Luna, let me ask again. You're not in some weird relationship with that guy, right?"
"...You serious?"
For a split second, fear gripped Luna, and she glared at Louis fiercely instead.
Her body was screaming that she couldn't let him find out right now.
Louis panicked and apologized instead.
"S-Sorry! Yeah, no way you'd hang out with a guy like that."
"..."
Having barely dodged the bullet, Luna tried to head to the club room.
"Well, I'm going then."
"Ah! Let's go out together this week."
"...Go out?"
The suggestion was so out of left field that Luna couldn't respond right away.
She had zero desire to go outside.
The problem was Louis's expression.
When he smiled and clung like that, it wasn't a situation where she could refuse.
He'd pester her relentlessly until she agreed.
For now, Luna just wanted to escape this and get to the club room fast.
'If I humor him for a day, he'll quiet down.'
Luna accepted Louis's invitation and hurried to the club room.
I was trudging my way to the club room.
"Haa... I'm so damn tired."
[Is your physical condition alright?]
"Yeah, the pain's completely gone. Just sleepy."
[Fatigue seems to have built up from the healing. It might be best to wrap up after club activities today.]
"Maybe..."
Time with Luna was great, but today I was exhausted.
We agreed to talk after club anyway.
The moment I reached the club room, I slumped into a chair, rested my arms on the desk, and waited for the other two.
Fighting off drowsiness, the first to arrive was Luna.
I'd figured her chat with Louis would drag on, so her quick arrival surprised me.
"Oh, you're here."
"Yes. Professor Sonya hasn't arrived yet?"
"Nope."
With that, Luna naturally sat down next to me.
Her usual spot was across from me.
"?"
"Since Louis is gone now anyway, it'll be more comfortable for the professor if we sit facing her."
"Didn't say anything though?"
"......Your face looked curious."
As Luna said, with one less club member, this seating felt right on the surface.
An awkward silence hung in the air until the club room door opened and Sonya entered.
Sonya glanced at us quietly, then flashed a meaningful smile.
"Oh my? Quite the rare pairing."
"Haha... It just happened."
"..."
Luna said nothing.
Thankfully, once club started, Luna relaxed her expression and dove into the study session.
About an hour passed, and club wrapped up.
"Good work today. It feels lacking with fewer people."
"Was it this small last year too?"
Luna's question.
"No. Last year, Professor Maximilian was still auditing, and we ran lightning-element classes too, so we had about seven members."
"I see. Shame."
"Truth be told, I don't keep this club going for any grand purpose. Even if no one's interested, I believe there's always a path for education, narrow as it may be."
She was a woman born to teach.
...She gave great private lessons too.
Sonya stood with a wistful expression and spoke while looking at me.
"Well, that's it for today. Suho, stay back a moment to talk."
"If it's cleanup, I can—"
Luna started tidying up as she rose.
But Sonya stopped her right away.
"It's fine. Nothing to clean today. You can head out first, Luna."
"......Yes."
Luna hesitated a bit, then stood at the club room door and bowed.
"I'll be going then."
"Take care."
"..."
Luna glanced intently at me before quietly opening the door and leaving.
Confirming Luna was gone, Sonya approached me with a provocative smile.
"Just the two of us now?"
"Th-That's..."
Normally, this would have me cheering inwardly.
If only my body condition allowed it...
'Ah, this is driving me nuts. I'm seriously wiped out today.'
[It'd be best to make an excuse and slip away.]
'What excuse though?'
[That's for you to figure out, Suho.]
'...Hey.'
Was she getting lazier lately?
Like, reap what you sow...
Lately, Armonia seemed to brush off anything unrelated to missions with a casual 'handle it yourself.'
Then Sonya chuckled softly and tapped my chest with her palm.
"You want to go meet Luna, right?"
"Huh? No, that's not it. I'm just tired today..."
"Don't worry. I won't pounce like a beast every time."
But that's your charm point...
Sonya opened her mouth with a bitter expression, unlike before.
"What I wanted to say is... Are you free this weekend?"
"Weekend?"
"Sigh... Yes. I thought we could have dinner together."
"Of course!"
I nearly cheered inwardly.
'Yes! Awesome! Let's do it!'
[How about meeting Luna Staatfeldt during that golden weekend instead?]
'No, she's fine on her own!'
It wasn't that Sonya was better than Luna.
Sonya had her charms, and Luna had hers.
They each offered different appeals, so I couldn't say one was superior.
But Luna's route was progressing smoothly anyway, and maintaining ties with Sonya was obviously a huge boon for school life.
......I wanted to sleep with her too.
As I let out a silent cheer through the comms, Sonya stared at me with an even darker expression.
It felt off.
I'd assumed dinner meant another date like last week, but the vibe was completely different.
Sonya sighed repeatedly, stroked her chest as if to calm herself, and finally spoke.
"...My husband wants to have dinner with you, Suho."