Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: How to Steal the Protagonist's Woman
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‘I guess I was born lucky when it comes to food.’
I followed Seong Su-a to the school cafeteria and had a meal together.
The food was no joke, matching the massive investment in facilities.
Excluding my first visit to Viola's village, the food was always top-notch wherever I went.
"This cafeteria is really great."
"I'm glad you like it. Some people don't..."
I teasingly asked if she was perhaps referring to herself.
"Do you dislike it, by any chance?"
"No way. I love it here too."
Seong Su-a answered with a smile.
Her fresh smile made her incredibly attractive.
‘This is really something...’
‘Even if we're colleagues who'll be working together, can she really be this kind?’
Women who casually suggest eating with a guy on a first meeting were rare.
It'd be hard to pull off unless I was some once-in-a-generation hunk.
And yet, she was the once-in-a-generation beauty...
She explained the Magic Department Class 7 students to me in detail while eating without any reservations.
She said that aside from Seo Ji-eun, whom she'd mentioned earlier, the remaining students in Magic Class 7 seemed fine.
"The fact that they've lasted until third year means they have the skills to back it up."
Fortunately, serving as an instructor in the Magic Department didn't seem like a big worry.
And with Seong Su-a there, it'd be even more enjoyable.
In the end, just one was the problem.
I asked about that one person.
"Did Seo Ji-eun say she plans to continue?"
"Yes... I think so. She hasn't expressed any intent to drop out yet."
Her face clouded over with genuine worry at the mention of Seo Ji-eun.
Seong Su-a was like a mix of Sonya and Viola.
Sonya's passion for teaching, Viola's kindness.
But what made her stand out was her modern sophistication, absent in the other two.
I definitely felt how much a woman's allure depended on her clothes.
Not that Viola or Sonya lacked in that department.
It just meant clothes in this era could be that pretty too.
Looking at Seong Su-a or Seo Hyun, even as instructors, they weren't restricted in attire, probably due to their hero status.
‘...I'll have to dress neatly, right?’
‘Hey...’
I didn't have a ton of clothes anyway, and changing outfits all the time sounded like a hassle for my personality...
As Seong Su-a and I were eating, a carefree girl's voice called from behind.
"Ah! Instructor Seong Sua."
"Oh, A-ra. Here for lunch?"
"Yep!"
"Huh?"
Turning around, I saw the short-haired girl from earlier.
Spotting me, she pointed dramatically with a surprised face.
"Ah! It's Instructor Seong Suho."
Seong Su-a scolded her at the sight.
"Hey! What's with the rude pointing at an instructor..."
"Sorry..."
Despite her words, she scratched her head and grinned.
‘Cute kid.’
Interested, you said?
‘No~~~~t at all.’
‘No, she's just a kid.’
Why would I be interested in a girl not even an adult yet...
Seo Hyun looks childish but hits the adult threshold, so she's appealing.
Viola acts childish but looks adult, so she's appealing.
This girl? Just a kid.
No reason or need to be interested.
Song A-ra plopped her tray down next to Seong Su-a and sat.
Seong Su-a looked puzzled and asked me,
"By the way, you two already knew each other?"
Song A-ra answered instead of me.
"He's our class instructor."
"Ah... So you're Instructor Seo Hyun's...?"
"Yep."
Munch munch.
Her hearty eating was pretty cute.
‘Well, eating well is good. But Seo Hyun...’
I shifted away from Song A-ra's attention and thought about Seo Hyun.
‘What the hell does that woman do daily that everyone pities me whenever her name comes up...’
Why does everyone make that face when Seo Hyun's name comes up...
Seong Su-a was looking at me with pity.
That woman's personality must be a real pain.
‘Wait... Isn't Seo Hyun supposed to be Seong Sua's sister-in-law?’
‘Whoa... Even heroes have love and war.’
I couldn't take sides without knowing the full story.
As I pondered Seong Su-a and Seo Hyun, Song A-ra, sitting across from me, suddenly looked up like she'd remembered something and shouted.
"Ah! Right! Instructor!"
With her shout, salmon roe from her homesick nostalgia and rice grains blessed by sunlight assaulted my face.
And Song A-ra's spit was the bonus...
Seong Su-a and Song A-ra jumped up in shock.
"Oh my! Are you okay?!"
"Uwaaah! Sorry!"
"..."
Song A-ra, leaping up again, shouted once more and spewed the remaining salmon roe and rice from her mouth.
I get you're sorry, so please close your mouth...
"Here... Let me..."
Seong Su-a pulled a handkerchief from her handbag and wiped my face.
She could've just handed it over, but she wiped it herself.
Seong Sua... A true goddess...
"S-sorry..."
Song A-ra covered her mouth with both hands, mumbling apologies in shock at her own actions.
This kid's a goddess too.
Goddess of abundance.
She spewed food from her mouth, so yeah...
Seong Su-a kept wiping and said,
"Just a moment, let me clean it up."
"Ah, no, it's fine. And Song A-ra, don't worry about it..."
"...Sorry."
Yeah, if you're sorry, please don't worry and just chew what's left in your mouth...
Seong Su-a cleaned my face spotless, folded the now food-stained handkerchief, and tucked it into her bag.
"Ah, Instructor Seong Sua, let me wash that..."
"It's okay. Don't worry."
Seong Su-a smiled without a hint of disgust.
It was kindness and thoughtfulness beyond common sense.
But her bright smile and kindness ignited my anger.
‘Fuck, I'm definitely turning this world's protagonist into a wreck...’
‘That dog bastard... How does he get engaged to a woman like this...’
I hadn't even seen this protagonist's face yet, but enmity was boiling up.
Jealousy was making my head feel like it might explode.
But I calmly picked up my tray and stood.
"Seems you two have things to discuss, so I'll head out first. Song A-ra, don't worry about it. Instructor Seong Sua, I'll wait in the classroom."
"Y-yes... Really sorry..."
"Yes, go ahead."
Song A-ra wore a genuinely apologetic expression, not her usual lispy tone.
I left the two behind and headed to the bathroom to wash my face.
"Ughhh..."
Thud.
The moment I got to my assigned private room after finishing the day's work, I flopped onto the bed.
"They said to do smart bio-registration on this thing..."
I activated the smartwatch on my left wrist right after lying down.
It was round, similar in design to smartwatches from my world.
Security and features were probably on another level, though...
"Giving these out for free shows they really have money to burn."
"I'll give them more money... Anyway, the Magic Department seemed comfy."
I grumbled while recalling the events after the cafeteria incident.
After the minor cafeteria mishap, nothing much happened.
I met the Magic Class 7 students (only five of them), and Seong Su-a explained the upcoming curriculum to them.
"Seong Su-a really put in the effort."
If Sonya had pure educational zeal, Seong Su-a had pure kindness.
Sonya could be scary as an educator...
My role was simple but tedious: assist with Combat and Magic Department training and practical classes to prevent incidents.
I recalled Seong Su-a smiling after finishing the first Magic class.
"But up close, Seong Su-a seems tougher than Seo Hyun."
-[Pure Love], [Virtuous Wife]-
She clearly wasn't the type to fool around, and once married, she'd be devoted.
A woman like that wouldn't stray if engaged.
"...But she has a weakness, right?"
-[Affection Deficiency Toward Partner]-
I never imagined Seong Su-a would have affection issues.
Especially toward her partner...
"Is this Seong Sua's problem or this protagonist's...?"
"Tell me about this guy."
Armonia filtered the info from Zodiac and briefed me.
"Name's Cho Kang-hyun. Age 28. Holds the top-tier hero title and hails from the Holy Order."
"Holy Order?"
Come to think of it, I'd heard about the Tower and Holy Order earlier.
"The Holy Order is Korea's premier hero organization. Tops in power, wealth, and fame."
Most Recovery Department graduates from the Hero Embassy were compelled to join the Holy Order regardless of reason.
"That's pretty forceful."
"Their donations dominate, so they have that influence."
"So, pay back what you receive, huh..."
Even within the Holy Order, Cho Kang-hyun was someone they couldn't mess with lightly.
"Wait, at that level, doesn't he get exempted from instructor duty? Or is he just a stickler for rules..."
A three-year gap for someone like him would be a huge blow to the Holy Order.
They must've tried hard to stop him.
"...Love? Is he from Recovery too?"
Hard to say...
If it were his own Combat Department where he shone, maybe, but why Recovery...
"Well, being from the Holy Order, he pays extra attention."
"...Gotta look into it slowly later."
Now that I'm an instructor at the Hero Embassy, I should be able to enter the Recovery building...
Not that I cared about Recovery itself—it was Cho Kang-hyun I was interested in.
For someone so famous, info beyond his public activities was absurdly limited.
Or maybe his fame made info scarce on purpose.
"I'll ask Seo Hyun or Seong Su-a tomorrow."
"Why ask about... No, Instructor Cho Kang-hyun?"
The next day, walking the hallway with Seo Hyun on the way to work, she looked up at me warily when I asked.
"Ah... He's so famous, I was curious."
"Ahem... Yeah, he's pretty amazing..."
Seo Hyun smirked, unable to hold back her grin.
‘Gives me chills... Can you smile like that praising your own sibling?’
‘Pfft!’
Yesterday, I disliked that side of her because she was contrasted with my own sister-like figure, but thinking about it, she's someone else's noona, right?
‘Nothing excites like someone else's sister, heh heh heh...’
Seo Hyun spent the whole hallway walk bragging about Cho Kang-hyun to me.
The grouchy morning Seo Hyun, sleepy and irritable moments ago, beamed with excitement boasting about her brother.
But no real new info.
Mostly public feats Armonia already knew.
I arrived at the classroom listening to Seo Hyun's pointless bragging.
Seo Hyun stood at the podium and announced to the students.
"Today, we're doing a simple mountain hike!"