244. Rina Feels Strange (Illustration)
244. Rina Feels Strange (Illustration)
We did have things coming up on the schedule.
Truth be told, it wasn't that relaxed a timetable.
Still, our Utopia decided to take a short break.
'Everyone really worked hard this time.'
Not just Ichika and Ga-eul sunbae — all the other party members had visited the library and cleared the quest at least once, too.
I already knew what happened when you pretended to be too busy, let the clock drive you, and did nothing but crack the whip.
That day in the Winter Palace, when I was hounded and squeezed dry by my party members the whole time.
I hadn't forgotten.
Taking that day as a cautionary lesson.
During the break, I was spending some leisurely time — however brief — with each party member, one by one.
In front of a sleek building blending modern and hanok design.
A delicious aroma drifting from inside tickled my nose.
"This is it? That famous gukbap place?"
I'd come to a well-known gukbap restaurant near the academy together with Lee Yu-ri.
"Yeah, that's right."
I nodded at her question.
But, truth was, my nerves were a little on edge right now.
'What the hell... I don't think it's just my imagination.......'
I couldn't tell from where,
but I felt a gaze, like someone was watching me.
At first I'd brushed it off as nothing but a feeling.
But the more time I spent with my party members, the thicker the surveillance seemed to grow.
By now, I was certain.
'Well, it's not Sofia, for one.'
I already knew Sofia sometimes tailed me and took photos.
But Sofia's tailing has this clumsy streak to it — you'd have to be dense not to notice.
While taking pictures, she kicks up every kind of fuss and broadcasts her presence for all to hear.
Unlike Sofia,
whoever was surveilling me right now — no matter how sharply I honed my senses or expanded my range, I couldn't pick them up.
Even though my perception had been razor-sharp ever since I consumed the Fire Dragon Elixir and rose to 3-Star.
I couldn't tell where they were watching from, how close they were, or even whether they were a man or a woman.
All I had was a strong sensation
that something was observing me.
'Quite the expert......? But they've been watching all day and haven't actually done anything. What the hell is their objective?'
"Jin Yu-ha, what's wrong? Are you feeling sick?"
Once we were inside the gukbap restaurant, Lee Yu-ri, seated across from me, asked with a worried expression.
Apparently my failure to manage my expression had shown on my face.
'......Mm, they don't seem like they're about to pull anything right now. Should I just focus on Lee Yu-ri?'
I smoothed out my face and answered.
"No, it's nothing. Something must've gotten in my eye."
"Huh? Your eye? Let me see."
Lee Yu-ri leaned her face in, sliding close.
But I shook my head.
"It's fine. Feels like it came out. Oh, the gukbap's here. Let's eat! I heard this place is the most famous gukbap spot around the academy these days."
Bubble, bubble─
One bowl in front of each of us.
The gukbap, with its milky-white broth just served, was bubbling fiercely and sending up clouds of pure white steam.
"Really? Ah, I can't wait! I feel like I haven't had gukbap in forever!"
"Same."
"Now that I think about it, isn't this the first time we've had gukbap together since we came back from Camela Forest?"
"Hm, has it been?"
Come to think of it, after I first met Lee Yu-ri and we cleared that dungeon, we'd had the after-party at a gukbap place.
Remembering that day, a snicker escaped my lips.
Just as I was about to scoop up some gukbap with my spoon.
"Hold it!"
Lee Yu-ri suddenly thrust out a hand and stopped me.
"Huh?"
She grinned slyly.
And promptly picked up the dish of kkakdugi off the table.
Then — glug.
Lee Yu-ri tipped the entire thing, kkakdugi and all the juice, straight into my gukbap bowl.
"......?"
Crimson liquid bled through the milky broth.
'What the hell is she doing?'
I stared at Lee Yu-ri with a dumbfounded face.
She, in turn, smiled radiantly and said,
"You love eating it this way, remember."
"......Huh? I, I do?"
"What, don't you remember how you poured kkakdugi juice into my gukbap bowl back then and I got super pissed? You said it's only the real thing if you eat it like this."
'......I remember.'
How could I not remember.
Lee Yu-ri's signature expression from that day.
The incident where I'd dumped the kkakdugi juice just to see the 'Kal Kkakdugi Gukbap' face.
The only problem being.
'Thing is, I don't actually like pouring kkakdugi juice into my gukbap......?'
Yeah. I was a purist, originally.
A hardcore gukbap purist who sprinkles nothing but a little salt and pepper!
Back then, I'd sacrificed my gukbap through blood and tears with the single-minded goal of seeing Lee Yu-ri's deliciously furious reaction.
Who knew the karma from that day would come back around like this.
"Here. Try it. This place is supposed to be good, right?"
She said it with a face full of nothing but pure goodwill, without a speck of malice.
How could I possibly tell Lee Yu-ri, looking at me like that, that I actually hate eating it this way.
I had no choice but to spoon up the brightly red-stained gukbap and lift the corners of my mouth into an awkward smile.
"Ha, haha. This is, really delicious."
"Yeah? I should try it too!"
Slurp!
After one spoonful of gukbap, starlight rose in Lee Yu-ri's eyes.
"Whoa! Seriously! This place is no joke! No wonder it's famous! The broth is incredibly rich and savory!!"
Lee Yu-ri said it with high energy, as if living up to the dish's reputation.
But I couldn't empathize.
'This just tastes like nothing but kkakdugi.......'
* * *
"Phew...... I'm stuffed. Jin Yu-ha, this place was seriously good. Right."
"Uh, yeah. It was decent."
"Let's come again next time! I think I should add this to my go-to restaurant list!"
"Ahaha, s-sure, sounds good."
"Thanks so much for treating me to something yummy today, Jin Yu-ha."
"It's nothing. Glad you enjoyed it."
"So, should we head home now?"
In front of the academy clock tower, Lee Yu-ri extended her hand toward me as she spoke.
But I shook my head.
"You go ahead."
"Huh? You're not coming?"
"Yeah. I've got something to take care of real quick."
"Something to take care of?"
"Ah, I'll be right in. Go on."
"Mm...... Well, okay! See you later!"
Lee Yu-ri looked like she was curious about what was up.
But she didn't press further, waved, and headed home.
Left alone, I lowered my gaze.
'I can still feel it.......'
Yeah.
The reason I'd sent Lee Yu-ri off and stayed behind alone.
I'd damn well find out the identity of this gaze that was still watching me even now.
'Who the hell is it.'
Someone brazen enough to persistently surveil me right here at the academy.
I still didn't know who, and I still didn't know from where.
But I had a method for revealing who the watcher was.
A method you could practically call a cheat code.
I pulled out my phone.
[ Sword Demon(劍鬼) : Master. I'm below the clock tower right now. ]
Buzz.
The moment I sent the message, a reply came back as if she'd been waiting.
[ Baek Seol-hee : Mm, sorry. Today's work finished a little late. I'm heading over now. Should take about one minute to arrive. ]
[ Sword Demon(劍鬼) : It's fine. You can take your time. The watcher doesn't seem to be thinking about running away. ]
That cheat code was none other than Master!
With her sensory perception, which I couldn't even begin to compare to mine, she'd surely be able to uncover the watcher's identity.
After waiting in front of the clock tower for a moment.
Swish─
Tap.
Before I knew it, Master had appeared and landed in front of me.
"Ah, Mast—"
Before I could even finish greeting her.
Baek Seol-hee's face hardened in an instant, and she jerked her head upward.
'Did she find them?'
My gaze followed hers to the spot she was looking at.
Toward the empty air, Master opened her mouth.
"What in the world are you doing up there?"
'Master is using honorifics?'
Hummmmm—
At that, the empty space began to distort with a surge of powerful Mana.
"Chairwoman Rina."
I couldn't help the shocked look on my face.
'The person surveilling me all day... was Chairwoman Rina?'
A moment later. Rina really did tear through the empty air and reveal herself, floating in midair.
Her face was clearly displeased as she looked down this way.
"......Chairwoman?"
"......."
"The one who's been following me around all day was you, Chairwoman?"
At that, Rina shot back with an indignant expression.
"F-following you around? As if!"
And then Chairwoman Rina immediately started pointing a finger at me and lecturing.
"Y-you! Jin Yu-ha! You're supposed to be the party leader of Utopia, and all you do is fool around with your party members! When exactly are you planning to become my s-s-successor?! As a cadet of this academy, shouldn't you naturally be applying yourself to training and your studies?!!"
I tilted my head to the side.
'Did this brat eat something bad yesterday......?'
Why's she acting like this all of a sudden? Has she gone senile? Did she forget we just came back from a mission yesterday?
I was so baffled I couldn't even find words.
"......I believe I'll need a proper explanation as to why you were stalking my disciple."
At that moment. Master provided supporting fire from beside me.
"I-I was merely—! Is it not the obvious duty of the academy chairwoman to observe whether a cadet is performing well?!!"
Rina protested in a loud voice, as though she felt wronged.
But honestly, it was a flimsy excuse.
"......."
"......."
The gazes Master and I directed at her grew even colder.
Only then did Chairwoman Rina shrink into herself like a deflated balloon.
"W-well, you see......."
She opened her mouth in a diminished voice.
