Chapter 182
Chapter 182
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 182
Chapter Title: Vicious Rumors of Lust and Obsession
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***
Rumors tended to change drastically by the day.
Although the academy was open to the outside world, it could be considered extremely insular, a stark contrast to the rumors that circulated beyond its walls.
News about instructors and cadets alone was always enough to keep the academy buzzing.
And Esia felt the same way.
As an instructor at the academy, she paid close attention to news about the cadets, even if they weren't her own students…
“…”
Her eyes drifted to Cadet Han Cheon-seong as she continued her light meal.
‘They say you can’t believe rumors, but still.’
Her direct impression of Cadet Han Cheon-seong was completely at odds with the gossip.
The vicious rumors that he was obsessed with women or starved for lust were truly exaggerated. There were so many rumors about him and women that, even though I was an instructor and he a cadet, I had been a little wary of him as a woman myself. Yet, even now as our meal was ending, he showed no sign of it.
It felt as though even my own preconceptions were slowly fading away.
“So you’re saying you train with Kalli twice a week?”
“Yes. I believe she has been a great help to me.”
Even the cadet's eyes, as he answered calmly, seemed pure. His gaze held no trace of seeing me as a woman or lecherously scanning my body; instead, it felt deeply respectful.
“…”
Staring at the cadet, I brought another piece of steak to my mouth.
*Chomp.*
I nodded, savoring the juices that burst forth as I chewed the meat.
‘Well, if the rumors were true, Kalli would never treat him so well.’
They say there’s no smoke without fire, so I’d wondered if Cadet Han Cheon-seong had done something to spark such nasty rumors about his relationships with women. But that wasn’t the case.
And if those strange rumors had been true, Kalli would never have spoken so highly of him.
Between the rumors and Kalli’s word, it was obvious which was more credible.
—*Cadet Han Cheon-seong is completely different from the rumors.*
“Actually, I think the reason I’ve been able to grow so much is thanks to Instructor Kalli’s consideration… I feel I’ve received great kindness from her.”
My impression of the cadet continued to shift as I watched him carefully add to his explanation.
From an irregular with genius-level talent who was also a womanizer…
To a polite and handsome cadet who had achieved his results through commensurate effort.
Above all, his politeness left a very good impression.
As someone who had personally experienced how arrogant geniuses could be, the fact that he knew how to be thoroughly respectful was what I liked most about him.
“Well, that makes sense. Kalli talks about you a lot.”
“…Instructor Kalli does?”
Seeing the cadet’s surprised reply, I lightly recalled lunchtime today.
I couldn’t count how many times I’d heard the name Han Cheon-seong while eating with Kalli. She would praise him endlessly at the drop of a hat.
Even I had grown curious about the subject of these rumors.
That’s why I had come to see him in person.
“Yes. It seemed like Kalli really treasures you. She talks about you all the time, you know?”
As I spoke, my wariness toward Cadet Han Cheon-seong gradually faded.
‘Why was I so conscious of him as a man and trying to keep my distance from a cadet in the first place?’
Thinking back, it seemed like a ridiculous notion.
“If Instructor Kalli is that concerned for me… I’m very grateful, but it’s also a little embarrassing.”
“To be honest, I’m a bit surprised myself. Kalli always talks about effort, but she herself is overflowing with talent. So I worried if there would ever be a cadet who met her standards. But here you are, Cadet Han Cheon-seong, proving me wrong. It’s a relief.”
As I spoke, I gently set down my utensils. Then, I propped my chin on my hand and looked at him intently.
“…”
He hesitated at my words, blinking awkwardly. He seemed quite embarrassed by the indirect praise.
‘He’s rather cute when you look at him like this.’
He didn’t seem to have put much effort into his appearance, yet his looks drew you in subtly, possessing a charm that grew on you the more you looked.
Above all, there was something peculiar about his aura. The feeling of being in his presence was distinctly different from that of other cadets.
No matter how old the cadets were, they still felt like children, like novices. But Cadet Han Cheon-seong didn’t give off that impression.
And yet, he seemed untainted by the world.
Endless rumors circulated about him, but his actual personality was polite, and he even gave off an impression of being quite innocent.
“…Actually, I also believe that the effort Instructor Kalli speaks of is very important.”
It was also fascinating how he calmly stated his own opinion under my gaze.
‘Looking at this, he’s not entirely naive either.’
His ability to meet my gaze so casually was also a bit surprising. Cadets rarely looked an instructor straight in the eye when they spoke.
Unless they felt they were being treated unfairly, they tended to avoid an instructor’s gaze.
‘But that’s not the case with him.’
He simply knew how to look a person in the eye.
Even his demeanor was impeccable, as if he were fully aware of our respective positions.
“Effort is important, you say. Well, considering you’re already level 5 despite having a Common trait, I imagine you must have put in a great deal of effort, Cadet Han Cheon-seong.”
As I spoke, I had a vague inkling.
Growth up to trait level 4 was often quite smooth. But reaching level 5 was like hitting a wall, a milestone that usually took a long time to achieve.
This was true regardless of a trait’s grade, so how much harder must it have been for a cadet with a Common grade trait like Han Cheon-seong?
‘The time it took was short, but there must have been a huge mental shift.’
I’d heard about the incident where he’d faced an Apostle, and I imagined there must have been several elements that led to an epiphany.
“And I think I was also a bit lucky.”
Was he embarrassed by my repeated praise? I immediately shook my head at his faint smile.
“There’s no such thing as luck when it comes to a trait’s evolution.”
“Is that so?”
“Of course. Unless it was some kind of inevitable fate, I’m not the type to believe you can achieve something just by being lucky.”
I stated my opinion calmly, trying to chip away at the cadet’s humility.
There is no luck in growth.
When the process of hard work and one’s own talent combine, they blossom through experience.
That’s the only way I see it.
“…”
Seeing the cadet fall silent, as if he had taken my words to heart, I slowly continued.
“I like that you’re so respectful, Cadet Han Cheon-seong, but I’ve seen countless geniuses, so I know. No one reaches the next stage through luck.”
*Nod.*
He nodded his head carefully. As he met my gaze, listening intently, I slowly took a breath.
‘This is a really strange feeling.’
Perhaps the ability to look someone in the eye so unreservedly was a skill in itself. I could naturally see why the other instructors had praised Cadet Han Cheon-seong to no end.
It made me want to say more, to feel that he was properly taking in my words, my actions, everything.
“I won’t say luck plays no part at all. But even that luck doesn’t appear for cadets who lack the fundamentals. A trait’s evolution only comes to those who seek to develop and move forward.”
“…I truly believe that as well. You have to have the will to move forward first.”
Seeing him nod in agreement, I felt an impulsive urge.
He was accepting my words so obediently that I wanted to pat his head.
*Rustle.* But I suppressed the urge and gently shook my head.
“…Anyway, I wanted to see for myself why Kalli is so fond of you. After talking with you like this, you’re certainly not bad.”
My curiosity was already satisfied as I spoke calmly.
“I can only be grateful for your positive assessment.”
At his composed reply, I thought it was about time to wrap things up.
“Looks like we’re done eating. Shall we call it a day? I don’t know when we’ll see each other again, but it was nice talking to you.”
Just as I was about to clear my tray to end our meeting…
“Instructor Esia. Excuse me, but may I ask you one thing?”
Unexpectedly, Cadet Han Cheon-seong seemed to have something to say to me.
“Yes. What is it?”
“…It’s about the special prize you give to a cadet in your class. Does that special prize still exist?”
“A prize… Ah, you mean the enhancement. It still exists, but… wait a minute. How do you know about that, Cadet Han Cheon-seong?”
I was puzzled as I answered.
I gave a special prize to the cadet in my class with the most outstanding performance of the year. It was an enhancement I would engrave onto their weapon or uniform using my trait.
But for Cadet Han Cheon-seong, whom I had just met today, to know about it…
“I only heard about it through rumors. The rumor was about a kind-hearted instructor who gives a special prize. As I continued talking with you, Instructor Esia, it suddenly occurred to me that you might be that kind-hearted instructor.”
He spoke calmly, without a hint of fluster. I blinked, finding it all very surprising.
‘Is there even a rumor like that going around?’
I had said something like that at the beginning of the year to motivate the cadets in my class, but I had no idea the rumor had spread enough for cadets from other classes to know about me.
“…”
As I stared blankly, Cadet Han Cheon-seong bowed his head slightly.
“That’s all I wanted to know. Thank you for answering.”
I nodded at his proper manner, though the feeling was still strange. Nevertheless, I slowly stood up.
*Srrk.*
“Well, today was fun. If we run into each other again, I’ll buy you something at the cafe.”
“…Your words are more than enough, thank you.”
“I’m not just saying it, so feel free to greet me first if you see me.”
“Yes. Then… I will be sure to greet you.”
Our conversation flowed smoothly, and I was able to part with Cadet Han Cheon-seong on good terms.
It wasn’t a bad feeling as I carried my tray away. No, it was actually a good feeling.
‘I can see why Kalli likes him.’
He was handsome yet had an innocent side, and he knew how to treat an instructor with respect, even in a brief conversation. The time spent with him was pleasant enough to remain a good memory.
Furthermore… his talent was above that of most geniuses. A talent so great that his Common grade hardly mattered.
‘His growth rate is faster than this year’s top-ranked freshman.’
*Click.*
A smile crept onto my face as I walked.
“A kind-hearted instructor…”
I wondered how a cadet could speak so beautifully, and I found myself mulling over his words.
Then, I wanted to tell Kalli directly.
Many instructors get subtly jealous when their favorite cadet praises another instructor. It was just human nature.
When you give affection, you naturally want to receive at least a little of it back.
And for someone who showed as much special interest in a cadet as Kalli did, I was 100% certain this would be the case.
“I’m already looking forward to Kalli’s reaction.”
Cadet Han Cheon-seong’s words were nothing special, really… but for some reason, they made me feel good.