Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Villain Response Training - Intermission
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After classes ended today.
I took a short break in the dormitory, then headed down to the academy cafeteria as dinner time rolled around.
I filled my tray with my usual meal and was just about to sit down and dig in when.
"Crow!"
"Top student Crow!"
"Crow, enjoy your meal!"
My classmates, coming down to eat, passed by and poked at my dark history.
But after watching that dark history play out all through class.
"Yeah, you guys enjoy your meals too."
No wave of shame came surging up.
Thanks to that, their teasing didn't bother me one bit.
"Crow! Let's eat together!"
"Oh, Asuka. Come on over."
Even when Asuka teased me.
"Crow, mind if I take the seat up front?"
"Yeah, go ahead."
Even when Arthur teased me.
"Crow, may I join you for dinner?"
"Yeah, Noah. Of course."
Even when Noah teased me.
"...Crow."
Even when Lee Seo-yeon teased me.
I stayed completely unfazed.
"Crow, I overheard something when I was leaving the classroom."
"Yeah? What?"
...I should've stayed unfazed.
"That video the instructor showed in class earlier? They're using it as teaching material!"
"...What? Teaching material?"
Now I had to be fazed.
"Yep, teaching material!"
Asuka nodded with a bright, innocent smile.
Then she stabbed a piece of her mala tteokbokki with her fork and popped it into her mouth. Nom.
Truly an adorable sight.
But unlike usual, I couldn't muster a fond smile this time.
'They're using my dark history as teaching material? No way... why?'
My composure shattered to pieces.
Shame surged back up, heat rising to my face.
I took a deep breath and asked Asuka.
"That talk... it's real?"
Asuka nodded, munching away on her tteokbokki.
Then, after swallowing,
"Yep! I don't know who the instructor was talking to on the phone, but he said, 'There was no better villain acting than this. We have to use it as teaching material.'"
"......"
At that, I quietly set my spoon down.
To cool my shame-heated face, I chugged the water I'd brought.
But it didn't help—my face just kept getting hotter.
So I whipped open my inventory and pulled out a Spirit Power Pill, the ultimate full-body refresher and mind calmer.
I tossed it into my mouth like a tablet.
The pill hit my tongue and melted with a soft sizzle.
A crisp, refreshing scent flooded my mouth.
Once its unique spiritual energy spread through my body, my boiling mind finally settled.
The explosive heat in my face cooled rapidly.
"Whew."
Only then could I breathe easy.
"Hm? What's this refreshing scent?"
"It's like being deep in a forest—so crisp and fresh."
Maybe because we were at the same table.
Instead of food smells, they caught a whiff of that forest-fresh aroma and looked around curiously—Arthur and Noah.
It didn't take long for them to pinpoint me as the source.
"A scent that calms the soul like this. No idea what perfume it is, but it must be top-shelf stuff."
Noah spoke, and Arthur nodded in agreement.
"Never cared for perfumes before, but something like this? Might pick one up."
Arthur, who had zero interest in cosmetics or fragrances.
But he was so taken with the scent on my breath.
"Lee Yoo-jin, if you don't mind, I'd like to buy whatever perfume you're using. Sell me some?"
Not even asking where to get it...?
Did I hear that right? I asked Arthur.
"...What'd you say you wanted to do?"
Arthur, slicing into his mint-sauced steak, tilted his head.
"Said I want to buy the perfume you're using?"
"......"
His utterly shameless face as he slipped a piece of steak into his mouth left me speechless.
'Arthur... you're getting creepier every day.'
Of course, he doesn't show this side to anyone else.
To everyone but us at this table, he's always the picture of orderly, majestic knighthood.
His true self only comes out for me, Lee Seo-yeon, Asuka, and Noah.
But that true self... it's a lot.
'Masochist vibes were one thing, but now full-on creep mode?'
This is the future Knight King?
England... no, the Round Table Guild's future looks bleak.
And I wasn't the only one thinking it.
"...Ugh."
"......"
Asuka, happily munching her tteokbokki, eyed Arthur with mild contempt.
Lee Seo-yeon... was glaring daggers, like she might swing her knife any second.
Arthur just tilted his head innocently, as if to say, "What's the problem?"
Chewing his finely diced steak methodically.
It even looked like he was taunting: What're you gonna do about it?
"Haha, so this is bonding through friendship?"
Noah, you see this bloodthirsty stare-down as "friendship"?
'...You're airheaded as hell too.'
I let out a deep sigh and shook my head.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The meal started in chaos.
And ended on a tense note. (We even had ice cream for dessert.)
The other four headed to the training grounds—everyone but me.
Well, more precisely, just Lee Seo-yeon and Asuka went to the training grounds.
I'd pulled Arthur and Noah aside separately.
Clunk.
Inside the Class 1-A exclusive building, one of the study rooms.
The moment we stepped in, I pulled two boxes of Spirit Power Pills from my inventory.
Handed one to each.
"Here, take 'em."
"...This is?"
"What is it?"
Arthur and Noah accepted the boxes curiously.
The instant they popped the lids.
Whoosh!
"This scent..."
"Don't tell me the aroma from the cafeteria came from this elixir?"
The crisp, refreshing fragrance filled the study room.
Arthur and Noah stared in shock, glancing between the elixirs in their hands and me.
I nodded at Noah's question.
"That's right. All that perfume chatter at dinner? Straight from these Spirit Power Pills."
"Hm... not perfume after all. A shame."
"Yeah, I was gonna buy some if it was. Too bad."
Arthur and Noah sighed genuinely disappointed, snapping their lids shut.
Then handed them right back without a second thought.
I shook my head.
Pushed their hands away.
"They're yours. Keep 'em."
"...I appreciate it, truly, but we can't take such rare elixirs."
"I agree with Arthur."
They balked.
At that, I opened my inventory again.
Just like I'd done with Lee Seo-yeon before, time to nix their hesitation personally.
The method? Dump 'em out.
Rumble rumble rumble!
"No, what the—!"
"...My god."
Arthur and Noah's faces went slack with shock.
But their reactions differed.
Arthur gawked wide-eyed at the elixir boxes piling up on the study room floor.
Noah squeezed his eyes shut like a priest facing the devil's temptation, crossing himself.
I smirked at their antics and stopped pouring.
Grabbed one box from the pile.
"Kinda embarrassing to say this."
Popped the lid.
"But these elixirs? Not precious to me at all."
Picked one up.
Tossed it in my mouth like a snack, swallowed the melt, and went on.
"See? They're basically candy to me."
The kind you munch on when bored.
"So eat up, no worries."
You guys can too.
Arthur and Noah stared at me blankly.
Then, resolve hardening.
They flipped their lids open again.
Whoosh.
The elixir's signature scent wafted out once more.
Trembling hands scooped up pills.
They looked my way.
I nodded.
Deep breaths.
"Thanks, Lee Yoo-jin."
"Thank you, Lee Yoo-jin."
Thanks expressed, pills tossed in.
The second they hit their mouths.
Gulp.
Throats bobbed.
And with the Spirit Power Pill's effect.
Whoooosh!
Mana churned wildly around their bodies.
Moments later.
"...I can feel my soul growing stronger."
"Talent control feels way smoother now."
They muttered in awe, checking themselves out.
The sight warmed me like watching fresh newbies in a game.
'Ah, this is why we raise newbies.'
Not that Arthur and Noah were newbies.
But their reactions were pure rookie bliss—I couldn't help grinning.
To savor it longer, I hustled two Physique Pills from my inventory.
Held them out to the pair still geeking over the effects.
"Here, these too."
"...Th-this one's elixir too?"
"Haha... Lord preserve us."
They eyed me with weary faces.
I flashed a kind smile, popping their lids.
"Eat."
"...Thanks."
"...Gratefully accepted."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Time flew by like an arrow.
Alternating indoor and outdoor classes, building our hero skills.
Recipes I'd registered at the alchemy workshop started paying off, letting me craft weapons and special rounds with my growing funds.
Just like that, June summer hit without a hitch.
Air turning muggy, we switched to summer uniforms.
And today.
"As announced last week, this week is 'Midterm Evaluations.'"
"Location: Uninhabited Island."
"Right, the same spot as your final entrance exam."
"Evaluations run five days total. Objectives transmit to your smart watches the moment you arrive."
"A little spoiler? Wish I could, but the principal's info-seal magic—'@#$@%'—locks me out."
"But I can say this much."
"Your midterm evaluations. The theme is."
"Survival."
The midterm evaluations had begun.