Studying for the Exam (1)
After class ended, Seong Hyun-jin sat in the lobby of the Teraport Dorm. Not only was it spacious, but as befitting the highest-class dormitory, it offered snacks for residents to enjoy comfortably, and maids would even bring tea if you waited. The lobby had the air of a place where young nobles might sit and chat idly, and oddly enough, Seong Hyun-jin's presence both clashed with it and fit right in. Considering his personality, it was hard to imagine a less suitable scene, but to those unaware, his looks carried a certain refined air. His elf-like cyan hair that shimmered with a turquoise glow, his slightly boyish features due to his half-elf blood delaying full maturity, and his handsome face made him seem like the young master of a fine family. Even the Teraport Dorm maids cast sidelong glances as they passed, finding the sight quite fitting. Lately, while there were plenty of beautiful women among the new residents, handsome men were rare, making him stand out even more.
Even if others saw him that way, Seong Hyun-jin's harsh self-assessment remained unchanged—that was the problem. In any case, uncharacteristically for someone who usually avoided books, he had them neatly spread out, waiting for someone. And soon, the people he'd been waiting for arrived almost simultaneously.
“Seong Hyun-jin.”
“Hyunjin junior!”
Serena Eldark and Siela Teraport. They were the ones who'd promised to tutor him today. Siela approached with a sweet smile and asked,
“Did you wait long, by any chance?”
“No, I just sat down myself.”
Seong Hyun-jin replied, pointing to his still half-full teacup. Siela set down her notebooks and said,
“Sorry, got held up preparing a bit~.”
“You're going to tutor me?”
“Of course. Who else?”
Siela nodded, naturally pulling up a chair. She placed it right next to Seong Hyun-jin and sat down, pressing close to him.
“Look at this—I organized it all nice and easy for you to understand, junior!”
Serena shot her a sharp glare at the move, but Siela pretended not to notice, waiting for his response. Seong Hyun-jin skimmed through the neatly organized notes she'd brought and said,
“You've gone this far for me—what am I supposed to do with all this gratitude?”
“Too early to thank me. I'll teach you step by step, so keep up, okay?”
Seong Hyun-jin nodded agreeably. He glanced quietly at Serena, who had taken a seat on his right, and asked,
“Is that stuff you prepared to teach me too?”
Inside Serena's paper holder were materials with the exam content summarized at a glance. At his question, she confirmed with a nod.
“...Yes. But since we decided to start with the basics, I'll show you later.”
As if they'd already settled the order in advance, she said she'd wait patiently until the basic studies were done.
“But I'm not sure if I can learn all this in one day. You okay waiting?”
“You insisted on coming along even after I said it might not wrap up today,” Siela chimed in, glancing at Serena as if to say she should back off if she got the hint.
But Serena didn't budge, countering point by point.
“We can do the basics moderately and cover this too. How are you supposed to learn everything at once? With five days left, it's better to set daily amounts per subject.”
“Hmmm...”
Siela couldn't argue that point. Still, she smiled leisurely as if it didn't matter.
“Sounds like Serena junior has a point. Let's do that then, Hyunjin junior.”
“Ah, sure.”
“Shall we start right away?”
“Yeah, please.”
Seong Hyun-jin looked at Siela, ready to listen. She smiled lightly, pleased by his eager attitude.
“First up is Spirit Arts Theory! Here's the notebook to look at.”
Siela handed him a blue-covered notebook.
“Starting with...”
And so Siela began teaching him the basics in detail. She had a real talent for instruction, and even Seong Hyun-jin, who had little interest in studying, found himself focusing intently on her lessons. Serena, who had initially worried Siela might try something shady under the guise of tutoring, started rethinking it upon seeing her genuine enthusiasm.
...Was she really just here to teach Seong Hyun-jin?
Serena wondered if she'd been overly suspicious, reflecting a bit inwardly. Of course...
Her suspicions weren't entirely off-base.
“How about here?”
“Got it.”
“!”
Siela pointed to a note at the edge of the page, slyly rubbing her body against Seong Hyun-jin's arm. It wasn't overt grinding, but her breast clearly pressed against his forearm... and she continued the lesson as if nothing happened. Seong Hyun-jin, absorbed in studying, didn't seem to notice.
Serena was dumbfounded but held back a scoff inwardly, not wanting to disrupt his concentration.
...She's got all kinds of tricks.
Serena had plenty to say but swallowed it. Even seeing her restraint, Siela showed no hesitation.
“Siela senior, how do you solve this one?”
“Oh, that? Hold on...”
Siela stood, slipping behind Seong Hyun-jin. She reached around, lightly taking his pen in hand with him. Naturally, her breasts pressed against his neck and the back of his head.
“...!”
Siela knew it well. How much Seong Hyun-jin loved women's breasts. She'd realized it clearly around the time she learned how deeply he felt for his master, Hakodate Karin—from Eleonora, no less, who told her he harbored not just affection but outright lust for Karin. She'd doubted her ears at first but had witnessed it herself once... and probed further afterward.
And there was a reason she'd asked Eleonora of all people. Since Seong Hyun-jin's favorite was his master, Hakodate Karin, Siela planned to benchmark her. In the process, she'd learned his favorite part of Karin's body was her breasts—and fortunately, Siela had plenty to boast about herself, even if not quite Karin's size.
She intended to make full use of it. Sure, it embarrassed her. But this was natural with a guy she liked, and once they dated properly, she'd do it without hesitation anyway. That thought gave her courage. Siela, no stranger to shyness, had grown bold for a reason.
Of course, Seong Hyun-jin couldn't help but notice her brazen actions. No matter how focused on studying, how could he ignore the soft sensation on the back of his head? But Siela grew even bolder, as if urging him to concentrate.
“Alright, junior. Watch closely? I'm only showing you once.”
“Ah... yeah.”
He tried to focus. But ignoring the direct, squishy feel pressing so obviously against his head? Any man who could was beyond enlightenment. And with Siela leaning in more, it grew even clearer.
You're... too close...?
Even Seong Hyun-jin was flustered by her aggressive skinship. But Siela redirected his attention.
“Focusing, junior? I said once only!”
“Y-Yeah, watching.”
“Good! Now, continuing...”
Serena watched it all with a near-soulless expression. She hadn't expected Siela to be this forward. To her, it bordered on outright seduction.
“......”
After silently observing for a while, Serena spoke as if entranced.
“...Siela senior.”
Her pale pink lips parted to reveal a voice chillingly cold. It startled not just Siela but Seong Hyun-jin too, both looking up.
“Watching this, it's pretty amusing.”
“...What're you on about all of a sudden, Serena junior?”
“No, I heard Siela senior was a spirit mage with the greatest talent...”
Serena's eyes were lifeless enough to tense even Siela—her expression drained of vitality, burning only with jealousy.
“Now I see it wasn't spirit magic, but some other talent?”
“Other talent? What do you mean?”
Siela was a bit flustered but held her ground in the nerve war.
“If I may presume...”
But Serena's venomous follow-up stunned everyone, even shocking Siela and Seong Hyun-jin.
“Maybe the talent of a whore?”
# The golden child of the Teraport family, Siela Teraport, was far removed from vulgar curses. Raised showered in love and affection, she'd never heard such a word directed at her. She'd faced envy and jealousy from others, but never such outright insult. Hearing it now, fury was inevitable.
“W-What did you just say...!?”
“Oh, too harsh?”
Enraged, Siela snapped back, but Serena met her gaze coldly.
“Should I soften it to 'courtesan'?”
Same difference. Siela's face flushed beet red as she yelled at Serena.
“Junior, aren't you crossing the line too much!? Unless you're mocking me and my family, how dare you say that...!”
“Did I cross it first?”
Serena shot up boldly from her seat, pointing at Siela still glued to Seong Hyun-jin.
“Rubbing your breasts on Seong Hyun-jin, deliberate skinship, touching his body...! Who was acting no different from a woman selling herself!?”
“...!”
Siela was shocked—did her actions look that way? But she didn't back down, defending herself proudly.
“S-So what? I like my junior, so I do it!”
“...Siela senior?”
Seong Hyun-jin was taken aback by her sudden confession, but Serena gave them no chance.
“Oh, really? So if you like some other guy later, you'll do the same to him?”
“O-Other guy? That won't happen!”
“Who knows. People's hearts don't stay the same forever. And as a lady from a fine family, an even better prospect might appear... You'd rub up on him just like this then too?”
“R-Rub up is a bit much...!”
“It's the truth.”
Serena maintained her icy demeanor, criticizing Siela's behavior.
“That barely-there lump of fat—you kept rubbing it.”
“Barely there!? It's not that different from yours...!”
Serena furrowed her brow at the retort. That's when Seong Hyun-jin cut in.
“Siela senior, I don't know about the rest, but that's wrong.”
“...Junior? What're you saying?”
“From what I know, Serena's bust is 96 up top, 71 under—70G cup.”
“......Huh?”
Siela stared at him in confusion, and even Serena's cold facade cracked—her face turning tomato red. It was exactly her size.
“Whereas Siela senior's is 90 up top, 67 under...”
“W-Wait, hold on!! Why do you know that...!?”
“Huh?”
Seong Hyun-jin answered simply.
“You can tell by looking.”
“......”
No one could. Women could guess, but even they needed a tape measure for precision. For him to gauge it visually was beyond shocking—downright creepy.
Oblivious to her thoughts, Seong Hyun-jin kept going.
“Cup size differs too, and the underbust difference means the actual breast volume is way bigger for Serena.”
He spoke with utter confidence, looking at Serena.
“Right, Serena?”
“......”
Serena didn't deny it—or rather, couldn't respond. She just...
“See? Only a friend like me can hype you up. If you're grateful, buy me lunch later, Serena. I won't order anything expensive...”
SMACK───────!!
“Guhk...!?”
“Why the hell do you go around measuring that, you pervert──!”
She had only one thought: knock him down and shut him up.