Chapter 16
Chapter 16
How to Avoid The Harem - 3
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“Uh, um…”
Tae-Jin was facing a new crisis.
Or rather, *they* were.
Bersha also seemed flustered by the display of flesh and the suggestive sounds coming from the screen.
“M-Master… is this Revengers… Six?”
“…I think it’s more like Revengers… Sex.”
He had a bad feeling from the very first scene.
The heroes were all wearing cheap, tacky costumes, like third-rate cosplayers. No, the actors' faces themselves were so bad that he initially thought it was a B-movie parody.
'But who would have guessed it was a porno?'
So, that's why the employee had given him an encouraging fist pump.
He had been suspiciously cheerful.
'Anyway… what should I do?'
He had no protocol for this kind of emergency.
Was it playing the wrong movie?
Should he tell someone?
Or had he picked the wrong DVD?
Would it be awkward to leave now?
Lost in thought, his eyes kept drifting back to the screen, and his lower body reacted to the sensual display, forcing him to cross his legs.
He was in a dark, cramped room, lying next to the alluring Succubus Queen.
Close enough to feel each other's breath.
And even though she was in her polymorph form, the succubus's inherent sensuality hadn’t disappeared.
So, honestly…
'This is really hot.'
He was Han Tae-jin, a healthy 21-year-old man.
If he wasn't aroused, there would be something wrong with him. Especially since his summon possessed a voluptuous figure and goddess-like beauty.
But he endured with unwavering willpower.
Even though she was his obedient summon, he didn't want to do anything so underhanded. And he also stubbornly refused to have his first time in a shady place like this.
“M-Master… what is this…?”
“I think we picked the wrong movie.”
“What should we do, Master?”
Bersha looked at him with a troubled expression, her face flushed. If he were an ordinary person, not her summoner, he would probably be experiencing 'extraction' right now.
Her alluring eyes pleaded for affection, and her writhing body craved pleasure.
She seemed to exude sensuality, almost embodying it.
Bersha’s appearance was incredibly seductive, but he endured two agonizing hours.
Bersha stared at him with a 'What's wrong with this guy?' expression.
“….”
“Why…?”
“Hmph, nothing.”
“It’s over, let’s go.”
“Fine, fine.”
Bersha replied sarcastically.
She was sulking like a teenager, and he found it cute, so he pinched her cheek. Bersha flinched.
“Hey! D-don’t touch me!”
The Succubus Queen, acting all tsundere while reacting to her master’s touch.
Where else in the world could you find such a precious summon?
He tried to pinch her cheek again, but a mana barrier appeared between them, blocking his attempt.
“Hmph, let's just go home.”
“Heh, alright. Let’s go.”
They returned home, having unintentionally experienced an R-rated movie.
He told her they could watch the real Revengers 6 another time, but the sulking Bersha stubbornly refused.
-No! I don't want to!
-Why? I'm saying let's watch the *real* non-adult Revengers.
-Hmph, you can watch it by yourself!
-Then, should I buy you a hamburger?
-…Don't try to bribe me…!
-McDonald's this time, with fries and cheese sticks.
-…Ugh…!
-No? I guess I’ll eat it all by myself.
-…Zero Coke!
They finally reached an agreement and headed home.
She really had a weakness for hamburgers.
As a side note, on the way home, he searched on his phone and found a parody porno titled [Revengers 6 9 7 4].
It seemed their queen, in her excitement, hadn't read the numbers all the way through.
But 6 and 6974 were quite different.
'…She didn’t pick it on purpose, right…?'
No, she wouldn’t.
The other numbers were a bit long, but she wouldn’t have chosen it to seduce him.
Revengers 6 was a movie she genuinely wanted to see.
He glanced at Bersha, who was looking out the taxi window.
'…She wouldn't… right?'
No.
He shook his head briefly and dismissed the thought.
Bersha wasn't cunning enough to employ such a tactic.
—*Screech.*
Lost in thought, they arrived home, and he ordered hamburgers.
As promised, he ordered her favorite, the McDonald's Bacon Tomato Deluxe.
“As expected, the best hamburger is the Bacon Tomato Deluxe!”
As soon as the hamburgers arrived, Bersha’s sulking vanished, and she smiled brightly.
Her simple-minded reaction made him wonder if she was truly the dignified queen, but he said nothing and started eating.
It was 7 p.m.
The dim twilight shadows were lengthening, and he began stretching lightly in preparation for his evening training.
Although his stats were increasing dramatically, his body was still underdeveloped, making it difficult to perform at 100% efficiency.
However, bulking up would restrict his agility, so the key was to build a physique suitable for an archer.
He opened the YouTube app on his phone and played a video titled [High-Ranking Archer Training Method].
Just as he was about to enter the training room, Bersha called out to him.
“Master?”
“Yes?”
“You have a visitor.”
“What? At this hour? Who is it?”
“Your homeroom teacher, Perna Ella? A blonde woman with glasses.”
“…Huh? Professor Ella is here?”
He was momentarily speechless.
His homeroom teacher’s unexpected visit didn't fit the category of 'visitor.'
More than anything…
She was one of the main heroines.
He instinctively sighed.
“Ha… tell her to come in.”
“She’s very pretty.”
“Don’t say unnecessary things.”
He rubbed his throbbing temples and headed to the living room.
Why were the protagonist’s harem members so eager to cling to him?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Professor Ella entered the living room, guided by Bersha, who had once again polymorphed.
Her hesitant steps suggested she knew this situation wasn’t appropriate.
“D-did I surprise you, Tae-jin?”
“Ah… yes, you did. What brings you here?”
He gestured politely towards the main seat on the sofa and sat down next to it.
Ella sat down, placing her red leather bag gently on her lap.
“Ah, w-well, I have something important to discuss.”
“What is it…? Oh, wait a moment. Renia?”
He called Renia, anticipating a long conversation.
It was only proper to offer tea to a guest.
“Yes, Young Master.”
“It’s late, so could you bring us some tea instead of coffee?”
“Certainly.”
Housekeeper Renia replied, replacing the Bersha who had been happily devouring a hamburger with sauce smeared on her face just 30 minutes ago.
It was fascinating how her personality seemed to change along with her appearance when she polymorphed.
“Oh, i-it’s okay.”
“It’s no trouble. So, what did you want to discuss…?”
“Well, it’s nothing much, but you’re aware that the academy is quite interested in you lately, right?”
“Yes.”
It wasn't just the academy; the cadets' stares were making his skin crawl.
“So, it seems the dean is also a bit… cautious.”
“Cautious?”
“Ah, well, since your growth rate is unprecedented in the academy’s history, he’s a little… cautious, you know? So he asked me to make a home visit and conduct an interview… haha.”
Ella adjusted her glasses and chuckled awkwardly.
So, to summarize, she was here because the dean had ordered her to monitor him and make sure his growth wasn't due to anything untoward.
His explosive growth was due to monopolizing hidden pieces and a bit of luck, but he had nothing to hide, so he nodded.
“Is that so? Well… what do you want to know?”
“Ah, just a moment.”
Ella opened her briefcase and took out a laptop.
And soon, the in-depth interview began.
It was nothing special.
He attributed his growth to an 'epiphany.' He said he had been working hard because he realized he would become a bum if he continued living the way he had been, and it turned out he had a hidden talent, which explained his rapid growth.
“Ah… so you were the type with immense hidden potential.”
A few more questions followed, but they were all trivial.
By the way, where was that housekeeper with the tea? It had been five minutes.
—*Click.*
Ella closed her laptop.
“Okay. I think this is enough for the interview.”
“…Couldn’t we have done this at the academy?”
At his pointed question, Ella looked around and leaned closer.
And she spoke in a hushed voice,
“I… also have a proposition for you.”
“A proposition? What kind?”
“D-don’t misunderstand. It’s not just my decision; it’s something the academy is also considering.”
…So, in other words, it was her decision alone?
Something felt off, but he decided to hear her out.
He wanted to know what kind of proposition she had that warranted a sudden visit at this late hour.
“Yes, go ahead.”
“Well… even though Renia is acting as your bodyguard, I’m still worried about your safety… and the academy also prioritizes its students’ well-being…”
Why was the renowned Professor Perna Ella laying it on so thick? Naturally, he had no reason to refuse a proposition from his homeroom teacher.
Most of the time, it was a win-win situation.
But the thick layers of pretext suggested that there was a personal motive mixed in with the official reason.
He had no intention of accepting, but he was curious about what kind of proposition a main heroine would make, so he listened quietly.
And soon, the proposition came out of Ella’s pink lips.
“So… how about staying at my place with me for the time being…?”
“Excuse me?”
“The academy is safe, of course, but it could be dangerous outside, so I’ll protect you along with Renia…”
“No, thank you.”
He immediately refused the absurd proposition.
Accepting her offer would mean interfering with the protagonist’s harem. Well, she hadn't had any significant interaction with Choi Do-han yet, but Ella and Do-han's relationship would begin after the [Monster Outbreak Incident] in three days.
He didn't want to mess with the harem just three days before the incident, and more than anything, he didn't want to create a weakness in his academy life by being rumored to be under his homeroom teacher's protection.
She probably knew this proposition was driven by her own 'selfish desires,' which is why she came alone at this hour.
He didn't know her intentions, but he didn't want to get involved.
“B-but it would be safer… or I could come here! Protecting my students is a professor’s duty…!”
“It’s okay. Housekeeper Renia is strong enough. Thank you for the offer.”
“Ah… but it’s all for your sake…”
“I said it’s okay.”
He responded a bit irritably to Ella’s persistent attempts to persuade him, despite his firm refusal.
Ella flinched.
Since this was her decision alone, he didn't need to humor her like a spineless teddy bear.
Even if she was his homeroom teacher.
By the way, why was she so fixated on 'protection'?
He wasn't a child she had to look after.
“Ah… s-sorry. Was I being too much? Just… think of it as a proposition for your protection. Don’t misunderstand.”
“I won’t misunderstand, but… I’d appreciate it if you stopped. I appreciate the thought.”
“Oh, okay. Then I’ll be going. Sorry for taking up your time.”
“It’s alright.”
Ella hurriedly gathered her things and stood up.
He looked at his watch.
The interview and proposition had taken about nine minutes.
But there was still no sign of the tea.
Did she go to pick tea leaves herself?
“Thank you for your time. If anything happens, contact me immediately. I’ll come running, no matter where I am.”
“Okay. I will. Be careful going home.”
“Yes…! I’ll be going!”
He felt relieved as Ella smiled brightly and left.
He didn't know her intentions, but he was grateful for her offer to be his protector.
It was just a bit excessive.
'Anyway, I'll avoid all harems.'
As he returned to the living room after seeing her out, Bersha was carrying a tray with two teacups.
“Oh? Has the professor left?”
“…The interview ended early. But that took a while.”
He chided his R-rank housekeeper for taking so long to bring a single cup of tea.
But Bersha approached him with a smug smile and handed him a teacup.
“There was only one tea bag, so I made yours myself, Master.”
“You made it yourself?”
He gave her a suspicious look and looked down at the teacup. A white liquid was steaming inside.
“Milk?”
“Special milk tea. Try it.” [T/N: let them cook]
“Oh… special?”
—*Sip.*
He took a sip of the milk tea.
A powerful wave crashed through his mind.
The salty taste of white seafoam and the sweet milk combined in a fantastic harmony.
“Wow, this is really good.”
“Heheh, I knew you’d like it, Master.”
“How did you make it?”
He took another sip before she could answer.
The teacup was empty.
He placed it back on the tray, and Bersha smiled seductively.
“Hoho… did you enjoy it, Master?”
“Yes, it was the best milk tea I’ve ever had. How did you make it?”
“It’s a traditional secret recipe of our succubus clan.”
“Really? You could make a fortune selling this.”
He meant it.
It was so delicious that he could quit being a hunter and make a living selling milk tea.
He asked her about the recipe again, but Bersha kept her mouth shut, citing trade secrets.
“Only our clan can make it, you know~? So I can’t sell it~”
She teased him and returned to the kitchen with the tray.
‘I really wanted another cup.’
'Wait… did we even have milk…?'
He hadn’t bought any since his reincarnation.
The only things in the fridge were water and soda…
Could milk tea be made without milk?
That couldn't be… right?
It was called *milk* tea.
Could it be…?
“Hee hee~”
Looking at Bersha’s cheerful back, he couldn't bring himself to ask about the special milk tea recipe again.
..Bersha, you didn’t, right?
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“Alright, everyone quiet down. You know we have the group project draw today, right?”
““Yes~””
Three days had passed since the homeroom teacher’s clandestine proposition.
He still felt a bit awkward around Ella, who avoided eye contact with him, but she hadn't made any further advances, so he had been enjoying peaceful days.
Han-Na hadn’t shown any unusual behavior either.
He didn't know why he had become so conscious of the main heroines, but he had spent the past three days collecting hidden pieces and enjoying a peaceful academy life.
Of course, he had some trouble separating from Bersha to acquire the hidden pieces.
'Inventory.'
1 ▼
[Invisibility Cloak]
[Rank: A]
[Usage: Turns the user invisible for 5 minutes. Vulnerable to physical and magical attacks, but the user cannot initiate physical or magical attacks.]
Besides pieces related to growth, there were also fictional items like this among the hidden pieces.
They were consumable items, usable only once, but their abilities were definitely more useful than anything in the modern world.
The item he had currently farmed was the Invisibility Cloak.
He had prepared it to acquire a powerful hidden piece during the [Monster Outbreak Incident] in the fifth period today.
He needed to move stealthily and quickly.
There wouldn’t be any major casualties in this Monster Outbreak Incident.
It was just one of the episodes designed to give the protagonist a hidden piece, and the limited edition setting book contained information about the hidden piece hidden within this incident.
He was aiming for that.
'…I can’t wait for the fifth period.'
His expectations for this hidden piece were quite high.
It was a hidden piece that would grant him a new skill book suitable for his class.
Well, the high difficulty level made him a bit cautious.
'Alright, let's start with the group assignments. You can submit your objections after the selection is complete.'
Soon, the group assignments for the project began.
And he…
Was assigned to a group with:
Tanker Seo Yoon-ji.
Close-range dealer Baek Mi-jin.
Healer Kang Dae-sik.
He was in the same group as Baek Mi-jin, one of the main heroines.
She, who should have been in Choi Do-han’s group in the original story, was now in his group.