To Become Stronger (2)
Tu, tu, tu. The call dropped.
Of course, Chongsu wouldn't bury me in insane workloads just because the line cut out. No, this was her way of saying, 'Go flirt with all the talented women you can find this weekend!' She wouldn't spell it out—pride of the Total Leader—and it was my job to pick up on it with my sharp instincts and skills.
Beep. A photo of my primary target popped up on my smartphone.
"Snow White as top priority, huh."
She was someone I already had a connection with, and the heroine I needed to pursue most aggressively—er, recruit.
If she weren't teaching there, I wouldn't have gotten in either.
My entry to the academy was all thanks to Snow White.
She's driven so many guys to quit on the spot.
It wasn't about targeting her specifically; her arrival as an instructor had opened up a ton of positions. Mostly the shady types bailed—less outright villains, more corruption-riddled sleazebags. Sure, most people might flock to see a famous hero like Snow White up close, but nobody wants to poke the bear.
Nobody wants to get whipped by Snow White's ice lashes. Not me, that's for sure.
Her ice magic doesn't just slow your body—it gums up your mana flow too.
Two ways to handle Snow White:
Be a pyrokinetic—flame magic that counters her ice—or...
...have a special superpower immune to her ice, like me.
"Ice Nullification."
For example, channeling the Dokkaebi Bat to infuse my suit with mana-insulating fabric properties.
Specific to Snow White—useless against other ice magic, and it guzzles mana—but it lets me escape her anytime.
Her specs are B-rank, A-rank if you're generous, but she slips away from S-ranks like a pro.
That's why I might be S-rank as a villain. Almost nobody in Korea can catch me, foreign intruders included.
The problem is the heroines and their bodyguard entourages.
But the foreigners about to arrive? Different story.
Beep. I opened VTube on my smartphone and fired up one of those national pride channels that existed even in this patriots' world.
Countless women like them, all dubbed "heroines" in the original worldview.
Foreign heroines galore, summed up like that. Most of the big shots heading to Korea now were heroines, forcing "special admission."
Heroines plus extras? Dozens applying. Low quantity, sky-high quality—C-ranks, B-ranks, even A-ranks.
Why Sejong Academy? For the protagonist? Nah. The "S-rank who wants a quiet life" guy's info was worldwide already.
No—all for Snow White.
"Dunno... Academy prestige?"
"Pfft, nah. All here for instructor Snow White!"
Recalled that original line. Side character explains it all—glasses-wearing pig dude going, "What? You don't know?!" Probably author's lazy filler for exposition via dialogue padding.
Anyway, per that character:
Lily (hundred lilies) or lily (white clam). Light novel style, subculture yuri vibes too.
What's that mean? Lesbians. Snow White herself isn't, but she's the big-sis type drawing them like moths.
Heroines chase the Lily Princess, bump into protagonist, he bags 'em one by one, caps with Snow White. That's the gist—or so it seems. Reality differs.
"...Same intentions as me, probably."
Snow White recruitment. Highest-potential ice mage over 20, second only to protagonist in growth.
Nations dispatch to claim her, lure her home, or marry her off to a hot local for immigration. Korea law? Deport instantly. But Sejong Island plays by international rules first.
Sejong Island is Korean soil!
They yelled it, but UN pressure hits hard.
Damn it... Fine, call it East Sea here!
Even Korea bends to global squeeze. UN reps and embassies on campus.
No English on Sejong Island! Official language is Korean! Learn it or lump it!
Unlike that world where words differed from script, Sejong Island became the most nationality-diverse spot globally. Tiny pop—50k, under 1k foreigners—but they're all ability users, related staff, or officials.
I won't face them all, though.
Hole up as librarian—nobody comes!
Too busy stacking mana daily. Who visits the library?
Please be empty. Then I can kill time with comics and novels.
Mission or not, villain or not—work hours exist.
I'm a 9-to-6 salaryman.
No OT pay? 6pm to 9am is mine. Sometimes.
Some things beat money.
"Whoa."
TV footage gave me chills of thrill.
"It's playing here like this."
This world—all post-2000 content was new to me. Comics, movies, novels.
Sad part: Some never emerged. Some creators "died" before starting, or delayed with different casts.
"Movie time soon..."
I grabbed my coat and headed out.
"Can't miss dinosaurs shoving meteorites from the sky."
"......Snow White?"
"Ah, Banpo Jjaye biker?!"
By pure chance, I ended up next to her at the theater.