Chapter 415: Peaceful Daily Life at Leilan Academy (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 415: Peaceful Daily Life at Leilan Academy (6)
Kim Ga-eul was running to meet Kang So-hyun, her heart fluttering with excitement.
A part of her felt a bit guilty, wondering if this was okay, but since her Senior had gone to such lengths for her, and after hearing about all the things Ha-ni had done yesterday, she found herself wanting to be pampered too.
“I’m going to tell him I had a hard day and ask him to pat my head!”
Unfortunately, as she dashed forward, fueled by her desires, someone stepped out to block her path.
“Ah, I saw your match today. Wow, I barely recognized you! You’ve really become much stronger.”
“Oh, Professor Park A-ram!”
Though she was in a terrible hurry, Ga-eul was genuinely pleased to receive praise from Professor A-ram, who rarely complimented others.
Hehe, to be honest, I did get a bit stronger.
The professor approached with a smile, and though there was a certain intensity radiating from her—as if she were deeply moved—Ga-eul didn’t pay it much mind.
“Ah, come to think of it, we’ve become quite close, but ‘Professor’ and ‘Cadet Ga-eul’ still sounds so formal, doesn’t it? Why don’t we call each other something more friendly?”
“Huh? So suddenly?”
“What do you mean, suddenly? We’ve gone to dungeons together, hung out occasionally… Sure, there’s a bit of an age gap, but we’re practically friends, aren’t we? If anything, this is overdue!”
Is it?
Now that she thought about it, it did seem that way.
“Um, then… A-ram Unnie?”
“Oh? Calling me ‘Unnie’ at a time like this really pricks my conscience. It’s making my heart waver a bit.”
“Pardon? What do you mean by that?”
“Ah, it’s nothing. Now, what should I call you? ‘Miss Ga-eul’ is too stiff. Can I just call you Ga-eul?”
“Hehe, yes, of course!”
When Ga-eul gave her energetic reply, the professor’s smiling face contorted for a brief moment.
“Professor?”
However, she quickly regained her smile and nodded, continuing her thought.
“Right. Well, since we’ve decided to be closer from now on, I have a small favor to ask…”
“A favor?”
“Yes, Kim Ga-eul. No, Ga-eul-ah.”
“Yes…?”
“I’m sorry, but I need you to sleep for a little while…!”
Suddenly, she pulled out a vial and tried to throw it at Ga-eul.
“Eek!?”
Smash!
The flask shattered, and a purple liquid soaked the floor with a sizzling hiss.
“Darn it…! To think you’d dodge that at such close range. Your reflexes are quite something…!”
“What are you doing all of a sudden!?”
“What do you mean? I just sprayed some sleep inducer because I wanted you to take a little nap!”
“I just heard a sizzling sound! That’s definitely not a sleep inducer…!”
“No, it’s just that the effect is a bit strong; it’s harmless to the human body…! But since you’ve dodged it, I have no choice but to put you to sleep by force!”
“Aaaaah…! Why are you doing this…! Can’t we… can’t we just talk this out?!”
“Ah, you’re right. I’m sorry. I was in such a rush that I made a mistake.”
“…It’s actually scarier when you calm down that suddenly, you know?”
“Ah, well, before a negotiation, it’s necessary to intimidate the opponent a little. You make them realize you’re someone with nothing to lose, forcing them to yield. Think of it as a performance.”
“Aha.”
“Anyway, the main point starts from here.”
…Just what kind of “main point” required such a commotion?
“I saw the match earlier, and it means Kang So-hyun is currently in a very… excited state, right?”
“Huh…? Yes, well, I suppose…?”
“Honestly, I’ve been agonizing over how to break through Kang So-hyun’s iron wall, but an opportunity like today is hard to come by. He’ll probably be on guard against similar methods in the future.”
“…You don’t mean…?”
“Well, you know. The first time is the hardest, but the hurdle lowers from the second time onwards. How about you just step aside for today?”
“T-That’s something you should say to So-hyun, not me! Trying to do something with drugs is cowardly!”
“This is what being an adult is all about. When an opportunity comes, you never let it go…! Besides, it’s not like I’m the one who drugged him! Finders keepers!”
Ga-eul quickly turned to run away, but unfortunately, a wall of golden mana had already risen to block her path.
“Where do you think you’re going? Our conversation isn’t over yet. You’ve had plenty of turns, so just yield for one day…!”
To be honest, it was terrifying.
Ga-eul didn’t really want to resist, but she couldn’t back down here.
She had already made up her mind to act spoiled with So-hyun today…!
No, more importantly, So-hyun wouldn’t want to have a relationship with someone against his will!
“Do you really think So-hyun will think well of you after you do that!?”
“Of course not! But honestly, Kang So-hyun already has some feelings for me, so he won’t be able to push me away! They say it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission!”
“No, that might be true, but! You shouldn’t say things like that!”
“In the first place, this is Kang So-hyun’s fault. Whenever I try to seduce him, he just pushes me away, saying he has a normal libido…! How old do you think I am? Do I really have to hear that!?”
“Being too old isn’t exactly a normal libido either…”
“What did you just say?”
“Ah, sorry. I really crossed the line there.”
“If you’re sorry, then yield…!”
“I don’t want to…! I’ve already decided to snuggle with So-hyun in bed today and have him pat my head…!”
“Are you really teabagging someone who hasn’t even done it once…? Do you have no human heart…?”
“Fine, then I’ll stop being human!”
The moment Ga-eul gathered her demonic energy to shatter the golden mana wall, the golden mana shifted its form, turning into ropes that tried to bind her.
“Huh!? This is!?”
“Ha! Not a chance! I know you’ve gotten stronger, but do you know how much I brawled with demons back when I was a witch!?”
In that desperate moment, just as Ga-eul thought she would be captured and lose So-hyun, another flash of gold tore through the golden mana.
“Ga-eul, are you okay?”
“C-Professor Cathy…!”
The woman who was like a reliable older sister had come to protect her.
I knew I could count on you…!
“Cathy…! You’re going to get in my way too!?”
“Yes, Unnie. Of course. If So-hyun were in his right mind and you confessed and he accepted, that would be one thing, but not like this.”
“That’s right! Poor So-hyun…!”
“He’ll probably like it once we start…!”
“…To be honest, So-hyun likes things that are, well, big and soft, so you’re a bit… Unnie.”
“…Wait? That’s strange. In all my life, I’ve never hated our cutie Cathy or Molang-i, but I’m starting to feel a bit of resentment now. Besides, my true form is quite curvaceous, you know!? If I use my mana to the fullest, I can maintain it for three hours without a problem!”
“Uh, only three hours?”
“Unnie, three hours would be too cruel for So-hyun.”
“…Huh? What? Is it usually done for that long? I don’t think so?”
“…He’ll cling to you for at least six hours, right?”
“Yeah, and even then, he lets you go with such a pitiful, lingering look.”
“W-Wait…? That wasn’t in the plan, but still, I deserve a chance too…!”
“Since he’s excited today, we’ll probably have to keep tomorrow clear too, right?”
“Most likely.”
“No, are you two treating me like a virgin just because I haven’t done it with Kang So-hyun!? Stop lying! How can a person do it for two days without resting!”
“…He’d probably only stop if we begged him to.”
“It’s not like he doesn’t rest at all. We let him drink sports drinks in between and give him some time to breathe. Just enough so he doesn’t actually die.”
“…Wait, shit. You’re talking about Kang So-hyun, right? You’re not talking about some kind of creature, are you?”
“In a way, he might actually be a monster…?”
“No, Ga-eul, he’s not a monster. Where would you find such a cute monster?”
“…In bed.”
“…Hmm, I guess you’re right.”
“Do you think that’s going to scare me!? A-Anyway…! I’ve made up my mind today, so get out of the way…!”
“I’m sorry, but Ga-eul and I have no intention of yielding either!?”
Wait? Did she just naturally include herself in that…?
The back of her ally, which had seemed so reliable just a moment ago, suddenly started to look like another rival.
Well, I guess Professor Cathy is still better than the alternative…?
“If the two of us work together, we can suppress her quickly…!”
“Ah, yes. Yes!”
“You think I’ll lose just because I’m alone!?”
* * *
And around the time the three of them began their chaotic scuffle, there was a woman who had grasped the luck that others desperately craved but couldn’t find.
“Uh, um…?”
Kang Na-hyun.
Kang So-hyun’s step-sister and an inspector for the Academy, she had recently quit the Association and was officially unemployed.
Of course, she hadn’t retired from hero work entirely; she still had existing contracts for things like CF shoots, but today she finally had free time and had come to see her brother.
“…Noona…?”
By chance, she had discovered her brother staggering along with a dazed expression.
In truth, Kang So-hyun was trying to flee to a place where he could be alone while his mind was still relatively clear, knowing that if he stayed with someone in this state, he wouldn’t be able to control himself.
Since his mind-reading ability meant a bluff like “I drugged Ga-eul too” wouldn’t work on him, he had made a rational decision in his own way.
The problem was that the drug’s effect was far better than expected.
No matter how much he tried to suppress the excitement, the throbbing wouldn’t stop. On the contrary, his body was becoming healthier, leaving him with no way to vent the energy.
He even remembered Sun Wukong telling him that forcibly draining or suppressing the energy would be bad for his body.
He had been trying to find a way to handle it himself.
Appearing at such a perfect timing, Kang Na-hyun was unable to seize the luck that had readily come her way.
Is it said that those who aren’t prepared to catch luck will miss it even when the opportunity arises?
Despite roughly grasping his condition, Kang Na-hyun was busy weighing whether it was okay to just take him away like this or if he would end up hating her.
“F-Fever reducer.”
“…Pardon?”
“I’ll go buy some fever reducers…!!!!!!”
And so, she threw away this miraculous opportunity and ran off.
Of course, she would regret it and return shortly, but opportunities often belong to someone else the moment they are missed.
“Hmm, I was looking for you because I was worried something might happen after seeing the match.”
And if that opportunity fell to someone who was fully intent on seizing it, getting it back would be nearly impossible.
“So-hyun. Are you okay?”
“…M-Master…?”
“Yes, it’s me. You’re okay, right?”
“I…”
“I understand. You want to go somewhere you can rest, right? You look like you’re struggling.”
Perhaps because he considered her someone he could trust, Kang So-hyun naturally leaned into her. He relaxed his body, unable to see the expression on his precious Master’s face.
“My, my disciple is quite ill. You seem to have a fever. I wonder where a place to rest nearby might be.”
Deliberately erasing all options like the infirmary, the dormitory, or a hospital from her mind, she maintained her smile while using her smartphone to search for a nearby hotel—a fairly expensive one with a good atmosphere.
“So-hyun, did you know?”
No answer came, but she didn’t stop talking.
“In Taoist training, there is something called sexual alchemy. Taoists believed that the union of man and woman is important and a natural state.”
Still, no answer.
“Right? You think so too, don’t you? As I thought, when you’re not feeling well, it’s better to follow Taoist teachings and seek a union to reach a natural state rather than relying on medicine.”
As a side note, having suffered from mana stone disease since childhood, she was actually the type to go to a normal hospital whenever she was sick.
“Mm-hmm, yes. Leave it to your Master. It’s my first time, but we’ll make it work somehow.”
In his dazed state, Kang So-hyun felt comfortable in the arms of the predator who was intent on devouring him, completely unaware of her intentions.
“A union… is necessary, isn’t it?”
The three who still hadn’t settled their fight had essentially been robbed while the house was empty.
It was a winter that smelled of plum blossoms.