Chapter 416: Peaceful Daily Life at Leilan Academy (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 416: Peaceful Daily Life at Leilan Academy (7)
By the time my excitement finally cooled, I was suffering from an indescribable sense of guilt.
I could excuse the numerous reckless things I’d said, and even the fact that I’d ultimately lost control and slept with my Master. I had already resolved not to push away those who approached me with sincerity, even if I was someone like this.
I knew it was improper, but I’d had a feeling things would end up this way sooner or later anyway.
As for failing to respond properly because I was hit by an unpredictable Talent? That was certainly a problem, but it wasn’t an irreversible disaster. I just had to reflect on it and do better in the future.
So, what was the real problem?
The problem was my Master, who was currently lying beside me, unable to move a muscle.
…To put it bluntly, I had gone way too far.
Even if I didn’t think so at the time, I usually tried to exercise restraint, being as considerate as possible and never truly crossing the line. But this time, I’d had no composure. Between that and the way Master had strangely provoked me while telling me it was okay… it was as if my brakes had failed.
Simply put, I had left her a mess.
“I’m really okay…”
At least she could pronounce words properly now. Just a moment ago, she couldn’t even speak straight.
“It was a bit different from what I expected, but it only hurt at first. It felt good later. Besides, I was the one who asked for it.”
Ah, that was a lie.
To be precise, she was thinking: ‘It hurt at first, then it felt good in the middle, but by the end, I was so sore I couldn’t feel anything.’
“I’m truly sorry.”
“I told you, it’s fine. I just overused some muscles I’ve never used before.”
…Master, people who are ‘fine’ don’t lie stiff and frozen in bed like that.
“Heave-ho.”
Perhaps feeling burdened by my constant worrying, Master forced herself to sit up.
“See? I was a bit stiff until a moment ago, but I’m really okay now. In fact, I feel more energetic than I did before we started.”
…That didn’t seem to be a lie, but the fact that I’d rendered someone with such high recovery speed immobile, even briefly, was the issue.
But then, a sense of dissonance struck me.
Wait, was that right? Master didn’t used to have high recovery speed.
It was possible her constitution had changed after her Mana Stone Disease was cured and she developed her new swordsmanship, but as far as I remembered, Master wasn’t particularly known for her recovery speed among Superhumans.
Judging by the way Master herself looked puzzled by her own recovery, this seemed to be a first for her as well.
…Did I seriously use Sexual Alchemy or something?
The thought was crazy enough to cross my mind, but my pondering didn’t last long.
‘Hmm, I had my first time with the person I love in a fancy hotel, but I won’t get to have morning coffee. I was kind of looking forward to that.’
I had work to do.
Well, I didn’t have professional equipment, and it would just be instant coffee made with a kettle, but surely that was better than nothing?
“So-hyun, what are you doing all of a sudden?”
“It’s morning, so I’m going to make some coffee. I’ll prepare some for you too, Master.”
Master stared at me blankly for a moment before giving a bright smile and nodding.
“Mmm, it makes me happy to see my disciple read his Master’s mind. Well then, shall I see how well my disciple prepares tea today?”
“It’s just instant, so please don’t get your hopes up too high.”
To be fair, I’d worked part-time at a cafe for quite a while, so I knew the tricks to making even instant coffee taste good. Seo-ha used to praise me, saying she couldn’t drink coffee unless I was the one who made it.
When I served the coffee, Master took in the aroma before taking a sip. Her expression turned puzzled, and she tilted her head.
“Is something wrong?”
Did I mess up because it had been a while?
“…How does instant coffee taste like this? It’s like something from a specialty shop.”
Wondering if that was true, I tasted my own cup, but it was just… drinkable.
“I don’t know. Maybe it tastes better because I’m the one who made it for you?”
I meant it as a joke, but Master looked surprisingly serious as she nodded, agreeing that might be the case.
* * *
After looking after Master until she had fully recovered, I prepared myself to face the anger I rightfully deserved.
Cathy Noona, Ha-ni, and Ga-eul.
I called the three of them together and confessed everything that had happened.
I never intended to hide it, nor was it something that should be hidden. But having actually said it, I felt a bit scared. I was worried they might be disappointed in me, or that they’d be furious and ask how I could do such a thing.
I knew the common sense of this world was different from my previous one, but that didn’t mean the emotion of jealousy didn’t exist. They had every right to be angry.
Of course, I was prepared to endure their wrath, but being scared was still being scared.
“That’s so mean…!”
Ga-eul was the first to react after I calmly explained everything.
Right. I thought it was a perfectly valid reaction. Honestly, I’d already been involved with three of them; adding another person wasn’t exactly a great look…
“If Professor A-ram hadn’t interfered, it would have been my turn! This is total griefing!”
“Mmph…!!! Mmph…!!!!!”
…Huh?
I heard a strange sound and looked up. Everyone looked a bit grumpy, but the reasons for their anger seemed different from what I’d expected.
It wasn’t that they weren’t jealous, but it felt like other emotions were stronger, or perhaps they were just… accepting it?
“So-hyun. Of course, I’m not saying it’s okay to keep increasing the number of partners, but things happened during the match. And it’s not just anyone; Cadet Ha-ru has a bond with you that’s just as deep as ours, so it’s only natural it turned out this way, right?”
Cathy Noona, who was smiling at me with an understanding face…
“Mmmgh…!!!!!”
‘I don’t know what happened in the future, but she was probably as close to him as we are. Rather than trying to force them apart and earning his resentment, it’s better in the long run to show him I’m broad-minded and make So-hyun feel touched. It’s Ha-ru, after all. I knew this would happen the moment I heard she confessed.’
She was thinking it was more beneficial to win my favor than to force a rejection.
“Hmm, it is a bit disappointing. You’ve never made coffee for me. But you made her morning coffee? That’s going to be a controversy.”
Then Ha-ni, who was smiling at me…
‘Hmm, coffee. I didn’t think of coffee. I thought I only had to worry about food to capture his stomach, but there were drinks too. But seriously, this is a bit cheeky, isn’t it? I’ll have to ask him to make some for me next time. I’m not really mad, but it wouldn’t feel right to just forgive him instantly, would it?’
She was already thinking of ways to tease me, as if she wasn’t even that angry to begin with.
“Mmph…!!!!!!!”
Just in case, I looked at Ga-eul. Sure enough, she was trembling as if she were furious, but…
“Aaaagh…! I should have just run away yesterday…!”
‘Aaaagh…! I should have just run away yesterday…! I was going to roll around in bed and act spoiled with So-hyun! It’s all ruined…! You stupid girl…! Why did you do that…!’
She was closer to being angry at herself than at me.
…Well, I did suspect it might be like this.
These were the people who always said the one who falls in love first loses, and asked what they were supposed to do when their love outweighed their jealousy.
I was just being melodramatic and scaring myself out of guilt.
“But since it was still a cheeky move, you’ll have to play with us, won’t you?”
“Hmm, Ha-ni is right. So-hyun, you’ll have more time once you join the Student Council. You’ll play with us, right?”
“Ah! I want to go on a staycation! A hotel with a heated pool!”
No, wait. Is this right? More importantly, Cathy Noona, don’t you have classes to teach?
I was grateful they forgave me so naturally, but the Student Council system wasn’t created for us; it was for the other cadets. I also felt like I should help the Chairperson with her work…
“Fine, let’s go. I’ll go. I’ll make some time, whatever it takes.”
They were looking at me with such anticipation; it felt wrong to push them away.
…If I really can’t find the time, I’ll just dump the work on my Clone and go play with my main body.
“Really!? It’s a promise!”
Now that the small incident had ended on a warm note, I felt I could finally ask about the thing that had been bothering me for a while.
“Um, Noona.”
“Yes? What is it? Are you still feeling guilty?”
“I mean, I still feel bad, but it’s not that. There’s something I wanted to ask.”
“I told you, there’s nothing to be sorry about. So? What are you curious about?”
“It’s just… I’ve been wondering for a bit, but why is Professor A-ram like that?”
To be more specific about ‘like that’: she was blindfolded, handcuffed, and even restrained by a Mana-blocking collar around her neck.
And for some reason, she was wearing a headband with dog ears.
Oh, and she was gagged, too.
“What are you talking about, So-hyun? Where do you see A-ram Unnie?”
…Huh? That’s strange. I could clearly see Cathy Noona holding the end of the leash. Was that bizarre sight only visible to me…?
“The thing you’re holding in your hand right now…”
“Oh, So-hyun. What are you talking about? This is a puppy.”
…Did the dictionary definition of ‘puppy’ change while I wasn’t looking?
“Mmph…!!!!!! Mmph…!!!!!”
‘Help me…! Kang So-hyun…! Please…! I know I did wrong, but this is too much…!’
…Yeah, that was definitely Professor A-ram.
“This one, you see, So-hyun, is being punished because she caused trouble out of greed. So you mustn’t let her go just because you feel sorry for her, okay?”
But I feel like if I let her go, I’ll get scolded right along with her.
“Mmph…!!!!”
‘No, if I’d known Kang So-hyun would change his mind and say yes so easily, I wouldn’t have done it! I just thought the opportunity would never come again, so I lost my head!?’
…Maybe it’s better not to let her go?
“Yes, she’s a very cute puppy.”
“Right?”
“Mmph…!!!!!!!!!!”
‘Kang So-hyun…! How could you…!’
…As I think every time, being able to see people’s hearts isn’t always a good thing.
“Shall I start by making coffee for everyone?”
“Ah, I want to try it!”
“Oh my, me too then.”
“Oh, you said it’s more of a specialty than your cooking, so should I look forward to it? I’m expecting big things.”
Today, too, peace reigns at Leilan Academy.
“Mmph…!!!!!!”
Except for the golden puppy who’s being treated a bit harshly for causing trouble over a man.
* * *
And as always, there was a certain villain in a state of grogginess while watching his video.
She thought she’d grown somewhat used to seeing him being lovey-dovey with other women lately, but every time she felt she was getting accustomed to it, he tortured her with a new pattern. She even began to wonder if he was enjoying this.
“…It increased again.”
[Yes, it increased again.]
“Coffee… the coffee Ha-neul used to make for me… He worked so hard to make it, trying to find the scent I liked…”
[One only truly feels the weight of what they had after they lose it.]
“I’m sorry~ I was just trying to help Ga-eul. I didn’t think someone else would just snatch him up like that.”
“Heh, hehehe. My brain feels like it’s melting…”
“My, seeing as she’s not even getting angry, she must be really hurt this time.”
[Well, based on the patterns so far, she’ll be like that for a bit, play with herself for a while, and then she’ll be fine.]
“Hmm, is that really ‘fine’…? I should make some good food for her heartbreak.”
[…Then I suppose I should prepare some coffee in his stead.]
A short while later, the unpleasant sound of squelching echoed from the room of the villain who had been forced to eat and regain her strength. Perhaps because it had become an annual event, no one in the hideout paid it any mind.