Chapter 25
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: How to Save Erina Esnatia
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"Dragon of Ashte"
The Dragon of Ashte revealed itself, illuminating the surroundings.
'No feeling at all, as expected.'
It wasn't hot, and it couldn't actually cause any harm.
The cooldown was long, and maintaining it was burdensome.
'But this should be enough.'
I put on a strained expression as if bearing its weight and gazed at the Dragon of Ashte.
"Seong-hyeon Lee...?"
Erina Esnatia, recognizing me from afar, came running over.
"That's right, Seong-hyeon Lee! I never imagined we'd meet again like this!"
Seeing her approach, I dismissed the illusory Dragon of Ashte.
"We've met again, Erina Esnatia."
"What? How do you know my name, Seong-hyeon Lee...?"
"Destiny told me."
She murmured in a serious, surprised expression.
"Destiny..."
Erina Esnatia.
The top gag character in Awakening to SSS Hunter Academy, and a total airhead.
She had a particular weakness for the word "destiny."
'Destiny, prince on a white horse. The backstory that led her to dream of such things isn't exactly bright.'
Erina Esnatia asked with a slightly serious expression.
"How did you end up here, by any chance?"
I knew why she was asking that, too.
Time to meet her expectations.
"Erina, how did you end up here?"
"Well... I heard the cherry blossoms at Seoul Academy were pretty, so I was wandering around and got lost."
"You just happened to get lost and ended up here, of all places—where only I'm at?"
"Yes! Exactly."
"Is there really such a coincidence?"
At my question, she widened her eyes in surprise and looked at me.
"No way... Hoxy...?"
I didn't answer.
I just nodded.
It wasn't a coincidence. I came here to meet you.
Professor Sin So-ah's first class test was to explore a dungeon.
Messing with a specific gimmick in that dungeon would trigger its collapse, spawning a C-rank boss.
'And that boss's weakness is Erina Esnatia's skill.'
That's why I absolutely needed Erina Esnatia.
Erina Esnatia nodded to herself, seemingly convinced of something.
"Even this... is destiny...?"
I never said it was destiny?
The reason I knew she'd come here had nothing to do with destiny, obviously.
Lee Seong-hyeon meets Erina Esnatia here in his 5th regression—today.
Up to the 4th regression, he never took Professor Sin So-ah's class, so there was no connection with Erina Esnatia, who was in a different year and an exchange student.
'Then in the 5th, he happens to spot her here.'
True to his voyeuristic tendencies, Lee Seong-hyeon habitually activates Piercing Gaze to check her skills.
After reuniting in Professor Sin So-ah's class, he shouts "bingo."
'He uses Erina Esnatia to take down the C-rank boss monster and discards her.'
What an incredible coincidence.
Or is this destiny? The author made Lee Seong-hyeon meet Erina Esnatia, after all.
Of course, I have no intention of following that so-called destiny.
Then Erina changed the subject, as if remembering something.
"Seong-hyeon Lee. Handling such an amazing skill... you're incredible. You're not even fazed by that blazing fire?!"
"Because I handled it every day, 20 hours a day, without missing a single moment."
Sorry, I don't even have a single fire-related skill, let alone 20 hours.
But I did spam the 'phantom' version non-stop all day to get used to it.
So it's not exactly a lie?
"Incredible... That's your trademark... such an amazing skill..."
This should have her hooked.
Even if Erina Esnatia weren't such an airhead character, she'd fall for this level of effort.
"Seong-hyeon Lee, why do you work so hard...? For success?"
"This is nothing. There are things I can only protect if I get stronger."
I said that and gazed at the distant sky.
Smoke.
The smoke was important.
I was heartbroken by the many pains in this world and wanted to protect so many things.
Yeah, I don't quite get it myself, but that's the character.
Erina Esnatia liked characters like this.
So I had to play the part.
"Seong-hyeon Lee, the burden on your shoulders..."
I looked at her with a resolute gaze as she held her breath.
"Lee Seong-hyeon. Being called by that name is painful."
"What...? What do you mean?"
"That name failed to protect too many things."
"What...? What are you..."
"It's a name I've discarded now."
"What...? What do you..."
"At the very least, Erina, I don't want to be called by that name in front of you."
I had no idea what I was even saying anymore.
But if Erina called me Lee Seong-hyeon in the first class, things could go sideways.
"Then what should I call you?"
"K..."
"K?"
...I couldn't think of anything.
What should it be?
The answer was set. That cartoon from childhood with Kimchi as the protagonist.
The name I'd use to spread K-culture to Erina Esnatia from now on.
"K-Warrior. I've decided to live by that name."
"What... K-Warrior. The life of a warrior."
"To protect my loved ones, my destiny. I engraved a new name upon myself. Call me only by that name."
"Understood. Seong-hyeon Lee. No, K-Warrior."
Her blue eyes sparkled as she replied with a solemn expression, like a vow.
'Yoon So-ah was like this, and now Erina too. Why are they so fun?'
I felt like I was discovering tastes I never knew I had.
"I've attended academies in countless countries, but a man like you is a first. This must be destiny."
Come to think of it, considering the original story, her reaction was definitely milder.
Lee Seong-hyeon was such a jerk, and I'd tailored it to her tastes, after all.
"K-Warrior. Can I have your number, Hoxy?"
"No need. Destiny will bring us together again."
"However, if we don't meet again..."
Handing over my number would advertise that I'm not Lee Seong-hyeon.
Absolutely not.
I gave her a firm look as she worried about not meeting again.
"Nevertheless! If it's destiny, we'll meet again."
That's right.
If we don't meet again, then that must be destiny.
Not that destiny has anything to do with it.
"I understand your will."
I didn't understand it myself, but she seemed convinced.
"Then, how about dinner tonight..."
"No, tonight's dangerous. You should head back within 10 minutes."
"Ten minutes?! Why?"
"They're about to move."
She looked at me, slightly surprised.
But soon, she nodded to herself, convinced of something.
"Got it, K-Warrior. I look forward to our next meeting."
"Yeah."
She spoke each word carefully with her clumsy pronunciation.
Look forward to it, huh.
Foreigners using tough vocabulary.
Erina smiled and said,
"After our last meeting, I studied Korean diligently. Ppak? Gung? Right? Looking forward to our next meeting, I'll study Korean even more diligently."
Studying, huh.
Excellent. The K-patch is progressing nicely.
Honestly, her current speech was a bit grating every time.
"Oh! Ten minutes! I'll head out now, K-Warrior!"
With that, she waved and hurriedly left.
"...She's gone."
Of course, there's no real danger inside the academy.
Especially nothing eventful today.
Still, I had to get her out of here.
'She can't run into Lee Seong-hyeon.'
Lee Seong-hyeon was due to arrive here soon.
And he'd meet Erina Esnatia.
'Now, the 5th regression meeting between Lee Seong-hyeon and Erina Esnatia is gone.'
He won't try to rope Erina Esnatia in anymore.
I need to make good use of Erina Esnatia this time and from now on.
I won't tolerate her dying by Lee Seong-hyeon's hand.
"Isn't that guy a freshman?"
"How's a freshman in Professor Sin So-ah's class?"
"Auditors are allowed up to a point."
"No, but the badge."
The second-years whispering about me.
My badge was the issue, apparently.
'Well, it's a blue one.'
Anyone could see it marked E3 rank.
So my mere presence here was suspicious.
As long as Erina Esnatia didn't catch on, it was fine.
'Erina probably doesn't know the badge system yet anyway.'
This system existed only at National Seoul Hunter Academy to begin with.
Knowing the description from Awakening to SSS Hunter Academy, it was safe to assume she didn't know about the badges yet.
'Nothing's gone off track so far.'
As expected, Lee Seong-hyeon hadn't even arrived at the lecture hall yet.
He shows up 'during' today's lecture.
On the first day of class, no less.
'The reason is a sight to behold.'
He has to arrive last to stand out.
Does that even make sense?
Suits me fine.
Lee Seong-hyeon was already itching because I annoyed him, and Erina Esnatia sitting next to me would definitely catch his eye.
That's when Erina Esnatia entered the lecture hall.
The second-years stared at her exotic—no, unparalleled beauty in surprise.
"Who's that?!"
"Never seen her before..."
"Third-year?"
The lecture hall, dotted with talk about me, instantly focused on her.
"Oh! K-Warrior! There you are!"
Erina, looking around and spotting me, came over.
"Welcome. I saved the seat next to me."
"Ah, thank you!"
The K-patch had improved even more.
She beamed and expressed her gratitude.
Of course I saved it.
She can't sit next to anyone else.
'Now she has to fully buy into it.'
I smiled at Erina Esnatia.
"Looking forward to it."
That's when the lecture hall door opened.
"Nice to meet you! I'm Sin So-ah!"
Professor Sin So-ah.
Her first test: 'Dungeon Exploration.'
The first step was about to begin now.
Erina Esnatia.
I'll rewrite your fate of death.
So work hard enough to earn your keep.