Chapter 43
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 043
Chapter Title: Erina Esnatia Knows the Answer
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Ugh, this tastes awful."
I'm sitting in a quiet corner of the academy, munching on a sandwich while watching the sun set.
The academy's special kim-strawberry sandwich, stuffed with kimchi and strawberry jam, letting you experience the crunch of the kimchi alongside the mushy softness of the half-rotten strawberries.
Maybe my tongue's been spoiled by Erina Esnatia's delicious home-cooked meals lately.
I just can't shake the feeling that it's lacking.
"Still, 600 won for this miraculous value... can't beat it."
The lack of protein is a downside, but I should be grateful I can fill my stomach for this price.
Ignoring my throbbing body as best I can, I took a big bite of the sandwich.
'It's tough.'
It's already been a week since I started private lessons with Professor Kang Geom-seon.
But that 'sense' he keeps talking about feels way beyond what an ordinary guy like me can grasp.
'I've been muddling through somehow.'
But the professor won't just hand over the answers.
The issues he points out have to be spot-on, no doubt.
Yet his teaching style is to never give away the solutions easily.
'It probably works great for geniuses.'
I'm no genius.
I can't just breeze through it like that.
There's only one thing that can bridge the gap between genius and mediocrity.
'Effort. Pure, hard effort.'
The silver lining is that Kim Si-woo's body must have been trained consistently before, or maybe I had some innate knack for it—either way, my talent with the sword doesn't seem half bad.
'Thinking back to how that dagger felt natural right after possession, probably the former.'
When I first possessed him, Poor Strike was already Lv. 2. Considering Kim Si-woo's circumstances, he probably never had proper training, let alone effective methods.
Still, getting it to Lv. 2 means he must've worked like a maniac. No wonder traces of it linger in the body.
'Right after possession, huh.'
Come to think of it, right after I possessed him, our appearances weren't that different—I barely noticed at first.
Now it's got this incurable orphan illness setup that'd get flak even in a novel, plus a little sister and all.
Coincidence? Or this world's shitty prank?
"Little sister, huh..."
I shook my head to dispel the unwelcome memories.
Anyway, the point is, to elevate Bunny Hop to Flash Strike level, it's all about 'effort.'
Nothing but effort.
'It'd be nice if he gave even a little hint.'
Still, thanks to Professor Kang Geom-seon's personal guidance, not only have my swordsmanship basics improved—areas where I was sorely lacking—but my control over Bunny Hop has become incomparably precise.
I still can't regulate it perfectly, but at least I'm not face-planting into the ground anymore.
"Why the overly serious face that doesn't suit you, Si-woo KIM?"
"Ahh, you scared me."
I have no idea when she snuck up, but there she was: Erina Esnatia, crouched down in front of my chair, peering right into my face.
"That much?"
"What do you mean?"
"My beauty, of course. Enough to startle anyone."
"Yeah, it startled me alright."
"What do you mean by that?"
"The exact opposite of what you think."
"You wanna die, Si-woo?"
What does she take me for?
Erina's gotten way too casual with her words lately.
"What are you even doing down there?"
"I've been here a while. You were just sitting there with that dumb look, so I was watching. Got a problem?"
"Why so feisty? Calm down, foreigner."
"What's that supposed to mean, foreigner?"
Erina snatched the sandwich I was eating and chimed in.
"No wonder I'm pissed—you're eating this junk! Koreans run on rice power. Rice power!"
"You're not Korean, though..."
"What the hell is this?"
She split open my pilfered sandwich, stared at the kimchi inside, and made a horrified face.
"How do you even eat this? As expected, Si-woo's a true kimchi warrior."
"Obviously. Kimchi's my lifeline."
"What're you babbling about? Can't even eat properly, and now your brain's pickled in kimchi juice?"
Erina shook her head pityingly and continued.
"Dungeon clear rewards came in—why aren't you eating right? That must be big money for a commoner."
Well, yeah, it was.
Scoring that unexpected windfall was pure luck.
Nearly 50 million won just from the rewards.
Of course, it includes consolation payouts, so the amount's inflated, but still a hefty sum.
'Though I ended up spending it all on Kim Ma-ri.'
Since I took responsibility for her, the cash goes straight to keeping her hospital bills paid up front.
'Gave some to Mura too.'
I had a personal request for the blacksmith Mura, so I shelled out a good chunk there.
'Or is it an investment?'
Plus tuition at the National Seoul Hunter Academy—fancy name, but it's for the elite. After that?
Nothing left.
I'm broke.
Broke as hell.
"I'm broke. Totally broke..."
"W-what? Why so down all of a sudden?!"
Erina flailed in panic at my unintended mumble.
"Did I say something mean? I'll buy you food. Shut up and follow."
"F-for real?"
I hadn't been eating well lately, though I hid it.
Tears nearly welled up without warning.
"C-can I... cry a little?"
"What the hell, Si-woo?!"
"Waaaaaah! Waaaaaah!!"
"C-calm down!!"
Erina's been a bit cautious with me since my little meltdown.
"Hey, cut it out. It was a joke."
"Got it. So no more crying, Si-woo."
"..."
"So, does that really work, Si-woo?"
She pointed at the black bag in my hand.
"Ah, you haven't tried it before—that's why."
"I've never even heard of it."
I talked her out of another ridiculously pricey place like last time and got takeout instead.
Budae jjigae.
Craving hit me out of nowhere.
Cheap, and back in my past life, I'd stretch one serving over three meals.
Now it's making my mouth water.
"Budae jjigae... The name sounds so weird."
"You'll get it once you try it."
Yeah, cheonggukjang was too intense from the start.
Budae jjigae's pretty universally liked, even among foreigners—Erina should love it.
I glanced at her, thinking that.
"W-what?"
"Hmm..."
Her golden blonde hair glowed brighter in the setting sun.
The locks cascading to her waist drew elegant curves, accentuating her feminine charm.
Above all, that doll-like delicate face.
Striking blue eyes.
This is...
'She hasn't fully K-adapted yet.'
If she'd brewed cheonggukjang three times a day and bathed in kimchi juice, those eyes wouldn't be blue.
I never planned to get this close to Erina Esnatia, but it's too late—I've grown fond of her.
So now, I'm helping her truly adapt to Korea.
First step: this budae jjigae.
Instead of cloying butter, it'll flood the Yankee blood in Erina Esnatia with fiery red kimchi broth.
"Wait..."
"W-what?! Didn't you feel that creepy vibe, Si-woo?!"
"No idea."
"No way! It's just like that gross fate boss from the dungeon—the same chill..."
"..."
I ignored Erina clutching my arm and shivering, kept walking.
"Where the hell are we going, Si-woo?"
"Not far."
"You don't mean camping halfway up the mountain or something?!"
Erina stared at me in shock.
"No way! I didn't think it'd be this bad. Is this the K-wealth gap?!"
She clutched her head, genuinely pitying me.
"Nah, no way. Do I look homeless?"
"You don't?"
"Stop with the harsh words."
I suggested we eat at my dorm since that's where I live. First guest gets VIP treatment—she bought it easily.
"This place is seriously eerie. How is there a dorm here?"
"Eerie?"
"This is the source of your gloominess, Si-woo."
Too much.
"Eerie, huh. Not wrong, though."
"What?"
"Ghost lives here."
"W-what bullshit is that, Si-woo?"
"Ah, lived here, technically."
"D-don't talk nonsense."
Yeah, she's moved on now.
Wonder if she's doing well.
"Here we are."
After a long walk, we reached Dormitory G.
"SHIT! This is straight out of a ghost story!"
"Where do you keep picking up these weird terms?"
"What's this?"
Erina pointed at the sign.
[Bachelor Dorm G]
"This? Our dorm's trademark. Quit yapping and follow."
I opened the dorm door while speaking to her.
I'm home. My sweet home!!!
"Inside's... not as bad as I thought."
Obviously.
It's my sweet home.
"But really, can I even be here? What about the others...?"
"Ah, didn't I say? I live alone."
"You live here solo?!"
Erina sounded genuinely shocked.
"Mine. All mine."
"My dorm's smaller than this!"
She protested.
"How do you live in a place like this? Total special treatment. You're loaded, right Si-woo?!"
"Sadly, both are true: I live here, and I'm broke."
Tragically so.
"Anyway, congrats on being the first guest."
"Hm, not a bad feeling. VIP treatment as promised."
"Alright, then—shall we hit the training ground first?"
"WHAT?"
"Food after."
Why else would I bring you?
Become the secret to my strength, Erina Esnatia.