Chapter 20
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Professor Chae Yeon-hwa's Conclusion
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Research lab door closed with a sharp click, the sound echoing through the room.
The lingering warmth on the sofa began to cool bit by bit, soon enveloping the lab in a thick silence.
Chae Yeon-hwa sat still for a long while after he left, chin resting on her hand, before slowly unclenching her fist with an amused smile.
"Hehe... What a truly interesting student."
At the same time, her pink eyes, curved in a smile, began to glow red.
The pure researcher facade vanished in an instant.
In its place, black wings and a tail sprouted, revealing her true succubus form.
"Even under the effects of Twilight Revelry, he should have lost his mind and succumbed to lust the moment he saw me...
Why did neither Dreamlike Fragrance nor Twilight Revelry work on him?"
The moment Kang Hyun-sol arrived in the lab, Chae Yeon-hwa had unleashed Twilight Revelry—a skill higher-ranked than Dreamlike Fragrance—to fully dominate his mind.
She had more than one or two questions for him, after all.
But Kang Hyun-sol hadn't fallen to the skill; instead, he'd desperately tried to look away from her.
"What a hilarious kid. No one can just shrug off a high succubus's skill like it's not their type..."
She rose slowly from her seat and lightly tapped the rim of the glass bottle he'd drunk from on the desk with her fingertip.
The empty bottle held nothing now, but that trace alone was enough.
"I meant to give him a D-rank skill, but somehow I ended up handing over Barrier Weaving—the one I was going to give to Kim Do-yoon.
For a 998th-ranked enrollee, that's way too generous... I wonder if he'll even know how to use it properly?"
Chae Yeon-hwa's lips curved upward slowly.
Her original mission had been simple.
Infiltrate the academy, kill off future threats among the next-generation talents,
or, if necessary, recruit them into the clutches of the demon race.
But killing was far simpler and left no loose ends, so most high demons preferred eliminating them outright.
Chae Yeon-hwa, however, had always chosen differently from the other executives.
"Blindly chopping down sprouts is no fun, right? The real thrill is nurturing a promising one with my own hands... and making it loyal only to me. Isn't that the proper choice for a succubus?"
She approached the window and watched Kang Hyun-sol hurriedly fleeing the building in the distance.
Her gaze lingered on his retreating figure, growing ever more intrigued.
"I hope you climb as high as possible. I adore men of true worth, you see?"
Only after his figure completely vanished did Chae Yeon-hwa finally turn to her professor duties.
But at that moment, a small crystal orb on the desk blinked with a signal.
"Sigh... Our apostles never seem to tire."
Chae Yeon-hwa sighed wearily and lightly pressed the crystal with her finger.
Woooong—!
As her finger touched it, ripples spread across the surface, and soon a humanoid figure made of blue flames materialized in the air.
『Chae Yeon-hwa. How's the infiltration going? Your reports have been sparse lately.』
"Yes~ Apostle Beloa, I've been quite busy. But as ordered, I'm steadily mapping the academy's layout. I've also checked on the talents you're wary of."
『I see... Anyway, prioritize eliminating the strong ones quickly. No variables allowed.』
"Well... As I always say, I prefer more intriguing methods over hasty kills."
『Intriguing methods? Sigh... Planning another one of your recruitment games? I've told you countless times: we don't need slaves. We need new land to replace our demon world, fully corrupted by demonic energy.』
To Beloa's irritated voice, Chae Yeon-hwa bowed her head and calmly continued.
"You'll be interested too, Apostle. There's a freshman, Kang Hyun-sol, barely a week into enrollment. He resisted my Dreamlike Fragrance and flawlessly cast a protection barrier."
『... A first-year cast a protection barrier? And resisted your skill first? Unbelievable.』
"He even withstood Twilight Revelry. Isn't that potential worth watching? So I gave him a real skill—not one laced with a slave brand like I planned for the others."
Beloa's blue flames flickered wildly at her words.
『What?! You gave that precious skill potion to a mere human? You're truly insane!!!』
"Hehe, not insane. I judged him worth the investment. No matter his talent or mental fortitude, if I get serious, I can turn him into a puppet in seconds. You know that well~"
『... And if your prediction's wrong? What if he turns that power against us?』
Chae Yeon-hwa licked her lips with a smile at Beloa's question.
"Then I'll take responsibility and handle him myself. You know my strength best, don't you? Crushing a toy I raised myself would be even more fun."
『.......』
A brief silence fell.
The wildly flickering blue flames gradually calmed, followed by a small chuckle.
『Ha... You're incorrigible. Fine. I won't tell the others about your plan. But remember: fail, and I'll take your head along with that human's.』
"Understood."
『... Keep up the good work.』
The flame-like figure atop the crystal faded, and the lab returned to silence.
Confirming the crystal had fully dimmed, Chae Yeon-hwa leaned against the window, murmuring as she gazed outside.
"Really~ Still holding a grudge over that failure ten years ago? Our apostles are so pathetic. And with so little time left..."
"More importantly, student Kang Hyun-sol? Will you live up to my expectations? Or...
will you meet your end by my hand?"
A sweet fragrance filled the lab alongside her soft laughter.
"Ughhh~ Slept like a rock."
I stretched and sat up.
Maybe because I went to bed early, I woke up a full hour ahead of my usual time.
For some reason, my body felt even more refreshed than normal.
"... Plenty of time left? Might as well check the skill from Chae Yeon-hwa and get ready."
The clock showed about an hour and a half until the mana meditation room opened.
I sat cross-legged on the bed, steadied my breathing, and focused my mind.
But as I tried to meditate, Chae Yeon-hwa's seductive image resurfaced—lingering effects of her, perhaps.
Just the skill's afterglow remained, so I shook my head vigorously to dispel the stray thoughts.
'Barrier Weaving, huh...'
I held out my palm and gathered mana into a sphere like last time.
"..."
Not sure if it was the new skill's influence...
But as mana flowed from my fingertips, I distinctly felt fine threads weaving and intertwining naturally.
Similar to when I got Mana Sensitivity Genius, yet different.
With just the trait, I'd manually shape the barrier step by step.
Now, I felt confident mana would form it on its own with mere intent.
I slowly raised my right hand into the air and focused all senses on my fingertips.
"Not basic stuff like protection barriers... Let's test a 2-star one I learned during playthroughs..."
1-star basics were easy thanks to the barrier support skill and mana trait.
To truly gauge the skill, I needed at least 2-star experiments.
Racking my brain, I recalled a 2-star barrier from my player days under Chae Yeon-hwa and began implementing it bit by bit.
Woooong—!
... Like drawing a magic circle, weave mana into a circle, then layer barrier seals atop it.
Deep breath.
I carefully drew mana from my heart to fingertips, sketching a small barrier array in the air.
"Urk...!!"
But on the second seal, my head throbbed, and mana scattered.
The Weaving skill intervened instantly, forcibly rethreading the mana and binding it tighter.
Pzzt—!
With its aid, I succeeded in etching the third seal.
A translucent membrane formed in the air, shimmering with faint vibrations and light.
"... Did it work? Nailed it?"
I stared at my fingertips.
There, a thin but solid spherical barrier glowed softly red.
"Whoa!! It actually worked?"
Excitement surged; my first try succeeded.
A first-year who couldn't even handle protection barriers had mastered [2-Star Barrier: Detection Net] in a single day of learning.
Not my first time learning it, sure—but possessing the body was new, so it counted!
[2-Star Barrier: Detection Net]
A barrier that detects mana reactions and vital signs within a 10m radius, relaying information to the caster.
"Oh... It's definitely the Detection Net I learned..."
Unfortunately, first attempt meant it wasn't perfect—maybe something was lacking midway.
The edges flickered unstably, and durability wouldn't last long.
But one thing was certain: without Barrier Weaving, I couldn't have made it at all.
"Phew... Success is success. I'll learn the rest gradually."
I watched the fading barrier, then recalled Professor Chae Yeon-hwa's devouring gaze from the lab.
'... More importantly, I'll see that succubus weekly. How do I resist her next time? Feels like I won't hold back...'
A foreboding future flashed in my mind.
Like, next meeting, if I fall to her skill, I'll really lose it and go all in!!
I need to upgrade Mental Resistance fast or avoid her like the plague by contorting myself—something.
"Sigh... Later for that. Time to get ready and head out."
Snapping to, the clock showed the mana meditation room was nearly open.
I finished prepping and left the dorm.