Chapter 170. Hospital Munching

"…So in the end, you rescued Nam Da-hee."

Scarlett squeezed her brain for some kind of excuse. Drawing from her experience in the Iris Guild and the stories she'd heard, she wove together a fictional force under Lee Ho-yeon's command that didn't exist. Having not heard Lee Ho-yeon's intentions for saving Nam Da-eun, Scarlett had no choice but to craft her words to let him explain it himself, just in case his plans went awry.

"So even you don't know the exact reason, Scarlett."

Munch munch. Nam Da-eun listened intently to the tale Scarlett had just spun up while tearing into her chicken.

"Yes. We only received orders from Lee Ho-yeon… Uh, excuse me. Why are you tearing up…?"

In the middle of their conversation, Nam Da-eun's eyes grew misty, and Scarlett couldn't hide her fluster.

"Sorry. It's my first time eating chicken…."

Seeing Nam Da-eun sniffle while devouring the chicken, Scarlett pondered why all the women around Lee Ho-yeon were so odd.

"Sis… You couldn't even eat chicken because of me…."

"It's fine, Da-hee. I love you."

"Hic…."

The sisters hugged and rubbed their cheeks together, while Liliana, next to them, frantically tore into her chicken to keep it from being snatched away. Scarlett gathered her dazed wits and asked Nam Da-eun,

"Where is Lee Ho-yeon right now? If he got caught in the terror attack with you, it would've been easier to explain if he'd come along…."

Scarlett had been waiting at the academy's central fountain for Nam Da-eun and thus had no clear grasp of the situation. The moment the terror ended, Nam Da-eun had arrived, leaving no time for investigation.

"…He's probably at the hospital. I don't know the details, but the hunters were praising student Lee Ho-yeon's sacrifice like crazy."

Nam Da-eun hadn't left the barrier from the start to the end of the terror. Only after all the Mines were dealt with did she slip out of the party venue and head straight here. So she didn't know the finer points.

"…!"

"S-Scarlett! Quick, find out what's going on!"

Even Liliana, who had been ignoring the conversation in favor of eating, couldn't tune out Lee Ho-yeon's name.

"Yes, understood."

Scarlett immediately contacted her personal informants. News of the terror at the camaraderie party was only just starting to break. Plus, all she'd gotten from Nam Da-eun was a rough outline, so she wasn't sure where to gather intel. But her informants, who had always been keen on that scene, might know something. And replies started pouring in right away.

"What do they say? He's alive?"

Liliana grabbed Scarlett's arm and shook it.

"He's in a coma right now and hospitalized. The Saintess and several healers are focusing on him, so it's not public to civilians, and visits are banned."

"Please…."

Nam Da-eun clasped her hands in prayer and squeezed her eyes shut. She still had so many questions. Why he'd saved Da-hee and her, and how she should act from now on—it was all so uncertain.

"Ah, what a relief. I got worried for nothing."

Liliana let out a sigh of relief at the news that Lee Ho-yeon wasn't dead. As long as he was alive, it was fine. Convinced his tenacious life wouldn't end easily anyway, she dove back into her chicken.

*

"Hm…."

After Baek Ayoung left, I racked my brain, but nothing good came to mind. No matter how I spun it, outright saying let's be careful with birth control felt off. Of course, that was the best solution. But I was scared it might drop her affection from a perfect 100. Being the first to hit max affinity left me clueless on how to proceed.

She'd come back to nurse me anyway. I'd sound her out then.

I've still got plenty of women to seduce… Pregnancy would be a hassle right now.

While conquering Baek Ayoung, I'd pondered how to be less of a scumbag. This situation would repeat if I aimed for all the heroines. At first, I considered being upfront: I've entered your game world, and I need to conquer you.A harem is essential. But that was nonsense, obviously. If I were a woman, I'd never date a guy spouting that crap. She wouldn't even believe me. Sure, I could prove it with the Heroine Status Window. Reading minds ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠outright would verify it, but… it'd creep anyone out from their perspective. Revealing it would hinder the conquest. There'd be the whole existential crisis of realizing her world was fake… Anyway, not worth considering.

Done agonizing, I checked public opinion on my smartwatch. A day after I collapsed, so if today was post-terror, news and all should be out.

Everyday loaded up, and sure enough, the hot posts were all about the camaraderie party.

"What a shitstorm."

No wonder—I panicked too from the sudden terror, and folks must've been worse. An event not even in the original story made response tough. I clicked into what looked like a summary post.

"Yeah, that's how it'd look."

I was just searching for Baek Ayoung, but she was nowhere, so I saved hunters as a bonus. Told the ones uselessly tailing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me to head to crowded spots instead—nicely packaged. Reporters chasing scoops and hunters' misconceptions birthed this hype. Seeing comments praise me felt good. Better image is always a win.

I checked more posts. Recent hours exploded with interviews and reactions.

Post-terror, public opinion shifted hard. Academy Heavenly Festival celebs I saved name-dropped me again, and others I rescued vouched too.

"What's this now."

Browsing posts, I clicked a video. A man bowed sadly.

— Hello. I'm Taebaek Guild Team 1 Leader Jeon Young-su. I was at the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Victoria Academy Heavenly Festival site. But pressure from a certain guild kept me quiet.

"Whoa…."

Probably death-threat level coercion, yet he spoke up—gutsy.

— Saved a doomed life anyway. Can't do that to my benefactor. I'll spill. Shin Young Guild threatened me. Many others too.

That face—I knew it. Side character next to protagonist: dumb but kind type.

"That's why you don't mess around. Tsk."

Shin Young Guild's in for pain. Quiet while they clean up? Professor Kang Hyo-lyn will bring dirt later—drop it when free. Beyond that vid, tons of hunters voluntarily defended me. All in 10 minutes. More unfolded while I checked opinion.

Another vid stood out—highest recs.

"…What the hell makes them suck up this hard?"

I didn't do anything that cool at the party. Played the vid: static black screen first. Then it cleared.

"Ah… This moment."

Baek Ayoung treating me, tears streaming. Me collapsed below, bleeding. Not tons of blood—forearm slash. But battle-smeared clothes made it look like full-body gore.

"Why's the quality this good. Awkward."

Tech so advanced—our faces crystal clear. Watched on.

My pained face hardened; I yanked Baek Ayoung, shielding her with my back.

Squelch—

A dagger from somewhere stabbed my back.

"Ugh… That felt gross."

The sensation returned: creepy blade pierce. Vid-me spat blood. Blood Beat wrecked my internals, probably. Was too dazed then; weird now. My face twisted post-stab, Baek Ayoung's eyes widened—then vid faded to static.

"…Damn, that's cool."

If I think my own face looks cool, it is. About to check comments—knock knock.

Huh?

Baek Ayoung said no visits or nurses for a bit.

"Yes. Come in."

The opener? Totally unexpected.

"You're doing alright, student Lee Ho-yeon."

"…Hello, Chairman."

"Sorry to bother your rest. Got something urgent to say."

Victoria Academy's chairman stood outside the door. Why him? And urgent what?

"Come in first, Chairman."

"Mm, alright."

The chairman entered leisurely, sat, and I tensed, awaiting his words.