Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 032
Chapter Title: Succubus Incident (6)
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Lunchtime. Green House student cafeteria.
Ryu Tae-hyun was poking at his fried rice, his left arm wrapped in bandages for burns. He was with a red-haired female student.
Ryu Tae-hyun looked up at the girl in front of him, Han Gyeo-ul.
Her long, flowing red hair cascaded down to her waist, framing red eyes tinged with pink. Half of her hair in the back was tied up with a white ribbon, giving off a lively yet refined beauty.
The way she sat straight and ate exuded elegance and that unmistakable air of "old money." Combined with her striking looks, men's gazes naturally drifted her way, but she ignored them as if accustomed to the attention.
Watching her eat in silence, Ryu Tae-hyun casually asked,
"Is the food to your liking?"
"......No. It's terrible."
Han Gyeo-ul set down her utensils and met Ryu Tae-hyun's eyes.
"I had high hopes since it's called pilaf, but it doesn't capture the authentic flavor at all. The rice is sticky, the spices haven't blended with the ingredients, and they're cheap ones at that—better off without them. And the chicken lacks any real savoriness. They could've at least added a bay leaf while boiling it."
"What do you expect from a 6,000-won student cafeteria dish?"
Ryu Tae-hyun clicked his tongue at Han Gyeo-ul's sharp critique.
But he could understand. The girl before him was the second daughter of the Hanseong Group. Compared to the top-tier chefs she dined with daily, this pilaf was barely worthy of the name.
"Well, it's tailored to your budget, so no helping it. Besides, I wanted to try the student cafeteria at least once. Though I doubt I'll come back."
"Hey, it's a free meal, and you're complaining a lot."
"Watch your words. Isn't this lunch your way of compensating for the harm you caused me? I think I'm entitled to a few complaints."
"If we're keeping score, I've suffered plenty because of you too."
Ryu Tae-hyun lifted his bandaged arm. Han Gyeo-ul glanced at it and snorted dismissively.
"Getting hurt in sparring is commonplace. Making a fuss about it? Didn't peg you for the petty type."
"It wasn't even a ranking match. You could've held back a little."
"I'm a bit clumsy with power control."
"As if the top first-year freshman is 'clumsy.' You did this on purpose because I was late to class and pushed back our sparring, right?"
"Oh? You've got some intuition after all?"
Ryu Tae-hyun crossed his arms and glared at her brazen attitude.
Thanks to Lee Tae-ho, he'd been released from detention and rushed straight to the interpersonal combat class. He barely made it before the lecture ended, but Han Gyeo-ul, his sparring partner, had been left waiting idly.
Their match finally happened right before class ended.
Sparring on the first day was meant as practice to get a feel for real combat, but Han Gyeo-ul vented her frustration by going at him half-seriously. The result was the burn bandages on his left arm.
Han Gyeo-ul's ability was pyrokinesis. The flames she unleashed were hot enough to burn even a B-rank superhuman like him. For him, it was a minor injury that would heal in two or three days, but any other student might have been left with permanent scars.
Of course, she hadn't ramped up the power recklessly. Based on what the professor told her, she figured Ryu Tae-hyun could handle her flames.
That said, she had harbored some resentment over his tardiness and amped it up a bit.
Han Gyeo-ul just didn't like the guy in front of her, Ryu Tae-hyun.
"You were late to class—that's on you. I still can't believe a Green House student overslept and showed up tardy. Do you lack any sense of pride as a Green House student, as an elite meant to lead superhuman society?"
"Not sure about elite pride, but the national academy's cheap tuition is a plus."
"You can't be serious right now...."
Yeah, that attitude rubbed her the wrong way. He completely lacked the mindset befitting a superhuman, let alone a Green House student.
Green House was Korea's top academy, one of the best in the world.
Being a student there meant you were primed to lead superhuman society, yet this guy was so frivolous and arrogant.
Having received elite education since childhood and embodying that elite consciousness, Han Gyeo-ul couldn't comprehend it.
"Anyway. Don't be late next time, ever. Remember we're in the same practical group on day one? You know what that means."
"......So we should get along since we're teammates?"
"It means if you skip class like today, I'll keep taking the fall!"
Han Gyeo-ul pointed her fork at him, furrowing her brow. Ryu Tae-hyun met her gaze before sheepishly turning away with an awkward smile.
"S-Sorry about that. Looks like I'll have to skip the next lecture too."
"......Pardon?"
"It's theory anyway, so no group projects on day one. Anyway, that's the plan. I'll head out first?"
Leaving a flustered Han Gyeo-ul behind, Ryu Tae-hyun cleared his dishes and stood.
"W-Wait! What's the excuse this time?"
"Got some stuff to handle."
"What kind of stuff—"
Ignoring her unsatisfied protests, Ryu Tae-hyun left the table.
Left alone, Han Gyeo-ul stared blankly at his retreating back before biting her lip.
"Guess I'll have to ask the professor to switch groups."
...What a truly distasteful guy.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Ryu Tae-hyun has a Talisman.
I couldn't hide my shock at the fact from Lee Tae-ho's interrogation report.
After all, I'd snatched the Talisman he was supposed to have.
In the original story, Ji Ye-won should have passed him the Talisman she'd stolen from the Dawn Corps. But in this world, I'd taken that role. So Ryu Tae-hyun shouldn't have had one. That was the natural progression.
Yet Ryu Tae-hyun had a Talisman. I didn't know if its power matched the original or if it was entirely different. The interrogation details Lee Tae-ho shared didn't mention its abilities.
One thing was clear: the person who gave it to him was named Kim Min-ah.
Kim Min-ah.
Unless it was an uncanny coincidence, this was probably Ji Ye-won's friend, the one who'd betrayed the organization with her. It fit the puzzle pieces somewhat, but the full picture remained murky.
Numerous questions surfaced and sank rapidly.
Were there originally two Talismans, one each for Kim Min-ah and Ji Ye-won? If so, why didn't Ji Ye-won know about the second? Did Kim Min-ah hide it from her? Or did Ji Ye-won know but withhold it from us?
I pondered, but it wasn't something to resolve right away. Nor was it urgent.
What mattered now was solving this case. And for that, securing Ryu Tae-hyun's cooperation.
Waiting for him in the Academy Security Force meeting room, I reviewed the current situation and my plan once more.
First premise: The Succubus Incident culprit and Ryu Tae-hyun's attacker are the same person. A Dawn Corps member. The culprit is tracking Ji Ye-won and the Talisman, somehow learned Ryu Tae-hyun had it, and struck.
'From the testimony, Ryu Tae-hyun's just an unlucky bystander. He knows nothing about the Talisman's secrets. No real connection to Kim Min-ah or Ji Ye-won. But.'
Does the culprit know that? That's the key.
The culprit probably mistakes him for a close collaborator of Kim Min-ah or Ji Ye-won. He has their stolen Talisman, after all—a logical assumption. So, having found the traitors' accomplice, what is the culprit thinking now?
Likely thrilled to locate the Talisman but wary after the failed attack on Ryu Tae-hyun.
That's the crux: the culprit is on guard against Ryu Tae-hyun—and any Ji Ye-won or other accomplices behind him.
'Then I can turn that vigilance against them.'
Disarming suspicion is tough. But provoking it into overreaction is easier.
'Having spotted the Talisman on Ryu Tae-hyun, the culprit's watching him. I can draw them out through him.'
The plan was this:
First, let them see Ryu Tae-hyun meeting the Security Force publicly. That same night, raid one Dawn Corps hideout from Ji Ye-won's intel.
No link between Ryu Tae-hyun and the raid. But to the ignorant culprit, it looks like he sought protection and sold out their info.
No worries about raid forces. The Security Force outguns most hunter guilds, and Min Chae-ryeong's connections could get police backup.
Show Ryu Tae-hyun and Security Force together all day, raid hideouts by night using Ji Ye-won's info. What would the culprit—and Dawn Corps—think?
'They'll prioritize escape over hunting Ji Ye-won. Even as Korea's worst crime group, they're just a private outfit. Clashing head-on with authorities is messy.'
But the Talisman is key to their core "Dawn Project." They'd strain to reclaim it.
If Ryu Tae-hyun then exposes himself vulnerably?
'Dawn Corps won't miss it. They already lost Ji Ye-won once. No repeats.'
Even knowing it's a trap, they'll bite. If not, the raids lower scrutiny on Ji Ye-won.
Not flawless, but plausible. Min Chae-ryeong approved it, so viable.
One caveat: her point about needing Ryu Tae-hyun's cooperation. It hinged on using him as bait.
But no issue. I already knew how to convince him.
-Creak.
"Excuse me."
I flashed a friendly smile at Ryu Tae-hyun entering the meeting room.
"Nice to meet you. Ryu Tae-hyun, I'm Ahn Su-ho from the Academy Security Force Special Countermeasures Division."
"Ryu Tae-hyun, first-year at Green House."
He shook my offered hand firmly. Feeling his strong grip, I swallowed dryly.
'Finally met him.'
One month since possessing this world. Finally face-to-face with its protagonist.
A strange thrill and excitement made me grin. He mirrored it with a slight smile.
"Your left arm's injured. You okay?"
"Just a minor burn. Sparring in interpersonal combat class. It'll heal in three days."
Burn from sparring.
The words brought a natural smile to my lips. Relief.
"Was it Han Gyeo-ul?"
He widened his eyes in surprise at my question.
"......How'd you know? Did you watch the spar?"
"Han Gyeo-ul's pretty famous. Top first-year enrollee."
"True that."
I'd worried their first meeting spar might fizzle, but it went ahead. Protagonist perks—he always ends up with the heroine somehow.
"I called you here to ask for cooperation on this incident."
I explained the case and my plan to Ryu Tae-hyun. Omitting Ji Ye-won, of course.
"Whoa...."
After hearing it out, Ryu Tae-hyun chuckled.
"Sounds like I'm totally screwed, huh?"
"Yeah. On the verge of screwed."
"So, take out the enemies before they screw me. Using me as bait."
"Exactly."
"Heh...."
Ryu Tae-hyun clutched his head and slumped over the table. Even he must be shocked to suddenly tangle with Dawn Corps.
"Should've known better than to take a shady gift."
"......Couldn't ignore someone hurt and begging for help. But Dawn Corps? Talk about rotten luck."
"Regrets?"
"Nah. I don't regret choices I make myself."
He answered promptly with a bright grin. Despite the grumbling, Ryu Tae-hyun was protagonist through and through. Couldn't stand injustice, had to help those in trouble—that was him.
"No regrets on your own decisions—admirable mindset. I'd like to emulate it."
"Haha, skip the obvious flattery. I'll cooperate anyway."
Ryu Tae-hyun accepted cleanly. No hesitation.
"You sure? Dawn Corps will target you."
"I can handle myself. And if we don't catch them now, they'll keep harassing me. Don't want my campus life ruined just starting out."
"...Thank you."
I bowed my head with a smile. He agreed without fuss, as expected.
Min Chae-ryeong thought securing his cooperation would be tough. Far from it.
From the planning stage, I knew he'd help.
'That's Ryu Tae-hyun's character.'
Broad-minded meddler, prefers adventure over safety, acts decisively on what he deems right, fights upfront rather than hiding, and never ignores a plea for help.
Protagonist to the core. A bit flippant, but fundamentally a good-hearted hero.
'Though mid-story he turns vengeful and bloodthirsty.'
The plot was that trash-fire. Never want to see it again.
"Thanks for cooperating. Sorry for pulling you from class. It was urgent."
"Official excuse is fine. Theory class first day is probably just orientation anyway."
Official excuse. Right, early Ryu Tae-hyun obsessed over grades and scholarships. Nostalgic.
"Stay at Security Force dorms for now. Minimize outings except classes. We'll send guards for your family."
"Got it. So when does the op start?"
I grinned at his question.
"Already has."
That night, police raided one Dawn Corps hideout that had lurked in the shadows.