A Week to Prepare

Kim Je-o moved fast.

By the very next day, a match between the Spirit Class and the Cursed Object Class had already been arranged. It was more than a little surprising. Even setting Principal Kang Jiyoung aside, I had expected wrangling the Vice Principal's approval to take some time.

The Vice Principal must have pretty high hopes for Kim Je-o. Either that, or he's itching to stick it to Kang Jiyoung.

The format was a dungeon clear. Both the Spirit Class and the Cursed Object Class would enter an artificial dungeon at the same time, and whichever side cleared it first would win.

One catch: instructors were barred from participating. In other words, I would have to face seven members of the Cursed Object Class alone.

Kim Je-o and the Vice Principal must already know Callas is no ordinary fighter.

It was an unexpected turn, but I had no intention of complaining. I was the one who had proposed the wager in the first place, and I was the one who had left the choice of format to them.

I can handle this without Callas. Of the seven Cursed Object Class students, once you set Shin Na-ri aside, the rest are nobodies. Still…

The defining trait of the Cursed Object Class was their use of cursed objects.

The six students other than Shin Na-ri could bring a mountain of cursed objects and pile curses on me. That would push things in a direction I did not want.

With Absolute Mind, mental curses won't work on me.

Which also meant that any curse ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that was not mental-type would. Slow-type curses that bogged down the body, weakness-type curses that sapped physical ability, and so on.

I do have Full Recovery and Heavenly Mind to clear status ailments… but there's no telling how many cursed objects the Cursed Object Class will bring.

I needed a fundamental countermeasure.

I crossed my arms and sank into thought, calling up the original game of Academy's Savior. The original was packed with hidden stories and countless items.

Filter out anything I can't get at this point in time… and there it is.

Once the method came to me, I stood up from my seat.

One week remained until the match with the Cursed Object Class. More than enough time.

If it were me, I'd have forced the match the very next day with no prep time at all. Giving us a full week means they've got something cooking.

I picked up my smartphone.

Who won would be settled next week.

Saturday, four in the morning.

Before the sun had even risen, I stood at an intersection near the academy, gazing up at the sky at my leisure while I waited for someone.

I felt a presence. A group was approaching from the academy entrance. They were academy students—traveling as one party, yet keeping a careful distance from one another.

I looked them over one by one.

The girl who broke into a smile the moment she saw me was Lee Si-eun, with her long blue hair and blue eyes. She was also my childhood friend.

Beside her were the clean-cut Kim Cheonwoo and his close friend Ma Jinbae. Kim Cheonwoo's face was calm; Ma Jinbae looked hostile.

Didn't expect Ma Jinbae to show… Did he tag ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠along because he was worried about Kim Cheonwoo?

He was an annoying bastard, but he still had his uses. And Ma Jinbae couldn't bare his teeth at me. My gaze shifted to the rear of the group.

Ryu Hana stood there with her usual blank expression. Long lavender hair falling to her waist lent her an air of mystery, and her dark-blue eyes were as cold as the deep sea. Twin swords hung at her hips, and there was an elegance in the way she walked.

Behind Ryu Hana came Choi Dayeon and Lee Ganghu.

Choi Dayeon walked with her arms folded, as haughty as ever. With every step, her black hair and full chest swayed just a little. Lee Ganghu, keeping a three-meter gap from her, was loaded down with bags in his hands and on his back.

"Yujin. I'm here. I'm not late, am I?"

Lee Si-eun came up and spoke.

"You got here faster than I expected. And I didn't think you'd all come together."

"We ran into each other on the way out of the academy. I never imagined we'd end up moving as a group, but… well. Looking forward to working with you all."

"……"

Kim Cheonwoo addressed the students around him, but not a single person responded. He gave an awkward smile. Ryu Hana and Choi ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Dayeon didn't so much as pretend to listen, while Lee Ganghu stared at him with open wariness. Lee Si-eun only had eyes for me.

"What a lineup of weirdos."

Ma Jinbae clicked his tongue.

"Yujin. Are you hungry? I made kimbap. Try some."

"A lunchbox? You want to crack into a lunchbox already?"

"It's fine. I packed three more. I made them for you."

"I am a little empty. Sure, I'll have some."

Lee Si-eun beamed as she opened the lid. The savory aroma of neatly arranged kimbap rose from inside. She picked up a piece with her chopsticks and held it out to me.

"Yujin, ahh~"

"Ahh~"

The kimbap slid right in. Fresh ingredients, perfectly seasoned. I especially liked that there was no burdock root in it. The taste was outstanding—far better than any famous kimbap place.

As I happily accepted piece after piece from Lee Si-eun, I felt a heated stare from somewhere. Choi Dayeon.

What? Does she want kimbap? No, that can't be it…

I hadn't done a thing with Choi Dayeon in the time since I'd last checked, and yet her favorability had ticked up a little.

It was forty-two last time I looked… Why did it go up?

My eyes moved to Ryu Hana as well. Standing still, she was impossible to read.

Sparring with her now and then got me this far. To push it higher than this… sparring alone won't cut it.

Lee Si-eun's favorability was extremely high. If I told her to spread her legs, she would do it without a second's hesitation. She was also at the level where she would throw her own life away for me. Of course, I had no intention of forcing that kind of sacrifice on her.

While I'm at it, might as well check the others.

Not favorability—trust. Because these ones were the same gender as me.

Kim Cheonwoo's trust made the effort I'd put in feel worthwhile. Ma Jinbae ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was still hostile. Lee Ganghu was average.

"Si-eun. That kimbap looks good. Mind if I have just one bite?"

Kim Cheonwoo said, eyeing the lunchbox that was already nearly half gone. Lee Si-eun answered with a sweet smile.

"No. This lunchbox is for Yujin only."

Her voice left no room for argument. Kim Cheonwoo looked briefly flustered, then nodded.

"R-right. Yeah. If that's how it is, nothing I can do…"

An awkward breeze drifted through the group. Lee Si-eun paid it no mind and kept feeding kimbap into my mouth.

Around the time the lunchbox was nearly empty, the sound of a car rolling closer carried from far down the road.

"She's here."

I stuffed the last piece of kimbap into my mouth and watched the black van approach. It slowed gradually and stopped right in front of me.

The driver's door opened, and a long leg wrapped in jeans stepped down onto the road. White T-shirt, hair swaying as she rose. The woman who climbed out of the driver's seat was Seong Ha-ri.

"Hi, son! And son's friends!"

Seong Ha-ri waved with a bright, cheerful smile. I smiled back and waved; Lee Si-eun bowed politely from the waist.

"Hello, Mother."

"Si-eun's the same as ever. No—have you gotten a little prettier?"

"I packed a lunchbox for you too, Mother."

"Really?! Thank you. We'll eat it when we stop at a rest area."

Her appearance left the atmosphere a little strange. I glanced around.

Kim Cheonwoo—who by all rights should have been the first to greet her—was staring at Seong Ha-ri like he'd been struck dumb. The look of a man who had just taken a mental hit the moment he saw her.

Don't tell me this bastard…?!

Kim Cheonwoo's trust had shot past fifty in an instant.

The reason was obvious. He had fallen for Seong Ha-ri at first sight, and that goodwill had spilled over onto me, her son. He was probably already hearing himself call me "Dad" inside his head.

Shit. Just thinking about it gives me chills. Should I kill him?

I swallowed the surge of murderous intent.

Falling for Seong Ha-ri at first sight was only natural. Anyone could see she was a stunning woman. And that woman was mine. Flip the perspective, and I could even feel superior about it.

But anything that crosses the line beyond that—I will not forgive.

Kim Cheonwoo was a useful bastard. For now, I decided to keep watching him.

The others tensed just looking at Seong Ha-ri.

Seong Ha-ri.

A hero once called the strongest. Even those who hadn't lived in the same era as her knew her legend. She was a figure who had carved her name into the history of Korea.

Ma Jinbae might lose it and do something stupid… but if he's got a brain, he'll stay put.

Ryu Hana's eyes lit up as she looked at Seong Ha-ri, and she offered a calm greeting. The reason Ryu Hana had gone along with my plans in the first place was Seong Ha-ri.

"It's an honor to meet you, Seong Ha-ri. I am Ryu Hana."

"Hi. So you're the top of the first year. Seeing you in person, I can tell why. You've been working hard."

"Would it be possible to learn a thing or two from you, Seong Ha-ri?"

"I can feel the fighting spirit. Reminds me of the old days—I like it. I'm not about to be stingy with my son's friends, so I'll spar with you when I have time."

Seong Ha-ri's gaze moved to Choi Dayeon and Lee Ganghu. Lee Ganghu immediately dropped his eyes; Choi Dayeon offered a formal greeting.

"It is an honor to meet the Thunder. I am Choi Dayeon of the Geumhwa Group."

"So you're Jeonghwa's daughter. Jeonghwa has every right to brag about you."

Seong Ha-ri looked over the group once more, then patted the roof of the van with her palm.

"All right, we've got a long way to go, so everybody pile in! And 'Seong Ha-ri'? That's way too stiff. I'm not looking to be treated like royalty by my son's friends, so just call me Auntie."

And so everyone climbed into the van. I took the passenger seat. Directly behind us sat Lee Si-eun, Kim Cheonwoo, and Ma Jinbae. Further back were Ryu Hana, Choi Dayeon, and Lee Ganghu.

Ryu Hana and Choi Dayeon were quiet. The two of them had barely crossed paths at the academy, so that was only natural. Even so, I could tell Choi Dayeon was conscious of Ryu Hana—the top student—while pretending not to be.

The one making noise was Kim Cheonwoo.

"Seong Ha-ri. We learned about your record at the academy… Do you remember the Gangneung Collapse from twenty years ago?"

"The Gangneung Collapse? Oh, the dinosaur incident? That one was pretty rough. And I told you to call me Auntie."

"Auntie… You look far too young for that to fit."

"Heh. You know how to flatter people too? Thanks, Cheonwoo."

"N-no. It's not flattery. I mean it."

Kim Cheonwoo said, his face turning red. Separate from the irritation climbing up my throat, it was true that Seong Ha-ri looked young. Not a single wrinkle on her face, skin firm and smooth, her figure at a perfect level. No matter how you looked at her, her appearance put her somewhere in her early-to-mid twenties.

"Son. I heard. You're going up against the Cursed Object Class?"

"We put the dissolution of the Spirit Class on the line."

"If you'd told Mom, I would have helped you."

"It's nothing that big. The Cursed Object Class isn't much."

"Hmm. I dropped out of the academy, so I wouldn't really know—but the fact that I've never even heard of the Cursed Object Class probably means you're right."

"Mother. If it's Yujin, he'll win even against the Cursed Object Class."

Lee Si-eun said calmly. Seong Ha-ri nodded.

"I think so too. But the curses do bother me a little."

"Mom. Don't worry. The whole reason we're going this time is to prepare against curses. Or what—you don't trust me?"

"Of course not! Mom trusts her son."

"Mother! I trust Yujin too!"