Chapter 942
Chapter 942
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 942
Chapter Title: Academy's Savior
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I managed to score a date with Kang Ji-young. It started as a simple dinner—a peace offering fueled by her guilt over the security breach at Maruhan Academy—but after a well-timed tantrum on my part, it was upgraded to an official "date."
I knew exactly what was going through her head. To her, a meal is a meal, regardless of the label. Honestly, she wasn't wrong. 'Still, words have power. The vibe changes the moment you call it a date.'
The meeting was set for 3:00 PM. I arrived a full hour early, leaning against a pillar and watching the crowd.
'Ji-young doesn't see me as a man. To her, I’m just a student—or worse, her best friend's kid.' Closing a twenty-year age gap isn't exactly a walk in the park. But "difficult" doesn't mean "impossible."
"I thought I was early... but it seems I’ve kept you waiting."
Ji-young appeared, slicing through the crowd like a literal beacon. At 180 cm, she commanded attention effortlessly. Her dark brown hair cascaded over a simple gray blouse and navy slacks. It was a casual look, but on her frame, it looked like high fashion.
"You're ten minutes early," I noted with a grin. "Were you that excited to see me?"
She let out a short, dry laugh. "Being ten minutes early is just professional courtesy. When did you get here?"
"Two o'clock."
"...An hour early? You?" She eyed me with genuine suspicion. We’d known each other long enough for her to know I wasn't usually the "eager beaver" type.
"I was looking forward to this that much."
"Listen to me carefully," she said, her tone dropping into 'Dean mode.' "It’s a date because you insisted, but don't expect fireworks. We’ll walk around, eat, and then we’re done."
"We agreed on 10:00 PM," I reminded her. "Dinner is just the midpoint."
"Fine. But the second that clock hits ten, I’m gone. No whining. Understood?"
"Understood. Just take it seriously, okay? Is this actually your first date?"
"...My first. Men don't exactly line up to ask me out," she admitted bluntly. It wasn't hard to see why. Her charisma was suffocating, and the sheer pressure radiating from an S-rank Hero was enough to make most men lose their appetite.
"From now on, I’m calling you by your name. No 'Dean,' no 'Auntie.'"
"Is that really necessary?"
"It’s a date, Ji-young. Titles are mood-killers."
"...Fine. And what am I supposed to call you? Oppa?"
She laughed, then reached out and gripped my head. Her hand tightened until I heard my skull groan. "Arghhh! Stop! I was kidding! Call me whatever you want!"
"Lame joke," she muttered, releasing me. My head continued to throb as she reached into her pocket and tossed me a ring. She was wearing an identical one on her right index finger.
"Recognition-blocking rings," she explained. "If the Dean of Maruhan is spotted on a date with a student, it’ll be a PR nightmare. And your mother... ugh. Just thinking about her reaction is giving me a migraine."
I slipped the ring on. Instantly, the subtle glances from passing pedestrians flickered and died. We were invisible in plain sight.
---
Before we set off, I checked her status window. I needed to see where we stood.
Favorability 55. Crossing the 50-point mark meant she felt genuine affection. We had moved past "family friend" and into "romantic possibility."
---
We ducked into a quiet cafe. "Two iced Americanos," I ordered.
"...How did you know I like those?"
"I saw you drinking one in the middle of a blizzard. You’re a die-hard fan, aren't you?"
"Not really. I’ve just spent so much time around cold mana that hot drinks feel... wrong."
The waitress arrived with the coffees and a slice of strawberry cake we hadn't ordered. "We didn't order this," Ji-young said politely.
"It’s a special for couples!" the waitress beamed, holding a Polaroid camera. "Free cake and a souvenir photo for every pair that comes in today."
Ji-young hesitated, but I cut her off. "Come on, Ji-young. It’s free. No downside."
I caught the waitress's eye and winked. There was no "special." I’d paid her a generous 'consultation fee' beforehand to set this up. Money moves mountains; it moves waitresses even faster.
"Sit closer," the waitress urged. "Sir, wrap an arm around her. You look too stiff!"
I pulled Ji-young close. She startled but didn't pull away, clearly trying to avoid a scene. Click! Click! The camera flashed, and we were handed the photos. Ji-young looked at hers for a long moment before tucking it into her pocket.
"You shouldn't grab a woman like that without asking," she muttered, though her voice lacked its usual bite.
"We're on a date. Cut me some slack."
We talked for a while, the conversation shifting from mundane academy politics to something deeper. I decided to test the waters with a personal topic. "Ji-young... do you know anything about my father?"
She went quiet. "Sung Ha-ri's husband? You should ask her."
"She dodges the question every time. I’ve looked into it myself and found nothing."
"I don't know the specifics," she said after a long pause. "But your mother was active right up until she started showing. Looking back, she always seemed like she was being chased by something. She worked alone—no close partners, no flings that I knew of."
"Just tell me the truth."
"...There was an unofficial incident in Gaegyeong. A massive dungeon raid. Fifty Heroes were sent in. Fourteen A-ranks and thirty-five B-ranks died. Only your mother came back out."
"And my father was one of those fifty?"
"Based on the timeline of your birth... yes. Most likely."
I fell silent, pretending to absorb the news. If the guy was dead, that was one less loose end to worry about. "Thanks for telling me. It feels better to know where I came from."
"Your roots are with Sung Ha-ri. Your Spirit Eye is proof enough of that bloodline."
We finished our coffee and stepped back out onto the bustling street. Suddenly, a roar of an engine echoed through the air. A sports car screamed down the narrow road, swerving dangerously close to the sidewalk where Ji-young was standing.
"Ji-young!"
I reached out, snagged her arm, and hauled her into my chest. The car zipped past in a blur of chrome and noise. It was a classic move, perfectly executed. Her soft, voluptuous body was pressed firmly against mine, and for a second, the busy street ceased to exist.
"...What the hell was that?" she whispered, looking up at me.