Chapter 112: A Woman's Transformation is Innocent, But This Much is Definitely Guilty (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 112: A Woman's Transformation is Innocent, But This Much is Definitely Guilty (1)
The midterm exams entered their fifth day.
So far, everything had gone smoothly without any major incidents.
I had safely passed three written theory exams and two practical exams for my position.
To be precise, I should say I safely passed the theory exams and overwhelmingly dominated the practicals.
Anyway.
Today was the final day, the fifth day.
Only one test remained: a team-based dungeon practical.
Our team consisted of two mages admitted under special consideration, a second-year transfer from the Magic Tower, one high-ranking tanker, and one low-ranking tanker.
With Elena as the only minus factor, Team 11 was surprisingly assigned to a dungeon we had already cleared once before.
“It’s the Ant Nest.”
“Ugh…”
“Ooh!”
The team members had varied reactions upon seeing ‘Ant Nest’ written next to Team 11’s name.
Elena’s eyes turned into dollar signs, while Im Na-eun still seemed repulsed by ants, a look of distaste on her face.
As for Seo-yeon and Yu-jeong… their reactions weren’t as strong, but they seemed to think it was a good thing.
More accurately, it felt like they thought it wasn’t bad, since we already had experience clearing it with ease.
“Hello, everyone!”
The person who approached us as we waited for our turn to board the bus was none other than Baek Hyeon-a.
For the dungeon practicals, a professor or an assistant was required to enter with the students to handle any crisis situations, in addition to grading.
It seemed she had been chosen to supervise us.
“I’m Professor Baek Hyeon-a, and I’ll be in charge of grading your dungeon practical today. Nice to see you, isn’t it?”
The way she subtly winked in my direction gave me the feeling she had deliberately chosen to take charge of our team.
Her objective… was probably me.
We’d only had a brief encounter, and with no progress since then, she must have been getting a little impatient.
Her outfit today, on our way to the dungeon, was just as revealing as ever.
A short skirt, black stockings, and a tight shirt and jacket that showed off every curve of her body.
Whenever she moved her legs slightly, the strap of a garter belt connected to her black stockings would peek out.
…This was so blatant it actually left me speechless.
Shin Yu-jeong, who was watching this with me, grumbled into my ear.
“Why would a professor dress like that?”
As she said it, she glanced at me out of the corner of her eye, and a mischievous urge suddenly took hold of me.
“It’s nice to look at, what’s the problem?”
“Oh, is that so?”
Her reaction was immediate.
If I left it at that, she would obviously get sulky…
“I think it would look even better on you.”
“…Wh-what are you saying?”
Shin Yu-jeong scoffed and whipped her head away.
With a reaction like that, I wouldn’t have to worry about any lingering resentment.
“Alright, let’s get going!”
At her signal, we boarded the bus.
I took a window seat in the back, but instead of Shin Yu-jeong, it was Baek Hyeon-a who gently sat down beside me.
“Hmph.”
Shin Yu-jeong, who had been walking over assuming the seat next to me was empty, pouted.
She seemed quite angry, but unable to confront a professor, she quietly went to sit in the seat behind us.
“My… this bus is so cramped. Don’t you think so, Student Do-jin?”
She blatantly rubbed her body against my shoulder.
This was a bus specially manufactured for Korea University.
It was one of the university’s points of pride, praised by everyone for its outstanding defensive capabilities against attacks, its incomparably spacious seats, and its comfortable ride.
To use a plane analogy, a regular bus was economy class, while the Korea University bus was first class.
Well… it’s not like I didn’t understand.
Men were creatures who went crazy for pretty women, so she probably thought this was the most effective method.
I wouldn’t deny that.
Even now, I was watching to see when her chest, trapped so frustratingly inside her shirt, would burst through the buttons.
But as I said before, I at least needed to know what she wanted before I could decide whether to bite or not.
Until then, this woman’s blatant seduction would only have the opposite effect on me.
I smiled and gently pushed her away.
“You have plenty of space to your left.”
“Ah… ah, oh, you’re, you’re right. Haha, why didn’t I notice…”
Baek Hyeon-a, seemingly not expecting to be rejected like this, stammered in embarrassment as she scooted away.
“Hee hee…”
Why did I feel like I could hear a familiar humming from behind me?
The bus, now full of people, left the campus gates.
At each stop, a team of five, along with their assigned grader, got off the bus.
Soon, our turn came.
We got off the bus and walked along a familiar path toward the rift.
She walked with me, maintaining a distance neither too far nor too close, like a satellite orbiting a planet. In front of the rift, she gave us a few words of caution.
They were safety rules we were all well aware of, so it felt more like a formality for both the speaker and the listeners to acknowledge them one more time before moving on.
“Alright, we’ll enter in order. Don’t forget, the evaluation begins the moment you step inside!”
Elena and Shin Yu-jeong, the tankers, were sucked into the rift one after the other.
Next was Seo-yeon, who moved between the front and rear lines, followed immediately by Im Na-eun.
Finally, it was my turn.
“Ah, Student Do-jin!”
Just as I was about to reach for the rift, she called out to stop me.
I turned my head, wondering what it was, and she spoke to me with a suggestive expression.
“You know that I personally have high expectations for you, Student Do-jin… right? I’ll be looking forward to a good performance today, okay?”
Translated, that meant: I’ll be watching from behind, so show me your amazing skills like last time.
It seemed she wanted to experience that thrill once more.
But what to do?
Unfortunately for her, I wouldn’t be showing the same kind of impact today.
I had planned to string her along just enough to figure out what she wanted, but I’d changed my mind. Trying to keep her around as this ‘chicken rib’—too good to give to someone else, yet not quite satisfying enough to take for myself—was just frustrating, and I couldn't stand it anymore.
“Professor.”
I took a step closer, looking down at her from my full height as I continued.
“Ah…”
Her eyes, looking up at me, glazed over slightly.
Was she expecting something sensual?
“May I offer you a piece of advice?”
Disappointed by my completely unexpected words, she glared at me with a prim look.
“Advice, you say.”
“Yes, advice.”
A small smile bloomed on her lips.
“Alright. I’d love to hear Student Do-jin’s advice.”
Her tone was dismissive, as if to say, Go on, give it your best shot.
I smiled and spoke to her.
“If you want to keep me, you’d be better off changing the order of your seduction.”
The look of composure that had been spread wide across her face began to shrink.
I reached out my right hand and poked my index finger at her chest, revealed between her excessively unbuttoned shirt.
I mean… her chest, yes, but not the swollen breast, but the flat part of her chest where you could feel the hard bone.
“The first thing you should do is lay bare everything you’re holding inside. And then, after that…”
I let my finger drop from her smooth skin and continued.
“We can finally press our bodies together. Without any hesitation.”
I was telling her that all her physical advances up to this point had been in vain.
I phrased it carefully so as not to hurt her feelings too much.
Was there anyone else in the world as warm-hearted as me?
Her face, which had been wearing a sultry expression as if she were ready to melt any man at any time, hardened for the first time.
But it was only for a fleeting moment.
“…That was much more important advice than I expected.”
Was her pride hurt, or had she accepted that her method was wrong?
I couldn’t tell which.
I wasn’t Professor Baek Hyeon-a; I couldn’t see inside her mind.
My teammates were waiting in the dungeon, so I should just say my last piece and be done with it.
“And you won’t be seeing the same performance as last time today.”
“…Hmph, and why is that?”
The reason?
There wasn’t one, really.
If I had to pick one…
“Because this dungeon is too easy.”
It was just that the dungeon’s difficulty was set far too low for our team’s strength.
After giving her one last smile as she stood there with a dumbfounded expression, I stepped straight into the rift.
* * *
It was the dead of night, shrouded in deep darkness.
Kim Do-jin sat on a wooden bench, took out his smartphone, and sent a message to Seo Jeong-hee.
[Student Do-jin: Seo Jeong-hee! I miss youuuu!!]
Ping!
Seo Jeong-hee, who had just turned off the TV and laid down in bed to sleep, happened to read the message and let out an involuntary laugh.
“Ahaha…”
Shaken from the drowsiness that had been slowly creeping up on her, she lay on her side, gazing at the screen with a fond expression before typing a reply.
[Jeong-hee: It’s already past midnight, you should be sleeping, right? You have to go to school tomorrow.]
Ping!
[Student Do-jin: I respectfully decline the nagging in mom-mode.]
Ping!
[Student Do-jin: Come up and have a cup of tea before you go.]
Ping!
[Student Do-jin: I got some really good tea leaves just for you, Ms. Jeong-hee.]
“Hmm…”
After a moment of hesitation, she got up from the bed.
The fact that the boy, who had never shown the slightest interest in tea before, said he had even gotten tea leaves for her, moved her heart.
Wearing only a thin slip, she threw a cardigan over her shoulders and headed straight for the rooftop.
“Ms. Jeong-hee!”
The moment she stepped onto the rooftop, she heard his voice.
Kim Do-jin had set up a small table on the wooden bench and was sitting there, waving at her.
“Oh my.”
On the table sat a transparent teapot, its contents clearly visible, and a pretty teacup.
Inside the transparent teapot was a beautiful yellow-colored tea.
He’d said he had prepared tea leaves, and it seemed he had prepared them properly.
Kim Do-jin gestured to the spot across from him, beckoning to the surprised woman.
“Hurry and sit. Tea loses its flavor when it gets cold.”
“O-okay.”
Seo Jeong-hee sat across from him with a bewildered expression.
“Hm?”
Her gaze shifted to a flowerpot partially hidden behind Kim Do-jin.
On the crude pot, which looked like it had been roughly shaped by foot, was a single yellow flower emitting a soft glow.
It was a flower of such beauty that one could stare at it endlessly.
But something was strange.
‘It feels like something is missing…?’
A part of the flower that should have been in full bloom was bare.
As if someone had plucked it by hand.
She flinched and looked at the tea in the transparent pot.
Coincidentally, it was the same yellow color.
‘Don’t tell me the tea leaves… are those flower petals?’
She quickly shook her head.
It couldn’t be.
Weren’t tea leaves created through processes like drying, withering, and roasting?
There was no way one could make such a clear-colored tea by simply plucking off flower petals.
“Here, let me pour you a cup.”
Kim Do-jin lifted the teapot and poured the yellow liquid into the teacup.
Trickle, trickle…
He immediately placed the cup filled with the clear yellow tea into her hands, urging her.
“Drink it all up. It’s precious, so don’t leave a single drop.”
“Alright. I’ll enjoy it…?”
Holding the warmly heated cup, Seo Jeong-hee slowly let the tea flow into her mouth.
A mysterious flavor spread from the liquid as it went down her throat smoothly.
It was a flavor that was hard to pin down—bitter yet sweet, sweet yet refreshing.
One thing was certain: the overall taste that blossomed in her mouth was incredibly addictive.
“This tea is very unique…? What’s the name of these tea leaves?”
The taste was completely to her liking.
As long as it wasn’t too expensive, she wanted to drink it from time to time.
Kim Do-jin answered with a smile.
“It’s evening primrose.”
“Evening primrose…? Brewing it as tea tastes like this… hmm…”
Her eyelids, which had shot open for a moment at the words ‘evening primrose,’ quickly grew heavy and drooped.
“What’s happening…? I’m suddenly so sleepy… so…”
She swayed her head, looking as if she might collapse at any moment.
Kim Do-jin stood up and supported her head as she slumped sideways, speaking.
“It’s because it’s nighttime and you’re sleepy. Evening primrose is good for insomnia.”
“I… see.”
She believed his words implicitly and slowly closed her eyes.
“Then I’ll just… sleep… a little…”
Before she could even finish her sentence, she fell into a deep sleep.
Kim Do-jin stared at her for a moment before lifting her onto his back and heading downstairs.
He carefully turned the doorknob so as not to wake Shin Yu-jeong, entered the house, and gently laid her down on the master bedroom bed.
Just as quietly as he had entered, he closed the door and returned to the rooftop. He then picked up the flowerpot he had hidden behind his back.
The petals, which had originally numbered twelve, were now down to six.
It was because he had brewed six of them at once for her cup of tea just now.
“Hmm… what should I do with the remaining six?”
The possibilities were so endless that it was difficult to choose just one.
“Well, it’s not urgent.”
Kim Do-jin hid the pot in a place where it wouldn’t be easily seen, then gazed at the sprawling night view with clear eyes.
“Heh heh.”
Did she know?
That the tea leaves she had brewed and drunk were not from an ordinary evening primrose, but from the Spiritual Flower (靈花) named ‘Hundred-Year Evening Primrose,’ so called because it was said to bloom only once every hundred years.
She probably didn’t.
Nor that it was a flower so rare it had appeared in the world less than ten times, and that there were countless rich people desperate to get their hands on it.
Nor that it boasted an effect so potent that consuming just one petal could make an old body, plagued by minor ailments, surge with new vitality as if it had been lubricated.
And that she had just swallowed not one, not two, but a whopping six of those precious petals at once.
It was something she could go her whole life without knowing.
He was just curious.
What would she look like when she woke from her deep sleep the next morning?
Kim Do-jin was terribly curious to find out.