New Skill # 1
New Skill # 1
Leona nagged me the entire way to turn in the report. She kept it up through the next break and carried it all the way past the end of the school day. No kidding, I was about ten seconds from my ears literally callousing over.
Even my own mother didn't nag me this much. Now that I think about it, I barely have any memories of getting nagged at all.
Which means right now, Leona is subjecting me to more nagging than I've ever heard in my whole life. To the point where I literally don't even have a spare second for anything else. She's glued to my side, never. Stops. Nagging.
But every damn thing she says is right, so I have no choice but to obey...!
"Gahk!"
"Faster, Kim Geun-cheol. Stop whining and solve this. You just plug it straight into the formula I showed you a second ago. And once you finish this, you're drilling the exact same problem type for mastery. Understood?"
She even made her own freaking workbook to force-feed me repetitive drills!
I seized my pencil and started squeezing the formula I'd just memorized onto the page, jotting down numbers.
"Good. You're solving it nicely. Get them all right and I'll give you a snack."
"What am I, a little kid?! Bribing me with snacks to do problems!"
My protest earned me nothing but a sigh from Leona.
"Haah."
"Leona...?"
Leona sighing is terrifying... The second that thought registered, Leona fixed me with a searing glare and spoke in a calm, measured tone.
"Seriously. If Kim Geun-cheol’s average had just cleared 70, do you think I’d be doing this? A 68. This crap. Does a 68 make any sense when Leona Kainus, the elite of elites and genius of geniuses, personally tutors you?"
Shockingly, that wasn't narcissism. It was just a fact.
"Unless this is a translation issue because I'm speaking Korean instead of English, this is a matter of my pride."
"Th-that's, I mean."
"Save the excuses and just solve it. You have to nail the next assessment."
—taptaptap.
The vibe Leona was radiating as she drummed her fingers on the desk was genuinely alarming.
But what can I do? It's my own fault.
"Until your average breaks 70, you are going to study to a truly inhumane degree. So quit whining. Studying is, by nature, something you sometimes have to do brutally."
"I'm so grateful I could cry...!"
"Once studying is over, you'll drill training properly too. And when you get home, don't just order delivery again because there's nothing to eat for dinner. Right now, because you got a little bounty money, you're wasting it on luxuries. Like I always say, a proper diet is the foundation of a strong hero..."
Leona paused for a beat.
"Kim Geun-cheol?"
"What."
"Want me to send you some vegetables?"
"Vegetables? Ah, no, you don't have to go that—"
"No! Let's go to the store together! When studying's done, let's just go to the store! I'll pick out what you need!"
Getting worked up mid-sentence, Leona shouted and ignited Vegetable-Man Kim Geun-cheol's ambition!
"Good grief, she's even going to the store with me! It's fine! I'll manage my own diet!"
"Manage it yourself? Are you, Kim Geun-cheol, capable of that right now?"
"Well, no, I guess not really..."
"Now, finish solving this and then gogo to the store! Got it!"
Why is she so psyched about this!
"But why do we have to go to a store just to buy vegetables..."
"Do you have a complaint!"
"I mean!"
If she keeps doing this, doesn't it make me look like some picky-eater brat!
But I'm an adult. I said I can handle things fine on my own. As I tried to explain that, Leona boldly shouted.
"Fine! Then let's settle it with a duel!"
"What?! A duel?!"
"Follow me out to the training grounds!"
"I'll go! I'm going! Please, just have mercy!"
"Hmph! You should have answered like that in the first place! Then hurry up and solve the problems and let's go to the store!"
"Understood!"
In the end, Leona dragged my ass all the way to the store...
* * *
"Seriously, why is she buying me more stuff? I said I'm paying."
"You're too loud, so just push the cart."
"Kay."
"'Kay,' my ass."
—clatter.
As I pushed the cart, Leona stopped in front of the vegetable section. She started scrutinizing cabbages and tomatoes and whatnot with a dead-serious face, beginning the selection process.
"..."
My heart—!
For a second, the sight was so devastating I almost wondered if Leona had somehow become my wife! Why the hell does this girl take such good care of me!
Even though I was just standing in front of a shopping cart, I felt this warmth washing over me like I'd crawled right into my own mother's arms. Is this what it means to be the Saintess? The Archangel. And the goddess Leona?
"Tomatoes. Cabbage. Lettuce. Carrots. Paprika. Broccoli."
"Why are you buying so much?"
"Because they're all necessities. Make sure you eat a fixed amount every single day. I think buying enough for three days'll do it."
"Why don't you just become a vegetable vendor. A vegetable vendor."
"Heh, 'vegetable vendor,' my ass. I'm going to inspect, so eat them all properly. Understood?"
"Inspections too!"
"I don't care. Anyway, I'm inspecting."
—swoop.
Having said that, Leona swept the veggies into the cart. Thinking about eating all this makes me dizzy.
"No, hey, Leona. So, from now on, after school, you know? After training, when I go back to the dorm, do I just have to eat nothing but this rabbit food? That's just cruel."
"Then let's buy some meat too."
"Meat!"
"But not fatty pork belly or anything. Make sure your intake is protein-focused."
"What, like I'm in the Fire Tribe?"
"Not a bad idea...! There's a place called Asura Fire-Tribe-Feet, want to go?"
"Why does a place like that even exist!"
Seriously, I can't accept this!
Anyway.
—rustle!
Thanks to Leona, my fridge is scheduled to be absolutely crammed with vegetables. Finishing up a quick shopping trip, we paid and stepped outside.
"We've got a huge problem, Leona. If I eat all this, aren't I seriously going to become a vegetable person?"
"Cut the crap, seriously. Then, good work today. Make sure to study, train, and stick to your diet properly. Even without me around. Understood?"
She said it like she was positively worried, but I'm not a kid, so obviously I'll manage just fine on my own.
"Yeah. Thanks, Leona. For even looking out for my groceries. They're vegetables, but anyway, thanks."
"If you're grateful, just work hard as a hero after graduation. And when I call you, come work in Europe a bit too."
"Okay. Of course, of course. May I help you?"
"Blahblahblahblah."
Wh... what'd she say?
"What? I didn't catch that."
"Aren't you studying English!"
"I will! I will! Gyaaaaah!"
That was the vibe as I shot the breeze with Leona, then headed back to the dorm, clutching the grocery bags.
"..."
At the wrist that Leona had clamped onto and yanked hard... I still felt a lingering warmth.
"What the—it's all swollen!"
Just how hard did she grab me!
* * *
"Oof."
Anyway, seriously, what a tiring day. Why does a single day feel this freakishly long? Maybe that's why. I was ravenously hungry.
Somehow, I could practically hear Leona's voice telling me to eat my vegetables. Alright then, let's eat.
"Let's whip up a little something."
I've got all sorts of vegetables. I even have pork shoulder. Sear it up properly and it'll be perfect.
—splaaash.
I washed the veggies under water and placed them on the cutting board. Wait, come to think of it, I didn't have a kitchen knife.
"Of course, for this Kim Geun-cheol, that was a non-issue."
Right away.
"Weapon Enchantment."
I snatched up a pair of metal chopsticks, activated the enchantment, and an aura surged forth. Like that, I used the chopsticks as my kitchen knife and sliced the vegetables and meat.
"Feeling good."
Then, I placed the meat on an oiled pan to cook. Once it was slightly seared, I added soy sauce, red-pepper flakes, a pinch of black pepper, and sugar and stir-fried it. Tossing in the prepped veggies, I had a home-cooked bachelor dish complete.
"Hah!"
An exclamation of awe burst out at the completed pork-shoulder stir-fry!
"That looks fucking amazing!"
Ah, but because it's been so long since I last cooked, I totally botched the portions. Man, I made way too much. So what if I had a ton left over?
"Si-hoo!"
I went to call my friend immediately!
"Uh, huh? Geun-cheol?"
In comfortable lounging clothes, Si-hoo cracked the door open slightly.
"You eat yet?"
"Not yet... Why, Geun-cheol? Want to order delivery again?"
"No. Not that. I cooked, but I made way too much. Come eat with me."
"Cooked? You, Geun-cheol, can cook?"
Si-hoo's interest was immediately piqued.
"Just a little home cooking."
"Home? Geun-cheol, have you ever lived alone before?"
"Ah, no. Not like that. On the internet, you know, there are those simple recipe things. The recipes for living-alone cooking looked pretty easy."
"Ah, is that it! Then I'll come over!"
—swish!
Si-hoo immediately opened the door and stepped out.
"..."
Slides, an oversized white t-shirt, and casual indoor shorts. Was the t-shirt on the thicker side? But seriously, whenever you look at this guy's body, it totally gives off this soft, delicate vibe.
"Hurry up, come on."
"Yeah!"
Maybe because of the mention of my home cooking, Si-hoo's eyes sparkled with anticipation. With that, Si-hoo and I went into my room together.
"Whoa, the meat smells great. This is pretty legit?"
"Taste it before you judge. Taste it. Have a seat."
"I wanna eat fast."
I immediately loaded up a bowl with rice and meat and served it.
"Whoa! It turned out way better than I thought? Geun-cheol. Are you actually kind of good at cooking?"
Well, of course I know how to cook.
"Hehehe, really? Then let's eat."
"Yeah. Ah, but Geun-cheol. What's the occasion? Cooking and everything? Did you go to a supermarket or something?"
"No, dude. So, you know how I studied with Leona today?"
As I said that, Si-hoo stared at me intently.
"I know. But why?"
"After studying, Leona and I went to the store together and picked up groceries."
"Wh... what? Why did you go grocery shopping with Leona?"
"She said I don't eat vegetables, so she was going to buy them for me personally. So I got dragged all the way to the store and we got groceries."
"Wh... what? S-so, you went shopping with Leona?"
"Pretty much."
"Hmm."
Si-hoo nodded and picked up a piece of meat to eat.
"Geun-cheol. Lately, you seem kinda glued to Leona's side."
"Tell me about it. She's my mom. My mom."
"A mom, huh. So, is that just how guys are?"
"How so?"
"No. Never mind. Geun-cheol, you're a good cook. This is good."
"Right?"
Si-hoo hesitated for a second, but must've liked it, because xe kept picking up the meat and eating it diligently. This kinda rough-style spicy stir-fried pork just hits the spot, you know.
"Anyway, Leona really seems to take good care of you, Geun-cheol."
"I'm telling you, she totally treats me like a child."
"Do you like being treated like a child, Geun-cheol?"
"I mean, it's not exactly that I like it."
It's not that I especially like being treated like a kid, but isn't Leona practically a saint? Just, her light is so bright that everything's good.
No, but wait.
"Si-hoo?"
"Huh? What?"
"No."
Felt a little chilly there for a second.
The hell?