Chapter 147. You're Hunter Song Hoon's Girlfriend, Right?
Chapter 147. You're Hunter Song Hoon's Girlfriend, Right?
I sat down with a bewildered expression.
Then they smiled contentedly as well, and began taking their seats one by one.
'...?'
The President beamed and gestured.
"I've been wanting to talk with you for a while now...! Is there anything about campus life that's been inconvenient for you?"
Blinking at his fussing, I muttered internally.
'Right now was the most inconvenient...'
But outwardly, I smiled as naturally as possible and nodded.
"Nothing particularly inconvenient. I just... heard it was a general interview."
The President nodded and spoke seriously.
"Our school already has students who are active hunters from time to time. But there are many cases where they need to balance their hunter activities and their studies. I wanted to explain that system to you."
"System?"
"For officially recognized cases, such as gate entries, association duties, or guild activities, attendance, assignments, and even some exams can be substituted for that period. Though it does require a prior report and approval process, of course."
I'd seen this somewhere before...
'Isn't that just like kids who get early jobs during their fourth year, second semester?'
The President explained so passionately that spittle flew, and the others around him nodded with bright smiles.
Then they bowed their heads to us and expressed their gratitude.
"We haven't really done anything."
"Haha, thanks to you two, the school is buzzing. Not only other domestic schools, but we're flooded with inquiries from students who haven't even enrolled yet. The academic support team is handling admissions counseling day and night."
Sisterhood ties with prestigious overseas universities.
Exchange student inquiries.
Increased government-level support.
Sponsorship offers from corporations.
"Is it really that big of a deal...?"
"Haha, thanks to our students, support has increased, so welfare for the students will likely improve. We were already planning the library expansion..."
The President was laying it on thick.
Usually, this kind of talk always comes before a request...
"And many of our school's alumni are continuing to give donations and support. So, without further ado..."
I knew it.
"I would like you to actively participate in the general alumni association. It's a bit much for me to say it myself, but isn't our school the top university in the Republic of Korea?"
"Mm..."
As I made a slightly troubled expression, the President waved his hands and hurriedly spoke.
"Of course, just showing your face for a moment is fine. We have many outstanding alumni who have brought glory to the school! It will likely be a great help to you students as well!"
He phrased it indirectly, but as the Unknown Hunter, it was a request that practically begged, 'Please, just come this once.'
It wasn't unpleasant.
It meant I had become a figure who could exert great influence just by showing my face.
"Hmm... you're talking about the general alumni association?"
I didn't particularly want to go, but Laila, who was sitting next to me, asked again in an interested voice.
That expression, full of novelty, anticipation, and something like excitement.
— Squeeze.
"I want to go... what about you, Hoon?"
Holding my hand under the table and asking with that face was cheating.
It's not a yellow card level—it's a straight red card.
"...Alright. I was planning to leave early, but I'll attend."
At our words, the President beamed.
"Thank you. It will probably be a big help to the students later on."
It didn't seem like it would really be a big help...
But I thought it would be fine to do this favor for the President who helped with my academic reinstatement.
---
We came out of the President's office and headed to the lecture hall, arriving fortunately before class started.
The front row was burdensome, and the very back row actually stood out more.
So we picked the most inconspicuous, ambiguous corner seat.
"Hero, the professor is here."
"Ah..."
We had deliberated carefully and picked this seat to avoid attention, but...
students kept glancing at Song Hoon and Laila, whispering amongst themselves.
The professor also couldn't hide his nervousness.
"Ah, isn't this something Student Song Hoon would know well!?"
"?"
At the sudden call, I made a flustered expression.
Then the professor who had called my name also made an 'oops' face, but now that he'd started, he couldn't take it back.
"Regarding the gates... well... Student Song Hoon would probably know better, right? Could you explain a bit about the environmental changes of a gate based on mana detection volume?"
"...?"
The entire lecture hall fell silent.
The students' expressions were tinged with shock.
I could feel the sentiment of, 'How dare the professor ask a question to someone like him...?'
"...Ah, yes. Well... to explain briefly, the grade changes according to the detection volume and..."
After finishing the explanation, the professor nodded, turned around, and proceeded with the lecture.
His dress shirt was already soaked with sweat, and his hands were trembling.
An hour that felt like three passed, and we finally came outside.
On a sunlit corner of the campus, we sat quietly on a mat spread out on the grass.
Laila was kneeling, gently stroking my hair as I lay down.
"This is nice..."
"Isn't it? I've only ever heard about school life in stories..."
The surroundings were abuzz with noise.
Makgeolli and beer, simple snacks, the excited laughter of students.
Yet strangely, no one was around us.
"That's not what I meant."
"Huh?"
"I mean it's nice because I'm here with you."
"Ugh... really..."
Laila's face reddened as she turned her head away.
This kind of gap moe she showed from time to time.
Her attack power was high, but her defense was completely fragile.
"Laila~!"
Just then, Park Hyo-jung's voice rang out from a distance.
Beaming with a bright smile, she came holding cool cans of beer and snacks.
"Heehee, please have some of this!"
"Thank you. I'll enjoy it~"
A student who could converse with Laila without hesitation.
Laila also treated her like a cute younger sister.
'Wow... did she know the Unknown Hunter from before?'
'I was so jealous...'
'Was she a relative?'
The students watching this scene from afar were amazed.
Even though they were classmates, the social gap prevented them from approaching.
'Should I try talking to her naturally too?'
'From the broadcasts, she doesn't seem particularly fussy...'
A gap so large that even jealousy felt like a luxury.
But the male students were jealous for a different reason.
'Seriously... did he save a country in his past life?'
'I was not jealous of his money or ability, but the girlfriend...!!!'
'Mom, you said I'd get a girlfriend when I went to college...'
Their jealous feelings meant little.
"Hoon, have some of this~"
Picking up a snack Park Hyo-jung had bought, she popped it into my mouth as I lay with my head in her lap.
And Laila's face as she looked at me was full of affection.
'Fuck, fuck, fuck...!!!'
'Please fill my glass with bleach...'
At that moment, I sat up.
Then, looking around, I called out to my classmates who had settled at a distance.
"Hoon, is it okay?"
"Laila, didn't you want to make friends?"
The boyfriend was also devoting(?) himself for his girlfriend.
---
That evening.
The auditorium was packed to the brim for the general alumni association.
The purpose of the event was supposedly a place where 'seniors become mentors to juniors,' but today it was clearly different.
"Wow... there are so many, aren't there?"
"There are several times more than usual. Even graduates from the classes of '60 and '70 have come."
"Those folks... last year they made all sorts of excuses not to come..."
The President laughed lightly.
"This time, something more important than those things came up."
The reason these people had gathered.
It was none other than the Unknown Hunter.
"Thanks to this, only our faculty is having a field day."
Connections still hold great power in the Republic of Korea.
Therefore, the professors naturally participated in this event without fail.
Those who already occupied high-ranking positions.
"Seniors, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Song Hoon."
"Really amazing! To think of establishing such a foundation at your young age."
"I also put in a donation not long ago. It's small compared to our junior here, but..."
"In fact, I subtly mentioned that draft welfare policy during the National Assembly session."
At the center of it all, I just listened quietly.
And a step away, Laila watched me with a proud expression.
'Heehee, his face looked incredibly bored.'
Most of the words they spoke were praise and encouragement, but there was a subtle vanity mixed in, a desire to advertise their own achievements.
— I did this kind of thing! Praise me!
And someone approached Laila to greet her.
"Haha... it's a pleasure."
Men may rule the world, but women rule the men.
Those who quickly realized this truth changed the target of their offensive to Laila.
"This... is famous in France..."
"I recently took a trip, and the desserts there..."
"Oh my, thank you~"
Having received plenty of such tributes(?) from nobles in the past, Laila conversed with them skillfully.
At that moment, a foreign woman approached Laila.
"You're Hunter Song Hoon's girlfriend, right?"
"Pardon?"
"Because you're so beautiful. I came to find you to say hello."
Laila tilted her head, wondering if there had been a foreign student in her department.
"I graduated early very quickly, so you probably wouldn't have seen me around school."
"Ah, is that so?"
"I'd like to become close friends with you, Miss Laila. Is that alright?"
"...?"
The mysterious woman smiled brightly as she offered a handshake.
In the woman's eyes, there was a greed that intensely desired someone(?).
And to top it off, the woman's pupils were filled with confidence.
'...'
"I don't have many friends in Korea."
Laila's expression, for just a fleeting moment.
Grew so cold that an ordinary person wouldn't have noticed.
'Hmm...'
It seemed I'll have to be very thorough in keeping the Hero in check.