Heroes in Formation
Soon the dishes began to arrive. They weren't all served at once; the fact that soup came first suggested it was a course meal.
"By the way, Hee-won. When can I meet with your parents?"
"Mom and Dad aren't around. Mom's on an overseas business trip and won't be back this month, and Dad already had his meeting with you, Professor."
"That's right. I see... Well, all right. Anyway... suddenly staying over like this. You should have given me some notice beforehand. I wouldn't have been so flustered."
"Hee-won probably just wanted to stay with the professor. Hehe."
At that, Yoo Hee-won, who had been sipping her soup, shot Han Min-ha a murderous glare.
"Sorry... Hee-won."
"Stop talking nonsense and just eat. And don't stuff yourself. We're going swimming this afternoon."
"Swimming...?"
"You can't swim on a full stomach. By the way, do you even know how to swim?"
Han Min-ha's eyes widened as she stared at Yoo Hee-won and shook her head.
"I can't. And I don't have a swimsuit either."
"It's summer and you don't even own one swimsuit? I really don't get it."
"No... it's not that I don't have one. I have one at home, but I didn't bring it because I never thought we'd actually go swimming."
"Can't be helped. I'll lend you one of mine, so just eat in moderation. Professor, you know how to swim, right?"
Of course I did. It was part of the basic training you received at Secreto. They would throw you into the middle of the ocean on an inflatable boat and make you swim back on your own. But I had zero desire to swim with the kids.
"I don't know how."
"Really? That's strange... Weren't you a former hero?"
"If I fell in, I could just fly out, so I never felt the need to learn."
"That's really odd... How can a hero not know how to swim..."
Yoo Hee-won muttered to herself, tilting her head in confusion. The food kept coming one dish after another. According to Yoo Hee-won's boastful explanation, the chef at her "house" had graduated from some European culinary school with an unpronounceable name. He used to be the head chef at a luxury hotel before they brought him here. Perhaps because of that, the food was genuinely delicious. Han Min-ha, having completely forgotten Yoo Hee-won's warning to eat in moderation, devoured every dish that appeared as if in a trance.
"It's so good!"
"First time eating something like this?"
"Yeah. It's the same as when you tried stir-fried pork intestines for the first time. Seriously. It's really delicious."
"How about you, Professor?"
When Yoo Hee-won asked while studying my expression, I nodded as well.
"It's delicious. I'm glad I came."
"Good. I'm pleased."
Yoo Hee-won wore a satisfied smile as she watched Han Min-ha and me enjoying the meal. It was unexpected that she could make such an expression just from watching others eat.
After taking a sip of water, Yoo Hee-won changed the subject.
"By the way, there's an internship next semester, isn't there?"
"There is."
"Do students from the same class all go to the same place?"
"No. The agencies and the Management Bureau that saw the last semester's PVP Combat Evaluation will each make their nominations. We'll choose from those offers, so we might go together or end up scattered separately."
Han Min-ha, who had been listening with her mouth full, asked with an extremely worried expression.
"What if... what if no one nominates me...? Does that mean I can't do the internship...?"
"No. In that case, they'll send you to a place affiliated with the academy. But you don't need to worry about that. Min-ha, you were the biggest topic of conversation in this evaluation."
"Eek?! Me...? But I just kept getting beaten up in the beginning and passed out at the end..."
"That's exactly why. Heroes are entertainers. It's more important to capture the public's attention than to fight silently. In that sense, Min-ha, you drew an enormous amount of interest during this evaluation."
"Haa..."
Han Min-ha let out a deep sigh, looking burdened.
"Is it really that bad...? I was too scared to even look it up online... Ah... I really hate this..."
Her personality of disliking attention was similar to mine.
"What are you saying, you pig? There are tons of kids who desperately want attention but can't get it, and you're complaining like you've had too much?"
At Yoo Hee-won's words, Han Min-ha shook her head.
"But once you get this kind of attention, even the smallest mistake gets blown way out of proportion."
"Then just don't make mistakes, idiot. And why are you already whining when you haven't even started anything yet?"
However, Han Min-ha still looked worried as she turned to me and asked.
"What if I end up at a scary hero's agency?"
"A scary hero?"
"Like Goshawk... It would be really tough working under someone like that..."
"Then just say you won't go. It's not like you'll be dragged there by force."
Yoo Hee-won clicked her tongue as she looked at Han Min-ha like she was an idiot.
"Can you recommend somewhere good? Obviously, there will be a lot of places nominating me."
"Well. If you want to see the field from a broader perspective, it would be good to join the Management Bureau. After all, there would be more to learn from institutional and legal aspects than from a private agency."
"What if I go to a private agency?"
"If it's a private agency, choose heroes who don't cause moral problems outside of hero activities. Someone who possesses great power but doesn't abuse it is a true hero. There aren't many heroes like that, though."
"For example?"
"Heroes like Regal Might would be good."
"Hmm. Regal Might..."
Yoo Hee-won didn't say anything more and mulled over my words. Han Min-ha, who had been glancing between me and Yoo Hee-won, soon resumed eating with gusto again.
After the meal, Yoo Hee-won dragged Han Min-ha off to her room. I changed into comfortable clothes in the guest room and headed straight for the swimming pool. I had no intention of splashing around and playing with the kids, but it also didn't feel right to follow them all the way here only to stand around with my hands behind my back for the sake of appearances. So I planned to lie on a sunbed, enjoy a cool drink, and get some sun. Having spent the entire winter indoors, my face had become so pale it looked haggard, so I figured I could use some sunlight.
As expected, the swimming pool was outdoors right behind the house. It would be absurd for a house like this not to have a pool. Several staff members were already outside setting things up for us. I claimed one of the sunbeds under a parasol in the corner and lay down comfortably. A staff member immediately approached and offered me a drink. It was a yellow beverage in a chilled glass that tasted like a cocktail. Malibu Orange, perhaps? Either way, it was delicious.
"Ah, Hee-won...! Wait a second...!"
"Hurry up and come out!"
At that moment, a loud commotion could be heard from the other side of the building. When I turned around, I saw Yoo Hee-won and Han Min-ha coming out to the pool area, with Han Min-ha wrapped in a large towel draped over her shoulders. For some reason, Han Min-ha was refusing to come, and Yoo Hee-won was mercilessly dragging her by the wrist.
"I'll just rest inside... Can't you just swim by yourself...?"
"What are you talking about! Come on! The professor is already here!"
"Eek! That's why I hate this even more...!"
But Han Min-ha was no match for Yoo Hee-won's strength. Dragged along helplessly, Han Min-ha spotted me and blushed as she pulled the towel tighter around herself.
"Hello, Professor... Could you please say something to Hee-won? I really don't want to swim right now..."
However, Yoo Hee-won mercilessly threw Han Min-ha into the swimming pool without any regard. With a whoosh, Han Min-ha flew through the air and plunged into the middle of the pool, creating a violent splash.
"Puhack?! Hee-won!"
"You should have just gone in quietly instead of talking so much."
Yoo Hee-won followed her into the water with a wicked smile. Han Min-ha stared in despair at the towel that had come loose and was now floating away. Watching her, I finally understood why the girl had been so desperately trying to avoid swimming. Han Min-ha was wearing a bikini that Yoo Hee-won had lent her, but the top was the wrong size, causing her chest to spill out from the sides.
"Oh my? Min-ha, you have quite the figure."
The butler, who had somehow appeared beside me, was looking at the children in the pool with a pleased expression.
"Hee-won seems to be in a really good mood. She hasn't played in the pool since she was little."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. When she suddenly said friends were coming, she had the pool prepared in a hurry, so we had to fill it with water and clean it quickly."
So that was it... I thought as I watched Yoo Hee-won climbing onto Han Min-ha's back and tormenting her. It was a good thing I hadn't refused the invitation. If I hadn't come after all this preparation, she would have been deeply disappointed.
"Professor, come in too! Don't just lie there looking all damp!"
When Yoo Hee-won shouted, I raised my hand.
"I can't swim. I'll just rest here."
Yoo Hee-won then activated her aura and shot a considerable amount of water at me. I casually deployed a semicircular defensive barrier. The water she shot rebounded like it had been fired from a cup, pouring down instead over Yoo Hee-won and Han Min-ha's heads.
"Ah, that's no fun!"
Yoo Hee-won shrieked while Han Min-ha frantically grabbed at her chest straps, which had nearly come undone, her face turning bright red as if it might burst.
Kwooooooo-!!
At the sudden sound, everyone looked up at once. High in the sky, three heroes could be seen flying at high speed in some direction, trailing auras behind them.
"Huh? Heroes. Where are they going?"
The butler shaded his eyes with his hand and looked up at the heroes. Three heroes at once...? And flying in formation like fighter jets...?
Just then, two more heroes flying from another direction changed course to follow the same path the three heroes had taken. Five heroes flying in the same direction? What on earth was going on?