What Came After the Midterms
Shinu! What the hell were those two techniques at the end?!
Young master! Why did you alone learn a signature ultimate technique?!
Husband… when did you become so strong?
As soon as I stepped out after finishing the exam, Hye-ji, Jung Ayeon, and Elsia were waiting. Hye-ji and Jung Ayeon approached with shocked expressions, clearly demanding an explanation for what they’d just seen. Elsia, on the other hand, wore an extremely dark look, chewing on her nails.
I was about to ask what was wrong when, before I could speak, I heard her mutter under her breath.
“…Damn it. This is different from before. Kidnapping’s going to be a pain now.”
……I’ll just pretend I didn’t hear that.
I decided to pretend I hadn’t heard it. Instead, I asked why someone as precious as Elsia had bothered showing up at the exam site when she was already a lofty Gold Rank. After all, the test wasn’t actually over yet.
Do you really think the word “precious” suits Elsia?
“Elsia, why did you come all the way here? What about your own test?”
“Oh my! I may not look it, but I’m quite capable! I finished mine ages ago!”
Elsia answered proudly, arms crossed. Naturally, the motion made her massive chest stand out even more. Behind her, Hye-ji ground her teeth audibly.
“Fucking bitch. I ought to rip those tits clean off.”
“……”
Elsia’s face stiffened for a second at Hye-ji’s words. Then she looked at me, suddenly gasping.
“Husband! Why is your left eye red?!”
“It really is! Shinu, what happened?”
“You noticed fast. We’re already eight chapters in.”
“This one assumed the young master had received a transplant of the Kurta clan’s scarlet eyes.”
“Great. Fucking Kurapika’s gonna show up to gouge it out.”
It’s not the Phantom Troupe. He wouldn’t actually kill me… right?
Hye-ji and Jung Ayeon circled back to their original question.
“Shinu, what was that explosion earlier?”
“I took the time the weapon exploded after I tried coating it with aura and improved the technique I used to block Cheonma’s attack.”
“Already copying my explosions. Looks like I need to train harder.”
“…What more do you even need to train? You trying to become a little boy or something?”
“Are you seriously calling me a tiny dick right now?”
“Ah, shit.”
I hurriedly calmed Hye-ji before she completely lost her mind. Then a question occurred to me.
“Wait, were you guys watching my test?”
“The middle section was not broadcast, so we only saw the final part.”
“The professor wouldn’t let you watch?”
“…The professor became enraged upon witnessing students engaging in copulation and cut the feed.”
“Well, you can’t exactly broadcast people making babies in the middle of an exam.”
It was definitely an awkward sight. The professor had probably snapped at them for losing focus.
“Professor Park Miran screamed ‘Are you the only ones doing it?!’ and shut it down.”
“……”
“Therefore, the moment the broadcast resumed was precisely when the young master activated his signature ultimate technique.”
It sounded less like a focus issue and more like Professor Park Miran had gotten personally triggered and killed the stream.
Park Miran, you crazy bitch. Serves you right.
Shut up. Please.
Right now Professor Miran had gathered the rest of the students who’d taken the test with me and was tearing into them. It was completely understandable. They’d casually done something she herself couldn’t.
Still, a few students were passionately defending themselves.
“What exactly do you think this exam is?! Do you have any idea how jealous—no, how ridiculous it looked?!”
“There was an accident where the dungeons merged! Plus someone threw molotovs and grenades!”
“I told you! A hunter responds instantly to any situation! And the rules said any means were allowed!”
“Then why are we getting yelled at?”
“Sex is not a valid monster-hunting method, you insane bastards!!!!”
Her rage was so intense that the wrinkles hidden beneath her makeup began deepening in real time. She looked like she was aging by the second.
I’d already hidden the grenades and molotovs just in case anyone pointed fingers.
Thanks to those guys filming their own Animal Kingdom special, my fragging didn’t get caught.
In the end, I was the only one who had properly completed the midterm. Everyone else received the lowest possible score.
“I don’t like it, but I’ll be giving the highest score solely to student Shinwoo for this exam.”
“…Could you please remove the first part of that sentence?”
“I really don’t like it, but is there a problem? Should I deduct points?”
“…No, ma’am.”
You bitch. You’re dead later.
And with that, my midterm exams finally came to a close.
In Jung Ayeon’s case, the exam had gone without a single incident. She really had just casually taken down one boss monster and walked out.
“Why are you so damn lucky?”
“It is because the young master’s usual conduct is poor. Please reflect on your actions.”
Hye-ji’s situation had been slightly different from Jung Ayeon’s. Just like during my test, the dungeons had merged. The only real difference was—
“Come here, you fucking pieces of shit.”
Hye-ji hadn’t moved a single step from her starting position the entire time. While the other students ran, Hye-ji stayed put, so the boss monsters found her and charged. There were all kinds of boss monsters, but Hye-ji sorted them into three neat categories:
Burn them.
Tear them to shreds.
Or turn them into rags.
In the end, unlike my test, the students who had been hiding managed to earn decent scores even if they didn’t get top marks.
When the exam ended, someone approached Hye-ji. It was one of the male students from the hiding group. When Hye-ji stared at him with a sullen expression, he knelt and carefully offered something resting on his palms.
“What is it?”
“O God of War, this is a small token of our sincerity.”
What the boy handed over was none other than a set of breast pads. Hye-ji’s face darkened in real time. She immediately drew her pistol and started shooting at him. The terrified boy quickly dove back into the crowd of students. With no target left, Hye-ji carefully tucked the breast pads into her pocket.
Even if they’re fake, they must be that precious to her. Even if they’ll never grow in her lifetime.
- Bang!!
At that exact moment Hye-ji fired a bullet in my direction. It grazed my ear and exploded the drink can Elsia was holding beside me.
“……Did I do something to deserve getting shot?”
“It looked like you were having impure thoughts.”
“……No way.”
Sharp-eyed bitch.
Then I remembered what Jung Ayeon had said earlier and turned to her.
“Hey, Jung Ayeon. You said earlier that accidents like that happen because of bad behavior, right?”
“…Be quiet.”
Jung Ayeon averted her eyes, clearly telling me to drop it.
“Does that mean Hye-ji has bad behavior too? Want me to go tell her?”
“Miss Hye-ji’s case is simply a handicap! Please just accept that!”
“Fine, just this once.”
Jung Ayeon’s pleading appearance was far more polished and disciplined than before. She must have been training at the Martial Arts Guild. While I was feeling satisfied with her progress, I remembered Elsia’s drink that Hye-ji had shot and glanced sideways.
But Elsia was gone. Only the punctured can and the puddle of spilled drink remained.
Before I could wonder where she went, I spotted her in the distance walking back with an armful of drinks.
“Elsia? Did you make money from coins or something? Why did you buy so many drinks?”
“No! I got all of these for free!”
“Free? From who?”
“I told the animals your name and they all gave them to me?”
“You crazy girl! Why are you stealing their supplies?!”
I smacked Elsia on the head and headed behind the cafeteria to return the drinks.
When we reached the back of the cafeteria, we found the animals sitting gloomily over their unfinished meals. I quickly apologized and began returning the drinks Elsia had taken.
While I was handing them back, Jung Ayeon suddenly spoke up.
“Young master, this may be strange to ask now, but I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“……Is it permissible to give beverages to animals?”
“That’s animal discrimination, Ayeon. Why can’t animals drink beverages? Our Choco hyung eats protein powder these days.”
“Shinu, what flavor protein is he eating?”
“Chocolate flavor. He says it makes his heart tingle every time.”
If my account were unlocked I would’ve bought him one as a gift. Shame.
But Jung Ayeon didn’t seem satisfied with the answer. She pointed at the animals.
“No! Think about it! Why are they so naturally opening the cans?!”
“Because the drink comes in a can. Of course you have to open it to drink.”
“That is not what I was asking!!!”
Jung Ayeon clutched her head and stomped her feet, completely unable to comprehend the situation. Not only us, but even the animals sipping their drinks began watching her with deep pity. They were all friends who had learned plenty, so complaining about something as simple as opening a drink was strange.
“Jung Ayeon must be pretty out of it after the test.”
“Yeah. Shinu, how many drinks are left?”
“Exactly four left for us.”
“One for husband and three for me!”
“Like hell, you crazy girl.”
I stopped Elsia from trying to swipe three at once, then handed one drink to each person. I gave my own share to Elsia.
“Elsia, you take mine. You look hungry.”
“Really? Husband! Thank you!”
Elsia beamed as she accepted the drink.
“I don’t like grape flavor, but I’ll drink it just for you!”
“Why are you acting like you’re doing me a favor? It’s pissing me off.”
“I’m joking! Anyway, thank you so much!”
Then Elsia suddenly gave me a seductive smile.
“Besides, if it’s something you give me, husband, I can eat or drink anything!”
“Really? If beans come out, can I just give you beans?”
“Of course! Anything is possible!”
Then Elsia licked her lips while looking at me. Specifically, at my lower half.
“Anything at all.”
“R-right…”
That gaze was so terrifying I unconsciously stepped back. At that moment, Elsia’s face lit up like she had remembered something and she stepped closer.
“Ah, that’s right! Husband! Do you have any plans after the second semester ends?”
“Not really?”
“Perfect! There’s a place you need to go with me!”
“Where?”
Elsia gently took my hand. Still smiling at me, she answered.
“I’ll tell you later!”
But her hand seemed to be trembling. And in her eyes… there was a look of desperate longing.