The Devil of the Seoul Repeat Academy's In-Seoul Class

Ten minutes earlier, Lee Ah-rang had been soaking in the medicinal hot spring, gazing up at the night sky.

"Haah. That was really something...."

With only her upper body above the water, she replayed the image of him from their earlier sparring session. Whenever she lunged in quickly, he would instantly predict her next move and counter by striking her openings. His responses were so swift it was as if he already understood every technique of the Taeguk Four Divine Arts. Because the Taeguk Four Divine Arts allowed mid-movement changes in form, one could never rely on simple prediction. You had to sweep away every possible variation at once, turning their exchange into something like a synchronized dance.

"Hehe.... Come to think of it, they say there are dance parties at social gatherings and such."

Social banquets permitted only to those who had husbands. Lee Ah-rang was more than qualified to attend. Especially since Lee Seon-hee had designated her as her successor, participation was inevitable someday. Lee Ah-rang splashed the spring water over herself with a bright smile, imagining her future life with Yoo Ji-tae.

"If we keep going like this, maybe we'll get married around next year...."

A fantasy unfolded in Lee Ah-rang's mind. Once we enter university, we'll live on our own. We'll get a place together in Seoul, eat and sleep side by side. Hmm. Let's turn down a maid. If possible, I want to cook for him myself.

As she thought this, she swept back her wet silver hair. Suddenly, a dark shadow crossed her face. Would Ji-tae... hate that?

She recalled the Yoo Ji-tae from earlier. The man whose mind had been broken by merciless abuse. "...How can I save you, Ji-tae?"

If simply loving him could heal everything, that would be easy, but it won't be that simple.

...If I touch him, he'll probably hate it even more. I shouldn't even hold his hand without permission. No. First, I have to keep showing him that I'm a good girl, nothing like those violent women.

Lee Ah-rang groaned and tousled her hair. "Aaaah. I don't know!!!"

She sank her entire body into the medicinal spring, trying to calm her troubled heart while thinking of Yoo Ji-tae. I just want the person I love to be happy. Why is this so hard...?

She squeezed her eyes shut and curled up. She wanted to carry all of his past, understand it, and heal him. But she didn't know how. What if she only ended up hurting him instead...? That fear gripped her.

After staying submerged for about ten minutes, Lee Ah-rang rose from the spring to cool her overheated body. She stretched, eyes closed, and shivered. When she opened her eyes and looked straight ahead, Yoo Ji-tae was standing there.

Words like voyeurism, peeping, and perverted woman flashed mercilessly through Lee Ah-rang's mind. From an outsider's perspective, wasn't she just a deranged nymphomaniac hiding in the hot spring to ogle a man's naked body? Given Yoo Ji-tae's past, it wouldn't be strange if he saw her as a vicious sex offender and recoiled ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in disgust.

As a result—

"...I'm sorry!!! I-I didn't know you were coming in!!! Really!!! I really, really didn't know!!! H-hiding here on purpose to look was absolutely not what I was doing.... Please believe me.... Huh?! I-I was wrong...."

The option she chose was a dogeza. It was the most sincere gesture she could manage while on the verge of tears. She couldn't think of any other way to comfort the Yoo Ji-tae whose naked body she had exposed. He's going to hate me. He's going to hate me. He's going to hate me.

Yet she never assumed she would be forgiven. Her thoughts had already spiraled into panic. Then, to the sniffling Lee Ah-rang—

"...It's fine. If anything, I'm the one who should apologize. I thought no one was inside. I'm really sorry for looking without permission."

"Huh?"

—Yoo Ji-tae's single considerate sentence was salvation.

He's a complete angel.... My boyfriend is a total angel... I like him... I really, really like him...

Lee Ah-rang's mind snapped. It meant she had fallen madly in love with him.

Yoo Ji-tae entered the medicinal hot spring together with her. Because so many medicinal ingredients had been added, the water was a murky green. As a result, neither could see the other's naked body. Only their upper bodies were visible. Nothing below the collarbones showed for more than about ten centimeters, so there was no need to cover their eyes.

Lee Ah-rang stared blankly at the water's surface, apparently at a loss for words. Seeing her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like this made him wonder if he was the one who should be covering his body. His torso was covered in scars—burn scars, cut scars, crushed scars, and scars that had hardened and darkened from within. They grew worse near his torso. There was also a black scar on his chest from the moment of his awakening. The past etched into his body wasn't his fault, but he wasn't narcissistic enough to feel no shame about it.

Just as he thought this, a realization surfaced. If she sees this body, even Lee Ah-rang will feel disgusted.

Then the marriage bet might end midway in her favor.

He had noticed something lately. Women had strong sexual desires. Sexual desire implied the existence of an ideal body type. Naturally, they liked beauty and hated ugliness. Women naturally found themselves drawn to tall or muscular men, while feeling revulsion toward ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠those with unsightly bodies. In that sense, his body was full of negative factors. Scars scattered here and there could only cause discomfort to the other person.

Still, he was aware that he had made her uncomfortable. Since he would likely be sparring with Lee Ah-rang quite often from now on, he figured he should show some courtesy in that regard. He opened his mouth.

"Um. Sorry."

He said this while scratching his cheek.

"...Huh? Sorry? For what...?"

Lee Ah-rang spoke while turning her head as if struggling, covering her shoulder with one hand.

"How should I put it... My body is pretty unsightly in many ways. I thought I should apologize for showing you something unpleasant. Sorry."

Only then did Lee Ah-rang look at the scars on his body. Her eyes widened.

"......That's."

"Ah. Yeah. When I was young, from my family and the women around the house."

"......I see."

She said nothing more. Lee Ah-rang remained completely expressionless. She simply stared at him blankly, showing neither anger nor sadness.

He lowered his gaze to the water's surface. ...Honestly, I have no idea what she's thinking.

Her lack of reaction suggested she was disgusted, but he couldn't be sure. As expected, he really didn't understand women's hearts.

"Ji-tae-ya."

"Yeah."

"When you first saw me, what did you think?"

"Back then, huh."

At the time, Lee Ah-rang's body had been a mess. Her face had been hideous too. But he had thought she was impressive for her determination to fight and overcome her illness.

"You looked strong. Really strong. Even in that painful situation, you were enduring and living on."

"Weren't you angry? A hideous monster like me daring to enter your sight."

"...My personality isn't that bad."

"Me too."

"Huh?"

Lee Ah-rang reached out toward him.

"It's not unsightly at all. If anything, knowing that made me like you more. I thought you were someone so strong that you never lost your goodwill no matter what happened to you. I wanted to protect you from the side."

"Hmm. But my body is still pretty unpleasant to look at, isn't it?"

"I want to see it every single day."

"Umm. But later, your friends might see the scars on my body and look down on you too."

"Those kinds of people aren't friends."

"But there are probably more handsome guys out there too."

"There aren't. Not like that."

No matter what question he asked, the answer that came back was breathtaking beyond imagination.

"......I see."

He was grateful she was comforting him. But because of the bet with Lee Seon-hee, if he lost to her, he would have to marry her. The way Lee Ah-rang spoke made her seem like a grim reaper waiting for his defeat. If things continued like this, what would happen? Lee Ah-rang had her family's support. She would overtake him in an instant. From her reaction, it didn't seem like she disliked him either. Seventy days later, he could already picture Lee Seon-hee waving around a marriage registration form with Lee Ah-rang's name on it.

Even when he tried to earn her dislike, he couldn't imagine doing something malicious to someone else. Having spent his entire life as a victim, the thought of doing such a thing to another person made his mind go blank.

In the end, I have no choice but to work hard.

"Thanks. Ah-rang-ah."

Still, he should say thank you. He had to repay the goodwill of someone who hadn't mocked his wounds and had spoken to him like that.

"Mm-hmm."

Lee Ah-rang's cheeks flushed red.

My life is ruined.

Lee Ah-rang fidgeted with her fingers and said, "They say this medicinal hot spring is good for training mind methods."

"Mind methods?"

"Yeah. I use the one my grandmother taught me. I've already raised it to Lv. 2 just from training here."

"...I see."

She's fast.

Lee Ah-rang wasn't using Hephaestus to raise her level. Even so, at that speed, she was genuinely dangerous. Then a good idea occurred to him. I'll copy the good magic Lee Ah-rang obtains with Hephaestus.

He felt very sorry toward Lee Seon-hee, who had expected a fair fight, but it couldn't be helped. If he was going to fight against a chaebol heiress, a pauper like him had no choice but to use tricks like this.

"Want to do it together? Since we're already in, we might as well do it properly."

"Ah. Um. Sure."

As he took a suitable posture and pretended to operate a mind method, ripples spread across the water's surface. They weren't his. The ripples came from Lee Ah-rang.

"Huu."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Eight ripples rotated in a circle following Lee Ah-rang's body. His Hephaestus had analyzed Lee Ah-rang's mind method.

As he read the text, the corner of his mouth stiffened. No. What the fuck.

A chill ran down his spine. Manipulate their spouse's mind? What kind of terrifying effect was this?

"Huh? What's wrong?"

Lee Ah-rang blinked.

"Umm. Ah-rang-ah. Do you have any other mind methods?"

"Ah. I do. They told me to train it later because it's a secret technique. But it's difficult to learn. I haven't mastered it yet and have only learned the forms."

Lee Ah-rang changed her breathing cycle. She inhaled more deeply and exhaled. Weak ripples spread out. They were so faint that one might not notice them at a glance. However, those ripples appeared simultaneously across the entire surface of the hot spring.

What the fuck. This is cheating.

"Umm? What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"

"...No. Nothing."

This wasn't the time to be modest about fairness or anything of the sort. I have to win.

He began operating the Taeguk Cheonji Mind Method.