Chapter 116: Is This Bastard Really the Protagonist?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 116: Is This Bastard Really the Protagonist?
'Being dragged around like this... it’s not good.'
After leaving the room, having left Chun-hyang completely spent, a whirlwind of thoughts crossed my mind.
'Do I have to repeat this every time the women overlap?'
Yu-min, Su-jin, Melanie, and Chun-hyang.
They were all precious lovers to me.
But the fact that I had to treat such precious connections as baggage just because they all arrived at once was a problem.
Even the sex—whether I called it "submission" or whatever—had ultimately been a mechanical act just to appease a woman.
'It’s really not good.'
The heroines weren't monsters to be "cleared" through sex, and my way of handling them was the worst.
I might be able to escape the situation temporarily, but what happens when this happens again? Was I going to handle it with sex every single time?
That was far too convenient a way of thinking.
The best way wasn't to bypass the situation with sex as if I were clearing a quest, but to perfectly manage all the women. To have them not fight, to respect and care for one another, and to possess a heart that knows how to yield...
'If it were that easy, I would’ve done it already.'
Next time, I would definitely find a better way.
With that vow, I opened the door to the hotel room where Kang Tae-min was waiting.
"Ah, Mr. Tae-yang, you’re back."
"Huh? Where are Melanie and Su-jin?"
"Ah, those two left first."
They left?
Why so suddenly?
Kang Tae-min wasn't the type to play pranks on me, nor was he the type to lie on behalf of someone else.
Did I do something wrong?
Did leaving them alone for an hour trigger some kind of butterfly effect that made them leave?
While I was struggling to guess the reason, Kang Tae-min provided a clear answer.
"It seems the Victory Academy instructors contacted them. They were asking where they went after skipping school. As soon as they heard, both of them looked disappointed but left in a hurry."
"Ah... so that’s why..."
Come to think of it, I vaguely remembered them saying they had just skipped school to come here.
It made sense. Victory Academy wasn't just some random high school; there was no way they’d look kindly on an unexcused absence just for the sake of romance.
If anything, they’d probably give them a stern lecture to make sure it never happened again.
'Yu-min will probably have to leave soon, too.'
Even if she was lying in bed after having sex for the first time in a while, she wouldn't be able to avoid the instructor's call forever.
Thanks to that, the "Tiger Fight" was automatically postponed.
Now that the immediate fire was put out, a sigh of relief escaped my lips.
Now, all I had to do was focus on the main tournament.
'Hmm?'
But why don't I see Kim Min-su?
"Where’s Min-su?"
"Ah... Mr. Min-su... well... come to think of it, I don't see him either."
"Do you remember when he disappeared?"
"Probably right after Ms. Su-jin and Lady Melanie left... yes, he hasn't been seen since exactly then."
He vanished the moment the women did?
Just how obsessed with women is he?
'He’s fallen so far, it’s pathetic.'
Kim Min-su had become so pathetic that it actually made NTL harder.
If he moved with even a shred of normal logic, he might have seemed somewhat likable.
But he kept using the weird things he’d learned, and his image was now completely ruined.
Ryu Hye-mi seemed to still be conscious of him, at least.
However, thinking back to when she sucked his dick during the weapon test, it seemed like she was only "conscious" of him in the most basic sense.
And Melanie, of course, hated Min-su so much it didn't even need to be said.
'He needs to be at least somewhat likable for things to progress.'
Even if it wasn't to the extent of what happened with Yu-min, I needed to inflict at least half that much despair on Min-su.
To give up on love, one needs to experience that level of mental anguish.
At this rate, the main quest might change from NTL to "Rescuing a Beauty from a Virgin Loser."
'Hmm...'
While I was pondering what kind of development would be most advantageous for me, Kang Tae-min spoke up.
"Ah, come to think of it, they both left letters before they departed."
"Letters?"
"Yes. They strictly warned me not to let anyone touch them, so they should be sitting neatly on your bed."
"Thank you."
They could have just sent a text or a KakaoTalk message, so why a letter?
I felt uneasy.
'What are they going to say now...'
Calming my racing heart, I headed to my room.
Just as Kang Tae-min said, two envelopes were placed neatly on the bed.
A black ribbon was tied around one, and a yellow ribbon around the other—likely some kind of identifier.
'Su-jin has black hair, so she’s black, and Melanie is blonde, so she’s yellow.'
I wondered what kind of event they were planning to go this far.
First, I opened Su-jin’s envelope.
Perhaps because of her pure and cute image, her handwriting was very round and adorable.
=======================================
To Tae-yang.
Hi Tae-yang, it’s Su-jin.
You’re curious why I’m suddenly writing a letter, right?
There’s no big reason, I just wanted to try writing one.
My heart ached so much because the instructor called and I had to leave without being able to cheer for you.
So, I thought a handwritten letter would give you more strength than a digital message! Hehe!
But this is my first time writing a letter to someone, so I’m really embarrassed.
I just wrote whatever came to mind, so it’s a bit all over the place. Sorry... T.T...
Do your best in the remaining matches, and I really hope you win. I love you, Tae-yang! Mwah!
And I won't ask what you were doing during that hour you were gone.
Because I already know who the person you’ll come to in the end is.
I’m really looking forward to our Wonderland date.
I’ll stop here.
Another kiss, mwah!
From Su-jin, who loves you.
=======================================
The letter was the perfect definition of "bittersweet."
The lip mark stamped next to the "Mwah" was sweet, but the part about the one-hour absence was chilling.
'Right, there was the Wonderland date...'
I wasn't just saying it; I was genuinely looking forward to it.
Back on Earth, I once had a girlfriend I went to an amusement park with, and we ended up fucking on the "Sinbad’s Adventure" ride.
The pleasure I felt then was truly indescribable.
The look on her face when she couldn't even moan properly because of the people nearby, her hips just twitching...
Thinking that the face would be Su-jin’s this time made me get an automatic erection.
I cut off the imagination there and opened the envelope with the yellow ribbon.
'It’s kind of cute that Melanie wrote a letter.'
That prickly young lady actually thought of me while writing this.
Regardless of the content, the fact that she wrote it at all felt very novel.
'Her handwriting looks prickly, too.'
No, not prickly—more like sharp?
Beneath the neat, orderly script that reminded me of a professional businesswoman, I could see her shyness.
=======================================
To Mr. Tae-yang.
To be honest, this is my first time writing a letter to anyone, so please understand if it’s a bit awkward.
I was just going to leave, but Su-jin unnie said she was writing a letter...
And I... well, I just wanted to show you that I can do this much if it helps cheer you up.
...And, you know it’s a huge form of discrimination that the other girls always get to do things first, right?
Using Kaivan weapons so proudly in your matches while treating the future successor of that very company so coldly...
I’m letting you know in advance that this could be a huge mistake.
So, be better to me.
It’s hard enough to meet as it is since we’re in different classes, but if you keep acting like this, I’m going to get angry.
Got it?
Keep that in mind.
From Melanie Airiel, the future successor of the Kaivan Group that sponsors your weapons.
=======================================
She was the ultimate tsundere.
The content was completely different from Su-jin’s, but the affection hidden within was much the same.
'But when the hell is the match starting?'
The sex was good, and the letters were nice.
But ultimately, the main tournament was what mattered.
I had to win and find clues about the Skill Hunter, so why was the match being delayed so much?
They had finished the selection and preliminary rounds so quickly, yet we’d been resting for an hour already.
'I should head toward the arena for now.'
There was no point in waiting here any longer.
"Tae-min, thanks for getting me the room. I’m heading out now."
"You’re leaving already?"
"Yes. I don't know how much longer the break will last, so I’d rather go and wait there."
"Ah... I suppose so. Gladire wasn't usually such an unfriendly tournament, but this year seems particularly bad."
"Really?"
"Yes. Usually, they’re very helpful with information and provide lodging for everyone, but this time... you know the story about them handing out Gladire condoms? They only did that because they provided rest areas and people kept hooking up. But this time, they’re just handing out condoms without providing the space... it’s strange."
To summarize Kang Tae-min’s words, the management had become incredibly sloppy.
The comment that "this time is different" felt strangely significant.
Could it be?
It was possible that Noble themselves were running the tournament.
'Then, is the reason Kim Min-su disappeared because he’s trying to contact Noble directly?'
Min-su’s greed for victory was obvious.
If that greed drove him to use any means necessary...
'Kim Min-su might be holding hands with Noble.'
Is this bastard really the protagonist?
I had to find Min-su right now.