Chapter 133 : Chapter 133

Chapter 133

The Saintess Society incident threw Seoul into an uproar.

That was because the suspicion that forced awakening potions were connected to Demonic Beings had risen to the surface.

In response, the Bureau announced that it would condemn Camellia, who was suspected of manufacturing the potions, and apply sweeping pressure, but…

“Well, will that not be forgotten soon enough?”

If we did not expose the point of contact between Gen and Baek Dojin as quickly as possible, Camellia would only commit ever more reckless crimes.

In the first place, the Special Affairs Division had reported that it would be better to conclude the matter quietly, but the Bureau crushed that opinion and fed information to the press.

On the surface, it looked like an act meant to guarantee the citizens’ “right to know,” but in reality, it ended up loudly advertising that forced awakening potions were circulating in the outskirts.

“In the end, non-awakened people will flock to the outskirts to force an awakening.”

Chaos in Seoul would only worsen.

The long-burning conflict between awakened and non-awakened people, which had been the hottest topic for decades, was bound to intensify.

“A ploy with a very obvious intention…”

Setting that aside.

Hero Prep’s construction had wrapped up a few days ago, and with it, the seasonal term began.

Unlike the concept from my previous world, the seasonal term was a regular schedule that all cadets had to attend.

To take summer lectures, you needed points, and if you could not pay, you had to go out to various places in the 4th Scholastic District to do volunteer work.

Of course, except for the top-tier academies like Hero Prep, Bloody Espers Academy, and Saint Sienna Magic School, most of the other academies in the 4th Scholastic District did not even show their faces throughout the break.

Having been dragged around everywhere since summer began, my schedule was suffocatingly tight, but that was what an elite academy was.

A place that pushed talent and competition to the limit to produce the best results.

“The one relief is that there are only morning classes.”

As always, I attended my morning lecture and escaped the Hall of Justice.

I used the word escaped because it was difficult to leave the classroom without practically running away.

Since summer began, for some reason, the cadets had been paying me an excessive amount of attention.

For instance, they asked what I was taking this seasonal term, or what had happened during the construction period, or what it felt like to see Kim Seyeon, the Special Affairs Division attendant, in person…

Every question sounded as though they were greeting a friend they had reunited with after a break.

They had not spoken to me for an entire semester, yet now they were shameless enough to act like this.

Still, perhaps they had some conscience. When I answered bluntly, they would laugh awkwardly and return to their seats.

Of course, since most Hero Prep cadets were the children of prominent families, it was not necessarily a bad thing to be on friendly terms with them, but…

“No. In this world, connections are shackles.”

The very fact that they were speaking to me while pretending the past awkwardness had never existed was proof that they had ulterior motives.

In any case, I could approach the people relevant to future episodes and developments on my own, so it was better to maintain my existing shadowy concept.

With that decided, I left the Hall of Justice and headed for the Hall of Faith, the main building of the Support Division.

More precisely, I was heading for the office of the magic instructor, Kim Seulhee.

I had an appointment with Do Minyeong there.

Knock, knock.

“Ah! C-Come in!”

Kim Seulhee’s office always looked like a library.

She and Do Minyeong were seated at the table in the center of the room, waiting for me.

“Hello.”

“Welcome, Investigator.”

Kim Seulhee smiled warmly.

Sensing something strangely off, I sat at the table.

“Do not tell me you already ate lunch.”

“I did not. You told me not to.”

On the table sat lunchboxes bearing the symbol of Grand Pistachio.

But they felt slightly different from the ones sold as takeout.

The composition, the decoration…

And above all, there were five lunchboxes.

Not only was that excessive for Do Minyeong, who always got by on convenience store meals, it was a lot even if Kim Seulhee had bought them.

Do Minyeong caught my expression and spoke at once.

“Ah, I made these. I have been taking the cooking class at Grand Pistachio since the other day.”

Now that she mentioned it, I had received a notice like that.

If you paid a small amount of points, you could take cooking lessons at Grand Pistachio, where top chefs were on hand.

Since Hero Prep cadets were the children of powerful families, it made sense there was demand for refinement like cooking.

“But do you not have to pay points to take that class?”

“Yes.”

“…Huh?”

At my puzzled reaction, Do Minyeong narrowed her eyes.

“Did you think I would not even have that many points?”

“No, it is not that…”

Honestly, was transferring departments and taking courses not already burdensome enough?

I averted my gaze and examined the lunchboxes.

Her technique was unpolished, but the food certainly looked appetizing.

In the first place, I was the sort of person who believed food only needed to taste good.

“I made it so we could all eat together, so go ahead without feeling burdened.”

“Thank you. I will eat well. But why cooking all of a sudden…”

I stopped myself mid-sentence.

It had slipped out without thinking.

Yet she answered as though it did not matter.

“Cooking… is not something that hurts to learn. And anyway, I have to cook for myself now…”

Do Minyeong must have still been feeling Aileen’s absence.

I hurriedly lifted a lunchbox and shoveled a large bite of rice into my mouth.

“Huh? The rice is really well done.”

“I did not cook the rice.”

“…Ah. Right.”

“You do not have to make such a fuss, so could you eat more slowly?”

“Yes, all right…”

Watching my manners, I picked up a side dish.

Do Minyeong, observing me, let out a brief laugh as though she found something amusing.

“How is it?”

“It is good. Did you really make this?”

“Yes. I followed the advice I was given.”

Since a direct-line heir was cooking, they must have watched over her with utmost diligence.

“But is it really good?”

Mouth full, I nodded first.

“If this were sold at a convenience store, I would buy it every day.”

“Really? Then… should I make your lunchbox every day from now on?”

“Huh?”

“Since we are in different departments now, we cannot meet as often. So… I thought I could take care of one meal a day while practicing cooking. Besides, you would probably just eat something quick at a convenience store anyway, would you not?”

“I would appreciate it, but…”

What was this generous service that made me feel as though I should be paying her points?

My chopsticks froze awkwardly in midair.

Perhaps sensing the strange atmosphere as well, she abruptly pushed the lunchboxes toward me.

“Eat a lot. I tasted a little while cooking, so I do not have much appetite.”

“Huh? Oh, thank you.”

At that moment, Kim Seulhee, who had been seated at the table the entire time, cleared her throat.

“Ahem. It seems I may have been present where I should not have been?”

“Ah! Instructor, please eat a lot too! I made these for the three of us to eat together!”

When Do Minyeong hastily corrected herself, Kim Seulhee wore a mischievous smile.

“I am joking. But more importantly, are the two of you dating?”

At her question, Do Minyeong and I shook our heads several times as though we had rehearsed it.

“Hmm? Then, Cadet Do Minyeong, may I borrow Cadet Ji Seokhyeon’s time for a moment?”

“What? All of a sudden, why…”

Kim Seulhee placed her smartphone on the table and immediately played an iTube video.

It was footage from the armed robbery incident that had occurred in the outskirts last time.

The situation had been urgent, yet my sword strike was captured clearly.

So it really was a Hyeonseong smartphone…

Kim Seulhee paused the video and said,

“I will be direct. Cadet Ji Seokhyeon, would you like to learn summoning magic?”

“Summoning magic?”

“Yes! I believe your magical talent is limitless. As an awakened person with the same earth attribute, I can tell just by the mana light your sword strike produced. It is unquestionably top-tier talent, the kind you cannot find in your age group.”

Still flustered by the sudden turn, I waited for her to continue.

“As you know, the realm is, well… a domain of talent that cannot even manifest without aptitude comparable to a professional mage. Yet you can freely use a realm at the age of twenty. Compared to other Hunters, who typically awaken a realm closer to middle age, you are overwhelmingly exceptional. So what I mean is…”

Do Minyeong cut through the long explanation.

“In other words, you are saying he could bloom magically as well, Instructor? Because he is still young?”

“Exactly! Realistically, your attribute coloration is a bit too faint to master orthodox magic, but summoning, which relies on affinity with pure magical power, could become an outstanding weapon for you.”

At some point, Kim Seulhee’s eyes had begun to shine.

As though she were a scholar staring at an ideal result.

“If you learn summoning, I will turn a blind eye to you and Cadet Do Minyeong being all lovey-dovey in my office. Ahem. That is a rather exceptional condition, you know?”

“What? I-Instructor, we are not dating…!”

Her words were surprisingly persuasive.

With only forty percent earth affinity, there were clear limits to me pursuing orthodox magic. But if I used my intelligence of 16.6 to summon a golem, something fairly formidable might appear.

And if I applied that to the dark attribute…

Would it become a golem made of shadows?

It would be like materializing the shadows clinging to the ground.

If I exaggerated the idea further, I might even be able to build a large-scale shadow army like a necromancer.

…Wait.

Even thinking about it for a moment, my interest surged.

I even had a strong premonition that it could become a highly useful ability.

Of course, compared to Monica Bayliss’s summoning, Kim Seulhee’s summoning was meager, but if she was knowledgeable enough to become Hero Prep’s youngest instructor, then being taught by her would be more than I deserved.

“All right. If you are willing to teach me, I would be grateful. But why are you taking such an interest in my ability?”

“Sometimes there is interest without a reason. There is an apt example, love. Of course, my reason for recommending summoning is academic ambition.”

“Academic ambition?”

At that point, Kim Seulhee’s voice rose slightly.

“Yes! Because, Cadet Ji Seokhyeon, you are openly an out-of-spec existence, are you not? You can use a realm at that young age, you have opened a Demonic Eye, your intellect is developed enough to belong to the Special Affairs Division, and on top of that, you are a social care beneficiary, meaning pure talent not shaped by bloodline. How could I, as a scholar, endure that? If it were up to me, I would test your potential to its limits! And it is not just me. Everyone with an interest in magic will have their eyes on you!”

“……”

Did I say earlier that Kim Seulhee’s eyes were shining?

I take it back.

This woman was showing the glint of madness.

As though she were a scientist who had just discovered a mutant for the first time.

Magic instructor Kim Seulhee was an extra who did not appear much in the original story, a character colored in by avid readers like An Hwigom.

As someone who had only sketched the outline, I had never once imagined she would have this sort of personality.

Facing that frenzied hunger for inquiry made me regret learning it at all.

“So when shall we begin? We should start with golem shaping, right? The shaping of an earth golem is endless! A majestic boulder? A fiery gravel golem? Passionate desert sand? Depending on your innate talent, even a wood golem is possible! And if you pursue aesthetics, there are crystal golems too! Ah, of course, I personally love sticky mud!”

“……”