Chapter 754: Blink Hedgehog (1)

Around the same time.

Song Cheonhye arrived at the campus store half-exhausted.

Everyone was enjoying their freedom now that midterms had ended, but the Discipline Committee was an exception.

Because the students were more likely to cause trouble, they always had to keep some personnel on standby and make patrol rounds.

Song Cheonhye was the same. She had been working in the Discipline Committee room the entire time and had only just stepped out briefly.

And the fast, simple way to refresh her mood was—

Sweets......! I want something sweet......!

Loading up on sugar.

What she ordered soon afterward was the new menu item, a fresh-strawberry whipped-cream milkshake. Large.

SLUUURP—

As sweetness spread through her mouth through the straw, the fatigue gradually washed from Song Cheonhye’s face.

......This is better.

I’ll finish this and go back.

But while she was walking near the campus store and sipping her strawberry shake, she spotted familiar faces.

Go Hyeonwoo and Han Somi.

They seemed to have found her as well, and greeted her warmly.

“Miss Song.”

“Oh my, it’s Cheonhye. Were you working at the Discipline Committee?”

At that, Song Cheonhye let out a low sigh.

“Yeah, I’m on duty today. Still, around evening, I should also......?”

But she stopped midway through speaking, because she felt a powerful sense that something was off.

It was not “Cheonhye, hi hi!” but “Oh my, it’s Cheonhye?”

As if confirming that question, the swordsman couple each added another word.

“We were in your debt during midterms. I would like to express my gratitude once again.”

“You came to help us early on, Cheonhye.”

But Song Cheonhye could not answer them properly.

She only blinked blankly.

Somi....... Somi is?

Her way of speaking was extremely gentle, and her atmosphere and bearing were those of a refined young lady itself.

For a moment, Song Cheonhye even wondered if she was someone else, but the two before her were definitely Go Hyeonwoo and Han Somi.

Soon, Song Cheonhye barely pulled herself together and stammered out a question.

“Wh-what, how, what happened to Somi?”

“I drank a potion and ended up like this.”

“A potion......?”

“You know the famous one lately. T.E.B.”

Go Hyeonwoo added with a bright smile,

“Brother Kim obtained it for us. A truly grateful thing.”

“I heard there aren’t any on the market at all these days. I guess he found some somehow.”

“That was likely 001. What we received was 002.”

“002 is out?!”

“Indeed.”

“Excuse me for a moment.”

After asking the two for permission, Song Cheonhye sent a message to the errand center.

Of course, since she was a Discipline Committee member, she hid her identity.

[Anonymous: Hello.]

[Anonymous: I heard 002 came out.]

[Anonymous: Is it available for purchase?]

Just by drinking it, it raised a rank with high probability, so it was an opportunity she absolutely could not miss.

Even more so now, when she had to catch up to Hong Yeonhwa.

However, the reply that came back after a moment was—

[Errand Bot: Preparing for launch.]

[Errand Bot: Coming Soon!]

“Ah.......”

“Brother Kim said he barely secured two bottles. We will have to wait some time for the rest.”

“......I see.”

“He gave us such an opportunity first, so no matter how much gratitude I express, it will never be enough.”

“......?”

......Now that she looked closely, this person seemed to have become a little strange too.

The fact that he was positive was the same as usual, but the frequency of thank-yous had risen sharply.

Given the circumstances, it was easy to guess what had happened.

That must be a side effect too.......

Go Hyeonwoo was a thank-you parrot, and Han Somi was a refined young lady.

But Song Cheonhye could not bring herself to laugh.

Did I....... look like that too? When I drank 001?

Looking back, she felt she might have been even worse.

Soon, the black-mark memories she had sealed away in a corner of her mind were released.

“This shop’s sweet buns are a little different. My brother bought them for me sometimes.”

“I’ll work hard. To show my father, my brother, and everyone at the Mage Tower a version of me they can be proud—”

Gyaaaaah!!

When Song Cheonhye buried her face and trembled, Go Hyeonwoo asked as if puzzled,

“Miss Song, are you all right?”

“I-I’m fine. Since it came up, there’s something I’m curious about.”

“Ask away.”

“Why did that person....... give the potions to you two first?”

Go Hyeonwoo was a founding contributor of sorts who had been with him since the train, so that much made sense, but if she considered priorities, was Han Somi not on the lower end?

Seo Ye-in was there, and so was Hong Yeonhwa.

It was a question that could sound somewhat rude, but Han Somi did not seem to mind and smiled gently.

“He gave it to Go Hyeonwoo, and I was a bonus. We always train together.”

“Ah.......”

“Of course, it’s also true that I’ve gotten close with Kim Ho.”

“......!”

Song Cheonhye knew those words did not carry any special meaning.

Even so, they bothered her strangely.

“Since...... when? Did you get close?”

“It was probably near the end of last year. After I left the Discipline Committee.”

From then on, she had begun training in earnest according to what Kim Ho taught her and started acquiring hidden pieces.

As they steadily exchanged help, they had grown close before they knew it.

At that, Song Cheonhye murmured as if to herself,

“If I do that too....... will I get closer? With that person.”

“Are you planning to leave the Discipline Committee too, Cheonhye?”

“I’m thinking about it.”

The problem was that their match was not over yet.

Even just once, she wanted to catch that infuriating human and give him penalty points, disciplinary action, or anything of the sort.

Then she would be able to go through the resignation process with an incomparably lighter heart.

At that, Go Hyeonwoo and Han Somi exchanged a glance.

Soon, they each offered a word in turn.

“I fully understand how you feel, Miss Song, but is there truly a need to quit the Discipline Committee?”

“It’s just that you seem to be feeling too impatient.”

“I would think you are already building a good relationship with Brother Kim even now.”

“You said you did a lot of pecks too, even during midterms.”

“I thought you had a surprisingly bold side.”

They seemed to think she and Kim Ho had progressed quite far.

In reality, she had used a mini wish coupon and even forced things a little just to barely receive pecks.

Song Cheonhye was about to play along moderately and move on, but then a thought suddenly occurred to her.

......Should I just tell them everything honestly?

If not these two, then when and with whom would she ever discuss her worries?

On top of that, Han Somi’s intelligence had risen slightly due to the T.E.B side effect, so she might be able to give more appropriate advice.

So Song Cheonhye steeled her resolve and opened her mouth.

“The truth is....... we still aren’t that close.”

Then she laid out the events that had happened during midterms, the conversations she had shared with Kim Ho, and so on.

At that, Go Hyeonwoo and Han Somi both listened seriously without laughing at her or teasing her.

Then they nodded and began to speak.

“First, I would like to thank you for placing your trust in us. It could not have been easy to open up.”

“......Yes. Because it’s you two.”

“If everything you have said is true, then I can understand why you feel somewhat impatient. Even so, I hope you will reconsider the matter of the Discipline Committee.”

“I understand.”

Soon, Go Hyeonwoo’s tone grew even more cautious.

“In truth, I am not in a position to say much about romance. I am just as clumsy.”

“.......”

“So I hope you will take this as a light suggestion rather than advice.”

“......I’ll listen carefully.”

In reality, Go Hyeonwoo could not help but be cautious.

Because Han Somi was sitting right beside him with her eyes wide open.

If he said the wrong thing, there might be backlash in the form of, “Then why are you like that with me?”

He carefully chose his words for a while, then continued.

“What if you tried to show a more honest side of yourself? Like just now.”

“An honest side....... That isn’t easy.”

“Of course it is difficult. Even so, we were able to glimpse your true feelings, Miss Song. Brother Kim will as well.”

“......I’ll try.”

Then Han Somi spoke with a faint smile.

“Take my words as a light suggestion too.”

“Okay.”

“You’re more competitive than most people, Cheonhye.”

Me?! Competitive?! Only me?! Isn’t everyone like that?! At our academy, competitive—

Song Cheonhye was about to flare up and talk back, but decided it made some sense.

“......I suppose I am a little competitive.”

“I think you need to not only try to win unconditionally, but also learn to lose when the situation calls for it.”

“When exactly?”

“That isn’t a question with a correct answer. It’s different for every situation.”

She said that she and Go Hyeonwoo also sometimes argued, and sometimes she pushed forward while other times she yielded.

Song Cheonhye looked at the two with fresh eyes.

“You argue? You two?”

“It happens from time to time.”

“I can’t imagine it. For example?”

“She said Brother Kim’s smell was on me.”

At that, Han Somi spoke calmly, yet somehow chillingly.

“Sometimes, it feels like you two are too close~”

“Haha. There are times when circumstances make it unavoidable, are there not?”

Apparently, it was still a mysterious problem without an answer.

How Go Hyeonwoo smelled like Kim Ho when they had not had any notable contact.

Whether Han Somi’s sense of smell was especially sharp.

Instead of joining them in solving the mystery, Song Cheonhye quickly moved the conversation along.

“Do you have any other suggestions?”

“This is a general principle, but I believe a considerate heart toward the other person is important.”

“A considerate heart?”

“Thinking from the other person’s position at least once. How they might feel about your words and actions.”

“Ah.......”

Soon after, Go Hyeonwoo and Han Somi began conversing about this and that, but none of it entered Song Cheonhye’s dazed ears.

A considerate heart.......

She suddenly asked herself a question.

Had she ever thought from Kim Ho’s position?

Almost....... never, right......?

Perhaps because of that, Go Hyeonwoo and Han Somi’s suggestions—no, their advice—remained even more strongly in her mind.

Be a little more honest, and sometimes set aside my competitive streak.......

*****

A few days later.

Song Cheonhye made an appointment and headed to the training center.

After arriving and waiting for a short while, Kim Ho appeared.

“You were here already.”

“I only just got here too.”

While exchanging the same kind of conversation as usual, Song Cheonhye once again resolved herself inwardly.

Be honest, yield, be considerate.......

I’ll show him a changed side of me starting now.

At that, something unusual flashed through Kim Ho’s eyes.

“You look like you’ve steeled yourself quite firmly.”

“What?”

“Your face already has tension in it.”

“......Ah, yes! I did steel myself!”

Song Cheonhye answered while slightly averting her gaze.

Just now, she had been steeling herself in a different sense, but she did intend to train hard too.

Afraid that he might discover her inner thoughts, she quickly added,

“Let’s go in now.”

“Excellent.”

Soon, the two stood facing each other in a training room.

Then Kim Ho handed her [Challenge Book] and confirmed,

“You’re ready, right? I’m using it.”

“Yes, anytime.”

Immediately afterward, notification messages flowed down one corner of Song Cheonhye’s vision.

[Sub Quest: Stage 2 Austerity](In Progress....)

[Do you wish to use ‘Challenge Book’?]

[Accept/Reject]

Choosing accept had already been decided, but she could not help feeling a slight unease.

Stage 1 was incredibly hard too.

Maintaining [Lightning Rod] and controlling it freely.

The result had strengthened her combat power dramatically, but the process had never been easy.

Then what would come out in Stage 2, which was supposed to be harder than that?

The quest window that appeared next did not betray her expectations.

Unfortunately, in the bad direction.

[Sub Quest: Stage 2 Austerity](In Progress....)

▷Maintain at least 7 ‘Lightning Rods’

▷Teleport to the designated location within the time limit

▷Objective: Achieve proficiency (0/100%)

Teleportation......!

Kim Ho also received the quest details and reacted similarly.

“What had to come has finally come.”