Chapter 86

### Chapter 86: How to Steal the Hero's Woman (1-5)

‘Ah, damn it!!’

[Just hang in there a little longer.]

I was climbing the mountain, kicking up dust, like a madman.

This place, behind the consulate, was a mountain owned by the consulate.

And this mountain was a favorite spot for the cadets' training.

Fortunately, the path was well-trodden, so there was no risk of falling or getting hurt.

The problem was my stamina….

‘Ah, I found it….’

[Fortunately, it seems the monster has just been defeated.]

‘…Give me a break.’

Currently, this mountain was being used as a training ground for Class 5 of the Ki Department.

The reason I ran so hard was for the evaluation….

Originally, each cadet was given a smartwatch to record and transmit all situations, and evaluations were done in bulk later.

However, due to the previous monster intrusion incident, the server was down, so the instructor had to follow us around and evaluate us manually.

I caught my breath and checked all the fallen monsters.

Actually, it wasn't me but Armonia who did it.

I quickly scanned the file I brought and wrote the evaluation by hand.

While I was panting and writing the evaluation, a cadet approached me.

It was Song A-ra.

“Teacher…. Are you okay?”

“Ah, I'm fine.”

It was an embarrassing situation, but I responded calmly.

After all, with my legs, there was no way I could keep up with these monsters.

‘Ah, I'll definitely learn some movement-related magic when I go to Suitra….’

[It seems to be something essential if you want to operate here.]

The deceptive hand skills I possessed were of no help in this situation.

Other cadets were looking at me strangely, but Song A-ra was genuinely worried about me.

“Teacher, you're sweating a lot.”

She said this and wiped the sweat from my forehead with her school uniform sleeve.

I was surprised and pulled my head back, saying,

“Ah, I'm fine. Go rest. We need a 10-minute break before moving to the next area, so take a rest until then.”

“Hey, I'm not tired at all.”

She smiled and hopped, and I thought,

How nice…. I feel like I'm going to die.

..

..

The practical training on the mountain ended, and I was thoroughly scolded by Chao Xian.

“Come on, if you can't even catch that one, what are you going to do?”

“I'm sorry.”

I apologized without losing my composure.

After all, if I did something wrong, I did something wrong.

‘Damn, I'll definitely learn some light movement technique….’

[I hope that day comes soon.]

Chao Xian, after demanding so much, sighed deeply and muttered quietly,

“Because of this, Man Deok is….”

“….”

I heard the name "Man Deok" countless times today.

At first, I didn't know what it meant, but Armonia found the information.

(Heroes ranked 10,000th and above are called this.)

Of course, there is a ranking system for heroes.

And the bottom of the ranking is set at 10,000.

Beyond that, it is not considered significant.

And my profile does not show a ranking, as it is beyond 10,000.

Such individuals are not even allowed to use the title "hero," and they themselves avoid using it.

What glory is there in being a hero beyond the ranking….

I finished the morning Ki Department class while hearing the name "Man Deok" until the end.

..

..

I headed to the cafeteria and tried to think of a solution as much as possible.

And the answer that came to mind!

‘Ah! We talked about light movement techniques earlier! Let's learn it from Enel!’

[…I'm sorry, but that's impossible.]

‘What?! Why?’

[To learn a skill, you need to meet someone who possesses that skill.]

She explained that I could only learn skills by meeting the person who had them.

Enel, Luna, Sonia, and Beatrice from the Demon King's Castle.

In other words, to learn something, you need to meet someone who has that ability at least once.

Luna… I miss you….

The cadets here do not use light movement techniques.

They are supported by purely deceptive stamina.

‘I guess I'll have to run hard until I find a solution. Right?’

I arrived at the cafeteria without finding a solution and noticed someone.

It was Seong Su-a.

She had just sat down at a table by herself.

‘I'm really torn. Should I sit with her or keep my distance….’

[Why not just sit with her?]

‘It's too late now….’

But such thoughts were short-lived, as people soon began to gather around her.

There was no distinction between men and women, but the ratio of men was overwhelmingly high.

‘Wow, is Seong Su-a famous?’

[She is often featured in the media as the "Elemental Mage of the Four Elements."]

She is called this because she can handle all four elemental magics.

She is capable, has a good personality, and is popular.

Seong Su-a is a target, and the more you stick with her, the more beneficial it is.

However, she has clearly been surrounded by many people throughout her life.

If I keep clinging to her after being kind to her once yesterday, it might have the opposite effect.

Building a friendship can be done during class, and eating together can be planned for later.

‘Wow, I was so busy yesterday that I didn't notice. Today, it's really bustling.’

[Yesterday's atmosphere was more approachable, which is a bit disappointing.]

‘Well, what can I do. Let's think of it as a break time.’

I got my food and looked around.

I thought I wouldn't have to worry about eating alone in such a place.

Looking for a quiet spot, I noticed someone.

It was Song A-ra.

She was eating salmon today, following up on the salmon roe from yesterday.

The two entities that had been scattered would now enter the final stage of the Salmon Completion Plan inside Song A-ra's body.

I was impressed by Song A-ra.

‘Wow, if I see her like this, she would definitely make a great food vlogger.’

With a face like that, men would probably click on the thumbnail without even knowing what it is….

And women would get confused and get hooked.

But what was strange was that no one was around her.

‘What's up? Is she eating alone too?’

She doesn't seem like the type to do that.

Song A-ra, eliminated from the food vlogger list.

It's a shame, but at that speed, it's impossible.

I put aside my thoughts about her and sat at a corner table to eat alone, then headed to Class 7 of the Magic Department.

..

..

I was watching the cadets perform dazzling magic in the magic training ground.

They were casting spells of different attributes, and Seong Su-a was explaining her expertise to the students nearby.

The problem was that her expertise was too abstract….

Sitting in a corner of the training ground, I communicated casually.

‘Ah… It's so relaxing… I want to only handle the Magic Department.’

[While your body is relaxed, don't let your guard down.]

As Armonia said, handling the Magic Department is relaxing, but you need to stay alert.

If a problem occurs, you need to respond quickly to prevent a major accident.

When I came here, my specialty was listed as wind attribute.

Seong Su-a said that if any problems arise with the students, she would take full responsibility, so she entrusted the students' safety to me.

Handling the Magic Department was not a big problem.

The students' level was high, but at that level, I could use disassembly techniques, so there was no major worry.

The biggest problem was something else.

‘Seong Su-a, I can't see the solution….’

[She will probably be the most troublesome case among the women I've met so far.]

In this vast magic training ground, my job is to maintain a certain distance and ensure safety.

Seong Su-a was guiding the students one by one, using her own methods.

The environment was not affected by pheromones.

And I couldn't meet her privately after class.

If I asked her to have a drink with me, would she accept?

I thought she might readily agree to a meal but not to a drink.

In fact, just by asking, I might be branded as unapproachable and seen as a man.

‘If she feels like a man, she might cut me off completely, even if she doesn't need to guard against men around her.’

She might prevent her heart from being swayed in advance.

In short, it means I have to become friends purely, even if it takes a long time.

I decided to turn off my ulterior motives towards Seong Su-a.

But just becoming friends is not enough.

‘And….’

[…?]

‘Like Lena, there needs to be a trigger for something to break, naturally or artificially.’

In Lena's case, her life fell into ruin because of me.

Do I feel guilty?

Not at all.

Since she is now happy in my arms, what's the problem?

But the most important thing here is the decision.

What I do is create and activate a nuclear bomb, not press the launch button.

The protagonist must accidentally press the button without knowing what it is.

Like the hero leaving the battlefield.

Time limit: 1 year.

It felt like a real long-term mission.

***

“Thank you for your hard work today.”

In Class 7 of the Magic Department, as the evening sun cast various shadows and boundaries, Seong Su-a announced the end of the class with a closing greeting.

The students, who had been sitting freely, smiled and greeted her.

“I'll see you tomorrow! Let's eat!”

“I'm hungry, I'm hungry!”

There were only five students in the class, so they all went out of the classroom, laughing and chatting.

Seong Su-a, after confirming that the students had left, smiled and said to Seong Su-ho,

“Thank you for your hard work today.”

“Ah, I didn't do much. Thank you.”

Seong Su-ho, after exchanging greetings with Seong Su-a, carefully left the classroom.

Seong Su-a, after confirming that he had left, turned on her phone and checked her contacts.

-Chao Xian-

“…Brother, you must be busy today, right?”

Seong Su-a had no family.

She was an orphan who lost her family in a major incident in the past.

The "brother" she was talking about was Chao Xian.

‘But one more time… No, don't be hasty….’

She remembered Chao Xian's words, which she now couldn't recall when they were said.

(Sorry, I'm really busy, so I'll call you if it's urgent.)

(…Yes, I'm sorry.)

(No, I'm the one who's sorry. We'll see each other every day after we get married, so just wait until then.)

(…Yes.)

After that, Seong Su-a never called Chao Xian first.

She always waited for his call.

Occasionally, he would call and they would have dinner on a weekend evening.

Even those dinners felt more formal than anything else.

But she felt happy every time they met, even if it was just for a short while.

‘…It must be because of me.’

She recalled the past.

When Seong Su-a entered the consulate, Chao Xian was a third-year student in the Ki Department.

He was a top student with overwhelming skills, and she admired him.

Around the end of the year, she had the opportunity to build a friendship with him, and they eventually became engaged.

At that time, Chao Xian was always kind.

But at some point, she could feel his coldness on her skin.

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't understand the reason.

She didn't blame Chao Xian at all and thought there was a problem with herself.

The conclusion she came to was one.

‘…Now, there's no reason for him to like an old woman like me.’

She was only 26, a young age where the flower of youth was just blooming.

But Seong Su-a started to believe there was a problem with herself.

She began to pay attention to her appearance, not for herself but for Chao Xian.

Seong Su-a, who had no interest in luxury items, started to dress up for him.

But no matter how hard she tried, she realized she was not in his eyes.

Seong Su-a bitterly smiled and blamed herself.

“…Don't think strange things. He must be busy.”

She forced a smile, gathered her bag, and was about to leave the classroom when someone entered.

“Huh? Instructor Seong Su-a, you haven't left yet?”

It was Seong Su-ho.