Chapter 87

### Chapter 87: Lim Sol's Lab

‘This is easy.’

The written test was only a matter of hand cramps, not a real challenge.

I aced the morning's written test on magic usage. I haven't seen the grading, but if the textbooks and papers are correct, my score should be perfect.

“Hey, let's compare answers.”

“Kids who want to compare answers usually didn’t do well on the test.”

“I did better than you~.”

“This test was really hard.”

“Agreed. Everyone’s scores will be terrible.”

After the test, the lecture hall was filled with the chatter of the cadets.

“Aah! I’m sure the professor gave me the right answer, but I got it wrong….”

“It’s okay, Lucy…. You can get it right next time.”

The twins were also discussing the test.

“Hey, let’s go get some lunch. I’m hungry.”

I naturally had no interest in that.

“Lee Ho-yeon, didn’t you do really well on the test? You seem so relaxed.”

“Eh, just okay.”

When the grades come out, everyone will know, so there’s no need to boast.

We decided to go to the student cafeteria for lunch.

“Mmm, it’s delicious. The cafeteria steak is really good, so why don’t people eat it?”

“Yeah, I also think the steak is the best.”

Lucy and I were cutting the steak enthusiastically, while Lumi was hunched over, eating her omurice.

“Y-Yeah….”

“Lumi, why are you so weak?”

“It’s because… people are staring at us….”

“…That’s true.”

‘Ah, this is what fame feels like.’

Everyone in the cafeteria was glancing at us, or rather, at me.

I’ve become quite famous recently.

Thanks to that, the number of people who pick fights with me has decreased, making it more convenient. However, the number of people staring at me has increased, which is a bit annoying.

“Don’t worry about it. They’re just curious.”

“Y-Yes, I understand….”

Click!

Even the sound of a camera shutter was heard from somewhere.

It was hard to figure out who it was since the place was so crowded.

‘Wow, this is driving people crazy.’

Is this how Mun Sulin usually feels?

I can somewhat empathize… but her situation must be even worse.

“Ugh, it’s scary.”

“What’s scary?”

“It’s nothing.”

I quickly finished my meal to leave the cafeteria.

*

The afternoon written test also passed quickly.

The questions were so difficult that the cadets seemed to be in a daze.

Ding—

After the test, as I was about to leave the lecture hall, the smartwatches of half the cadets in the room beeped.

“It’s a notification for the preliminary matches.”

“Mine says to go to the B Training Hall.”

“I didn’t get one….”

“No wonder the written test ended a bit early. I have to go to the training hall, so see you tomorrow.”

“Bye! Lumi! Come with me to the B Training Hall!”

“Okay, I will.”

I said goodbye to the twins and ran to the A Training Hall.

The A Training Hall was already crowded with people waiting.

Not only from A Class, but also from other classes, it seemed that the tournament was randomly selected from the entire first year.

“Next! Team 2, come up!”

A professor was guiding the cadets on the training hall floor.

Following the professor’s instructions, two boys climbed onto the training hall floor.

The opponent for the duel was only known once they were on the floor.

This is really a matter of luck. If strong people face each other in the preliminaries, what happens to them?

“Ready, start!”

I wasn’t interested in the duel between the two boys, so I waited for my turn while looking at my smartwatch.

“Winner! Jeon Young-ju!”

After a few exchanges, the winner was decided.

Clap, clap, clap

Everyone around me clapped, so I clapped a few times too.

“Next! Team 3, come up!”

I quickly climbed onto the training hall floor.

Let’s see… my opponent, I’ve seen him somewhere before, but I don’t know who he is.

I don’t need to be nervous.

“Hey, Ho-yeon.”

“Yeah?”

The boy, who was my opponent, hesitated before speaking.

“I’m sorry for what happened last time. It wasn’t my intention, but it ended up that way….”

Why is he acting like this?

I slowly tried to remember.

Where have I seen this face? I remember seeing him, but is he from A Class?

“Oh….”

I remembered.

He was the extra hiding behind Do Jin-hyuk.

He was one of the guys giggling behind Do Jin-hyuk when he started trouble at the beginning of the semester.

“It’s okay. I don’t care.”

“R-Really? Thanks.”

I watched the boy sigh in relief and raised my mana.

“I’ll finish this quickly. Don’t worry.”

“W-What?”

If he had stayed quiet, I wouldn’t have known, but he’s digging his own grave.

*

After finishing the duel quickly, I went to meet Professor Lim Sol.

The purpose was to check on her and introduce Baek A-young.

Of course, there are other things to do, like helping with her research papers. There’s a lot to do.

It’s been quite a while since I last visited, so I was a bit nervous.

★ Heroine Status

– [Affection: 50]

– [Lust: 25]

– [Hunger: 30]

– [Fatigue: 40]

Current Status: After grading the tests and working on the paper, will there be any time left?

‘I need to work harder.’

After checking Professor Lim Sol’s status, I thought I needed to work harder.

Of course, an affection level of 50 is not low at all.

However, I thought it would be much higher given the physical contact we had. I’m not sure if I should be impressed or not that it’s only 50 after that.

“I still have a bit of grading left, so do you want to sit there and wait? You can eat the cookies or drink coffee if you want.”

“Sure.”

I sat on the sofa in the lab and started eating chocolate cookies one by one.

Watching Professor Lim Sol grade the test papers, a natural question came to mind.

“I came to visit, but is it okay to meet a professor during the exam period?”

Usually, contact with professors is minimized, and entry to the lab is restricted, right?

I’m a bit scared that something might happen.

“It’s fine. We have the Mana Oath, which prevents us from leaking the exam.”

“The Mana Oath….”

There’s a Mana Oath here too!

“Why are you so surprised? Is it the first time you’ve heard of the Mana Oath?”

“…No. It’s just the first time I’ve seen it, so it’s interesting.”

In a world with mana, the existence of the Mana Oath is something to be very careful about, so I need to make sure I don’t get caught.

“If you have nothing to do, help me with my work.”

Professor Lim Sol used magic to send me about 20 pages of the stack of documents.

They were the students’ test answer sheets.

“…Professor, even if you say that, it’s not right to have students grade tests.”

“It’s fine. As long as you don’t tell anyone, it’s okay.”

“….”

Since I have to finish this to talk to Professor Lim Sol, I decided to help positively and started grading the test papers.

*

Sebastian Chan, a senior member of the Iris Guild, was following Lee Ho-yeon again today.

There’s definitely something going on, but he was wondering how to check inside since Lee Ho-yeon entered Professor Lim Sol’s lab.

Then, Sebastian Chan sensed someone.

Someone was hiding on the opposite side of the building.

‘The level… is similar to mine.’

Until yesterday, there was no such man around Lee Ho-yeon.

‘Sure enough, I’ve been noticed.’

It’s correct to assume that Lee Ho-yeon noticed my presence and assigned a bodyguard.

The fact that he could bring such a talented person in just one day shows how important Lee Ho-yeon is.

‘I don’t know who his backer is, but at least it’s on the level of Miss Ellis.’

I can’t reveal myself here. The Iris Guild must always remain quiet.

If my identity is exposed, it’s the Iris Guild’s defeat.

Sebastian Chan swallowed and started to retreat.

*

Jeong Beom, the right-hand man of the Korean Hunter Association’s president, had one piece of information he had gathered by personally investigating the relationship between Baek A-young and the academy.

‘There is a cadet at the academy who is really close to Baek A-young.’

Today, he infiltrated Victoria Academy to investigate that cadet.

He did his best to investigate the cadet, moving without leaving any traces.

However…

‘There’s someone else.’

Someone was hiding on the opposite side from him.

It seemed like they were guarding Lee Ho-yeon.

Their level was not ordinary.

‘At this level, they are among the top A-class hunters… I shouldn’t make contact.’

Someone is watching over Lee Ho-yeon.

If Jeong Beom noticed them, they must have noticed him too.

Jeong Beom immediately decided to retreat.

At the same time, the presence he felt on the opposite side disappeared.

They must have felt the burden of a direct confrontation with Jeong Beom.

“Lee Ho-yeon… Who is behind you?”

Jeong Beom, sweating, wrote his report.

*

“What is it?”

“Why are you frowning, Professor?”

After finishing the work, I was sitting opposite Professor Lim Sol, drinking coffee, when she frowned.

“I felt something was happening outside, but it disappeared immediately. Maybe it was just my imagination.”

“…?”

Why is she acting like this out of the blue?

“By the way, did you do well on the test?”

“Yes.”

I could say it confidently.

I will be first.

“Hmm, I heard this time’s magic test was not easy.”

“Do you want to bet? I bet I got everything right.”

“I don’t want to.”

“….”

That’s a shame. I could have gotten something out of it.

“Ha, I don’t like betting. Sorry.”

Professor Lim Sol smiled, drank her coffee, and said to me.

“By the way, you’ve been in touch with Min Ye-ji, right?”

Why did Professor Lim Sol suddenly mention Min Ye-ji? Of course, I didn’t deny it since I had been in touch.

“How did you know? She tried to recruit me into her guild, but I refused, so she suggested doing business.”

“You refused the guild? It’s the Iron Blood Guild.”

“Well, I don’t really want to join any guild. I still have a lot of time before I graduate from the academy.”

As long as the heroines are here, I have to graduate from the academy.

When that time comes, my value will increase, so there’s no need to decide now. Also, the relationships are complicated, so joining a guild is a bit tricky.

“Hmm. Since it’s your decision, I won’t say anything. However, I don’t recommend doing the business she suggested.”

“Why not?”

Is it a pyramid scheme or something?

“No, I was also tempted by her words and received a business report before… Sigh. Forget it. Just don’t do it.”

★ Heroine Status

– [Affection: 50]

– [Lust: 25]

– [Hunger: 30]

– [Fatigue: 40]

Current Status: I could even make a male cadet wear a bikini. She’s that obsessed with money…

What could I possibly need to wear a bikini for?

Swallow.

I started thinking about Min Ye-ji again.