Chapter 21: Irene Windler Is the New Neighbor (2)

Polenta was a food that looked similar to porridge; made using easily available grains like corn, barley, and chestnuts. It was made in such a way that anyone who’d taste it could feel the coarse texture of the grain. That was why, compared to its appearance, it felt quite rough to the tongue. Nevertheless, it had its own charm.

On top of it being a popular food that could be made with easy-to-obtain ingredients—making it easily available for poor people—if it was made well, it would taste as delicious as any other food. Moreover, it could make anyone feel full even if they didn’t eat much of it, making it suitable as an emergency food.

Above all, if one were to add either corn flour or barley four to harden the porridge, they could turn it into a different food.

It’s like a tasty rice cake.

To be more specific, it turned into a chewy and tasty corn cake with a unique rough texture. This one in particular had some cheese made of goat milk and herbs in it, making the taste of the cake anything but bland. Not only was it tasty, it was also good enough to fill someone up.

“Not a bad idea. While eating it like porridge is fine and all, this is a more unique take of the dish and it makes you want to keep eating it.”

“I learned how to make it during a part-time— No, I mean! Back when I was working at an inn! Actually, I often eat it like this because it tastes so good!”

“Really? This is the first time I’d seen Polenta made into something like this, can you tell me which inn it was? I want to go there and try it myself.”

“W-Well, t-that inn is probably closed by now. I-It’s been so long since then, after all…”

“Really?”

“Yes, yes!”

…Did she think she could fool me with that?

Seriously, if she wants to lie, at least make it believable.

I don’t know what she did before she transmigrated, but she definitely wasn’t an art or phys ed student.

If she was, her acting wouldn’t be so sloppy.

In another sense, I could even call her ignorant.

Is it because she’s a rofan female lead?

I know that rofan’s female leads tend to act immaturely, but they always get hit in the back before that happens. Is she one of those types?

She is as bad as the maid…

While Lee Han was thinking as such, Leila, who was choking on the corn cake because she was eating it in a hurry, was running around the house looking for water. Once she found it, she scooped some in a bowl before pouring it into her face.

Why the hell did she do that? Couldn’t she just drink it?

…Well, I admit it’s interesting to watch her, but I’d just get second-hand embarrassment when there are others watching her…

“Um, is that person okay?”

“Just ignore her.”

“Sorry?”

“…Don’t mind her, you’ll just hurt yourself if you do.”

“…A-Ah, okay.”

Irene blinked before throwing a curious gaze at Leila, but when she felt Lee Han’s gaze on her, she quickly lowered her head again. Her appearance reminded Lee Han of a pitiful woman who came to borrow money from a loan shark.

As he stared at her, who was trembling like a kitten, like that…

Did I do something bad to her?

Lee Han couldn’t help but scratch the back of his head awkwardly, wondering if he had wronged her somehow.

Since it would be rude to just send away a neighbor who had gone out of her way to give him a rice cake, or rather, hardened polenta, to celebrate his moving—also, it wasn’t like he didn’t know her or anything—Lee Han offered her some tea and sat down together with her for a while.

Irene herself didn’t seem to refuse or show any signs of disliking this development. On the contrary, she just sat down—as if she had been waiting for this moment—drank the tea, and almost finished the polenta she had brought.

Judging from the way she acted, she seemed to be someone who could adapt quickly.

But, that was probably why…

It’s suspicious.

Lee Han found her action so suspicious, especially since she was so unguarded.

After all, there was no connection between her and Lee Han at all. Although his task was to investigate her, this was something that only him and Isis knew. Yet, this girl, one of the targets of his surveillance, suddenly moved into the house next to his?

…If I recall, that house was empty even up until yesterday. It’s damn suspicious that she suddenly moved in there.

Suddenly feeling wary, Lee Han opened his mouth.

“Cadet Irene, I’m sorry, but can I ask you a rather personal question?”

He decided to sound her out.

“Yes?”

“I assume that’s an affirmation. In that case, why did you decide to live in such a remote place? You should be able to either use the dormitory or stay in a mansion owned by the Galahad Family, no? As far as I know, 70% of the buildings near the Academy are owned by them.”

“…”

“I’m sorry if the question makes you uncomfortable.”

“A-Ah, no, anyone would be curious about that…”

Though she said that, her complexion betrayed her words. Unknowingly to him, Lee Han was focusing on her, wondering if he could find any secrets that he could unearth from her.

Even though he had seen the information about Duke Galahad a little while ago, he hoped he would be able to find new information, like, maybe the Duke wasn’t treating her well, or maybe she was kicked out of the dormitory because of her origin.

“…I only found out that there was a dormitory application period after it ended. Also, I didn’t want to use one of Duke Galahad’s mansions because it was too much of a burden— No, actually, I don’t want to be around that old man because he sucks!”

“…?”

“I mean, he’s like, really, really weird, you know? Every time our eyes met, I just got goosebumps all over my body! On top of him looking like a woman, his way of talking and actions are all suspicious! Honestly, I don’t like the idea of getting close to him, that’s why I just declined everything he offered me. I don’t want to get involved with him and— Ah…”

“…”

“U-Um… C-Can you pretend that you didn’t hear that?”

“…Of course.”

“…Thank you.”

…She has a lot of things piled up against the duke it seems… Also, she seems to hate him…

Anyway, I could accept that reason.

Some might ask, how could he know that all of what she said was true, not a lie or an act?

The answer to that was simple.

It was because…

Thump-! Thump-!

He could tell by her heartbeat.

Other than his smell, Lee Han was also gifted with his hearing, as he could pick up someone’s heartbeat more accurately than a stethoscope. This was an ability that even Isis admired, so he was willing to trust it with his life.

She’s quite naive, but she’s an honest kid.

After conversing with her for a while, Lee Han could tell what kind of person Irene Windler was. She was a naive girl and she was quite lacking in many aspects, but that was just a common thing among people in their teens and early twenties. That was just a shortcoming from their lack of experiences as well as the fact that they had a limited amount of interpersonal relationships.

Well, even though she seemed a little clumsy at times and she had a habit of talking carelessly about things, once Lee Han added the fact that she was a magic freak and how those people loved to flaunt their mental illnesses around, he thought that she was fine.

Also…

She’s incredibly normal for a magic freak.

Considering that 90% of magic freaks were psychopaths, her shortcomings weren’t too bad.

While yes, Lee Han had a biased view towards mages, from his perspective, he wasn’t wrong. In fact, 90% of the mages he had met were all psychopaths.

They all died by his hands, though.

“H-Huh? W-Why does the air suddenly turn cold…?”

“Maybe it’s because there are many places I haven’t renovated yet. Sorry about that, Cadet Irene.”

“Ah, I see, it’s fine then. Anyway, more importantly, Instructor! Please take care of me from now on! Since we’re living so close to each other too, I’ll see you often!”

“…Please take care of me too, Cadet Irene Windler.”

This could be counted as his first gesture of kindness. After all, the only time Lee Han had ever held hands with a mage was when he was going to smash their hands with a hammer or burn them with a torch. In fact, he felt weirded out when shaking her hand like this.

Hm? Why did he feel that way even though he was holding a woman’s hand, you ask?

Well, because one shouldn’t judge a magic freak by their gender. All of them, men or women, without exceptions, were all vicious motherfuckers.

Actually, just from the fact that Irene was a mage already halved her feminine charm in Lee Han’s eyes. Furthermore, there was also the possibility that she was the adopted daughter—maybe even a real daughter—of a crazy duke, lowering her charm even further to turning it into a minus.

All in all, he deemed that it wasn’t a good thing for him to be involved with someone like her.

Sure, she’s kind, but that’s it.

After all, no matter how much you tried to multiply a minus with a plus, it could never become a plus.

Also…

…Who knows how many people that crazy guy killed in his life…

Even if she had a plus or two, it would never outweigh the fact that her adoptive father was such a psychopath.

Tsk!

Lee Han clicked his tongue while furrowing his brows. For a while now, suspicious sounds and smells had been increasing around his cabin.

It wasn’t a strange reaction, since no house owner would welcome hyenas walking around their house with the smell of blood all over them.

Meanwhile, Irene Windler’s body stiffened when she saw his change in expression.

D-Did I do something wrong?

[Don’t worry Arin, cheer up! Win his favor by any means possible!]

…I got into this mess because of you…

The actual reason why Irene moved all the way here was that because this ghost had been whining to her all day about moving to the area where the knight instructor’s resided. She wasn’t lying to Lee Han, though. She really missed the dormitory application period and she also disliked the duke.

But, she still rather got a better house than this one. It wasn’t like she hated cabins or anything, but she just found it more convenient to stay in a high-class inn that was soundproof and had the inn’s staff clean everything for her.

The ghost probably understood her feelings too, since it was clear that she was feeling bad about it, but…

[I’m sorry Arin, but don’t you think it’s worth it? Just look at his muscles! They look like they’re sculpted— No, actually, there are no sculptors who can produce that work of art!]

Her guilt only lasted for a moment. Because this ghost was a pervert who loved to show her fetish around.

…You perverted girl.

[A-Arin, can you pretend to touch them by mistake? I want to feel those muscles!]

…How could you say something that would bury my social dignity ten meters deep into the ground so easily, huh?!

[Who cares about that! Muscles over social dignity!]

…Just shut up.

Irene barely managed to hold back a sigh at the crazy remarks of the ghost in her head. Normally, she’d already be cussing her out at this point.

Despite her words though, she still stole some glances at the instructor’s body. Currently, he was only wearing a short-sleeved t-shirt with a low chest area. Because of that, the outline of his body was clearly visible to her.

Thanks to the ghost who kept going on and on about muscles, Irene’s eyes were drawn to him before she could realize it.

And as if confirming the ghost’s words…

Y-You know, she got a point… T-Those are definitely a feast for the eyes…

She could understand where the ghost was coming from.

Even though she was someone who used to go to Gangnam all the time with her friends back in her previous lives, after hanging out with this ghost for seven years, her tastes in food and clothes became similar to that of the ghost’s somehow.

…And somehow, this also applied to her tastes for men.