Side Story 65. The Story After (65)

The 2nd floor of the Magic Academy.

Inside Im Sol’s research lab.

Two women were contemplating, their heads together.

It was [Plan A: The Plan to Seduce Lee Hoyeon].

Although the name sounded like some weird scheme, it was actually a perfectly normal plan for two women to get a man into bed.

“First, we need to ease Honey’s tension,” Baek Ahyoung said with a serious expression.

Her goal was singular: to make Lee Hoyeon fall for the charms of Im Sol and herself.

“Tension?” Im Sol nervously continued the conversation.

As far as she knew, Lee Hoyeon quite liked magic too. “He does like it, but… not as much as I do. These days, it feels like he’s researching for my sake rather than for the advancement of magic.”

Im Sol shook her head. Although Lee Hoyeon hadn’t explicitly said it, Im Sol had sensed it to some extent. His helping with the magic research was like a hobby activity for Im Sol’s benefit. Lee Hoyeon had long surpassed Im Sol in the field of magic. The magic research they did together might even be boring for him.

“I don’t know anything that could ease Honey’s tension either…” All Baek Ahyoung knew was healing magic. She couldn’t think of any good way to ease Lee Hoyeon’s tension.

“How about drinks?” Just then, Im Sol brought it up. Coincidentally, a lot of expensive alcohol had recently come in as holiday gifts.

“Drinks? Sol-ah, can you handle your liquor?”

“Of course. I can break down alcohol before it’s even absorbed into my body.”

“…That’s fortunate, but then couldn’t Honey just do the same?”

“Ah.” Im Sol belatedly realized the problem. If she could do it, Lee Hoyeon could do it too. Breaking down the alcohol would prevent him from actually relaxing and easing his tension.

“Then what do we do? Do we have to stop Honey from breaking down the alcohol? Sol-ah. Can you do that?”

“…I can’t.” Even Im Sol couldn’t stop Lee Hoyeon’s magic.

“Hmm. Do we need to think of another method?”

“Wait a moment. Ayoung-ah. I have a magic tool I received from the Wizard Association a while ago.” Im Sol took out the magic tool she received from Arthur for research. It was a magic tool that emitted waves to restrict the surrounding mana.

Vvvm-

“This is a magic tool that blocks the movement of mana around it.”

“Oh! Can this block Honey’s magic power too?”

“…I don’t think it will work well.” Im Sol gazed fixedly at the magic tool. The magic tool made by the Wizard Association seemed like it would break if Im Sol put even a little effort into it. Lee Hoyeon could probably break it much more easily.

Im Sol finally came up with an alternative plan. “Just in case, let’s get him to promise. Let’s agree not to break down the alcohol during the drinking session.”

“Okay. Honey is kind, so he’ll keep his promise.” Im Sol looked down at the magic tool and licked her lips. ‘If we’re getting a promise anyway, why do we even need this magic tool?’ she wondered… but still, it was better than nothing.

“But Ayoung-ah, can you handle your liquor? If the student can’t handle it, then we won’t be able to break down the alcohol either, right?” If Im Sol and Baek Ahyoung broke down all the alcohol, Lee Hoyeon would notice. In other words, for the drinking session to be enjoyable together, Im Sol and Baek Ahyoung also had to drink.

“…So-so? What about you, Sol?”

“…I guess I’m okay too.” Although she rarely drank, she was an adult, after all. She could probably drink as much as anyone else. Thinking so, Im Sol took out the high-end liquors they had received as gifts.

*

The day after spending time at the amusement park with the Nam Daeun sisters.

Lee Hoyeon was lying on the sofa, receiving a massage from his secretary, Scarlet.

“Mmm. Right there. Ahh.”

“Hoyeon-nim. Making your secretary give you a massage, you truly are a wicked boss.”

“There’s nothing else to do anyway, Scarlet.” Lee Hoyeon chuckled, looking at Scarlet. She was his exclusive secretary, designated by the Iris Guild. However, after becoming his secretary, the only work she did was loaf around idly. This was because Lee Hoyeon wasn’t particularly handling any official business. She was getting the Iris Guild’s salary steadily without doing anything.

“After my shoulders, massage my legs too.”

“You really are the definition of a wicked boss. Next, are you going to have your secretary sit between your legs under the desk to greet clients?”

“What are you talking about? After that, I should rest.” Lee Hoyeon made an uncomfortable expression looking at Scarlet. ‘Why does she always try to do weird stuff whenever she gets the chance?’ Her ability to exploit any opening was terrifying.

“Speaking of which, Hoyeon-nim. We’ve received word that you can gradually return to the academy now.” Scarlet continued speaking while massaging Lee Hoyeon’s legs.

“Really? What happened so suddenly?”

“The Victoria Academy’s student council protested, saying that even though the rude reporters were at fault, why should Hoyeon-nim be the one to suffer the consequences.”

“Oh… is that so?”

“Yes. The Iris Guild also put in some effort. We hinted that Hoyeon-nim might consider naturalizing in France.”

“Isn’t that basically blackmail?”

Anyway, it seemed like Surin noona had worked hard for me. I should stop by the student council when I get to the academy and thank them.

“It’s also been said that reporters wandering around the academy without permission might face prison sentences from now on.”

“Right. Why should I have been barred from the academy because of those crazy bastards… But isn’t a prison sentence a bit harsh?”

“Because Hoyeon-nim is a National Power-class Hunter representing the country. That level of treatment is insufficient, wouldn’t you say?”

“What kind of…” All sorts of strange titles are being attached. Well, I didn’t like being forced to take a leave of absence. If there are no reporters, I’ll be able to start my academy life again.

“It seems you can attend normally starting tomorrow.”

“Thanks, Scarlet.” Lee Hoyeon nodded his head. Now, all I need to do is persuade the professors who said I didn’t need to attend class. They’ll surely listen if it’s the word of a National Power-class Hunter, right?

“Oppa-!” Just then, Nam Dahee, who had been playing with Liliana in the living room, came running over. She smiled sheepishly, looking at Lee Hoyeon.

“What are you doing with Scarlet unnie? I’ll help too.”

“No, it’s alright. Dahee-yang.”

“Okay, Oppa. I’m going!”

“Yeah, okay. Rest well, Dahee-ya.”

Tippy-tap-

Nam Dahee appeared and disappeared in an instant. Since I took her to the amusement park, she seemed to follow me better, which always made me feel good whenever I saw her.

“Dahee is full of energy today too.”

“…Hoyeon-nim.” Scarlet spoke cautiously, watching Nam Dahee’s retreating figure.

“Yes?”

“Isn’t Dahee-yang acting a little strange lately?”

“Dahee? What’s wrong with Dahee?” She was smiling beamingly while playing with Liliana. She seems the same as usual?

“It’s like… she seems a bit more physically affectionate, and her voice sounds a little more coquettish when she calls you. And just now, she didn’t make eye contact with me during our conversation.”

“…Is that so? I don’t think it’s to that extent.”

“No, it is. That way you say ‘Oppa-.’ with the tone slightly rising at the end…”

“Scarlet. Don’t be jealous of a middle schooler.” Lee Hoyeon smiled and patted Scarlet’s shoulder. She must be feeling a sense of crisis. I should let her sit between my legs later to help her calm down.

“…Yes, yes. I understand.” Scarlet let out a sigh. This man really didn’t notice. ‘I can’t mess with Daeun-yang’s sister. This is giving me a headache.’ Scarlet decided to just leave Nam Dahee be. She had fulfilled her role as a secretary, so if any chaos ensued, it wouldn’t be her fault.

*

“Victoria Academy. I’m finally going.” Lee Hoyeon walked with a smile of joy. Since it was a monumental day for his return to school, he had come to the academy alone, separately from the other women.

‘This air… the atmosphere of youth is really nice.’ The academy was overflowing with the vitality of its students everywhere. As soon as Lee Hoyeon passed through the academy’s main gate, he released the perception-hindering magic.

“Uh, excuse me. Isn’t that Mage Lee Hoyeon?!”

“Wow… I’m seeing him in person for the first time! He’s really attending the academy?!”

“The reporters really must have caused the problem.”

Mhmm. Yes, guys. I am precisely the National Power-class Hunter, Lee Hoyeon…

Lee Hoyeon smiled with satisfaction at the gazes he felt after a long time. He could receive gazes like that anywhere, but being looked at like this at the academy felt inexplicably better. Perhaps it was because they were his peers.

‘First, I should go to class.’ He checked the schedule he received from Daeun. The first class was Introduction to Magic Theory. It was Im Sol’s class.

‘It would be nice to see our Professor Im Sol after so long.’ He hadn’t seen Sol-i once since she returned from France. They had contacted each other often, but she had avoided him whenever he tried to see her face.

‘First, I’ll attend class for a bit, then I should go see the faces of people I haven’t seen.’

Class A. This was truly a place he hadn’t visited in a long time. Lee Hoyeon entered the academy building with light steps.