Ch.131Episode 28. MT (2)

Time passed quickly.

I spent my days training students and fulfilling my duties as an instructor.

During that time, I also heard about the research institute’s investigation results.

I learned about their research on Anrak and the eX potion, but it was disappointing as the information fell within what I already knew.

The Association seemed to have handled the drug distribution network well, based on Paris’s confession.

I heard they had captured the black market dealers connected to Akcheon and discovered Plo’s drug manufacturing factory, recovering most of the products.

Despite this, Akcheon had gone into deeper hiding rather than retaliating against the Association. This meant we might lose any leads to capture them, but they would eventually resurface.

Until then, I had no choice but to prepare.

The eX drug remained particularly dangerous. While Anrak could be suppressed with status recovery potions, the eX potion could not.

The recovery ability of the eX potion test subjects I encountered when facing Henry was abnormally high. Even at a glance, it was a level above my super-recovery.

If they completely overcame the side effects of the eX potion, gaining super-recovery while also enhancing strength, it would only be a matter of time before the Association lost its advantage to Akcheon.

The fortunate thing was that we had captured Paris, and Bin Yoon-i was on our side, which should delay the development of the eX potion by at least several months to years.

In any case, I had already shared what I knew about the eX potion with the Association’s president, so they would continue searching and tracking to obtain information related to Akcheon.

I decided to leave that to the Association and focus on developing the special class students.

“You all know about tomorrow’s MT, right? I’ll mark it as an official absence for attendance purposes. Pack your things properly and come prepared.”

After finishing the announcements and dismissing class, I left the classroom. Soon after, I heard hurried footsteps behind me as Yeon Mu-hee caught up.

“Yujin.”

“Yeah. What is it?”

“Is… the MT mandatory?”

“It’s not mandatory.”

“Then it’s okay if I don’t go?”

“The academy is paying for it, and you don’t want to go?”

“I need to train more…”

“I told you not to be impatient. If you do as I say, you’ll be able to defeat Yeonhwaryong by the time you graduate from the academy.”

“Still…”

I knew better than anyone that she had been enduring difficult training with the sole determination to defeat Yeonhwaryong.

But there was no reason for her to be this obsessed.

She was growing steadily, and by next year, she would be far stronger than most active heroes.

“…If you really don’t want to participate in the MT, I can arrange that.”

“Then…”

“But would that be okay?”

“What do you mean?”

Mu-hee tilted her head in confusion. I approached her with a grin, taking a step closer. Seeing her flinch noticeably, I whispered in her ear.

“I’m going to have fun with the special class kids. Wouldn’t it be lonely to stay at the academy by yourself to train?”

“I-I won’t be lonely!”

When Mu-hee shouted, students who were just leaving the classroom looked our way.

“Ah! Senior Mu-hee is unfairly monopolizing the instructor!”

At Gu Yeon-hwa’s words, Yu A-ri and Bin Yoon-i began approaching us with quick steps.

“Fine, suit yourself. I was hoping to go with Mu-hee, but that’s too bad. I’ll just hang out with the others.”

I said this as my final word, stepping slightly away from her to create distance. I wanted to see her expression.

She had a blush on her pale face and opened and closed her mouth several times. Her hesitation was so obvious it was adorable. This just makes me want to tease her more.

“Instructor! What were you talking about with Senior Mu-hee?”

As I was inwardly chuckling at Mu-hee’s expression, Gu Yeon-hwa interrupted.

“Nothing you need to know about.”

“Wow! Is it okay for us to have secrets? Don’t forget we have an incredible relationship where we cosplay and geek out together!”

Incredible relationship my ass. It’s as thin and short as a thread.

“…Mu-hee?”

Yu A-ri looked puzzled at Mu-hee, who was standing with her head slightly bowed without saying anything. Startled by the sudden mention of her name, she raised her head.

“Huh? What?”

“…Are you sick?”

“I’m not sick… Just…”

She glanced at me. Seeing her obvious sidelong glance, something seemed to dawn on Yu A-ri, and the light in her eyes gradually died.

That expression was one I hadn’t seen since I had induced her to depend on me.

Should I call it a unique decadent beauty?

Her eyes, devoid of vitality, gave me an eerie feeling, different from when I first saw her.

“Mu-hee… you’ve changed a lot.”

“…I haven’t changed at all?”

Mu-hee hurriedly composed her expression and spoke as if making an excuse.

“Really? I hope that’s true.”

Yu A-ri said this and then moved close to Mu-hee to whisper in her ear.

“You… instructor… bite and suck… didn’t… did… right?”

At Yu A-ri’s whisper, Mu-hee, who had been embarrassed just moments ago, flinched and frowned.

What did she whisper?

The atmosphere between the two rapidly cooled.

Even Gu Yeon-hwa, who had been babbling nonsense to me, momentarily stopped talking due to the atmosphere.

“Seniors?”

Bin Yoon-i spoke up, noticing the strange current between the two.

Perhaps being female made them more sensitive to these subtle currents, as both Gu Yeon-hwa and Bin Yoon-i were also reading the situation.

“…Ah, it’s nothing. I was just saying I’m lo-looking forward to the MT.”

Yu A-ri said with an awkward smile.

Although I couldn’t hear clearly, it was certain that her whisper to Mu-hee wasn’t related to the MT.

“But Instructor, what were you talking about with Mu-hee?”

Was it because she wasn’t stuttering at all? Or was there something off about her smile?

Either way, my instinct told me that telling the truth wouldn’t do any good.

“…She asked if she could bring her sword to the MT, and I told her it was okay. She needs a weapon to protect herself if something happens.”

“…”

Despite my answer, she just stared at me silently for a while. After a moment, she raised the corners of her mouth into a smile.

“I-is that so? It would be tr-troublesome if villains sneak in like last time.”

“That’s right.”

“But… now that the le-lecture is over, where are you he-heading, Instructor?”

“I’m off duty today. Going to rest at the dormitory.”

“Then it’s okay if I leave early today?”

“Well, yes, but…”

“Then I’ll do that. See you later.”

Yu A-ri left us and walked away.

Jeong I-yeon, who had just locked the classroom door, joined the group, but the chilly atmosphere had already dissipated with Yu A-ri’s departure.

“Huh? What’s wrong with everyone?”

Even as Jeong I-yeon voiced her confusion, I kept looking in the direction Yu A-ri had gone.

“Yujin.”

“Call me Instructor—”

“I’ll go. To the MT.”

“Huh?”

Mu-hee said just that and then walked away briskly like Yu A-ri.

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know.”

I had an idea why they were acting this way, but I couldn’t answer their confusion. In a way, I was responsible for creating this situation.

I knew Yu A-ri had started to become obsessively attached after depending on me, yet I didn’t hesitate to get closer to the others.

The damp obsession and jealousy she had been suppressing and hiding were starting to leak out.

However, I didn’t understand why she was particularly sensitive toward Mu-hee.

She seemed to take Gu Yeon-hwa’s case more playfully. Should I talk to her when she comes for dinner later?

* * *

October 12th. The day of the MT arrived.

I talked with Yu A-ri last night, but she vaguely said, “It’s just that she acted like she wouldn’t do it, but now she is, and that feels wrong.”

I wasn’t sure exactly what she saw in Mu-hee to say that, but I could tell Yu A-ri was experiencing jealousy mixed with obsession.

Still, she didn’t seem unable to make rational judgments, so there was no need for me to intervene.

I put on my shoes, slung my crossbag over my shoulder, and left my room. As I exited the dormitory building, five women were standing there.

Now that summer’s heat had subsided, the special class students were dressed in long-sleeved outfits as they saw me.

“Ah~ We’ve been waiting!”

“Hello.”

I waved my hand in response to the special class students’ greetings.

The relationship between Mu-hee and Yu A-ri still seemed to be in a cold war state, with some friction. They weren’t even looking at each other.

They weren’t close to begin with, so I decided not to worry about it for now.

“Why aren’t you wearing a dress for once?”

Honestly, I thought she would wear a dress for the MT.

I said this to Gu Yeon-hwa, who was wearing a light brown cardigan that came down to the back of her hands. She clicked her tongue while wiggling her fingers. How impudent.

“I’m not that tactless. Or perhaps you wanted to see me in a dress, Instructor?”

“If you had worn one, I was planning to take a picture and immortalize it on the academy’s official bulletin board.”

“Wow, then I would have become famous even before becoming a hero.”

She’d be called crazy…

How high is her self-esteem? I feel like I’m getting caught up in her positive aura.

“Let’s go now. It’s about time to depart, right?”

We chatted as we walked to the academy’s main gate.

Three Aegis buses were parked at the gate. Given the number of hero department students from Classes A to D, this was unavoidable.

Most third-year students couldn’t attend due to their practical training.

“Where are you going to sit, Instructor?”

Bin Yoon-i, who seemed excited about the MT, asked while humming.

“I’ll see after you all sit down.”

“If you say that, I can’t sit next to you! I want to sit beside you.”

“Hearing you say that makes me want to do it even more.”

“Argh! You’re so mean!”

“Get in quickly. You’re making others wait.”

I pushed Bin Yoon-i, who was begging to enter together, on the back. Seeing that the others were about to say the same thing, I quickly cut them off and ushered them onto the bus.

Finally, I was about to board as well.

“Instructor Yujin.”

An unfamiliar female voice called my name.

“You’re even more handsome than in your photos?”

A woman approached me with confident steps, brushing back her blue hair as she spoke.

Medium-length blue hair and blue eyes that seemed to emanate coldness.

She had sharp features, but her facial features were so harmonious that a hundred people would unanimously call her beautiful.

“…Hero Ha Yu-ri.”

“Correct!”

Her appearance caused a commotion around us. Is this what it means to have different levels of popularity as Korea’s top hero?

“Nice to meet you. I’ve been assigned as security for this MT, so I look forward to working with you.”

She smiled meaningfully and extended her hand. I stared at it for a moment before taking it.

The coldness I felt from her palm gave me a premonition that this MT wouldn’t go smoothly.