Ch.64Episode 13. Yoo Ari’s Request (2)

It’s incredibly boring.

I can truly understand why people these days don’t watch television and instead seek out YouTube or other broadcasting platforms.

The entertainment channels weren’t funny, and the movie channels were just replaying films I’d already seen once in the other world.

Whether it was variety shows or movies, only the characters were different; the content itself hadn’t changed much.

As I quietly watched the familiar television, a strange feeling came over me.

Perhaps it was because I was watching programs I’d already seen several times.

Though I was clearly in a world from a novel, it felt like I was merely extending my life from the other world.

As if I had been a person of this world from the beginning.

It was an extremely unfamiliar and fascinating sensation, but no amount of worrying would change anything.

Unless a god suddenly appeared to send me back to my original world, I would have to continue Yujin’s life in this world.

Though at this point, such a plot-breaking development wouldn’t happen anyway.

I pulled my thoughts back from the brief tangent of trivial concerns.

Then I glanced sideways at Yu Ari, who was sitting on the bed staring intently at my face.

“…Aren’t you watching TV?”

“I, I’d rather talk with you, Instructor, than listen to the television chatter.”

“Wouldn’t talking with me be boring too?”

“Not at all. I… have so many questions about you, Instructor.”

Well, it’s natural she’d have questions.

An instructor suddenly appears and shows her kindness, implying that she should rely on him and suggesting he’ll take responsibility for her life.

“Then… shall we address those questions now?”

Though I already know a lot about Yu Ari from reading the novel, it wouldn’t hurt to ask questions again for verification purposes.

Plus, I’ve developed some curiosities of my own as the story has changed.

“R-really?”

“Just understand if I skip questions that are difficult to answer.”

“Y-yes! That’s more than e-enough!”

Yu Ari nods her head repeatedly and quickly. Her reaction was more intense than ever before.

“Good. Ask me what you’re curious about.”

“T-then… how old are you, Instructor?”

“Twenty-five.”

“Oh? You’re quite young!”

“How old did you think I was?”

“At least late twenties…?”

“Do I look that aged?”

“N-no! That’s not what I meant…! It’s just… your actions and attitude seem so composed, I thought there would be quite an age gap…”

Yu Ari’s hands wander aimlessly in the air. She’s desperately trying to smooth things over so I won’t be offended.

“You seemed like a real adult who could generously accept someone like me.”

A real adult…

Unfortunately, her words were wrong.

I am the least adult-like person in this world.

I accepted her not because I was composed or generous, but because of my selfish motives.

While part of it was to prevent harm to this world where I’ll be living from now on, mostly I was forcibly dragging her along to create the ending I wanted to see.

My resolve to kill them if necessary remained unchanged.

“Thanks for seeing me in a good light.”

“Will I ever be able to become someone composed like you, Instructor?”

“I think you definitely can. Now.”

“Now…?”

“It’s just something.”

Yu Ari will no longer live the life of a villain.

I can tell just by watching her train under me every day. Even if Akcheon or other villains approach her later, she won’t waver.

Honestly, I don’t know exactly what thoughts she has while training or how she thinks about her life.

The character and atmosphere are already different from the novel.

But there is one thing I know for certain.

That’s Yu Ari’s feelings.

Right now, she harbors “romantic feelings” for me.

If she were an ordinary woman, she wouldn’t approach so blatantly. She would have appealed more calmly and subtly.

But Yu Ari couldn’t do that.

Someone who has lived the worst life wouldn’t have such “composure.”

Having been rejected by others and consumed by loneliness all her life, she couldn’t possibly handle the overflowing emotions.

Moreover, not knowing how to approach others properly, her actions inevitably became obvious.

Still, I didn’t mind.

The more obvious her feelings were, the easier it would be for me to exploit them.

I would use even her emotions if it served my purpose.

“Is that… when I become a hero?”

“They say the position makes the person.”

“…But there seem to be many t-trash heroes too…”

Hmm. I can’t deny that.

Even Yeonhwaryong, while a strong hero, can hardly be called a good one.

Perhaps the hero industry in South Korea is darker than I thought.

“You don’t plan to become like those heroes, do you?”

“O-of course not! Someday people will know that my master is Instructor Yujin. I have no intention of tarnishing your n-name when that happens.”

She clenches her fist and speaks with sparkling eyes. I was at a loss for how to respond to Yu Ari’s enthusiasm.

As her teacher, I don’t deny that she’s my disciple, but…

Isn’t this more like blind faith at this point?

“Um… about your test scores. How did you get a perfect score?”

In the end, I decided to change the subject rather than respond.

“Oh, t-that? Just… somehow…”

Just…?

The test material covered hundreds of pages per subject, which is hardly “just somehow.”

Even though the exams weren’t all on the same day, giving her some leeway, getting a perfect score through cramming wasn’t something that could be dismissed so casually.

Was there some genius setting for Yu Ari that I missed?

“I just m-memorized the entire test material.”

“What?”

“Well… I thought you might p-praise me if I got a perfect s-score…”

Her preposterous answer left me speechless.

“But I didn’t memorize everything at once. I had listened to the lectures somewhat, and when I s-studied brutally by writing everything down, it naturally stuck in my memory… hehe…”

She memorized the entire test material just to get praised once?

Honestly, it’s starting to get a bit scary.

I wondered what kind of obsession would make this possible.

“In the end… I was so h-happy that I even got special treatment.”

“I… I see.”

Since she said she worked hard to receive praise, it would be awkward not to give her some.

“Come a little closer, would you?”

“W-what?!”

Her voice cracked in surprise.

When I beckoned, Yu Ari, who had been perched on the edge, climbed onto the bed. She settled carefully next to me, fidgeting nervously.

I stroked her head as gently as possible so she would feel comfortable with the touch.

“Well done. You worked hard.”

I praised her while running my hand through her long hair.

When I first saw her grades, I was too surprised to compliment her properly, so I decided to make up for it now.

“J-just a little more…”

After about a minute of stroking, when I tried to remove my hand, she desperately grabbed my wrist. Her voice trembled deeply.

As she slowly raised her head, her eyes were moist.

“…”

Ah. I see…

Like during the match with Class A, I know why she’s particularly desperate for praise.

Yu Ari had never been praised by anyone for a long time. That’s why she earnestly yearned for the praise and rewards that others easily received when they achieved good results.

“You’ve been through a lot.”

“…Yes.”

This small gesture must be a great comfort to her.

I look at her as she bites her lower lip.

At this moment, I was grateful that her hair hid her face.

* * *

After talking about such trivial matters, it was already dinner time. It seemed the claim that we could chat for four hours wasn’t an exaggeration after all.

I thought she would make spicy stir-fried pork with the ingredients she brought for lunch, but she said she’d make it for dinner and we had a simple fried rice lunch with ingredients already in the house.

For the record, it was delicious.

Sizzle—!

The sound of meat grilling fills the air. I opened the window.

Since my place was a studio apartment, I rarely cooked meat. While clothes could be kept in the closet, having the bed smell like meat would be problematic.

Outside, even though it was almost six o’clock, the sun was still up.

Looking at the extended daylight, I realized summer had already arrived.

“Sigh…”

I let out a small sigh while feeling the still cool air.

Once time starts flowing, everything will happen in an instant.

I planned to completely destroy Bin Yoon’s path to Akcheon before the school break.

It would be great if I could catch Paris’s tail with this plan, but that’s probably too much to hope for.

Nevertheless, I needed to catch her as soon as possible.

Setting aside the eX potion, sooner or later a biochemical agent capable of destroying the city would be developed.

Paris had the leader of Paradise under her, who possessed a power similar to Bin Yoon’s ability to manufacture drugs.

If Bin Yoon’s ability was “Maximization of Efficiency” that greatly enhanced the quality of items, the Paradise leader’s ability was “Spontaneity of Creation” that significantly increased productivity.

In other words, as long as efficiency was somewhat maintained, they could mass-produce items that posed a national threat.

That’s why the combination of that person and Bin Yoon was considered almost cheating in the field of alchemy.

“Instructor Yujin. I have a question.”

“Yes?”

Yu Ari, who was grilling meat, called out to me. She was looking at me while cutting vegetables with a knife.

Can she cut without looking…?

“How did you train to become so strong? Do you have a master?”

“No, I was born strong.”

I replied arrogantly. She’ll definitely think I’m obnoxious, right?

“…That’s cool.”

…Why?

Yu Ari looks at me with a pleased smile. Faced with this incomprehensible response, I could only stand there dumbfounded for a moment.