Episode 36. Preparation

The damn long weekend was finally over.

The dorm might have gotten cramped because of that crazy succubus, but she was pretty enough to be decent eye candy.

Is raising bonsai trees like this? Or maybe not, is it a bit different?

I set up the broadcasting equipment that arrived this morning, so she should be able to handle the broadcast on her own, right?

I even had her play games last night, and she adapted within an hour, cursing out the jungle. Seeing that, I wasn’t worried.

“Ah crap, come to think of it, I didn’t go to the orphanage.”

Well, missing it for a week or so is fine.

Baek Ahyoung said she was going to Dungeon Helper this week too, so I can just say I had something to do.

“Did you have a good weekend?”

“Yeah, good morning. Hey.”

Kim Young-han approached me in the lecture hall.

Since I couldn’t hang out with Lucy and Lumi, Kim Young-han was the only friend I had left.

“Still haven’t made up with Lucy? I told you. Lucy has a strong sense of pride, so you should apologize first.”

“….”

I know, you bastard. But I can’t exactly tell him I’m deliberately lowering her affection points to gain momentum. Sigh.

I glanced over at Lucy, who had taken a seat in the corner.

★ Heroine Status Window

[Lucy]

• [ Affection : 17 ]

• [ Lust : 10 ]

• [ Hunger : 40 ]

• [ Fatigue : 20 ]

It’s dropping spectacularly, but it’s still not enough.

I need to drop it to the absolute bottom before raising it slightly at the end.

[What the? Am I thinking wrong? No, that can’t be it. That bastard is just crazy.]

This is the state I want.

The scenario where Lucy, who couldn’t trust me, gets betrayed by someone she trusted and is saved by me again.

It’s cliché, but it probably doesn’t feel that way to the person experiencing it.

I’ve already laid out the plan.

Lucy isn’t looking this way at all, and Lumi, while tidying up books, looked up and was startled when our eyes met.

★ Heroine Status Window

[Lumi]

• [ Affection : 65 ]

• [ Lust : 68 ]

• [ Hunger : 30 ]

• [ Fatigue : 25 ]

I chuckled slightly at her cute reaction while checking Lumi’s status window.

That’s strange. Lust was definitely a little lower than Affection last time, but now Lust has overtaken Affection.

I hope nothing’s actually going on.

I’ll have to probe her later.

I winked at Lumi, who was blinking, and turned my head forward.

“Well, I’ll stop talking now. You probably have your own thoughts.”

“Thanks.”

He doesn’t cross the line completely, considering my position too.

He really is a good guy, but… why is he a blonde delinquent? I’m still curious about the production team’s intentions.

“Class is starting soon. Let’s sit.”

“Okay.”

*

After the boring theoretical lecture in the morning, the specialized magic class took place in the afternoon.

The professor in charge of the mages was Im Sol.

Our relationship has changed quite a bit since the first class, so it felt strange seeing her in lecture.

“Ah… Welcome.”

I saw Im Sol sitting at the front of the lecture hall, casually accepting the cadets’ greetings.

Unlike the previous session, this class was held in the lecture hall.

Apparently, this change came about due to complaints that the practical training professors were just repeating training and feedback sessions on their own.

These idiots don’t know how important the professor’s feedback is. Tsk.

In any case, this is the kind of situation Professor Im Sol would hate the most.

She seems like the type who does things her own way and hates being bothered.

“Alright, nice to meet you. You know who I am without an introduction, right? Today, they specifically asked me to do a theoretical lecture at the academy, so I called you all to the lecture hall. Hmm, today I’ll teach you about Barriers.”

Thin layers of mana began to stack up above Im Sol’s hand.

“Barriers fundamentally need to be efficient. A skill called ‘Barrier’ only becomes useful when you block using less mana than the opponent used.”

Right, otherwise, there’s no need to block with a barrier; I could just counter with offensive magic.

“For reference, it’s a bit different from the magical shield manifested to block surprise attacks. That technique draws out a lot of mana instantaneously, so the mana consumption is very high.”

The layers of mana stacking on Im Sol’s hand merged into one, transforming into a single shield.

“For now, this form is the easiest for beginners… but I’ve experimented with a few other variations.”

An assistant distributed papers to each student.

The papers contained various magic circles for barriers.

From beginner to advanced. Organizing them by difficulty, it seems she prepared quite diligently.

The explanations for the magic circles and formulas were detailed enough for the cadets to understand.

‘I underestimated her again. She really prepared diligently for this class.’

However, I reconsidered upon noticing the widening dark circles under the eyes of the assistant handing out the printouts.

Right, there’s no way she would do this much work herself.

“Looks like you’ve all seen enough, shall we practice? Hmm, no. That would be the same as a practical session. I can’t do this twice.”

I continued to focus on the magic circles drawn on the printout.

The beginner barrier Im Sol had shown.

I thought while looking at the magic circle on the printout.

The image of mana layers stacking up to become a barrier.

I imagined the mana layers overlapping with a ‘shak-shak-shak’ sound, forming the barrier.

My high mana manipulation ability, stemming from [Mana Sensitivity], turned my imagination into reality.

The mana flowing from my hand, without much control, became thin layers stacking onto my palm before turning into a barrier.

‘Easy.’

The distinct blue mana and thick mana layers indicated the barrier’s solidity.

I skipped intermediate and looked at the advanced magic circles.

Advanced isn’t just about stacking thin layers.

Mana is drawn out thinly into a double helix structure, then woven together like threads in a fabric.

It’s more efficient and sturdier than simply stacking mana layers, absorbing impact to become even stronger.

‘This looks genuinely difficult?’

Using [Mana Sensitivity], I think I can replicate the structure,

but I have a feeling I won’t be able to make it function as a barrier even if I draw out the mana in a double helix.

“Hmm, I see about one promising student. You there, what was your name again. Cadet Lumi? Would you come forward?”

Professor Im Sol made eye contact with me, then quickly averted her gaze and called Lumi’s name.

Her reaction, even after seeing my barrier, suggested she wanted to hide my talent.

“Y-Yes! Ugh!”

Lumi, startled by being called so suddenly, seemed to have bitten her tongue, her expression turning crestfallen.

“I took a look around, and you seemed to be doing the best. Show the others.”

“Ah, yes.”

Lumi nervously glanced around before drawing out double helix mana from her hand.

What the, she was acting all weak but pulls off an advanced barrier.

Lumi somehow completed the barrier, and Im Sol assessed it as not bad.

‘Now I get it.’

To use a barrier effectively, the intent imbued in the mana is crucial.

Since it’s a barrier created to block an opponent’s attack, imagining a fixed, solid, impregnable image while drawing out the mana leads to better efficiency.

“Well done. You can go back.”

Lumi scurried back to her seat.

“Good job, Lumi~! You’re the best, the best.”

“Hehe. Thanks, Lucy.”

I heard Lucy and Lumi talking from the back.

I glanced back and saw Lucy’s face brighten.

But it’s about time she came looking for me.

*

After class, Lucy and Lumi were chatting with other girls in the same class.

“Ugh~ I’m so tired. Barriers just don’t seem to suit me~. I try and try, but I can’t make them.”

“Right? Lumi, you’re the exception. Aren’t you top-tier in barriers for our year?”

Lee Ji-eun, Lucy’s closest female friend, chimed in.

“Of course! Our Lumi is amazing. Didn’t you see her pull out the double helix during class?”

“S-Stop it, Lucy!”

Lumi’s face turned red, embarrassed by Lucy and Lee Ji-eun’s praise.

“Aw, why~ It’s true though.”

“Oh, hi girls?”

“Oh, Felix, are you done with class too?”

“Yeah, I just finished.”

Felix had gotten close enough to Lucy over the weekend to speak casually with her.

“Hi, Felix.”

“Yeah, hi Ji-eun too.”

“Perfect timing! We were planning to go to a cafe, want to join? Lumi, you’re coming too, right?”

“Uh, yeah. Let’s go together.”

Lumi was still a bit wary of Felix, but since Lucy liked him, she went along with the flow.

“Hey, hey, wait a sec. Speaking of which, Felix, I heard Lee Hoyeon dragged you somewhere on Friday. Are you okay?”

Lee Ji-eun, who loved gossip, asked Felix while covering her mouth.

“Nah, it wasn’t anything like that. Don’t worry about it.”

“Wait, what? Why would Lee Hoyeon drag you?”

Lucy reacted sensitively to the name “Lee Hoyeon.”

“I told you it wasn’t like that. It was really no big deal. Lucy.”

“Saying it’s ‘no big deal’ means something did happen, doesn’t it?”

“Hmm.”

Felix pondered how to answer Lucy.

He had already built up considerable intimacy with Lucy.

How Felix answered now could significantly influence Lee Hoyeon’s image.

His deliberation was brief.

He had agreed to a sort of cooperation with Lee Hoyeon, but he decided he could discard that agreement anytime.

He judged there was no need to praise another man in front of Lucy.

“Just tell me honestly. What did he say to you?”

Felix sighed deeply as if he really didn’t want to talk, then trembled like a frightened puppy.

“Actually… I was threatened that if I approached you and Lumi, I’d be killed.”

“W-What?”

“H-Hoyeon-ssi wouldn’t do that!”

Lumi protested with a shout, but Felix’s acting skills were among the best.

“But it’s true! As soon as class ended, he came to Class B and forcibly dragged me away. Then, in a secluded place, he threatened me not to approach you. He said… you were his property. Told me not to covet you.”

“Th-That bastard! Is he crazy?!”

“Lucy, calm down. Don’t get worked up! It’s not confirmed yet!”

“How can you expect me not to be worked up right now?!”

Lucy, the heroine of the original work ‘Sex Academy’, has a setting she absolutely cannot escape.

She has strong pride and never apologizes first to someone she’s fought with.

She finds flaws in the opponent somehow and belittles them to make herself seem righteous.

The reason she quickly befriended Felix wasn’t just his magic; it was Lucy’s subconscious defense mechanism, further affirming ‘Felix, who was rejected by Lee Hoyeon’ to deny ‘Lee Hoyeon’.

Of course, after the Felix incident, her personality would soften and become a catalyst for growth… but not yet.

“It’s okay. I don’t care about that. As long as I have you two, I’m fine.”

“No, it’s not okay. I’ll go find him myself and warn him.”

“W-Wha? No. You don’t have to…”

“No. I have to go.”

Lucy abandoned the plan to go to the cafe, grabbed her bag, and ran off somewhere.

“….”

Felix regretted saying something unnecessary, but Lucy was already long gone.

*

“Hmmmm.”

I wonder if my Liliana is doing well.

I decided to stop by the dorm to check on Liliana and then head to the training building.

I think I can further develop the barrier I learned earlier.

If I mix in a bit of my own original technique with the advanced barrier magic, I might be able to skill it up quickly.

“Ah~ Subscribe and like. Don’t forget to turn on notifications~.”

“Hey! Lee Hoyeon!”

I was walking along, muttering reactions to myself in a good mood, when I heard someone call my name.

Turning around, I saw Lucy glaring at me, huffing indignantly.

She finally came.

I expected Lucy to come looking for me after Felix called her out like that.

I thought she’d show up by the weekend at the earliest, or Monday morning at the latest, but it seems she just heard the news.

…I hope she didn’t hear me saying ‘Subscribe and like~’, did she?

“You, what did you say to Felix on Friday?”

Fortunately, the situation was unfolding as I intended.

Now all I need to do is set the stage.

“What business is it of yours? I didn’t say much.”

“This is your absolute last chance. Tell me the truth.”

She’s really angry.

★ Heroine Status Window

[Lucy]

• [ Affection : 9 ]

• [ Lust : 15 ]

• [ Hunger : 25 ]

• [ Fatigue : 35 ]

Her Affection has dropped to a single digit.

At this point, she must have heard some major slander from Felix.

I continued, feigning anger.

“I told him not to approach you and Lumi. Happy now?”

“Why, the hell? By what right are you doing that?”

I couldn’t believe how frustrating it was that I couldn’t say, [No, that bastard is a psycho!]

“It was all for you…”

“If it was for me, you shouldn’t have done that to Felix in the first place!”

Lucy is just about to lose it.

Fighting any further would be pointless, so I need to back down a little.

“…Lucy. Do you trust Felix?”

I asked cautiously, and Lucy answered confidently.

“Yes. Of course. Felix and I are friends.”

“I don’t know what rumors you heard. But do you have any proof?”

“Proof… I don’t have any! But you definitely dragged Felix away!”

“You believe everything Felix says, but why don’t you believe me? Don’t you think that’s strange?”

“That’s because Felix… Nngh.”

Lucy’s strong pride mixed with Felix’s insinuation created her abnormal mental state.

In reality, just one nudge should make her realize her state is abnormal, but I have no intention of letting that happen.

Lucy has a ‘setting’ where she goes berserk and loses sight of everything when angry.

It’s an innate trait that Lucy, as a heroine, cannot escape.

Based on that ‘setting’, Lucy’s resistance to magic drops drastically when she’s angry.

The mana transformed into magic and entered Lucy’s feet.

Gaze of Hatred.

It’s a magic that makes the target hate the first person they see.

“Lucy. Everything I did was for you. Think again…”

I spoke to the enchanted Lucy while slowly reaching out my hand.

“Get lost!”

Pak!

Lucy slapped my hand away and glared at me fiercely.

“I know everything! That you’re after me and Lumi’s bodies, that you threatened Felix to death! I won’t be fooled by men anymore. I won’t be taken advantage of!”

“…Lucy.”

The magic worked perfectly.

Unless she receives significant mental trauma or I release it, the magic will likely persist.

“I’m glad I can finally cut ties with trash like you. Never show your face before me again.”

Lucy spat out scathing curses, shoved me, and started walking away.

“Lucy! Just know this. I always thought of you two as good friends, and that hasn’t changed!”

“…Piss off.”

Lucy gritted her teeth, spat out a vicious curse, and disappeared.

Once Lucy was completely out of sight, the tension left me, and I let out a breath.

“Hoo, what kind of magic is this strong? Fucking scary.”

They call it ‘Gaze of Hatred’, shouldn’t the name be changed to ‘Gaze of Murderous Intent’?

“Well, it worked out well in the end.”

When Lucy feels betrayed by Felix, I’ll be the first person she thinks of.

I even pretended to offer pure goodwill at the end, so now I just have to wait for the harvest.

I look forward to the day I can reap the ‘salvation’ from the bad boy Lee Hoyeon.