Episode 480. Im Sol (6)

It hurts.

How should I describe this pain I feel in my body?

• Heuk. Heuk-heuk….

I pushed Blood Beat to its limit, causing my mana circuits to go haywire, and I squeezed out mana even though my mana circuits were already shattered.

‘This might be the first time I’ve hurt this much.’

I’d had similar experiences before. I had plenty of memories of being hospitalized. But this time was truly severe.

It feels like my whole body was hammered.

Is this how flattened meat feels after being hit with a meat tenderizer?

I don’t think I’ll be able to fight for at least a few days.

• Heuk. Heu-euk… Kkeu-heuk. Honey. Eu-eu-heuk.

….

My whole body still hurt, but the sorrowful crying sounds from beside me woke Lee Hoyeon’s slumbering consciousness.

Slowly, consciousness awakens.

I blinked and felt my neck move side to side.

When I gently turned my head, I saw a cute crown of hair buried in the pillow.

She’s crying so pitifully, I can’t help but worry.

“… Ahyoung-ssi.”

“Eu-heu-euk..? Huh? Ah. Honey…. Heu-eu-euk. You’re finally awake.”

Baek Ahyoung tearfully hugged Lee Hoyeon.

Lee Hoyeon smiled and pulled Baek Ahyoung into a one-armed hug, stroking her hair.

“I’m sorry. You must have been worried.”

“You said we’d play together, so why did you come here and collapse… sob. That’s so mean.”

….

Thinking back, that’s right.

We had agreed to play together after the sparring match when I had free time.

But I ended up passing out during the fight, so I guess I worried her too much.

“Still, thanks to you, Ahyoung-ssi, I’m alive. It hurt so much I thought I was going to die.”

“… Your condition was also serious, Honey. But strangely, you healed quickly… The problem was Sol.”

“Ah, right. Professor Im Sol? Is she okay? I remember her bleeding at the end…!”

“Calm down. She’s right here.”

“Here?”

Only then did Lee Hoyeon notice the bed right next to him.

Im Sol lay there with a peaceful expression.

Her chest rose and fell slightly, so she seemed to be breathing.

“That’s a relief…. Thank you, Ahyoung-ssi.”

“She’s not in mortal danger… but without me, you both might have been in trouble. What were you two thinking? It was just a sparring match.”

“… I know. I’m sorry.”

Lee Hoyeon gave a wry smile to Baek Ahyoung, who glared at him.

Just like Im Sol had prepared everything to the end in her lab, Lee Hoyeon had intended to finish everything today.

‘… Still, I’m glad I won.’

Lee Hoyeon nodded, looking at the sleeping Im Sol.

From Emotion Amplification to Hell’s Mana. I used everything.

If I had lost this time too, it might have taken me another 10 years.

Lee Hoyeon hugged Baek Ahyoung again.

“I’m relieved.”

“… Relieved? I was so worried.”

“I’m relieved you were here. I believed everything would work out somehow. Thank you for taking care of me until I woke up.”

“Ugh… Honey….”

Pat, pat.

Lee Hoyeon hugged Baek Ahyoung, who clung to him with a tearful face, back.

I’m glad I trusted Baek Ahyoung and Rebecca.

I clearly remember it was Rebecca who protected the sparring ground’s magic circle during the explosion.

I should thank her later.

“Still, it’s good you’re awake. Now, could you look after Sol for a bit? I have a lot of things to do.”

“Thank you for staying until I woke up. I’ll take care of Professor Im Sol.”

“Eueung.”

Lee Hoyeon took the hand of the smiling Baek Ahyoung and gave it a short kiss.

Seeing her giggle and leave with just that made me feel good.

It was worth playing hard with her before the sparring match.

‘… I feel kind of strange.’

Lee Hoyeon got out of bed.

Although my body still ached all over, thanks to my high natural healing ability, I could walk.

“Sleep well. Really.”

Kkuuk. Kkuuk.

Lee Hoyeon squeezed Im Sol’s cheeks.

I admire her never-give-up attitude, but why does she have to try so hard when I’m the opponent?

It would be so much better if she just went easy on me.

“Hey. Im Sol. If you don’t wake up, I’m gonna pounce.”

Jomul-jomul.

I carefully moved my hand down.

My fingers traced past her soft cheek, down her jawline, along her neck, and reached her collarbone, but Im Sol didn’t wake up.

“… Tch. You’re really out cold.”

Touching a sleeping person’s chest feels wrong.

Baek Ahyoung said it was okay, so she’ll probably wake up soon.

I kept aiming to beat Im Sol, but now that I’ve won, I feel strange.

‘… She said she’d let me do whatever I wanted.’

I’ll think about what I want to do slowly.

I definitely plan on getting compensation for all the trouble.

Lee Hoyeon removed his hand from Im Sol and headed out of the room.

As soon as I stepped out, I saw a familiar hallway. The academy’s VIP ward, where I’d been hospitalized countless times.

Baek Ahyoung must have pulled some strings this time too.

‘… Only a few hours have passed.’

Lee Hoyeon nodded, checking his smartwatch.

I was worried I might have slept all day, so it’s a relief.

‘… Well, that’s why they’re waiting here, I guess.’

Lee Hoyeon’s lips curled upwards.

As I walked, I felt a familiar magical energy.

The VIP lounge.

A rune barrier was set up there.

It was clearly a signal telling me to come this way.

Lee Hoyeon dragged his still-uncooperative feet towards the lounge.

“Oh, Daddy. You’re finally awake?”

“… Were you waiting here the whole time?”

“I was planning to leave if you hadn’t woken up in another hour.”

Lee Hoyeon smiled, looking at the women occupying the lounge.

Liliana was getting coffee from the machine, while Scarlet and Rebecca sat comfortably on the lounge chairs as if they were on their own sofas.

Nam Daeun from the medical team was there too.

“Hoyeon. Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Luckily, I’m alive. How about you, Daeun?”

“The Saintess took good care of me too….”

Nam Daeun gave her usual faint smile.

She seemed a bit unstable during the sparring match, but she looks completely fine now.

“Anyway, Daddy, congratulations on winning the sparring match. I saw everything, and I really think my help was a big factor. Right?”

“You’re right. Ah, and Rebecca-ssi, thank you for protecting us with the barrier at the end. That was huge.”

“Mhm. What else could I do? You were counting on me, Daddy.”

“You have a point.”

“But why did you fight like you were trying to kill her? I thought you and the Professor were on good terms.”

Liliana sipped her vending machine coffee and approached Lee Hoyeon.

“… I had circumstances where I absolutely had to win. Anyway, thank you for waiting. Right. Is everyone else okay? Scarlet, how about you? You said you tasted blood.”

Lee Hoyeon stroked Liliana’s hair, then turned his head to meet Scarlet’s eyes.

I clearly remember seeing everyone in bad shape when I reviewed Rebecca’s memories.

Scarlet smiled at Lee Hoyeon’s words.

“I’m fine. Healing magic is quite advanced these days.”

“That’s good. Right. About meeting Lucifer, is there more?”

“Lucifer…?”

“That’s the name of the guy who attacked Rebecca-ssi.”

————————–

[ Hell’s Scoundrel Summoning Contract ]

Are you the one who summoned Hell’s scoundrels?

Choose one of the four scoundrels.

1. The demon Lucifer, a butcher obsessed with human flesh

2. The Incubus Geum Taeyang, a virgin-slayer from Hell Academy

3. A rank F mercenary for 20 years. The Centaur, a veteran of a thousand defeats

4. The Succubus, a 50-year-old spinster and master web-spinner

—————————

Lee Hoyeon recalled the contract from his memory.

The last of the four scoundrels.

That was Lucifer.

“Honestly, even if you ask if there’s more, I don’t have much else to say. We fought fiercely, but I don’t have much information about the opponent.”

“… Hmm. It’s the same for me. I think I might have heard the name Lucifer in Hell… but I’m not sure.”

“It’s probably similar to Daddy’s experience. The only unusual thing is how much Daeun contributed?”

“R-Rebecca-ssi. Please don’t say that….”

“Daeun inflicted a critical wound, buying us time until Irene-nim arrived.”

“Really…? That’s amazing.”

It wasn’t in Rebecca’s memories, but that explains the attack Nam Daeun showed in the sparring ground.

Perhaps she gained some insight from fighting Lucifer.

“Yeah. It was incredibly cool.”

“Liliana-ssi. Thank you.”

Lee Hoyeon smiled, watching the women praise each other.

I should ask Chiron or Albedo about Lucifer… No, wait. Come here for a second.

Lee Hoyeon opened his arms and hugged Liliana and Nam Daeun, who were in front of him.

I couldn’t tend to them immediately because of the sparring match with Im Sol, but Lee Hoyeon knew how terrifying the Demon King was.

It’s truly a miracle that everyone survived after meeting Lucifer.

“I’m so glad everyone is alive. Truly.”

“Uh, umm… Hoyeon.”

“So warm….”

Nam Daeun and Liliana leaned into Lee Hoyeon.

It felt like a reward for that fierce battle, and it felt good.

“Daddy really knows how to handle women.”

“I agree.”

“Rebecca-ssi and Scarlet, come here too. Let me check if you’re alive.”

“I’d love to~.”

“If you call, I should go.”

Rebecca and Scarlet approached Lee Hoyeon with smiles, and he let out a sigh of relief, feeling the warmth of the four women.

*

Pandemic’s headquarters, deep underground.

Lucifer sat on the sofa, legs crossed.

Human artifacts were quite amusing, and he particularly liked this tuxedo.

He planned to take the tuxedo back with him even after returning to Hell to become the Demon King.

“Liliana Calliope… And one unseen human. Plus, there was a magic circle from Hell.”

After visiting the Academy.

Lucifer had discovered many interesting things.

First, his sibling, Liliana Calliope.

Liliana didn’t seem to notice the seal placed upon her.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t figure out the reason before regaining all his strength, but finding his power was only a matter of time.

“Lee Hoyeon… To think such a being exists among humans.”

The Academy held interesting beings besides Liliana.

Lucifer, having infiltrated the main hall, looked directly at Lee Hoyeon, but still, nothing was visible.

Lucifer’s demonic eyes read everything.

But he couldn’t discern the source of Lee Hoyeon’s mana or magic.

He felt the same sense of powerlessness he had felt in the Demon King’s castle once more.

Seureureuk-.

Lucifer drew mana into his palm.

Lee Hoyeon wasn’t the only interesting thing he discovered at the Academy.

A magic circle brimming with Hell’s mana.

That alone was intriguing. It meant there was someone in the human world who could wield Hell’s mana.

But in the main hall, where he entered to see Lee Hoyeon firsthand, Lucifer witnessed something even more astounding.

The end of the sparring match. Lucifer clearly confirmed the mana Lee Hoyeon used.

“That black sun definitely contained Hell’s mana.”

And it was the same mana found in the magic circle.

Lucifer coincidentally identified the owner of the magic circle.

“A human using Hell’s mana while evading demonic eyes.”

Lucifer’s demonic eyes could also read magic circles.

The human named Lee Hoyeon blocked Lucifer’s demonic eyes, but not the magic circle he created.

It was a magic circle that summoned an artificial dungeon, which Lucifer had discovered.

It was an advanced magic circle that granted the owner complete authority over the dungeon.

He didn’t know where this magic circle would be used, but Lucifer smiled.

“Once I regain my strength, it won’t be impossible to claim it for myself.”

The request he received from Maestro was to help the denizens of Hell and kill Lee Hoyeon.

However, there was no obligation to kill him immediately. Lucifer had the discretion to choose how to kill Lee Hoyeon.

“Find out why he can block the demonic eyes. And, reclaim the Demon King’s castle.”

Lee Hoyeon.

Lucifer remembered the name of the human who piqued his interest.