Episode 557. Things Gone Wrong (3)

“Ugh….”

Lee Hoyeon stumbled out of the training room like a defeated soldier after a war.

Should I have just accepted the help?

The more I walked, the more it seemed to hurt.

“Huh?”

Lee Hoyeon, having barely made it out of the training room, first encountered a TA who seemed to be gauging the situation before leaving, preparing to clock out.

Leaving right after magic training ends?

“Are you leaving now?”

“Yes. Professor-nim told me to go in.”

“Oh, really?”

When did she say that?

Is there some kind of device that sends commands, like when I ordered chocolate?

Im Sol, who had been walking behind Lee Hoyeon, followed up on his words.

“I’ll contact you later. Good work. Lock up tight.”

“Yes, Professor-nim!”

The TA, bowing nearly 90 degrees, got into the elevator with a cheerful expression.

What a polite person. Well, if I worked somewhere like this, I’d probably bow 90 degrees to the boss too.

“Quitting right after magic research finishes… talk about a sweet gig. Right?”

“Is that so? I prefer that kid who gets less unnecessary attention.”

With a professor like that, maybe grad school wouldn’t be so bad.

Lee Hoyeon headed towards Im Sol’s lab with that thought in mind.

Snap-

As soon as Im Sol entered the lab, she snapped her fingers, and a portable bed flew in from somewhere, unfolding smoothly in front of Lee Hoyeon.

────[ Portable Bed ]────

▶ High Grade

▶ A top-tier portable bed crafted from the finest magic stones.

▶ Lying down improves mood and speeds up fatigue recovery.

────────────

Finest magic stones… for a mere portable bed?

That thought vanished the moment I lay down on the bed.

“This is surprisingly nice for a portable bed.”

He surrendered his body to the soft mattress.

This is almost as good as the bed at my place.

Lying on the bed, Lee Hoyeon moved the mana within his body around.

Moving the mana felt okay. Since the pain only occurred when using magic, it really seemed like it was just simple fatigue.

“I should have managed my condition better… sigh.”

….

Meanwhile, Im Sol gazed intently at the lying Lee Hoyeon.

Watching him weakly move the mana inside his body brought a certain scene to mind.

[Professor Im Sol? We need to administer emergency treatment to the patient.]

[No, don’t touch him.]

She still remembered her first encounter with Lee Hoyeon.

His demonic talent for correcting mistakes she’d made in an instant.

Back then, she’d made a mistake because she got too caught up in magic, just like today. The same thing happened again.

She vaguely recalled Arthur, the president of the Magic Association. He always called her a child who was only good at magic, but was she still immature?

[I absolutely cannot let him go.]

That day, captivated by Lee Hoyeon’s magic, Im Sol found a way to create a connection with him.

It would be a lie to say she’d never regretted it, but ultimately, she’d succeeded in breaking through her own wall, so it wasn’t the wrong decision.

She channeled mana into her hand and gently patted Lee Hoyeon’s shoulder.

The mana felt stable within his body.

Fortunately, it didn’t seem like he needed treatment.

Perhaps, from the moment they first met.

From the moment she saw Lee Hoyeon’s brilliant talent, Im Sol might have been destined to end up like this with him.

‘I didn’t feel this way back then.’

How did she end up harboring these feelings for a disciple she approached solely for his beautiful magic and talent?

….

“What’s wrong?”

Lee Hoyeon tilted his head.

A few embarrassing memories surfaced, and Im Sol pressed her lips together.

She knew better than anyone why that head-tilting face looked so appealing.

Moreover, seeing him lying there so weakly made her want to take care of him, even find him somewhat cute….

“N-no. It’s not like that. Im Sol.”

What was she thinking, having made him like this?

Im Sol brought the back of her hand to her cheek.

Her face grew warmer by the second, feeling like it would soon turn red.

“Stay lying down. I’ll get you some cocoa.”

She excused herself and prepared the cocoa, trying to regain control of her emotions.

‘Once again, I got lost in magic and neglected my surroundings….’

This wasn’t the first time she’d experienced this.

Now she conducted research alone at the academy, but when she was active or involved with the Magic Association, this happened about once every few days.

Back then, she didn’t think much of it even when directly criticized, but strangely, she felt a deep sense of guilt today.

How should I apologize in a situation like this?

“Thank you. But why are you making it yourself today? Usually, it just appears magically.”

“Ah… um. Just because.”

“Still, I’ll gratefully accept the cocoa made personally by my teacher.”

Lee Hoyeon accepted the cup with a slight smile.

Maybe Im Sol made it herself as a form of apology?

Although he didn’t say it out loud, her expression suggested she felt guilty about something.

It’s a bit disappointing that it’s just cocoa, but I guess it can’t be helped.

Slurp-

Lee Hoyeon took a sip of the cocoa and checked the cup again.

‘It’s just plain water.’

The bitter taste of cocoa powder lingered in his mouth.

Had she lost the knack for making it herself because she always used magic?

Lee Hoyeon downed the plain water, licking his lips.

‘I wonder what my disciple is thinking….’

Im Sol watched Lee Hoyeon sipping the cocoa.

He seemed to notice her meaningful gaze, perhaps suspecting something, but he didn’t seem to realize she’d fled before her face turned red.

She supposed she should be satisfied with that. Honestly, feeling embarrassed about things like this was a new sensation for Im Sol.

To think that something other than magic could genuinely capture her interest. She still couldn’t quite believe it.

“Professor-nim?”

“… Hmm?”

Lee Hoyeon smiled, seeing Im Sol’s troubled expression.

‘She looks so dejected. Cute.’

She’s clearly feeling guilty seeing me lying here.

This is the time to show her my cool, manly side.

“It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt much anymore. As long as I don’t force my mana out, I’ll recover quickly, so don’t look so down, Sol.”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. That’s a relief.”

….

Lee Hoyeon blinked in surprise at her unexpected reaction.

‘What? Wasn’t she worried about my body?’

“Ahem. Uh, look. If you wanted to see my Hell mana, you could have just asked. Why did you suddenly challenge me to a spar, Professor Im Sol? Huh?”

Lee Hoyeon coughed awkwardly out of embarrassment and hastily changed the subject.

“I’m sorry. I really am. Next time, I’ll focus on what you’re saying.”

“Oof. My body feels so stiff, so stiff.”

Lee Hoyeon raised and lowered his trembling arms, expressing his pain.

Only then did Im Sol seem to pay attention to him.

“Come to think of it, you said you had something to tell me earlier, right? Is it about the Hell mana?”

“… Uh, um.”

Hearing Im Sol’s words brought Lee Hoyeon back to his senses.

He had a reason for coming here in the first place.

The thing he needed to say was, of course, about the fake dungeon.

Just like he’d told the other heroines, he intended to tell Im Sol too.

But with the situation suddenly changing like this, he wasn’t sure how to bring it up.

He wanted to set a serious tone from the beginning, but getting injured during the sudden spar had ruined his plan.

He couldn’t just talk about something like that while lying in bed.

‘Still, I can’t hide it.’

Even if Im Sol was clueless about everything except magic, she wasn’t someone who feared getting hurt like the Lucy and Lumi twins.

If she’d intended to hide everything, she wouldn’t have considered telling him in the first place.

“It’s not about the Hell mana… Please just listen first.”

“Okay.”

He forced himself to sit up in bed.

Lee Hoyeon’s demeanor changed instantly, and Im Sol adjusted her posture too.

Im Sol listened intently to the seriousness emanating from his voice.

*

“Hmm….”

After hearing what Lee Hoyeon revealed, Im Sol fell into deep thought.

The story about the fake dungeon was admittedly difficult to grasp, but hearing that he regretted it in the end didn’t make her too angry.

Instead, she felt grateful that he was revealing his vulnerabilities.

Lee Hoyeon knew many of Im Sol’s embarrassing secrets.

Being ostracized by other mages, her deep-seated inferiority complex towards them, her pride that demanded she always be the best.

All of these were issues Lee Hoyeon had helped resolve.

What truly surprised Im Sol, however, was the sheer number of women involved.

She’d been surprised when she saw them in the dungeon, but hearing it directly was even more astonishing.

“It’s really fascinating that there are so many women.”

“… Yes.”

“You mentioned a curse, right? Is it because of that?”

Lee Hoyeon pondered how to answer Im Sol’s question.

The reason Lee Hoyeon confessed about the fake dungeon was actually because he felt guilty about designing it to kidnap heroines, but it seemed like every heroine he spoke to cared more about the other women than the dungeon itself.

“Well… that was wrong too, I suppose.”

But calling it a ‘curse’ felt awkward somehow.

The main quest restricting Lee Hoyeon’s actions could be considered a curse in a way, but was it really okay to frame it like that?

He didn’t want it to seem like meeting and falling in love with the heroines was due to a curse.

“It has nothing to do with the curse, meeting you, Professor-nim. My feelings for you, Professor Im Sol, are genuine. I always want to take care of you… I want to give you everything you desire. I still feel that way.”

“It’s a relief that we feel the same.”

Im Sol tucked the hair that had fallen forward behind her ear and smiled.

She had briefly wondered if he was meeting her out of obligation due to the curse, but if Lee Hoyeon felt the same way, there was no need for further worry.

“Actually, the number of women isn’t that important.”

She placed her hand on Lee Hoyeon’s chest, who was forcing himself to sit up, and pushed him back down onto the bed.

Lee Hoyeon staring blankly up at her from the bed was also quite cute.

“I don’t have any other choice but you. I decided that from the moment we first met.”

This was a secret Im Sol held in her heart, but she hadn’t actually decided that from the very beginning.

It was the youthful folly of wanting to marry a mage superior to herself.

She’d always said that to those around her, but Im Sol knew best that she didn’t mean it.

Because there was no possibility of a mage surpassing her.

All mages were inferior to her.

Therefore, the noble I would not associate with the likes of you.

It was better to be an ill-mannered mage who made no friends than a mage with no friends.

The complaints of an immature child. An impossible dream.

However, once she fell for the man who made that child’s vain dream come true, there was no escaping.

Because that memory would remain etched in Im Sol’s heart forever.

“… What are you saying?”

Lee Hoyeon’s heart pounded at the sweet words that made him feel like falling for her all over again.

He swallowed hard.

Their eyes met, reflecting the same emotion.

Im Sol must be feeling just as flustered as he was.

As if agreeing with his unspoken thought, Im Sol’s hand on his chest moved away.

Im Sol smiled brightly and began to unzip Lee Hoyeon’s pants.

“… Professor-nim?”

“Stay still.”

“No, Sol. Just a moment, Kyaaaak…!”

He winced as mana flowed into his body through Im Sol’s hand.

This crazy woman was channeling mana into a patient!

“I’m injured! Are you crazy?”

“Don’t worry. It’ll just sting a little. I can control it.”

Forced back onto the bed, Lee Hoyeon flinched under Im Sol’s predatory gaze.

“We had such a good mood going. Here we were, about to confirm our love with hugs and passionate kisses….”

“This is also confirming our love. Today, instead of a sugar rush, we’ll have a love boost.”

“C-cough.”

Lee Hoyeon’s eyes widened in surprise.

To hear such words come from Im Sol.

It was an incredibly endearing statement. Embarrassing, yes, but something lovers could say.

He was already excited, but if the mood had been built up a little more, he would have been truly thrilled.

It was a bit disappointing that she said that while pulling down his underwear.

‘I guess I can’t refuse.’

He had wanted to maintain a serious atmosphere, but it seemed situations rarely went his way when he was with Im Sol.

Today, he’d just have to go with the flow and accept his fate.