Episode 81. The Nurse Appears (3)

“Cadet Lee Hoyeon?”

The Class B professor looked surprised to see me. I guess they didn’t expect me to raise my hand.

“I want to do it too.”

Just then, Alice, who was behind me, also raised her hand. No, why is she acting like this? Don’t get in the way.

“I want to do it too!”

Kim Young-han, who had been quiet, also raises his hand.

“I want to do it too!”

“How often do we get a chance to spar with the 2nd years!”

“…?”

About 1/10th of the cadets raised their hands. This isn’t what I planned? I just wanted to take down the shorty and leave, but I couldn’t exactly tell everyone else to step aside because I was only going after that bastard.

“Uhh… there are quite a lot of applicants. What should we do?”

“Why don’t we just have them all do it at once?”

“Huh? Ah, Professor Park. How would that work?”

The male professor who popped out from behind the pondering female professor was a 2nd-year professor. He looked at us, scratching his head as if annoyed.

“Just have them come out one by one by rank and run it as a winner-take-all. Make sure everyone participates, the first person spars, and for those who want more, we’ve set up plenty of sparring areas in the back for voluntary matches.”

“Ah… that’s not a bad idea either. But the 1st years haven’t taken their exam yet, so their ranks aren’t out.”

“We can manage that appropriately. I’ll go sort out the 2nd-year ranks and be right back.”

“Yes, yes. Understood.”

The two professors discussed it back and forth and came to a conclusion. The rules explained by the female professor were simple. A 1st year and a 2nd year would come out one by one to face off one-on-one. The loser leaves the sparring area, and the winner remains. Since there were over 200 cadets in each year, they decided to divide them into 5 teams. The 2nd years divided their teams by rank, and we (the 1st years) divided ours roughly based on what we’d seen so far. Of course, I was in the top tier. It’s not like I was considered weak, just unable to get re-evaluated. I’d also beaten up that cocky weakling before. For reference, Do Jin-hyuk and his lackeys were mostly in the top tier as well. They’ve approached me less since that day, which has been comfortable and nice. As expected, people only come to their senses after getting hit.

“Can I go out first?”

I asked for understanding from the roughly 40 cadets. My target is the shorty, and I don’t know when that bastard will show up. So what else can I do? I’ll have to take them down one by one until the shorty appears.

“Go ahead.”

Alice had the strongest voice, even among the 1st-year top tier. Of course, Nam Daeun was stronger in terms of power, but Nam Daeun rarely expressed her own opinions.

“It seems they’re going to send out theirs starting from 1st place. Will that be alright?”

This is Kim Young-han. He was naturally in the top tier. I didn’t pay much attention because he’s a guy, but he must be really strong.

“How do you know that kind of information?”

“There are ways. There are ways.”

“…Then do you know what rank that shorty-looking senior is?”

“Are you talking about Senior Yoon Hyunkyu? He’s 8th. And isn’t that person in the same student council as you? Why don’t you know?”

“I didn’t have much interest.”

Finally, Kim Young-han was fulfilling his role as an informant. It was worth raising him! I’m proud!

‘If he’s 8th, does that mean I only need to crush the top 8 people?’

Actually, now that I know he’s 8th, I wish I could time my entrance perfectly. Should I try suggesting that?

“Oh! Saintess!”

While I was pondering what to do, a word I couldn’t possibly ignore reached my ears. I quickly turned my head towards the direction of the voice. A beautiful woman was entering through the main entrance of the auditorium. Even though she had quit the Association, she was dressed in an office look. The combination of her waist-length black straight hair, snow-white skin, and blue eyes captured everyone’s attention. The moderately long skirt and pristine white shirt fit the image of an office girl perfectly. Baek Ahyoung seemed burdened by the gazes of numerous people, turning her head around until her eyes met mine.

“Ah….”

★ Heroine Status Window

[Baek Ahyoung]

• [Affection: 84] (+0.2)

• [Lust: 69]

• [Appetite: 30]

• [Fatigue: 35]

Current Status: Found you….

Baek Ahyoung let out a gasp and immediately tried to approach me.

“S-Saintess?!”

Making eye contact with Baek Ahyoung, I sent her intense signals telling her not to come closer. Perhaps snapping out of it slightly when I called her ‘Saintess’, Baek Ahyoung also stepped back, clearing her throat. The professor standing behind approached Baek Ahyoung and asked why she had come.

“Ah, I came to prepare for any accidents that might occur during the sparring matches as part of the School Nurse’s first duty.”

“Ah… I see. There’s a place where the professors are gathered over there, shall we go together?”

“No. I’ll watch the cadets from here.”

“Yes, yes. Understood.”

The male professor tried to subtly lead Baek Ahyoung away, but gave up due to her firm attitude and turned back. The cadets kept looking Baek Ahyoung’s way, perhaps finding it novel to see her at the academy. However, no one approached or spoke to her. It seemed everyone had received the Chairman’s notice via the professors. They probably didn’t want to risk provoking Baek Ahyoung, not knowing what might happen. But leaving her alone like that isn’t good either. Her workplace changed, and everyone’s a stranger, so it must be awkward. Should I at least subtly go over and talk to her?

★ Heroine Status Window

[Baek Ahyoung]

• [Affection: 84] (+0.2)

• [Lust: 69]

• [Appetite: 30]

• [Fatigue: 35]

Current Status: She came all this way, when will she come to see me?

After checking the status window, it seems there’s no need. What awkwardness? She’s just completely ignoring her surroundings. Will that really be okay? She didn’t quit the Association in the original work, but quitting it because of me… isn’t that a bit much…? Ah, whatever. If I were going to care about the original work, I should have done so from the beginning. The moment I decided to go down the harem route, it was inevitable that the original work would twist. All that matters is how I overcome it.

“Has the order been decided?”

Professor Kim Jin-hyuk, who had agreed to officiate the top-tier spars between the 1st and 2nd years, approached us.

“Uh, wait a moment! Hoyeon. Are you going out first?”

“Actually, I only need to fight the 8th-ranked person, so it doesn’t really matter much.”

“Then how about we go out by rank too? Nam Daeun first, then Alice, then Lee Hoyeon…”

It doesn’t matter to me, but if Nam Daeun and Alice go all out, they might even win against all 40 people, let alone just the 8th-ranked person. Especially since Nam Daeun is a truly broken character, even I can’t imagine how strong she is at this point.

“No complaints, right? You’re the 1st year strongest, the 1st year top student, and the 1st year most handsome guy, respectively. Naturally, we should go out in this order.”

What’s this ‘most handsome guy’ nonsense? I captured Mind Flayers and defeated Ogres, I did it all, you know? Looking back now, it seems this guy is also contributing to creating the wrong impression of me.

“Is this a factor that will be reflected in the grades?”

Nam Daeun, who had been quiet until now, approached Professor Kim Jin-hyuk and asked.

“It’s more like a friendly spar, so it won’t be reflected in the grades.”

“Yes. Understood.”

Seeing that, it seems Nam Daeun isn’t planning to fight seriously. Then I only need to talk to Alice.

“Alice. I really want to fight the 2nd year’s 8th-ranked person, so could you take down up to the 7th-ranked person and then forfeit?”

“…Why should I?”

Her reaction was negative.

★ Heroine Status Window

[Alice]

• [Affection: 35]

• [Lust: 25]

• [Appetite: 30]

• [Fatigue: 40]

Current Status: Thinking about how I acted cute for Dad because of her… Ugh.

Hmm. She even acted cute for her dad just to grant my request. Thinking about how the usually cold girl acted cute made me want to see her.

“Don’t tell me you’re still sulking because of that bet?”

“Geez. Do you think I’m some kind of child? I’m not!”

Alice frowned and ran away, avoiding me. Even acting like that, it seems like she’ll do it… She will, right? I wasn’t particularly interested in the remaining order for the 1st years, so I left them to decide on their own and watched Nam Daeun’s spar. Nam Daeun and the 2nd year’s 1st ranker stood facing each other in the sparring area.

“Please take care of me.”

“Yeah. Let’s have a good match.”

Despite appearances, Nam Daeun is usually polite in public settings. Except for that one phrase, she doesn’t say anything else.

“Then, start!”

Along with Professor Kim Jin-hyuk’s start signal, Nam Daeun moved.

Kwang-!

Nam Daeun’s unique power, Space Domination, allowed her to control the space around herself and accelerate, moving her body in an instant. Even though the 2nd year’s 1st ranker retreated immediately upon the start, they couldn’t avoid Nam Daeun’s strike.

“Keuhup-!”

Raising their sword to block Nam Daeun’s rapid attack was truly commendable, but they were still pushed back several steps, unable to withstand the force.

“If the 2nd year’s 1st ranker is this much… I can probably continue using just a little bit.”

Nam Daeun muttered words of unknown meaning, then suddenly raised her hand.

“I will forfeit.”

“H-Hey!”

The 2nd year’s 1st ranker, seeming to have their pride hurt by Nam Daeun’s sudden forfeit, grabbed her.

“Where’s the sense in ending it like this! I haven’t even started yet!”

“I’m sorry. It doesn’t seem like this will be helpful for my training.”

“….”

Wow… that must really hurt one’s pride. It’s even sadder because she was polite about it. It really makes it seem unhelpful. The 2nd year’s 1st ranker in the sparring area stared blankly at Nam Daeun, looking dazed, while Nam Daeun emotionlessly walked out of the auditorium.

“Hmm, due to the 1st year’s forfeit, the winner is the 2nd year’s Han Seoyul. Han Seoyul remains, and let the next contender from the 1st years come out.”

Next up was Alice. Alice also politely greeted her opponent and started the spar.

“She really doesn’t seem like a 1st year.”

“Right? Nam Daeun is just incredibly strong, so it’s hard to tell, but Alice’s techniques and mana control are visibly unbelievable, making her seem even more amazing.”

“Honestly, her talent and abilities are broken. She was born with a talent that consumes a lot of mana, but she was also born with a large mana pool.”

The surrounding cadets were evaluating Alice. Most evaluations were positive, but actually, Alice had a secret that no one knew, except for a few close associates. It was a congenital mana disorder. Her mana pool was extremely small compared to others. Even her innate talents for swordsmanship and magic couldn’t overcome the limit of her mana pool. Therefore, Alice needed magic stones to use her power. Since her mana pool was smaller than others, she had to forcibly supplement her mana to sustain both swordsmanship and magic. That’s why she absorbs magic stones into her body every day using expensive equipment. It only increases her simple mana capacity and isn’t like doping, so she received official permission from Victoria Academy. Of course, it’s uncertain whether they would have allowed it if she weren’t the daughter of the Iris Guild… but that’s just how the world works.

Chwajajak-

Intense heat surged every time Alice’s sword touched Han Seoyul.

“Keuk….”

Unlike the spar with Nam Daeun, he wasn’t knocked out in one hit, but Han Seoyul was being pushed back little by little. If it continued like this, he seemed likely to lose soon.

Chaang!

Han Seoyul, being pushed back further and further by Alice, couldn’t hold back and charged at her.

Sasasok-

Han Seoyul kicked off the floor, drawing up his mana. In that moment, Han Seoyul’s sword multiplied into four, each one aiming for Alice’s limbs.

“Try blocking it if you can!”

Seeing the technique, which anyone could tell was a secret move, Alice lightly moved her arms. She blocked the swords coming at her arms with her own, while vines sprouting from the floor caught the sword aimed at her right leg. With force magic, she deflected the blade of the sword from the lower left, making it miss Alice’s body.

“Keuet!”

After the brief exchange, Han Seoyul had dropped his sword, and Alice stood perfectly still in her spot. A perfect victory. Seeing the 2nd year’s 1st ranker suffer such a crushing defeat, the 2nd years shook their heads, while the 1st years cheered.

“Senior. I’ve truly learned a valuable lesson. I’ll forfeit.”

And Alice forfeited.

“…?”

“What did you say?”

Han Seoyul, who had been wearing an expression of ‘I lost, but I fought well…!’, looked up in surprise, and Professor Kim Jin-hyuk, perhaps mishearing, asked again.

“Indeed, you seniors are different. Your junior has learned a lot.”

Alice bowed her head confidently, showing a polite demeanor. Why is she acting like that? Really?

★ Heroine Status Window

[Alice]

• [Affection: 35]

• [Lust: 25]

• [Appetite: 30]

• [Fatigue: 40]

Current Status: With this level of skill, it’s worth testing.

‘Aha… She intends to test me.’

It was clearly her intention to test my skills, as I was next. I didn’t feel offended. The more practical experience the better for me, and it would be good to shed the stigma of being weak with this opportunity. Since I’m going to do it anyway, I should show them spectacularly. I confidently stepped onto the sparring stage. In front of me stood the 2nd year’s 1st ranker, his face red and blotchy.

“Just how much are you ignoring seniors to make me this miserable…!”

Wait, did I ignore you?

“Senior. Please take care of me.”

“…This time, I will definitely win.”

Han Seoyul greeted me, swallowing his anger. What wrong did this person do to have to lose to his junior three times? For the first time, I felt sorry for the 2nd year.