episode_0065

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A spy who infiltrated the academy.

I’d vaguely heard before that if there was a major villain alliance, there’d be at least one among them—and it seemed this woman was playing that role.

But why did she go out of her way to reveal her identity to me, specifically mentioning Yozora?

Did she have some kind of confidence that things would be fine?

Or was it sheer arrogance, as if daring me to do something about it?

Why take the risk of exposing herself in the first place?

Did she assume that since we both knew each other’s secrets, it’d be fine?

…Sitting here agonizing over it won’t give me any answers.

Crumpling the note she’d handed me and tossing it aside, I rested my chin on the nurse’s office desk and studied the woman sitting across from me.

Her navy-blue hair, neatly cut in a hime-style, cascaded down to her waist.

Unlike some, she didn’t wear a fleece over her uniform—every button was fastened, her attire immaculate.

Her face bore no trace of makeup.

Yet, her cat-like eyes, strikingly alluring, held pupils so deep blue they seemed to contain tidal waves.

Some Transcendents experience changes in their body’s pigmentation based on their abilities.

Like Lee Jiyun’s snow-white hair, a result of her ice manipulation.

So, Baek Seoyeon was likely a Transcendent with water-related powers.

At the same time, a woman standing on the opposite end of heroes.

…And also, a Transcendent strong enough to serve as student council president in an academy teeming with monsters.

“…….”

Tap, tap. The fingers drumming on the desk paused briefly.

…I racked my brain trying to recall, but I still couldn’t place her.

I guess it’s because she wasn’t a hero.

“Teacher.”

“Ah, yes.”

Baek Seoyeon was the first to speak.

Lost in thought, I responded with a neutral expression, wiping away any trace of a smile.

If she were just an ordinary student, I might’ve laughed it off with a casual, Oh, I’m just the health committee member, not a teacher~ But with her, there was no need for that.

Yet, the fact that she still insisted on calling me teacher suggested she was wary of other students possibly walking in.

“It’s nothing major. I just came because I wanted to ask you something…”

Trailing off, Baek Seoyeon pulled out her phone from her pocket and placed it on the desk.

It was an outdated model, about three years behind the latest.

The complete opposite of Yozora’s.

Her fingers moved across the screen.

[Yozora. You know her, right?]

“…….”

Even here, she’s using honorifics.

Should I be surprised?

After a strange pause, I nodded.

The fact that she deliberately typed it out instead of speaking meant she didn’t want to be heard.

Then, Baek Seoyeon began recounting the recent villain-related crimes in the news.

Alongside it, another sentence appeared on her phone screen.

[The student next to Yozora during the entrance ceremony. Do you know who that was?]

“?”

Following her fingertip with my eyes, I stared at her, dumbfounded.

The student next to Yozora was Han Sua.

Is she seriously asking because she doesn’t know?

Tilting my head in confusion—not because I didn’t know, but because the question was baffling—Baek Seoyeon’s already stiff expression grew even more serious.

…I really don’t get why she’s acting like this…

“Uh, well… Student Council President? Is that what I should call you?”

“Call me whatever you like.”

How could I naturally let her know it was Han Sua?

After a brief internal debate, I realized it didn’t matter and pulled her phone slightly toward me.

[It’s a student named Han Sua. You didn’t know?]

“……?”

This time, it was Baek Seoyeon’s turn to tilt her head.

Then, ahem, ahem—clearing her throat, she suddenly began studying my face for some reason.

After a brief, inexplicable moment of eye contact, she abruptly grabbed her phone and stood.

“…My apologies.”

“…….”

Exactly one minute and thirty seconds.

Baek Seoyeon had come in like a tidal wave and left just as quickly.

All that, just to ask one question?

And…

…Somehow,

she left behind the impression of looking a little…

stupid.

65

That was Han Sua?

…Seriously?

No, wasn’t she supposed to be the one sabotaging her so she couldn’t graduate?

But why would they be close even before the entrance ceremony…?

“Ugh…”

Why?

Baek Seoyeon, suffering from a throbbing headache, let out a small groan.

She’d known for a while that Yozora had a habit of drinking too much and doing stupid things, but if she was going to do the exact opposite of what she was paid to do, what was the point?

“Ha…”

Alcohol.

That damn alcohol was the problem.

A few days ago, Yozora had called out of nowhere in the middle of the day, slurring something about the red string of fate—and now, it seemed she’d completely lost it.

Just think about it for a second. If Seo Woojin really was her so-called fate, why would he be working here as a health teacher, you idiot?

Half of her sigh was for Yozora’s drunken stupidity.

The other half was worry—what if Yozora completely ruined everything?

And a pinch of anxiety—what if she got dragged into it too?

Biting her tongue from the sudden, intense stress, Baek Seoyeon exhaled deeply and returned to the student council room.

There, an unexpected guest had arrived.

A male student, lounging on the sofa, busy fiddling with a handheld game console.

Lazily turning his body, he smirked at her.

“Senior, you’re back?”

“…Yes.”

He was the vice president of Miren Academy, currently a second-year.

Not so much competent as popular—elected by the female student body.

Sure, the student council had always been somewhat of a popularity contest, but once given responsibility, one should at least try to take it seriously…

Baek Seoyeon had assumed that was the general concept of responsibility—until she learned from him that some people just didn’t care.

If she could’ve cut ties freely, she wouldn’t have had to interact with him until graduation.

Why did the future of Miren Academy’s student council weigh so heavily on her?

Had she grown attached after spending a year and a half with these people?

…Useless sentiment.

Donning her usual cold student council president mask, Baek Seoyeon strode toward the pile of documents she’d left earlier.

“Ah. I saw you mess up during the entrance ceremony.”

“…….”

“You looked really cute, unlike usual.”

“…Thanks.”

Disgusting.

Responding with words she didn’t mean, Baek Seoyeon kept her eyes fixed on the documents.

…Let’s see.

The vending machine-related paperwork she’d reviewed before heading to the nurse’s office didn’t seem important enough to report…

“Need any help?”

“No.”

Right beside her, the vice president pulled out a chair.

It wasn’t surprising—just unpleasant.

Like how you never get used to the smell of rotting food.

“Why not? I’m just trying to score points with you, Senior.”

“Go do that with the second-years who actually like you.”

“Ah, there it is. The occasional informal speech.”

“Vice President, go do that with the second-years who actually like you.”

“Bit late to cover it up now, don’t you think?”

“Sigh… So, what do you want?”

Baek Seoyeon glared at him with her usual indifferent gaze, only to be met with an even wider grin.

Objectively speaking, he was good-looking.

Aside from being slightly shorter than Baek Seoyeon (who stood just over 170 cm), there wasn’t much to criticize about his appearance.

If cute guys were your type, you might even like him.

But Baek Seoyeon’s tastes were different.

If she had to pick…

Seo Woojin, whom she’d just seen, was slightly more her type.

She felt a little bad for Yozora, who’d gone on about the red string of fate and her crush on him,

but well, it wasn’t like she liked him or anything.

Just that her preferences leaned that way.

“I found a nice pasta place. Wanna go for dinner—”

“I’m allergic to pasta.”

“Ah. Forgot about that. Then how about sushi?”

“I don’t like raw food.”

“It’s still early March, so hot pot might be—”

“Not a fan of cooked food either.”

“Then that leaves grilled— Hmm…”

“…….”

As she rejected every suggestion while reading the documents, the vice president’s gaze grew bolder, lingering on her face, collarbone, and lower.

…Ha.

How could someone so rude be so popular with girls?

Just because of his face?

Or because they didn’t know what he was really like?

Maybe it was like idol fans—less about the music, more about the looks…

Finally, Baek Seoyeon jabbed the back of her pen into his forehead, driving him away.

Watching him flop back onto the sofa, giggling as he resumed his game, she sighed.

My lingering questions about Baek Seoyeon didn’t last long.

By 10 a.m., as first period neared its end, students began trickling into the nurse’s office.

“Where does it hurt?”

“I sprained my left ankle during training earlier…”

“Where does it hurt?”

“My fingers. All of my right hand. I sparred with a friend who’d been interning at another agency, and they came back way stronger than I expected…”

“Where does it hurt?”

“Um, well… My ankle’s a little…”

“…I don’t see anything wrong?”

“Huh? Oh, uh, well…”

Most were second- and third-years.

Makes sense—today, the first-years were just getting assigned lockers and reintroduced to active-duty heroes before being dismissed.

Training injuries,

sparring wounds,

a student begging for cold medicine,

and even a few faking illness.

I didn’t need to have them lie on the bed—just sat them in the chair and treated them quickly.

Then.

“…?”

Behind one such faker, a familiar black ponytail tilted in curiosity.

Huh?

I didn’t hear the door open.

Was I too focused to notice?

“…….”

Hi.

Lee Hayoon mouthed the word, giving me a careful nod.

She could’ve just said it out loud. Maybe because others were around.

Is this what it feels like to secretly date…?

For a moment, I felt a faint, ticklish thrill—the kind I’d always imagined.

Just as I was about to send the faker away to talk to Hayoon, two ordinary-looking girls followed her in.

At first, I thought they were patients, but they didn’t seem uncomfortable.

They just whispered to Hayoon while eyeing me—probably curious about the new health teacher.

They must’ve tailed Hayoon here under the excuse of just accompanying a friend.

Sigh… If only the principal hadn’t introduced me so weirdly…

“…So, you’re feeling better now?”

“Y-Yes! I, uh, must’ve imagined it…”

“It happens.”

(No idea how, but I played along before sending her off.)

Then, I glanced at Hayoon, who was desperately pretending we weren’t close.

Her lips twitched like she had a lot to say as she sat across from me.

Trying too hard to act natural just made her look even more awkward.

“Where does it hurt?”

“…My wrist, a little…”

“Your wrist.”

For a second, I wondered if she was faking too.

But no.

Hayoon’s left wrist was visibly swollen.

It was better than the injuries I’d seen during break, but…

Still a long way to go.

Still, it was proof she was improving, and that made me happy.

I hope she becomes a numbered hero someday.

And smiles brightly during interviews, just like on TV.

I’ll play those interviews at full volume next to you, over and over, until you pass out from sheer bliss.

“Feeling better now?”

“…Yeah. I mean, yes.”

Hayoon instinctively replied casually before switching back to formal speech.

Gently squeezing her fingers—a secret display of affection—her hand, which had been lying still, suddenly gripped mine back.

Squeeze, squeeze. Adorably.

You wanna act like the older one, yet you’re this cute?

After less than ten seconds of contact,

I couldn’t help but let a small smile slip.

Realizing this, Hayoon gasped and yanked her hand away.

Then—

“Th-Thank you…!”

“Don’t mention—”

Before I could finish, she bolted up, grabbed her friends’ wrists, and fled the nurse’s office.

Without noticing the little sister waiting outside.

Whoosh.