Side Story 18. The Story After (18)

The shopping district around Victoria Academy was always bustling with people.

The academy had many students, professors, and staff members, so it was only natural that all those people used the shopping district.

“Welcome!”

There were many cafes in the shopping district, too.

Among them, on the second floor of a cafe famous for its strawberry cake, three beautiful women were sitting.

“Thanks to Student Lee Hoyeon, our guild’s influence has grown stronger, you know. Uhuhu. As expected, connections are seized by those who move quickly.”

Back when no one was paying any attention to Lee Hoyeon.

Min Yeji approached Lee Hoyeon faster than anyone else.

I feel proud whenever I think about myself back then.

“My long tenure as Team Leader 1 is over. It’s not long now until I become Vice Guild Master…!”

Lee Hoyeon is only human, after all.

When he has interviews or needs to attend official events, he goes to Min Yeji, a familiar face.

Min Yeji was reaping the benefits of that fully.

“Hehehe. Maybe that’s why, but there were many requests to be introduced to Student Lee Hoyeon. Especially the female guild members are going wild.”

The moment Min Yeji brought that up, silence fell over the table.

Of course, Min Yeji had been chattering away by herself until now, but even though it was the same silence, the atmosphere was different.

For some reason, cold sweat broke out on my back.

“… That was supposed to be a joke, how was it? You guys were being so quiet.”

“It’s not funny.”

Baek Ahyoung, who was sitting with Min Yeji, said with a pout.

Im Sol, sitting across from her, slurped her chocolate latte with a displeased expression.

“What’s wrong with you guys? Is something bothering you?”

Min Yeji asked cautiously.

Im Sol and Baek Ahyoung had been like this since Min Yeji arrived at the cafe.

As Min Yeji enjoyed their regular meetings, she couldn’t help but worry.

… Actually, it wasn’t a big deal at first.

Before Min Yeji arrived, Baek Ahyoung and Im Sol had gotten to the cafe first.

The two, who had been busy with their respective work, met after a long time and chatted animatedly.

While chatting amicably, the topic of Lee Hoyeon naturally came up.

It was from that moment that a subtle tension began to emerge between them.

“… We had a special lesson with Hoyeon yesterday.”

It was Im Sol who started.

“A, a special lesson?”

“Yes. Just the two of us, correcting each other’s posture. Really close, too.”

“J-just the two of us, really close…”

Baek Ahyoung’s face changed into one of utter devastation.

Seeing that face, a sense of victory flashed across Im Sol’s face.

In truth, everything Im Sol had said was a lie.

It wasn’t just the two of them, and they hadn’t corrected each other’s posture.

But Im Sol brazenly continued.

After all, only she knew the truth.

Seeing her smile, Baek Ahyoung’s eyes widened, and then she opened her mouth.

“W-well, come to think of it, Hoyeon came to show me some injuries he got during training a few days ago. Late at night, you know…”

“… Late at night?”

“Yeah. The academy’s medical team was closed then, so I was resting alone in the infirmary. I still remember the heat of that night…”

“… The heat.”

This time, Im Sol’s expression contorted.

Baek Ahyoung could finally smile, seemingly relieved.

In reality, it was broad daylight, and she had only given him medicine that warmed the stomach, but in Baek Ahyoung’s mind, that’s how it was.

“…”

“…”

Im Sol and Baek Ahyoung stared intently at each other.

About 10 minutes later, Min Yeji arrived, and even after Min Yeji finished her story, the silence between the two continued…

“Sigh. What else could be the reason you guys are acting like this? It must be about a guy, right? You’re not kids anymore, why are you acting like this, really.”

Min Yeji knew exactly who that man was.

That’s why she deliberately brought up Lee Hoyeon.

“…”

Seeing the two turn their heads away with sullen expressions, Min Yeji sighed.

“I don’t know what they’re thinking, but I really like this gathering.”

Im Sol and Baek Ahyoung had high social standing, and in this bleak world, they were friends with unparalleled good hearts.

‘It feels like Korea’s talented beautiful trio. Hoho.’

Korea’s Saintess Baek Ahyoung and the genius mage Im Sol.

And Min Yeji, the third-ranked member of the Ironblood Guild.

My reputation might be a bit lacking compared to them, but regardless, Min Yeji liked this gathering, both privately and publicly.

That’s why I hoped these two wouldn’t fight.

“How about deciding it coolly with rock-paper-scissors?”

“…”

“… That was a joke. Anyway, let’s not fight and resolve this through conversation. What good comes from the two of you fighting?”

Min Yeji continued speaking, observing their reactions.

Fortunately, with her extensive social experience, Min Yeji knew how to handle conversations like this.

“Lee Hoyeon, that guy is also a problem. He knows he’s handsome and doesn’t make a clean break, does he? If he doesn’t like it, he shouldn’t leave any room.”

“…”

“Huh. Was that not the right approach?”

The two’s expressions drastically darkened.

Min Yeji couldn’t have predicted it, but to Im Sol and Baek Ahyoung, Lee Hoyeon meant more than their own lives.

To Im Sol, Lee Hoyeon was the best man who understood her as a mage, and to Baek Ahyoung, Lee Hoyeon was the only man who would accept all of her love.

At Min Yeji’s words, the two instinctively imagined being abandoned by Lee Hoyeon.

‘If I lose my disciple…’

Im Sol would no longer have anyone to discuss magic with.

No one to point out or evaluate her magic.

She couldn’t get her sugar fix, nor could she love a man stronger than herself.

‘If my husband isn’t here…’

Baek Ahyoung would lose her sole reliance.

Lee Hoyeon was the only man who could accept her love.

Baek Ahyoung couldn’t imagine herself being held by any other man besides Lee Hoyeon.

“What is this atmosphere? I’m sorry, guys. Don’t cry…”

Min Yeji was genuinely flustered seeing the two sobbing.

This was more flustering than when the Demon King attacked and the end of the world was imminent.

At least then, we could prepare ourselves mentally. But these two suddenly became so gloomy.

Im Sol and Baek Ahyoung subtly turned their heads.

Their eyes met, and the two immediately understood each other’s intentions.

A look that said they’d rather die than not be chosen.

Neither of them could give up on Lee Hoyeon.

“Ahyoung-ah. Come to my lab next time. We need to talk about this matter in detail, just the two of us.”

“… Yes. Sol-ah. Okay.”

If we can’t give up on either of them, then we must have both.

The fact that Im Sol and Baek Ahyoung had known but avoided acknowledging in their hearts, they finally admitted it then.

“What? Did you two make up? Huh?”

Min Yeji, stuck in the middle, couldn’t read the emotional shift between the two.

*

Club activities at Victoria Academy are more important than you might think.

Among them, the club that any mage absolutely had to join was the ‘Magic Research Club.’

Recently, their record of producing all the outstanding mages had been broken with the appearance of the Lucy-Lumi twins and Lee Hoyeon… Nevertheless, no one dismissed the Magic Research Club.

This was because all the past presidents were heirs to outstanding guilds.

“Let’s begin the regular meeting now.”

The Magic Research Club’s regular meeting.

Park Yumin, serving as secretary, led the meeting.

Separate from their clinging to Professor Im Sol, the Magic Research Club properly researched magic.

President Kim Hyun-do, in particular, was objectively an outstanding mage.

“To make shield magic more robust, I discovered a pattern of twisting mana in a spiral.”

“Even a simple fireball… if you change the mana pattern…”

“Speaking of which, there’s something I need to mention.”

“What is it?”

“Apparently, a new magic club has been formed.”

He said this while holding out a piece of paper.

Kim Hyun-do frowned.

It was because the Magic Research Club’s value was unique.

If other clubs appeared, their rarity would disappear.

‘I’ll have to put pressure on the club president again.’

The club president had changed, but if I set my mind to it, crushing one club…

Kim Hyun-do’s eyes, scanning the club members without much thought, stopped blankly.

---

Lucy.

Lumi.

Lee Hoyeon.

….

---

Lee Hoyeon.

That name was engraved in Kim Hyun-do’s memory.

He recalled the several students who challenged him and met their tragic end.

“We can’t monopolize the authority over magic clubs forever.”

“Y-yes… Huh? President? What did you say?”

“… Anyway, what was next week’s magic research topic?”

Kim Hyun-do quickly changed the subject.

*

“So, this day has finally come…!”

Hehehe.

Liliana lay in bed, letting out an unpleasant chuckle.

The day had finally dawned.

The night where four people would take turns monopolizing Lee Hoyeon.

Liliana’s turn had finally come!

‘I haven’t really done anything…’

Liliana, the pathetic succubus, desired a relationship with Lee Hoyeon so much, but she had spent several nights doing nothing.

She lacked the confidence to make a move on Lee Hoyeon.

‘… But I did start, and then I just stayed put. That counts, right?’

They say starting is half the battle. And they also say if you just stay put, you’ve completed the other half.

For Liliana, it was practically the same as finishing the job.

“Hmm, but tonight means there are almost 24 hours left?”

The current time is 12:01 AM.

Since she was overjoyed the moment the day of sleeping with Lee Hoyeon dawned, there was still plenty of time left.

“Ugh… Hng… It’s a sad night…”

Liliana unconsciously put her hand down to her groin.

She had been trying to resist the urge until now, but imagining sleeping with Lee Hoyeon made it unbearable.

Jjigeok. Jjigeok….

The sound of liquid could be heard from the pathetic succubus’s room all night long…