Chapter 333
#
“Ah, right. First of all, Yu Jinseok is my classmate, and I know Yu Eunha too.”
“I don’t know her at all, though.”
Kim Jihye put her arm around my shoulders.
No, this is the problem. She’s openly showing off our closeness at school.
If she does this, Han Suji is fine since she fainted, but the problem is Ray.
Choi Siwoo is naturally a good-natured, typical harem Protagonist type. But Ray seems to dislike this kind of thing.
Hmm. Wait, what if I get a bad image here?
Ray already doesn’t view me very favorably.
And there’s no need to even mention Choi Siwoo.
“No, are you planning to stay sulky like that?”
“Common sense dictates. Would I have good feelings toward a teacher who smashed my head a few times? Ah, back in the day, there was something called juvenile offenders. If it were those delinquent brats from that era, they might have rushed at you by now, professor.”
In the original work, there are some kids who pick fights with the protagonist, but there are no villains among the students who attack an academy professor.
It would be really nice if there were a scene of beating up someone like that. But because of Fire Bat Kim Jihye, it seems there’s no one who would dare attack a teacher.
“Ugh.”
Oh. Kim Jihye is clenching her fists and trembling softly and smoothly.
“Well, anyway, this great Yu Eunha will generously forgive you for that.”
“You know.”
“Yes?”
Kim Jihye placed her hand firmly on my head.
“It’s really unexpected. I think this personality is actually better.”
What kind of bullshit is that?
Is she looking at me favorably right now?
No, if she had just cursed at me refreshingly, I wouldn’t mind, but because of this person who doesn’t even have the qualifications of a professor, Ray is looking at me even more strangely.
An expression that seemed to say, “Were you that kind of kid?”
“I’m fucked.”
I sighed, whispering so that no one could hear.
It seems I unnecessarily drew the attention of the protagonist and the heroine.
Hmm, should I stop here for today?
I used the Reclusive Hermit Ability.
* * *
Han Suji, who had been hit in the stomach by Yu Eunha, woke up in the infirmary long after the academy had ended.
“Ugh. My stomach.”
A piercing pain in her lower abdomen.
It seemed that Yu Eunha’s strong punch was quite intense.
Well, she hadn’t even been hit in the head, yet she collapsed from that single blow, so it was to be expected.
At first, it even felt like something heavy was destroying her stomach, so what more needed to be said?
Feeling helpless from the lingering stinging sensation, Han Suji let out a deep sigh.
“Are you awake now?”
She thought she felt a presence, and it was none other than her homeroom teacher, Kim Jihye.
“P-Professor. The practice spar…”
“It’s obviously your defeat. Yu Eunha overpowered you with overwhelming skill.”
“I suppose so.”
Han Suji let out a deep sigh.
It wasn’t a dream.
The stinging sensation in her stomach proved it, and with even the teacher confirming it, she couldn’t deny her loss to Yu Eunha.
Then what should she do from now on?
It wasn’t even a fierce bloody battle. Even though it was a practice spar, she had intended to fight seriously, yet she was knocked out in a single blow.
She could only hang her head in defeat and helplessness.
“Hmm, it seems you’re bothered by Yu Jinseok’s younger sister because you’re Kim Cheolsu’s disciple.”
“That’s…”
She couldn’t exactly refute it.
Her master, Kim Cheolsu, had a severe inferiority complex toward Yu Jinseok, if nothing else.
Because, unlike other times, he wouldn’t even give her food if she brought up Yu Jinseok.
Perhaps because of that, Han Suji herself might not have had good feelings toward Yu Jinseok’s younger sister, Yu Eunha.
Looking down at such Han Suji, Fire Bat Kim Jihye felt a sense of kinship.
Because she, too, was once in a rivalry with Yu Jinseok.
Of course, her Fire Bat couldn’t even reach the toes of the Divine Sword.
“Right. I understand. I also once competed with Jinseok-i out of useless inferiority.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. But it’s all a futile endeavor. Above all, Yu Eunha is Yu Jinseok’s younger sister. She’s not a disciple who inherited all of Jinseok-i’s abilities or received his teachings. Her case is different from yours.”
Kim Jihye shook her head.
Yu Eunha is certainly strong, but it’s a different kind of strength from Yu Jinseok’s.
If Yu Jinseok was solely specialized in wielding the Divine Sword, Yu Eunha was also specialized in her own abilities.
It means their abilities and fields are completely different.
“Then.”
“Rather, because of the title of being the younger sister of the Divine Sword User named Jinseok, Eunha received the expectations of those around her, locked herself away, and stayed at home until now.”
It was just Kim Jihye’s guess. But it was probably true.
However, for some reason, Han Suji found it hard to accept.
She was that strong. To the point of being invisible to the eye.
It wasn’t like she had some ridiculous ability to suddenly disappear. It was more like she seemed to be there, but then vanished and suddenly reappeared.
It wasn’t an ability that an ordinary Powerful Figure would possess.
“But she’s so strong, isn’t she?”
“Even though she looks like that, she used to be timid. That young kid who cared about people’s gazes must have worked hard to become strong no matter what.”
This, too, was just Kim Jihye’s guess.
Other than that, it somehow didn’t connect.
In the end, it all led to the conclusion that this was all due to Yu Eunha’s effort.
“Perhaps, you know. You might become good friends or rivals.”
“Good friends or rivals?”
“So, courageously approach her first tomorrow. Go and say, “Hey Eunha, let’s play together.'”
Isn’t that what teachers usually say to timid kids who can’t make friends?
Whatever.
Han Suji thought of Yu Eunha, who would be training alone even in this situation right now.
Right. Maybe they could become good friends and rivals.
Of course, the person in question was…
-Buldak Bokkeummyeon
-Fuck, on a day like today, it has to be udon.
-Let’s go with pot ramen.
-Let’s just eat chicken.
-I heard girls these days like tteokbokki.
“Aargh, fuck. What am I supposed to do if everyone’s opinions are different?”
Contrary to Han Suji’s thoughts, she was diligently choosing a dinner menu.
#
For now, I decided to keep attending the academy. But somehow, the reactions are subtle.
I mean - for example, as soon as I entered the classroom today, the students stopped chatting and stared at me, things like that.
They are looking at me with expressions filled with vigilance, awe, and other unknown emotions.
I don’t know if I should be happy about this.
“Hmm, I feel weird. Is this what being an outcast feels like?”
To think that I would be ostracized like this.
Well, I’ve seen plenty of cases where women ostracize another woman in a female-dominated company, but this is an academy and it’s co-ed, so I think it’s a bit too much.
Is it because of what happened yesterday?
Well, it’s not bad for me, though.
Rather, it’s a bit awkward to be laughing and chatting with kids who are much younger. No, wait, I feel like I’ve completely adopted an old fart mindset.
Anyway, that’s how it is.
As for me, quiet is preferable.
Right. Still, just in case, I’ll keep the Reclusive Hermit Ability active. I’ll just answer appropriately during attendance checks and then play around.
So, I took out my phone first.
This world has also developed in quite various ways.
Smartphones have apps where you can find out about Hunters, Awakened Ones, and other things, or get information.
There are also games.
Like the various otaku games that existed in my original world.
Well, here, for example, it’s games like “Decorate your own Heroine Hunter!”
I saw some otakus walking around playing that kind of game earlier.
“Should I just slack off and play games too?”
Even if I’m currently in a position where I receive pocket money from Yu Jinseok, that alone is enough for me to make a living by myself.
Online games aren’t exactly the same, but there are many games with roles similar to reality.
First of all, I have a somewhat successful life, right? My looks are good, so if I just enjoy it in my own way…
“Yu Eunha!”
“Hic?”
When did this Idiot Protagonist come next to me?
More importantly, I even turned on the Reclusive Hermit Ability, and he recognized me. Isn’t this really a cheat?
It’s not my place to say, but protagonist’s plot armor is too much.
But this Idiot Protagonist, whatever he was so excited about, spoke with sparkling eyes.
“You were really amazing yesterday!”
“Ah, I-is that so?”
No, thanks for the compliment, but isn’t the problem how he recognized me?
Looking at his reaction, it seems he didn’t recognize me yesterday? No. Is he just mocking me like, “I know everything you did yesterday”?
Even so, wasn’t it an ability given by the author?
Ah, is it because it’s an ability given by the author?
But he praised me yesterday too, so what is he thinking?
“Even now, I almost didn’t notice you! The Divine Sword told me where you were.”
“The Divine Sword?”
“Yeah.”
I see. This is Perception Reduction, after all. Does it mean that if the Divine Sword directly tells him where my presence is, he can notice me?
“It said it can’t recognize you if you move, but it can figure it out if you’re just staying in one place.”
That makes sense. I haven’t moved from here, so if the Divine Sword sets its mind to it, it would be able to recognize me.
But this is a bit unpleasant.
If it’s like this, won’t there be a lot of guys annoyingly clinging to me?
No. Perhaps because of Choi Siwoo’s position, there are no individuals easily approaching this way.
Even the Elf Ray is just looking at me strangely.
“Can you tell me about the Divine Sword User, Yu Jinseok hyung?”
Ugh, fuck. This fucking gay bastard.
No, he probably doesn’t mean it that way, but honestly, it feels bad.
If he comes directly to ask about Yu Jinseok when he’s not even curious about me, what would happen to a person’s pride?
With a man’s heart, getting attention from this bastard is extremely disgusting, but whatever.
It can’t be helped.
First of all, I know a certain amount about Yu Jinseok. It’s not like I can’t tell him.
“Oh. So that’s how it was.”
“Yeah. Well, there’s nothing particularly amazing.”
I told him everything for now, and his eyes are still sparkling.
He still has this kind of face even after I told him all the bad things.
Isn’t this guy really a gay bastard?
I shouldn’t confuse the work with reality.
You never know. This bastard might genuinely be a gay bastard.
Well, whatever. The human named Yu Jinseok has many heroines, so there’s no way he would choose a gay guy like this.
How pitiful. I’ll respect his tastes, but isn’t getting rejected by Yu Jinseok already an established fact?
“No, that alone is enough.”
“Yu Eunha.”
“Han Suji?”
“Right. It’s Han Suji.”
Han Suji, huh. Han Suji. To think Han Suji came all the way to find me.
“But what brings you here?”
“W-Well. I felt like I should apologize for yesterday. I think I ignored you too much. U-Um, I’m sorry.”
“Ah, really?”
“Ah. Really? Your reaction is too…”
“I didn’t really care in the first place anyway. And I can fully understand your thoughts.”
It’s just a kids' fight at best.
Yesterday, due to my circumstances, I couldn’t afford to lose, but anyway, I really don’t have any particular thoughts about it.
Well, from Han Suji’s position, I can understand how she might not like Yu Eunha.
It’s practically the same as being influenced by that Kim Cheolsu.
Then isn’t it unavoidable?
Is it really something I need to receive an apology for?