Chapter 165: Miss Seo??
The second day of the weekend arrived, and the morning sun greeted me with its bright rays, casting a golden light across the quiet, wintry landscape.
The air was cool, crisp, and still, a perfect representation of a peaceful winter morning. Everything seemed calm, just as it should be.
“It should be about time now…” I murmured to myself, gazing out at the serene surroundings.
By now, Kagami should be nearing the completion of the dungeon’s trials—if everything was going according to plan, that is.
I couldn’t help but feel a slight tension in my chest, hoping that no unforeseen complications had arisen.
Fortunately, the night had passed without incident.
No monsters had breached the small defenses I had placed around our camp, and there were no unexpected disturbances to worry about.
‘Well, except for the incident with Sumaru.’
I sighed, running a hand through my hair as the memory of last night resurfaced.
“In the end, what was all that about?” I wondered aloud, still puzzled by the encounter.
If Sumaru had intended to leave anyway, what was the point of his intimidating words and threatening demeanor? It was as if he had been testing me, but for what purpose?
His abrupt departure left me with more questions than answers.
I was genuinely curious about the reasons behind his actions, especially why he kept referring to me as a “cursed cub.”
There was something more to that title, something significant that he hadn’t explained. And then there was the offer he made, to form some kind of connection with him.
A connection with a god was no trivial matter—it could grant me a form of divinity, power that could change the course of my fate if used for the better.
Although his approach had been forceful, even menacing, he had been willing to offer me a blessing.
Why, then, did he suddenly retreat? What had caused him to abandon his intentions so abruptly?
Raijin seemed unusually proud and affectionate yesterday.
Could Sumaru’s actions have been because of him?
Nah….
Sure, Raijin is powerful—an A-rank disaster-class monster, born from the amalgamation of creatures and environment in the academy’s forest—but that alone shouldn’t have been enough to make Sumaru suddenly back off like that.
There’s no logical connection there.
When Sumaru summoned those lightning bolts, I couldn’t see much through the blinding light, but I was certain that instead of attacking, he just… vanished, retreating to the skies.
The look in his eyes when he stared at Raijin felt off, almost like he was lost in thought.
There was no reflection, no focus, just emptiness.
He seemed ready to do something dangerous, something that could have put Raijin at risk, but then, out of nowhere, he just disappeared.
A connection with a god could have provided some useful divinity….
Still, this outcome is probably for the best.
Sumaru blessing might’ve helped me, but in the grand scheme of things, he was just a random character—a minor variable in the larger picture.
My primary goal was upgrading Kagami’s specs in the first place, not getting entangled in whatever drama Sumaru was brewing.
Though it’s a bit of a bummer that I didn’t get to find out what he meant by calling me a “cursed cub” or the connection he wanted to form.
Flash!
A sudden burst of light descended from the sky behind me, so bright that I instinctively squinted, trying to make out what was happening.
As the light began to fade, a small smile crept onto my lips.
A familiar figure slowly emerged, battered and bruised, but there was something else—he looked happy, almost triumphant.
Kagami stepped out of the light, his body showing clear signs of exhaustion.
His clothes were torn, and his movements were sluggish, but his eyes still held a spark of life.
There was a hint of surprise in his gaze when he saw me, but it quickly turned into a smile of his own.
“Looks like noon hasn’t arrived yet…” Kagami mumbled, his voice rough from fatigue as he tried to steady himself.
It was clear he was struggling just to stay upright.
Without a second thought, I rushed over to him, slipping my shoulder under his right arm to help him stay balanced.
As I felt the weight of his arm, I couldn’t help but notice how heavy it was.
‘I feel like I’m carrying a whole dozen of weight plates right now…’
Just how much training had he gone through to achieve this? I wondered, marveling at the sheer density of muscle packed into it.
“So, did you find what you were looking for?” I asked, my voice calm but filled with curiosity… it would be bad if he got the wrong thing in there.
Kagami nodded quickly, despite his evident exhaustion.
“Yes…” he replied, his voice barely above a whisper, but the satisfaction in his tone was unmistakable.
He lifted his left arm, and from his palm, a small, weathered book appeared.
The sight of it made my heart skip a beat—this was the martial manual of the stars, the very artifact that would enhance his martial techniques to new heights.
The Kagami I knew from the game was starting to emerge.
Meteor Fist Kagami…
With that martial tome in his hands, it wouldn’t be long before he could rival Lucas’s strength from last semester.
In terms of raw physical power, Kagami was probably the strongest first-year now.
And considering how much he owes me after this…
Kukuku…!
‘He’s essentially my slave!’
“Why are you smiling like that?” Kagami asked, noticing the expression on my face.
“Nothing… Once you’ve had a bit of rest, we should head back. We can’t risk getting caught in another storm out here.”
“Sure…”
…..
Arriving back at the academy, I parted ways with Kagami near the town square. He mentioned he was heading to the academy infirmary for some proper medical attention, his exhaustion evident in every labored step.
“Want me to help you get there?” I offered, watching as he struggled to maintain his balance.
“No… this pain is also a form of training. You should head back first. You told me your maid is waiting for you, right?” he replied, his voice tinged with determination despite the visible strain.
“You’re talking as if you don’t have someone waiting for you as well. The dorm master isn’t shy about handing out demerit points,” I pointed out.
“Hahaha—cough! I have my excuses, so it’s fine,” Kagami chuckled, though it sounded more like a pained wheeze.
Watching him limp away, I couldn’t help but wonder if Kagami had a secret masochistic side to him.
Regardless, my mission was a success.
I had achieved what I set out to do.
Now I could shift my focus to the upcoming elections and figure out how to better save Dorothy.
With Clara and Kagami as two key players in my strategy, I felt more equipped to intervene effectively.
As I walked back to the dorms, I was eager to return to my room.
Since I had asked Yui to prepare a simple breakfast for me the previous day, I was looking forward to a meal. By now, she should have started cooking something to greet me with, ensuring that my morning would be as smooth as possible after the busy day.
Grumble~!
My stomach was growling in protest after all the running and mana usage from earlier.
I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into whatever Yui had prepared.
I hoped she made enough to satisfy my hunger and maybe even had some leftovers for seconds.
Knocking softly on my dorm room door, I pushed it open and was immediately greeted by the delightful aroma of freshly cooked omelets.
Yui, caught off guard but looking pleasantly surprised, was busy setting the table.
“Oh, young master Riley, welcome back!” she said, her voice filled with genuine warmth as she gave a polite bow.
“Yes, I’m back. Thanks for the hard work, Yui. I hope the dorm master didn’t give you too much trouble,” I replied, stepping into the room and letting the savory scent wash over me.
“No, it’s fine, young master. The dorm master hasn’t started her daily routine checkups just yet,” Yui said with a reassuring smile.
“Is that so?” I felt a wave of relief. I was quite lucky then.
“Ah, young master, could you please wait for a short while while I finish preparing your meal? Some of the dishes aren’t quite ready yet,” Yui requested, her voice carrying a hint of apology.
“Okay….”
But Dishes?
It seemed like Yui had prepared quite a spread.
What were the odds?
Maybe my luck stat was finally improving.
[Luck: 0]
….Or maybe it was just a happy coincidence.
I chuckled to myself, dismissing the thought.
Regardless, I was looking forward to the meal.
I hadn’t realized how hungry I was until now, and the idea of a hearty breakfast was incredibly appealing.
“Then I’m going to take a bath first, so take your time,” I said, trying to ignore the rumbling of my stomach.
Waiting a minute or two for breakfast wasn’t a problem, and I really needed to pee anyway.
Plus, a nice warm bath would do wonders to wash away the oily, cold sweat I had accumulated from all that mana usage.
I pushed open the bathroom door, ready to indulge in a relaxing soak, but as soon as I entered, I was met with a sight that I would never forget.
“Ah! please wait for a moment, young master—”
Yui’s worried shout came too late.
My eyes widened in disbelief as I took in the scene before me.
“…..”
“…..”
The bathroom was steamy, and the air was thick with the scent of bath products.
Seo, standing in the middle of the room, was drenched from the bath she had clearly been preparing for herself.
Her black hair was wet and dripping, clinging to her shoulders, while her red eyes—mirroring my own disbelief—trembled.
Her white skin was flushed a rosy red from the heat of the bath.
The towel in her hands was barely managing to cover the most crucial parts, and before I could fully process the sight, it was already ingrained in my memory.
‘Huge….’
The rise and fall of her chest created a mesmerizing, almost hypnotic effect, as if two monumental hills were quivering slightly bouncing up and down with her every shy movement.
The intimate and unexpected nature of the scene left me stunned.
“…R-Riley,” Seo’s soft, teary voice broke through the shock, and I instinctively slammed the bathroom door shut.
Bang!
“I’m sorry, Seo…”
‘Why the heck is she even here?’
