'Ugh, this is so frustrating!!'
[Just hang in there a little longer.]
I was running up the mountain like crazy, kicking up dust as I went.
This mountain was located behind the consulate and was part of the Hero Academy's property.
It was a place frequently used by cadets for training.
Fortunately, the path was well-made, so there was no risk of falling or getting hurt.
The problem was my stamina…
'Ah, found it…'
[It seems they've just finished defeating the monsters.]
'…Let me rest.'
Currently, this mountain was being used as a training ground for Class 5 of the Combat Department.
The reason I was running like crazy was for the evaluation…
Normally, each cadet would have a smartwatch that records and transmits all the data for later evaluation.
But due to the recent incident where a monster intruded, the server went down, so instructors like me had to follow the cadets and evaluate them manually.
I caught my breath and checked all the fallen monsters.
Well, actually, it was Armonia who did it for me.
[All the monsters within your field of vision appear to be dead.]
'…Thanks.'
I quickly scanned the area and wrote down the evaluations in the file I brought with me.
As I was panting and writing the evaluations, a cadet approached me.
It was Song Ara.
"Teacher… are you okay?"
"Ah, I'm fine."
It was embarrassing, but I responded calmly.
After all, with my current lower body strength, there was no way I could keep up with these monsters.
'Ugh, I'm definitely going to learn some movement-related magic when I get back to Stura…'
[It seems like a must-have skill if you want to be active here.]
Even my ridiculously skilled hand techniques were of no use in this situation.
The other cadets were looking at me strangely, but Song Ara was genuinely concerned.
"Teacher, you're sweating a lot."
As she said this, she used her uniform sleeve to wipe the sweat off my forehead.
I was startled and pulled my head back, saying.
"Ah, it's fine. Go and rest. We have a 10-minute break before we move to the next area, so take it easy until then."
"Eh, I'm not tired at all."
She smiled brightly and hopped around, and I couldn't help but think…
Lucky her… I feel like I'm about to die.
***
After the practical training on the mountain, I got scolded by Cho Seo-hyun.
"How can you not keep up with just that?"
"I'm sorry."
I apologized without losing my composure.
After all, I was in the wrong.
'Damn it, I'm definitely going to learn something like levitation…'
[I hope that day comes soon.]
Cho Seo-hyun scolded me like that, then let out a deep sigh and muttered quietly.
"This is why you're a 'Mandeugi'…"
"…"
I heard that term 'Mandeugi' countless times throughout the day.
At first, I didn't know what it meant, but Armonia looked it up for me.
[It's a term used for those who rank below 10,000 in the hero rankings.]
Of course, there's a ranking system among heroes.
And the cutoff for that ranking is set at 10,000.
Those beyond that rank aren't given much significance.
My profile doesn't display a rank, which means I'm below 10,000.
Those who fall into this category aren't even allowed to use the title of 'hero,' and they themselves avoid using it.
What's there to boast about being a hero if you're beyond the rankings…?
And so, I finished the morning combat class while being called a 'Mandeugi' until the very end.
***
As I headed to the cafeteria, I racked my brain to come up with a solution.
And the answer I came up with!
'Ah! I mentioned levitation earlier! Let's learn that from Enel!'
[…I'm sorry, but that's not possible.]
'Huh?! Why?'
[To learn a skill, you need to meet someone who possesses that skill.]
Armonia explained that the skills I've learned so far were all acquired by meeting the respective individuals.
Luna and Sonya in Stura, Beatrice in the Demon King's castle.
In other words, to learn something, you need to meet someone who has that ability at least once.
[I'm sorry for not telling you earlier.]
'No, it's fine. I'll just learn some movement magic when I go back to Stura... Luna… I miss you…'
The cadets here don't use something like levitation.
They rely purely on their ridiculously high physical stamina.
'I guess I'll have to run like crazy until I figure something out. Huh?'
In the end, I arrived at the cafeteria without a solution, and one person caught my eye.
It was Sung Suah.
She was sitting alone at a table.
'I'm so conflicted. Should I sit with her or keep my distance…?'
[Why not just sit with her?]
'It's already too late…'
But that dilemma didn't last long, as people quickly started gathering around her.
There was no gender distinction, but the majority were male.
'Wow, is Sung Suah that famous?'
[She's often featured in the media under the alias 'Elemental Spirit Mage.']
The alias was given because she can wield magic of all four elements.
She's skilled, has a good personality, and is very popular.
Sung Suah is a target, and the more time I spend around her, the better.
But she's clearly a woman who's been surrounded by countless people up until now.
If I keep clinging to her after just one act of kindness yesterday, it might backfire.
Building a rapport during class is enough for now, and I'll save eating together for later.
'Wow, was I just too distracted yesterday? Today it's packed like crazy.'
[The atmosphere yesterday was more approachable, which is a shame.]
'Well, what can I do? Let's just consider it a break.'
I got my food and looked around.
In a place like this, I didn't have to worry about eating alone.
I looked for a quiet spot, and one person caught my eye.
It was Song Ara.
She was devouring salmon today, following yesterday's salmon roe.
The two entities that had been scattered until now would soon enter the final stage of the Salmon Supplementation Plan within Song Ara's body.
I couldn't help but admire her.
'Wow, if she were to do a mukbang, she'd absolutely kill it.'
With a face like that, guys would probably click on the thumbnail without even knowing what it was…
And girls would probably get confused, click on it, and then get hooked.
But what was strange was that there was no one around her.
'What's going on? Is she eating alone too?'
She didn't seem like the type to do that.
[Looking at the traces around her, it seems like the people she was sitting with left first.]
'Wow, are there really people who eat faster than her?'
Song Ara, mukbang dropout.
It's a shame, but at that speed, she doesn't stand a chance.
I put aside my thoughts about her and sat at a corner table to eat alone before heading to Class 7 of the Magic Department.
***
I was watching the cadets perform flashy magic in the magic training ground.
They were casting spells of different attributes, and Sung Suah was standing beside them, enthusiastically explaining her techniques.
Though her techniques were a bit abstract…
Sitting in the corner of the training ground, I relaxed and communicated with Armonia.
'Ah… this is so comfortable… I just want to handle the Magic Department.'
[Your body may be relaxed, but don't let your guard down.]
As Armonia said, handling the Magic Department is comfortable, but you still need to stay alert.
If something goes wrong, you need to act quickly, or it could lead to a major accident.
When I came here, my specialty was listed as wind attribute.
Sung Suah said that if anything happens to the cadets, she would take full responsibility, so she asked me to ensure their safety.
Handling the Magic Department wasn't a big issue.
The cadets' skill levels were high, but at that level, I could use dismantling techniques, so there wasn't much to worry about.
The biggest problem was something else.
'Sung Suah, I can't figure her out…'
[She might be the most troublesome case among the women you've met so far.]
In this vast magic training ground, my role was to maintain some distance and ensure safety.
Sung Suah was going up to each student and guiding them in her own way.
It was an environment where pheromones wouldn't have much effect.
And it's not like I could meet her privately after class.
Would she really agree if I asked her out for a drink?
I thought she might agree to a meal, but probably not to drinks.
In fact, the moment I asked, she might see me as just another guy and label me as unapproachable.
'If she really loves someone, she might not be wary of men around her, but if she senses any romantic intent, she might cut it off completely.'
There's a high chance she'd prevent herself from developing any feelings in the first place.
[How do you plan to approach her?]
'First, I need to build a strong camaraderie with Sung Suah.'
In short, even if it takes a ridiculously long time, I need to become genuinely close to her.
For now, I decided to turn off any ulterior motives toward Sung Suah.
But just becoming friends isn't enough.
'And…'
[…?]
'Like with Lena, there needs to be a breaking point. Whether it's natural… or artificial.'
In Lena's case, her life fell apart because of me.
Do I feel guilty?
Not at all.
She's happy in my arms now, so what's the problem?
But the most important thing here is the decision.
What I'm doing is creating and activating a nuclear bomb, not pressing the launch button.
I don't even know what that button is, and I need to make the protagonist press it by accident.
Like how the hero left the battlefield.
Time limit: one year.
This feels like a truly long-term mission.
***
"Good work today."
As the evening glow cast shadows across the Magic Department's Class 7, Sung Suah announced the end of the class with a closing remark.
The cadets, who had been sitting freely, smiled and greeted her.
"See you tomorrow! Yay! Let's eat!!"
"I'm hungry, I'm hungry!"
Since there were only five cadets in the class, they all left the classroom laughing and chatting with each other.
Sung Suah confirmed that the cadets had left and smiled as she spoke to Suho.
"You worked hard today."
"Ah, I didn't do much. You worked hard too."
After exchanging greetings with Sung Suah, Suho cautiously left the classroom.
Sung Suah watched him leave and then turned on her phone to check her contacts.
"…Oppa, you must be busy again today, right?"
Sung Suah had no family.
She was an orphan who had lost her family in a major incident in the past.
The 'oppa' she referred to was Cho Kang-hyun.
'Just one more time… No, don't rush….'
She recalled something Cho Kang-hyun had said to her, though she couldn't remember when.
"Sorry, I'm really busy, so unless it's urgent, I'll call you first."
"…Okay, I'm sorry."
"No, I'm the one who should apologize. We'll see each other every day once we're married, so just hang in until then."
"…Okay."
After that, Sung Suah never called Cho Kang-hyun first.
She always waited for his call.
Occasionally, he would call, and they'd have dinner together on weekends.
Even those meals felt more like formalities.
But she still felt happy every time she got to see him, even if it was just for a short while.
'…It must be because of me.'
She recalled the past.
When Sung Suah entered the Hero Academy, Cho Kang-hyun was a third-year in the Combat Department.
He held the top spot with overwhelming skill and was someone Sung Suah admired.
By the end of the year, she had the chance to build a relationship with him, and at some point, they became engaged.
Back then, Cho Kang-hyun was always kind.
But at some point, she could feel his cold emotions seeping into her skin.
No matter how much she thought about it, Sung Suah couldn't figure out why.
She didn't blame Cho Kang-hyun at all and instead believed the problem lay with her.
The conclusion Sung Suah reached was simple.
'…There's no reason for him to like an older woman like me.'
She was only 26 years old, just entering the prime of her youth.
But Sung Suah began to delude herself into thinking there was something wrong with her.
At some point, she started paying attention to her appearance.
Not for herself, but to please Cho Kang-hyun.
She, who had no interest in luxury items, began to dress up for him.
But no matter how hard she tried, she realized she wasn't in his eyes.
Sung Suah smiled bitterly and blamed herself.
"…Don't think weird thoughts. He's just busy, that's all."
She forced a smile, packed her bag, and was about to leave the classroom when someone walked in.
"Huh? Instructor Sung Suah, you're still here?"
It was Suho.
***
Hey readers!
Want to read ahead? 📖 Join my Patreon for early access to 30+ advance chapters! Your support helps me write more and bring the story to you faster.
🔹patreon.com/aarvan🔹