NOVEL NEXT Chapter 96
“Si, Si-hyun. Just stop for a second….”
The department head, having regained a bit of composure, intervened with a trembling voice.
Si-hyun shrugged her shoulders and let go of Jason’s collar.
Thud. Jason fell to the floor.
“W-Well, what’s up? Are you satisfied now…?”
“Hmm, let’s see. Just look at that idiot’s face.”
“Huh? My face?”
The department head continued to stare at Jason’s face, which showed no signs of getting up.
His face was covered with bruises and swelling.
One eye barely opened, and his nose was slightly crooked with blood dripping from it.
His lips were cracked, leaving red stains, yet amidst all that, he still wore a broad grin.
It was a complete mess, but the smiling expression on top was bizarre and unsettling.
“Is he really a creep or something? He’s taking hits and still grinning; it’s just uncomfortable, right?”
“…….”
“I was planning to beat him up until he can’t smile anymore.”
“…….”
“Should I stop now?”
The department head hesitated to respond, instead focusing on Si-hyun’s face.
With a bright tone, her expression radiated the relief of someone who had released all their stress, a refreshing and glowing smile.
He hesitated before answering.
“…L-Let’s at least hear what he has to say.”
“Alright.”
Snap!
As Si-hyun snapped her fingers, Jason’s face began to heal slowly.
In an instant, he returned to his normal face.
A clear-headed Jason dusted himself off and got up.
“Phew, it’s been a while since I was just one-sidedly beaten!”
“……So, you should’ve picked your opponent better.”
“Hahaha! I really picked well this time!”
“…….”
Si-hyun was momentarily speechless.
It wasn’t the answer she was expecting.
With an incredulous shake of her head, Si-hyun looked at Jason, who chuckled casually.
“It’s my first time, you see! First time!”
“…First time for what?”
“For facing an opponent I can’t possibly beat! I’ve lost before, but I’ve never seen anyone as perfect as you!”
“…….”
“No matter how much I simulate in my head, I just can’t come up with a way to win! Ah, it was so overwhelming!”
It was undoubtedly a compliment.
But Si-hyun didn’t feel happy about it.
Because it was coming from a creepy, stalker-fighting fanatic.
As Si-hyun’s expression scrunched up, Jason suddenly dropped to one knee.
“A loser must accept a winner’s demands! Go ahead, I’m all ears!”
“…Anything?”
“Just go ahead!”
“I’d like you to not show up in front of me again.”
“Now that’s a bit much! I’d prefer if you’d be open to a rematch later!”
“…This is driving me crazy.”
So this was what he meant by accepting demands.
Si-hyun let out a deep sigh and addressed Department Head Jang Han-soo.
“Department Head, can we just take his head off right here?”
“……Please hold back.”
The department head answered, flustered.
No matter how strange he was, he was a famous S-rank Hunter from the U.S.
If he suddenly disappeared from South Korea, it would surely cause an uproar.
“Haah… Fine, I got it. Hey, mutt.”
“Yes! Master!”
“Ugh, no need for the titles.”
Si-hyun clicked her tongue.
It seemed he was getting weirdly attached to the idea of repentance. He thought he was some kind of big dog.
She didn’t need that kind of pet.
“Tell me how you found out about me, how much you know, and how far it has spread outside of you.”
“Understood!”
Jason grinned as he replied.
After all, his primary goal was to connect the clients, Evan and Si-hyun.
This was information he was meant to share regardless of the fight’s outcome.
“Evan Harper, the returnee from America, wants to meet with you. He deduced from your magic tools that you are strong.”
“……I told you not to call me Master.”
“Haha! I thought it was some hidden magic realm with fraud registration because I measured mana, but I was completely off!”
Once Jason finished explaining, Si-hyun beckoned him with her finger.
Jason, understanding the motion clearly, took off his watch and handed it to her.
“…So, Evan wants to meet me?”
“Yes! Please beg for leniency!”
His Korean was surprisingly fluent.
Si-hyun shook her head.
“Ji-a, what do you think?”
“Hmm, wouldn’t it be better to at least make contact? After all, this guy passed along some information.”
“Yeah, that makes sense, right?”
Si-hyun nodded.
She had never lost anything based on Ji-a’s advice.
At that moment, Jason made a serious request.
“Master! I work really well! I’ll devote my loyalty, so please consider a rematch later!”
“Too bothersome. No thanks.”
“But you’re a professor at the Academy! Wouldn’t you need a teaching assistant?”
“I already have a candidate.”
“Oh! Then how about a driver, I mean, a personal chauffeur?”
“…….”
Si-hyun contemplated for a moment.
The thought of escaping on foot sounded momentarily tempting, but…
‘An S-rank Hunter from another country driving me?’
That felt off.
Something was definitely not right.
As soon as Si-hyun shook her head, Jason shouted again.
“What if you have a trip planned? I’m multilingual! Korean, Japanese, Chinese. I’m confident with all Asian languages!”
“……A bit desperate, aren’t you?”
“Hahaha!”
Si-hyun felt herself warming up to the idea bit by bit.
She had been considering a trip abroad. It might be convenient to have him carry her luggage.
She called him a creepy stalker, but that was just related to their fight.
Outside of that, he was sociable.
Ah-reum had even described him as gentle.
The initiative for any rematch would surely be in her hands…
‘…I could probably call him when I want to relieve some stress with a punching bag.’
She felt slightly tempted.
“If Evan or whoever he is wants to meet me, he should come directly. You are to stay quietly under Department Head Jang Han-soo until then. Got it?”
“Yes! Understood!”
“I’ll be watching.”
“I’ll earn your trust!”
His words were just flowing right off the tongue.
Si-hyun gave a bitter smile.
“We’ll quickly conquer this dungeon and disband. Department Head, you don’t mind taking care of this mutt, do you?”
“Yes, please leave him to me.”
As the department head answered, Si-hyun kicked Jason gently on the backside.
He didn’t say a word, but Jason sensed her intentions again.
He quickly took charge and started cleaning up the dungeon.
Thus, they finished the dungeon in no time.
Thanks to Si-hyun’s magic, Jason quietly slipped out and hopped into the department head’s car.
After sending the men off, Si-hyun got into Ji-a’s car.
Driving skillfully, Ji-a asked.
“Si-hyun, I’m just curious…”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“Compared to Jason, who looks like he was in a brawl, you look pretty clean. Was that guy weaker than the rumors?”
“Ah, that.”
Si-hyun replied casually, as if it were no big deal.
“Quite a few melee Hunters tend to do that—screaming, ‘I’m using my combat skills now!’ while posing and attacking.”
“……R-Really?”
“Yeah. The mutt was a bit less dramatic, but still similar.”
Ji-a looked a bit surprised.
That comment could also include herself.
“Ah, you’re different! You might have avoided some dungeons solo, so maybe you’re just genuinely skilled? Anyway, I didn’t feel any simplicity in your moves at all.”
“R-Really? That’s a relief.”
Ji-a blushed a bit, feeling shy.
For Si-hyun to reassure her like that meant it was genuine. It was how Si-hyun was.
As Ji-a grew more bashful and her words started to dwindle, Si-hyun scratched her cheek and looked away.
It was late for her to realize.
That she had innocently praised someone else.
Both felt a sense of awkwardness between them.
* * *
After Si-hyun pummeled Jason on Monday, several days passed without any major incidents.
Si-hyun regularly communicated with the department head to discuss if anything new had happened or what the situation was.
‘…So he’s coming directly.’
Department Head Jang Han-soo, acting as Si-hyun’s representative, had been in contact with Evan Harper.
After rushing through some urgent matters, Evan expressed his intention to visit Korea. It wouldn’t take long.
He also mentioned wanting to meet quietly and have a conversation.
‘What the heck is he up to….’
Si-hyun felt a light curiosity brewing.
Since he said he would come to her, she could just wait comfortably.
In the meantime, she could continue to do her usual tasks and enjoy her time.
And so, the day for the Monster Studies lecture arrived.
Si-hyun, thinking it would be an ordinary day like any other, was met with an unexpected request.
Professor No visited Si-hyun’s office.
“You want to observe my lecture?”
“Yes, please. I’ve heard such good things about Professor Jung’s lectures that I couldn’t resist.”
Professor No spoke with a serious demeanor.
With only a little time left in the first semester, he wanted to verify with his own eyes if the rumors about Professor Jung were true.
“Hmm, while I appreciate that, I was actually thinking of requesting to observe your lecture.”
“Oh, really?”
Professor No’s impression of Si-hyun slightly improved.
He slowly moved his hand to savor some snacks and tea.
‘The snacks have become ordinary, but the tea has improved a bit… No, that’s not the point.’
He planned to keep his distance today.
He would observe Professor Jung’s lecture just as he evaluated other professors.
As Professor No sorted his thoughts, Si-hyun clapped her hands.
“Oh! By the way! I’m actually going to use VR equipment for audiovisual aids today, too. Please enjoy it.”
“Hmm? VR equipment?”
Professor No tilted his head.
He knew what VR was, but he couldn’t quite grasp how it would be utilized.
“It’s my own work, you know? I hope you’ll find it satisfying.”
“Is that so?”
Now that she mentioned it, he felt a little anticipation building up.
Professor No gazed at Si-hyun with a testing expression.