NOVEL NEXT Chapter 53
Iris gently touched her red, flushed forehead.
It was a remnant of the slap I had given her this morning.
Still, after squeezing a person like that,
It was a deserved punishment to accept.
As I came to the dining hall with Iris, I noticed students bustling about.
Today was the day of the summer Magung Tournament.
An underlying tension enveloped the whole dining hall.
When Iris appeared, all eyes turned in our direction.
I quietly followed Iris, trying not to raise any suspicions.
“Hania, did you hear?”
“It’s a huge incident!”
But perhaps due to Hania’s natural charisma,
Her friends often approached me to talk.
“Sorry, everyone, I’d like to focus on the Magung today, so let’s chat later.”
However, being the day of the summer Magung Tournament,
My indirect words were understood, and everyone backed off.
“Iris’s team came in second in the team competition, right?”
“It seems she’s focusing to make up for it.”
Fortunately, what had happened in the team competition validated my words.
Focusing on the Magung to make up for the humiliation of the team competition
Was a perfectly understandable reason.
“Whatever it is, just do your best.”
My past self
Could use some praise.
Just one praise sticker.
“Finally wrapped up the day after all the twists and turns.”
Now, the Magung Tournament was all that remained.
Since I needed to decorate the finale of Act 3, I was quite nervous as well.
“Hania, let’s go.”
In the tense atmosphere,
I headed toward the Martial Arts building with Iris.
All the students gathered at the Martial Arts building, led by the professors, making their way to the Magung entrance.
So naturally, a crowd of Martial Arts students gathered in front of the building.
There was an air of heightened tension among everyone.
When I shifted my gaze, I saw Hania with Hanon.
Hania wore a frown, arms crossed, looking annoyed.
It was obvious.
She wanted to be next to Iris but wasn’t, and that was frustrating her.
Seron, who stood next to her, looked awkward, keeping his mouth tightly closed.
That showed Seron’s lack of social skills.
Our Seron,
Is a communication genius…
“That’s just like Hanon.”
Iris whispered.
You mean my annoyed expression is just like hers?
Coming from someone who always wore a kind smile, it was shocking to hear.
Just as I was processing that shock, I caught sight of Isabel.
Isabel tilted her head while looking at Hania, who was posed like Hanon.
Could it be she noticed something?
I sincerely hoped not.
“Ugh, I’m tired.”
“Another Magung, huh.”
Meanwhile, several third-years appeared.
Having experienced the Magung multiple times, the third-years looked weary.
Unlike the determined second-years, most of the third-years had a more resigned demeanor.
Being called the weakest generation around,
Their willingness to exert effort was quite lacking.
Among those third-years,
I spotted a silver-haired student who looked colder than usual.
Underneath her hair,
I caught a glimpse of her cold blue eyes.
Her piercing gaze carried a somber undertone.
Nikita Cynthia.
For some reason, I felt an eerie chill radiating from her.
At that moment, Nikita looked up.
I quickly averted my gaze before our eyes met.
I felt her gaze linger on Iris before drifting away.
Only I, who understood the underlying tension, could sense the undercurrent of hostility.
“Hmm, looks like everyone’s here.”
Just as a strange tension ebbed and flowed, Professor Veganon appeared.
Dressed in proper formal attire, which was unlike her usual look, she shook off a yawn.
Beside her was the martial arts professor in charge of the first and third years.
Those professors had faces that were fierce enough to make Veganon seem kind.
However, Veganon was of the highest rank among them.
Behind those professors lined up were the assistant professors and teaching assistants.
With quite a number of people, Veganon gestured for her junior professors to follow.
“From now on, we’ll move to the Magung entrance. No causing a ruckus, everyone move.”
With a third-year professor’s words, the martial arts students began moving.
Given the number of people,
A significant procession unfolded.
By now, students from other departments were likely starting to move too.
Eventually, a large number of students would gather at the Magung entrance.
As we walked,
I felt someone’s gaze sticking to the back of my head.
Since we started moving, it felt as if someone was watching me from behind.
Could it be that someone figured out I wasn’t Hania?
Glancing around, I didn’t see any students paying attention to me.
Everyone else was too frantically focused on preparing for the Magung.
They had no time to notice others.
“Well then.”
That meant the one I felt watching me wasn’t a student.
When I widened my sense of gaze, it landed on the teaching assistants.
Yet, no one was looking at me among them either.
Finally, when I shifted my gaze to the professors,
I discovered someone staring intently at me.
It was one of the second-year martial arts assistant professors.
Barcob Debliju.
He was famously known as the second son of Count Debliju, reputed for his wealth.
And I knew about an incident regarding Barcob.
‘That guy has a thing for minors.’
It was the incident where a Jerion Academy assistant professor was dismissed for following around students.
That’s merely a snippet of fresh gossip circulating within the academy.
It’s not an event that players directly intervene in.
It’s just a bridge episode leading to the conflicts between professors and students that arose from this incident.
And it also connected to why Professor Veganon developed her alcohol addiction.
Now, that guy was staring at me.
To be precise, he was looking at the shell of Hania that I wore.
At that moment, shivers ran down my spine.
Those intense eyes were disgustingly hot.
‘So that’s why Hania hadn’t dealt with the stalker.’
With a guy like that coming from a prestigious family,
It was probably wise to wait and see, rather than rashly handle it.
The problem is now that those fiery eyes were on me.
For the first time in my life, I felt the urge to kill.
“We’ve arrived at the Magung, so until each name is called, find your team member.”
At that moment, we had arrived at the Magung.
As soon as Professor Veganon gave her orders, I panicked and rushed to Iris’s side.
“Iris, let’s hurry.”
If I caught any more of that guy’s gaze, I might unleash a storm.
Iris didn’t say anything and just moved forward, seemingly aware.
“Hania.”
Just then, Professor Barcob blocked our path.
This crazy guy.
“Lady Iris, may I have a moment to speak with Hania?”
Barcob looked at me with a determined expression.
My hands, which were poised to unleash a storm, trembled.
Really want to hit him.
“That…”
Iris looked at Barcob with a troubled expression.
Iris had likely kept quiet ever since hearing Hania would handle the stalker alone.
But somehow, I found myself in this situation instead of Hania.
Iris looked unsure of how to respond.
Students began to focus their gazes on us.
It would be problematic for me to raise suspicion here.
“Iris, I’ll be right back.”
I decided to resolve the situation first.
After all, the third years were going in first,
So the second years still had time.
As I stepped forward, Iris reluctantly permitted it.
“Professor Barcob, let’s go.”
“Y-yes.”
Barcob’s face brightened instantly.
It was the complete opposite of mine.
Barcob led me to a location slightly away from the crowd.
I noticed him sneaking glances at me.
Currently, I’m a 185cm tall dark-skinned man.
If he knew that, I shuddered to think what kind of state he would end up in.
“So, what is it?”
Instinctively, my voice turned sharp.
But Barcob seemed unconcerned and cleared his throat with embarrassment.
“Hania, hearing you were going to the Magung, I couldn’t hold it anymore and had to speak.”
It’s common for Jerion Academy students to go to the Magung.
What the hell is he talking about?
“The Magung is dangerous. Imagining you not returning made me aware of my feelings.”
Barcob’s chubby cheeks trembled ominously.
My expression began to harden slowly.
Could this guy…
Is he planning to confess here?
Especially while I’m in Hania’s body?
“Wait, Professor… what are you—”
“H-Hania!”
Barcob was already filled with determination.
“I like you! I wanted to tell you before you went to the Magung!”
What does a guy over thirty want with a minor?
In an instant, a headache throbbed, and I clenched my fists.
So this is what a confession feels like, to get beaten up.
Experiencing it firsthand, I understood how dizzying it was.
“Professor Barcob, calm down.”
“Hania, answer me. You know that you have feelings for me too!”
Barcob’s eyes had completely glazed over.
Just when I thought he was going to take extreme measures to fulfill his delusion,
“Professor Barcob, Hania is dating me, so this is a bit awkward.”
A voice I never expected rang through my ears.
I turned my stiff neck.
Standing there was a boy with black hair and red eyes.
Hanon Irey.
So the real Hania was right there!
“What?”
Barcob’s face went blank from Hania’s bombshell declaration.
Then Hania walked over and seized my hand.
“Hania and I are dating, so that confession is awkward.”
Suddenly I was dating Hania.
Wait, I am Hania, so did I end up dating myself?
“That, what does that mean?”
Barcob’s bewildered face darted between my hand and Hania’s hand.
“Stop talking nonsense! I know very well that Hania isn’t dating anyone!”
“Is that so? Hania and I started dating yesterday.”
Hania glanced at me.
It was a cue to play along.
With no choice, I proudly raised our joined hands.
“Yes, Hanon confessed yesterday, and we decided to date. So, Professor Barcob, I can’t accept your feelings.”
“T-that can’t be!”
Barcob took a step back.
The shock of rejection seemed too great for him to handle.
I wished he would just crumble and disappear.
“Don’t joke around. Prove it!”
Barcob squealed, gratingly.
If the people involved are saying it, what proof do we need?
Hania seemed to be getting annoyed and sighed.
“Hania, let’s do what we did yesterday.”
What did we do yesterday?
In that moment, Hania grabbed my chin.
Truly, the skills of the Martial Arts Deputy!
Her movements were so swift they were almost invisible.
Hania’s face came right up to mine.
Our lips were almost touching.
Yet Hania’s and my lips didn’t connect at all.
It was incredible mastery.
However, Hania’s back was turned toward Barcob, so to him, it unmistakably looked like a kiss.
Realizing Hania’s intention, I subtly raised my arms and embraced her.
This is the conclusion.
And Barcob screamed.
“No! No way! That can’t be!”
Barcob, unable to face reality, dashed away.
It was Barcob’s once-in-a-lifetime desperate rejection.