Chapter 27: Thank You For Trusting Me
Thank You For Trusting Me
"It's regrettable that your body froze when you first saw the goblin, but your response afterward was flawless. How much did you raise the output of the bracelet?"
"About 40%."
"That was quite risky. After reviewing the footage, it doesn't seem to be at 40%. It looks more like 10%…"
Instructor Ryu's words were like background noise to my ears. Screw the main skill's output. What mattered to me was the novel's title, Academy Pure Love Diary, so I naturally assumed there would be one heroine.
But a harem pure love? How many more are going to appear in the future? Even Instructor Ryu seems to be nursing a crush on Kim Minsoo.
Suddenly, the future seemed bleak. In the original novel, there was a hiatus notice around this point. Saying "nothing has been decided" meant the leading heroines could get swapped.
I wish I could just kill Kim Minsoo…
The quest conditions were meticulous and sly, blocking the quickest route. It's a pity, but the fastest way to shut down the harem is to get rid of the guy at the center.
"Student Taeyang?""Yes?"
"Is just reminiscing about the incident giving you a hard time? If it's a struggle, we can put the investigation on hold."
As I stared at the screen, monsters were dropping like flies in real-time. Watching goblins, kobolds, and orcs all get their heads knocked off with a single punch was oddly satisfying.
Was I actually laughing while killing the monsters?
It sent shivers down my spine. I was too caught up in the chaos at that moment, but the me on the screen seemed to be reveling in the thrill. Mouth slightly curled up, arms turned a shade of green, hair emitting a silvery glow with emeralds scattered in it.
I can't even tell who the real monster is.
Dragging monster heads around, giving lifeless bodies a good kick, and casually punting collapsing torsos—it was all in a day's work. The occasional screams weren't from the monsters; it was the people reacting to my actions.
"I'm fine. Instructor, you can continue speaking."
"First, let's reduce the output of the bracelet again. Adjust it to 1%."
As I tweaked the ring on the bracelet, the output number plummeted. When it hit 1%, I felt as weightless as the first time I put on this thing.
"Hmm… to explain again, your monster handling is clean. The way you wield your powers and range control is excellent."
"Thanks…"
"But simultaneously, it was impressively reckless. Student Taeyang, you really haven't grasped the extent of your own power yet."
"I apologize…"
"But of course, there are moments when an awakened individual must make bold attempts in front of monsters."
Even if the words raced, they raced a bit too much. The researcher I met at the department store and now Instructor Ryu seemed to share the same hurried pace. In any case, she falls into the category that needs to finish her own spiel before considering others.
While contemplating the appropriate tone, Instructor Ryu tinkered with the screen.
"Gates and monsters are actually quite unusual… We haven't fully grasped it either." She continued speaking while manipulating the screen.
"If you observe the screen, you'll notice something peculiar aside from the monsters. It's…" Pausing, she revealed my pants on the screen.
I pondered why, but what she displayed was my pants. More precisely, the crotch area emitting a strange light.
A beam coming out of my crotch…?
Unless magnified about a hundred times, it was an extremely faint light, barely visible. I wasn't even sure if this was an unidentified skill in my information window.
"Why… why is this light… coming from…"
"From my crotch?"
"Huh?! Ah… yes, yes… the crotch."
It was evident she lacked experience with men. This is probably a common setting among the girls surrounding Kim Minsoo.
"Well…"
"I-If you look, the light forms a peculiar shape. It looks like it's about to spew out."
Honestly, she seemed like the type I'd love to tease. I almost wanted to claim it was semen and gauge her reaction.
"Sorry for being so careless back then."
"Yes, I completely understand. It happens." As soon as Instructor Ryu finished speaking, she promptly shifted to the next screen. This time, she displayed a piece of paper. The A4-sized paper was soaked in ink, appearing hastily scribbled and wiped off.
"I'm sure you're wondering why I'm abruptly showing you a piece of paper."
Honestly, not really. But I played along, nodding appropriately.
"This paper appeared out of the blue. We stumbled upon it while investigating the video at 0.05x speed."
I wondered why she beat around the bush like this. I wanted her to cut to the chase.
"When we restored the smeared ink on this paper, it had the names and numbers of the monsters that appeared in the department store."
"And that means…?"
The paper on the screen restored the ink-stained part. As Instructor Ryu mentioned, the names and total numbers of monsters were written just as before.
"As expected…"
"Yes? Do you have any guesses?"
"Oh, no, I just had a hunch something would be written on the paper."
"You've got a great instinct. To be precise, these monsters were undeniably intentionally summoned by someone."
It was a moment where my solitary thoughts received perfect verification. I had been a bit skeptical with just the cliché morning incident, but seeing the paper made it certain.
That fatass… That damn author was trying to kill me.
"Do you have any guesses as to who did it?"
"I don't know. There were no suspicious people at the scene."
Mr. Double Chin turned out to be surprisingly meticulous despite his appearances. All the initial plans I concocted were rendered pointless.
Now attempting something with Yoomin's cooperation is currently a fruitless endeavor. From start to finish, it's high time to overhaul the plan.
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"Well done."
"Yes, Instructor."
"Somehow, I ended up keeping you until lunchtime. I apologize."
"I'm happy to help. It was something you had to do, and I got the full picture of the situation, thanks to you."
Moments of meeting and parting amplify human sociability. With as much courtesy as possible, I tied up the conversation on a positive note and walked towards the cafeteria.
So much to untangle…
Swiftly unlocking my phone, I hammered away on the keyboard, documenting the paper from the department store, the questionable light show from my nether regions, and Mr. Double Chin's murder plot. More than a couple of things needed noting.
I'll grab a meal at the cafeteria and then sort this out…
Deciding to have Pesto Pasta with Bacon Risotto for lunch today, I felt somewhat disappointed. As I strolled down the corridor, the surroundings oddly buzzed with noise. The cause was obvious. Every time I passed through the students, their heated stares grazed my body.
Certainly, having good connections is a blessing.
According to what I heard from Instructor Ryu, the department store chairman had splashed a considerable amount of cash. News coverage was standard, and interviews were overwhelmingly focused on crafting a narrative.
Department Store Monster? "No worries, thanks to Victory Academy students."
Chairman Choi Youngnam Strikes Back! "Reporters bothering the student who saved the people, I will eliminate them all."
Compensation for Rescued Individuals… "We will do our best for their return to normal life."
"Infinite thanks to students Baek Taeyang and Yoo Soojin" Chairman Choi Youngnam Also Bows in Gratitude!
The moment I closed the notepad, jumping onto the internet brought up a sea of articles. Seeing how he turned a potential disaster into an opportunity for a leap, he was undoubtedly a savvy businessman. The more Chairman Choi Youngnam played with the media, the higher my popularity surged without missing a beat.
If things continued on this trajectory, I might even end up with women requesting me to autograph their buttocks.
"Taeyang~" While drumming the keyboard, a familiar voice reached my ears.
"Oh, Yoomin."
"Were you busy? You didn't even bother to answer my call… I'm mad…"
Perhaps due to yesterday's incident, Yoomin held back. Instead, she put on a cute pout.
"Ah, right, I…"
Since there was still time, I planned to inquire about the contract. Before I could utter another word, she nodded knowingly. Apparently, the current setting wasn't conducive to discussing such matters as she gripped my hand and led the way.
"Let's talk in a more private place."
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see…" As she said that, Yoomin's eyes were slightly tinged with red.
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Here again…
I had anticipated it, but it was indeed a private room at the movie theater. Whether by coincidence or design, it was the same room where we had mixed our bodies before. Just looking at the bed brought back memories of Yoomin spreading her legs while spurting her juices.
"Wanna see Yoomin's pussy?"
A blunt remark led to my fake cough. Unable to deny it, I awkwardly sat on the bed. Yoomin naturally took a seat beside me, and in the blink of an eye, she nestled into my arms.
"About that… um…"
"I was just kidding." Though her eyes sparkled with playfulness, they were as serious as her gaze.
Perhaps she attempted a joke to lighten the mood, but the weight of the contract was heavier than expected. She already knew the entire contract. However, the term ‘absolute trust' wasn't easy to embrace.
"Looking at the contract, you'll understand I haven't fully utilized my power yet."
Seeing the flowers formed in my dorm hinted at that. It's a passive skill, and if she can't use it properly, it's nothing but poison.
"A witch always seeks out the person to contract with for her safety."
A main skill that can be inherited is of unimaginable value. Let's say Yoomin handed me the ‘Witch' skill right now. Just like that, a character with two passive main skills would come into existence.
"You know, witches… can see other people's main skill. It's like they're floundering around to find a contractee."
"Then…"
"Yeah, I figured if it was your Coercion skill, it might help keep me in check."
And that was the most precious thing I could offer. With that spiel, Yoomin locked eyes with me. Her gaze wasn't waiting for my words; it was waiting for my actions.
It makes sense. Keeping the main skill name under wraps until twenty, all the while on the hunt for a contractee, is no walk in the park. Especially when there's no one to lean on, and you can't control your strength at will.
But with my Coercion skill…
If Yoomin has seen the ability of my skill, everything falls into place. Coercion is a skill that suppresses the target's power to the limit and is the most essential element for Yoomin.
Without saying a word, I gently held her hand.
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Contract Completed!
[Sub Skill] Witch's Blessing (S) {Weaken} will be changed to [Contract Skill] Witch's Blessing (S)!
[Contract Skill] Witch's Blessing (S) :: Physical abilities increase greatly. Possesses absolute resistance to mental attacks like charm and confusion. Gaze is clear.
(Always Active)
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Even though she spoke casually, after holding her hand, I realized she was trembling.
How many people can completely lay bare and patiently wait for someone else?
"Thank you for trusting me."
No need for more words. As agreed, we embraced each other and delved into exploring each other's bodies. With this, Yoomin is fully and irrevocably within my grasp.
Kim Minsoo, brace yourself.
Now that all the puzzle pieces are in place, it's only a matter of one month at most. It's time to ruin Kim Minsoo's first love.