Chapter 116 – The Retreat (3)

Most people burdened by hard work don’t know how to enjoy themselves, but for me, the story was different.

‘Just enjoy everything in sight.’

A person who has loved to have fun since birth.

In plain words, I’m the sort who finds amusement in merely breathing while confined to a hotel. To look around nearby convenience stores or to buy various unfamiliar foods, sharing a can of beer with a friend who came along, that’s a vacation and a healing experience for me.

Moreover, the financial power of El Academy was astonishing. Since the retreat was organized by the academy, the schedule was also well-planned. It was impossible not to be excited. At that moment, no matter what I did, I couldn’t help but smile.

Literally, anything was enjoyable. Even if it meant becoming a living pillow.

“…Hmmm.”

Inside the limousine.

I gently woke her up as we got off the airplane. On the way to our accommodations, Se-Young, without any regard for appearances, held me in her embrace as if I were her body pillow and drifted off to dreamland.

She must feel incredibly at ease with me, considering we’ve already seen each other at our most vulnerable. Although it’s not an entirely unpleasant sensation, my back begins to ache.

‘She’s so strong.’

Lee Se-Young, having graduated from the academy, possesses exceptional combat skills, to the point where she can even wield wooden weapons with ease. And now, she’s employing that incredible strength in her embrace, driving me to the brink of insanity. The pain is nearly unbearable.

“…I love you.”

Seemingly lost in a dream, Se-Young occasionally smacks her lips and sleep-talks. I feel the urge to pull away, but her innate beauty stops me. I can’t bring myself to wake her, not even for the sake of admiring her peaceful, sleeping face.

There’s something endearing about seeing someone who always acts tough reveal their more childish side. Men typically don’t appreciate these moments.

“I don’t know how things ended up this way. It wasn’t like this at first.”

As I straightened her disheveled hair with my hands, an alluring floral scent wafted through the air. If Zodiac’s body odor is rich and makes one scratch their head, Se-Young’s is more delicate and soft. It’s reminiscent of the fragrance that lingers just before the end of spring in May.

A natural scent of skin.
Accompanied by the aroma of flowers.

As I gently pulled on her cheek, I grasped her soft flesh. Though not as supple as Cornus, it was still quite pleasant to touch.

“…Mmm. Yes!”

She resisted slightly, shaking her face to free herself from my hand.

“We used to devour each other without it being strange, but recently, there’s been nothing like that at all.”

You never know what will happen with people. As I lifted the corners of my mouth and finally averted my gaze from her face, I noticed her top had rolled up, revealing her abdomen.

“…”

A trace of bitterness seeped into my smile.

A small scar, barely noticeable unless one looked closely, was etched next to Se-Young’s navel. It was a new mark, likely from a previous open surgery, such as an appendectomy, which hadn’t been there before.

“Is this enough?”

She reached out her hand, secretly activating the power of the World Tree. At the tip of her finger, a faint fluctuation of a gaseous substance formed, not magical energy.

– Ugh, woong.

Gently, with her index finger, she caressed the surface of the long, torn scar. Gradually, the scar began to fade. A breath of relief escaped her lips.

Her personality was such that she didn’t discuss her hardships. Still, it would be nice if she could share something like this. Thankfully, the scarring wasn’t as severe as the ones etched into her own body.

She lowered the hem of her clothes below her navel and covered her with a blanket tucked next to the seat. Drowsiness washed over her as well.

Perhaps it was due to finally being able to relax after a long time. She was able to fall into a deep, peaceful sleep.

* * * * *

Upon arriving at the lodgings, Lee Se-Young retreated to her room to catch up on much-needed sleep before anyone else.

– Not today. You know tomorrow night, right? Since there’s free time at dawn anyway… Come to the special room?

They laugh and tell me to look forward to it, so I will. I joined the cadets with a heart full of joy.

It’s a bit late, but it’s time to form groups. The first day begins with games, recreation, and a drinking party, just like a typical get-together. Usually, they’d do it on the last day considering the hangover, but it seems we’ll be drinking and vomiting all week.

I contacted them in advance and discreetly joined in a natural manner. The first thing I saw in the spacious auditorium was a golden-haired woman standing alone.

As soon as I saw her, I couldn’t help but let out a sound.

Like a nun, she stood modestly, her expressionless face showing no awareness of her surroundings. She didn’t even seem to know what time it was.

Cornus. It had been a while since I’d gotten in touch with her, who’d been swept up by the awakened Jung Si-woo and lost in the final round. After her loss, she didn’t answer her phone for some time, and she didn’t come to the academy.

I was worried, so I contacted my secretary, who told me they had been locked up for a while, subjected to reprimands, and forced to repeat training. They were of noble birth, and I thought their father might be a bit too strict.

I felt so sorry for them. Someone, please take them away.

Of course, my own situation wasn’t much different from Sansuyu’s.

“Did you just arrive?”

As I looked around the entrance, Gu-seul approached me and began to speak. I toggled the microphone switch up and down, checking the device’s status, and it seemed quite impressive.

“Yeah. But since I’m late, is there a group I can join?”

“We’re just getting started. We only need to gather four people. Surely you’re not a loner without four friends, right?”

She hit a sore spot.

‘Jung Si-woo isn’t here today either.’

He mentioned he could roughly guess his younger brother’s location, so he decided not to attend this training session.

Four, four…

As I silently repeated the names of a few acquaintances in my head, Gu-seul playfully prodded my waist with the back of the microphone.

“By any chance, don’t you have any friends?”
“…That’s a bit harsh.”
“Phehehe. You just need to roam around casually, and they’ll naturally come, right? Good luck~”

*Smack!*

I was slapped on the back. Rubbing my stinging back, I earnestly blended into the crowd.

It wouldn’t really matter which group I joined. Still, just in case, there was one dog that needed extra attention and a cat that felt uneasy being left alone.

I shook my head and approached Sansuyu, who was continuously searching for a friend, and gripped her shoulder.

“…?”

When she turned her head and our eyes met, a faint hint of intrigue appeared deep within Sansuyu’s emotionless eyes.

“Sieon?”

I had promised to introduce a friend to Sansuyu last time. It was the perfect moment to fulfill that promise and bolster the group’s numbers.

“You haven’t found a group yet, have you?”
“No. There’s no one to join.”

That shouldn’t be taken for granted. She’s so self-assured. Then again, not having friends isn’t a crime.

She usually stands tall and aloof like a princess without saying anything, so no one talks to her, but there is no one who can beat her in the academy with her face.

No expression, but it would be amazing if she smiled.
One wonders if she will ever have a reason to smile brightly in her life, but anyway, that’s how it is.

Next is Azalea.
There are more than one or two things that bother me about her, but she is the first one that comes to mind when asked to pick a close friend.

Somehow, I learned about her favorability through the status window, so it was a bit difficult to approach from my side.
I haven’t even figured out how to deal with her yet.
Fortunately, Azalea spoke to me first.

“Excuse me… Have you formed a team already?”
“…No?”

I spoke a little longer because I was observing her unstable complexion.
Her current favorability rating is 94.
It’s temporary, but it’s exactly one point away from Lee Se-Young.
Considering that Se-Young, who had been hovering between 60 and 70, would be blushing and showing off, the favorability score of 94 is a level that can’t be surpassed even among a decent couple.

“Is it alright if I join if there’s a seat available?”

For some reason, Azalea’s eyes seeking permission seemed intimidating today.

She decided to treat the situation as normally as possible. After all, as far as she knew, Azalea hadn’t done anything yet. There was still some reason left. If she handled the conversation well, she could shake off this fixation.

“With Azalea and Cornus, that makes three. We need to find one more person… who should it be?”

Two men and two women. The ratio was just right, but the absence of Jung Si-woo was a drawback.

“I’ll look for someone.”

Fortunately, with Azalea’s initiative, they were able to fill the remaining spot. She was a woman, but what did it matter? She was also someone they knew.

“It feels like it’s been a while since I’ve seen Si-heon’s face, hasn’t it?”

Among the women she knew, this one was relatively normal. Kim Soo-young, whom they had met at a drinking party and often worked with on group assignments.

“I haven’t seen you lately since you haven’t been coming to class! Please keep in touch, too.”

Male 1, Female 3, the gender ratio is indeed miraculous, but there’s no problem. It’s only during the game that the group dynamics matter; afterward, when they drink, the group will mingle, and Cornus will have a chance to get acquainted with the other students.

Having confirmed the group and received the group number, the plan was to gather several groups to play team matches or earn points through individual matches, which would then be exchanged for prizes.

“Ah~ Mic test~ Mic test~ Hello? Hello!”

Standing at the front of the auditorium, Gu-seul, who began by gripping the microphone, seemed adept at these gatherings, joking around and drawing laughter from the students.

“Everyone must have had a tough time because of the midterms~ Did you do well on your exams?”
“I’m completely drained.”
“Hehehe.”

Gu-seul is quite an interesting character. Even without knowing their identity, they display an incredible presence in a place like this. It’s fitting to call them the female Jung Si-woo.

He is friendly, has many friends, and knows how to flirt.

“Anyway, since everyone is here, let’s enjoy ourselves to the fullest. We came to drink and maybe throw up, right? Shall we take a look at the first prize first? Drum roll, please! Ta-da!”

Gu-seul pulled a sparkling sake bottle from a small box and began to explain.

Japanese sake. When thinking of high-end alcohol, one might easily think of cognac, but this is Japan. There are types of expensive sake that cost more than 5 million won. That’s what she brought out now. The one that only releases 2,800 bottles a year!

Exclamations burst out all around. As a freshman, one might not know much about alcohol, but hearing the price tends to make one want to drink.

*Coo coo.*

As I listened to the rules explained by Gu-seul, Sansuyu tapped on my knee from beside me.

“Si-hyeon.”
“Yeah, what’s up?”

A hint of hesitation. I waited for her to speak, and soon Sansuyu said carefully,

“It’s my first time at a retreat. What should I do?”

That’s quite a difficult question to answer.
Meanwhile, they brought their face closer to ensure others wouldn’t hear, as if aware that this wasn’t a typical inquiry.

There wasn’t anything specific to say.
A retreat is a retreat, and an MT is an MT. Why the need for such a question?

“Have you never done something like this before?”
“No.”
“Hmm… just enjoy it. There’s nothing else to say.”

The thrill of being swept away by the unique atmosphere, making jokes and taking risks while indulging in joy is the essence of it all. It’s uncertain whether Cornus will experience this, but what’s the point of living if there’s no fun in life?

“Ahem, let’s step back a bit for now.”

Feeling Azalea’s gradually increasing apprehensive gaze, they gently nudged Cornus away. The yellow eyes, which still seemed to hold many thoughts, blinked.

Cornus had come to understand the worldly ways while spending time with them. Surely, they wouldn’t be entirely out of place?

From this moment on, they were determined to truly enjoy themselves.

‘The ultimate goal, of course, is…’

First place.

“Don’t you want to drink that?”
“Want to give it a try?”

We exchanged a glance with Sooyoung, confirming each other’s intentions. Azalea also caught my meaning and looked at the alcohol with a sharp gaze. Subtly, she inched closer until her knees touched mine.

“Do you like sake?”
“…I don’t dislike it.”
“Then let’s pour a round.”

Assertive. It’s hard to tell if Azalea’s words are aimed at me or the alcohol.

“Let’s take it slow.”

I thought we could easily win since all four of us sitting here were quick and intelligent.

“Shall we start with a simple quiz?”
– Guess the movie.

It didn’t take long to realize that it was a terrible idea.

‘We’re doomed.’

There were two people here who knew nothing about the culture of this world.