Chapter 16 – Wishing to Grow Closer (6)

Early morning.

As I entered the classroom holding a present and humming a tune, Azalea was seated in her usual spot.

“Hey.”

Her gaze held a hint of disdain. From the sound of her voice alone, I knew she was genuinely annoyed.

“Don’t you have something to say to me?”
“Uh… Surprise?”
“…”

Baffled by my nonchalant response, Azalea pulled a large box from her bag.
*Click*. It was filled with an abundance of chocolate.

“Take it. You don’t want to know what’ll happen if you don’t.”

Her warning contained fifty thousand emotions, frozen as cold as the snow in the depths of winter. Had I made a mistake? No matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn’t find an answer.

‘Did I go too far?’

True, I had filled every available space with chocolate, which might have been enough to set her on edge.

“Alright.”
“…Hurry up and take it.”

Azalea’s eyes widened in surprise, as if she hadn’t expected to acquiesce so easily, and she let out an exasperated sigh as she composed her expression.

The box was quite heavy.
It was apparent how many snacks I had given her over time.
I pondered this as I took the box.

‘Do you think I’ll give up? Not a chance. I’ll send it by courier as soon as lunchtime rolls around.’

Lee Si-heon’s gift offensive was far from over.
Ten per box, 300 in total for thirty boxes. That would be enough to last her ten months.

As I placed the box next to me and sat down, the students soon entered the classroom.
Gu-seul, who had opened the front door, saw me, waved gently, and approached.

“Si-ha! Si-heon means ‘hi’!”
“Since when?”
“Hmm? It’s popular these days, didn’t you know?”

Quite naturally, Gu-seul, who had taken a seat next to me, checked the box of chocolates.

“What’s this? Was it Valentine’s Day? Just for me.”
“There’s an owner for this.”
“Who? Don’t tell me… Azalea?”

As I closed my mouth, the corners of Gu-seul’s lips curved up with a wicked grin. She brought a hand to her mouth and chuckled softly.

“It’s you?”
“Hm?”
“The one rumored to have a thing for Azalea.”

Gu-seul’s eyes sparkled like the Milky Way as if she had discovered something amusing. I scoffed, as if dismissing the notion.

“Like her? Not a chance.”
“Oh, come on~ Don’t be shy.”

Gu-seul playfully poked my shoulder with her finger, laughing all the while. She had no idea that I’d be lost without my friends. What I’m doing is business. It would be absurd to mix personal feelings with professional matters. My relationship with Azalea should only go so far.

‘Why would I even like Azalea?’

Setting aside her beauty, I’d never fall for someone who hasn’t shown me any favor. The reason I approach Azalea is simply that she is the person closest to being a friend.

‘Now that I think about it, that doesn’t add up.’

I regarded Gu-seul with a suspicious gaze.

If only that woman named Gu-seul had considered me a friend from the start, none of this would have happened.

“Phehehe”

Gu-seul let out a bizarre laugh and stealthily reached for the box of chocolates. I playfully slapped her hand away.

“Hey, there’s an owner, you know.”
“Just one, please?”
“I’ll buy you some later.”

Had I ever struggled this much in my entire life to befriend someone? Therefore, those chocolates held the essence of my efforts. If even one were missing, their value would plummet.

I glared at her, signaling that it was absolutely out of the question. Grinning, Gu-seul opened her mouth.

“Fine then. I guess I’ll sleep. Wake me up when the teacher comes?”
“Sure.”

Gu-seul buried her face in the desk and fell asleep in less than 10 seconds. She had an uncanny ability to fall asleep quickly.

* * * * *

Afternoon class.

As I harnessed my newfound magical powers, an overwhelming sense of joy washed over me.

‘Oh, oh wow?’

To me, mana had always been more of a toy than the dinosaur robot I had seen as a child. Little did I know that the magic course I took on a whim would prove so helpful. During the practical exercise to test the manipulation of mana, I became utterly captivated by its peculiar power.

I channeled the mana drawn from my heart to my arms, meticulously controlling it down to the spaces between my toes. When I directed my mana at the marshmallow in my hand, it became flattened as if compressed by a hydraulic press.

This was magic, and this was another world.

[Magic power increases by 1 due to the high level of magical operation.]

Even if the system hadn’t informed me, I was well aware of this fact. The more I manipulated the mana contained within me, the more I sensed my capacity for it expanding. My mana had already reached level 3.

‘The average for elite trainees who consume elixirs and practice all day is 5.’

Among them, Sansuyu, who ranks first in mana, is speculated to be around 7 or 8. That level of power is a rarity even among heroes.

In any case, simply sitting and training like this had already amassed a considerable amount of mana. It would take some time to catch up to the others, but considering the growth curve, it wasn’t an unattainable dream.

‘More than anything, taking the first step into the realm of magical power is crucial.’

Innately gifted individuals often possess rigid and predefined potential, requiring time to grow and develop. However, when someone without inherent magical power gains access to it, the newly-formed vessel takes on a flexible and smooth form until it fully integrates with the body.

In other words, one’s growth experiences a significant boost for several days after awakening to their magical power.

And then…

“Wind.”

A pure breeze flowed from my right hand, gently caressing my ears. Though it was merely mass-produced beginner magic, I could now effortlessly wield spells on my own.

I wondered if it was due to my innate qualities or simply because magic was easy to learn. At first, I felt overwhelmed, but once I understood the underlying principles, I realized it wasn’t much different from mathematics or science. If I had to draw a comparison, it closely resembled programming.

I had reaped the benefits of K-education, and from the beginning, I was more apt at magic than wielding a sword. Unlike swordsmanship, my magical aptitude was D-rank.

In truth, my overflowing potential consistently provided me with new insights, independent of my innate abilities.

“Alright, we’ll conclude today’s class here~”

Before I knew it, the afternoon class had ended as I focused on my magic. Watching the students stream out, I concentrated on my magic a bit more before leisurely exiting into the hallway.

I need to hurry and feed Shiba.

With that thought, I quickened my pace when I heard a voice from behind me.

“Excuse me.”

A soft yet somewhat fierce voice. It was Azalea. Had she discovered that I secretly sent a package to the dormitory during lunchtime? As I furiously calculated in my head, a man approached from behind Azalea.

“Are you Lee Si-heon? I’ve been waiting!”

A handsome middle-aged man with well-defined features. He looked like he would excel as a politician.

“Who are you?”

“I apologize, I haven’t introduced myself yet. I am Dal-rae’s father.”
“Ah… Dal-rae’s father?”

I stole a glance at Jin Dal-rae. Her face had become cold and rigid, a stark contrast to her previous expression. Seeing this, I wondered:

‘What’s going on?’

I shifted my gaze from Dal-rae to her father, who was wearing a rather warm and friendly smile.

It was a smile that nearly conveyed goodwill.

‘Now that I think about it, he was waiting for me?’

After clearing my throat, he discreetly handed me his business card. Jinmok Group. Lee Seong-Han. A massive corporation.

“Your surnames are different?”
“Haha…”

At my observation, Seong-Han laughed with a hint of bitterness. Dal-rae’s face twisted as she looked at Seong-Han. He must be her stepfather or something similar. Simultaneously, I could deduce how Dal-rae felt about her new father.

Something was off. There must be some underlying issue.

“I was looking forward to meeting you as well, Father.”
“I’ve been waiting to hear that. I’d like to have a private conversation with you right now. What do you think, Si-heon?”

Seong-Han had been subtly exerting pressure through his gestures.
It was a tricky situation.
Though I considered probing his intentions, it felt unnatural to do so at the moment. I decided to accept his offer for now.

“Tomorrow, then. Let’s meet at this time. I have other plans for today.”
“Alright, since I’m the one suggesting the meetup, I can adjust the time for you. Keep tomorrow free.”

Since they made the suggestion, it was only fair that they accommodate the timing.
I needed some time to think.

“Alright, Azalea. Let’s head back.”
“It’s fine.”
“This kid, seriously…”

Azalea, having hit Seong-Han’s arm, glared at him with a chilly expression.
Though the situation warranted anger, Seong-Han awkwardly scratched his chin and glanced at me.

What on earth was happening?

“Then, enjoy your time with Azalea.”
“Take care.”

I bowed my head politely.
As I looked up, a sulking Azalea was staring at me.

“So, what is it?”
“…It’s nothing.”
“What do you mean ‘nothing’? Tell me everything you know.”

That man desires something from me.
It was evident to anyone, and someone close to him knew.

Azalea furrowed her brow and uttered a word with a restrained voice.

“You wouldn’t understand.”

…

“Fine.”

He didn’t say a word.
He must have had his reasons.
And she was well aware that it was in this woman’s nature not to gossip about such matters.

As she walked away, a feeble excuse reached her from behind.

“As for you…”
“Yes?”
“It might be a good thing for you. He doesn’t hesitate to invest in his own people.”

The words seemed to imply that it was something unfavorable for himself.

Judging by her words, a man named Lee Seong-Han longed for me.
Why would he want me? She didn’t dwell on it. There was no need to cling to the unknown.

And Azalea harbored a deep hatred for her stepfather.

So, he must have despised my attempts to approach his father. Judging from her reaction, she likely knew all too well that her father was pursuing me.

‘If I didn’t want to submit to Lee Seong-han, I could have tried to persuade him. But I never made any such attempts.’

What kind of psychological mechanisms were at play? I pondered, but beyond this point, it was no longer deduction, but rather speculation. One thing was clear: this situation was not something that could be easily brushed aside. Whatever the case, I would only find out tomorrow.

I left the building without uttering a word to Dal-rae. The sun shone brightly, and a pleasant breeze blew. Spring still lingered in the air. It hadn’t been long since I’d started school.

– Plod, plod.

My footsteps led me to a single person’s office. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door three times.

“Come in,” came the reply.

I had always known that one day I would have to take such action. So, I decided to proceed with a calm mind.

The fact that Dal-rae’s father wanted me for some unknown reason weighed on my mind. And I was well aware of my own worth.

The crucial matter was how that person discerned my worth.

-Gulp.

“Teacher.”

“…Has Si-heon arrived?”

As Se-Young tapped away at her keyboard, she glanced at me and her cheeks faintly flushed. I disrupted the atmosphere and continued speaking.

“Please grant me one favor. Can you help me?”

Se-Young, somewhat taken aback by the seriousness in my voice, widened her eyes and examined my expression.

“Hey.”
“Yes, teacher.”
“What’s the matter?”

She asked, cutting straight to the point.

“Without any reason, can you help me?”
“I need to hear what it’s about before deciding whether to assist or not. And suddenly asking for help… Is that something the person who assaulted me the day before would say?”
“What are you talking about? You said you’d have sex.”
“That… That was out of anger-“
“Don’t want to?”

Se-Young lowered her flushed head.

“Fine……”
“Setting that aside,”
“What do you mean aside, you bastard… Oh right, what exactly is going on?”

I remained silent.

Upon witnessing my earnest gaze, Se-Young closed her lips and pondered, ultimately exhaling a resigned sigh.

“Fine… I’ll help you.”
“Alright, then let’s say you’re backing me up.”
“Hey, what’s that supposed to-“
“Teacher.”

It’s high time I bring up something that needed to be addressed eventually.
There had to be some support behind me, after all.
And throughout this process, my status as a potential husband of the World Tree proves to be a significant advantage.

“I’m also a candidate for the World Tree’s husband.”