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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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[Hehe. Thanks for choosing for me! In-wook! Then I’ll have to wear this outfit when I meet you next time~]
Recently, it felt like Ha-rin’s contact had become more frequent.
Sometimes it seemed like she was contacting me without any particular reason, but with her occasionally asking about future practice schedules, the contact didn’t stop.
It was hard to judge whether she was intentionally aiming for this phenomenon or if the conversation was flowing naturally.
Still, when looking at the results, it didn’t feel bad.
If in my previous life, I approached her with a feeling of infinite forward motion, the Ha-rin of this life seemed to approach me a bit more actively.
The feeling that the situation from my previous life had been reversed sometimes gave me a strangely thrilling feeling.
There were times when I wanted to be immersed in that feeling, and since I actually had no intention of confirming Ha-rin as my wife yet, I sometimes deliberately sent slightly halfhearted replies.
However, seeing her consistently replying to my seemingly blunt replies, I thought that the Ha-rin of this life was definitely a good person, just like in my previous life.
When I arrived at the academy, I thought that today would be at least a little less boring than usual.
That’s because today was the pair practice day that I had diligently prepared for while talking with Ha-rin.
It was like a timely break for me, who was getting tired of theoretical classes.
“Now. Everyone, let’s move to the training ground!”
The homeroom teacher instructed us to move after checking if we had properly prepared the necessary items.
* * *
Following the homeroom teacher’s instructions, we lined up in pairs and waited for orders.
“Hehe. In-wook. Hi!”
Ha-rin greeted me with a bright smile.
“Yeah. Ha-rin. Good morning.”
“Are you ready to do well today?”
She made a pose as if to cheer me on, clenching her small fist tightly.
Her childlike appearance, despite definitely being twenty years old, made me laugh.
“What’s with that pose?”
“It’s a fighting pose! Come on, In-wook. You try it too.”
“M-me too?”
Ha-rin giggled and recommended a strange pose to me.
“Don’t tell me… Since we’re the same pair… You want me to do it alone?”
Her tone made it seem like I would be making a huge mistake if I didn’t do this.
I shook my head.
“Ah… No. Since we’re a pair. Ha. Haha.”
…Certainly, in my memories from my previous life, I don’t even remember who my pair was.
I wondered if this was something to make a fuss about using as an excuse.
“Alright. Then let’s do it! Fighting!”
“Fi… Fighting?”
Ha-rin looked at me with a dissatisfied expression as I raised my fist and arm in an awkward pose.
“…In-wook.”
“Yeah?”
“That’s not how you do it.”
“…It’s not?”
“No.”
Ha-rin, who was standing right next to me, took one more step closer and placed her hand on top of mine.
“This is how you do it.”
She made a fist with my hand and raised my arm.
“Now, follow along! Fighting!”
“Fighting.”
I shouted the cheer in a low voice.
No. Why am I even doing this?
“Student In-wook. Your voice is too low!”
Ha-rin suddenly spoke in a tone like a third-rate drill sergeant from some comic.
“Um… Ha-rin. Isn’t this enough?”
I noticed a few people glancing at us, who were already in a strange pose.
“Student In-wook! This is the last time, so I hope you give it your all. I’ll give you one last chance!”
When I shook my head and gestured that it was too much, Ha-rin puffed out her cheeks.
“In-wook. Are you really not going to do it?”
I already knew the meaning behind that action.
Once Ha-rin puffed her cheeks, if she didn’t get what she wanted, she would sulk all day long.
Sigh… I can’t not do it for her.
I looked around once more, closed my eyes tightly, and thought to get it over with quickly.
Yeah. Well. It’s just this much.
“Fighting!”
I raised my hand high and made the same pose as Ha-rin.
…Perhaps I didn’t control my voice well.
I felt people’s gazes focusing on me.
Ah. I felt my face temperature rising from embarrassment.
Ha-rin laughed, looking at me as if I was cute.
“Good job. In-wook! You really are my pair!”
…If you weren’t my wife in my previous life, I definitely wouldn’t have done it for you. Seriously.
“Now, from this point on, we will begin the practice using training bots!”
Training bots.
These dolls, designed for lower-grade students at the Hunter Academy, were quite well-researched to resemble monsters.
Needless to say, the level of monsters the training bots could simulate was at best level 2.
At my current level, they were like stray cats.
However, for those who had never experienced real combat, this was perfect for training.
Of course, for those who would become S-rank from the start, even this would feel easy.
People started practicing one by one around us.
Since there weren’t many bots, we watched other students go first.
There were students who handled it skillfully, and there were also those who panicked and couldn’t get their act together.
“Next. Yoon Ha-rin. Choi In-wook.”
Finally, it was our turn.
“In-wook! Just do as I told you! Got it!”
The plan Ha-rin devised was a Ha-rin-centric plan where Ha-rin was the main character.
It was a skill level she could be confident about, and since I also didn’t want excessive attention, there was no conflict in the process of making the plan.
“Yeah. Then I’ll start.”
First, as discussed beforehand, I threw myself toward the bot.
The weapon I was holding now was a training sword I had been using since before entering the academy.
I need to get a weapon soon though…
But honestly, I didn’t even need a sword against the bots.
The bot reacted to my movement and started running toward me.
The plan was for me to draw attention and buy time, and then Ha-rin’s magic would finish it off, so I just had to play with this cat robot.
The bot charged at me with a rather fierce momentum, but I dodged the attacks with minimal movement.
“Kieeek!”
I wondered if they really had to imitate that disgusting sound, but it was for the sake of creating an atmosphere similar to real combat.
I tried to understand.
After dodging the attacks three or four times like that, Ha-rin gave a signal from behind.
“In-wook! Move away!”
At her words, I quickly left the battlefield and moved to Ha-rin’s location.
As Ha-rin stretched out her hand, a magic circle large enough to cover the entire monster formed on the ground.
This was indeed Ha-rin’s signature skill in her previous life as well.
Huge vines sprouted from the ground and wrapped around the training bot.
The bot, with its movements restricted, started screaming like a trapped beast.
But Ha-rin was a talent who would become S-rank. She wasn’t the type of person to be sloppy enough to give an opening to a bot of this level.
The vines tightened around the bot more and more, and soon the bot stopped moving and froze.
“Okay! Good work! That was an excellent skill. Yoon Ha-rin!”
The homeroom teacher spoke to us while making notes on the evaluation sheet.
“How was it~ How was it~ Choi In-wook!”
Ha-rin looked at me with an expression wanting me to praise her.
“It was cool. You did well.”
Satisfied with my praise, Ha-rin nodded her head up and down.
“So. In-wook.”
“Yeah?”
“Keep believing only in me from now on!”
She puffed out her chest and placed her arms on her hips.
“If you’re with me, getting the top score in all practices is a piece of cake!”
…Even if you weren’t my pair, Ha-rin, getting the top score is nothing, but.
I didn’t want to show it.
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll only believe in you! Ha-rin!”
A smile blossomed on Ha-rin’s face as she looked at me.
…It was a face I didn’t want to show to others.
It felt like if other boys had witnessed this scene, it could have kept many of them awake at night.
I thought Ha-rin’s pure, flawless smile was dazzling both then and now.
“Yeah. In-wook.”
That day, we finished the practice with the highest score in the class.
* * *
The day after the practice, it was the academy’s system to always give feedback on the practice.
Of course, since Ha-rin and I got the highest score, there weren’t any major points of criticism.
If I had to pick one…
[In-wook. Of course, you did well too, but next time, I’d like you to try hunting the bot directly, not just playing the role of bait.]
The homeroom teacher seemed to think that I took the role of bait because I lacked ability.
Other than that, there wasn’t much to say, so in fact, it was safe to say there was no useful feedback.
Today, there was a student council meeting scheduled after academy classes.
Feeling a bit late, I hurried my steps and headed to the student council room.
I thought the role of secretary didn’t have much to do, but I didn’t want to be disliked by being late.
“I’m sorry!”
When I opened the door and entered, it seemed like the meeting was in full swing.
“Oh. Yeah. In-wook. Come quickly.”
I sat next to Si-hwa, which was my seat, as quickly as possible so as not to disturb.
“Hmm. Hmm! Since the new students are all here now, let’s draw the patrol order!”
I think he mentioned the patrol last week, and it seemed he was deciding the order now.
The student council president used the drawing function on his cell phone and started writing the list on the whiteboard.
Si-hwa and I are… tomorrow?
Not only are the new students paired together, but the fact that it’s tomorrow might be a bit of a burden for Si-hwa.
“Hmm~ The new students are up right away tomorrow. But don’t worry!”
The student council president spoke as if he had everything planned.
“I was going to have you watch and learn anyway while patrolling with me and the vice president today.”
It would certainly be good to receive a proper handover at least once.
“Then, everyone remember your turns. Si-hwa, let me see you separately for a moment.”
Huh? Not the new students including me, but only Si-hwa…?
I had a bad feeling about this.
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