I Became an Illegal Cheat User – Chapter 52

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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It was the first weekend since we had entered the Academy.

To be precise, it was the second weekend… but since this world was an academy setting, it was technically the first weekend.

Anyway, as the weekend arrived when students could go out without an exit permit, the Academy had been bustling since the morning.

“Let’s go!”

“Let’s get some fresh air outside after so long!”

“Hey, someone might think we just got out of a detention center or something.”

From first-years to third-years.

Regardless of grade, everyone was crossing the Academy’s main gate with excited faces.

Yu-jin and Asuka were sitting on a bench watching this scene.

“Why is everyone so happy? They can do most things in the Academy too.”

Asuka tilted her head as if she genuinely didn’t understand, licking the soft-serve ice cream that was served as an after-breakfast dessert.

Yu-jin patted Asuka’s head, who was being cute from the morning, and said,

“It’s different inside and outside.”

Although the Academy had great facilities and excellent food quality, it was strictly a hero training institution.

As such, it was strict about alcohol and tobacco (except for supernatural abilities), and students couldn’t go outside the Academy without special reasons.

Of course, they could go out on weekends like now if they endured the weekdays… but human psychology was such that no matter how voluntarily one entered or how good the facilities were, once one felt confined, they yearned for freedom.

That was why the students leaving the Academy since the morning were in such a high mood.

“…Hmm, I understand what you’re saying, but I can’t relate.”

Asuka said this as she bit off the top of her ice cream with her adorable mouth.

“You don’t have to relate.”

Since I was satisfied with my academy life like her, I understood their feelings but didn’t empathize with them.

“I should get going now.”

Yu-jin stood up from the bench.

The main gate, which had been as crowded as an amusement park ticket booth, had quieted down somewhat, so it was time to move.

“Ah… you said you had something to do outside today…”

Asuka, who had stood up from the bench following Yu-jin, looked down at the ground with a gloomy face.

She looked just like a puppy.

A puppy saddened by its owner going to work after promising a walk.

“Why are you so gloomy? I’ll be back soon anyway.”

“Eh? You’ll be back soon?”

At Yu-jin’s words that he’d be back soon, Asuka looked up at him with a brightened face, as if she had never been gloomy.

Seeing Asuka like this, Yu-jin chuckled and patted her head.

“It’s nothing much, so I’ll be back by lunchtime at the earliest, or dinner at the latest.”

He had nowhere else to go besides the Alchemy Workshop.

Since he was only registering recipe copyrights and checking the surprisingly poor state of alchemy unlike in the game, his expected outing time wasn’t very long.

Unless a random encounter occurred like last time.

“Hehe, really? Then let’s have dinner together today.”

“Sure, let’s do that.”

“Ah! Really?”

Asuka’s eyes widened roundly, as if she hadn’t expected Yu-jin to accept the dinner invitation so readily, but that was only for a moment.

“Then it’s a promise!”

Asuka smiled brightly as if truly happy and held out the ice cream she had been eating.

Yu-jin had thought their distance had decreased noticeably after yesterday’s events… but not to this extent.

He smiled wryly and took a bite of the offered ice cream.

But then…

“Ah, aah…”

Asuka was looking at Yu-jin with a very red face.

Why was that?

“I, I… offered the wrong thing…”

What she had meant to offer was not the ice cream, but her pinky finger.

“But come to think of it… this seems fine too…”

Asuka licked the ice cream with a shy face, and in the direction where Yu-jin had bitten.

“……”

Somehow, it seemed like she had become a bit mischievous.

It wasn’t just his imagination, right?

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The Alchemy Workshop street was bustling with people.

Perhaps because it was the weekend.

Of course, considering the recent rift incident, there should have been fewer people out of caution.

But that was just common sense from the other world Yu-jin had lived in.

For the people of this world, rifts and terror incidents were almost commonplace.

Literally, unless there was large-scale damage like mass destruction of buildings or landscape inversion, they went about their daily lives as usual.

That was how accustomed the people of this world were to people going missing or losing their lives.

It was truly a sad state of affairs.

“By the way, why can’t I see the shop? It should have been around here…”

To register a recipe at the Alchemy Workshop, one had to make it on the spot.

So he needed to get the ingredients first, but due to the crowded people, he couldn’t see the shop he was looking for.

He could find it by looking at the sign, but… all the shops in this Alchemy Workshop street had no signs.

‘What was it again, something about it not being good for the street’s appearance?’

Anyway, for that reason, he couldn’t easily find the shop, so Yu-jin sighed deeply and stepped out of the street.

Then he stood still and started checking people’s hands.

“If I can’t find the shop, I’ll find someone carrying it.”

For reference, “it” referred to “fresh fruit juice”.

100% fresh fruit juice at that, and that was the key ingredient for the potion recipe he wanted to register.

So he focused on checking the hands of people walking down the street, and after a short while.

“Found it!”

He was able to spot someone holding fresh fruit juice.

Yu-jin hurriedly pushed through the crowd before that person could disappear, and just as he reached out his hand to grab that person.

Whoosh.

As if sensing something, that person turned their head towards Yu-jin, and Yu-jin saw an unexpected face.

“…Arthur?”

“…Yu-jin?”

It was none other than Arthur, and in casual clothes at that.

No wonder Yu-jin hadn’t recognized him.

“…I didn’t expect to see you here like this.”

“…Me neither.”

Arthur looked at Yu-jin with a bewildered face.

Yu-jin returned the same expression.

‘Who would have thought I’d meet Arthur in the Alchemy Workshop street…’

And Arthur was holding the juice I was looking for, no less.

It was truly an unexpected encounter in an unexpected place.

“Let’s get off the street first.”

“…Hmm, we should. Standing here would inconvenience others.”

At Arthur’s agreement, Yu-jin reached out his hand, and grasped his hand.

“…!”

Arthur looked at Yu-jin with a startled expression, but Yu-jin ignored that expression and pulled Arthur’s hand.

In such a crowded place, if they didn’t hold hands while moving, they would soon be separated.

Yu-jin firmly grasped his hand and looked for a less crowded place.

However, people were overflowing everywhere they went.

So while they couldn’t find a completely secluded spot, they did manage to find a somewhat less crowded area.

“This should be fine.”

Saying that, Yu-jin released the hand he had been gripping tightly.

Then he turned his head towards Arthur, and he saw.

“Haa… haa…”

Arthur, with a flushed face, breathing heavily.

“M-my hand hurts.”

Arthur pulled the hand that Yu-jin had gripped tightly to her chest, complaining of pain.

But did he know?

Unlike his words saying it hurt, his expression was full of ecstasy.

“Oh, dear…”

Yu-jin put his hand to his forehead with a sigh.

He had forgotten, that Arthur had masochistic tendencies.

Yu-jin let out a deep sigh and looked around.

Whisper whisper.

As expected, people around were looking at them with strange gazes.

Especially the gazes towards Arthur contained slight fear as if looking at a pervert and… interest… interest?

‘What’s with the people showing interest?’

That gaze was directed at Yu-jin as well.

It seemed… they were misunderstanding.

That Yu-jin and Arthur were doing that sort of thing…

‘…Ah, damn it.’

Yu-jin stopped his train of thought.

“Hey, hey!”

“U-um?”

When Yu-jin shook his body urgently, the ecstasy on Arthur’s face gradually subsided.

And when his excitement had calmed down somewhat, Arthur looked at Yu-jin with an awkward face and said,

“Um… I’m sorry.”

Seeing him apologize, it seemed he was also aware.

That his sexual preferences were not ordinary, but Yu-jin wasn’t troubled by those preferences.

Yes, people weren’t all the same, so some might have unusual preferences.

But the problem was… the “male disguise”.

‘How many times has this been?’

Being misunderstood by others as “Are you two dating?”

‘Ah, I really want to ask. Why are you in male disguise?’

His mouth was itching to ask, but he couldn’t.

[T/N: From now on i will refer to author with female pronouns as the mc has basically figured it out by now, also lol wtf.]

There must be a reason why she was in male disguise, so he decided to wait until she told him directly.

“Sigh.”

Yu-jin let out a deep sigh.

At this, Arthur became restless and didn’t know what to do.

“…If you’re that sorry, just tell me where you bought the juice you’re holding.”

That was why he grabbed her in the first place.

“O-of course I’ll tell you.”

Arthur, realizing that Yu-jin was going to let it go, quickly nodded her head.

Then she reached out her hand, saying she would guide him personally.

“W-we might get separated…”

“……”

…That was true, but.

Was that really the only reason?

Yu-jin looked at Arthur with questioning eyes.

Arthur blushed and avoided his gaze.

“Haa.”

Yu-jin let out a short sigh and took the hand she offered.

Although her intentions were transparent, as she said, they needed to hold hands to avoid getting separated in the crowd.

With that thought, he took her hand, but.

“Um, Yu-jin.”

“What.”

“If you could grip a little tighter…”

“……”

“…I’m sorry.”

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“Thank you! Have a nice day!”

Leaving the juice shop with the owner’s farewell, Yu-jin put the box he was holding into his inventory.

He had temporarily turned off the Infinite Items cheat.

This was because when registering a recipe’s copyright at the Alchemy Workshop, the examiners would inspect the items he made.

But if he made items with the Infinite Items cheat on, those items would have the ‘Copy’ prefix attached.

Due to the characteristics of ‘Copy’ items, they could be transferred to one person, but if that person tried to transfer it to someone else, the ‘Copy’ item would disappear.

Therefore, he couldn’t use Infinite Items when registering recipes, but more importantly, how long was she planning to accompany him?

Yu-jin looked at Arthur walking beside him.

“Hey, Arthur.”

“Mm?”

At Yu-jin’s call, Arthur turned her head to look at him.

In her mouth was a strawberry Tanghulu he had bought her as thanks for guiding him to the shop.

[T/N: Tanghulu is a chinese sweet sold on the streets.]

“Mm, mmm mmm mmm.”

He couldn’t understand what she was saying, but.

Crunch, crunch.

Arthur chewed the Tanghulu in her mouth quickly.

And gulp.

“…Did you have something to say?”

“Did I have something to say?”

At that question, Yu-jin lowered his head and pointed at their hands.

Arthur tilted her head as if not understanding what he meant, and raised her hand, and Yu-jin’s hand was raised along with it.

“Hey, put your hand down!”

But it was already too late.

Whisper whisper.

“Mom, why are those two guys holding hands?”

“Oh my, honey. That’s…”

“Ugh… what’s with those people.”

Whispers could be heard from around them.

At those whispers, Yu-jin gritted his teeth and glared at Arthur.

“Hey Arthur. Are you doing this on purpose?”

“What are you talking about? I’m just holding on so we don’t get separated in the crowd.”

As Arthur tried to raise their hands again as if there was no problem, Yu-jin hurriedly lowered them.

Then he gripped their interlocked hands tightly.

“Ow…!”

Now’s my chance!

The moment he felt Arthur’s grip loosen, Yu-jin immediately let go of her hand.

“Y-Yu-jin…!”

Then Arthur was immediately swept away by the crowd and disappeared into the distance.

Yu-jin let out a sigh of relief at that sight.

“I should have done this earlier.”

It might have been different if she wasn’t in male disguise.

Did Arthur want to hold hands knowing she was in male disguise?

And with me, a man at that?

“Geez, damn it.”

Yu-jin cursed and headed towards the Alchemy Workshop, and before long, he was able to arrive.

It was a building that was entirely a workshop.

“Welcome to the Alchemy Workshop.”

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