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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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The pair competition training with Ha-rin was going smoothly.
As expected, just like in her previous life, she showed skills that would be rude to compare with other students.
“Phew… Good job! In-wook!”
She smiled and handed me an ion drink, drenched in sweat.
“What! When did you prepare this!”
It seemed Ha-rin had not only prepared her own drink but also one for me.
“Of course~ We’re two in one~”
I can’t believe she said such an embarrassing thing so loudly that others could hear.
I felt Ha-rin was really amazing.
“At this rate, it really seems like getting 1st place is a sure thing.”
I meant it sincerely.
Even if I didn’t get too involved in combat, no? To put it harshly, even if I didn’t participate in combat at all, Ha-rin alone seemed more than capable of securing 1st place in the class.
“It’s certainly possible, but…”
Ha-rin wiped her forehead with her sleeve and answered.
“That’s not what we agreed on, right? In-wook?”
What agreement? You just asked for a favor.
I decided not to argue with her rather firm words.
“Still, there’s not much left, so let’s finish preparing well.”
Our strategy was based entirely on Ha-rin’s magic, with me adjusting to it.
However, I added some sections where I could slightly showcase my skills in some plans.
I thought about just quietly burying myself and lifting Ha-rin up, but the conversation I had with our homeroom teacher bothered me.
If I couldn’t show my skills in the evaluation, I predicted he would continue to pressure me to quit the student council.
The student council had already told me that first-years didn’t have to participate, but I couldn’t tolerate a stranger, not even my ex-wives, meddling in my life.
And his condescending tone, as if he was looking down on me, was very annoying.
To do that, it would be more convenient in many ways to properly show my skills at least once.
I briefly considered using the weapon I acquired from the dungeon last time to add more power, but concluded it would be an excessive measure.
It wasn’t fully familiar in my hands yet, and I hadn’t met the conditions to fully utilize the potential abilities of the weapon.
I could gradually tame the weapon after the evaluation…
I thought the upcoming evaluation would proceed according to our plan unless there were major variables.
* * *
“It’s a mess. All of you.”
I wanted to minimize harsh words, but it was a difficult situation to do so.
“First of all, the timing of reinforcement. If you can’t do it properly when needed, you’re not properly fulfilling your role.”
“…I’m sorry.”
My pair was a man named Park Min-seok.
Honestly, I didn’t even remember if he was the same person as in my previous life or someone else.
Not only him, who was being evaluated with me this time, but I couldn’t remember the names of most pairs before Choi In-wook.
I thought relying on a pair was no different from poison for a hunter.
The ability to solve any unexpected situation with one’s own strength.
That was what I believed to be the basic attitude of a first-class hunter.
In that sense, Park Min-seok wasn’t the worst, but he was a pair I really disliked.
Putting aside style and compatibility, first of all, his skills.
He lacked the fundamentals I expected.
No matter how much I had the memories of my previous life, the movements Park Min-seok showed were enough to make even the first-year Yoo Si-hwa of my previous life click her tongue.
“I’ve told you over and over again. I have no expectations of you.”
Park Min-seok frowned, as if his pride was hurt by my words.
“Your task is to assist me. I just need you to properly reinforce me at the right timing when I need it.”
Some people hadn’t properly decided on their specialty yet as they were first-years, but after observing him for about a month, the field where he seemed to have potential was the reinforcement series.
Not all hunters fought on the front lines.
There were healer-type hunters who recovered the damage of allies from the rear, and there were also reinforcement-specialized hunters to support those on the front lines.
And they were rare and performed important duties on the field.
“But… What I just did was my best…”
“If you’re being sincere, it would be better for you to leave the hunter world right now. I’m not just saying that.”
Of course, there was no way that could be his best.
Failure to match timing wasn’t a matter of talent. It was just a lack of training.
And I hated it when people who hadn’t properly prepared talked about doing their best.
I picked up a practice spear and threw it lightly towards his feet.
“Eek!”
Startled, he managed to twist his body and dodge the spear.
“And there was one more thing I asked you to do. Do you remember?”
He answered with a frightened expression.
“I think you told me to develop agility to protect myself…”
“It’s a relief. You remember it accurately.”
I never once told him how to defeat enemies during the practice period.
Because that was something I could sufficiently do alone.
But I didn’t want to fight while worrying about his safety.
I hated being held back by others more than anyone else.
That’s why I did most of my hunter work solo in my previous life.
Honestly, if he couldn’t accept this request of mine, I thought he didn’t deserve to get 1st place thanks to me.
“The speed at which I threw the spear just now. It would be good to train to the point where you can easily dodge that level.”
“Yes…”
He answered in an unconfident voice at my cold words.
I knew his feelings were definitely not good, but I believed my words would ultimately help him.
The advice I gave as the top S-rank hunter was something people couldn’t hear even if they paid for it.
* * *
I couldn’t stay helpless forever.
It wasn’t like me, and even if I stayed down, Choi In-wook’s closed heart wouldn’t open.
So there were two things I decided to prepare.
The first was to consistently maintain my career.
The Choi In-wook of my previous life always praised my self-management ability.
[How do you manage to do everything so neatly and thoroughly? I think you’re really amazing, Si-hwa. I can’t do that.]
At that time, I thought he might be teasing me because I lost the 1st place position despite that, but now it felt like a hint.
So I started preparing sincerely for the pair competition that was coming up soon.
Of course, I thought getting 1st place would be easy even without much preparation, but I couldn’t let my guard down.
I thought variables could arise at any time.
I concluded that accumulating these achievements one by one would be helpful for both myself and to show him.
The second was…
[Hannam-dong Daju-ro Coffee Workshop.]
Is this the place…?
Phew…
Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door of the cafe.
* * *
Ah… Why are there so many customers on a weekday?
Seeing the line of customers that seemed twice as many as usual, I felt my energy draining.
The manager oppa must have felt the same way, as he wiped the dripping sweat and handed me a glass of cold water.
“At least drink this while working. Ye-na.”
“Thank you. Oppa.”
I wondered if I would even have a moment to comfortably drink water.
The next customer entered right away.
Please… Just stop coming… I thought, but…
A woman with a somewhat familiar feeling approached the counter.
Slender arms and legs.
A face as slim as a model’s.
Blue hair that reached down to her waist.
…Why is she here?
Slightly lowering her sunglasses, she scanned the menu and opened her mouth.
“One iced Americano, please.”
Last time, Choi In-wook and Yoon Ha-rin came together, and now it’s Yoo Si-hwa?
How do they all know and take turns coming here?
It was a bit ridiculous to call it a coincidence, but she was a customer after all.
I was someone who had the duty to serve with a smile.
“Yes~ I understand~ I’ll let you know with a vibration bell~”
Sitting by the window, making the sound of her high heels, she stared at me intently.
Even through her sunglasses, I could tell she was watching me.
What was a bit absurd was that she kept observing me for hours after ordering just one coffee.
The manager oppa must have sensed something strange too, as he spoke to me from behind the kitchen.
“That sunglasses girl. Is she your friend, Ye-na?”
“…Not quite a friend. More like an acquaintance of an acquaintance.”
In other words, my husband’s ex-wife.
“Really? If you feel too uncomfortable, I can go and say something to her. Is that okay?”
“It’s almost time for me to get off work anyway, so I think it’ll be fine.”
“Alright. That’s a relief then.”
The manager oppa was really a good person, even worrying about things like this.
9 o’clock.
When it was time to get off work, I changed out of my uniform and went out to the hall.
I walked towards her, who was still blatantly looking in my direction, and opened my mouth.
“Do you have something to say? Yoo Si-hwa?”
She took off her sunglasses and nodded.
“…Can you spare some time? Ha Ye-na?”
Seriously, why do Choi In-wook and Yoo Si-hwa keep invading my territory?
Really.
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