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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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When I remained silent, the Chairman closed the laptop and retrieved the encryption module.
After storing the module in the safe and returning, he sipped his green tea and waited for me to speak.
Only after he finished his tea did I open my mouth.
“But why don’t I have any memories of the hospital?”
“Because every time you were asked about Han Tae-woo and Seo Ji-ah, your Mental Barrier reinforced itself, blocking those memories.”
“I see…”
My Mental Barrier had turned me into a completely unrelated person to shield me from the guilt and shock.
Then why wasn’t it working properly now?
Probably… because I had learned the root cause of the barrier’s creation.
To be honest, I wasn’t entirely sure.
I only knew that the Mental Barrier was the ultimate defensive technique. Since no hero had ever truly manifested it, all I could do was speculate.
“What are you going to do now, Soo-hyun?”
“What do you mean?”
“Now that your memories have returned, your perspective must have changed.”
“Well…”
“Will you rejoin Secreto?”
The Chairman proposed.
“Your defensive abilities are superior to any hero in the Administration. Secreto needs heroes with abilities like yours. And I won’t hold you responsible for what happened in the past. It wasn’t your fault to begin with.”
Resign from my position as an academy professor and return to Secreto…
Did he really think I would accept that offer?
“Thank you for the offer, but I’ll stay at the academy.”
“Is it because of Han Min-ha? Because you want to keep your promise to make her an S-Rank? Soo-hyun, becoming an S-Rank isn’t something that can be achieved just because an advisor is passionate. You know that better than anyone.”
“I know.”
“I’ll talk to the academy and ensure she receives proper care. So, come back.”
His initial offer had turned into an order, and I didn’t miss the change in his tone.
No hero trained deeply in defensive techniques.
Unless they were crazy.
That’s why heroes as skilled as me in barrier manipulation were rare, and Secreto needed heroes like me due to the nature of their missions.
Heroes with specialized skills, even if their overall abilities weren’t particularly high.
“Well?”
“I’ll think about it. I need time to process all this new information.”
“I see… Alright. Think it over and contact me.”
I took the business card he offered, put it in my inner pocket, and stood up.
“Thank you. I learned a lot today.”
“Then I’ll see you again.”
After shaking hands with him, I left the office.
A woman who seemed to be the Chairman’s secretary was waiting in the hallway and held the elevator for me.
As the elevator descended rapidly, I thought about what had just happened.
It was unexpected, but not impossible.
If I considered my Mental Barrier as a form of amnesia induced by external factors, it was entirely plausible.
So, to summarize, because of my mistake, Han Min-ha’s parents died, which triggered my Mental Barrier and erased everything. Then, meeting Han Min-ha created cracks in the barrier, leading me to this point.
Although the Chairman said it wasn’t my fault, I couldn’t erase the psychological guilt.
Right now, my Mental Barrier was holding strong, so I could treat her like any other student, but…
Anyway, I was going back to the academy.
Now that I knew everything, I had no intention of abandoning Han Min-ha and returning to Secreto.
And even if it weren’t for Han Min-ha…
Now that I remembered, I had become a hero because I manifested my abilities late and entered the academy as an orphan.
I didn’t have any other options.
But now, I have a stable job as an academy professor.
I didn’t feel the need to risk my life by returning to active duty.
Besides, it was a bit much to return to active duty now that I was nearing forty.
Alright.
Let’s go back to the academy.
And make Han Min-ha an S-Rank.
Just then, my phone vibrated in my pocket.
I checked the screen and saw several messages from Yoo Hee-won.
-[What are you doing?]
-[Are you coming back tonight?]
-[If you are, do you want to have dinner with Min-ha and me?]
-[Professor?]
-[Why aren’t you checking your messages?]
Oh dear… What was this?
Why so many messages?
I took out Yoo Hee-won’s timetable from my pocket and compared it to the times of the messages. Most of them were sent during class.
Did she use her phone during class?
I needed to suggest confiscating phones before class at the next faculty meeting.
But she wanted to have dinner together today?
Today was Friday.
I had promised to have dinner with Chae Ga-yoon.
As thanks for letting me into the archives and for her other help.
I opened the message window and started typing a reply to Yoo Hee-won.
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Yoo Hee-won couldn’t focus on her flight training.
Professor Kyo Soo-hyun had taken a vacation day and left the academy without a clear reason.
It wasn’t that she had separation anxiety or anything.
She just couldn’t understand why he had taken a vacation day.
An academy professor taking a vacation day during the semester?
And on a Friday, of all days?
Yoo Hee-won speculated that he might have gone on a blind date or something.
As far as she knew, Professor Kyo was forty and single.
Although he was a C-Rank, he was a former hero and a tenured professor at Graford, the best academy.
Moreover, despite his gloomy demeanor, objectively speaking, he was quite handsome.
He was certainly qualified to receive a high rating from a matchmaking agency and numerous offers.
So, her speculation wasn’t entirely unfounded.
What if Professor Kyo started dating or even got married…?
That would be problematic…
What would she do if that really happened?
Hmm…
“Watch out, Hee-won!!”
Professor Jin Se-young’s shout snapped Yoo Hee-won back to reality, and she quickly turned her body.
Barely correcting her course just before hitting the ground, she rapidly ascended to the designated altitude.
Having climbed high enough to see the vast outdoor airfield below, Yoo Hee-won took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from her forehead.
If she had collided at that speed, her skull would have been shattered.
“Are you okay?”
Professor Jin Se-young flew over, asking with concern.
“Ah, yes. I’m fine.”
“Can you continue?”
The students waiting for their turn were whispering and looking up at her.
“I’m fine. Really.”
“Alright, then… continue. But I’m afraid I have to deduct points for that deviation…”
“Deduct them. I don’t care.”
Yoo Hee-won said haughtily and returned to her original position.
Professor Jin Se-young marked the deduction on the checklist and followed Yoo Hee-won.
Today was the midterm evaluation for Flight and Guidance Studies.
And Professor Kyo had chosen this day, of all days, to take a vacation day, making her anxious.
What kind of expression would he make if he knew his student’s midterm evaluation score was lowered because of him?
He would probably say something like, “But that wasn’t my fault,” with an impassive face.
That gloomy, gray mold of a man.
If he didn’t reply to her messages after the evaluation, she would make him pay.
Returning to her starting position, Yoo Hee-won activated her Aura and shot forward like a bullet.
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During the break after the evaluation,
Yoo Hee-won checked her phone and saw a reply from Professor Kyo.
-[I’m taking care of some personal business. I should be back by tonight.]
Of course.
He had nothing to do outside anyway, so naturally, he had to crawl back to the academy.
-[Are you coming back tonight? It’s Friday, let’s have dinner with Min-ha. Buy us something delicious.]
-[I’m sorry. I have a dinner appointment. Let’s do it next time.]
A dinner appointment…?
On a Friday?
Professor Kyo, who had no friends and only went back and forth between his lab and his quarters, had a dinner appointment?
Was her initial guess correct?
A blind date?
Or a secret lover?
Hmm…
As Yoo Hee-won stood there, staring at her phone, Song Do-yoon approached with a towel.
“Hee-won. Here.”
She offered the towel, but Yoo Hee-won didn’t take it. Song Do-yoon moved closer and glanced at her phone.
Sensing her gaze, Yoo Hee-won put her phone in her pocket and took the towel.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing. Mind your own business.”
Yoo Hee-won said coldly, wiping her forehead and neck with the towel.
“Today’s Friday yeondeung. Want to come hang out in my room? I smuggled in some alcohol.”[1]
“Drink it yourselves. I don’t drink.”
“Just you and me. I won’t invite anyone else.”
“I’m busy today.”
“I got the things you like…”
Yoo Hee-won didn’t even let her finish and tossed the towel back at Song Do-yoon.
Then she took out her phone again and called someone.
“Hey, Han Min-ha. Where are you?”
Song Do-yoon stared blankly at Yoo Hee-won as she walked away while talking on the phone.
Han Min-ha…
So she was busy because of Han Min-ha.
She could understand Hee-won becoming fellow students with Han Min-ha.
But Min-ha shouldn’t come between ‘them’.
Especially not on a day like today…
Song Do-yoon buried her face in the sweat-soaked towel and took a deep breath.
Then she glared at the back of Yoo Hee-won’s head as she walked away.
‘Hee-won…’
How could a person change so drastically?
‘After everything I had done for her?’
‘Fine… I could even tolerate her interest in Han Min-ha.’
‘But she shouldn’t treat me so coldly…’
‘Or was she trying to push me away and take Han Min-ha with her?’
Unsettling thoughts began to brew in Song Do-yoon’s mind.
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[1] 연등 (yeondeung): A term used in Korean schools/academies to describe late-night study sessions, often extending into social hangouts. While yeondeung can also refer to a traditional lantern festival (연등제, Yeondeungje) in broader contexts, the school setting here suggests the study/socializing interpretation.
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