I Teleported Into the Academy of a S*xy Game
Chapter 55: Conscience (1)

Conscience

"Haa… Those academy bastards are something else," Im Sol muttered under her breath, nestled among VIP seats.

While it was alright that they had prepared a good reward for Lee Hoyeon, alleviating her guilty conscience and properly compensating her hardworking student, the situation had escalated too far. The scale of the award ceremony had swelled to such proportions that even a professor like Im Sol was required to attend. Moreover, since it was a gathering of influential figures, a bunch of annoying things had to tag along.

"Long time no see, Professor Im Sol."

Even though she was disinclined to respond, she couldn't give him the cold shoulder given his role as an academy sponsor. Looking at it more broadly, he was the one providing research funds for her.

"Yes. It's been a while."

"It's the first time since the magic conference presentation. That presentation was quite impressive. How have your research endeavors been lately?"

Im Sol found the conversation tiresome, but she understood its necessity and thus engaged in small talk. After exchanging meaningless pleasantries with several people and enduring the provocative stares of the elderly men on a few occasions, weariness set in. "Ah, those old coots… It won't take too long."

There were only a few days remaining until the day she would astonish the foolhardy mages who placed greater value on seniority than skill. Lee Hoyeon had revealed a new application of magic to her. Once the process of organizing that was completed, the research findings would be unveiled at the magic conference. At that point… Im Sol believed she would attain a level where she needn't be concerned about the scrutiny of other mages.

And then, out of nowhere, someone plopped down next to her. "Heya, Im Sol! Long time no see!"

"Huh?" She turned her head at the friendly voice, and there was a familiar face.

Min Yeji.

She appeared delicate at first glance, yet her slanted eyes exuded an enigmatic allure. Im Sol had always sensed it; this woman was a handful. Although they interacted frequently, she was a bothersome person to handle.

"Why didn't you respond? I sent you the materials for organizing the business idea."

"You calling that garbage you sent ‘business idea' now?"

"What's wrong with that? Just picturing you, using magic in a bikini, that's marketing gold…"

"Oh, shut it or I'll kill you."

Her absurd enthusiasm. This was what made Min Yeji such a nuisance.

"Hey, why are you acting like that?"

"Sigh… Whatever."

While giving her a wry smile, Im Sol began to contemplate how to manage this audacious woman who had latched onto her arm while emitting a boisterous laugh. Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ ɴøᴠel Fɪre.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

[The event is about to commence. Please take your seats.]

Thankfully, Min Yeji also quietened down as the event began. Im Sol sighed before joining the event.

Initiating with the outstanding students was a logical decision. After all, the highlights were the accolades for the gate suppression hunters and the student awards for demon elimination. Most people understood that the accolades for the outstanding students were simply intended to pad out the event with a vague award ceremony.

"The students are commendable. Particularly the student council president, even as an active student."

"Well, yes. She's Moon Soorin after all."

Im Sol had heard plenty about Moon Soorin's talent, although she wasn't exceedingly interested due to their differing fields.

Min Yeji's eyes momentarily shimmered with a golden hue. "Hmm, but there don't seem to be any children that could be profitable."

"You're… targeting kids for money too?"

"In this world, nothing matters except money, Im Sol." Despite Min Yeji's smile, her demeanor was sharp.

Once the commendation for the outstanding students concluded, they endured some superfluous rituals before progressing to the commendation for the students.

"Ahyeong is receiving an award…"

"Do you also know the saint?"

In contrast to Im Sol, Min Yeji, who was actively participating, possessed an extensive network.

"She often assists in our guild. She was present during the previous raid too."

"Right. Well, she's from the Iron Blood guild."

"Um, true."

Next up was the commendation for the students. Im Sol focused her attention on the passage from which the award recipients would emerge. Shortly thereafter, Lee Hoyeon and Lucy stepped onto the stage, their timidity evident. Seeing Hoyeon brought a reflexive smile to Im Sol's face.

"Ahaha… Is that the disciple you've been favoring recently?"

"What? How did you know?!"

"How could I not when you're staring at him so intently?" Min Yeji chuckled as she glanced at the startled Im Sol and then looked towards the stage.

[…to Lee Hoyeon, a commendation is granted.]

"So his name is Hoyeon. Let's see just how exceptional our Sol's favored student is~?"

"Sigh… Could you stop with the eccentricities…"

Before Im Sol could finish her sentence, Min Yeji's eyes glinted with a golden light. Subsequently, the once-smiling face grew serious.

"Could that child be profitable…?"

Min Yeji's eyes transformed into those of a predator assessing its prey, prompting Im Sol to frantically wave her hand to disrupt Min Yeji's line of sight.

"Hey, don't stare at him like that. He's my disciple!"

"Got it, got it. I'll try not to touch him."

"I'm serious."

"Ah, Im Sol~! Why are you acting like this between us~?"

***

[Rune Tribe Secretary]

"I can't believe this is here…"

The Rune Tribe, a tribe that appeared in the original game. Their specialty is barriers. They specialize in mana forms for barriers, receiving education solely for barrier magic from birth, fixing their mana forms to suit it. As a result, their barriers are both the strongest and the most dangerous. Eventually, due to their perilous nature, they became a race so hazardous that they vanished from history.

The reason for me wanting to learn this barrier magic was simple. As the story progresses, I'm bound to encounter this Rune Tribe barrier magic head-on. After all, one of the important antagonists is a survivor of the Rune Tribe.

When facing Felix the last time, it took about a minute to break his intermediate-level barrier. In a game, the time might not matter much since the game would proceed accordingly. But this is reality. Spending a few minutes bypassing a high-level barrier could jeopardize the heroines' lives. Shortening that time even slightly would undoubtedly be meaningful.

Moreover, I'm not just seeking to save one person. If the terrorist attack were to occur at the academy as the story goes, I might have to rescue all the heroines. Learning Rune Tribe barrier magic for swift barrier release is an essential task. Weapons or artifacts can be obtained whenever money is available. And there's another crucial point: barriers are excellent at soundproofing. It's a necessity for maintaining a cordial relationship with the heroines.

Anyway, I retrieved the Rune Tribe Secretary, which looked like tattered trash, from the treasure vault. Unfortunately, there wasn't another chance to bring another item. When I explained that it was for magical research, the principal merely heard words about me being that professor's disciple.

Soon, Lucy entered the vault and emerged about ten minutes later. She brought back a bead. It seemed to be an item that definitely aided mana circulation. While that was something I needed, I had a feeling I could only obtain the Rune Tribe Secretary here, so I reluctantly gave up.

"It was a good choice. I hope you have good luck in your academy life."

"Thank you."

Having received everything, I exchanged pleasantries and left the principal's office.

"Ah, I'm hungry. Should we grab lunch? I'll call Lumi too."

It was already lunchtime. Although the award ceremony had taken up the entire morning, there were classes in the afternoon, making it somewhat tight on time.

"Lucy?"

With no response, I turned around, and Lucy was standing in her spot, head hung low.

"Hoyeon…"

"Huh?"

What's with her? Even her expression seems stiff.

"Take this." Lucy rummaged through her pocket and handed me the mana bead she had brought from the storage.

"Hey, why are you giving me this? It's yours."

"Uhh, it's okay. I haven't used it anyway."

"Still… It's something you received…"

Only then did I notice. As Lucy handed me the bead, her arm trembled ever so slightly.

"Lucy? What's wrong?" I immediately reached out and held her body, checking her face. Tears welled up in her eyes. The trembling that began in her arms had spread throughout her body, and the bead slipped from her hand, powerless.

"Ho-Hoyeon… I'm so tired. That day, just thinking about Felix scares me… My mind goes blank. Whenever I see this bead, Felix comes to mind. I, I don't… want to be involved in this anymore…" Lucy anxiously glanced at the fallen bead on the floor, then covered her tear-streaked face with her hands, lowered herself, and began to cry.

"…"

Since she seemed calm, I thought everything was fine, but I didn't expect her to be so distressed. Her current state wasn't reflected in Lucy's heroine status window. Perhaps her guilt towards me was even stronger than her dislike for Felix.

"It's okay, Lucy. It's okay. Felix is already gone. It's okay…"

"Haaa… Why did I have to go through something like that? Why… Why did this happen?"

"…"

While Lucy cried, I held her trembling hands and gazed up at the sky. She had a delicate frame, almost childlike. She was meant to have a brighter academy life than anyone else.

I ruined that.

The fact that I had inflicted an enduring trauma upon the life of such an innocent woman filled me with regret. I resented myself for attempting to accelerate her affection towards me, for making her depend on me more, for making such rash judgments. I longed to turn back time. However, my [Clear Mental Strength] advised me to choose my words carefully even in this situation. And I followed that advice.

"It's okay, Lucy. From now on, I'll make sure to protect you. I'll protect you forever." As I offered a predictable yet heartfelt consolation, I held her even tighter. This was the most effective way to deepen our bond.

"Ahh… Hwaaaa. Hoyeon…" Lucy buried her face in my chest, tears streaming down and dampening my uniform, adding moisture to my chest.

"…"

The sky is exceptionally clear today, without a single cloud in sight…

How long had I held Lucy like this? Her tears eventually ceased, and her bloodshot eyes disconnected from mine.

"Ah, sorry. I suddenly got a bit sad. Yeah. Don't worry, I'm fine. I'll go ahead today." Using her hand to fan herself while forcing a smile, Lucy spoke.

"Lucy, wait."

"Don't come closer."

I had no choice but to halt the hand I was extending towards her.

"Don't come closer… Let's meet tomorrow as if nothing happened. Okay? Got it?"

"Yeah… See you tomorrow." In response to her imploring words, I nodded quietly.

***

I wasn't in the mood for lunch, so I headed to the private room in the training grounds.

In the afternoon class today, we're delving into Magic Analysis. The focus is on reverse-engineering magic and dispelling enchantments. While I wasn't entirely certain if Lucy still wanted the proof and would be present in the class, my goal remained to completely grasp the intricacies of the Rune Tribe before the lesson.

"Haah, well then. First, the mana form that comprises the barrier is hexagonal… Ah, damn."

It was challenging to concentrate. Despite [Clear Mental Strength] suppressing emotional fluctuations for most matters, this time, they were particularly intense.

"Again, the hexagonal mana forms connect to distribute strength evenly… Okay." Honestly, I was voicing this to release my emotions, but I already comprehended the structure. I possessed the talent; there was no way I couldn't accomplish it.

"Still, you chose well. It's practical, hmm." In my left hand was the mana bead.

[Tear of the Mermaid]

▶ Rank: High Intermediate (A)

▶ An artifact created by heavily infusing the mana stone with mermaid tears and applying magical processing.

▶ Increases mana usage speed and accelerates mana circulation.

"Mermaid's Tear…."

For some reason, the name felt cringe-worthy. At that moment, an alert chimed on my smartwatch.

"What's this? It's not a message notification."

[A personal message has arrived from EveryDay.]

[Yejimi: Hello, student Lee Hoyeon. I contacted you because I want to sponsor you personally. Could you let me know a contact method that's convenient for you?]

"What's this…?"

Honestly, I needed money at the time, but now I had a reliable money-making machine, so I'm fine… But just in case, should I reply? I should consider it after class.

Since training was over, I left the training area and headed back to the classroom. There was still over 30 minutes until class, so the lecture hall had very few people.

"Hoyeon?"

"Lumi. You came early."

She seemed to have been waiting for about 30 minutes, as expected of the top student.

"Yeah. Speaking of which, Lucy suddenly felt unwell and couldn't come to class…"

"I see… Is she okay? I'll have to contact her later."

"Yeah, she's fine."

I sat down and gazed at Lumi's face, which was fixed on me. She looked almost identical to Lucy. No, she was nearly indistinguishible. Only hair color, clothing style, and expression set them apart. Essentially, Lumi was a carbon copy of the original version of Lucy. That was how the "setting" went.

"Did something get on my face?" Lumi stroked her face with her hand while looking at me.

Suddenly, a surge of lust overcame me. I wanted to take Lumi, who bore an uncanny resemblance to Lucy, and fulfill my most primal desires with her. I wished to channel this inexhaustible craving into her delicate frame.

"Lumi…"

"Yes?"

It seemed she wasn't entertaining any indecent thoughts, given that we were thirty minutes away from class.

"Follow me."

"Yes? Okay?"

I grasped her hand and led her out of the classroom.

"Hoyeon? Why are you suddenly doing this? You don't look well either… Hoyeon?"

Ignoring Lumi's questions, I hurriedly guided her to the restroom located at the far end of the first-year building. Entering the last stall in the men's restroom, I deployed the rune's barrier. A small, colorless barrier unfolded silently. In an instant, a perfectly solid and stable barrier formed, sealing our voices from the outside world. Now that I'd mastered it, why not put it to use?

"Hoyeon? Is this really the right time for this? What… are you doing?"

"Lumi. We're secret friends, right?"

"Y-Yeah, we are. But, right now—?"

I pressed my tongue into Lumi's mouth, effectively silencing her protests.

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