Being on the same team as Nam Daeun, who happened to be the top scorer in the practical exams, was a real advantage. But it appeared that the weight of carrying me and that guy named Lee Byunghoon was the real reason behind it.
So, following the team gathering instructions, I tagged along with Team 7.
"Oh, really? I'm from there too."
"Let's give it our best shot. I specialize in close combat…"
The whole scene was a bit chaotic as everyone tried to get to know their team members. We knew we had to stick together for at least one semester, so the more we got comfortable with each other, the easier it would be to trust and rely on one another.
"Wow, I've only heard rumors about you, Nam Daeun. It's a real honor to be on the same team."
"…"
"…"
"…"
"Oh, by the way, I almost forgot to introduce myself. I'm the eldest son of the esteemed family…"
But seriously, why was our team like this?
Ever since the team formed, this chatterbox had been blabbering nonstop. And to make matters worse, he didn't spare a glance for me and Lumi. His eyes were glued solely to Nam Daeun.
"Well, that wraps it up for today's class. As I mentioned earlier, your first assignment is to dine with your teammates and capture the moment on camera. It's important for professional hunters to quickly find common ground with people they meet for the first time."
I wasn't quite sure how eating and taking pictures related to being professional hunters, but since it was our assignment, we had to go with it.
What should I do?
The other teams had already formed their little groups, deciding where to eat or rushing off to grab a meal.
The guy kept prattling on to Nam Daeun, while Nam Daeun casually packed her bag, paying him no mind. Lumi, unsure of what to say, swiveled her head back and forth between the two, unsure of what to do.
And there I was, Lee Hoyeon, just silently observing the whole situation in real-time.
I guess I should say something, right?
After pondering for a moment, I decided to speak up, "Hey, guys? Any preferences on what to eat? Um…"
Silence.
Carefully selecting my words, aiming for simplicity, but before I could conclude, Nam Daeun rose from her seat, snatched her bag, and headed toward the classroom exit.
"Nam Daeun, do you know any good restaurants?"
"I'm not in the mood for fooling around with kids."
"Huh?"
She just left without saying another word.
What's up with her? Wait, is this some kind of prank?
The guy glanced at us, then said, "Hmm, actually, I've got something else to do," and vanished.
"…"
The rest of the students had already left to grab a meal with their teams, leaving only Lumi and me in the classroom, feeling a bit lost.
[Sub quest has been received]
[Cheer up the gloomy Lumi!]
[Lumi's ambition to debut at the academy has been shattered! But it's not too late. Comfort Lumi and help improve her mood!]
[Reward: Random stat increase by 1]
And just like that, a sub quest materialized before my eyes.
Cheering up the gloomy Lumi?
"I totally messed up my attempt at making a first friend… Why couldn't I just muster the courage to say I love tteokbokki… Ugh…"
I looked over and heard Lumi murmuring strange words with a downcast expression.
I mulled it over, it might not be a bad idea after all. Nam Daeun wouldn't even notice until I reached halfway through anyway, and that guy whose name slipped my mind wasn't worth worrying about.
"Hey, Lumi? Since they've already bailed, let's go grab a bite together."
"Me… with you?"
"Yeah, it was part of the assignment—share a meal and take a picture."
"But… Nam Daeun already left."
Why was Nam Daeun suddenly a topic of discussion? And that Lee Byung-whatever-his-name-is didn't seem to care either
"Let them be for now. Anyway, do you like tteokbokki? I know a great tteokbokki place. Care to accompany me?"
"Yes… Yes! Let's go!"
***
Seated before me was Lumi, cheeks puffed up like delectable buns, eyes wide with excitement as she ravished the tteokbokki. Her rounded cheeks resembled acorns, as though a squirrel was nibbling its bounty.
"Take your time…"
"Oh, sorry."
"No need to apologize. Just enjoy your food."
"Hehe… But seriously, it was delicious! How did you discover this amazing place when we're both freshmen?"
Well, it's because this tteokbokki joint was a must-visit spot during our in-game date with Lumi. She couldn't get enough of tteokbokki the end of the game, and it became her absolute favorite. Naturally, it had to be tasty.
★ Heroine Status Window
[Lumi]
[Affection: 35]
[Lust: 30]
[Appetite: 15]
[Fatigue: 40]
The affection level increased by 20. It would be awesome if she could eat four more servings of tteokbokki.
With her appetite dropping from 40 to 15, I assumed Lumi must have eaten to her heart's content.
"It looks like you're almost done. Want to take a picture? My phone's camera quality isn't great, so can we use yours?"
"Oh, sure! Go ahead and take it!"
I took Lumi's phone, got up, and moved beside her.
"Uh, why are you so close?"
"For the perfect shot."
Click!
"Well, two team members are missing, but the picture turned out great."
Thanks to the fabulous subject, even a quick snap looked like a fashion magazine shoot.
"Oh, yes. It turned out well…"
Why were you blushing over a good picture? Anyway, now that I had an excuse to stick around a bit longer, it was time to focus on the main goal.
"Lumi, the person on your phone case is from Idol Party, right?"
"Oh, y-yes? Uh… how did you know?"
"Oh, I happen to like them too. Are you a fan?"
"Yes! I really, really love them! I have the gacha limited edition, watched all the anime, and… I even saw the movie adaptation!"
The one who was stumbling over words suddenly started gushing about anime. I wasn't entirely sure what she meant by that, but regardless, I had a different goal in mind.
"Then, how about we go see the movie adaptation that's coming out? I've been thinking about it since I don't have anyone to go with."
"Oh, a m-movie?"
"Yeah, don't fret if you're not interested. I can go alone, no worries."
"Oh no, no, no. I really want to go together!"
"Then, let's catch it this weekend. Can I have your number?"
I handed my phone to Lumi, and her hand trembled as she nervously entered the numbers one by one, muttering to herself, "Exchanging numbers… exchanging numbers with a friend…" It was pretty adorable.
"Here you go."
"Thank you!"
***
Tuesday evening.
After parting ways with Lumi, I made my way to the training center for some practice. It was important to assess my level since proper classes were starting tomorrow.
I tapped my smartwatch and entered a private room.
[Lee Hoyeon, First Year Class A. Entry confirmed]
In the original game, the protagonist's abilities would specialize depending on the type of training he underwent. If trained as a mage, his magic power would excel. If trained as a warrior, his stamina and strength would improve. If trained as an assassin, his agility would sharpen. Focusing on specific attributes would allow for the enhancement of particular skills.
The most typical and straightforward path to go for was being a warrior. It made sense considering the protagonist's unique ability.
A unique ability was a one-of-a-kind superpower that only the individual had. Not everyone could tap into their unique abilities. And I was lucky enough to have a pretty good one, just like the protagonist.
[Battle Sense]
▶ Perk
▶ Receives adjustments in all actions perceived as "battle."
The protagonist's unique ability was battle-related, granting him inherent battle sense and adjustments in all actions related to combat. With adjustments applied to all battle-related actions, the warrior class had a clear advantage, particularly in close-quarters combat where the ability played a vital role.
Furthermore, as the story progressed, numerous confrontations with human or humanoid monsters arose, making the warrior class the most favorable choice for engaging in one-on-one combat.
But despite all that, I opted to become a mage for two reasons. Firstly, I received the special benefit of Mana Sensitivity, which gave me an edge in mana manipulation. Secondly, I knew the antagonists in this world could be real pieces of work.
Trying to go toe-to-toe with those buggers, swinging a sword around, would be a total disaster. There's no respawn button here like in a game. So, the smart move would be to keep a safe distance and blast them with powerful magic attacks.
[Mana Mastery Test. Initiated]
To figure out my level, just like in a game, I had to assess my strengths and weaknesses to plan my next moves.
The proficiency test provided by the training center relied on the database of Victoria Academy to analyze my advantages and disadvantages.
[This is a Level 1 test. Disperse mana thinly and widely.]
That seemed to be the way to measure my mana.
"Spread mana thinly and widely?"
I had never given it a shot before.
Hmm…
Mana of blue light radiated from my hand. Imagining waves, I let the mana loose, and the floor of the training room became clearly visible under the gentle wavelength of mana.
[Level 1 test completed.]
Did I release mana for about a minute? I heard a voice saying it was done.
[Initiating Level 2 test.]
Targets appeared on the pathway ahead.
[Targets will activate soon. Eliminate them quickly and accurately.]
[5]
"Hey, can I have some time to prepare?"
Despite my complaint, the system continued its countdown without a hint of emotion.
[4]
[3]
[1]
Among the spells that came to mind now, the most…
[Targets are activated. There are 10 targets.]
I didn't have time to ponder. I recalled the wind arrow spell I read about in the book yesterday.
Magical power rose above my head, transforming into wind, accompanied by a strong gust.
Swoosh!
Shoulder.
Thunk!
One, two, three, four, five… ten.
Ten arrows flew fiercely, creating a clamorous sound.
"Wow."
There wasn't a single target left on the pathway.
"This is fun."
***
Lumi returned to the dormitory after bidding farewell to Lee Hoyeon.
"Did you make it back okay?" she received a text message.
"We had a meal together and swapped numbers, so we must be friends, right…? But we just met today… Is it too fast?"
Ever since she was little, Lumi had been an introverted homebody who preferred the comforts of indoors over outdoor adventures. Her mature and timid nature made her conscious of others' eyes, turning her into a homebody.
Her twin sister, Lucy, always stuck by her side, overprotecting Lumi. Thanks to that, she had fewer encounters with weirdos but couldn't form genuine friendships, which led her to enroll in the academy.
Time to conquer those gloomy days! Lumi had high hopes for a spectacular debut at the academy… Just when she was about to sink into sadness as her newly formed team fell apart, along came Lee Hoyeon.
"He suggested watching a movie together this weekend. We're friends, right? Ugh, who knows? Should I look it up?"
Lumi reached for her phone…
Q: [When a guy suggests watching a movie together, does it mean he's interested in you? Or is he just trying to get closer as friends?]
A: [If he's suggesting a movie, it doesn't seem like he dislikes you. Watching a movie and having a conversation will help you get to know each other better. And if you're curious about his interest in you, it could mean you have feelings for him too. Watching a movie is a great chance, so I hope it becomes an opportunity for both of you to develop stronger feelings. ^^]
Interest… Is he interested in me?
"Yeah, now that I think about it, he wouldn't go watch a movie with someone he can't stand. Ugh, does Hoyeon have a crush on me?"
In reality, it was the first time she had a meal alone with someone of the opposite sex, so she was taken aback and couldn't have a proper conversation. Even though she was told to speak comfortably, she felt too burdened to do so.
"But why would such a good-looking guy be interested in someone like me… Ugh, let me send him a text."
[Did you enjoy your meal? ^^]
Sent, right?
Thump, thump.
It was just a simple reply, but even exchanging text messages with a friend excited Lumi.
"Uh, what should I talk about? Should I look it up again…?"
***