noveldrama
Chapter 138
Chapter 138
The dinner finally wrapped up without too much incident.
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“See you at the next research session, Sibylla.”
“Y-yes… ?”
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First, there was Sibylla.
Her demeanor had completely changed. She seemed awkward around me, fidgeting and unable to meet my eyes…
She was probably traumatized. After all, being forcefully restrained by a man in the men’s restroom could leave a lasting impact. Not that I had any sympathy for her, since she was entirely at fault.
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“Yujin~ Before you go, can I—”
“Shh. My father’s asleep. I’ll escort him to the car, so hold on a bit.”
“Ugh, fine~.”
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Besides that, there was the matter of handling a tipsy Sia, and carefully driving my snoring father-in-law back to his car.
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“Well then, Sia. Take care…”
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-Quick kiss… a sweet smack.-
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“Hehe, candy kiss. How was that?”
“…Tasty.”
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Before sending the car off, Sia surprised me with a stealthy kiss, leaving a lingering taste of orange candy.
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“I’m back, Aika.”
“You said you’d be back late, but I didn’t think it would be this late. What about your training today?”
“No worries. I didn’t drink much, and I’m fully sober. I can start training right away.”
“…Hmph. Go get ready.”
“Yes, ma’am~.”
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Once I returned, I dove straight into training.
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*Buzz, buzz.*
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[Yujin, let’s video call while we sleep. After all, we’re a couple now!]
“Of course, Alice. Anything for you. Hm… can you see me well?”
[Could you tilt the camera up a bit? I can only see your upper body.]
“Isn’t that enough?”
[…I just… want to make sure you’re sleeping well.]
“For you, anything. Is this better?”
[Perfect! So, Yujin, how was I yesterday? If you want, I could show you even more…]
“….”
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And so, before falling asleep, we shared an adorable, albeit somewhat embarrassing call.
Sunday ended in a lively flurry.
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‘Things are good with Alice and Sia now. That just leaves… my master.’
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*Slide.*
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“Goodnight, Alice.”
[…Dream of me, Yujin?]
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Even as I drifted off, my mind was on my master. Not that I’d ever tell Alice that.
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The next morning came quickly, earlier than usual.
At 5 a.m., well before my usual wake-up time, I found myself awake. The reason?
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*Hop, hop.*
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[Complete Hypnosis bounces around on my lower abdomen, singing, “Wake up! Time to rise!”]
[Master, it’s getting biiig~ while stretching its tiny arms.]
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‘…Ugh. I, Seo Yujin, feel no desire for the next ten minutes.’
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[Complete Hypnosis salutes and charges at the “monster” like a hero!]
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Perhaps because my dreams had been somewhat chaotic, I found myself in a bit of a compromising situation.
Using remote passive hypnosis, I activated Hypnosis-chan, a hamster-sized being, who was hopping on my lower belly.
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‘Did Alice see this? I mean, we’ve seen pretty much everything, but still…’
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[The call has ended.]
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‘Looks like she hung up before I fell asleep.’
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Luckily, the video call was already turned off. I heaved a sigh of relief—Alice hadn’t witnessed my morning predicament.
My phone felt warm as if it had just been active, but I shrugged it off, assuming it was just from charging.
Unbothered, I got up.
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‘Since I’m awake early, might as well think through a plan to win over my master.’
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*Splash.*
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After a quick wash, I grabbed a wooden practice sword and stepped outside.
I figured I could ponder my next steps to conquer the last of my wives, my master, while getting some morning training in.
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‘We’re already living together, and she’s even shown some vulnerable sides… but that actually makes things harder.’
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First, a reality check.
My master and I were living together, and under normal circumstances, we’d be the couple advancing the fastest.
But my master wasn’t ordinary. She was an impregnable wall when it came to romantic relationships.
Before my regression, I’d only managed to win her over with hypnosis. Ordinarily, my chances would’ve been close to zero with this hard-to-get heroine.
True to her reputation, her affection toward me, as a romantic interest, was almost nonexistent.
Sure, she held me in high regard as her first disciple and truly cared for me as such, but did she see me as a man?
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[Maybe if her disciple saw her as a woman, and begged her to marry him, she’d consider it?]
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‘She still treats me like a kid. I’m not even on her radar as a man.’
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Not at all.
If she saw me as a man, she wouldn’t do things like asking me to slap her in a swimsuit, parading around in that ridiculous slingshot swimsuit, or saying she’d consider marriage if I begged her.
She didn’t see me as a man. She wasn’t some love-starved woman in heat. My pure and innocent master wouldn’t act like that.
It was clear she only saw me as her disciple.
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*Step, step.*
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[Complete Hypnosis lets out a sweet sigh, saying, “You’re an idiot, Master,” while shaking its head knowingly.]
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Hypnosis-chan was somehow hovering nearby, but I ignored it.
With that out of the way, I started forming my strategy. To win over the toughest challenge yet, the final boss, Ninomiya Aika, without using hypnosis.
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‘I don’t spend enough time with her. We only really have meals, training, and sleep at the dorm.’
‘So, I need to find a way to increase our time together… but I can’t exactly skip the academy to flirt with my master.’
‘With hypnosis treatments, saintess research, and dates with my wives, I can’t carve out time on weekends either.’
‘…I’ll have to make something work during the weekdays.’
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The more I thought, the clearer it became. Conquering an “unconquerable heroine” was bound to be tough.
But…
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*Tilts head.*
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‘What if I just go for it all at once?’
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No problem is without a solution.
As usual, I managed to find a breakthrough, one that would hit two birds with one stone.
A smile spread across my face.
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‘Perfect. Now that I’m S-class, and my stats have climbed to a level where I can confidently say I’m an S-class, it’s time to make my move.’
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*Tosses practice sword.*
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Once the plan was in place, I moved quickly.
I threw aside my wooden sword, took a quick shower, changed into my usual workout clothes, and headed straight out.
But just as I was about to leave the dorm…
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*Creak.*
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“Yaaawn… Where are you off to so early in the morning?”
“Oh, Aika?”
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My master had just woken up, rubbing her eyes and looking up at me with sleepy curiosity.
And with her adorably drowsy face, she looked so radiant that it made Sibylla’s beauty feel trivial by comparison.
It was a moment that made me feel like I’d gained an extra year of life.
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‘I’d love to keep watching, but…’
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*Gently adjusts her clothes.*
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“Your robe is slipping. You’re about to show too much.”
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Of course, I wasn’t going to risk it. I quickly straightened her clothes.
Each brush against her bare shoulder made me want to keep going, but I held back.
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“…You know, I don’t mind if it’s you.”
“There you go again. If you keep teasing like this, I might just pounce.”
“As your master, I believe it’s my duty to accept such things… if it’s you, my disciple.”
“You’re really not helping…”
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Barely containing myself in the face of her unaware flirting, I felt a newfound respect for my self-control.
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*Grumble.*
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“You don’t listen at all, do you? Honestly, you should know by now if you’re coming out dressed like that.”
“Aika? What was that?”
“Hmph. Nothing, dummy Yujin.”
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Even though she grumbled under her breath, my gaze returned to her.
Her sheer negligee, practically see-through… so brazenly dressed as if she didn’t see me as a man at all.
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‘Maybe you don’t see me as a man now, but I’ll change that. This time, I’ll win your heart without any hypnosis.’
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Determination surged within me.
Two wives had already fallen for me. Only my master remained.
And if I could win over my master? That would unlock secrets, possibly tied to my regression and powers.
This was a one-plus-one deal—claiming my last wife and unraveling the mysteries surrounding me.
It was only natural I’d dedicate myself to winning over my master.
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“Aika, I’ll be back in a bit.”
“Going where so early?”
“There’s something very important for both of us I need to discuss.”
“…?”
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My master tilted her head, clueless as to my intentions.
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“Oh, and Aika… if I asked you to be with me forever, would you say yes?”
“…? ……!!!!!? Wh-what are you talking about!?”
“Just
asking in advance. You never know what the future holds.”
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Unfazed, I laid the groundwork for my intentions, hoping my unwavering affection would begin to soften her heart.
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“Well, um… I mean, if you really insist, I guess… but it’s… too sudden… maybe a bit difficult…?”
“Would you turn me down?”
“I… I wouldn’t exactly…”
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Her face turned crimson. She fumbled with her fingers, clearly unsure of how to respond.
As expected, she was flustered.
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“Of course, we’re already together forever as master and disciple, right?”
“…Huh?”
“The bond between a master and disciple is unbreakable. Aika and I will always be together. Isn’t that right?”
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With a soft smile, I delivered the lines I had prepared to smooth things over, hiding any bittersweet feelings.
Unsurprisingly, my master’s reaction was as expected.
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“Oh, that’s what you meant… I was just… You shouldn’t tease your master like that.”
“Hehe. Sorry about that.”
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*Turns quickly.*
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Relieved, she hurriedly accepted the excuse I’d given her.
Once I turned my back, a hint of melancholy slipped through my smile.
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“Hmph… so, where are you off to?”
“I’m heading over to see the chairman. There’s something I need to discuss.”
“You have something important for both of us, and you’re going to discuss it with Seol Hayeon?”
“Yes. There’s something I need her permission for.”
“Whatever it is, hurry back. I’ll have breakfast ready when you get back.”
“Got it~.”
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I left the dorm quietly, walking toward the chairman’s office.
The early riser herself greeted me.
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*Creak.*
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“I had a feeling. Why are you here so early?”
“Chairman. Or rather, 4th-ranked S-class Awakener, Head of the Korean Awakener Association, Seol Hayeon.”
“…?”
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I took a deep breath and spoke.
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“As the 7th-ranked S-class Awakener, I, Seo Yujin, would like to request a special mission.”
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“A… special mission?”
I took a deep breath and spoke.
“As the 7th-ranked S-class Awakener, I, Seo Yujin, would like to request a special mission.”
“A… special mission?”
The request for a “special mission” was one of the privileges granted to S-class Awakeners. Unlike standard assignments handed down by the Association, a special mission allowed an Awakener to propose their own task, with the Association’s full backing.
“Personnel required: two. S-class Awakener Seo Yujin, ranked 7th, and…”
I gave a confident smile.
“…S-class Awakener Ninomiya Aika, ranked 1st.”
The chairman’s expression turned serious.
“You know what it means to request her involvement, right?”
“Yes. The cost to the Association will be considerable, and there may be backlash from political factions. Our relations with Japan could also become strained.”
While my participation might not raise many issues, involving my master certainly would.
The Association would feel the financial strain, the political world would reel, and Japan might react poorly to the use of one of their most formidable Awakeners.
“Tell me, Yujin. What reason could justify such a request? Why should I bear such burdens just to approve your mission?”
And my reason for going this far?
I smiled wider.
“To hunt down the world’s most dangerous villain… no, beast, who plans to turn our capitals to ash.”
The game’s final boss—the 300-year-old monster. I was going to take her down once again.