Chapter 209: Academy (2) - Part 2

It looked like she was apologizing to me.

*

"Haa..."

After Lee Ho-yeon left, Moon Su-rin let out a sigh in the empty Student Council Room.

It was because she learned the fact that he was receiving stress because of the paparazzi.

From Lee Ho-yeon's perspective, it was a remark meant to test the waters with Moon Su-rin, but Moon Su-rin, unaware of that, had no choice but to take it seriously.

Since she too had a time when she struggled because of it.

"I'm sorry, Ho-yeon...."

To think the actions she took because she liked him were making things hard for him.

Moon Su-rin activated her smartwatch and began deleting photographs.

Photographs she saved from the news that Lee Ho-yeon appeared in.

Photographs taken by paparazzi and obsessive fans.

After deleting all the photographs she had saved in her spare time, Moon Su-rin also looked at her recording files.

"..."

If she deleted this as well, nothing would be left on her smartwatch.

Every trace related to Lee Ho-yeon would be erased.

"Wouldn't the voice be fine..."

Moon Su-rin couldn't bring herself to delete this too. No, she didn't want to delete it.

It was because she felt like she was drifting even further apart from Lee Ho-yeon, whom she already couldn't meet easily as it was.

"Right. Since Ho-yeon doesn't know about this..."

How could he get stressed out when he doesn't even know.

This was not guilty.

Moon Su-rin played Lee Ho-yeon's voice.

- Older sister Su-rin. I love you.

Burying the guilt that rushed in at the same time deep in her chest, she slowly closed her eyes.

*

"This is tough..."

My head hurt thinking about how to capture Moon Su-rin.

At first, I was just happy that she was being captured automatically... but now I had learned her heroine capture method.

When their favorability rises to 99, you have to perform a specific action to capture each of the heroines.

Because only then would their favorability rise to 100, resulting in a complete capture.

Therefore, merely having her favorability rise holds no great meaning.

In fact, it could make it even harder to find that specific action.

"For now, I need to go meet Professor Im Sol as well."

I made plans to grab a meal with Moon Su-rin over the weekend.

It would be good to slowly have a conversation when we have plenty of time.

"Welcome, Cadet Lee Ho-yeon."

I temporarily stopped my thoughts about Moon Su-rin.

Because I had arrived at the Hall of Magic where Im Sol was.

"I'm visiting Professor Im Sol's research lab on the 2nd floor."

After getting permission from the receptionist in the lobby, I took the elevator up to the 2nd floor.

Professor Im Sol's research lab was as messy as always.

As I passed the traces of experiments scattered here and there and went inside, I saw Im Sol frowning while looking at a magic circle.

'Everyone sure is living busily.'

Whenever I come to meet her, she's working.

"Professor. I'm here."

"Yeah, you came at a good time. I needed you."

Professor Im Sol greeted me without taking her eyes off the magic circle.

"What's that? A magic circle?"

"Right. The research is in its final stages, but I don't know what to do with this."

I subtly examined the magic circle Professor Im Sol was looking at.

"Hmm..."

"What is it?"

Professor Im Sol's research topic was the core formula of magic.

The goal of the research was to increase the power of magic by reinforcing the core formula contained within the magic circle.

Of course, there were many other uses besides that, but that was the representative one.

The magic circle Im Sol was looking at right now was one we had named an 'irregular magic circle'.

Unlike magic circles where the core formula is determined according to special rules, this was a magic circle where the core formula was determined irregularly.

There were only a few like it among all magic, and it was correspondingly difficult and complex... but it shouldn't be to the extent that Im Sol would struggle with it like that?

'Ah... I get it.'

"Professor, you were agonizing over how to explain this to other people, weren't you?"

"...How did you know?"

Im Sol asked me back, looking quite surprised.

In truth, it wasn't difficult.

When talking with Im Sol, I just have to speak one level higher than what I think.

Then I'm usually right.

"I catch on quick. Whose disciple am I? Let's just have a cup of coffee together for a bit. After that, I'll take a look at it with you."

"...Heh, should we do that then."

Im Sol, who had been frowning, formed a slight smile and sat across from me.