Chapter 65 – We do a bit of trolling around here

Despite the frantic life-and-death encounter occurring at the Western Sea, for the Cube Cadets, the exam proceeded as normal.

While Lee, Rachel, Skid, and Hajin were fighting against the monsters in the testing area, a monitor screen in the main hall was split into a four-way display to show each cadet's actions, captured via a magical scrying method.

...At least, it should have showed each cadet.

But...

Evandel tilted her head and pointed at the staticky displays that should have showed Lee and Rachel. "Uncle Soohu, why Mommy and Daddy bzzt?"

Instructor Kim Soohyuk frowned and said, "I'm not sure, Evandel."

Since the other cadets would be focused on writing the evaluations for their written grades, Soohyuk had walked Evandel over to a corner of the main hall to not distract them.

But considering that the screen had immediately turned to static after Lee and Rachel walked into their room... Well, there was already a pretty big distraction.

Soohyuk shifted his attention towards the cadets, slightly worried they would be annoyed or irritated by the technical issue.

But instead of being negative about it...

"As expected of God Lee! Of course he would hide his and his wife's abilities!"

"HAH! I told you Lee would pull something to make sure we couldn't see him and Rachel fight! Pay up!"

"Dammit!"

"Honestly, I'm more impressed than mad..."

"Cadet Evaluation report for Lee Shin. First comment: Try not to keep breaking surveillance devices for secret trysts with your wifey..."

"Wait, Hajin's in Group 1? Noooo! My money!"

"Bro, you gotta stop betting. You're already in the red..."

"I'LL STOP WHEN I'M DEAD!"

...They were clearly fine with it.

Soohyuk was amused by it all, to be honest.

'This group of cadets are certainly more lively...'

Was it because of the real life drama between Yeonha and Hajin?

The fact that Evandel was practically the class's mascot, making everyone subconsciously be on good behavior because of how adorable she was?

Or because Lee had shifted the mood from the start by simply being so audacious that the usual reserved and competitive nature between cadets just stopped?

Soohyuk didn't know. But either way, he was happy for it.

Evandel tugged at Soohyuk's sleeve and said, "Uncle Soohu. Uppies?"

Soohyuk let out a warm smile and said, "Of course, Evandel." He immediately scooped her up to put her on his shoulders again.

Evandel giggled the moment she was scooped up and then hugged Soohyuk's head. "Uncle Soohu, funnest uncle!"

Soohyuk laughed and said, "Evandel, I'm already happy at being called Uncle instead of Gramps."

Evandel gasped and said, "Uncle Soohu, no grampa!" She lightly tugged on his hair and said, "No white hair, so no grampa!"

Soohyuk laughed again. "Well, I'm glad to hear it. That means there's still hope for me."

He had been getting a bit self-conscious since he was in his late thirties now and his parents were bugging him to get married and have kids... but considering that a sweetie like Evandel still considered him an 'uncle' instead of 'grampa,' he was reassured.

Evandel nodded and said, "Uncle Soohu, fun!" She paused. "...But where Auntie?"

Soohyuk froze.

Evandel seemed to get the gist of it since she patted Soohyuk's head. "No worry! Daddy help find Auntie!"

"...I don't know if I should be offended or grateful about the fact that a toddler is saying her teenaged father will help me find a wife..." Soohyuk paused. "Thought about it. Decided I'm grateful."

Evandel giggled.

Soohyuk laughed and shifted his gaze back towards the display.

The static had finally cleared, revealing Rachel looking exasperated as Lee kept punting three wolves into the air, literally juggling them with kicks.

Evandel's eyes sparkled when she saw that and she clapped her hands together. "OOOOH! DADDY! JUGGUL!"

Soohyuk quickly held Evandel so she wouldn't fall off since she let go. Then he said, "It's 'juggle' Evandel. Also, hold on tight, please."

"Oh! Sorry, Uncle Soohu!" Evandel immediately leaned forward again to hug Soohyuk's head. "I be goodest girl!"

Soohyuk smiled. "You already are. Now, I think your parents are almost done, so let's get you back to them."

"Kay~!"

===

Lee walked out with Rachel following behind him, shaking her head in exasperation.

"I thought you were done showing off, Lee..."

Lee shrugged and said, "I was curious at how durable Chrome Wolves really were. The books say they're pretty sturdy. And can confirm that they're sturdy. They didn't even die after crashing to the ground. It's almost like the Nemean lion."

Rachel looked amused and said, "Don't tell me you plan to head off to perform twelve labors to ascend to godhood now."

"Nah. Heracles kills his wife and kids at the end of that myth, so hard pass."

Rachel rolled her eyes, although she still gave Lee a fond gaze. "Just how well-read ARE you?"

"What else do you think I read in the Reading Club, darling?"

Rachel blushed at being called darling. But then she paused and said, "...Is THAT why you're always carrying around dusty old tomes? You're reading old myths?"

"Well, considering Excalibur is real and its sheath is definitely somewhere out there, I'm cross-referencing other things. Pretty sure I knew where Ajax's shield is now."

"...You're joking."

Lee stared at Rachel.

"...You're not joking. Oh heavens..."

At that time, Hajin walked out with Skid from the other door, joining Lee and Rachel on the walk back towards the main hall.

Hajin glanced at Lee and said, "Ajax's shield?"

"Yep. The Outcall incident turned a lot of myths into reality with Dungeons, right? I think I know where a few useful things might be. Need to make a trip to Japan sometime to look for the Hinokagutsuchi. And Ireland for Gae Bolg. Might try to find Lu Bu's halberd too... though I've got a feeling I'll be fighting the entire terracotta army if I head to China, so that's a maybe graduation thing."

Hajin gave Lee a blank stare. Then he turned to Skid and said, "Tell me that this sounds crazy to you too, man."

Skid nodded. "Yeah. Pretty wild. But considering everything Lee's done... it doesn't seem too out there?" He shrugged.

Hajin let out a long suffering sigh.

Lee decided to troll Hajin a bit and said, "What? It's not like I'm trying to find Mistleteinn or anything like that. A cheat item like that which kills immortality would be too crazy to exist, right?"

Hajin gave Lee a fierce side-eye.

Lee gave him a perfect confused pokerface. "What?"

"...Forget it." Hajin grumbled and idly turned the safety on for his firearms. "I give up figuring out what you are."

"I'm just me, bro." Lee shrugged and said, "It's not like I was sent to Lost Paradise or anything like that to pick up divine grace. But maybe everyone else is just a returnee and I'm the only normal one?"

Hajin gave me a blank stare. Then he said, "...You're trolling me. Were you a fan?"

"Of what?" Lee feigned confusion. "It's not like you're a NovelPhoenix author, are you?"

Hajin almost looked like he wanted to grab Lee by the shirt and shake him. But he let out a deep sigh and walked past Lee. "Not worth it. Not worth it..."

Lee laughed.

Rachel rolled her eyes as she watched Hajin enter the main hall ahead of them. "You're going to give Hajin a stroke one of these days, Lee."

"That's the plan~ I could get so much money from Yeonha for doing that. Do you know how much she would love to just pamper Hajin forever?"

Rachel lightly punched Lee's arm and said, "You're a terrible person."

"And yet, you love me."

"Regrettably."

Skid walked up and cleared his throat. "...About your intention to make Hajin have a stroke..."

Lee laughed.

===

"Daddy!" Evandel ran away from Instructor Soohyuk and jumped into Lee's arms the moment he entered the main hall.

Lee laughed and spun her around. "I'm back, Eva~ Were you a good girl for Uncle Soohyuk?"

"Yes! Goodest girl!" After saying that, Evandel reached for Rachel. "Mommy! Uppies!"

Rachel smiled and grabbed Evandel. "Well aren't you happy?"

Lee watched as Skid went to join the student body to spread more gossip while Hajin went to go rant to Yeonha.

But then Nayun walked over and said, "Well, I guess it wasn't a complete disaster. The testing room's in one piece, right?"

Lee gave Nayun a thumbs up and said, "No worries. The only broken things in there are the corpses of the poor wolves who met my feet."

Nayun rolled her eyes and adjusted her bow on her back. "Sure, sure... Anyway, just a heads up. Since you pulled that thing and made your displays staticky, you're going to definitely get joke evaluations."

"I'll cherish them forever."

Nayun snorted and then walked over to Evandel, holding out her hand for a high-five. "Wish Auntie good luck?"

Evandel clapped her hand against Nayun's palm and said, "Auntie Nayn! Fighting!"

Nayun laughed and waved. "Alright. Since you guys took a while, we're going in right now. I expect a proper eval from you, Lee!"

Lee gave a thumbs up. "Will do. Expect harsh criticism."

"Don't hold back!" Nayun saluted and headed into the hallway.