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Chapter 155

There’ll probably be a lot of rewards.

If I manage to become an honor student, or at least rank high enough to be selected for the UD Group’s scholarship...

Seeing as how Babel was soon to be managed by three Perfect Ones, the students’ ambitions, when they previously only aimed for graduation amidst dreams of a dazzling future, soared. Likewise, the Department of Blacksmithing in Borsippa was expected to exit its slump and also soar into a golden era.

“Again.” A cold voice filled the lecture hall.

“Y-yes!”

While the student hurried back to their seat, carrying a piece of ore with mixed colors, Helena surveyed the room with cold eyes from the front.

“I\'m pretty sure I’ve said it countless times that simply mixing them won\'t work. The goal of this class is to understand the arrangement of mana inside each piece of ore and combine them into the most efficient alloy.”

Picking up one of the five differently colored ores on the table, Helena immediately brought it close to another. The two ores, now in proximity, began glowing with the faint glow of mana and fused together.

Repeating the process three times, Helena placed down a green ore, the product of the fusion of five different ores, and looked around the room at the first-year students.

“Depending on how you go about mixing them, the properties and characteristics of the final product will vary greatly. This is the fundamental skill for any blacksmithing technique, so pay close attention.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

For a bit, Helena just watched the students combine the ores laid out in front of them with a frown.

I heard the standards of the department had dropped, but I didn\'t expect it to be this bad.

Compared to her days as a professor, the overall skill level of the Department\'s student body had fallen by about thirty percent. And while they were still among the top-ranking departments in Babel, it was insufficient considering the academy\'s prestige.

Have all the talented ones gone to Vulcan...? Maybe a few will switch over after my assignment as the lead professor.

With some adjustments to the curriculum and an increase in budget, Helena believed they could return to their former glory, even if it took time. Determined, she mentally reviewed her plans for the future of the Department of Blacksmithing when she noticed the students were glancing at one spot.

There, a piece of ore was changing color in real time under the direction of someone\'s hands. That individual, who was adjusting the already combined ore instead of adjusting each of the five minerals one by one, was effortlessly displaying a technique challenging even for veteran blacksmiths.

So, he\'s no longer putting in any effort to hide his talent.

Helena couldn\'t help but be dumbfounded by Se-Hoon’s skill.

From what other professors had said, Se-Hoon had only shown as much skill as needed in each class. But after the recent incident, his approach seemed to have changed. Unlike before, he actively boasted an unparalleled level of skill during class, even when compared across the entire department.

Mesmerized, the other students couldn’t focus until the bell rang from the speakers to signal the end of the class.

Before they left, Helena addressed the students, “For the next assignment, we will be utilizing the ore combination technique we\'ve learned today, so study it thoroughly on your own. See you all in the next class.”

Once Helena left, the students gathering their belongings exchanged glances.

Darn it, my dad told me to get close to him... but how am I supposed to approach him?

I need to start a conversation, but how...

All the students hesitated. Se-Hoon’s intimidating demeanor had always made him unapproachable, and recently, an even more menacing aura surrounded him.

Creakkk-

Suddenly, a girl confidently entered the lecture hall and walked straight to Se-Hoon.

With no hesitance, she greeted him, “Hi.”

At the voice, Se-Hoon, who was packing up, looked up. He was surprised to see Erika in the classroom.

“What\'s up?”

“I’m here to see you.”

Her straightforward manner, which he had become accustomed to, made him smile slightly.

“Did we have something to talk about?”

“No, I just have some questions for you.”

“Alright, let’s talk about them while we walk then.”

Casually chatting, they left the lecture hall. And though they had been trying to follow, the students all stopped short.

“...”

Erika\'s piercing violet gaze had kept them at bay.

It was only when they exited the building that Se-Hoon let out a sigh of relief.

“Thanks. I was worried they might follow us.”

“No problem,” Erika replied. Then, while observing the tired look on his face, Erika asked with a tilt of her head, “Is it always like this?”

“Yeah, pretty much anywhere I go lately.”

Previously, uncertainty about his abilities, his confrontational attitude toward the Barmuths, and the fact that he was targeted by prestigious families like the Inoues and the Myers kept people at a distance.

However, since the news of Se-Hoon’s successful mass-produced sword aura equipment had spread throughout the world, his status within Babel had undergone a complete turnaround and everyone started approaching him, ignoring the risks involved.

They probably all hope to get something from me. Do they think it can single-handedly elevate their own standing?

For them, it was the biggest gamble of their lives, but for Se-Hoon, who had to deal with all of them, it was starting to get tedious.

Tsk, it was fine when they just admired me from a distance, but now they’re all buzzing around me like flies.

Having experienced it himself, he finally understood why heroes who had managers—whom he used to mock thinking they were just pretentious—had hired them in the first place.

How convenient would it be to just say, “Talk to my manager,” whenever things got bothersome?

Should I actually get one...?

Convincing himself, he mulled over hiring a diligent manager to handle trivial matters when Erika handed him a void pocket.

“Here,” she said. She then added, “The information you asked me for.”

“Oh.”

He had requested any, no matter how trivial, details about the Barmuth family, and she had prepared it in just a few days.

“How much is in here?” he asked.

“Hmm. Three...”

“Three boxes?”

Considering it was handed over in a void pocket, he assumed it would be about that much.

But Erika calmly corrected him, “Around three hundred boxes.”

“...”

He had no idea how large each box was, but if there were three hundred boxes, she must have printed out every bit of information, no matter how trivial. Honestly, the amount was a bit different from what he expected, but it was exactly what he had asked for, so he just nodded.

“Thanks. I\'ll make good use of it.”

“Sure.”

For a while, the two just quietly walked alongside one another. Then, Erika broke the silence.

“How\'s the spell formula interpretation going?”

“Oh, that?”

Recalling the homework she had left him during her hospital visit, Se-Hoon made a confused expression.

“Um... I still can’t really grasp what it does.”

He had even consulted books related to spells and studied the spell formula daily, yet he still couldn\'t understand their effects. Moreover, each interpretation yielded different results, making it impossible to determine the correct path.

“You\'re interpreting it correctly, then.”

“I am?”

“If you were on the wrong track, you\'d get the same result each time. The fact that it changes means you’re unraveling the synesthetic mindscape of the spell formula correctly.”

“Hmm...”

Se-Hoon contemplated the fact that getting different answers each time was actually the right approach was indeed a puzzling notion. But he quickly put those thoughts away.

“There\'s no time limit for this homework, right?”

“Right.”

“Then I\'ll take my time with it.”

For now, dealing with the Barmuths took priority.

Not upset at all, Erika gave him a small nod.

“Just don\'t forget about it.”

“Don\'t worry about that... anyway how far are you planning to follow me?”

Noticing Erika continuing to follow him all the way up to the station, Se-Hoon couldn’t help but ask her. Prompted, Erika glanced around their surroundings.

“Where are you going?”

“To the Department of Enchantments.”

“Then I’ll follow you until there.”

“...”

Her attitude seemed more proactive than before, which Se-Hoon found odd.

Does she want... to get closer?

Ever since the reveal of the mass-produced sword aura equipment, Erika\'s demeanor has significantly changed. She was now showing him goodwill and also signaling to others that she had her eyes on him.

Deciding to respond in kind, Se-Hoon asked, “Is your family running any projects right now?”

“Why?”

She whipped her head around to look at him as soon as he asked, her expression looking like she had been waiting for this moment.

Slightly taken aback, he replied a beat later, “...I was just thinking that if there\'s something worth trying, then maybe we could collaborate on it together. You’ve helped me so much, after all.”

“...”

Erika just silently stared at him. Then, a bit later, she finally parted her lips and slowly said, “I\'ll show you once it\'s organized.”

“Okay. Since the exam period is soon coming, just do it whenever you have time...”

“It won\'t take long.”

Leaving behind those words, Erika quickly descended the stairs to the station. Shortly after, a crow swiftly took off into the sky.

Caw-!

Seeing the crow flapping quickly, flying as if threatened, Se-Hoon couldn’t help but smile wryly.

“Looks like she was waiting for me to say it...”

Given that she was worried about falling behind the Myers, it was a natural reaction. He reflected on Erika’s determined look, which she showed before she left.

What is she going to show me?

He had an additional two main objectives in bringing up this topic with Erika. The first was dispelling the rumor that he had joined the Myers family. The second was identifying the faction inside the Inoue family that was linked to Watchers.

The information I saw through the Phantasmal Spyblade mentioned regular exchanges between the Inoue family and Watchers.

And while it wasn’t specified who exactly the Inoue family were exchanging with either, he had a good idea.

It’s probably Succession.

Succession was a subgroup of Watchers who researched technology that could modify bodies to pass down talent and power to the next generation. Their end goal was to create potential Harbingers of Destruction by modifying powerful demons to inherit their abilities.

Back then, when they had been revealed, it had caused quite a stir around the world. It was discovered that several heroes—all of whom had made significant contributions to humanity’s alliance—had traded with them to enhance their children\'s talents and power.

It still makes my blood boil.

Humanity’s alliance had been split. The internal conflict between those who argued that they needed to use their technology to strengthen their forces and those who insisted on the immediate execution of those who had illegally used such technology had gone on even as they fought the Demon Force. It was so absurd that it ranked among the top five most absurd acts committed by the alliance.

And just when things seemed to settle, the Blast Dog and Frost Dog decided to clash against each other, making matters worse... sigh.

Just recalling the events made his head throb, which in turn, reinforced his resolve to keep a tight rein on those involved.

Frost Dog... I’ll have to visit him soon.

To tackle the Dream Demon and the Pleasure District, utilizing Frost Dog Amir was the most effective route. However, unlike before the regression, he was still just a low-ranking officer who hadn’t won enough of the Dream Demon’s trust yet. Regardless, it would be for the best to meet and discuss things with him to use him properly.

Dealing with the Barmuths and the Dream Demon... I have a rough plan, but it won\'t be easy.

Going over his plan, Se-Hoon eventually arrived at the Ancient Enchantments lecture hall.

“Please, let us observe!”

“We don’t need credits, so just let us watch!”

Seeing the desperate students gathered at the door, Se-Hoon couldn’t help but smile wryly.

As expected... she has become quite popular too.

The attention was somewhat less because Se-Hoon claimed to have directed the design and production of the mass-produced sword aura equipment, but the fact remained that Lea’s enchantment was used. Consequently, students began flocking to join Ancient Enchantments, a previously less popular subject.

Sigh...

Normally, such attention would be welcomed, but neither Professor Rebecca nor Lea seemed to appreciate it.

Shaking his head, Se-Hoon adjusted his expression before approaching the chaotic lecture hall entrance.

Tap, tap.

“Who just...?!”

At the touch on his shoulder, the student spun around and their breath immediately caught in their throat.

Seeing Se-Hoon’s cold eyes, which gave the impression he had dealt with dozens of people, the student from the Department of Enchantments turned pale. Even though Se-Hoon was simply standing there, they thought they could smell the reek of blood in the air.

“Um... uh...”

Having never experienced real combat, the menacing aura turned the student’s face blue. And upon sensing it as well, the other students turned and had similar reactions.

Then, when all eyes were on him, Se-Hoon did his best Mad Dog impression and threatened, “Get lost, all of you. Or I\'ll drive a spear through your gut.”

Feeling the hostility and murderous intent in his warning, the students scattered in fear. A second later, when the hallway was quiet, he relaxed his fierce expression.

“Sigh...”

Shaking his head, he walked to the firmly closed door and knocked lightly.

“It\'s me. Open up.”

A second passed before Lea cautiously opened the door and peeked out.

“Are they all gone?”

“Probably.”

“Thank goodness.... Come on in.”

With a sigh of relief, Lea let Se-Hoon into the lecture hall. Stepping in, he instantly saw dozens of guns aimed at the entrance. Upon closer inspection, however, they were all non-lethal weapons, just capable of subduing the students who had been outside.

“Looks like you\'ve had enough.”

“More than enough.”

Lea, whose dark circles were even deeper than when she pulled all-nighters, slumped into a chair.

“Wherever I go, people ask for enchantment lessons, ask to collaborate, or offer contracts, and somehow, they all found out about the workshop and left business cards piled up...”

Seeing her clutch her head amidst her muttering, Se-Hoon realized she had been through more than he had. Before he could say something though, Lea looked up.

“Hey, wanna make something with me?”

“What is it?”

“A self-defense item that shocks people who repeat certain words.”

Her somewhat broken appearance made Se-Hoon smile wryly.

“Just hang in there. I’ll come up with a solution soon.”

“A solution?”

“Yeah, like setting up a company, hiring a single employee, and sending everyone there.”

Originally, it had been a half-hearted consideration, but it now seemed like a genuine plan, especially after seeing Lea’s state.

If I can bring in capable people I knew from before into the company too, it might actually turn out well.

With the influence and power he now had in this timeline, it seemed feasible.

“Ah. That might be a bit...”

But Lea waved her hand dismissively, a bit flustered.

“What? Are you saying that you don’t want to start a company with me?”

“No, it\'s not that... I just think it might be a bit early. We should think it through a bit more calmly,” she said awkwardly, avoiding his gaze.

Se-Hoon narrowed his eyes.

Something’s off.

The Lea he knew would have jokingly called him boss and asked for generous research funds. But now, she was outright rejecting his idea. What had caused the sudden change?

Determined to find out, he focused on her and asked, “Are you planning to ditch me and make a deal with someone else now that you’re famous?”

“...What?”

“I put so much effort into teaching you too... yet you’re turning your back on me...” His muttering was full of bitterness.

Completely flustered now, Lea jumped up from her seat.

“No, it\'s not like that! I just meant we should think about it more seriously! Do you really think I\'d do something like that?”

“I didn\'t before... but now, maybe a little.”

“There’s no way I would!!”

Her shout was full of frustration, seemingly genuinely hurt by his words.

Noticing, Se-Hoon pressed further.

“Really?”

“Yeah. Just give me a little time to think...”

“Hmm... alright. Well, let\'s just go with that for now.”

Relaxing, Se-Hoon gestured to the side.

“I\'m thirsty. Make me some coffee.”

“...You rude bastard.”

Though she grumbled in discontent, she still got up and started brewing coffee using an enchanted coffee machine. Watching her, Se-Hoon reflected on what might have caused her to change.

Was she like this before the recent assault on Babel?

Thinking back, she had only sent text messages but never visited him in the hospital. It was at that moment that he remembered what Lea had gone through.

She said the Chairman had returned just in time to save her from being kidnapped by the Puppeteer, right?

What really happened back then? What had caused her attitude to change so much? While he pondered, Lea placed a cup of coffee in front of him.

“Here you go, Boss.”

“Ah, thanks.”

Watching Lea sit down and sip her own coffee, Se-Hoon abruptly recalled a pattern he\'d often noticed before the regression.

“The Puppeteer threatened to kill Professor Rebecca or me if you didn\'t come to her, so you\'re debating whether to go or not, right?”

“Phuh!!!”

Lea spat out her coffee in shock.

“Ugh! Cough! Cough!”

Choking, she struggled to breathe. And when the coffee finally hit her throat, it triggered another round of coughing.

I guess Puppeteer chose the wrong person to suggest this to, thought Se-Hoon, watching Lea with an incredulous expression.

Her reaction had essentially confirmed his suspicion.

Sighing, he just waited for her to regain her composure.

After a while, she looked up urgently, her hair disheveled.

“How... how did you know that...?”

Even her grandmother didn\'t know, yet Se-Hoon had hit the nail on the head. She was astonished.

“I just guessed.”

“...”

Lea instantly bit her lips at his confident answer.