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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: What on Earth Do You Mean?
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Several days passed.
Shin Sehee nodded, arms crossed, at the sight before her.
'It certainly looks like Dohui has fallen for him now.'
Kang Dohui was now trailing Jin Yuha everywhere.
Of course, they weren't yet comfortable talking to each other.
But she saw everything.
Whenever Jin Yuha trained, beads of sweat glistening, Kang Dohui's wistful gaze followed his back.
Then, if Jin Yuha sensed something and turned his head, a childish, drama-like scene would unfold, with her pretending nothing was amiss.
'Hmph, it's a bit disappointing, though. I wanted to see that mad dog squirm a little more.'
Shin Sehee touched her lips.
"It's faster than I expected, though…"
Kang Dohui's attitude towards Jin Yuha had changed drastically over the past few days, almost erratically.
At first, she glared at Jin Yuha with such hostility that even Shin Sehee was taken aback,
but by the very next day, her gaze had changed.
Of course, it was somewhat intentional.
On the first day, she had deliberately only shown scenes of Jin Yuha swinging his sword at the academy cadets,
and on the second day, she had sent the reason why.
For a more dramatic effect.
'Well, considering she saw all that, it's not surprising she ended up like this.'
Shin Sehee had honestly thought there was nothing left about Jin Yuha that could surprise her.
He had already proven his uniqueness sufficiently with just his appearance and combat power.
But on the day he first participated in the joint training.
That day was a continuous series of shocks.
Shin Sehee was surprised three times that day.
First, when she witnessed Jin Yuha's command abilities.
Second, when he was suspected of being a Demon.
Third, when Jin Yuha demanded party authority as compensation.
As for the second point, the Demon suspicion incident, well, that's just the Hunter Management Bureau being the Hunter Management Bureau, as foolish as ever, so she could overlook that.
'But his command abilities and that demand for party authority…'
Shin Sehee felt her lips dry and ran her tongue over them.
Judging by Jin Yuha's demand for party authority,
he probably wanted to form his own team early on.
With such command abilities, it was a natural progression for him.
Shin Sehee herself had already formed her own team and cleared several gates even before entering the academy.
That's why she knew.
Just how absurdly exceptional Jin Yuha's judgment was.
'He instantly synthesized information on both enemies and allies. Assessed the combat situation. And directed his party members' skills and movements by the second.'
What's more, Jin Yuha wasn't just idly watching the scene unfold during all this.
He faithfully performed his role as a damage dealer, confronting monsters head-on,
while simultaneously directing the battle as if viewing the entire situation from a third-person perspective.
'Of course, this might have been possible because the battle scale was small… But even so, it's not something an ordinary person could do.'
There are many damage dealers in this world who are *only* exceptionally strong.
Kang Dohui, for example, is one such person.
However, individuals with such judgment *and* exceptional combat power are so few they can be counted on one hand.
At this point, it was beyond goosebumps; it was truly dumbfounding.
To think he harbored abilities more terrifying than his swordsmanship, hidden beneath that handsome face.
'Surely, the team he forms in the future will soar higher than any other party…'
She looked at Kang Dohui.
Kang Dohui was constantly sneaking glances at Jin Yuha even while doing her own training.
One spot was clearly reserved for that foolish girl.
Since he had shown interest in Kang Dohui from the beginning.
'And the other spot would be mine.'
No matter how good his judgment, it was ultimately limited to small-scale battles.
If he wanted to expand the scale of the battlefield, he would definitely need someone to coordinate and support the overall situation from behind.
"And as it happens, setting the stage and managing a party is what I do best."
Since she had shown her competence through this incident, he would surely invite her to his party as compensation.
Indeed, helping Jin Yuha selflessly this time was truly a good decision.
Though he had initially shown aversion to her, weren't they now 'partners' who exchanged help?
Thump-thump.
'Haa, I'm looking forward to it… The day I slowly dye Mr. Jin Yuha's soaring party with my own colors.'
Shin Sehee chuckled, a smile blooming from her rising anticipation.
* * *
That evening, after the joint training ended.
Shin Sehee called me, saying she had something to discuss privately.
Though she looked tired from being put through the wringer during training, she brushed her hair back with an alluring smile.
"What is it?"
"I've come to collect on our deal."
"Ah, the deal."
I nodded.
Shin Sehee had certainly done her job properly.
At first, I was a bit flustered when Kang Dohui glared at me as if I were her sworn enemy,
but that only lasted a day.
By the very next day, the hostility in her eyes had vanished as if washed away.
'Of course, the new direction was a bit burdensome, though…'
During individual training, an inexplicably sticky gaze followed me,
and during joint training, she followed commands so excessively that I had to stop her separately multiple times.
'Still, that's something that can be adjusted gradually. And I might be able to offer a party invitation soon. Shin Sehee really did fulfill her end of the deal.'
I met her eyes, which sparkled in the moonlight, and spoke.
"Alright, I get it. You definitely helped me out with this. Thanks to you, I think I can get Kang Dohui into my party."
"Hehe. So it did turn out that way. This is what happens when I put my heart into it, you see?"
She said arrogantly, with a coy expression.
"Hmm, so, the condition of the deal was for me to tell you who took your necklace, right?"
"…Pardon?"
Shin Sehee tilted her head and asked back.
"The condition was that in exchange for you connecting Kang Dohui and me, I would tell you the culprit who took the necklace."
"Ah, yes. Th-that's right. That was the condition of the deal, wasn't it?"
Shin Sehee suddenly stammered, seemingly flustered.
Tsk.
I clicked my tongue internally.
'I knew she'd pull something like this. Look at her acting flustered. Anyone would think it was real.'
Obfuscating the deal while only creating a debt.
That was the kind of woman Shin Sehee was.
'She must have figured out someone stole the necklace. She probably thought she could catch them herself. Loss and theft are different, after all.'
Getting more involved would only lead to more headaches.
Indeed, it's best to quickly conclude this deal with her and cut ties.
I said in a cold, low voice.
"Among the party you formed back then. Do you remember the person with a scar on their left eye?"
"Ah, yes. I remember them."
"That guy's the culprit. He has a 'Plunder' skill."
"…Ah, I see."
Shin Sehee nodded with a blank expression.
"Well, I've told you who the culprit is. I'll be going now."
"…Pardon?"
"It's late, and you have a spar with another group the day after tomorrow. You should rest."
I finished speaking, immediately turned my back, and headed for the dorms.
And where Jin Yuha had stood.
"Huh…?"
Shin Sehee stood frozen, hand outstretched towards his retreating back.
"That's it…? What about, th-the party?"
* * *
The next day, lunchtime.
I was waiting for Lee Yuri in front of the training ground's main gate.
After a short wait, she finished her training and approached.
"Jin Yuha, what's up? You said you had something important to tell me today?"
'Even if I bring it up with Kang Dohui later. I should secure Gukbap first.'
I was planning to ask Lee Yuri today to join the party I would form after the entrance ceremony.
"Yeah. I'll tell you when we get there. What do you want to eat today? Anything you want, I'll pay for it all."
"…How about gukbap?"
Even though I said she could eat something expensive, Lee Yuri cautiously suggested gukbap.
I let out a small laugh.
"Yeah, sounds good. Let's go."
We headed to a gukbap restaurant on the shopping street.
While we were waiting for our gukbap to arrive.
Slam—!
Shin Sehee suddenly burst through the door.
She approached us.
Thud.
Then, she sat down heavily across from me, her head bowed low.
"…Hey, Jin Yuha. What's with her? Weren't we not supposed to have lunch together?"
Lee Yuri crossed her arms, her eyebrow twitching, as Shin Sehee suddenly sat down next to her.
Tell me about it. I'm a bit flustered too.
'Why did she suddenly butt in? Wasn't everything settled yesterday?'
And she acts a bit out of her mind whenever gukbap is involved. What's up with that?
Hmm. If I don't know, I should just ask directly.
"Shin Sehee. Why are you here? You said you weren't eating with us."
When I asked that.
"Then how could I not come?!"
Shin Sehee squeezed her eyes shut and exclaimed.
"What…?"
"H-how could I n-not come?! After you showed me s-such a side of yourself!!!"
"Such a side?"
Gukbap asked from beside me.
Shin Sehee immediately opened her mouth.
"How could you hide something so incredible!"
"Something incredible?"
"F-forcefully! Giving commands!"
"Commands…?"
"When we were wearing those restraints on our wrists, you, you were like that!"
"Restraints…?"
Lee Yuri's voice dropped, as if its temperature had plummeted by a hundred degrees, becoming chillingly cold.
"Last night! Why only Dohui! Only Dohui…!"
A feeling that something was very, very wrong.
"P-please include me too!"
Sehee, Sehee…
Last night? What on earth are you talking about?
What do you want to be included in?
You left out the object, you idiot.
"Jin Yuha, was what you had to tell me… *this*?"
Lee Yuri, who had turned her head, her eyes glinted dangerously.
'Shit…?'