The Villains I Taught Became Heroes - Chapter 69



68 – Jealousy – 4

Arisha’s state was a bit strange, but we had eaten and played well enough at the café.

“Well then, we should be going.”

“Huh? Can’t we stay a little longer?”

“Since it might interfere with your studying.”

Since Lena and I arrived, Arisha and Rifa hadn’t studied at all.

It wouldn’t be right for an instructor to keep interrupting kids who came to study. Having spent enough time, I thought it was about time to head back, so I stood up.

“Lena. Let’s go.”

“Yes, yes!”

Lena jumped up from her seat and stood next to me.

A smile blossomed on Arisha’s face as she watched us intently.

But it wasn’t the smile I knew.

It was a forced smile, one that felt awkward.

“Arisha?”

“Yeah?”

“Study well. I’ll check in on you later this evening.”

“…Got it!”

Her expression changed in an instant.

With her characteristic lively smile, Arisha waved her hand, and I lightly greeted her before leaving the café with Lena.

“What should we do now?”

“I… I want to see a play…”

“Unfortunately, today is not a day for plays.”

“Aw…”

“Let’s see a play next time.”

“Ugh… So, will we go together again…?”

“Yeah. Next time, let’s bring Sowol and Arisha along too. As class president and vice president, we should look out for them like this.”

“Ah…”

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, it’s nothing…”

Lena, who seemed a bit deflated, gripped my arm even tighter.

She looked like she had something to say, her lips twitching, but in the end, she just lowered her head.

Then, as if to hug my arm, she brightened her expression.

“Um, I want to go to the bookstore. Could you go with me?”

“Of course.”

When I returned from my outing with Lena, the sun was setting.

I ushered the tired Lena into her room and went back to mine.

On the desk in my modest ten-pyeong room lay some materials that seemed to have been sent from the church.

As I unfolded them, I found a list of individuals suspected of being affiliated with the Asura cult within the academy.

“Hmm…”

After excluding characters related to the story, I was able to narrow it down to about five names.

Memorizing their names, I opened the drawer and took out a map.

[Map of the Sewers]

It was the map of the city’s sewers, which would become the final battleground of Chapter 1.

In the story, a problem arises in the sewers, prompting the mayor to send people for maintenance, but they go missing.

Feeling suspicious, the mayor sends soldiers, but even they fail to return, leading the mayor to commission the academy for help.

And thus, the A-Class, starved for real combat, takes on this commission, entering the sewers to resolve the issues within, concluding Chapter 1.

Yesterday, while checking on Arisha’s current state, I asked how she had been lately, and she detailed everything in great detail.

From what she shared, I could gauge how far Arisha had progressed in the story.

There wasn’t much left until the end of Chapter 1.

Considering that, it would be wise for me to prepare as well.

I studied the map of the sewers intently.

The sewers were divided into three pathways. Since one could not enter the final chamber without activating the devices in all three locations, it would be better to split the team into three.

With Sowol and Lena with me, if I assigned each of them to lead one side, we could strategize effectively.

And… I had to consider the involvement of the Asura cult as well.

In the original story, the Asura cult wouldn’t intrude, but currently, a faction of the cult had infiltrated the academy.

Their goal was likely to kill or injure high-ranking members of A-Class to create chaos.

If that were the case, it was only natural for them to intervene before the sewer operation.

They would know that Sowol, Lena, and I were present, so they would surely go all out.

I didn’t feel particularly afraid.

These guys wouldn’t be able to stop me, no matter what.

– Knock, knock.

“Teacher! Is it okay if I come in?!”

Arisha burst through the door, wearing a crop top that clung tightly to her shorts.

That girl never knows how to knock and wait.

As she beamed and tried to enter, I shook my head.

“Hey, you shouldn’t just barge into a room where a man is alone.”

“Ahahaha~! It’s fine because it’s just you, teacher!”

“Still.”

She talks well.

Yet, seeing her not come inside but remain outside as I had said, put my mind at ease.

I put on my outerwear and stepped outside.

“Well then, shall we see how much you studied today? What did you study?”

“I studied about understanding and sensing magical power. It’s hard~.”

“Well, you’re not a magician. But it’s good to have at least a basic understanding.”

Taking a class related to magic increases magical defense.

From noble mtl dot com

For a fighter who uses her body as a weapon, this kind of class helps enhance her basic combat abilities.

“What is it that you don’t understand?”

“This!”

I took Arisha, who had opened her book to show me, and headed to a seat in front of the instructor’s building.

Thanks to the lanterns made of magical artifacts, it wasn’t dark.

I could see several instructors smiling at Arisha and me.

It seemed they found her diligent studying quite endearing.

I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride.

“Let’s see. Guiding the magic of nature is like grasping the flow of magic in your hands. Following that…”

After reading the content written in the textbook, I explained it in more detail.

Arisha tilted her head a few times while listening intently, but when I elaborated further, her eyes sparkled.

“Ah! I understand!”

“Really? Then can you explain it to me?”

With a bright smile, Arisha began to explain what she had understood.

She stumbled a bit, but her explanation was not far from the essence of the content.

At this point, I could say she had grasped it well.

“How was it?”

“Excellent.”

I patted Arisha’s head, feeling proud of her.

Perhaps my touch felt nice, as her face blossomed with a smile.

“Ah! Since I did well, does that mean you’ll take me out too?”

“What do you mean?”

“But teacher, you only took So-wol unnie and Lena unnie out!”

Her face, which had been smiling just moments ago, quickly turned sulky.

Puffing her cheeks, Arisha leaned on the table and glanced up at me.

“Ah~. I want to go out with you too~.”

“Haha. Alright, alright. If we have time next time, we’ll go together.”

“Really?! When is next time?!”

“Well, I’m not sure. This week is busy… and next week there’s a meeting with the instructors…”

“Ugh! Then let’s go out on a day I want!”

“Haha. Alright, alright.”

It would be tough for her in the future, but taking her out for a day wouldn’t be too hard.

“Really?! It’s a promise!”

Arisha extended her pinky finger.

A pinky promise. Even though she’s an adult, she’s still a child at heart. But there’s nothing I can’t do for her.

I linked my pinky with hers.

“Promise! Promise! If you lie, I’ll grant a wish~.”

“Yes, yes. It’s a promise.”

“Hehehe~… Achoo!”

This little rascal. Coming out dressed so lightly, I knew this would happen.

I took off my outer garment and draped it over her shoulders.

“Huh?”

“Why?”

“Oh, no… I’m fine…”

“If you’re sick, it’ll be even more troublesome for me.”

To properly execute the final battle of Chapter 1, Arisha needed to become stronger.

But if she caught a cold and couldn’t focus, there was a chance she wouldn’t even finish Chapter 1.

In this world, where there are no saves or loads, a single failure is truly a shortcut to ruin.

So I had to do my best as well.

“Even if it smells a bit, just bear with it.”

“Ugh, mm. It’s nice and warm~!”

“That’s a relief. So, what about the next thing you don’t understand?”

“Yeah! This one!”

Arisha eagerly asked about the parts she didn’t know, and I taught her as simply as I could so she could understand.

After about two more hours of studying, Arisha was blinking sleepily.

“Shall we call it a day?”

“I can do more…”

“You look obviously sleepy. Come on, go inside.”

“Yawn. Okay. Teacher, good night…”

Getting up from her seat, Arisha grabbed her books and stumbled toward her room.

As I watched her go, I snapped my fingers.

This little rascal. She took my clothes.

***

Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Arisha headed to her room.

When she opened the closed door, Sowol, who was sitting in the living room, froze as she stood up with a smile.

“Ah, ah, Arisha?!”

“Ah! Sowol unnie~. You’re not asleep?”

With a voice still laced with drowsiness, Arisha spoke just as Lena’s door opened.

Emerging while drinking something, Lena saw Arisha and spat out her drink.

“Pfft! Ah, Arisha?!”

With the gazes of the two beauties on her, Arisha tilted her head in confusion.

And soon, she realized.

Their attention was fixed on the clothes she was wearing.

The outfit was soaked in Hyun’s scent.

Feeling as if she were wrapped in his embrace, Arisha lifted the sleeve slightly to her nose.

It smelled good.

It lifted her spirits and warmed her body.

“Why are you wearing the master’s clothes?!”

“W-what on earth…?”

“Hehe. The teacher dressed me because he thought I might be cold~.”

“…I see! It’s Master’s clothes, huh? I’ll bring them to you, so please take them off quickly.”

“Oh. No. I… I think… Arisha looks sleepy…”

“Today, I’m going to sleep in them~.”

I want to feel the warm, comforting scent all night long.

Shaking her head at the two who looked anxious, Arisha entered the room and lay down on the bed.

Could it be because of the lingering scent of Lee Hyun at the tip of her nose?

It felt like she would have sweet dreams tonight.

“Hehe… Good night, teacher…”