CHAPTER 117

Monster Taming was a Skill that controlled the mind of a monster using mana. When the monsters died, the taming magic would release, but remnants of the caster’s mana would linger in the monster's brain.

It’s insufficient.

Lee So-Yeong performed an autopsy on the corpses of the tamed orcs and orc mages, but didn’t get the desired result. Hardly any mana remained in the brains of the monsters.

Every corpse is the same. Their brains are completely scorched.

It seemed a spell had been set to trigger under certain conditions to quickly erase the mana traces in the monsters’ minds.

The caster is thorough. The mysterious figure who targeted Jaegyeong Pharmaceuticals, or Cho Seong-Hyeon to be precise, wasn’t an easy opponent. They had considered the possibility that their monsters might fall into someone else’s hands and prepared countermeasures. It seemed uncovering the culprit's identity would be more difficult than expected.

After wearily leaving the autopsy room, Lee So-Yeong stayed in the bathroom for a long time. She used body wash several times to wash away the monster’s stench.

“I need sugar.”

Lee So-Yeong’s expression was far from refreshed even after washing up.

Vast amounts of knowledge flashed through her mind before settling on the image of the main building’s layout, an optimal route already mapped.

Her destination, a teachers’ lounge with an attached pantry room.

......

After arriving at the teachers’ lounge, Lee So-Yeong’s mood lifted. Perhaps it was seeing a student and a teacher engaged in an interesting conversation, or perhaps it was just that the pantry was getting closer.

She stopped by the teacher-student pair and answered the student’s question, “A severe stench, obsession with a safe hiding place, and moving around outside of their territory—there are definitely monsters with these traits. But most commonly, those traits are seen in beastmen.”

“P-Professor Lee!?” The teacher stood up from his chair.

The student smiled.

“Where did you see such a thing?” Lee So-Yeong asked. Before the student answered, her gaze wandered to the open pantry. “Ah, actually, wait a minute.”

Lee So-Yeong hummed a tune and continued toward the pantry. But three meters from the snack shelves, she suddenly froze. Wait, that student...

Wasn’t he unnecessarily handsome?

It was similar to a certain someone.

Huh?

Thinking of the face of the person she hated most in the world, Lee So-Yeong couldn’t bring herself to turn back. Slowly, cautiously, she shifted her eyes toward a mirror on the wall and caught another look.

He had exceptionally dark hair and eyes, and a green scabbard was hanging from his waist.

“K-K-Kang!”

“......!”

Lee So-Yeong’s ability to see mana was greater than even that of an S-class player, so the sight of her pale and frozen stiff, as if she’d seen a ghost, caused the other teachers to panic.

What?What’s going on?

Did she sense danger?

Is it an attack?

Some teachers took out their weapons and glanced around cautiously.

“Kang?”

On the other hand, Jae-Hyeok stared at Lee So-Yeong and pondered the situation. His Insight stat was as high as 134 points. It was at a level that overwhelmed the average Insight of the teachers, so he could tell there was nothing abnormal around them.

I can’t believe I made such a mistake! Lee So-Yeong was about to go crazy with panic as she felt Jae-Hyeok’s gaze. I promised myself I would never get involved with the Kang family again!

How could it be like this... If she hadn’t run out of sugar, she wouldn’t have made such a stupid mistake as not recognizing someone’s face

“Uwaah... ”

The moments she spent with the Yaksha passed through her mind like a kaleidoscope. She closed her eyes tightly as her stomach cramped.

“Professor?”

Dizzy, she staggered and Jae-Hyeok helped her.

“Hieeeeek!”

Lee So-Yeong screamed with surprise when she felt the gentle hands around her waist.

She got goosebumps. Jae-Hyeok’s big hands were full of calluses on his knuckles and palms. They felt very similar to the Yaksha’s.

“W-what the hell is it?”

“Did monsters invade? We need to contact the armed forces immediately... ”

The teachers were surprised by the sudden scream and made a fuss.

Contrary to her appearance, Professor Lee So-Yeong was a great player. She had created various mana control techniques and raised the national prestige of South Korea. Moreover, it was an open rumor that the United States, the most powerful country in the world, had offered her the title of earl in order to get her to move countries.

Who would ever imagine that Lee So-Yeong would let out such a scream?

At the very least, no one here had.

“......”

Even Jae-Hyeok doubted his ears.

Did I hear wrong?

Jae-Hyeok hoped to major in mana control. He knew that learning multiple mana control techniques didn’t mean he would use them all, but he was convinced that simply understanding the principles would open up all sorts of possibilities.

Moreover, he respected Lee So-Yeong. How could he not? She had refused even the United States to remain in South Korea.

Let’s just pretend I didn’t hear it.

Sometimes, there were things best left unseen. For Lee So-Yeong’s sake, Jae-Hyeok decided to erase the last minute from his memory.

“Are you okay? You seem to be anemic.”

“Y-you... ”

Lee So-Yeong turned red from embarrassment, and seeing Jae-Hyeok’s innocent expression only made it worse. It was obvious to everyone that he was pretending as if he hadn’t heard her scream.

Lee So-Yeong felt like the sky was falling.

It’s over. After the Yaksha and his eldest son, Kang Dae-Seong, she then ended up having her weakness caught by his second son, Kang Jae-Hyeok.

Her future was bleak.

Normally, it isn’t a big deal even if the word gets out that I screamed a bit. But... When it came to achieving their goals, the members of the Kang family were experts at blowing small things out of proportion or downplaying serious matters. They used any means to get their way.

“Professor?”

“Hiccup!”

“You don't look so good. Shall I take you to the infirmary?”

“F-forget it! I’ll, um, recover soon.” Lee So-Yeong slid her waist out of Jae-Hyeok’s hand. In her heart, she wanted to resist as hard as possible, but she was afraid of offending him.

“...Thank you for worrying about me.” She also didn’t forget to thank him. Jae-Hyeok’s consideration for her was definitely fake from start to finish, but she played along. Under the serious, battle-ready eyes of the surrounding teachers, she would take any excuse she could get.

Meanwhile, the teachers were stunned.

The government, the military, the Association, and even the aristocracy were in a weak position when dealing with Lee So-Yeong. There was no forcing it. Only by staying on Lee So-Yeong’s good side could they possibly obtain the mana control techniques they wanted. She was truly at the top of South Korea’s ecosystem.

Had Lee So-Yeong ever responded to someone’s favor by saying thank you? Unless someone shoved a creampuff into her mouth, those words were hard to hear. Lee So-Yeong had long grown used to favors and took them for granted.

I never thought Professor Lee and Kang Jae-Hyeok were so close.

Kang Jae-Hyeok is the son of the Yaksha. How is this possible?

The teachers’ lounge was buzzing with whispers.

A considerable number of teachers reacted as if they had seen something bad. Some people even muttered that it was the end of the world. But the one who reacted the most strongly was Kim Ji-Yeong, the teacher in charge of First Year Class F.

Was Jae-Hyeok’s guardian god that Park Min-Cheol mentioned actually Lee So-Yeong?

Kim Ji-Yeong was from the Steel Guild and moved according to their will even inside the school. Her guild had worked hard to give her a teaching position at Lion’s Castle, so they wouldn’t allow her to break her connection to the guild.

Her colleague, Park Min-Cheol, had also gotten a job as a staff member and was in a similar position. But not long ago, Park Min-Cheol had followed the guild’s orders and targeted Kang Jae-Hyeok, only to return half-crazy.

He started rambling and talking nonsense about some guardian god that was protecting Kang Jae-Hyeok. Then he shockingly submitted a resignation letter to both Lion’s Castle and the Steel Guild.

Of course, Park Min-Cheol’s current whereabouts were unknown. It was as if he had been erased from the world.

I wondered what gave him the courage to betray the guild.

Now, it seemed like she had her answer. Park Min-Cheol must have gone insane after being caught by Lee So-Yeong. Compared to the Steel Guild, a second-rate guild, Lee So-Yeong was practically a god-like figure.

And the Steel Guild wanted her to kidnap Kang Jae-Hyeok, who was clearly connected with such a person?

Someone like me?

Kim Ji-Yeong’s face turned pale. It was like an act of suicide.

“Excuse me?”

“...Uh?”

She flinched and came to her senses. Somehow, Kang Jae-Hyeok had approached without her noticing and was staring straight at her.

“You’re blocking the way.”

“Ah! I-I’m sorry!”

Kim Ji-Yeong hurriedly stepped aside.

Jae-Hyeok didn’t reply and left the teachers’ lounge with Lee So-Yeong. He was taking Lee So-Yeong to the place she suspected was the territory of a beastman.

Lee So-Yeong wondered, “Why am I going with you?”

“Didn’t you ask me where I saw it?”

“You can just tell me... ”

“I’m a first-year student, and I entered the school a month later than others, so I’m not familiar enough with the geography of the school to explain the place in words.”

“I didn’t ask about your situation... Ah, never mind. I do owe you one.”

The sight of So-Yeong and Jae-Hyeok walking side by side down the hallway was burned into the eyes of the passing teachers.

***

“It’s here.”

Jae-Hyeok arrived at the destination and looked back at Lee So-Yeong.

Lee So-Yeong had a blank expression. How did she end up involved with Kang Kae-Hyeok? Where did things go so wrong?

Meanwhile, Jae-Hyeok watched Lee So-Yeong, who was quietly staring at the sky, and felt touched. Judging from how kind she is to me, she must have a good relationship with my father.

She was just like the chairman.

Father, you didn’t live your life in vain.

Jae-Hyeok placed his hand on his warm chest and smiled. There were still people who remembered him and did Jae-Hyeok a favor. Lee So-Yeong must be busy. He suddenly felt a little guilty taking up so much of her time and said, “I know you're busy, Professor Lee, please have a look.”

Lee So-Yeong was upset. He isn’t even giving me a chance to regain my breath?

Jae-Hyeok had taken a roundabout path to prevent Lee So-Yeong from encountering the lion statue. Putting aside his trust for her, he still wanted to keep the lion statue’s true nature to himself. As a result, they had ended up crossing mountains and rivers. It was such a grueling journey filled with monster encounters that even the A-class Lee So-Yeong’s breathing became somewhat labored.

However, she couldn’t complain. The bad-natured boy in front of her had a smile on his face and wasn’t sweating a single drop.

“Professor?”

Lee So-Yeong replied, “Yes, I will hurry.”

This person might have talent superior to Kang Dae-Seong. A chill went down her spine.