Chapter 6. Lumi
Having Nam Daeun, the top practical skills student, in the same group was definitely a win. It was probably to balance out the deadweight of me and Lee Byunghoon.
Since we were told to gather by groups, I moved toward Team 7.
"Really? No way! I'm from there too."
"Let's work well together. I'm a melee specialist..."
The room buzzed with students getting to know their groupmates. Since they'd have to stick together for at least a semester, the better the chemistry, the stronger the trust.
"Wow, Nam Daeun! I've heard so much about you. It's an honor to be in your group."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm the eldest son of an esteemed warrior guild..."
What's up with our team?
Ever since we formed the group, Lee Byunghoon had been yammering nonstop—talking exclusively to Nam Daeun and ignoring Lumi and me.
"Okay, that's it for today. As I said earlier, your first assignment is to have a meal together and take a group photo. Professional hunters must quickly bond with new teammates."
I'm not sure what eating and taking a picture have to do with teamwork, but a task's a task.
Other teams were already deciding on meals or heading out together.
Lee Byunghoon kept trying to chat up Nam Daeun, who, in turn, silently packed her bag.
Lumi was at a loss for words, anxiously glancing between the two.
And then there was me, observing everything unfold.
'I guess I should speak up?'
After some deliberation, I broke the silence.
"Hey, guys? What should we eat?"
Thump.
I'd chosen a safe, neutral question, but Nam Daeun stood up with her bag and walked toward the door.
"Nam Daeun, do you know a good place?"
"...I don't do kiddie play."
"Huh?"
She left with just those words. Seriously? How is this 'kiddie play'? We're just trying to do the assignment.
Lee Byunghoon side-eyed us after she left. "Ahem, I actually have plans too," he said before following her out.
"..."
The other students had already left with their groups, leaving Lumi and me alone.
----------------------
『A sub-quest has been issued.』
[Cheer up Lumi!]
Lumi's dreams of making her first friends at the academy have been crushed!
But it's not too late. Cheer up Lumi and lift her spirits!
- Reward: +1 random attribute point
----------------------
A quest popped up.
Cheer up Lumi?
"My first friend attempt... ruined. I'm such an idiot. Why couldn't I just say I like tteokbokki..."
Beside me, Lumi muttered to herself with a blank, disheartened expression.
Well, this might not be such a bad thing. Nam Daeun won't be won over until much later anyway, and that guy Lee What's-his-name doesn't matter.
"Hey, Lumi? Since those two left, why don't we get lunch together?"
"Wh-what? With me?"
"Yeah, we need a group meal and photo, right?"
"But... what about Nam Daeun?"
Why bring her up now? She's not worried about Byunghoon either.
"Forget her. Do you like tteokbokki? I know a great place."
"Y-yes! I'd love that!"
*
Across from me, Lumi sat with her cheeks puffed like a chipmunk stuffed with tteokbokki.
"You can slow down. I'm not going to steal it."
"Ah, sorry..."
"No need to apologize. I like seeing you enjoy it."
"Hehe... This is amazing! How do you know such a good spot already?"
Because in the game, this tteokbokki place was a must-visit during dates with Lumi. She'd eat tteokbokki non-stop from the start until the end credits rolled.
★ Heroine Status Window
[Lumi]
- [ Affection: 35 ]
- [ Lust: 30 ]
- [ Appetite: 15 ]
- [ Fatigue: 40 ]
Her affection had shot up by 20 points. If only I could complete her route with four more tteokbokki meals.
With her appetite down from 40 to 15, she was probably full.
"Looks like you're done. Shall we take a photo for the assignment? My phone camera sucks. Can we use yours?"
"Of course!"
Lumi handed me her phone, and I moved to sit beside her.
I casually pressed my body against hers.
"Wh-whoa! Isn't this a bit close?"
"We both need to be in the frame, right?"
Click!
"Two of our four teammates are missing, but at least the photo's cute."
With Lumi as the subject, any photo looked like a professional shoot.
"Y-yeah... it came out nice..."
Why's she looking down when I just complimented the picture?
Anyway, time to take things to the next level.
As I handed back her phone, I casually commented.
"Oh? Lumi, is that an Idol Party phone case?"
"Huh? Y-yeah! How did you know?"
"I love Idol Party too! You're a fan?"
"Yes! I'm obsessed! I even maxed out the last limited edition event and watched every episode and movie!"
The timid girl transformed into a chatterbox at the mention of anime.
I don't really get what she meant by maxing out the event, but I have a different goal in mind.
"Wanna go watch the new movie coming out this weekend? I was actually wondering who to go with."
"A m-movie?"
"Yeah, but if it's too much pressure, I can go alone. No worries."
"No, no! I'd love to go with you!"
"Great. Let's go this weekend then. Can I get your number?"
"Y-y-yeah!"
I handed Lumi my phone, and she took it with trembling hands.
She carefully typed each number, whispering, "Phone number exchange... exchanging numbers with a friend..." Kinda cute.
"H-here you go."
"Thanks. I'll text you later. Shall we get going since we're done eating?"
"Yes!"
*
Tuesday evening.
After parting ways with Lumi, I headed to the training center.
Classes would start in earnest tomorrow, so I needed to gauge my abilities.
I scanned my smartwatch and entered a private training room.
[First-Year Class A: Lee Hoyun. Entry confirmed.]
In the original game, stats developed based on training focus.
Mages improved mana; warriors gained strength and stamina; assassins boosted agility.
The most straightforward and easiest route was the warrior path.
That choice stemmed from the protagonist's unique power.
Unique powers were rare, and not everyone manifested them.
But as the protagonist, Lee Hoyun possessed a notable one.
───――「 Combat Instinct 」───――
▶ Unique Power
▶ Grants bonuses to all 'combat-related' actions.
The more dangerous the combat, the greater the bonuses.
───――───――───――───
'Combat Instinct.'
This talent boosted all combat-related activities, making close-quarters fighting particularly advantageous.
And considering most late-game battles involved human or humanoid enemies, melee prowess was practical.
Still, I chose the mage route because of two reasons: first, I received the [Mana Sensitivity] perk, which provided a significant advantage in mana manipulation.
Second, I knew how vile this world's villains were.
Fighting those bastards up close? No thanks. Unlike in a game, I can't hit retry. Better to blast them from afar with magic.
"Start magic proficiency test."
[Initiating magic proficiency test.]
Understanding my current abilities would help guide my training.
Victoria Academy's training center used its database to analyze strengths, weaknesses, and overall skill level.
[Phase 1: Disperse mana evenly in a wide radius.]
With the announcement, thin mana walls appeared around me.
They must be measuring the mana's spread.
'Disperse mana widely and evenly?'
I'd never done it before, but it sounded simple enough. I raised my hands and imagined waves gently spreading out.
Woom—Woom—
Blue mana radiated from my palms like rippling water.
[Phase 1 complete.]
After about a minute, the system confirmed completion.
[Phase 2: Target practice.]
Targets materialized ahead.
[Destroy the targets quickly and accurately.]
[5]
"Wait, no prep time? Seriously?"
My complaint went ignored.
[4]
[3]
[2]
[1]
'What's the fastest spell I know?'
[Ten targets activated.]
No time to think. I pictured the wind arrow spell from yesterday's book.
Mana surged above me, transforming into sharp gusts.
Szzzzt—
The swirling wind arrows hovered, ready to launch.
With a crackling whoosh, they shot toward the targets.
Crack!
One, two, three... ten.
The arrows shattered each target with ease.
"Damn."
Not a single target remained.
"That was fun."
*
"Hmmm..."
After returning to her dorm, Lumi sat at her desk, staring at her phone.
'Should I text him to ask if he got home safely?'
"We had dinner and exchanged numbers, so we're friends, right? But maybe it's too soon..."
Lumi had always been shy, preferring to stay home.
Her unusually mature figure for her age had drawn too many unwanted stares, and her reserved nature only made her more introverted.
Her twin sister, Lucy, had always protected her from creeps, which kept the weirdos away but also left Lumi without many real friends.
She'd hoped for a fresh start at the academy, but her first group meeting was a disaster—until Hoyun stepped in.
"He did ask me to go to the movies. That makes us friends, right? Or should I Google it?"
Lumi opened her browser and typed: 'A guy asked me to see a movie with him.'
[A guy I barely know asked me to see a movie.]
"Oh! Perfect."
Someone had asked the exact same question.
Q: [Does a guy asking me to a movie mean he likes me? Or is it just friendly?]
A: [If he asked, he probably doesn't dislike you. See the movie together and chat afterward to find out. If you're wondering about his intentions, maybe you like him too? Movies are a great chance to bond. Good luck!^^]
"L-likes me?"
Lumi had never dated anyone. Even basic friendly interactions were foreign to her.
"He wouldn't invite me if he didn't like me, right? Does Hoyun like me?"
Hoyun. Just thinking about him made her heart race.
She'd never shared a meal with a boy before today, and she'd barely managed to speak comfortably.
"But he's so handsome... why would he like someone like me? Ugh, whatever. I'll just text him."
[Lumi: Thanks for the delicious meal! ^^ (puppy bowing emoji)]
[Hoyun: Glad you liked it. You got home safe, right?]
Thump-thump.
It was a simple text, but her heart pounded.
"What should I reply? Should I Google it again?"