I finally managed to get out of bed after some time had passed.
Thanks to setting the alarm with a bit of cushion time, there was no issue. I always plan for these little things after all.
But that’s not why I was in shock.
“I… I got caught…”
The data I was observing was just too accurate to ignore… Yet I had been trying my best to dismiss it. But when Seo-yul literally rolled over me, I couldn’t avoid facing the reality.
I never thought Seo-yul would grow taller than me.
It felt like I got hit in the head with a club. It was simply unbelievable.
Even though I had an excuse that my body was in a weird state… the shock just wouldn’t fade.
I never expected that a child who sees me as a parent would grab my hair and drag me around like that.
I really didn’t think I would get taken down both by my own parental figures and then by my child…
Of course, Seo-yul was a completely different case.
He acted that way because he was still groggy from sleep, so I wasn’t hurt or upset.
“Seo-yul…”
“You shouldn’t just grab someone else’s hair without permission.”
Instead, I gently warned him not to do that next time.
I didn’t scold him harshly.
I was worried that if I overreacted, he might develop a fear that would deeply root itself in his memory, so I softly whispered to him in a comforting tone right by his side.
I had my concerns too. I worried that if I went too easy on him, he might take it lightly…
Of course, Seo-yul was a really good kid, but you never know.
“I’m sorry… I won’t do it again…”
My worries were completely unfounded.
Realizing his mistake, Seo-yul came to me looking gloomy and asking for forgiveness.
He was so downcast that his wings were drooping helplessly as well.
Seeing the moisture gather in his eyes while he apologized tugged at my heartstrings.
“Seo-yul is so kind…”
I had faith in him, but I couldn’t help but wonder if he might throw a tantrum.
Even though I regularly read parenting books, I had no experience with disciplining a little one.
I wondered if it was really right to educate a fairy child by human standards.
But just as my concerns were creeping in, he straightaway admitted his wrongdoing and asked for forgiveness!
His clear words amazed me, and the fact that he recognized his mistake and apologized…!
I was overtaken with a wave of emotion and trembled slightly.
“Seo-yul didn’t mean it, so it’s okay.”
“It’s important not to repeat mistakes.”
“You said sorry immediately and that’s really kind of you.”
Overcome with emotion, I pulled Seo-yul into a tight embrace.
After a firm reprimand, a little consolation should follow.
Well, I’m not sure how firm it was, but since Seo-yul realized his mistake and came forward to apologize, I decided to reward him.
With that thought, I hugged Seo-yul—
– Squeeze…
The baby’s warmth was palpable.
Seo-yul, as if he had never been gloomy, snuggled into me with a smile like a sunflower.
…So, I did hug him…
“Um… thank you. I love you, Daddy…”
His arms wrapped around my back, and his soft, warm cheek rubbed against mine.
The angle was from above to below.
‘……’
…I was the one being hugged…
It was a cringe-worthy feeling. My body felt limp. As if unaware of my feelings, Seo-yul just kept smiling innocently, rubbing his cheek against mine.
Seo-yul’s droopy wings sparkled and fluttered, entwining themselves with the feathers of the sky’s wings behind me.
The feathers of the sky’s wings were limp…
After hastily fixing breakfast, I left the dormitory.
“Young lady, I’ll be at your service, so please go about your day with ease.”
While I was putting on my shoes at the front door, Ariel came out to greet me.
In her maid outfit that had been conveniently remodeled in a modern style and her usual expressionless state, Ariel confidently declared.
Ariel Trident.
While she serves as a guard and attendant for Hong Yeon-hwa, right now she’s taking care of Seo-yul as directed by Hong Yeon-hwa, while I’m away for my studies.
[I’m sorry for the trouble.]
[I appreciate it!]
“Yes, leave it to me, young sir.”
Though she might seem a bit unusual in appearance, she was once a top-notch hunter with a reputation, so I had no safety concerns.
Of course, the moment I noticed anything worrying about Seo-yul, I would leap through space to check on him immediately.
[Seo-yul.]
“Yes…?”
Standing next to Ariel was Seo-yul, who was now upright on his two little legs.
He was fluent in speech and running around, but his lips were pouted in response.
He looked a bit moody overall.
“I’m lonely… Come back quickly.”
‘Guhuh…’
The guilt-ridden words slipped out from his pouting lips, making me feel like I would collapse…
.
.
.
Regular classes are mostly held in the center of Shio-ram, but this particular lecture was going on at the outskirts instead.
The outskirts of Shio-ram mainly consist of open spaces, dungeons, and monster breeding grounds.
The “Monster Training and Response” lecture requires us to head out, hence our location.
Despite being somewhat removed from the center, there was even a bus operating here.
Thanks to that, I just hopped off a self-driving bus comfortably.
As the bus came to a stop, passengers poured out. I joined the crowd and followed them out.
‘There are a lot of students from other classes too.’
From the looks I could feel all around me, it seemed mixed in evenly by class.
The students from Ipchun Class might be somewhat familiar by now, but it probably looked quite unfamiliar to the students from other classes.
So I could understand their… peculiar gazes.
From the second semester on, the intermingling among classes will likely increase.
That wasn’t the only peculiar thing.
‘There are students from other years too.’
The first-year student uniforms generally had green decorations. A typical example would be the ties.
But I occasionally spotted red ties as well. Those belonging to the second-year students from the summer group.
It was rare to encounter second-year students if you weren’t one yourself.
Many might have been just wandering around and spotted me, but some had probably never seen me before.
Monster Training and Response is a subject open to different academic years.
A few subjects were restricted to certain years, but some didn’t have such limitations.
‘If I’m lucky, I might bump into senior Choi Ji-yeon.’
Of course, luck was necessary. It’s probably more comfortable to assume that I won’t encounter her at all.
– Is that the special admission student…?
– The image doesn’t match at all? They look like a total kid…
– Did they come to learn monster training?
– They might have come to learn response tactics.
– Wow, they really are just wandering around with their eyes closed. Can they really feel it?
I distinctly heard their whispered conversations. My ears were tingling.
Just as I raised my hand to scratch my ear, a white hand lightly tapped my ear.
“You’re popular. Everyone’s whispering around you.”
Joining midway, Baek Ahrin smirked at me.
Baek Ahrin giggled as she scratched my ear.
[Don’t tease meee…!]
That was just where I was about to scratch due to the itch. How did she know? The chilly touch at that exact spot made me tremble.
“What are you doing? Don’t do anything weird to Seo-yul!”
“It’s not weird, I’m just scratching an itchy spot…”
“Get out! I’ll do it for you!”
“Geez, you’re so jealous… Ouch! No violence!”
.
.
.
Once inside the building, I found and entered the designated classroom.
The classroom was on the 5th floor. The layout wasn’t much different from the classrooms I usually visited.
Some students had already arrived. After scanning for a bit, I settled into an empty seat where my friends could sit together.
…Not matching in height, I used the sky’s feathers as a cushion.
It was soft and plush, making it perfect to sit on.
While I was at it, Hong Yeon-hwa quickly approached and sat to my left, while Elly sat to my right.
Baek Ahrin blinked blankly. After a moment of rolling her eyes around, she poked Hong Yeon-hwa’s shoulder.
“…Yeon-hwa, I want to sit next to Hae-yul this time.”
“Stop talking nonsense. Don’t try to sit next to me.”
“Is this unfair discrimination? Elly… could you swap seats with me?”
“Aha, that’s a no-go.”
“So blunt… Hong, this will come back to bite you. Remember that.”
“Bit back my foot. Burn it and it’s over~”
Hong Yeon-hwa scoffed in amusement. Having already passed through Geobhwa’s trial, she shrugged confidently.
Baek Ahrin sulked as she sat down.
While we chatted for a bit while we waited, soon the classroom door swung open and the professor walked in.
“Ah, sorry for being late. I’m Professor Alida Bali, in charge of the Monster Training and Response subject.”
She was a woman with short hair styled in a bob and wearing round glasses.
She didn’t exude much presence. Her internal mana wasn’t grand, nor was her body particularly developed. She seemed more like a research professor.
The woman in a white coat… Professor Alida bowed her head as she stood on the platform.
“I’m sorry to trouble you, but please step outside. We’ll be conducting the overview outside.”
– Clank
The students looked puzzled as they stood up from their seats.
As the students moved out orderly under the professor’s instructions, Baek Ahrin glanced at Hong Yeon-hwa.
Baek Ahrin smirked, wiggling her lips.
“…Karma, huh? Want to try burning it?”
“Shut it… It’s not going to change anything.”
Our group stood from our seats as well.
I floated effortlessly in the air without any panic.
I had taken this subject in the original work. Even if the progression were to differ from the original, I had observed the bustling preparation going on outside.
‘Are they going to show us a unique specimen or something?’
This lecture was merely an introductory overview, not an official class.
If students became disinterested here, a number might drop out, so they were bound to show something intriguing to pique interest.
In the original, they revealed a different monster each time, but…
I sharpened my senses. I analyzed the mana being received from a distance.
Though I could clearly tell through observation, such unique mana could be felt even from afar.
‘It’d be nice if they show us a unicorn.’
The pure and clean energy radiated distinctly from afar.
I could clearly feel the unicorn’s magic, jutting out prominently.
I secretly hoped the professor would introduce a unicorn.
After what happened with the Baikon incident, I speculated that the properties of their magical energies might be similar, creating a good match…
Given that I had collected enough data through observation, seeing it up close would surely have a different feel.
Of course, touching it might be impossible. Monsters generally avoided contact with outside beings at all cost.
If I recklessly tried to grab one… I might as well get impaled on its horn and get killed.
But just being able to sense it closely would be enough for me.
I floated along to the outside under the professor’s guidance.
– Woooosh…!
‘?’
That was when it happened.
In the distance, the powerful aura of the white unicorn trembled as if an earthquake had struck.
It resonated with a shock that made my body shudder in fright.
‘What’s going on? I didn’t do anything!’
I tilted my head in confusion at the sudden bizarre phenomenon.
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