How Is This A D-grade? (2)

Huff, huff…

Peng Jin-ah exhaled heavily.

Sweat poured down like rain from her body.

One drop trickled down her elegant jawline and fell into her cleavage.

Though it was an alluring sight that would make many men’s hearts flutter, she was unaware of it.

This was because Peng Jin-ah had no experience with men.

And the fact that no man dared to approach her, being a strong figure with the nickname <Overlord Sword>, played a significant role.

‘I finally caught it.’

Peng Jin-ah took a deep breath one last time.

It seemed like it had been a while since her heart raced this much.

She possessed superhuman physical abilities, having reached the pinnacle among A-grade hunters.

Of course, she wouldn’t be this exhausted from just a bit of running.

‘…I really am foolish.’

She had sprinted at full speed to a bus stop several kilometers away from the <Academy>.

Along the way, she leaped as if flying, stepping over rooftops.

For Peng Jin-ah, it was the first time in a while she felt her full speed.

So, why on earth did she rush here so hastily?

The reason was foolish yet simple and important.

‘Yu Seha…’

To her precious disciple…
She finally mustered the courage to speak to him.

Meanwhile, Yu Seha, watching Peng Jin-ah, felt a bit flustered.

Soon, his face turned red.

Currently, Peng Jin-ah was wearing tight-fitting activewear.

She had a figure as good as Ju Na-young and Moon Bora.

With her clothes soaked in sweat, it was slightly revealing, showing a hint of… embarrassing underwear color.

“Um… Professor. Inside…”
“Hmm? Ah!”

Peng Jin-ah also realized it belatedly and circulated mana throughout her body.
The unique heat rose, instantly evaporating the sweat.
Of course, since it was done in a hurry, beads of sweat were still on her face.

Seeing this, Yu Seha rummaged through his pocket.
He approached right in front of Peng Jin-ah.

“Cadet Yu Seha?”
“Uh, Professor. I don’t know what’s going on, but… Let’s talk after doing this first. Us…”

Swipe, swipe.

“…!”

Peng Jin-ah’s face turned red naturally.

What Yu Seha took out from his pocket was a pretty handkerchief.

It was the one Ju Na-young had gifted and Moon Bora had returned.

Yu Seha carefully, with a loving touch, wiped Peng Jin-ah’s face.

Peng Jin-ah cleared her throat.

In her heart, she wanted to say, ‘I-I’ll do it myself.’

But…

For some reason, those words wouldn’t come out of her throat.

For Peng Jin-ah, right now, this moment…
The short time received from a precious disciple…

‘You are so very…’

She thought it was precious.

A little later.
Yu Seha put away the handkerchief and gently asked.

“What brings you here, Professor?”

Of course, Yu Seha had already told her to have a good vacation.
Peng Jin-ah, while drinking tea, had replied, ‘Y-Yes… I will… Cadet Yu Seha.’
So, there was no way she wouldn’t know that he was leaving today.

‘…Ah, come to think of it.’

There was one thing that bothered him.
She seemed to want to say something but was hesitating to say it to him.
Could she have come to say that?

Yu Seha’s thought was correct.

In fact, Peng Jin-ah had rushed over to make a proposal she hadn’t been able to say.

She swallowed nervously as she looked at her one and only disciple.

‘I-I had resolved…’

She didn’t realize it would be this difficult to make such a trivial proposal.

She wondered if she was always this much of a coward.

‘I should have said something sooner to him.’

She agonized over it all night…
She hesitated…
Even though she had many chances, she couldn’t bring herself to answer in the end.

So she thought about just letting it go…

‘No.’

She didn’t want to regret it.

‘I have to say it.’

During this vacation…
Anytime is fine…
Would you like to train together, just the two of us…?
Would you like to spend time together…?
I-I know a great restaurant…
We could have a meal together there…
I-I have to say it!
I have to say it!

Gather your strength… Peng Jin-ah!

With the inner encouragement finally giving her courage, Peng Jin-ah closed her eyes tightly and opened her mouth.

“Y-Yu Seha!”

“W-would you like to… Together… T-train with me–“
“I’m sorry. Professor!”
“…Huh, what?”

Peng Jin-ah belatedly opened her eyes at the reply coming from afar.

Yu Seha.

He had already turned around, running somewhere.

In the distance, a bus was about to depart, and Moon Bora was shouting, “Hurry up and get on!”

Yu Seha turned back.

“I’ll call you later!”
“Ah, ah… ah! W-wait! Y-Yu Seha!”

Ah…
Ah…
Ahhh…
Sniff…

Peng Jin-ah looked at the departing back of Yu Seha with a forlorn expression.

“……”

She felt dejected.
Her body naturally lost strength.
She had mustered up courage too late, and with that came a sense of self-blame.

In the end, she sighed deeply.

‘…No.’

She quickly recovered and changed her thinking.
Gaining courage was more important.

‘It’s too early to give up.’

*I’ll, I’ll try saying it through a message. *
After all, vacations aren’t that short, are they?
Even if it’s just a few weeks, or even a few days…
Being together with him…

There was a clear justification.

The relationship of a master and a disciple.
It was only natural for the <Exclusive Disciple> relationship to conduct classes just the two of them.
No one would have anything to say about it.

“Hmm, hmm…”

Peng Jin-ah decided to go back and finish packing.

This vacation was quite a meaningful time for her as well.

‘The Sword Emperor.’

Because she was scheduled to meet the <Plum Blossom Sword Emperor>, her senior.

Ring-ring~

“Hmm?”

At that moment.

The sound of the phone made her stop in her tracks.

For a moment, she wondered if it was Yu Seha, but it wasn’t.

It was a call from a completely unexpected person.

[Su Ok-bin]

‘…Why is she calling me?’

Their first meeting was during Noh Kyung-wan’s dismissal.

Both had exchanged numbers, recognizing they were moving for Yu Seha’s sake.

Since then, they hadn’t contacted each other…

Peng Jin-ah answered the call with a puzzled expression.

She greeted the soft voice on the other end and got straight to the point.

Peng Jin-ah stood silently, listening to the content.

Soon, she furrowed her delicate brow.

“An S-grade raid boss… you say?”

―Yes, today’s exploration confirmed it. It will undoubtedly appear in Seoul, Myung-dong. It’s closest to the Order by location. I think they’ll have the right to subdue it.

“…Then there’s no need for me to go…”

―No. I suspect that the <Order> will fail the subjugation. And the <Saintess> will take the blame for it.

“…What do you mean?”

―Let’s discuss the details in person.

Your strength is needed. <Overlord Sword>.

―Would you please help?

I looked around the bus, letting out a small admiration.

It wasn’t just an ordinary bus.

It was a high-end bus exclusively for <Awakened> VIPs, so it was spacious and comfortable.

‘There’s even a foot bath facility.’

Moon Bora was already there with her feet dipped in, reading a book inscribed with ancient language.

A very natural demeanor.
With sunglasses on, she looked like a rich girl.

‘Ah, no.’

She was indeed born with a gold spoon, so she was a rich girl.

Moon Bora, noticing my gaze, went “Hmm?”
Lowering her sunglasses, she winked with her uniquely beautiful violet eyes.
She seemed to think it was charming, but to me, it was just cutely silly actions.

“When we arrive, it’s straight to the promotion exam, right? Get some rest.”
“Oh, thanks for the consideration.”
“Not at all.”

Moon Bora hummed a little tune, feeling pleased with herself as if she thought she was cool.

However, her cool demeanor changed back to her usual self an hour later.

“…Hehe, woong eng…“

The ancient language book was tossed aside.

Leaning back, Moon Bora was drooling, lost in dreamland.

I chuckled at the sight and wiped her mouth with a wet tissue.

“Hehe… Seha… idiot… dummy. Woong eng…”
“Really?”

Well, well, this is something.
An unexpected sneak attack of insults…
Moon Bora, you little…
You’re quite something, aren’t you?

Tap.

“Woong eng…”
“You’re doing all sorts of things now.”

Now unable to control her head, she leaned it against me.

Watching her, I deliberately lowered my shoulder to make it easier for her to lean on.

Thinking it was a soft pillow, she mumbled happily.

‘She must be tired.’

I heard she stayed up late last night researching ways to deal with the side effects of [Snow Ice Divine technique].

It wasn’t surprising.

I held Moon Bora’s hand for a moment.

It was cold.

There were probably traces of frostbite and internal cold injuries from that itself.

If left alone like this, she’d surely pay the price someday.

‘I can’t just leave it like that.’

I nodded, thinking once again about giving ‘that ability’ to Moon Bora.

Since it was just the two of us…

I figured it wouldn’t be a bad idea to tell her about [Eyes of Reversed Heaven].

Well, alright.
That’s that…

‘And this is this.’

“Alright, Moon Bora~ Kimchi~”
“…Umm~”

Click!

A moment later.

“Umm?”

Moon Bora wiped the drool from her mouth and came to her senses belatedly.

“…Ugh?”
“Did you wake up?”
“Umm!”

Then she realized what she had done and flinched.
Looking at my shoulder, she blushed and apologized shyly.

“S-sorry. I haven’t been sleeping well lately…”
“It’s okay~ I had my own fun anyway.”
“…What?”

Moon Bora tilted her head at the cryptic words.

Ding, ding!

“…?”

Then she cautiously checked the message on her phone at the sound of the bell.

“…?!”
“Hehehe.”
“U-u-uh?!”

Her face turned as red as a well-heated frying pan.

<Room of Meowi, Yong-ah, and Ungang>

【Yu Seha】: (Roughly a picture of Moon Bora drooling).

【Yu Seha】: She looks silly.

【Getting stronger Meowi】: Meow~ BoraBora looks like a fool. Lol

【It’s BoraBora, but not Ungang.】: C-crazy, crazy. Yu Seha! Delete it right now. Delete it!!!

【Dragon who wants to eat ramen!】: By the way, is that Yu Seha you were leaning on the shoulder next to you? Huh? Tell me properly. There’s a drool mark… Is that what it is? No, right? Huh? Huh? Huh? You two? What are you doing right now? Aren’t you going to answer?

“I-I can’t, I can’t!!!”
“Hehe~ Who told you to sleep recklessly?”
“I can’t!!!”

Unable to endure my teasing, Moon Bora lunged at me with an “Umm!”

As I was hit with an adorable little punch, I burst into laughter for the first time in a long while.

Two hours later.
Anyang City, Gyeonggi Province, <Third Branch> Guild.

I soothed the sulking Moon Bora with a ‘Hmph!’ and gazed at the building I hadn’t seen in a while with a sentimental expression.

The place where I first opened my eyes in this possessed state and made my resolve.

The place where my first adventure began.

‘…Everything started right here.’

The place where I met our Meowi and Moon Bora.

Finishing my thoughts, I entered inside with Moon Bora.

Then, as if they had been waiting, a middle-aged man and a young woman sitting on chairs walked over.

They were familiar faces.

“Long time no see, <Snow Ice>. Benefactor.”

“…! Ah, hello! It’s been a while.”

“Thank you for remembering us.”

The deputy guild leader who had thanked me after the <Break Rebound> incident.

With a light heart, I shook his hand.

“Hmm?!”

Then, seeing the position tag on his chest, my eyes widened in surprise.