Having my baby! That was no longer the sole privilege of men.
I've come to realize how terrifying women who sincerely shout "I'll give birth to *your* baby!" can be, even more so than the previous line.
Just when I thought I'd be helplessly robbed of my seed in the inescapable net of women professing their sincere love, a hand reached out to rescue me.
"Green tea? Coffee? Which do you prefer?"
"Juice, please."
"Here."
It was plain water.
"…"
"Just drink it?"
"Yes."
That's a bit much.
Shin Yehwa, a professor in her mid-30s, is famous among the men for her always figure-hugging fashion.
Any man would inevitably think, "With looks like that, she should be a model, why's she a professor?" upon meeting her for the first time.
In short, she was the high-spec version of a top-tier teaching assistant.
Of course, she was nowhere near Iris's level.
Frankly, Iris was so far beyond standards that even comparing her to another woman would be disrespectful to her.
Of course, there was no disagreement that Professor Shin Yehwa was on another level of non-Asian-level beauty.
"So, Hyunwoo, you're trying to drop out?"
"Yes."
"The reason being admission to the Magic Tower? Have you become a mage?"
"That's right."
Shin Yehwa's reaction was quite different from the reactions of the other people in the office earlier.
She didn't seem very surprised.
'Well, it's strange for her to be surprised at everything when it's not her problem. It's also a bit much for a professor to be seducing students because of marriage.'
Still, it was a shame.
Separate from the trouble in the office, I secretly felt good about it.
"Could you tell me who taught you magic?"
"Is that a question necessary for the withdrawal process?"
"Could you consider it a question born out of personal curiosity?"
No sooner had the words left her mouth than Professor Shin Yehwa unfolded her legs, which had been crossed, and crossed them again in the opposite direction.
Very slowly, too.
Thanks to that, I could leisurely appreciate the elaborate underwear between her figure-hugging H-skirt and the black stockings that encased her legs.
"Hmm? Is it difficult to tell me?"
"…A little?"
The way she unfolded her legs again and crossed them the other way as soon as I finished speaking was so transparent that it was almost absurd.
"Hmm? What's wrong? Is there something on my legs?"
"…No."
There's a limit to how shameless you can be; showing your student your panties and then reacting like that, even if they're about to drop out.
However.
'The black stockings are getting in the way here.'
Personally, I like black stockings, but it's a different story when they subtly hide your underwear like this.
It's clear that it's black lingerie, but I can't see it well because of the stockings.
Professor Shin Yehwa seemed to know that, and there was a subtle smile on her face. I began to feel like I was being toyed with.
"I didn't know you were so tight-lipped."
"I often hear that."
I told them without much thought at the Magic Tower, but that was because I wanted something from the Magic Tower at the time.
But I didn't have anything to gain from Professor Shin Yehwa now, and there was no reason for me to look good.
Besides, why would I tell her everything when she keeps pretending to show me but never actually does?
"As you know, Professor, I'm going to the Magic Tower, so I can't continue attending university. Frankly, isn't this interview just a formality?"
"It varies from person to person?"
Professor Shin Yehwa wore a smug expression.
"While there are students like you who would look strange if they didn't drop out and continue university, there are also students whose dropout is simply the end of a period of wandering. Even though the title of academic advisor is nothing more than a good-looking facade in Korea, shouldn't we stop inexperienced students from raising the difficulty of their lives with their own feet?"
That was a reasonable statement.
What else would you expect from a professor?
"Self-taught."
"Huh?"
"You asked who my magic teacher was. I learned it all myself."
Judging by her attitude, it didn't seem like she would spread her legs even if I dragged it out any longer, and it was better to return home and focus on magic training than to waste time like this.
"…Self-taught?"
"I'll be going now. I'm a busy man in many ways."
I placed the withdrawal application on the desk and stood up from my seat.
"Please submit the application for me. You should at least pay for satisfying your curiosity, Professor?"
*Click*, and I left the professor's office.
***
Like the Magic Tower, Korea University is also on vacation.
Of course, not all students leave the school during vacation like they do at the Magic Tower.
Many students still visit the school during vacation for summer classes or clubs.
Of course, even though there are relatively more, it's still incomparable to during the semester.
"It's quiet."
The plaza and streets, which would normally be crowded with students, were deserted.
As I walked through the quiet streets on a peaceful afternoon, my head became filled with various thoughts.
Mainly about magic.
'My magic.'
Suddenly, Iris's lesson came to mind.
-Elements, Concepts, Alchemy, Spirits, Summoning. Mages don't research magic according to their interests. They decide what magic to research solely based on their talent.
My aptitude, which I discovered through simple experiments, was for elements and summoning.
Iris congratulated me, saying that I was blessed with talent compared to the average person who only has an aptitude for one type of magic.
For reference, Iris was a triple mage with an aptitude for elements, alchemy, and spirits.
"All I can use right now is fire and lightning… The others aren't working very well."
A rather hot flame appeared in my left hand, and sparks flickered in my right hand.
Only a minority of elementalists can wield more than two attributes.
In that respect, the fact that I, a mere 1st Circle mage, could use both fire and lightning from the beginning was proof that I was an incredibly talented prodigy.
"I don't know much about summoning, but can I summon familiars or something?"
Iris was also unfamiliar with summoning, so it seemed I would have to learn about this at the Magic Tower.
I was busy with designs in my mind about magic for a long time.
"Oh, who do we have here."
"?"
I snapped back to my senses at the voice coming from nearby.
It was a familiar face.
A face that was annoyingly familiar, with women on both sides.
It was Jeon Hyesung, a classmate.
'…This sucks.'
My head was complicated with thoughts about magic, but I didn't feel bad.
But from the moment I saw that guy's face, I felt disgusted.
"Kang Hyunwoo, did you also take summer classes?"
Jeon Hyesung, he's what you'd call a silver spoon.
He didn't come to university to get a degree, but to meet women.
He looked like a host club player and was popular among the women in the department.
But I hate that guy. It's not just hate, it's a strong hatred.
Around the time I entered the school, there were only 10 men in the Gate Support Department, including me and Jeon Hyesung.
Naturally, we became close, and we had the intention of spending our university life well together.
But Jeon Hyesung was the worst of the worst.
Like his father, a corrupt politician who liked taking bribes more than eating three meals a day, he engaged in political maneuvering among the few men.
Especially when the semester started, he often spoke ill of a classmate who was particularly short and scrawny.
Some of us, including me, didn't like it, but since he was generous and always paid for drinks and meals, and was on good terms with the girls, he was always the one doing the political maneuvering, not the one being targeted.
After that, he made men he didn't like into laughingstocks by openly picking on them in front of the girls.
The ones with normal minds had long hated and distanced themselves from Jeon Hyesung, but there weren't many women in their early 20s who would hate a man who drove an imported car and paid for drinks.
Of course, there were some guys who were Jeon Hyesung's butt-kissers. I don't remember who they were.
Around the time the atmosphere in the department was divided into those who got along with Jeon Hyesung, those who hated him, and those who didn't care, we went on an MT (Membership Training trip).
And that night, an incident occurred.
-Okay, everyone! Pay attention!
Among the classmates who were excited about drinking, Jeon Hyesung glanced at me and made a mocking expression.
-Kang Hyunwoo has a girl he likes here! He wants to be brave and confess, so let's all applaud him!
Logically, it was a dirty prank.
Rather than cheering, most of the classmates frowned and glared at Jeon Hyesung.
But perhaps I was underestimating the level of Jeon Hyesung's political maneuvering.
-Oooooo!!
-Kang Hyunwoo! Kang Hyunwoo!
Some of the guys who were particularly close to Jeon Hyesung started to cheer.
And the female student who was pointed out was a girl I knew well.
It was Yoo Subin, a classmate I actually had a crush on.
Of course, my expression turned sour, but the ones who had already had a few drinks started to enjoy the situation more and more.
Of course, not Subin.
She was about to be publicly confessed to by a classmate she didn't even know well. If I had been an alpha male, it would have been "We're dating from today!" that day, but unfortunately, I was just an ordinary guy.
And so, my first love ended by force without even confessing, and I was even pinned as the MT confession guy on the community.
For the record, I had never told Jeon Hyesung that I liked Subin.
I had casually mentioned it when drinking with other male classmates, but how did that bastard know? I was confused by that thought for a while.
Others would have taken a leave of absence or dropped out, but I gritted my teeth and endured.
I went to school, ignoring the whispering gazes around me every time I passed by.
By the time I became a sophomore, the rumors about me had almost disappeared, and I was able to have a comfortable school life.
However, I couldn't easily forget the fact that the guy who had told Jeon Hyesung about me and agreed with him was among the classmates who had been drinking with us that day.
-Who is it? Who said it? Jitae? Yoohyun? Hyunwoo? Or is it Sunho?
In a situation where I didn't know who the culprit was, it became impossible to spend my school life with my friends like before, and so I became an outsider who did everything alone: lectures, meals, and studying for exams.
"Hey."
Just thinking about that time makes me want to throw up.
"Don't act familiar and get lost. I don't want to eat with you drooling all over the place."
The host club player who plays with people's lives and the airheads.
It was a set meal worth looking at in the gutter.
"…That's a bit harsh."
"Yeah, Kang Hyunwoo! Why are you saying that?"
"Hyesung was worried about you not having any friends and talked to you!"
"Oh, are you still hung up on what happened at the MT…"
*Whack!*
My fist reacted quickly to the word MT. Don't hold back, fist.
"Ugh!"
The guy fell to the floor with a fist full of sincerity.
"Eek!"
"H, Hyesung!"
I'm a rational and non-violent person.
But sometimes the wildness inside me can't control itself and runs wild, and it seems like today is one of those days.
"Ha, haha… I'm okay, guys, so you don't have to worry."
Jeon Hyesung had a nice smile for someone with a bloody nose.
No, he was trying to force one.
His lips were trembling, and it was clear that if the girls weren't there, he would have cursed me out and punched me.
Of course, if he had, I would have been thankful. I would have enjoyed taking turns hitting his jaw with my fire fist and lightning fist.
"So, are we cool now?"
Look at him managing his image in front of the girls.
"Shut your mouth and be quiet. Your breath stinks."
*Clench*, it sounded like someone was grinding their teeth somewhere.
He's going to have a hard time later if he gets implants like that.
I hope he continues to grind his teeth habitually in the future.
"Have fun playing with your airhead girlfriends."
With that, I flipped him off and left the scene.
***
*Ring ring-*
In the dim alleyway leading home, I called a new number that I had saved a long time ago.
*Click*, the other party answered the phone.
"Hello, Grandma?"
-Oh my, my grandson-in-law. What's wrong?
I tried my best not to tremble and carefully broached the subject.
It wasn't something light to say like "Have you eaten?".
"Do you happen to know someone named Congressman Jeon Jinmook?"
-Ah. Yes, I know him well. That person's campaign promise this time requires cooperation with the Magic Tower, and I'm in charge of that.
"…Then, if you'll excuse my rudeness, would it be okay to ask you for a favor?"
-A favor?
I know this is rude. She and I only met briefly this morning, so our relationship is short and thin.
But only she could grant this request right now.
Of course, the future me could do it too, but it would be meaningless if I didn't do it right now.
"I want to get revenge on Congressman Jeon Jinmook. No, to be precise, on his son."
-Hmm… Hyunwoo, I didn't think you were so emotional.
"This is more important to me than anything else."
-Hmm…
I could sense her difficulty in Choi Youngok's humming over the phone.
So, I added a word to ease her concerns a little.
"I have an aptitude for elements and summoning."
-…?
"I'm still limited to handling fire and lightning with the elemental system, but I'm confident that I'll be able to handle more attributes in the future."
I decided to make it a transaction rather than a one-sided request.
"And…"
The price was myself.
"I think I'll reach the 2nd Circle soon."
It wasn't a lie.
What a mage needs to advance to the next level is to create a circle, a ring made of magical power, in their heart.
Just three days.
I was confident that if I was given that time, I could reach the 2nd Circle.
"It's a request from my prospective grandson-in-law… How can I refuse?"
There was no argument that it was a gamble.
Choi Youngok could see me in a bad light because of this.
But I was serious about revenge enough to take such a gamble.
-Hyunwoo.
"…Yes."
I heard a somewhat serious voice.
-You said the purpose is revenge?
*Gulp*… I swallowed hard, and the dry saliva barely went down my throat.
-I'll show you more than you can imagine, so look forward to it. Hehe.
In her voice in the last conversation of the call, I could glimpse her heavy goodwill and chilling resolve towards me.
This is just my guess, but shouldn't Jeon Jinmook be out on the street soon because of the sin of having a bad son?