abcnovels
Chapter 62
Chapter 62: Aftermath
Aftermath
A young female hunter stood at the forefront of the rescue team, giving commands. With each movement of her hands, large rocks were hurled aside. "President, you've done enough. You can head back now. We can handle the rest."
"No. There are still many people inside," Moon Soorin replied as beads of sweat ran down her face, her hands manipulating mana.
Telekinesis. It was her innate magical ability—the very essence of the mana within her. She possessed an incredible aptitude for manipulating, shaping, and materializing mana.
As dirt was unearthed along with her hand, a path emerged. According to expert analysis, rescuing people along this path was deemed impossible. Each corridor existed independently, not connected to others. That's why breaking through the dungeon walls was their only option.
"This is insane. Is she really a student?"
"Yeah, but isn't she pushing herself too hard? She's been digging alone without even taking a break."
"Maybe her boyfriend is trapped in here."
The accompanying combat hunters had no tasks at hand. Though they were combat-ready, their progress in breaking through the wall lagged behind Moon Soorin's. For hours, she had been singlehandedly clearing the path. Dozens of students had been rescued already, yet her efforts showed no signs of slowing down.
"Just a moment. There are one, no, two more behind," an expert trailing Moon Soorin with mana detection devices reported.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I sense the mana. One person's energy is weak. We should break through immediately!"
Moon Soorin clenched her teeth and summoned more mana, sending dirt flying behind her. The rocks and stones blocking her way were instantly cleared. "We're almost through!"
"I'm sensing mana activity! Could they be in a battle?"
As the wall was pierced, light started streaming in from the other side. Moon Soorin summoned mana again and cleared the wall. This was already the tenth rescue attempt. Among them, Lee Hoyeon was missing.
Where could he possibly be…?! Soorin had rescued survivors and teams of healers who thanked her. However, passing by unrecognizable faces and human body parts, she was overcome with anxiety.
Balancing her duties as student council president, overseeing the academy as the chairman's granddaughter, carrying the expectations and pressures as a third-year honor student, and not to mention dealing with relentless paparazzi who invaded her personal time. Moon Soorin stood resolute in the middle of the desert, with nowhere to turn. In that difficult situation, she had finally found a sanctuary for her heart. She couldn't afford to give up.
Crash! She gathered mana and pierced the wall all at once. If this was a dud, she had to start the next task immediately. She cleared away the fallen fragments of rocks and swept up the dust with her mana as she moved forward.
"Huh? Soorin Noona?" And then, a voice that brought comfort just by hearing it reached her ears.
"Ho-Hoyeon! Are you okay?!"
"So-Soorin Noona? What's going on? Why are you even here?"
"Hoyeon… Thank goodness you're alright!" In a split second, her tension melted away.
This warmth, this comfort I've yearned for… My haven of peace, the sole person whose presence could soothe my mind. This man… I absolutely can't let him go. Within Soorin's heart, Lee Hoyeon's influence was expanding.
"President! Something's off here!"
"T-This can't be! Is this even possible?!" The rescue team members trailing behind Moon Soorin shouted in alarm.
Oh my, there's still work left. To brace for any unforeseen circumstances, Moon Soorin raised her head and rapidly surveyed her surroundings. The rescue team's focus was locked onto a specific spot. There, two ogres lay side by side.
Ogres were tough monsters that demanded the collaboration of at least two or three B-rank hunters to form a raid party. Among the non-sentient creatures, they could be considered the apex predators. However, over there, two ogres—one with a hole on its belly and the other with half its head obliterated—were sprawled lifeless.
Moon Soorin efficiently assessed her surroundings. Baek Ahyeong and Lee Hoyeon. She could only spot those two figures. While Baek Ahyeong excelled as a healer, she was reputedly lacking in combat prowess. The solo combatant was Lee Hoyeon. His clothes, torn and disarrayed, were streaked with blood. It seemed like they had sustained significant injuries during a fierce battle.
"Ho-Hoyeon, are you…?"
Lee Hoyeon turned his head to assess Baek Ahyeong's condition. Witnessing other female hunters attending to her, he seemed visibly reassured. Soorin thought to herself, As expected, his character remains exemplary. But setting that aside, I'm curious about something.
"You… took down both ogres by yourself?"
***
"Uh…" Once again, things had taken an unexpected turn. Should have done her somewhere else, damn it!
"Miss Ahyeong, besides Hoyeon, were there any other members in your group?" Over there, they were draping a coat over Baek Ahyeong while tending to her.
"Yes, yes. It was just the two of us. Oh, if you venture a bit further down that corridor, you'll find a body. When we arrived, the ogre had already made a mess… We couldn't confirm their identity."
"S-So, you're saying there was another ogre?"
"Uh… yes?"
"In that case, could it be… that Lee Hoyeon took down all three ogres by himself?"
"Uh? W-Well, I guess?" As the talk went on, Baek Ahyeong's expression turned more uncertain. ‘Oops, maybe I shouldn't have said that,' her face seemed to say.
"It's unbelievable! A first-year student, and on top of that, he handled three ogres solo?!"
"This is sensational news. A prodigy of unprecedented proportions…!"
"W-Wait a moment… while that may be true, it's just that…"
I clearly recall asking her to keep it on the down-low, but she's spilling all the beans. Sending a frustrated glance at Baek Ahyeong while arching my eyebrows, she met my gaze and let out a giggle. She playfully scratched her head while mouthing, "My bad."
"Well, for now, I'll escort the saint and Hoyeon out of here. My mana's running low, so it's about time to head back."
"Yes, understood. We'll take care of the rest."
Looks like Moon Soorin wants to go with us. But really, why did she even join the rescue team? This should be a time when her role as the student council president keeps her swamped.josei
★ Heroine Status Window
[Moon Soorin]
[Affection: 60]
[Lust: 30]
[Appetite: 30]
[Fatigue: 59]
Current status: How do I fix this situation now… Ah, I don't know… As long as Hoyeon is safe.
I haven't even advanced through her route yet, so why is she so fond of me?
We trailed behind Moon Soorin, making our way through the dungeon walls. It wasn't just one hole; there were at least a dozen in the walls. With this setup, no wonder we couldn't find our way out.
How many walls have we crossed already?
"President Soorin, did you do all of this?"
"It's just one of my insignificant talents, Saint."
"You don't have to be so formal, calling me ‘Saint'…"
Baek Ahyeong and Moon Soorin were having a chatty exchange. Honestly, I was so beat that I just wanted to get back to the dorm pronto. But soon enough, we spotted a portal leading outside.
Finally, we're getting the heck out of this tiring dungeon. We slipped into the portal without a hitch. After a brief of dizziness, when I opened my eyes, the waiting room was pure chaos. From injured students getting urgent attention to others with their faces bandaged up, and sobbing students and adults huddled nearby… It was a bitter scene.
"I, I need to go save them right away. I have to help too!"
"No, Miss Ahyeong, you're not in any condition to do that right now. Really, what are you talking about?"
"W-Well, but…" Despite her perverted quirks, Baek Ahyeong was always sincere when it came to rescuing others. Muttering to herself, she then sighed. Just then, a professor with a familiar face approached us.
"Yes, there are still 6 missing people. The rescue operation is currently underway…" It was our homeroom professor, Kim Jinhyuk. He had been on a call through his smartwatch as he approached, stopping briefly when he saw us.
"…Additionally, we've confirmed the rescue of 2 more people. There are 4 more remaining. Yes, I'll take charge from here." Having finished his call, the professor came over to us.
"Saint and Lee Hoyeon. I'm relieved to see you both unharmed. First, Saint, please make your way to the medical station over there, and Hoyeon, come with me," He said only that much and then turned around, walking away.
***
I followed Professor Kim Jinhyuk back to Class A. Some of the students and medical staff were waiting. Looks like the students are getting a medical check here.
"Uh, Lee Hoyeon, you're fine. Your clothes are torn, though… Oh, you were with the saint, and it seems you've been treated~" The nurse mumbled, then asked me for my contact information to keep tabs on my condition.
I was about to give it to her without a second thought, but when I saw her cheeks turn slightly red, I told her she could reach out to Professor Kim Jinhyuk instead. She clicked her tongue in response.
Our academy's medical staff are really forward, huh? She's even trying to get into a student's pants.
Once the medical check was done, they said I could head back to the dorms. The students waiting here were part of the team waiting for those who hadn't come out yet.
"Did Lumi and Nam Daeun get rescued? We were in the same team."
"Yeah, they were the first ones out. Nam Daeun came back right away, and Lumi stayed here for a bit but eventually went back to the dorms with Lucy."
"I see, thanks!"
Thank goodness. I was worried that Nam Daeun might leave Lumi behind, but it seems my concern was unfounded.
Alice participated in the practice too, but she's so strong that she could hold her own until she got rescued.
"Well then, time for me to head back too. You all take care."
"Sure."
After a quick farewell, I left Class A. I was exhausted. All I wanted was to crash in my dorm and rest. On the way, I shot Moon Soorin a thank-you message. I was about to message Lucy and Lumi, but turns out they had messaged me first, checking if I was alright. During dungeon practice, we're not allowed to use our smartwatches for communication, so I could only check now. I felt grateful for their concern and replied sincerely before heading back to the dorm.
Liliana was livestreaming away in her room. I ditched my uniform on the way to flop onto the couch. "Ugh, I'm wiped…"
Spending hours upon hours wandering around the dungeon really took a toll on me too. As I pondered whether to just shut my eyes, a message window popped up.
[Special Quest Complete!]
"Oh right, that thing."
[Do you wish to have an audience with the God of Wagers? YES / NO]
Of course I do. But maybe not now. Conversations with this deity can go on for ages, and when they're done, it's like no time has passed at all. But who knows… First, I should think about my well-being and classes for tomorrow. Maybe I'll tackle this over the weekend…
"Can I push it back a few days? Saturday works better for me."
[Understood!]
Looks like the God is pretty lenient. I didn't think it would work, but it did.
"Oh, but now I'm wide awake." The timing was spot on. Given the circumstances, I decided to hit the shower and freshen up.
I picked up the student uniform I'd tossed aside earlier and made my way to the bathroom. After shedding my clothes, I neatly stacked them and entered the shower. Even though my uniform and underwear were bloodied, a spin in the washing machine and a magical hanger would sort them out.
Victoria Academy's technology is the best!
I did a quick Clean spell, but I still felt a little off. Not like there's any actual dirt on me, more like a mental itch. A proper shower always does the trick to recharge me. After finishing the shower, I stepped out and gathered my student uniform… "Hold on. Really? They're gone. It's not my imagination, right?"
Some sort of ghosty underwear thief? I checked twice this time. My underwear vanished again. There must be a dorm ghost!
No, absolute nonsense. I marched with determination to Liliana's room and gave the door a knock.
Looks like this pervy succubus has taken things to a whole new level.
Bang! Bang! I pounded on the door as I yelled, "Hey! Liliana! Open up!"
"W-What's going on?!"
Thud! Thud! I heard the sound coming from inside the room. I wasn't going to wait around.
"Open. The. Door." Liliana couldn't resist my voice imbued with magic and opened the door.
"D-Don't come in! Just wait a sec!"
"Move." I nudged Liliana out of the way—she tried to block me with her whole self—and stepped inside. Two pairs of my underwear were neatly laid out on the bed. One was balled up and wet, obviously soaked. The other was untouched, the pair I had just taken off.
"Haaa…" I sighed as I looked at Liliana.
"S-Sorry…" Liliana's face turned tomato-red as she gave a deep bow. Drops of liquid were falling between the legs of this perverted virgin succubus.
Love what I do? Help me keep doing it by making a donation for 1$ or more through my ko-fi.