Academy's Silver Gatekeeper
Ch. 123

In the afternoon, water play at the swimming pool, and in the evening, a barbecue party.

Especially the barbecue party seemed to have received tremendous attention from the servants at the villa.

Not only the barbecue ingredients they prepared, but even the charcoal to be used reeked of luxury.

"Wow... Examiner. Does meat normally melt in your mouth like this?"

Facing a meat festival that kept coming endlessly no matter how much we ate.

Lee Hyunwoo kept eating non-stop like he was filming some eating show.

Hey. Anyone would think you grew up without ever eating meat once, you bastard.

I know academy cafeteria food comes out really well too, so aren't you being too serious?

Honestly, meat is delicious whenever, wherever, whatever, however you eat it.

All meat melts in your mouth, but this time is definitely different.

Maybe because it was prepared by the Kang family, even the chewing sensation was differentiated.

"Puhah! What's with you, junior! Anyone would think you're eating meat for the first time!"

"Right. How can it keep going in like that?"

"It melts in your mouth, so naturally it keeps going in smoothly!"

"Of course meat melts softly in your mouth! Don't you know that saying?! When you're depressed, go to meat!"

"Oh. I'm hearing that for the first time, but it's right! When you're depressed, go to meat! Amazing!"

Those who will have tremendous achievements later. Lee Hyunwoo, Kang Hana, and Yoo Dasom.

The conversation these future heroes are having is, how should I put it... kind of breaks the immersion.

Even if it's not tremendously important conversation, I thought they'd talk about future situations.

Since they're suddenly developing meat praise theory, it's quite strange.

Was the unconscious picture I was thinking of a protagonist party having in-depth discussions?

Thinking about the breathlessly turning world, I wonder what we're doing...

...No, no. Considering their age, this is actually right. Laughing and chattering like that is normal.

Just because the world is wavering doesn't mean everyone needs to be depressed and tense.

'And there's no need to recall the seriousness of the situation all the way here.'

As Suhyeon said, and as I said before, rest is important.

Through such brief moments of rest like now, we charge our will and strength to fight.

Not just physical rest, but to recover from mental fatigue.

Even I feel like I finally have some breathing room doing this.

"We'll handle the cleanup. Please go in and rest, honored guests."

After dinner ended, servants who had been waiting somewhere appeared.

Then they dissuaded me and others who were trying to clean up and did the cleaning themselves.

I felt bad just watching, so I tried to help a little, but they were shocked and dissuaded me.

This is their job, so there's no reason for us to worry.

If we do this, they'd rather have nothing to do, so they'll just accept our feelings.

"I'll help just a little."

"Oh my. It's really okay..."

"I'm still not quite used to just watching others work. Um, I just need to recycle and clean these things, right? I'll just do up to here."

I don't know about others, but this is quite uncomfortable for me.

Things I ate and drank. It feels better to clean up at least some of it.

Even when I go to restaurants, I'm the type to at least wipe up spills before leaving.

Strange? Well, I admit it. You can say I'm peculiar.

Honestly, sometimes I think I'm frustrating when I see myself like this.

"Examiner? Why are you there..."

While carrying recyclable trash, I ran right into Suhyeon.

Looking at Suhyeon's expression, she seems to want to ask 'Why are you doing such work?'

I quickly continued speaking, worried the servants might get in trouble later.

"I'm cleaning this because I said I'd clean it. It's absolutely not that the servants asked for help or anything, so don't worry. I just have the principle of cleaning up at least a little of what I messed up."

"Should I have helped too?"

"No, no. I was just going to throw this away and go in."

They are servants of the Kang family, and Suhyeon is the granddaughter of Kang Minseong, the Kang family's owner.

There's absolutely no reason for such Suhyeon to do this work. If she did, the servants would be in trouble.

"Give it to me. Let's share and carry that together."

Before I could say it's okay, Suhyeon quickly snatched what was in my left hand.

I didn't stop her anymore and headed to the recycling area together.

"How was today?"

While finishing recycling and washing hands at the faucet, Suhyeon asked that.

Rest at the villa that happened due to a somewhat sudden proposal. The question of how that was.

I answered honestly without any exaggeration.

"Of course it was good."

"Was it?"

"Yeah. The villa facilities are tremendous, and we had a wonderful dinner too. It really feels like I'm properly enjoying what 'rest' means for the first time in a long while. It's all thanks to you, Suhyeon. Thank you so much."

"I'm glad. That you said that."

Then brief silence. Suhyeon was just washing her hands standing next to me.

Looking closely, it seems like she still has something she wants to say.

I couldn't tell what she wanted to say.

Should I just ask directly, I thought, just as that thought arose.

"Um... Examiner."

Finally Suhyeon opened her mouth again and continued speaking.

"There's one more thing I want to ask."

"What is it?"

"...How was it?"

Huh? Suddenly asking how it was. Without a subject, how can I know what that is?

When I looked at Suhyeon briefly with that question, Suhyeon's face turned slightly red.

"I, I mean. Earlier... at, at the swimming pool."

"Oh."

"How was I? Sw, swimsuit."

...Ah. Aah. Aaah! Baek Seojin, you bastard! Pay attention.

Would Suhyeon have prepared such aggressive clothing to show Lee Hyunwoo!

Stupidly. I should have given that feedback earlier.

"Ahem. It, it suited you well."

"Did it?"

"Yeah. Actually I was embarrassed to say it so I was deliberately not saying anything, but since Suhyeon asked like this, I'll tell the truth. Actually... you were prettier than Irina."

Somehow I ended up seeing both Irina's underwear and Suhyeon's swimsuit.

And the extremely subjective opinion that came out...

To be really honest, both are pretty. It's impossible to determine superiority.

To the point where even if told to absolutely choose just one, I couldn't choose in the end.

But that's only when both are present or both are absent.

In times like now when only one person is present, it's right to throw everything else away and unconditionally support that one person.

"...Hehe."

Fortunately, this answer of mine seemed very pleasing, as Suhyeon started giggling.

Then, unable to contain her joy, she stuck right next to me and kept grinning.

If I had clumsily said bullshit like 'You were both pretty'... Ugh. I don't want to imagine.

From when I first received room assignment, I felt it, but it's really too wide.

For one person to stay, there's a living room, bedroom, bathroom and separate shower room.

Seeing there are two dressing rooms, I wonder if this is really a villa.

Just one day. Even that's just a few hours in reality.

Just staying those few hours makes both body and mind feel healed.

This makes me understand why people talk about hotel vacation packages. This is so healing.

Knock knock—

"Examiner?"

When I got up from bed and opened the door, I saw Suhyeon in comfortable clothes.

"Um... could we talk for a moment?"

"Talk?"

"Yes. Ah, if you're tired, later is also..."

It wouldn't be difficult. So I roughly put on an upper garment and came out of the room.

"What do you want to talk about, Suhyeon?"

Sitting on a bench and watching the mood briefly, I asked that.

Looking at the atmosphere, it seems like she wants to have some serious conversation.

"There's something I've been curious about."

"Curious about?"

"Yes. I really wanted to ask, but I was also a bit scared. Something I couldn't ask until now."

Saying that, Suhyeon suddenly stares directly at me.

Her eyes sparkle so much it feels a bit burdensome.

Moreover, she really wanted to ask but was also a bit scared.

I can't quite grasp what Suhyeon wanted to ask me.

"From when you first saved me, and after that too. Continuously, endlessly. The examiner has been paying tremendous attention to me. Even with that Irina present... you pay more attention to me than that woman."

Suhyeon swallows dry saliva once and continues.

"Could that possibly be... because grandfather asked you to?"

"Huh?"

"If not that... because I'm grandfather's granddaughter. Is that why you pay such attention to me?"

After hearing that far, I could finally understand.

Why she said it was scary. What part exactly was scary.

"So Suhyeon, you're... because you're Chairman Kang Minseong's granddaughter. You're wondering if that's why I'm paying attention to you."

"...Yes."

I noticed Suhyeon's voice trembled slightly when giving that last answer.

She has feelings, and thought the other person might too.

But if that was just a simple misunderstanding. If the other person was just giving 'favor' because of what was beyond that.

Suhyeon seemed to be worried about that possibility.

"No."

So I could answer without a moment's hesitation.

No. The reason I pay attention to you is definitely not that.

"Not that?"

"Yeah. No. Even if you weren't Chairman Kang Minseong's granddaughter, I would have acted the same way."

At first, it was simply to eliminate the Red Witch, who was the worst villain.

I protected Suhyeon from Kwak Hyuk's grasp for only that reason.

I did so to save innocent people who would lose their lives because of her.

Then, is it still the same now? Am I still worried about the villain 'Red Witch'?

'No. No.'

What I'm worried about now is not the villain 'Red Witch' but the person Kim Suhyeon.

Originally a woman who is more delicate and warm than anyone, who can become an excellent ability user.

I worry about her. I protect her. So I want to see her happy.

Not hating the world, hating people, fighting alone and dying.

I hope she mingles with the world, laughs with people, and lives in unity with companions.

"Really... is that so? Really, really is that so?"

"Yeah. Really. I just like you, Suhyeon. That's why I'm doing this."

How could I keep doing this without any feelings?

Even if it's not as much as Suhyeon looks at me, I definitely have clear feelings too.

I like that this person likes me. I'm happy when she smiles in front of me.

"Examiner."

Did some of my sincerity get through? Suhyeon calls me again.

Her trembling voice has calmed down a lot. The smile that had disappeared is being drawn again.

"If that's really true... if you're really doing this for me... could you close your eyes for a moment?"

I closed my eyes without hesitation.

Whatever she wants to do doesn't matter. Because it's Suhyeon. She surely wouldn't harm me...

'Oh.'

Something very warm and extremely soft was placed over my lips.