[TS] Became a Peach Saint – Chapter 165

“Pfft!”

“Sniff.”

“Haha, achoo!”

As we stepped outside, Professor Hwang greeted us with a strange expression.

“Shin Yong, Kim Chan-yong, Noa, Han Ga-eul—4 hours, 26 minutes, first place.”

“Woo-hoo.”

“But did the air conditioner break in the training cave?”

“Uh… yeah. It was a bit cold. Next time, can we get a heater instead?”

Professor Hwang’s already weird expression grew even weirder. He looked completely baffled.

Leaving the confused professor behind, we settled into a corner of the outdoor training ground.

“Hey, guys, come here.”

I gestured to the shivering Three Musketeers, who sniffled and shuffled over.

“Sorry. Baekseol is still a baby, so I guess she couldn’t control it.”

“Exciting!”

Baekseol, nestled in my arms, seemed delighted as I petted her, rubbing her head against my fingers.

“No problem.”

“It’s fine.”

“Me too.”

“Thanks. If you keep shivering like that, you’ll catch a cold. Come sit here.”

The trembling trio sat down in front of me.

*Ding!*

I bought some blankets and draped one over each of them. Even in this situation, they looked amazed.

“I’ll make something warm for you in a bit.”

I pulled out a gas burner from the storage space and started boiling water in a kettle. The three guys stared blankly at the bubbling water.

*Gurgle.*

“It’s quince tea. It’s hot, so blow on it before drinking.”

“Thanks.”

“Here, Noa and Chan-yong too.”

“Thanks, Ga-eul.”

“You’re a lifesaver. Thanks, Ga-eul.”

“Mm-hmm.”

It felt like an untimely cold snap had hit us on a pleasant spring day.

*Phew— phew—*

Still, sipping the hot tea made me feel better.

As Shin Yong drank his tea, he glanced at Baekseol beside me.

“She’s so tiny, but how is she so strong?”

Baekseol, who had been munching on flowers nearby, seemed to notice his gaze and approached him with a flower in her mouth.

“Eat!”

“Huh?”

“It’s delicious!”

She must’ve mistaken his gaze for a desire to eat.

Shin Yong, flustered, looked at me.

“She says it’s delicious and wants you to try it.”

“Oh? Thanks.”

Shin Yong took the flower from Baekseol, plucked a petal, and floated it on his teacup. Then he plucked two more pieces and handed them to the other two.

I had no idea what the four of them were doing, but it was fun to watch.

“Baekseol, did you eat everything?”

“Yep!”

Baekseol, who had shared her flowers, scampered over and snuggled into me.

“Sleepy.”

“Get in my hood and nap.”

“Okay.”

I opened my hood slightly, and Baekseol burrowed inside.

When it comes to eating and sleeping, rabbits are the best.

*Chik, chik.*

*Phew— Ah, the weather’s nice.*

Leaning against a tree behind me, I lit a cigarette, and all my worries seemed to vanish.

*Beep!*

3:11 PM

The first class, which started around 10, finally ended past 3.

Even a country dog gets fed while guarding the house—what kind of nonsense is this?

No matter how you look at it, this test is way too hard for freshmen.

*Phew— Since I owe you guys for today, I’ll treat you to dinner. Let’s go out and eat something good.”

“Shouldn’t we be the ones thanking you?”

“Right.”

“Enough already. I’ll treat you to something delicious.”

“Sure thing, Mother Baekseol.”

“Ugh, seriously.”

“Hahaha.”

Laughing and chatting with my schoolmates, this moment struck a strange chord in my heart.

They’re making it.

Just because we dug up a cave, I feel like we’ve gotten closer.

“Phew─”

Meanwhile, time passed, and the cadets who came out of the cave started to show their faces.

Most of them were in bad shape, being dragged out by the instructor.

“Let’s go. The kids are coming out.”

I stubbed out the cigarette I was smoking, stretched my stiff body, and got up. The three companions sitting around me followed suit and stood up in a rush.

As we headed towards the entrance, the cadets’ faces became clearer.

They’re all a mess. This must be their first time experiencing something like this.

Even though the surroundings are chaotic, Professor Hwang seems busy grading.

“Looks like everyone had a tough time.”

“Yeah.”

While the cadets around were chatting about how the test went, a familiar face approached me.

“Hey.”

The voice clearly carried hostility.

It was the friendly guy with scars all over his face who picked a fight with me on the first day.

“Hey? What’s up, you bastard. You wanna die?”

“Wait. Autumn, calm down.”

“What’s going on?”

“What’s the matter?”

The three companions standing next to me blocked my way as if they had been waiting.

The scarred guy, whose name I don’t even know, rolled his eyes.

“Huhu. Guess there’s a difference between first and second place, huh? Who would’ve thought you’d take first place with that bumpkin. Our team’s idiots gave up early and left us behind.”

“Stop talking nonsense and leave. If it weren’t for Han Ga-eul, we would’ve given up long ago.”

At Shin Yong’s words, the other two nodded.

“Our supporter is a hundred times better than you.”

“We wouldn’t trade our supporter for a hundred of you.”

I don’t know what these guys are saying in front of the person in question, but it’s embarrassing.

Hearing the three companions’ voices, the scarred guy rolled his eyes and looked at me.

Does Support Magic Silence have an amnesia effect or something?

I’m pretty sure I knocked this guy out until the end of class, so I don’t know why he’s acting like this.

“What are you doing at the training ground! Return to your seats!”

Professor Hwang, who had finished grading, seemed to notice the commotion and raised his voice.

“Huhu. Han Ga-eul.”

The snake-like bastard licks his lips with his tongue.

“Teacher! He keeps picking fights!”

“Return to your seats immediately!”

“Huhu.”

The guy stares at me with sticky eyes.

“He’s crazy. Guys, move aside.”

“Autumn, calm down.”

I gently pushed aside the three companions blocking my way, and the guy laughed as if he were on drugs.

“Huhu.”

“What are you laughing at, you idiot?”

─Smack!

“Crack.”

When I slapped him, his jaw flew up into the sky.

Then, he face-planted into the ground.

I grabbed his hair and lifted him up; his jaw was dislocated.

But thanks to his sturdy build, he’s still breathing fine.

“Teacher! Look at this. A bug!”

“Sigh…”

Professor Hwang rubbed the back of his neck.

“Han Ga-eul, three penalty points.”

“Ah, teacher! Why!”

“Why is a Japanese song, you brat!”

Professor Hwang swore for the first time.

This is so unfair.

“He started it!”

I lifted the scarred guy in my hand, and seeing that, Professor Hwang rubbed his neck again.

“Sigh, what are we going to do if you hit your classmates.”

“I didn’t hit him, it’s Support Magic Sleep. Look, he’s sound asleep.”

Professor Hwang pressed his temples firmly.

“….Return to your seats.”

“Hey, kid, you’re crazy.”

“2 points.”

“Alright, that’s 2 penalty points. Now, go back.”

“Yes!”

2 points are enough to make fun of.

I threw the thing I was holding on the floor and walked back to my seat, and the cadets around me stared.

But my steps were light.

“Today’s class ends here. Everyone, go back and rest well. Dismissed!”

At Professor Hwang’s words, the place became noisy again.

“Shin Yong Loan Team, assemble!”

“What’s that? We’re not debt collectors.”

Our scattered team gathered, looking puzzled but coming together.

“Tell me what you guys want to eat. Today, I’m treating you to anything.”

The trio, who had been pondering, all spoke up at once.

“Samso?”

“I want beef.”

“I want Beef Wellington.”

Typical guys, all about meat.

“Isn’t that Beef Wellington thing a pie?”

“Yeah.”

I think I had it at a yacht party once.

“Alright, we’re eating it all today. Everyone, get ready.”

“Ooh!”

***

– Sorry, sir.

“Yes.”

Click.

“No seats, huh?”

Most places around here that serve Beef Wellington are fine dining, and even those are full.

Without a reservation, it’s harder than I thought to get in.

“Autumn, I’m fine. Let’s just eat anything.”

“Hmm. Then let’s go to a regular restaurant.”

After searching, there were plenty of regular restaurants.

Among them, I picked one with good reviews, and most were nearby.

Thanks to Wisdom Academy, the commercial area seems really developed.

“It’s right behind us!”

“Haha.”

“The meat’s all gone.”

“I’m hungry.”

“We’ll destroy the steak first, then Samso second!”

“Yeah!”

With the intention of really destroying everything, we all rushed into the building behind us.

Ding!

The elevator, as if waiting for us, came down to the first floor.

“Autumn, what floor?”

“7th floor!”

Pressing the button, the elevator smoothly went up.

As expected of a fancy building, the elevator is also high-class.

In no time, we arrived at the 7th floor, and the doors opened to reveal an even fancier restaurant welcoming us.

It still seems relaxed since it’s not dinner time yet.

“Welcome. Do you have a reservation?”

“No, we just came.”

“I’ll show you to your seats.”

I wonder why they even asked.

“Okay.”

The waiter guided us to our seats and handed us the menu right away.

“We’ll have the course menu.”

Without much thought, I told the waiter, who scribbled on the paper he was holding.

“Is there anything else you need?”

At the waiter’s question, Noa made a slight gesture with her hand.

“We’d like a pairing, please.”

“Yes, we’ll prepare it right away.”

Noa seems like she’s from a well-off family. There’s an aura about her that gives off a strange vibe.

After waiting a bit, the waiter came back.

“Here’s your bread and butter.”

The waiter brought a large loaf of bread and sliced it smoothly.

The restaurant atmosphere is nice, but it doesn’t feel like it suits me, maybe because my taste is cheap.

***

“For dessert, we have sorbet prepared.”

The waiter brought the final dessert and left.

But, I guess they didn’t notice the elderly couple across the room raising their hand slightly.

After the waiter left, they looked a bit awkward.

Puts the hand down again.

“Tastes good.”

“Thanks for the meal, Autumn.”

“Finished eating.”

“But do you have room for pork belly?”

“Hmm.”

Seriously ponders this again.

While the three companions are eating dessert and chatting, a man in a chef’s uniform approaches us from over there.

The elderly couple on the other side sees this and raises their hand again.

You can see the man’s pupils slightly shift as he walks. But he pretends not to notice and walks past them toward us.

If the waiter had stepped away for a moment, someone else at the table should have handled it, but I don’t know why he’s acting like this.

“Hello, I’m Chef Ye Seungho, who prepared today’s meal. How was the course?”

“It was delicious.”

“Haha, that alone makes me happy, but having a student from Wisdom Academy visit makes me even happier.”

What a slimy guy.

It’s not a problem to show ambition, but if it’s too blatant, it just makes the other person feel gross.

“But there’s a big problem.”

The chef’s face shows confusion.

“Uh, what…?”

“The big problem is that I only got to eat this kind of food now.”

The chef, who had been tense, breaks into a smile.

“Ah! Haha. Such a beautiful person with a sharp tongue too.”

“Thanks to you, my vision is getting dark.”

The chef’s face stiffens again.

“…Yes?”

“Like a beautiful universe.”

The chef’s stiff face suddenly relaxes, and he bursts into laughter.

“Hahaha.”

“Like seeing the beautiful Pluto?”

“Such high praise…”

“Even though it got kicked out.”

The chef, unable to control his expression, grimaces.

The three companions listening to our conversation are also rolling their eyes in disbelief.

“…..”

“Like a lonely, solitary fight, turning your back on the world?”

“I… can’t tell if that’s a compliment or not.”

“Then, let me be blunt.”

“Yes.”

“It was mediocre.”

“Ah… I’m sorry.”

Chef Ye Seungho, shoulders slumped, turns away.

“I misspoke. Not mediocre, but stellar. Like Pluto, proudly floating along the starry path.”

“Ah! Thank you.”

He smiles brightly again.

“Though that planet doesn’t exist anymore.”

“….You little bastard.”

“I can hear you, you cosmic brat.”

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