I Became a Childhood Friend of the Middle Boss

I Became A Childhood Friend Of The Middle Boss 89

Chapter 89

Golden River Academy, Office of the Principal.

Sohye-ryul welcomed Kang Hanbyeol back, who returned after proving his skills.

Having received a report from Oh Seung-ah beforehand, she knew how he had performed in the artificial gate.

“I had some expectations, but I never thought he would single-handedly conquer the Gray Gate. I thought he would receive help from Oh Seung-ah in the middle. But to bring down a Rank 2 boss monster alone is impressive. He must have been under immense pressure from that monster’s presence…”

“At first, I was startled, but then I realized there was no reason for me to be. The mountains where I lived with the master had many stronger beings than that. Comparing him to them made me feel at ease, and the pressure weighing me down disappeared from the middle onwards.”

“…It seems battling a boss monster granted him resistance to pressure. Many hunters strive tirelessly to gain such resistance, but to acquire it after a single battle with a boss monster is remarkable.”

Sohye-ryul was purely amazed.

Curiosity sparkled in her yellow eyes, and her gaze roamed.

She leaned forward.

“Hmm…”

“…”

Sohye-ryul’s searching gaze.

Feeling her gaze, Kang Hanbyeol sensed an unfamiliar uneasiness.

It felt as if his soul was being laid bare, not just his clothes stripped off.

He subtly moved back from her as she drew near.

Then he changed the subject.

Only then did the tension ease.

“So, does that mean I passed?”

“If you passed, then yes. With that level of skill, even the Principal won’t openly express dissatisfaction. However, complete satisfaction may still elude us. Do you know how many tests the students who enter our academy have to go through?”

“No, not really…”

“From the written exams taken on the mainland, the qualification exam testing the students’ eligibility, to practical exams up to the 5th level, a total of 7 tests. We select and screen students from there. Sometimes, we even look at the middle school transcripts of the applicants.”

“…”

“Compared to that, Kang Hanbyeol took the tests in a simplified manner. There may still be some who don’t fully understand or oppose this decision. It’s a bit awkward to say this to a student like you… Jinjin has many enemies, and some might not like the fact that Kang Hanbyeol is Jinjin’s disciple.”

Sohye-ryul smiled slyly.

To Gwi Seo-jin.

His reputation for making enemies on both sides due to his quirky personality and barriers was well-known.

Kang Hanbyeol, who had received teachings from him, was well aware of this.

That’s why Kang Hanbyeol calmly tried to figure out her intentions even when his master was mentioned.

“What should I do then? Should I take additional tests for them to understand?”

“No, there’s no need for more tests. Even if you do that, they won’t be convinced.”

“Then…”

“How about doing this instead? Solve the missions they propose to earn their recognition. That way, they won’t have anything to say. Of course, I will adjust the difficulty level as needed. I’ll make sure to provide appropriate rewards as solving missions might interfere with your academy life. It doesn’t seem bad for Kang Hanbyeol, right?”

“…”

Sohye-ryul suggested in a mild tone.

As she said, it wasn’t a bad proposal.

However, Kang Hanbyeol felt suspicious.

‘What’s on her mind?’

Judging by the flow of the conversation and her attitude,

Sohye-ryul’s proposal was intentional.

It was undoubtedly her plan from the beginning to entrust him with a mission.

“….”

There was a hidden agenda.

However, it was impossible to grasp So Hye-ryul’s true feelings while she quietly smiled.

It seemed she had no intention of revealing her inner thoughts even if asked.

“She’s a colleague of the master, and doesn’t seem like a bad person from my gut feeling….”

In such a situation, one could only rely on their instincts in the end.

Kang Han-byeol finally spoke after contemplating.

“Yes, I will follow Director Lee’s instructions.”

“Good decision. I will contact you separately later.”

It wasn’t without any reward, so he decided to accept the proposal.

So Hye-ryul clapped lightly with a friendly face.

Soon, she took out a card from her pocket and placed it on the table.

“Director Lee, what is this…?”

“This is the dorm key where Kang Han-byeol will stay for a semester. A student who was supposed to enroll had to cancel due to unavoidable circumstances, leaving one room available.”

The card had a base color close to olive green.

On the front was the emblem of Geumgang Academy, and on the back was the room number written with Peridotite.

“The dormitory assigned to Kang Han-byeol is called Gamnamseok Dormitory. It’s the third dormitory out of the 12 in the academy. Among the 5 dormitories assigned to freshmen, it’s the third highest. I wanted to assign him to the highest dormitory, Chwiohk Dormitory, even considering his connection with Jung Jin, but unfortunately, there were no vacancies.”

“No. It’s fine because I won’t have to sleep outside, right?”

“Thank you for saying so. With Kang Han-byeol’s abilities, he may be assigned to a higher-ranked dormitory from the second semester onwards. Since you must be tired from coming from afar and need to unpack, I hope you rest well in the dormitory. I will handle the enrollment process, so don’t worry.”

“Yes, thank you! Director Lee!”

“I hope you do well in the future.”

After finishing the business, Kang Han-byeol got up.

He gathered his belongings placed on one side and left the director’s office.

Left alone in the office, So Hye-ryul’s gaze fell on the box on the table.

“….”

It was a box sent by Jung Seo-jin.

One of the assets he donated as a condition for admitting Kang Han-byeol.

So Hye-ryul opened the box.

Click!

Inside the box, besides concealing spells and various security spells, there was a single key.

“….”

An entirely black key.

So Hye-ryul cautiously reached out to check the key and murmured softly.

“Thank goodness it arrived safely.”

* * *

In her previous life, she lived simply, only buying what was truly necessary.

She had to save every penny of her meager salary, as she had no desires.

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At most, how much money did I spend in a month just to play games?

Back then, I didn’t care about money, started to crave material things a bit, and never imagined I would end up buying so many things just to live alone.

After dinner, having explored the nearby shops, I was carrying paper bags up to my shoulders.

“In reality, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap. Even if I only had a coffee pot, it wouldn’t be a problem living alone. The dormitory also has a refrigerator and a microwave.”

I didn’t harbor any romantic notions about living alone, so I had intended to buy only what was truly necessary, but somehow, things turned out like this.

It was all because I got swept up in the cheerful atmosphere of the people enjoying their shopping.

“Heaven even took care of this and that.”

Not only Yeonha, but Goeunbi and Lisa also joined in and helped me choose the items I needed.

The three of us deliberated like we were decorating our own rooms with great enthusiasm.

“Hey, Gyenwoo, you should get this too.”

“A diffuser? Do we really need it?”

“Of course. It’s essential.”

“We can’t do without it!”

“It’s necessary.”

“…Then let’s just pick one at random.”

“How about this scent? It’s called Lemon Herb.”

“A refreshing scent like Lemon Herb is nice, or what about a sweet fragrance?”

“Oh! I use this brand at home, I recommend it! The fragrance is really nice!”

In my past life, I didn’t use a diffuser.

I wasn’t sure if it would spread fragrance even if placed at home, and since it was a consumable that needed to be replaced once used up, I felt the money spent on it could have bought me a bowl of rice soup instead.

Even in my reincarnated form, my thoughts were similar.

Although my mother left it in my room, I didn’t pay much attention to it.

But these three spent tens of minutes choosing a diffuser as if it were of utmost importance.

In the end, I had to take drastic action.

“Let’s just buy everything.”

“Is it too much to carry all the luggage?”

“Wow, as expected of a rich kid…”

“Wouldn’t the luggage be heavy?”

I could spend as much money as I wanted.

I confidently swiped the sponsorship card my father had given me.

And it was the same afterward.

“Shampoo seems to be available in the dormitory, but do I still have to buy it?”

“Yeah, I have to buy it.”

“Shampoo should be of good quality!”

“Hair is life, you know.”

“…You guys figure it out.”

Shampoo, body wash, and so on.

I bought what the girls wanted, took out my sponsorship card each time.

Then, my father called.

[Dad]: Son, what on earth are you buying so much of…

[Me]: It’s for the kids.

[Dad]: Kids? Besides the heavens, who? The twins? Are they girls, by any chance?

[Me]: Yes.

[Me]: The ones I was with in the photos from the after-party.

[Dad]: Swipe that card generously, don’t go around eating cheap food with them.

[Dad]: Buy their meals too.

[Me]: I already did that earlier.

[Dad]: Well done.

With my father’s approval, I found myself draped in plastic bags.

Not just me, everyone who shopped together was in the same situation.

We all had so much luggage that we were struggling to figure out how to get back.

So, I made a decision.

“It’s not going to work. Let’s take a taxi.”

“Isn’t that the better choice? It’s not easy to solve with magic.”

“I’m all for taking a taxi.”

“Us too!”

“The transportation costs in the academy city are outrageous, especially for taxis, right? Ugh…”

“I’ll cover the taxi fare, so don’t worry.”

“Oh? Really? Then I’ll make sure we ride comfortably without holding back! Thank you!”

There was no one who opposed.

Eunbi, who was fretting over the taxi fare, quickly changed her expression.

I chuckled at her change of attitude.

We soon headed to the roadside to catch a taxi.

There were plenty of taxis waiting, so it wasn’t difficult to catch one.

“Wow, they sure have a lot. Must be students starting school?”

“Yes, we’re heading to Geumgang Academy.”

“Nice school to get into. Got it.”

The taxi driver quickly got out of the car and opened the trunk for us as soon as he saw us.

We put our luggage in the trunk as much as possible and decided to carry the rest with us.

“Ha-Neul, you go in first.”

“Oh, thank you.”

“Gyun-Woo, have a safe ride!”

“I’ll repay you next time.”

Yeon Ha-Neul, Go Eun-Bi, Lisa.

The three of us carrying luggage carefully entered the taxi one by one.

I closed the door after Lisa got in and moved to the front passenger seat.

Then, the triplets shouted.

“Hey! Gyun-Woo! What about us!?”

“Can we get in too!?”

“Should we take the taxi behind!?”

The triplets holding the luggage in their arms.

I told the dogs waiting for the owner’s command.

“You guys, come on over.”

“What!? What’s that supposed to mean!?”

“Hey, kidding, right? Isn’t it?”

“Say something, Gyun-Woo!”

“If you come running as you are carrying the luggage, it will be good training.”

The triplets looked at me as if I was out of my mind.

It was a look of being lost in thought.

No, should I say it was a look of betrayal by the owner.

But I was sincere.

The triplets needed training.

In that sense, it seemed to be beneficial training for them.

There was no ill will.

“I hope you’ll be back before the day is over.”

“Hey! Are you serious about that…!?”

“Please head to Geumgang Academy.”

“Hey, this crazy lunatic!”

The triplets yelled something.

Sadly, I couldn’t hear them properly in the taxi.

As the taxi quickly moved forward, they disappeared from view through the rearview mirror.

It seemed like they were going to chase the taxi, but then they seemed to give up.

‘Train hard.’

Would the triplets truly understand the hopes for their growth?

One day, when they achieve success, they won’t be able to leave me out.

I silently cheered for them.

Meanwhile, Lisa, sitting in the back seat, seemed worried.

“But is it really okay to leave them like this?”

“I… will just keep quiet.”

“…I can’t say anything because I’m getting this for free.”

I glanced at the rearview mirror.

The young sky outside the window.

Goeunbi’s chuckle.

Lisa leaning her head out between the driver’s seat and the passenger seat.

Observing their reactions, I shrugged nonchalantly.

“They’ll be fine. They follow orders well even if they complain. It’s rewarding to train them.”

“…Is that really training?”

“That’s right.”

“Hmm… I see.”

Though uncertain.

Reluctantly, Lisa accepted without further questioning.

The taxi driver chimed in.

“hahahaha, students might not know, but that’s how men bond. It’s a way for men to build camaraderie.”

“Is that so? They seem like troublemakers.”

“You know your stuff. They are troublemakers.”

It’s not like that.

But I chose to stay quiet and quietly looked out the window.

In the meantime, Lisa engaged in conversation with the taxi driver.

“I have a friend who acts like that too. When we drink, if one of us gets drunk, whether intoxicated or not, we leave each other on the street and go home.”

“Oh… Isn’t that dangerous?”

“That’s why you need to stay sober.”

“Oh….”

The taxi driver was a chatterbox.

We, tired from moving all day, listened dryly without participating in the conversation.

Lisa, who claimed never to have taken a taxi before, had a hard time.

Still, thanks to her efforts, we were able to arrive comfortably at Geumgang Academy.

“Well then, have a good time at the academy!”

“Yes, goodbye….”

Getting off at the dormitory site.

Despite showing signs of exhaustion, Lisa confidently faced the taxi driver.

Only after the taxi vanished did she let out a deep sigh.

“Why… didn’t anyone say anything?”

“Ahem. Good job.”

“Yeah, good job.”

“Yes, yes! Good job, good job!”

Lisa sent us a resentful glance.

We awkwardly changed the subject.

We headed towards the drunken dormitory.

Perhaps because it was late at night.

As we walked, every dormitory we passed had bright lights on.

The figures of people either catching the breeze on the veranda or living in their rooms could be vaguely seen.

Then, one dormitory caught my eye.

‘That’s…’

The jewel attached to the dormitory sign emitted a bright yellow-green light even from a distance, making it unmistakable.

It could be mistaken for an emerald, but it wasn’t an emerald like the one on our dormitory sign.

It was olivine, peridot.

Without even looking at the dormitory’s name, I could tell it was the Olivine Dormitory just by the light of the jewel.

‘By now, she should be in the dormitory.’

According to the flow of the game.

After passing So Hye-Ryul’s test, Kang Han-Byeol would receive admission permission from her and also be given a regular quest.

Regular quests not only added fun to the game for players but sometimes played a role in advancing the main story.

Coincidentally, he was assigned to the vacant room in the Olivine Dormitory.

The dormitory I was looking at right now.

‘Should I go see her face?’

At this time, Kang Han-Byeol would probably be unpacking in the dormitory.

I hesitated, then shook my head.

‘It would be strange to visit her out of the blue, and it might negatively impact the story.’

In the game, Kang Han-Byeol, assigned to the Olivine Dormitory, would meet and get along with his roommate.

A party member of Kang Han-Byeol and a character belonging to the Guardian lineage, Dr. Park.

With a tendency to be verbose, he helped Kang Han-Byeol, who had been ignorant of the world while living in the forest with Toogwi Seo-Jungjin, adapt to the Academy City.

Even though it didn’t have a huge impact on the story, his role couldn’t be ignored.

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I made sure not to interfere with their meeting, fearing I might unintentionally disrupt their encounter.

“Why were you looking at that dormitory?”

“Oh, I just… saw the jewel sparkling.”

Yeona asked, seeming curious.

I vaguely responded to her question, passing by the Olivine Dormitory and heading towards our drunken dormitory.

And every time the elevator stopped, we exchanged farewells.

“Today was really enjoyable! Let’s meet again tomorrow or the day after if we have time! Good night!”

“I’ll get off here. You all worked hard today. Rest well.”

Goeunbi and Lisa got off.

Soon, Yeonhaneul also got off.

“I think I’ll head back now. What about tomorrow morning?”

“Since there seems to be a cafeteria in the dorm, let’s have breakfast there as soon as we wake up.”

“Let’s get in touch when we wake up. Let’s have breakfast together.”

“I’m not sure when I’ll wake up… If you’re hungry, go ahead and eat first. Or wake me up with a call.”

“Got it. If you’re not up by 10, I’ll call, so make sure to pick up. Okay?”

“Come to think of it, it’s like setting a 10 o’clock alarm. There’s no need to set an alarm, really.”

“Hey, I’m not an alarm, you know?”

“I’ll ask. Good night.”

“Really… You too, sleep well.”

They promised to have breakfast together in the morning.

I closed the elevator door.

She waved at me until the door was completely shut.

I did the same.

[15th floor.]

After a while, the elevator stopped.

I stepped out into the corridor as the door opened.

I walked straight to my room.

That was when I met Yonghaerang.

“Hey! Dogyeonwoo! How have you been?”

“Yonghaerang? When did you arrive?”

“I got here about an hour ago… The estate is quite vast. Didn’t expect to get lost even after coming here!”

“Right, it’s totally something you would do.”

Whether he had just finished showering or not.

Yonghaerang had a damp towel around his neck, wearing thin clothes that exposed his arms and legs.

His muscles were always defined.

“His biceps are impressive.”

Even without flexing, there was no sagging under his arms.

His muscles were solid and bulging.

Thicker than my own arms.

If Yonghaerang flexed his arms, the difference would be even more apparent.

“…Jealous.”

Even though I didn’t neglect training, why weren’t my arms bulging.

The difference in physique was cruel.

I silently complained to myself.

“But why did you come out into the corridor? Where are you headed?”

“There’s a training facility here, so I thought I’d do some light training before bed. How about coming along?”

“I’m sorry, but I’m tired from being out and need to organize my things. Let’s do it together next time.”

“Ah, that’s a shame, but it can’t be helped. Are those things you bought with the kids?”

“Yeah. Quite a few, right?”

“Even though it seems like a lot… I don’t think I’ll be able to use them all even by the time I graduate.”

“Well, it just happened that way. You might end up like this soon too. You’ll realize you need more things for living alone than you think.”

“I feel the same looking at you. That’s why I prefer not to go out shopping. Training seems more beneficial to me.”

“What if you don’t go out to shop? Just live like this?”

Yongha might be capable of that.

Being on the top floor, the room was equipped with most things, so living there wasn’t inconvenient.

As if negating my thoughts.

“Why should I just live like this?”

“What? Then how should you live?”

Yongha replied casually.

“In this day and age, with the world being what it is. You can easily live through the internet without going outside to shop, right?”

“….”

“There are online shopping malls that deliver the next day upon ordering… Oh, I heard people in the Academy City mostly use Akamarket. It might be better to try ordering from there.”

“That’s not it.”

“Huh? What did you say? Sorry, I couldn’t hear you well, can you repeat?”

“You’re not that kind of character.”

“What are you talking about?”

Yongha looked puzzled.

I regretted inwardly.

“Gosh, if I knew this would happen, I would’ve just ordered online.”

Why didn’t I think of that?

Most of all, it hurt my pride that Yongha didn’t even think of a thought that crossed my mind for a moment.