I Became an Illegal Cheat User

52 – Alchemy Workshop (1)

The first weekend after entering the academy.

To be precise, it’s the second weekend, but… since this world is an academy setting, it feels like the first weekend.

Anyway, as the weekend arrived when we could go outside without an outing pass, the academy was bustling from the morning.

“Alright, let’s go!”

“Let’s breathe some fresh air for the first time in a while!”

“Hey, if someone hears us, they’ll think we just got out of a detention center.”

From first years to third years.

Without regard to grade, everyone was crossing the academy’s main gate with excited faces.

Asuka and I were sitting on a bench, watching the scene.

“Why is everyone so happy? We can do just about anything at the academy.”

Let me know if you need anything else!

Asuka, tilting her head as if she genuinely didn’t understand, licked the soft-serve ice cream that had been served for breakfast.

I patted Asuka’s head, who was showing off her cute side from the morning, and said,

“It’s because the inside and outside are different.”

While the academy has excellent facilities and the quality of meals is superb, it is, after all, a hero training institution.

Because of that, there are strict rules against alcohol and cigarettes (excluding exceptional abilities), and unless there’s a special reason, students cannot go outside the academy.

Of course, if you can endure the weekdays, you can go out on weekends like this, but…

No matter how voluntarily one enters or how nice the place is, the moment you feel trapped, you start to long for freedom.

That’s why the students leaving the academy this morning are in such a high-spirited mood.

“…Um, I understand what you’re saying, but I can’t grasp it.”

Asuka said this and took a cute bite out of the top of her ice cream.

“You don’t have to understand.”

Just like you, I’m satisfied with academy life, so I understand their feelings but don’t empathize with them.

“I should be heading out soon.”

I stood up from the bench.

The main gate, which had been bustling like a theme park ticket booth, had become somewhat less crowded, so it was time to move.

“Ah… you mentioned you had something to do outside today, right…?”

Asuka, who had followed me up from the bench, looked down at the ground with a sullen face.

She looked just like a puppy.

A puppy sad about its owner leaving for work after promising to take it for a walk.

“What are you sulking about? I’ll be back soon anyway.”

“Really? You’ll be back soon?”

At my words that I would be back soon, Asuka looked up at me with a brightened face, as if she had never been sulking.

Seeing her like that made me chuckle, and I patted her head again.

“It’s nothing much, so I’ll be back by lunch at the earliest, or at the latest by dinner.”

There’s nowhere to go other than the alchemy workshop.

It’s just to check on the poor state of the alchemy field, unlike the copyright registration for recipes and games, so the expected outing time won’t be long.

Unless, of course, a random encounter happens like last time.

“Hehe, really? Then let’s have dinner together tonight.”

“Sure, let’s do that.”

“Ah! Really?”

Asuka’s eyes widened in surprise, as if she hadn’t expected me to readily accept the dinner invitation.

But that was only for a moment.

“Then it’s a promise!”

Asuka smiled brightly, genuinely happy, and offered me the ice cream she had been eating.

I thought the distance between us had lessened significantly after yesterday… but I didn’t expect it to be this much.

I let out a bitter smile and took a bite of the offered ice cream.

But then…

“Ah, ah…”

Asuka was looking at me with a very flushed face.

I wondered why.

“I-I… I offered the wrong thing…”

What she had meant to offer was not the ice cream, but her pinky finger.

“But thinking about it… I think this is okay too…”

Asuka shyly licked the ice cream, the same side I had bitten into.

“……”

Somehow, it feels like she’s become a bit mischievous.

It can’t just be my imagination, right?

&

&

&

Murmurs.

Maybe it’s because it’s the weekend.

The streets of the Pension Workshop were bustling with people.

Of course, considering the recent crack that had appeared, it would make sense for there to be fewer people out of caution.

But that was just my common sense from another world; for the people in this world, cracks and terror are nothing out of the ordinary.

Unless there are large-scale damages, like buildings being destroyed en masse or landscapes being overturned, they go about their daily lives as usual.

The people in this world are that accustomed to it.

To people going missing or losing their lives.

It truly is a heartbreaking situation.

“By the way, why can’t I see the shop? It should be around here somewhere…”

To register a recipe at the alchemy workshop, you must make it right there on the spot.

So, I first needed to gather the ingredients, but the bustling crowd made it impossible to see the shop I was looking for.

I could just follow the signs to find it, but… all the shops in this alchemy workshop street have no signs.

“What was it they said? Something about it not being good for the street’s appearance?”

Anyway, for that reason, I couldn’t easily find the shops.

With a deep sigh, I stepped off the street.

Then, standing still, I began to check the hands of the people around me.

“If I can’t find the shop, I can just look for someone holding it.”

For reference, the “it” I mentioned is “fresh fruit juice.”

Specifically, 100% fresh fruit juice. And that is the key ingredient for the potion recipe I want to register.

As such, I focused intently on the hands of the people strolling by.

And before long.

“I found it!”

I spotted someone holding fresh fruit juice.

I hurriedly pushed through the crowd before that person could disappear.

And just as I reached out to grab them, in that moment.

Whoosh.

As if sensing something, the person turned their head toward me.

And I was met with an unexpected face.

“…Arthur?”

“…Yoojin?”

It was none other than Arthur.

And he was in casual clothes.

No wonder I didn’t recognize him.

“…I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“…Same here.”

Arthur looked at me with a bewildered expression.

I mirrored that same look as I faced him.

‘Who would have thought I’d run into Arthur on the alchemy workshop street…’

Especially someone holding the juice I was looking for.

It truly must be an unexpected meeting in an unexpected place.

“First, let’s get off the street.”

“…Um, that sounds good. Standing here would be a nuisance to others.”

At Arthur’s agreement, I reached out my hand.

And I grabbed her hand.

“……!”

Arthur looked at me with a startled expression.

But I ignored that look and pulled her hand.

In a crowd like this, if we didn’t hold hands while moving, we would quickly get separated.

I held her hand tightly and searched for a quieter spot.

However, no matter where I went, there were people everywhere.

While I couldn’t find a completely quiet place, I was able to locate an area with somewhat fewer people.

“This should be fine.”

I said that and released the hand I had been holding tightly.

Then I turned to face Arthur.

And I could see her.

“Haah…, haah….”

With her face flushed, Arthur was breathing heavily.

“…My, my hand hurts.”

Arthur pulled the hand that had been tightly held to her chest, expressing her discomfort.

But did she realize?

That despite saying it hurt, her expression was filled with delight.

“Oh, dear….”

I sighed and pressed my hand to my forehead.

I had forgotten.

That Arthur had a masochistic tendency.

I let out a deep sigh and looked around.

Whispering.

Indeed, the people around us were watching us with strange looks.

Especially the gazes directed at Arthur held a hint of fear, as if looking at a pervert…, interest…, interest?

‘What’s with the person showing interest?’

That gaze was directed at me.

Somehow…, it seems like there’s a misunderstanding.

It’s about me and Arthur (in disguise) and such…

‘…Ah, damn it.’

I stopped my thoughts.

“Hey, hey!”

“…Uh, um?”

As I shook my body in a hurry, the blush on Arthur’s face gradually faded.

And once the excitement had settled to some extent, Arthur looked at me with a perplexed expression and said,

“Um, I’m sorry.”

Seeing her apologize, it seems she knows.

That her walls are not just ordinary walls.

But I’m not troubled because of those walls.

Right, not everyone is the same; it’s possible to have unique walls.

But the problem is…, ‘disguise as a man.’

‘How many times has this been?’

Being misunderstood as ‘What are you doing?’ by others.

‘Ah, I really want to ask. Why are you in disguise?’

My mouth itched to ask.

But I couldn’t.

There must be a reason for her disguise.

So, I decided to hold off until she tells me herself.

“Ugh.”

I let out a deep sigh.

Then Arthur fidgeted, unsure of what to do.

“…If you’re that sorry, just tell me where you got the juice you’re holding.”

That’s why I had stopped you.

“Well, I can tell you.”

Noticing that I was willing to let it go, Arthur quickly nodded her head.

Then, she reached out her hand, saying she would guide me herself.

“Well, we shouldn’t get separated…”

“……”

…It’s true, but.

Is that really the reason?

I looked at Arthur with questioning eyes.

At that, Arthur blushed and avoided my gaze.

“Ha.”

I let out a short sigh and took her outstretched hand.

Though her intentions were clear, as she said, I needed to hold hands to move through the crowd without getting lost.

Even with that thought in mind, I took her hand.

“Hey, Yoo-jin.”

“What?”

“If you could just hold on a little tighter…”

“……”

“…Sorry.”

&

“Thank you! Goodbye!”

As I stepped out, receiving the juice shop owner’s farewell, I placed the box I was holding into my inventory.

[44][100% Fresh Fruit Juice (Strawberry, Banana, Grape….) Box][1]

I temporarily turned off the infinite item cheat.

And rightly so, because when I register the copyright for a recipe at the alchemy workshop, the examiners inspect the items I created.

However, if I create an item while the infinite item cheat is on, that item gets the ‘duplicate’ modifier.

Due to the nature of ‘duplicate’ items, they can be transferred to one person, but if the recipient transfers it to another, the ‘duplicate’ will simply vanish.

Therefore, I cannot use the infinite item cheat when registering a recipe.

But more importantly, how long does she plan to stick around?

I glanced at Arthur, who was walking beside me.

“Hey, Arthur.”

“Mm?”

At my call, Arthur turned her head to look at me.

In her mouth was the strawberry tanghulu I had bought as a thank-you for taking her to the store.

“Mmm, uhhmm, uhhh.”

I didn’t know what she was saying.

Crack, crack.

Arthur was chewing the tanghulu in his mouth at a rapid pace.

And gulp.

“…Do you have something to say?”

“Do you have something to say?”

I lowered my head and pointed at my hand in response to the question.

Then Arthur tilted his head, as if he didn’t understand the meaning, and raised his hand.

And my hand was raised along with his.

“Hey, put your hand down!”

But it was already too late.

Whisper, whisper.

“Mom, why are those two holding hands?”

“Oh my, sweetie. That’s….”

“Ugh, who are those people?”

Whispers floated around us.

At the sound of those whispers, I ground my teeth and glared at Arthur.

“Hey, Arthur. Are you doing this on purpose?”

“What are you talking about? I’m just holding on so I don’t get lost in the crowd.”

As Arthur raised his hand again, as if asking what the problem was, I quickly lowered mine.

And I gripped the intertwined hands tightly.

“Ugh…!”

This was the moment!

As soon as I felt the strength leave Arthur’s hand, I immediately let go.

“Y-Yu Jin…!”

And just like that, Arthur was swept away by the crowd, disappearing into the distance.

Seeing that, I let out a sigh of relief.

“I should have done this sooner.”

If it were in a state of cross-dressing, that would be one thing.

But does Arthur really want to hold hands knowing he’s dressed as a man?

With me, a man?

“Ugh, damn it.”

I cursed under my breath as I headed toward the Alchemy Workshop.

And it wasn’t long before I arrived.

The entire building was a workshop.

“Welcome to the Alchemy Workshop.”

The Alchemy Workshop.