The Conjurer of the Academy

Chapter 67

What on earth is this situation?

[010-5664-XXXX: Hello, I’m Seo-ha’s mom~]

I alternated between the message from the unknown number and the messages from Shin Seo-ha.

[Shin Seo-ha: If you reply to that, I’ll kill you!]

If Shin Seo-ha hadn’t sent him a message, I might have dismissed it as just another phishing message. But since she seemed flustered, it meant this was worth something.

“Let’s see.”

[010-5664-XXXX: Seo-ha talks about her friend so much~ It seems Seo-ha troubled you a lot during school. Would you like to come visit our villa? It has a great view of the sea^^ Feel free to think about it and reply or call whenever you’re comfortable~]

Since I had been trapped underground, the message was received about two weeks ago. I could ignore it, but it was too intriguing.

‘A hidden event.’

This was also something that didn’t happen in the original storyline. There were events where I met Shin Seo-ha after returning to the dormitory at the end of the vacation, but I had never been invited to a villa.

Moreover, some games feature characters mentioned only in the setting. The first principal, Lee Do-hak, who was said to be missing, and Shin Seo-ha’s younger brother, Shin Seo-jun, who was deceased in the storyline.

‘Shin Woo-taek and Han Ga-young, I think.’

The mention of Shin Seo-ha’s parents was even less frequent than that of Lee Do-hak or Shin Seo-jun.

When I first encountered Shin Seo-ha at the entrance ceremony, they were briefly mentioned. After that, they only appeared during phone conversations with Shin Seo-ha, if at all.

“How could I pass this up?”

As a gamer, and especially as someone who has indulged in the storylines of even the most mediocre games, I can’t let this opportunity slip by.

[Me: Hello, I apologize for the delayed response due to personal circumstances. I intended to call, but as it is late, I am sending a text message.]

I crafted the message as politely as possible. Since I didn’t know the personality of the recipient, it would be unwise to offend them before I’d even begun.

[Me: I’m also curious about Seo-ha’s recent activities, and I’ve heard that Seo-ha’s parents have left their mark on the history of Hunters. If it’s not too much trouble, I would like to visit and have a conversation in person.]

I essentially said, “Of course, I’d love to go,” in a verbose manner.

From my limited social experience, I’ve learned that it can sometimes be effective to be overly polite during a first meeting to the point where the recipient feels burdened.

Even if it makes them feel burdened, they would find no reason to fault me with.

‘Maybe it’s too late.’

There was nearly a two-week gap since the message was received. They might have already left the villa and returned to their main residence.

While I had gained a lot during this time, it would be disappointing if that were the case. Just as I was feeling a bit disappointed,

Ding-!

[010-5664-XXXX: It’s rare to see someone so polite these days ^^ If you tell me the location, we’ll come to pick you up tomorrow~]

I silently clenched my fist in excitement.

I had planned to stay a bit longer, but now I had to leave as early as tomorrow. To do that, I needed to get some sleep, even if I had to force myself.

Ding-!

[Shin Seo-ha: You damn bastard. Didn’t I tell you not to reply?!]

Satisfied, I went to bed contentedly.

The next day, after saying goodbye to Seol Baek-san, I took a bus directly to the city.

‘It should be around here somewhere.’

The meeting spot was the bus terminal, not far from the main house.

‘Will Shin Seo-ha come too?’

Shin Seo-ha’s parents, or their attendant, surely wouldn’t know what I looked like. There’s no way Shin Seo-ha showed them my picture, and they probably don’t have one either.

So, to pick me up, Shin Seo-ha would naturally have to tag along, since she knows my face…

[010-5664-XXXX: You should be able to find the pickup vehicle without any trouble~]

What does it look like, I wonder.

As I looked around the terminal, I suddenly stopped moving upon spotting a particular vehicle.

‘It can’t be, right?’

In front of a long, black limousine, an elderly man with graying hair stood with his hands behind his back, glancing around.

‘I’m not some movie star.’

Passersby were casting glances at the limousine. I prayed it wasn’t for me as I cautiously approached the vehicle.

“Excuse me…”

“Are you perhaps Seol Ha-baek?”

Damn. It’s the right one.

No wonder they said I would find it easily.

“Yes, hello.”

“Nice to meet you. I am Butler Kim, here to escort you to the villa. You must be tired from the journey, please get in.”

The butler opened the rear door of the limousine. While it felt quite overwhelming, refusing didn’t seem polite, so I just bowed my head slightly and got in.

‘It’s spacious.’

This limousine was larger than my dorm room.

“We will depart now. Please fasten your seatbelt. There are snacks in the drawer; feel free to help yourself.”

Butler Kim got into the driver’s seat a beat later. Skillfully, he maneuvered the parked car and smoothly exited the terminal.

[I’m hungry! Get me some food.]

“Shh!”

“Did you say something?”

“Haha, no, nothing.”

I silently smacked Yomi on the head. While Yomi rubbed her head in pain, I observed the butler from the back seat.

Unlike Shin Seo-ha’s parents, this character had never been mentioned in the game or reality. He looked impeccably dressed, like someone out of a comic, with well-groomed hair and a beard.

“You’re Miss Seo-ha’s friend, right? There are a few things I should mention on the way to the villa.”

Sensing my gaze, the butler spoke up first.

“Our master, Miss Seo-ha’s father, Mr. Shin Woo-taek, may appear intimidating, but he is actually quite soft-hearted. Occasionally, he changes when it concerns Miss Seo-ha.”

“I understand.”

“What you really need to be cautious of is…”

Our eyes met in the rearview mirror. His gaze was quite serious.

“The madam.”

“The madam?”

“Yes. She may seem angelic and gentle on the surface, but she is like a tiger. When she’s angry, even Miss Seo-ha can’t stand up to her.”

I couldn’t believe there was someone with a fiercer temper than Shin Seo-ha. It seemed like one was strong on the outside but soft on the inside, and the other vice versa.

I’d have to be cautious at first with both, but this information could be useful.

“Why are you telling me this?”

The butler was a servant of the Shin family. It didn’t make sense that he would provide me with information instead of gathering or monitoring it.

“Well…”

The butler’s gaze briefly shifted towards the gear shift. Next to it was a bottle of vitamins.

“Consider it the ramblings of an old man.”

Leaving behind an enigmatic smile, the butler pressed the pedal.

* * *

“Phew.”

I took a deep breath.

The butler who had dropped me off drove away, leaving me alone in front of a villa overlooking the sea.

‘No loose ends, right?’

I checked myself briefly, starting with my attire to ensure everything was in place.

Perfectly prepared. In my hand, I held a long-necked bottle containing liquor brewed by Seol Baek-san.

“Well then, let’s go.”

I extended my index finger and gently pressed the doorbell.

Ding-dong

The doorbell rang once, but the door didn’t open immediately. Instead, I heard a commotion from behind the door.

“I said I’ll get the door!”

“No, Seo-ha, stay there.”

“As the head of the family, greeting the guest is my duty.”

“Mom! Stop Dad from grabbing the knife!”

There were sounds of things breaking and snapping. Shortly after, there was a moment of silence, and then the door slowly opened.

Creak

The one who appeared was a woman with long black hair. With gentle eyes, she smiled warmly at me.

“Are you Ha-baek?”

Though it was our first meeting, I instantly recognized who she was.

‘Han Ga-young.’

Shin Seo-ha’s mother.

Her eyes and hair color were different, but her hairstyle and overall demeanor were quite similar to Shin Seo-ha’s. Above all, she looked more like a sister with a different hair color than her mother.

‘She doesn’t seem particularly scary.’

Her soft, soothing voice peeled away layers of tension. The smiling eyes were just the kind that could warm a person’s heart.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Seol Ha-baek.”

I offered the bottle of alcohol I was holding. I worried briefly that it might be a burden if both parents disliked alcohol.

“Oh my, what’s this?”

“It’s a liquor that my father brewed himself. If you don’t enjoy drinking…”

“Not at all, we never have enough.”

Han Ga-young eagerly grabbed my wrist.

“Come in, you haven’t eaten, right? We were just about to have a meal ourselves.”

Before I could refuse, I was pulled into the villa.

“Ugh, you annoying guy! I told you not to come!”

The next to greet me in the luxurious living room was Shin Seo-ha. She stomped her foot upon seeing me.

“Oh, Seo-ha. That’s no way to speak to a guest who’s come from afar.”

“But—”

“I wish our Seo-ha was half as courteous as Ha-baek. Oh dear, I spoke too casually without realizing it.”

“It’s fine, you can speak comfortably.”

“Oh, shall I? Hoho.”

Han Ga-young laughed, covering her mouth.

Contrarily, Shin Seo-ha scratched her neck furiously, clearly frustrated by the comparison.

‘They’re really polar opposites.’

It’s fascinating how different a mother and daughter can be.

As I was observing Shin Seo-ha lazily, a man emerged from the kitchen, accompanied by the delicious aroma of food.

“You’ve arrived.”

To be honest, when I first saw the man, I thought he was another servant of the Shin family, much like the old butler. But one who looked like he had a rough past.

“Nice to meet you.”

His face was anything but welcoming.

The man, wearing a mismatched character apron, approached with a swaggering step. If he had been holding a knife instead of a spatula, I might have fled instantly.

‘Shin Woo-taek.’

The head of the Shin family and Shin Seo-ha’s father. Seo-ha’s sharp eyes and red hair must have come from him.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Yes, nice to meet you too.”

Shin Woo-taek stood in front of me. His gaze through his glasses was as if he could kill me right then and there.

‘He’s huge.’

I was fairly tall myself, but Shin Woo-taek was intimidating. His bulging muscles and thick veins visible through his rolled-up sleeves, coupled with his sheer physical presence, were enough to make me tense.

“Hmm…”

Shin Woo-taek slowly scanned my body as if conducting a security check.

“You look weak and feeble, why on earth is Seo-ha…”

He muttered to himself with a deeply furrowed brow. Whether he intended it or not, I could hear everything.

“Um…”

“Oh, my apologies. I just noticed a bug on your clothing.”

Shin Woo-taek straightened up and subtly nodded his head.

“Have you eaten?”

“No, not yet.”

“If you don’t mind, join us. The food I cook is quite tasty.”

Pushing his face close to mine, Shin Woo-taek added,

“While we eat, let’s have a good chat about our friend here.”

He extended his arm to guide me to the dining table. The sight gave me the feeling of being led to the underworld.

‘I want to run away.’

I wanted to escape after being here for just five minutes. Reluctantly heading towards the table, Shin Seo-ha approached and whispered in my ear.

“You’re screwed.”

You don’t need to tell me that. I already know.