Chapter 283
It was another Monday morning.
As usual, Se-Hoon completed his morning check, got out of bed, freshened up, and changed into his uniform.
It feels like ages since I last wore this.
Glancing at his reflection in the mirror with a small grin, Se-Hoon stepped out into the living room to take in the view of Babel from the window.
The streets were bustling with students and people—a sign that the long summer break was finally over and their second semester had begun.
So, the second semester finally arrived.
Before, he would sigh at the thought of resuming lectures, but he actually felt at ease. After all, he had spent the summer mingling with the top figures of the world, from the Perfect Ones to the Ten Evils and Watchers.
Compared to all that, studying at Babel during the academic year felt like a vacation.
He noted that unlike last semester, when he had solely focused on honing his skills, the new term would be different. Now that he had gained enough influence and strength, it was time to pursue more active endeavors, even outside Babel.
I'll just work it out as I go.
Even within Babel, there was an abundance of research projects and equipment waiting to be forged. It wasn’t as if studying here would be a waste.
Relaxed, Se-Hoon left his dorm room and headed toward the entrance.
“Told you she'd be here.”
Catching sight of Se-Hoon, a group of students whispered to one another as they all looked over at him.
Ignoring them, Se-Hoon caught sight of a familiar back, and with a smirk, he headed outside, where Erika turned to greet him naturally.
“Morning.”
Both her concise greeting and tidy appearance hadn’t changed much.
“Good morning.”
Quickly exchanging greetings, they walked together toward the station, drawing curious glances from those around them. It was a scene that resembled last semester, but there was something different.
Are they more interested in me now?
He remembered how, back in the first semester, people split their gazes between him and Erika, but now it felt like all eyes were on him. And within those gazes, he sensed a mix of admiration and unease, likely due to the recent elimination of the Dream Demon and the fall of the Pleasure District.
I guess it was the correct call to pin it on Wurgen.
If people widely knew that he was the one who contributed the most to the elimination of the Dream Demon, most wouldn't even dare to look at him, let alone stay nearby. Who would want to be close to someone who’d just declared war on the Demon Force?
Well, there are advantages to that too... His thoughts trailed off, his attention caught by the slight movement beside him.
“...”
Erika was silently keeping pace with him. Although she wasn't doing anything unusual, she was walking so close to him that their shoulders nearly touched. It made him raise an eyebrow in mild discomfort.
Is it because of our newly formed Relationship?
Given the somewhat obsessive aspect of the Desire Relationship, it wasn’t surprising she was sticking so close to him.
So, after mulling it over, Se-Hoon decided it was fine to let her be for now.
I'll just use this chance to see how far she’ll go.
Leaving her like that would allow him to know her limits for later if he needed to adjust their Relationship or handle issues with the Inoue family.
In the end, they approached the station just like that under the weight of many stares, where Jake greeted them, waving enthusiastically.
“Good morn—um...?”
He glanced at the two, noticing Erika’s physical closeness to Se-Hoon, his expression turning uncomfortable.
“Are you two...?” he began hesitantly.
“No.”
Leaving no room for doubt, Se-Hoon denied flatly.
“Right, okay...”
Jake let out a relieved sigh; he had almost called his sister.
Meanwhile, Erika was looking at Se-Hoon without saying a word, her gaze carrying a hint of protest, as if asking if he had to answer so firmly. But having handled similar looks in his past life, Se-Hoon shrugged it off with ease.
“Let’s go. We’re supposed to arrive there earlier than scheduled,” he reminded them.
“Right. Let's go.”
“Yep.”
Together, the three of them boarded the tram and soon arrived at Babel’s central square, where the preparations for the upcoming opening ceremony were underway. The square buzzed with activity as students took their designated seats, while staff and faculty hurried around.
This is even grander than the entrance ceremony, Se-Hoon noted.
The media presence alone was twice what it had been, and there were far more seats arranged than usual. The number of new students wasn’t particularly high either, which meant Babel had attracted the attention of many outsiders.
What do they have in store that they could be so confident about?
Curious, Se-Hoon scanned his surroundings, trying to gauge what they might be planning. And during that scan, he felt a strange gaze directed at him, causing him to look over and spot a familiar head of brown hair peeking out from behind a piece of equipment.
What is she...
Sighing, he turned to Erika, who was standing by his side.
“Erika, can you grab that person hiding in the back over there?”
“Sure.”
Nodding, Erika sent her Bound Celestial Garment, hidden within her uniform, flying forward.
“Eek!”
Observing the figure dragged out by the cloak, Se-Hoon folded his arms and raised an eyebrow.
And in return, the figure, Lea with her hair disheveled, gave him a nervous smile.
“Uh... hi?”
She felt both guilty and uneasy, seemingly scared of if a punishment awaited.
Se-Hoon narrowed his gaze. Her demeanor was vastly different from their last meeting.
“Why are you hiding?”
“Um, I was just kind of shy to meet you after such a long while, so...”
“Did one of your experiments blow up?”
Lea’s forced smile immediately stiffened, and a nervous sweat broke out on her forehead.
“Well, it wasn’t thaaat big of an explosion, just a minor... incident.”
“Oh! Was that why the shops around the Borsippa District shut down the other day?” Jake interjected, having pieced things together. He looked at her with curiosity.
Noticing that Lea's expression froze again, Se-Hoon smiled ominously.
“We'll talk about it later, got it?”
“O-okay...” Lea stammered, her guilt now clear.
Just then, right as they wrapped up the conversation, a new presence caught Se-Hoon’s attention.
“What are you doing out here?”
Looking over, Se-Hoon found Luize approaching with a curious look.
She wore an open short-sleeved dress shirt on top of a black T-shirt, perhaps due to the hot weather. Surprised, Se-Hoon then noticed that behind Luize stood both Sung-Ha and Amir.
“Wait... since when were the three of you so close?”
Although he’d seen Amir exchange messages with Luize, he hadn’t expected them all to be hanging out together.
But in response to his incredulous look, all three grimaced in unison.
“What? Why would I hang out with these guys?”
“Stop spilling nonsense.”
“We just happened to run into each other. That's a very strange assumption to make, Brother,” Amir said.
Se-Hoon immediately chuckled. Despite their mutual distaste, their responses were perfectly synchronized.
The Three Dogs have really changed them, he thought, smiling to himself as he reminisced.
The trio originally with him exchanged glances, having noticed his relaxed demeanor.
He looks more at ease.
That’s them, huh?
Huh, he knows how to smile?
Jake, Erika, and Lea studied the three across them, and just as they were, the other three also sized them up.
He’s still sticking around with that one?
So that’s Jake... he’s gotten pretty strong.
So she’s the Puppeteer’s daughter... she looks somewhat dangerous.
Luize evaluated Erika, Sung-Ha glanced at Jake, and Amir kept a cautious eye on Lea. With Se-Hoon in the middle, the six of them quietly assessed each other, drawing curious glances and whispers from other onlookers.
“Is that the Lee Se-Hoon group?”
“Lucky.”
Before, during the first semester, everyone had wondered who Se-Hoon would side with, but now the question was more about who else he would take in.
But just as the tension was growing, Eun-Ha suddenly approached the group through the crowd.
“Lee Se-Hoon, the Chairman has requested that the top students gather separately.”
“Oh, okay. I’ll get going first.”
Casually waving at the group of six, Se-Hoon followed Eun-Ha, leaving behind the startled group. They had just been quietly competing to see who would be joining him today, only to lose their chance so suddenly.
It happened at that moment, just as they began feeling a bit deflated.
Eun-Ha glanced back over her shoulder, her gaze meeting each of theirs in turn, before she looked away without a word.
She had said nothing, and yet everyone understood the meaning behind her look. A moment of silence fell, and then, trading glances, they nodded in tacit agreement.
We should deal with her first.
The six of them formed an unspoken alliance.
***
“Why did you do that back there?” Se-Hoon inquired, glancing at Eun-Ha with a perplexed expression as they moved toward the stage.
Though he was aware she held some attachment to him, the provocative glance she’d cast at the others seemed way out of character for her.
“It makes it easier for people to bond if they have a common enemy,” she replied calmly.
“So, you did it to help them get along better?”
“That is my role as a dean.”
Intrigued by Eun-Ha's response, Se-Hoon gave her an amused look.
I suppose it's better than them fighting with each other.
He knew it wouldn’t be much of a lesson if low-ranking heroes were to spar against each other; instead, it was better to ignite their competitive spirit by putting them against someone like Eun-Ha—someone dominant both socially and in combat.
“You’re putting in more effort than I expected.”
“It’s part of my job, after all. And besides...”—Eun-Ha gave Se-Hoon a sidelong glance, her expression impassive—“it wasn’t all an act.”
Her provocation wasn’t just a pretense; she was genuinely warning the six not to overstep.
Her guarded stance made Se-Hoon unable to help but smile dryly.
Well, at least she’s keeping them in check for now.
As they moved closer toward the stage, Se-Hoon was suddenly struck by a thought. “Oh, by the way, how’s the lawsuit going?”
Realizing he was referring to the ongoing lawsuit over the sponsorship termination with the Seraphim Guild, Eun-Ha hesitated briefly before answering. “It's currently fifty-fifty. We’ve found some weak spots, but their case isn’t straightforward to counter.”
A concerned look was on her face, and upon noticing it, Se-Hoon calmly said, “I can help you.”
“Huh? There’s really no need to—”
“If a situation comes up where I need your help, it'd be annoying if this lawsuit holds you back. You don’t need to refuse out of courtesy—I’m doing this for my own good.”
Unable to refute, Eun-Ha nodded after momentarily hesitating. “Understood. I’ll gather the data and bring it to you soon.”
“Just bring it to me whenever it’s convenient.”
Chatting about other things, Se-Hoon and Eun-Ha were still on the way to the stage when a staff member approached them in a hurry.
“Dean Ryu, you’re needed over there.”
“Alright. I’ll see you later.”
Giving Se-Hoon a brief nod, she headed off with the staff member, leaving Se-Hoon watching her back in thought.
If she’s somehow involved with Watchers, I need to help her cut ties with them fast.
He had previously dismissed the Seraphim Guild as insignificant, but if Succession were indeed backing them, he had to have her sever all connections to safeguard her.
I needed to check up on her too, just in case.
Making plans for the future, Se-Hoon was deep in thought when his attention was suddenly grabbed by someone waving.
“Over here! Over here!”
Aria was waving to him from a seat in the front row, alongside Ren and Manuel. Realizing that was where the year-wide honor students sat, Se-Hoon made his way over.
“You’re early.”
“Today’s an important day, after all,” Aria replied with a gentle smile. She then patted the empty seat next to her. “Wanna sit here?”
“Isn’t it better if we sit by year?”
“It doesn't matter, really.” Aria continued to insist.
It seemed their newly formed Relationship had made her more persistent.
Hesitating because he wasn’t sure what to do, Se-Hoon paused, allowing Ren, seated beside her, time to interject with a polite smile. “Wouldn’t it be improper for the year-wide honor students to show a lack of decorum before such a significant event?”
Then, looking toward Se-Hoon, he sought confirmation. “You agree with me, don’t you?”
“Ah... yes.”
He also thought sitting next to Aria didn’t seem like a wise idea, so before they could argue further, Se-Hoon quickly took the seat next to Manuel. However, that made a slight tension linger between the pair beside him.
These two surely aren’t getting along better than before.
In fact, now that his influence had grown, perhaps their rivalry had even intensified. It made him muse once again over how much had changed since the first semester.
But his musings were interrupted by Manuel, who lightly tapped his hand before whispering, “Now that break’s over, can you give that back?”
“Oh, right.”
Remembering, Se-Hoon retrieved the alchemical weapon Manuel had lent him before—a cylindrical rod with yellow markings—from his void pocket and handed it back.
“I used it well, thanks. There should be no damage to it,” he assured.
“Hmm, looks like it.”
Inspecting the returned alchemical weapon personally, Manuel then asked curiously, “So, were you able to learn anything from it?”
“About what?”
“You borrowed it because you were curious how it was forged, right?”
“Oh, that...”
Se-Hoon pulled a face. Truthfully, he had only taken it because he thought it might help against the Dream Demon.
So now, unsure of how to respond, he decided to just bet on honesty.
“It was kind of ordinary. Not as impressive as I’d expected.”
“Really? Hmm...”
Manuel frowned thoughtfully, but before Se-Hoon could ask him why, an announcement blared from the square’s speakers.
—The second-semester opening ceremony will begin in twenty minutes. Please take your seats.
The square immediately grew busier, with the empty seats filling up in the blink of an eye. The crowds of students, now numbering in the tens of thousands, packed the central square, and the cameras that had been on standby began broadcasting live footage.
I’ll ask him later.
Deciding to focus on the ceremony for now, Se-Hoon turned his attention to the stage, where a worn podium stood prominently.
I wonder what grand unveiling they had prepared...
Babel had been dropping hints about a major announcement at the ceremony, sparking the anticipation of the public especially, since it was likely related to the recent alliance of the Perfect Ones. Pondering what it could be, he soon spotted someone walking onto the stage.
Step, step.
Ludwig strode confidently toward the podium, and the bustling square fell silent in an instant as all eyes turned to Babel’s leader.
Arriving at the podium, Ludwig met their gaze effortlessly and began his speech.
“Today, Babel has finally overcome the countless number of trials that have chained us and taken its first step into a new era.”
His voice resonated through the square. For some reason, despite his voice being calm, it seemed to boil over with intensity, to the point where everyone felt their heartbeat quicken.
“But this is not the end. Rather, it is a new beginning. Today, I will reveal the new era we will all need to overcome some day.”
Ludwig spread his hands wide, and soon, the entire square began trembling.
Boom!
A deep rumble came from underground, reverberating across Babel. Simultaneously, a massive screen appeared above Ludwig, displaying a bird’s-eye view of Babel in its entirety.
Focusing on the screen, the audience watched with mounting confusion as the scene started to change.
Crash!
From the western and southern seas surrounding Babel, massive new land masses emerged, seamlessly joining the existing Babel landscape. One was a city filled with dark mana and undead, while the other was built around a towering tree. It was obvious the newly revealed districts were managed directly by the UD Group and the Pilgrimage Church, respectively.
“Wha... What the...”
“Two whole cities can just appear out of nowhere like that...?”
The sheer scale of what Ludwig’s spatial manipulation could achieve left the crowd in awe.
[The bond with ‘Kim In-Cheol’ has grown to Lv. 3.]
[Since the bond has grown to Lv.3, the Relationship has deepened.]
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.
“...Huh?”
Only Se-Hoon was left blinking in surprise instead.