"Ah…"

I was dumbfounded. I had made Yoonjeong a hero and earned no official credit for myself, yet here I was, becoming a rank-3 anyway.

"Hehehe. You like it? Happy?" she said, patting my head playfully.

"Well, I was a bit surprised, but… haha, it feels good."

'Hahaha! This feels amazing! Thank you, Marcello! Thanks, Yoonjeong!'

"From my perspective, it's a problem if you're lagging behind as a rank 4. I told you, you need to remain a wall for Yeon to overcome. You have to stay on her level. Right?"

"Yes, ma'am! I'll do my best."

Just then, we heard someone noisily running up the stairs. Yeon, who had somehow found the time to comb her hair and change into nice clothes, stormed in.

"Sis!"

"Yes, Yeon, you're here?"

"How could you not tell me?"

"About what?"

At her sister's nonchalant response, Yeon's ears turned red. "That he was coming to our house!"

"Oh, did I not tell you? I forgot."

Yeon glared, but the Association President merely found the glare cute and threw a jacket over her bandaged torso.

"Well, now that Yeon's here, shall we eat?"

"…Haaah."

Yeon let out a small sigh and looked at the empty dining table.

"…Yul, what about the food?"

"Hm? What about it? I was just planning on making us some ramen."

Yeon's face flushed. "We have a guest! What do you mean, ramen?! If you had told me, I would have…!"

"Ramen's good, right, Yusin?"

Feeling a strange pressure in her voice, I quickly nodded. "Haha! Anything is fine with me! Ramen is fine…!"

"This is your problem, sis! You have no consideration for the people around you! I'm embarrassed just watching!"

The Association President put a hand on her chin with a confident smile. "I'm not really in a position where I need to be considerate of others, am I?"

'Ah. Aah.' For a fleeting moment, I was almost smitten. 'Ma'am.' She was truly the living embodiment of self-assured power.

"Ah, sis!"

And then there was the younger sister who couldn't tolerate it. While the two fought, I stood silently in the background like a piece of furniture. The general pattern was Hong Yeon getting angry, and the Association President casually brushing it off as if it were no big deal.

"Ramen is absolutely unacceptable!" Hong Yeon delivered her ultimatum.

"Then what do you suggest?"

"We're eating out! We'll at least go out to eat!"

"Oh, that's a great idea! Should we go to that buffet we always go to? That's fine, right, Yusin?"

"Ah, yes! I'm fine with anything!"

'I just want to go home.'

* * *

'Takakakakakaka!'

'Why am I here?'

When I came to my senses, I was flying over Seoul in a magic-engine helicopter. When she said we were going out to eat, I assumed we'd take a car, but the two of them suddenly led me to the helipad on the roof. The next thing I knew, we were several thousand feet in the air.

Yeon was sitting demurely next to me, while across from us, the Association President had her arms stretched out, legs crossed, and was smacking on gum.

"I'm sorry, Yusin. My sister is such a nuisance."

Right. At least the younger sister is normal…

"We're going to a hotel restaurant, but insisting on wearing such a strange outfit…"

The dress code isn't the problem here!

"So what, you want me to wear a dress over my bandages? Huh?" the Association President said defiantly. She was wearing her usual pinstripe suit pants with just a suit jacket thrown over her bandaged torso.

"You could at least wear a shirt!"

"Ah, it gets hot and sweaty if I wear something else over the bandages! Ever heard of ventilation?"

She made a gesture of stretching the bandage on her chest. Seeing this, Hong Yeon freaked out again, nagging about decorum and dignity.

'Somebody, please, get me out of here.'

"Ma'am," the helicopter pilot said. "We have arrived above your usual hotel."

"Yep, thanks. Good work."

The Association President grinned and threw the helicopter door open.

"Whoa!"

The wind rushed in like crazy. I glanced down to see a dizzying view spread out below.

"Yusin. See that over there?"

"Wh-Where?"

"That big building's rooftop terrace."

"Ah, yes."

"Meet me there."

"What?"

And with that, she leaped out of the helicopter. Her body became a crimson comet, hurtling in a straight line toward the hotel's rooftop.

'She's too fast!'

Considering her firepower, I wouldn't have been surprised if the entire roof collapsed.

'Fwoosh!'

The moment the comet touched the terrace, the energy was cleanly absorbed back into her body, the red mana scattering harmlessly in all directions. A fierce wind shook the plants on the terrace, but there was no damage. It was a level of control so precise it gave me goosebumps.

"Honestly, she is just…!"

Yeon muttered as she held down the hem of her dress and jumped. She also shrouded her body in red mana, but instead of descending in a straight line, she circled left and right, reducing her acceleration before landing softly on the terrace. When she landed, red mana also swirled out like a shockwave.

"Haaah, how did I end up…"

"You gonna be okay, buddy?" the pilot said, looking back at me. "You don't have to force yourself to keep up with those monster sisters. I can take you near the hotel. There's a ladder, too."

"I appreciate the offer, but I'll pass."

A man has his pride. I leaped forcefully from the helicopter.

'Fwooooooosh!'

A rough headwind whipped around me. I hadn't brought my wing golems, but it didn't matter. I crossed my arms and closed my eyes.

<Aiolos>

A magic circle unfolded, and the sky became my domain. I flew toward the hotel roof, cloaked in the air itself. The moment I reached maximum speed just before impact, I spread out all the air under my control. It acted as a cushion, allowing me to land lightly on the roof.

As the wind blew, Yeon crouched down, holding onto her dress and hair. The Association President laughed heartily.

"Not bad, Yusin! That's my boy!"

"…You're just being a nuisance," Yeon grumbled, but she didn't take her eyes off me. When our gazes met, she quickly turned her head away.

"Ah, I'm starving! Let's go!"

The Association President came over and linked her arm with mine. "I'll give you the chance to escort the ladies. Nice, right?"

When the tip of her bandaged elbow touched me, a dizzying sensation washed over me. She wasn't just touching me; she was pressing her arm firmly against mine. Tensing up, I replied, "I-It's an honor!"

Yeon, her face flushed red, looked back and forth between us. Then, she squeezed her eyes shut and raised a trembling arm.

'…Not you too?'

She managed to grab hold of my sleeve, but unable to bear the embarrassment, she hung her head low. 'Right. Good effort.'

"Shall we get going, then? The elevator is over there," Yul said.

"Yes."

We took the elevator down to the restaurant floor. It was an Italian place inside the hotel that looked expensive at a glance. All eyes in the room turned to us. Well, even I had to admit it was a surprising scene. To my right was Korea's strongest hunter, and to my left, its top prospect. Their scents were similar, yet subtly different. I walked into the restaurant with a stunning woman on each arm.

"Welcome," a foreign waiter greeted us in fluent Korean. "A table for three?"

"Yes."

"Right this way, please."

We were led to a suitable table by the window, despite not having a reservation. The waiter gave a brief overview of the restaurant's specials and then asked if we were ready to order. The two women sat in silence, and the waiter looked at me. Since the Association President had told me to escort them, it seemed I was the one who was supposed to answer. I nodded.

"For our appetizer, we offer a selection of 'fritti', or fried dishes," the waiter said. "Do you have a preference? I highly recommend the 'zeppoline', a fried bread with ground seaweed, or the 'frittatina', which is similar to an Italian omelet."

Ah, here we go. I didn't understand a word he was saying, and both women were staring at me, waiting. Normally, I would have stumbled through a situation like this, but as the Master of the Magic Tower, things were different now.

'You ready, Ea?'

-Ready, Tower Master.

Maintaining a natural smile, I spoke. "Fried food is a bit heavy for an appetizer. Do you happen to have arancini?"

"Yes, we do."

"They're Italian fried rice balls. How does that sound?" I asked, turning to them.

Both women nodded. The waiter quickly jotted down three orders of arancini. I continued to respond swiftly, repeating the lines Ea fed me.

"Instead of the Bufalina, let's go with the classic Margherita…"

"French dressing, please. Oh, and could you serve the beans on the side?"

"What about you two? I recommend the Caprese."

"A red wine would pair well with this steak, but if you'd prefer something lighter, I suggest the Domaine Nudant Bourgogne Pinot Noir. It has a light body and a floral aroma. Yes, let's go with that."

I did my best not to sound like I was reading from a script. When I had finally placed all our orders, the waiter departed. Did I pull it off? I think I pulled it off.

"Well, well, well," the Association President murmured, leaning back in her chair. She let out a low whistle. Yeon was looking at me with newfound respect.

"My dear Yusin, you come to places like this often?"

"A-A little."

"See? Business types are just built differently. When I come to a place like this, I just tell them to bring me whatever they think is best!"

"…S-Sis!" Hong Yeon hissed.

"Ohoho! Why are you giving me that look? You were just sitting there staring into space."

"I was not!"

Come to think of it, these sisters didn't seem like the type of aristocrats who were overly strict about rules and etiquette. I'd overdone it for nothing. After a short wait, our food arrived. I started with a light bite of the appetizer.

'Delicious!'

It had been a long time since I'd enjoyed such a luxurious meal at an expensive restaurant. I hadn't known the first thing about any of it, simply ordering what Ea found on Google, but everything was surprisingly good.

"Here, my dear Yusin," the Association President said, her face slightly flushed. "You worked hard during the Disaster. Say ahh."

She speared a piece of steak with her fork and held it out to me. She'd been drinking wine nonstop… I managed an awkward laugh.

"Haha! Ms. President, that's a bit…"

"What?" she snapped, her expression turning deadly serious. "Are you refusing what I'm offering you?"

When her demeanor shifted so suddenly, I felt a genuine threat to my life. I answered quickly.

"I would love some!"

"Then here you go. Open wide."

I opened my mouth and accepted the steak she offered.

"There's a good boy," she cooed, resting her chin on her hand with a proud smile. This didn't feel nearly as great as I thought it would. Was it the wine? Then again, what man would refuse being hand-fed by such a beautiful woman…

Gasp!

This time, Yeon was glaring at me, her eyes burning. The stare was practically a physical blow. Why were these sisters taking turns tormenting me?

"Sis." Thankfully, her gaze shifted from me to the Association President.

"Whaaat?"

"You're making him uncomfortable. Forcing that kind of affection on someone is frowned upon these days. Besides, people are watching."

"Does it bother 'you'?"

Yeon's face turned beet red. "W-Who said it bothers me?!"

"If you say so," the President said dismissively. "Here, Yusin, one more bite. Ahh—"

As if to spite her sister, she fed me another piece.

"Huhu. Where did this little bundle of luck come from? Lately, I've been able to hold my head high as the headmaster of the Academy. You need to eat well and get stronger so you can stand proudly by my side, you hear?"

"Of course. You won't have to wait long."

"Ohoho! This is why I love young people! So full of spirit!"

In stark contrast to our cheerful atmosphere, Hong Yeon wore a murderous expression. My mouth went dry.

'Should I make my move now?'

Just as we finished our meal and were starting on ice cream for dessert, I spoke up.

"Ms. President."

"Whaaat?" she slurred slightly.

She was tipsy from downing one expensive glass of wine after another, and she seemed to be in a good mood. If I was going to make my move, now was the time.

"There's something I'd like to discuss."

"What is it? Why so serious all of a sudden?"

I took a moment to choose my words. 'I'm planning to start a new business.' No, that sounded wrong. 'I want to share my abilities with others.' Better, but not direct enough. I settled on the right approach.

"I… want to help the non-combatants of Korea."

"Hiccup."

The wine-drunk Association President hiccupped and turned to look at me.

* * *

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