64) Chapter 11. I Should Have Said Something (4)


Instructor Justina’s behavior was a little puzzling.

In the original story, Seo Rua didn’t have a particularly good relationship with the teachers.

In this world, Auntie Yujin genuinely cherishes me, but in the original, her relationship with Seo Rua was far more complicated.

Uncle Dohyun was already dead in that world. And his death wasn’t Seo Rua’s fault. He died in an unfortunate accident while fighting to protect her, and no one could reasonably blame Seo Rua—who was also a victim—for that.

Auntie Yujin in that world seemed to think the same.

So she accepted Seo Rua—the girl her husband had tried to save until his last breath—as her daughter and tried to raise her well.

But the novel described how it wasn’t easy to unconditionally love the cause—however indirect—of the death of the man she’d loved her whole life.

So her feelings toward Seo Rua were a complicated mix of many emotions, and she threw herself into work to forget everything, neglecting her home in the process.

The academy teachers and instructors who knew Auntie Yujin might have tried to be objective, but the things Seo Rua did at the academy were never the kind that earned “positive” evaluations.

In this world, I haven’t done anything as bad as the original Seo Rua… but I haven’t exactly done anything admirable either.

If Justina chose me purely based on ability, then the original story should’ve had a scene where she picked me and Chae‑yi for something like this.

“You’ve actually sparred before, haven’t you?”

Maybe my expression was too stunned, because Instructor Justina said that.

“Even if you have an ability, if you couldn’t use it properly, I wouldn’t have picked you.”

Ah.

Right. The situation really is different.

The original Seo Rua never had a reason to accept a sparring challenge.

She was popular with boys for various reasons.

She wouldn’t have gone near the cathedral, wouldn’t have received advice to spar, and wouldn’t have used her power properly in her first fight.

“Then what about me?”

Chae‑yi asked boldly.

“Did you pick me because I go well with Rua?”

“Hm? Do you two go well together?”

Instructor Justina tilted her head, making Chae‑yi deflate.

“You also used your ability very naturally.”

Chae‑yi smiled faintly at that.

So she really had been using her ability every time she poked that guy in the chest. Was she planning to smack him around if needed?

“Well, that’s how it is. Telekinesis and ability cancellation. Both are perfect for subduing someone. Hm, in that sense, I guess you do go well together.”

Crack. Crack‑crack.

I heard something grinding somewhere, but I ignored it.

“Alright.”

Rustle.

Instructor Justina rummaged in her pocket and pulled out a pair of sunglasses. Big, old‑fashioned ones that looked like something out of an old Hong Kong movie.

She put them on despite being indoors.

“Then, everyone. Let’s begin. Attendance number 1. Stand.”


At first, I worried whether I could really do this.

It wasn’t just assisting the referee. Even if Chae‑yi was with me, I still had to face the students one after another.

But Instructor Justina seemed to have accounted for that, because she stopped the sparring at the right moments.

Whenever someone looked like they were about to lose their temper or get too excited, she immediately sent in Chae‑yi.

And when Chae‑yi used her ability, the students froze like cats splashed with cold water.

“Today is just to get a sense of everyone’s abilities.”

She said she wouldn’t do sparring, but it felt like I was the only one sparring. Still, I understood her reasoning.

Most of the kids here had never fought a superhuman directly.

They were used to living life thinking they’d never lose a fight if it came down to it.

Even the ones who hadn’t fought me before were like that.

“Ugh…!”

“Why…”

“Instructor, just—just a little more…!”

It wasn’t even a proper sparring match, and we never fought to a real conclusion, but since the fights always ended while I was in the advantageous position, most of them looked extremely frustrated.

“No. I’m not letting you continue. Go sit down.”

Instructor Justina shut them down firmly.

One by one, students stood before me and then returned to their seats.

Honestly, a few of them seemed to develop real competitive fire toward me, and their intense stares made me a little uneasy.

And then—

“Attendance number 7?”

“Ah, y‑yes.”

The boy who answered in a surprisingly soft voice was Nam Jinwoo.

I must have made a startled expression without realizing it, because Jinwoo immediately shrank back timidly.

It’s not like I hate him or anything.

He’s just… awkward.

“Hm.”

Nam Jinwoo’s ability hasn’t awakened yet. So Instructor Justina didn’t seem to expect him to win a fight, unlike when she looked at me.

More than that—how does she even see abilities? It’s not like words float above our heads. My telekinesis looks like telekinesis to others, but to me it feels like an extension of my body.

But the look she gave Jinwoo seemed… displeased, somehow.

Was it something other than his ability?

But Jinwoo hasn’t done anything wrong. Maybe she didn’t like how timid he was?

“Alright. Face each other.”

Jinwoo and I stood facing each other.

This would probably be the last match of the day.

Telekinesis doesn’t drain my stamina, but blocking attacks still hurts.

And Soi and Hyeonji’s numbers were far later.

“You both know the rules, right? Use your abilities as the basis of your movements. If it gets dangerous, I’ll stop you. And don’t worry about injuries—there are teachers who can heal you.”

Instructor Justina paused.

“Begin.”

“……”

Normally, the moment she said that, the student would rush at me.

They all knew my ability, so they didn’t bother calculating angles or strategies.

So I usually waited calmly for them to charge.

But—

“……”

“……”

Nam Jinwoo didn’t move.

Hmm.

Do I have to start?

But considering Jinwoo’s ability… well, it’s not fully developed yet, but still.

I heard murmuring around us.

Sweat formed on Jinwoo’s forehead.

Fine.

If neither of us moves, we’ll just stand here forever.

I opened my hand.

I didn’t need to, but it had become a habit.

Even though the hand isn’t real, I can feel it, so moving my actual arm feels more natural.

I haven’t gotten advice yet, but I can already imagine Instructor Justina telling me later, “Don’t rely on that hand gesture.”

Whoosh.

I swung my hand.

My real hand didn’t reach him.

But the invisible one did.

“Eek!?”

Jinwoo sensed it.

Maybe because he’d watched the earlier matches and knew something would come at him.

But he’s different.

Nam Jinwoo’s ability—

Smack!

My invisible hand hit him, making a sharp, almost comical sound.

Actually, the quiet room made the sound of skin hitting skin feel even more brutal.

Jinwoo’s hand was red. He’d instinctively blocked the attack with his own hand.

“Huh?”

“Oh.”

Chae‑yi and Instructor Justina reacted at the same time.

Of course they did.

I had swung my hand right in front of Jinwoo.

If he hadn’t panicked and thrown his hand up, he wouldn’t have blocked it.

My hand has no physical form. It only exerts force when it touches something.

So unless someone sees the air shift afterward, there’s no way to notice it approaching.

Unless they have the same ability as me, or can cancel powers like Chae‑yi, or can see abilities like Instructor Justina.

……Though there are a lot of those types here, ironically. But still, it’s rare.

So what about Nam Jinwoo?

His ability is—

Sensing energy.

You could call it seeing.

And not just seeing.

He can absorb it to some extent.

He grows by taking in others’ power—truly fitting for a harem‑protagonist superhuman.

……Which is why I don’t like it.

Thinking he might absorb Soi’s or Chae‑yi’s abilities makes me uncomfortable.

Not that I have the right to stop him.

His frightened eyes looked weirdly bright. Is he really a boy?

The novel caused multiple uproars because the protagonist accepted three non‑virgin heroines and embraced them anyway, and then more drama happened later.

I lost interest after that and skimmed the later chapters, so I don’t remember the details.

Still… I’m jealous.

So maybe, just this once, I can be a little petty in a perfectly legal way.

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Pub: 08 Apr 2026 05:15 UTC

Edit: 08 Apr 2026 05:34 UTC

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