The Academy Geniuses I Raised and Dressed

The car dropped me off in front of a hotel owned by Forward Group.

Another attendant was already waiting there.

“Mr. Nam Yein, this way please.”

Following this slightly younger attendant than the previous driver, I arrived at a Western-style restaurant. The attendant said a few words to the waiter, then guided me to a private room inside.

“Please have a seat and wait a moment. The president will arrive shortly.”

After he left and closed the door, I glanced at the table.

Three place settings were arranged neatly over a lace-covered tablecloth.

About three minutes later, the door opened and a tall, slim man walked in.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

He wore a casual yet refined suit, thin-rimmed glasses, and had sharp eyes behind them.

Chen Kai looked just like he had in the game—a textbook example of a charming middle-aged man.

Following behind him was Meiling, dressed in a sleek black dress.

She kept her lips firmly pressed together, but unlike before, there was no arrogance or smugness on her face.

Rather, it was expressionless, like she had erased all emotion.

“No need to stand. Have a seat and relax.”

Kai took his seat first and gestured to me. Meiling sat beside him, her eyes fixed on the table.

As soon as I took the seat across from them, there was a knock on the door.

The waiter stepped in and handed a menu to Kai.

“Order anything you like.”

I glanced over the menu and hesitated.

The dish names were long enough to be sentences, and every single price was well beyond anything I’d ever imagined for food.

“I’m not used to places like this, so I’m not sure what to choose. If it’s not too much trouble, could you recommend something?”

I asked the waiter, and Kai gave me a warm smile.

“Leave it to me. I’ll pick something for you.”

Kai expertly ordered the most expensive course on the menu, adding a few more dishes and drinks on top.

‘He’s burning through a few million won for just one meal.’

If this were real life, I’d have asked him to just give me the cash instead.

After the waiter left with the menu, Kai began speaking again.

“It might’ve felt like a burden to come here, so thank you for showing up. I figured this girl wouldn’t properly express her gratitude, so I arranged this meeting. Go on.”

He gave Meiling a look.

She stood and bowed to me.

“I owe you. Thanks for your help.”

There wasn’t even the slightest hint of displeasure in her expression. Her sincerity made the moment oddly bittersweet.

“Thank you for saving my daughter’s life. If it weren’t for you, I might never have seen her again.”

“I only did what I was supposed to.”

I replied, but Kai shook his head.

“Doing the right thing isn’t always easy. Your courage is something to be proud of.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Good. Meiling, that’s enough. Sit down.”

At his words, Meiling quietly sat back down. The way she carefully adjusted her posture and clothes screamed high-society upbringing.

A moment later, the appetizers arrived.

A mix of red sauces, white foam, vegetables, and seafood—it was impossible to tell what anything actually was.

“Try it. The food here is excellent.”

Kai said.

Just as he claimed, the taste was phenomenal. Even though I’d never experienced flavors like this, my tongue rejoiced.

As I ate, I thought of a certain person in the virtual world who once believed brain stimulation was indistinguishable from reality. That was when Kai brought up another question.

“Did you happen to hear what Meiling and those boys talked about?”

The sudden question made me lower my utensils.

“All I saw was Meiling wounded by arrows and collapsing under attack from Jin Cheongwang’s group. So I rushed to help.”

“I see.”

Of course, that was a lie.

I already knew exactly what they said to each other—thanks to the game.

But unless he could read minds, Kai had no way of knowing I was lying.

Cheongwang had destroyed the drone that was recording the encounter. Meiling’s drone had also been trashed, leaving no evidence.

“Don’t you wonder why those boys attacked Meiling?”

Kai asked again.

“They were probably trying to threaten her into calling off her expulsion. Since Gwangcheon Academy is backed by Forward Group, and you're the president of Forward Magic Engineer, they thought she could influence the school.”

Kai’s eyes widened slightly at my reply.

Even Meiling, who had been expressionless the whole time, looked momentarily startled.

“So you’d already figured it out. You’re a clever student.”

Kai smiled as he spoke.

After a few more dishes were served, and just before the main course arrived, Kai brought up a new topic.

“I’ve heard that Gwangcheon has produced two exceptional talents recently. And one of them is you.”

“Did Meiling say that?”

I asked, feigning ignorance.

Meiling quietly continued cutting her meat into small pieces.

“As you said, since Forward runs Gwangcheon Academy, word tends to make its way to the ears of the executives.”

Yeah, sure.

More like paid-off faculty report to you directly. Don’t act so casual about it.

“I heard that a teacher named Jeong Jooil is famous for giving impossible assignments, and yet you and another student completed his task not once, but twice.”

“My friend who entered the dungeon with me did most of the work.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

It wasn’t a complete lie.

Without Lumina’s help, we wouldn’t have been able to take down the Shellfire Tortoise or the Mad Skeleton.

Even if I had all the dungeon info and strategies in my head.

“Very humble.” Kai said with a faint smirk, “But I also heard you played a key role in the inter-class mock battle.”

“You even know about that?”

“People with talent naturally draw interest.”

Kai said it so casually.

“And helping such people grow is a deeply rewarding thing.”

I noticed Meiling’s hand had frozen, still gripping her utensils.

Pretending not to see, I sipped from my glass.

After dessert was served, tea and sweets followed.

“Meiling.”

Kai spoke without touching the coffee in front of him.

“Yes.”

“You should head home first. I have a few more things to discuss with Mr. Yein.”

“Understood.”

As Meiling stood from her seat, she gave me a glance.

That look seemed to say: “Whatever he says, just say no. I don’t want to be involved with you anymore.”

She had said that while handing me Kai’s invitation earlier.

Once we were alone in the room, Kai took a sip of coffee and finally spoke.

“The ones who attacked Meiling today have been found. As corpses, that is.”

“……”

“They were found on the outskirts of Seoul. Since their ambush failed, they must’ve tried to flee and met their end.”

Kai didn’t explain why Jin Cheongwang’s gang ended up as corpses.

“Earlier, you speculated they attacked Meiling to reverse their expulsion. But there’s a bit more to it. The real reason Jin Cheongwang and the others went after her… was because I had them fired and expelled from school.”

“Aren’t they hunter trainees like me? You’re speaking as if they were employees.”

“They handled tasks like managing students who might interfere with my daughter becoming the top of her year, or doing assignments in her place.”

“And why are you telling me this?”

“No need to play dumb.”

Kai smiled faintly.

“You rank among the lowest in aptitude at Gwangcheon. Yet you’ve completed Jeong Jooil’s assignments and led your class to victory in the mock battle. That means you have a different kind of talent—not in raw combat power, but here.”

He tapped his temple with a finger.

“If you’re as sharp as I think you are, you already understand why I’m bringing this up.”

“Are you planning to expel me like Cheongwang’s group?”

“I’m offering you an opportunity.”

Kai folded his hands and rested them on the table, meeting my gaze.

“I’ll cover the entrance and tuition fees if you and your friend transfer to another academy. I’m saying I’ll sponsor you.”

Sponsor.

In Latessai, sponsorship was a system where you could earn support by achieving growth milestones or clearing special quests.

“It’s still early in the term, so transferring shouldn’t be difficult. Rather than stagnating at Gwangcheon, you’d grow better elsewhere—for your sake and the world’s.”

A transfer?

This development was different from the game.

Originally, when the protagonist was alone with Kai, he would make a different offer: Hold back so Meiling can become top of the class, and he’d reward you with financial support.

If you accepted, you’d get a good sum of money early in the game, but Meiling would never become a companion, and she would commit suicide at the start of the second semester.

If you refused, a scenario would begin where she becomes your ally.

And now it’s a transfer offer?

There’s no such thing as a transfer system in Latessai.

If I were going to transfer, I would’ve accepted Eleanor’s offer to join Crystal back then.

“What happens if I refuse?”

“Why would you?”

Kai looked genuinely puzzled.

“You grew up a complete orphan with no family or relatives. I can’t imagine why you’d turn down the chance to finally have someone backing you.”

“!!”

My facial muscles twitched involuntarily.

This time, I couldn’t hide my surprise.

“I heard a kind-hearted hunter paid your entrance and first-semester tuition. But unfortunately, that hunter passed away two weeks ago. What are you planning to do about next semester’s fees? Go hunting for materials in dungeons during every practicum?”

Kai had clearly investigated me—rather, Nam Yein—thoroughly.

Ironically, I’m Nam Yein right now but know almost nothing about him.

All I’ve seen is a photo in the dorm room of a girl with the same hair color as him.

And his phone only had two contacts saved: “Nam Yejin” and “Funder.”

What’s going on? Could that girl in the photo be Nam Yejin? If Nam Yein is supposedly a total orphan, then who the hell is she?

Maybe she died after the photo was taken—or maybe they weren’t family at all and just had similar names.

And that “kind hunter” must’ve been the one saved in the phone as “Funder.” But that person’s dead now too?

Why would a hunter go out of their way to help Nam Yein enter Gwangcheon in the first place?

All these unexpected revelations were scrambling my thoughts.

…No, wait.

I needed to shift my perspective.

This was actually a rare opportunity to learn more about Nam Yein.

With that in mind, my brain slowly began to turn again.

“You’ve done your homework.”

I looked Kai straight in the eyes.

“As I said, it’s only natural to take an interest in someone talented.”

“But it seems your research was flawed.”

“…What?”

“I actually have living family. And I have a sponsor too. In fact, I met with them just today.”

“……”

For the first time, Kai looked genuinely shaken.

“Maybe I misheard earlier, but didn’t you say I had no family?” I pressed him further.

“You don’t seem like the type to suffer from delusions,” Kai said with a dry laugh. “I’m sure orphanage life wasn’t pleasant, but I didn’t think you’d cope with that loss by fabricating fantasies. A sponsor you met today? That’s ridiculous. How do you meet someone who was buried two weeks ago?”

An orphanage. A funeral two weeks ago…

Kai was giving away more information bit by bit.

“I have an older sister. Her name’s Nam Yejin. There’s a picture of us in my room.”

I tilted my head as if confused, and Kai’s face stiffened like he’d just seen something he shouldn’t have.

“No… You only had parents.”

Huh.

From that reaction, it seemed Nam Yein really didn’t have a sister.

Then who the hell is Nam Yejin?

The girl in that photo?

“Let’s stop this conversation.”

Kai sounded exasperated.

“I’ll give you the money. Just leave Gwangcheon and transfer to another academy. I’ll have the paperwork ready for next week—”

“I refuse.”

“What?”

Kai’s face finally showed true anger.

“Because it doesn’t make sense.”

“What doesn’t?”

I could hear the tension behind his words.

“Why you’re trying to transfer me and my friend.”

Kai let out a short sigh.

“I thought you were clever, but perhaps I overestimated you. I already explained my reasons, didn’t I?”

“Then why aren’t you trying to transfer Meiling instead?”

Kai’s face hardened.

“Isn’t she the one with talent too good to waste at Gwangcheon? She has two S-Rank aptitudes and a powerful ability. So why leave your precious daughter at Gwangcheon and give us the opportunity?”

“…That’s none of your concern.”

“If you won’t say it, shall I take a guess?”

“What…?”

“One reason is because Meiling’s not actually as talented as she seems. She wouldn’t be top of her class even if she went to another school. And the other reason…”

I met Kai’s gaze head-on.

“…is that you want to secure a new connection.”

“……”

Kai didn’t answer. Instead, he slowly stood up.

And then, looking down at me with icy eyes, he asked:

“…Just what are you?”

(End of Chapter)