The Academy’s Time Stop Player
chapter-52

In front of Hajoon, a woman sat on the sofa.

Her eyes seemed to scan everything, her charm and proud aura filling the room. She was Lorelei Hills, the leader of the world's top information guild.

Two muscular bodyguards stood behind her, as if protecting her from both sides.

"Welcome. We haven't met before, have we?"

Without a formal greeting, Hajoon took a seat on the sofa across from her, his expression gloomy.

At once, the bodyguards at her side began to stare at Hajoon, as if they disliked his attitude.

Ignoring them, Hajoon asked her,

"You wanted to see me?"

"Yeah, that's right. You're Kim Hajoon, right?"

"Yes."

Hajoon casually confirmed her words. If she didn't know his name, she wouldn't have invited him in the first place.

"So, why did you call me?"

"Ah, Kim Hajoon. 17 years old, entered Rokia Academy as the top student, suspected by the world to be an irregular. Is that correct?"

Hajoon nodded his head without saying anything. He didn't think that the world's best information guild wouldn't know at least this much.

And it was already public knowledge.

"But the problem is that's all we know. Isn't that intriguing?"

With that, a smile spread across Lorelei's face.

Immediately after, Hajoon began to relax.

Somehow, his heart felt calm, and he started to feel lighter.

She said,

"It's truly interesting. It's not like you fell from the sky or anything. You just appeared out of the blue."

"......So?"

"Would you mind sharing a bit about yourself?"

Her voice seemed to echo, as if it was bouncing off the walls.

While he started to feel a bit dreamy, Hajoon quickly snapped back to reality.

With a weary expression, Hajoon rested his chin on his hand on the armrest of the sofa, looked at her, and asked in a flat voice,

"Why me?"

"·········? Hmm··········, I wonder why?"

She scratched her cheek as if slightly surprised by Hajoon's question.

She went on,

"We're an information guild and we want information, right? Plus, I'm curious. I'm just asking because I want to know, is that not allowed?"

"But why are you curious about me?"

Just as she seemed to sense something was wrong and began to look puzzled.

One of the bodyguards next to her couldn't stand Hajoon's attitude any longer and started to grumble at him.

"You little punk, you're awfully rude. Do you know who you're talking to?"

"··········."

Hajoon silently looked at the bodyguard.

There was no sign of upset in Hajoon's eyes, he just looked at him tiredly. As the bodyguard huffed at that, he was about to reach out towards Hajoon when.

Hajoon said,

"I think I get what information you want. So, you can drop the act now."

At his words, the bodyguards reacted with surprise, and Lorelei, too, gazed at Hajoon with a hint of surprise on her face, before breaking into a smile.

"My, has my secret been exposed?"

"Yes. ··········However."

Hajoon's voice turned stern.

Hajoon slowly rose from his seat.

At the same time, a dark shadow fell over Hajoon's face as he fixed her with a hard stare.

Lorelei, sensing something was wrong, watched as Hajoon reached into his pocket and produced Maharazu, slowly expanding its size. Soon, a hammer radiating a golden light was held in Hajoon's hand.

She made a face of surprise, or perhaps understanding, and chuckled, taken aback by his actions.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, Hajoon, who had been in front of her, vanished.

At the same time, her eyes widened in shock, and she stiffened.

The reason was that a golden hammer was now close enough to touch her nose.

Just as she started to feel a cold shiver, the two bodyguards sprung towards Hajoon.

"Stop!!"

Lorelei quickly shouted at the two bodyguards.

As the two bodyguards stopped, taken aback, Hajoon issued a warning to her.

"I'm not in a good mood today."

With that, Hajoon slowly pulled back his hammer.

Shortly after, cold sweat began to trickle down her forehead, following the line of her cheek.

Hajoon spoke, looking at her.

"Take this as a warning. Don't try any silly tricks."

"··········."

After Hajoon's words, a silence filled the room.

Soon, she raised both hands as if to surrender and sighed.

"Sigh··········, I apologize. I just wanted to collect some information, I didn't think you'd react so strongly in Del Her."

As Lorelei apologized, the two bodyguards next to her also bowed deeply to Hajoon and apologized.

"We're sorry. We meant no harm, please forgive us."

"We apologize."

After hearing their apologies, Hajoon sat back down on the sofa and spoke with a casual expression.

"If you're sorry, then stop using your power first. I can't sense any sincerity from you."

At Hajoon's words, a slightly surprised Lorelei bowed her head to Hajoon and apologized once more.

"I didn't think you'd know even that. I'm sorry. I'm not using my power right now, so you don't need to worry."

Her power 'Emotion Control' was like a hypnotic spell, it was probably the closest to that type of abilities.

If she wished, she could manipulate the emotions of her target as she desired.

Likely the warm and relaxed feelings he had felt earlier were due to her controlling Hajoon's emotions.

Of course, as soon as he sensed those feelings, Hajoon instantly controlled his own emotions.

His immense mental strength, with a stat of 999, told him that the feelings he was experiencing were not real.

"So, this is the information you wanted, right?"

Hajoon asked, brandishing the hammer in his hand.

In response, she slowly nodded.

"So it was you all along?"

"Yes."

"So, why did you choose to reveal your identity, which you've kept hidden, to me?"

Regaining her calm, she asked Hajoon in a cautious tone.

Hajoon shared his reason.

“I think someone is trying to look into me, so I’m just issuing a warning. And…”

He watched her carefully and started to speak in a gentle voice.

“Please don't sell my information to anyone else.”

“So, this is a pre-emptive warning?”

“Yes.”

It was Lorelei who was observing Hajoon as he spoke.

She swallowed hard, remembering the recent scene.

The moment when she was almost killed, unable to react in time.

'I miscalculated...'

Lorelei began to bow her head, a faint smile on her face.

She knew of his extraordinary power, but she didn't anticipate it would be so immense that she couldn't respond to even the smallest movement.

She considered it a natural outcome for trying to plot against a rival she couldn't handle.

"Yeah, I understand. I promise not to sell any information about you to anyone else.”

Lorelei figured that merely knowing the boy was an irregular was sufficient.

As an information broker, sometimes she had to discern carefully between information worth knowing and information better left untouched.

“Well, then... it seems this issue is nearly resolved.”

“Huh?”

Hajoon sat on the sofa in a relaxed pose, pondering for a moment.

After a bit of reflection and scratching his chin, he gently started speaking while looking at her.

“I have a favor to ask.”

Lorelei was confused by Hajoon's words.

She tilted her head, but she signaled the bodyguards standing on either side of her to depart.

“Leave for now. We have something to discuss alone."

“But...”

“It’s fine, leave.”

“Yes, understood.”

With that, the two bodyguards exited the VIP room.

Now alone with Hajoon, Lorelei asked him with a curious look.

“So, what information do you need?”

“Um...”

To be honest, the main reason he decided to come here, even agreeing to Han Siyoung's request, was this.

It was the information he had been contemplating probing for some time.

He hadn't had the time to look into it, but he thought this was a good chance to have her look into it.

“Liber Laphilton Phil Ehrman.”

“Huh?”

“Do you know anything about this name?”

Liber Laphilton Phil Ehrman, the heir to a ruined noble family.

He was the original owner of this body and the last playable character that Hajoon could not play.

“Well...”

Hearing those words, she responded with a puzzled and regretful expression.

“I'm sorry, but I don't know much about that name.”

“Hmm...”

“But I can look into it for you. Should I?”

At that, Hajoon slowly nodded.

He didn't anticipate even her to admit she hadn't heard this name, but he believed that if he made the request, something might surface.

“Yes. Please look into it. I'll pay the fee after I get the information.”

“Hehe, I won't charge a fee. I also feel sorry about what just happened. I want to keep our relationship good.”

“Well, if that's the case.”

Hajoon nodded and offered his hand.

Seeing his gesture, she responded with a warm smile and grasped Hajoon's hand.

As her smile stayed, she thought to herself.

'More slippery than I expected?'

She had quickly figured out that the event just a moment ago was a trick, even identifying that he had used his power instantly...

And then, after he took charge of the situation, he even asked her for a favor. She couldn't help but think that maybe he had no plan of compensating her for the favor from the start.

'He's not just powerful, huh? Heh.'

Maybe it was because she had just met Han Siyoung, who was slightly too straightforward?

She might have instinctively equated Hajoon with Han Siyoung in her assessment of him.

She certainly had underestimated Hajoon.

But, one thing she was sure about from this event was that Hajoon was sneakier than she had assumed.

'Well, it's not information I can sell...'

She had gained a lot of knowledge about the irregular Kim Hajoon, but it wasn't information she could cash in. Trust was crucial in the information industry, so she planned to honor her promise with Hajoon.

Of course, that didn't mean she got nothing at all.

"So, can you give me your phone number?"

"Yes, here."

As she asked, Hajoon provided her his phone number.

What she could benefit from this event was the chance to maintain a strong connection with the irregular.

'Heh, there was a system called 'student requests' in the Academy, right? Surely?'

If she gradually built trust and kept a strong connection, wouldn't she be able to ask for a favor later? She thought to herself, smiling.