Chapter 24
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: New Student (1)
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Blue Pine Academy's 10th Class Freshman Welcome Ceremony.
The venue for the event, held a week after winter break ended, was bustling and lively.
In a gathering of all upperclassmen from second year and above, the one who ascended the stage was, unusually, a female student with teal hair.
That rare color sparked curiosity among the onlookers about the type of magic she wielded. The most likely guess was that she was a nature-affinity mage.
Oath. Representative of Blue Pine Academy's 10th Class Freshmen, Ryu Se-eun.
In truth, she was a girl who had enrolled as the top student of the 10th class with overwhelming grades, specializing in nature magic—specifically, plant-related spells.
Her most striking features were her long, flowing hair that cascaded past her eyebrows and the half-rim glasses that framed her deep purple eyes. Even so, she possessed an undeniably refined beauty.
'Wearing a beauty seal and still shining through... impressive.'
I entertained the thought inwardly.
Of course, it was just idle musing.
'Ahem.'
...Anyway, whatever.
After delivering the freshman oath in a clear voice, Ryu Se-eun stepped down from the stage amid a shower of applause.
She was probably destined to be this class's idol(?) from this moment on. At the very least, she had plenty of buzz.
Oh, and for reference, in the 9th class, Cheon So-yul—the youngest daughter of Myriad Thunders—had been that idol.
So, what was the eternal idol of the 9th class, Cheon So-yul, doing right now...?
"...Hey, Lee Hyun-jin."
"What."
"That girl... she's the one, right?"
She was sitting right next to me, innocently poking my shoulder with her fist.
Whispering just loud enough for me to hear, she subtly nodded toward Ryu Se-eun.
"The successor to Black Heaven..."
"...Yeah."
Cheon So-yul muttered in a voice unusually bitter for her.
Of course, I wasn't much different.
I let out a short grunt and recalled memories from a few days ago. Come to think of it, I'd gotten a message from my master about this too.
...As usual, I'd skimmed the preview and ignored it, so I didn't remember the details. But piecing it together roughly...
"Disciple of another grand mage..."
The girl with seaweed-like teal hair descending from the auditorium stage and returning to her seat was undoubtedly connected to Korea's last grand mage, the sole male among them, 'Black Heaven.'
I didn't know about the melee types, but Cheon So-yul and I could see it clearly.
The distinctive pattern of her unique magic 'Black Sky' etched into her eyes.
The essence of the freshman welcome ceremony wasn't the representative's oath or Hero Yang Chan-ho, the academy president's overly long speech. The latter especially, of course.
The core was, as the name implied, the upperclassmen's welcome greetings for the freshmen chicks.
Our class had been no different.
I reminisced nostalgically about the past.
'...Back then, I thought Senior Seo Ha-rin was such a sophisticated person.'
There had been a time when I prided myself on not being swayed by rumors of her being the chaebol heiress, the precious jewel of Ilseong Group's chairman...
After hanging out a few times and receiving a marriage contract disguised as a romantic proposal, I finally snapped out of it.
'Hmm.'
It had been a grueling process.
Even now, she was one of the two people who persistently messaged me. Thoroughly ignored, yet refusing to give up.
Ah, the other one was my master, of course.
Anyway, the important thing now wasn't the student council vice president, who was currently in full normal cosplay mode, leading the freshman chicks.
I shook my head to clear the stray thoughts and resumed greeting the freshmen approaching me hesitantly, one by one.
Yeah.
Hello.
Nice to meet you too.
In case you'd forgotten, I was still the runner-up of my class.
A disciple of a grand mage, no less...
Which meant plenty of juniors approaching to get on friendly terms.
Of course, I didn't mind. The others felt the same.
'Top student' Cheon So-yul went without saying, but take Baek A-yun for example—she was surrounded by burly melee types, her face soul-less for some reason.
Well, the Fist Emperor's granddaughter carried weight.
'Ah, eye contact.'
I gave Baek A-yun an encouraging fist pump, ignored her growling expression in return, and turned away.
Someone's gaze had been prickling at me from earlier, and I finally had a hunch who it was.
They were staring so cautiously that it took me a while to notice. And that furtive gaze carried some inexplicable emotion...
'Hostility?'
For whatever reason, 'she' was openly showing animosity toward me.
I couldn't help tilting my head.
Had I done something rude to warrant that? But no matter how I racked my brain, I didn't think so.
The target was none other than the freshman top student, presumed disciple of a grand mage, Ryu Se-eun.
I had zero connection to Black Heaven?
I didn't even know what that grand mage looked like.
I vaguely recalled my master saying they avoided media exposure due to their personality, or maybe not...
'This is awkward.'
I rubbed my chin and furrowed my brow. Still, she was a junior top student a year below me.
As a senior and second-year runner-up, bad relations wouldn't benefit me at all.
Should I say something first?
As I racked my brain for a response strategy...
Click, clack—
A crisp sound of heels suddenly tickled my ears.
Blinking, I confirmed it was Ryu Se-eun making the noise.
Attention in the room partially turned to her. It was only natural—she was the temporary star of the moment.
I frowned slightly. For some reason, it felt like she was heading my way.
I trusted she wouldn't challenge me to a duel(?) in such a public setting.
"......"
Still, better safe than sorry?
She was approaching with a straight gaze, and man, what an intimidating junior.
Tension and urgency built inexplicably until Ryu Se-eun finally stood before me.
Our heights didn't quite match, so I looked slightly down at her.
'...Up close, it's even clearer.'
Her purple eyes unmistakably bore the pattern of the Black Sky I knew. A rare phenomenon.
The rippling dark clouds were proof positive.
She was a mage who had mastered Black Heaven's unique magic. I couldn't tell her exact relation to that famed grand mage, but...
'Considering her surname and age, probably his daughter? Or just a disciple?'
Then, Ryu Se-eun parted her rose-tinted lips.
"...Lee Hyun-jin."
"?"
And she said my name.
I blinked.
...What? Did she just speak casually to me? I'm her senior, and unless she's a year older despite being a freshman, which she isn't...
The sudden rudeness left me, born in a Confucian country, frozen like an idiot—until, fortunately, Ryu Se-eun continued.
"Are you the one? Disciple of Ice Empress Seol Ha-yeon, second place of Blue Pine Academy's 9th class."
"......"
It felt a bit off, but her outward demeanor seemed polite enough, so I nodded dazedly in affirmation.
Yes, I'm Lee Hyun-jin.
Grind...
"...?"
Suddenly, a chilling sound pierced my ears.
The sound of teeth grinding.
As question marks floated above my head, I looked down at the teal-haired girl before me.
...Just loud enough for me to hear at this distance. Perfectly modulated.
I doubted it at first, but seeing her calm expression, suspicion grew stronger.
I stared at Ryu Se-eun with a hardened face, and she stared back up at me, openly frowning this time.
At that point, I was convinced.
This junior definitely had some grudge against me.
It made me vaguely wonder about potential bad blood between my master Seol Ha-yeon and Black Heaven Ryu Jin-seong.
As I mulled over these complicated thoughts...
Suddenly, Ryu Se-eun reached out and grabbed my wrist.
I flinched reflexively.
Grip!
Even for a pureblood mage like me, it hurt a bit as she yanked me closer.
...Pulling me just a handspan nearer.
"I like you."
Ryu Se-eun confessed, grinding her teeth.
....
....
....
"?"
The concept of 'response' evaporated from my mind.
...What was I supposed to say to this?
"After you graduate, come to Cheorwon and marry me. Thank you."
And now this, on top of everything.
Wait, seriously. No joke—what was I supposed to do...?
'...Confessing like it's a job offer acceptance.'
Various commotions erupted throughout the banquet hall prepared for welcoming the freshmen.
Far off, Cheon So-yul twitched one eye corner with an awkward expression.
Senior Seo Ha-rin on the second-floor balcony looked dazed, like a raccoon robbed of cotton candy.
Baek A-yun nearby flinched, then her pupils shook.
"?"
Why are you...?