Chapter 26
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: New Student (3)
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Blue Pine Academy is vast. Incredibly vast.
Of course, pretty much anything you could need was available right there on campus.
Not just small eateries, but karaoke rooms, bowling alleys, equipment fabrication and maintenance facilities for awakeners, artisans' quarters, and so on.
They even had a modest complex shopping mall for the students.
Which meant there was really no need to venture down to the university street below the campus.
But even enduring the considerable hassle of heading out, there was one clear reason for it.
'I don't want to be seen hanging around with Ryu Se-eun.'
I'd already mentioned it a few times, but I was still a second-year runner-up, and the girl next to me was the current freshman representative.
If someone caught us having a meal together—just one day after that confession fiasco at the freshman welcome party...?
'I don't even want to imagine it.'
How much of a commotion would that cause? This place was an academy full of young, energetic students who thrived on gossip anyway.
In that sense, the university street outside campus let me breathe a little easier.
I couldn't completely ignore glances from classmates, but it was still pretty easy to blend in and hide.
Fortunately, Ryu Se-eun—who'd committed that brutal public crime of a confession—was surprisingly compliant with my requests.
She seemed uncomfortable with all the excessive attention herself.
'So why the hell did she pull that stunt yesterday...?'
It left me feeling inexplicably frustrated. Especially since I'd ended up dragged around because of it.
I shot a glance back at Ryu Se-eun, who was trailing a bit behind me diagonally.
Her expression was calm and composed, her eyes bright and sparkling. Her quick little steps painted the perfect picture of an eager freshman chick.
How the hell had I fallen for this girl's scheme? I let out a sigh.
Of course, it never even crossed my mind that she might actually have fallen for me and couldn't hold back her impulses.
I'd only arranged this meeting to hear the real reason straight from her.
Once I got that damn explanation and understood, I'd be out of there—no matter what.
With my resolve firm, I crossed the crosswalk the moment the light changed.
We wove through alleys here and there. Since we'd come all this way, I figured I'd treat her to something tasty from the menu.
And what exactly was this 'tasty menu'?
It was none other than...
Ding-a-ling-
"Ah, welcome."
"Two portions of tteokbokki and one fish cake soup, please."
I pushed open the door to the familiar chime anyone could hear anywhere and ordered without a second thought.
"...Wow..."
Ryu Se-eun, following behind, froze stiff and openly recoiled.
Hmm. Solid reaction here too.
I chuckled inwardly while keeping my face straight, controlling my facial muscles.
She sat across from me, matching my lead, and gave me a dead-eyed glare.
"Sunbae."
"What."
"Is this for real? I have a conscience too, so I wasn't expecting some fancy atmosphere, but shouldn't you at least take me somewhere decent?"
"Nah, this place is perfect for you."
I answered casually without missing a beat, and something in my nonchalant tone made her face twist up.
She leaned in a bit, growling.
"That's you roasting me, right?"
"Oh, you caught on quick this time."
"No, shit, seriously?"
She glared daggers at me with fire in her eyes, but what could she do? What was she gonna do about it?
I just shrugged it off.
"...No, sigh."
She pinched her forehead like she had a headache and groaned.
Her glance at me softened a bit, looking embarrassed.
A brief staring contest.
"...Fine, you win. I admit it."
She raised the white flag first.
"I was rude yesterday. But I thought it was the most efficient strategy, so I had no choice."
She brushed back her bangs and muttered under her breath, 'That doesn't mean you had to drag me to a snack bar though...'
Haha, if you wanted fine dining, you shouldn't have ambushed me with that confession. Right?
I smirked inwardly, satisfied with the hit I'd landed. Right around then, the food we'd ordered on entry started arriving.
Glistening red tteokbokki coated in sauce, and steaming fish cake soup.
Even Ryu Se-eun—who'd grumbled at first—swallowed hard without complaint.
Lucky her, or unlucky? At least she wasn't the type to complain about street food. I'd half-worried as the disciple of an archmage.
Well, better than wrinkling her nose in disgust anyway.
...Though that might have its own charm. Just a tiny bit of regret, but I won't show it.
I chuckled softly, picked up a fish cake skewer. It looked hot, but not too hot to eat. I'm not Cheon So-yul, after all.
Dipped it lightly in soy sauce, one bite. Chewing, I nodded toward Ryu Se-eun.
"So, shall we get to the point now?"
"...Mm."
"What the hell made you pull this annoying stunt, you shameless kouhai?"
Irritation dripped from my words. She caught it and avoided my sharp gaze.
But she couldn't dodge forever. Eventually, she surrendered.
"...You're right."
"..."
"An annoying stunt. Yeah, sunbae, you're correct. I was totally out of line."
She slumped her shoulders in resignation, stabbing a piece of tteokbokki with her fork.
Shoved it in her mouth, cheeks puffing as she chewed, eyes rolling as if sorting her thoughts.
I waited patiently.
Soon, she continued.
"...It was definitely back when I was young, just a fifteen-year-old girl..."
"Key points only. Summarize briefly."
"..."
She clamped her mouth shut at my interruption. Scanned me up and down with a hint of annoyance. Like I said, what're you gonna do?
I glared back, and she backed down with a flinch.
"Truth is, I'm the daughter of Archmage Ryu Jin-seong..."
Finally getting to the point.
I nodded, arms crossed.
"Figured it might be something like that."
I'd suspected as much. The matching surname had bugged me; she seemed more than just a disciple.
"Ah, adopted daughter."
"...Hmm."
That I hadn't expected.
How the hell would I?
The bombshell(?) threw me off balance for a second.
Ryu Se-eun, gaining momentum, pressed on without interruption.
"My father's a good man, overall. A bit eccentric, sure, but he treats his border defense subordinates well..."
"He raised me with love from childhood, even though I'm not his real daughter."
"But you know how people are—no one's all good. Dad has his flaws too."
I listened quietly. She paused, took a sip of cold water.
Met my eyes briefly, then looked away slyly.
"And that flaw... it's an inferiority complex toward Seol Ha-yeon, I guess?"
"...What?"
She dropped that last line.
"Ahem."
I frowned in shock; she coughed awkwardly.
She spread her arms dramatically like ta-da, then let out a deflated chuckle.
"Truth is, back in his youth, our father confessed his love to her master."
"?"
"He got his heart badly scorched by her sharp tongue..."
The bombshells kept coming. A giant question mark floated over my head.
Runner-up kouhai, what did you just say?
"Wait, hold up. I think I just heard something my brain can't process."
"...I get it. Totally understandable. I was floored when Dad told me himself."
"D-Do you know how old my master is?"
"Of course. Ice Empress Seol Ha-yeon—she's twenty-five this year, right?"
She answered my urgent question promptly.
Twenty-five. Spot on.
My master was exactly twenty when she spotted me and kidnapped me to her estate.
She earned the title of one of the nation's three 'archmages' at just twenty-two.
And Black Heaven Ryu Jin-seong confessed to that young woman? Love. Love.
'...Ha, haha.'
No, seriously. Is this guy insane?
Daring to hit on my master?
"W-Wait, sunbae. I think you're misunderstanding something."
I was half-considering calling the cops—could they even arrest an archmage?—when Ryu Se-eun frantically waved her hands, reading my face.
"No, not like that. Really. Common misconception—our father's only twenty-nine."
"What...?"
Another shock, who knows what number today.
There was another monster archmage in his twenties besides my master?
My head spun. Who knew you could get motion sick sitting down?
"...Anyway, long story short, that's why all this happened."
That's when she delved deeper. She fanned herself, sighing like she was embarrassed too.
Her violet eyes, glancing up at me, began to glow faintly with heat.
"Alright, as requested—key points only, Lee Hyun-jin sunbae."
"..."
Her suddenly serious tone made me tense up; I pressed my lips shut.
She lowered her voice like she was sharing top-secret intel.
"Our father... he's actually plotting petty revenge on Seol Ha-yeon by drafting you to Cheorwon."
"..."
"...Ahem. Operation name something like 'Your disciple's impressive' vibe. Yeah. Mm."
I was speechless.
Wanted to lose my mind too.
She mumbled something about bolstering mage forces on the side, but it barely registered.
I'd heard rumors of chronic shortages in Cheorwon border defenses.
But that had nothing to do with drafting me.
Especially not for such a pathetic, petty grudge.
'No way... He's an archmage, for crying out loud...'
How could an archmage be this small-minded?
So salty about rejection he wants to NTR her disciple.
Using his adopted daughter for a political marriage?
'Whoa, fuck.'
Is he nuts?
Paradoxically, my chest swelled.
This was the caliber of Korea's top three archmages...?
"..."
My head hurt.
I pressed my temples, glaring fiercely at Ryu Se-eun pretending nothing happened.
At least it was clear now: she hadn't confessed because she liked me.
Which meant no need to treat her nicely.
...I sure as hell wasn't playing along with that archmage's bullshit anymore.
Right as I opened my mouth to snap at her sharply...
"...What if you just give me one chance?"
She fidgeted with her hands for the first time, hesitant.
I paused, bewildered.
"What?"
"I mean, I did confess publicly, but I didn't think it'd actually work. Best case, make you a bit curious—I knew that."
But why do it then?
Before I could retort, she scratched her cheek awkwardly.
"...It had a bit of blackmail vibe. Like, if you reject my proposal, I'll pester you relentlessly till graduation...?"
"Are you insane?"
I couldn't hold back; the curse slipped out reflexively.
Her eyes widened, then she burst into laughter.
"Pfft...! Wow, I've never heard such crude language before."
So?
"Heh, congrats. You took my first."
"Damn it..."
I couldn't hold back again, sighing heavily and rubbing my eyes. She cracked up even more, giggling wildly.
Then she slowly wiped the smile from her face and reached across the table.
"Please, sunbae."
Like at the welcome party, she grabbed my wrist, but this time her tone was soft as she pleaded.
"Just give me one shot to seduce you. I really want to bring you to Cheorwon for Dad."
"..."
She said it so casually—dragging a twenty-something guy to the front lines.
Korea's cursed conscription was abolished in this world, sure, but still.
...Somehow, I couldn't just slap her hand away. There was an inexplicable earnestness in her expression.
Her eyes said it plainly.
-I want to repay him somehow.
'A sense of lack?'
I'm no psychologist, so I couldn't say for sure, but it nagged at me.
...From the 'adopted daughter' bit, I could guess she'd lost her real parents at some point.
And it probably tied to the Jörmungandr and monster rampage a decade ago.
If not for Blue Pine Academy's president, Hero Yang Chan-ho, that global crisis might still be ongoing.
Did Black Heaven Ryu Jin-seong take her in then?
Timeline fit best.
And now—speculation, but—Ryu Se-eun wanted to repay her adoptive father who'd raised her.
Probably? Speculation, as said.
That's why she'd accepted the order to bring me to Cheorwon without much fight.
She hadn't liked me much, from that first-day glare.
Yet she followed her adoptive dad's will. Just to repay him.
...Damn loyal adopted daughter.
Whether that front-line archmage was really so petty and nasty was secondary...
'Tch.'
More importantly, the real problem was...
I suck at turning down pleas like this.
If she'd been brazen from the start, I'd shove her off easy.
But she humbled herself first? How do you slash that away coldly?
It's in my nature.
...So damn annoying.
"Sunbae."
"...What."
"Next Saturday, one day-date with me? I'm super confident."
"..."
I sensed things getting messier and let out a long sigh. She grinned sheepishly.
Hmm.
Time for a little inner confession.
Honestly? Yeah. A cute girl unexpectedly clinging to me like this.
'Maybe not so bad after all...?'
Surprisingly satisfying.
Some weird desire fulfilled. Yay.
"But what if after that one day-date, I still say hell no to Cheorwon? Probably will."
"..."
"No other plans?"
"..."
"Hey."
"...W-When the time comes, if it still doesn't work, I'll use my body to seduce you...!"
"Stop. Right there. Say no more."
I stared at Ryu Se-eun with cold, dead eyes. Pitifully, like looking at a pathetic fool.
She'd grabbed her collar to yank it down but flinched and let go.
'That thing on your neck's just decoration, huh...'
This freshman rep had some seriously flawed thinking.
Her fierce glare from the welcome party was fading from memory...