Chapter 65
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Blue Pine Festival (6)
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A clear blue sky. From the massive oval stadium at the center of the academy, turquoise wooden stems poured down in a flash.
Kwaaaaang!!
Those mere parts of a plant tore through and shattered the sword circle unleashed by the second-place freshman from the 10th class—a male student—in reverse.
"...!"
The male student's eyes widened hugely.
A reaction that showed he hadn't anticipated it in the slightest.
Objectively speaking, who would think mere wooden stems could so easily dismantle a superior sword technique?
Even so, his momentary fluster delayed his reaction by more than two beats, sealing his mistake.
Kwaang-!
"Kuhuk!"
The wooden stem Ryu Se-eun shot out with a cool expression struck his abdomen dead-on.
The male student, who took a solid hit, spat up transparent bile and collapsed on the spot.
[Freshman Representative Ryu Se-eun wins the first round.]
The announcer's straightforward voice echoed through the stadium, and Ryu Se-eun elegantly flicked her hair, flaunting her victory.
Applause and cheers erupted from all sides. The first round of the 8-person tournament ended just like that.
'She's definitely got something.'
I sat in the very back row of the stands reserved for second-years, gazing down at Ryu Se-eun with serious eyes.
This wasn't the gaze of a senior toward a junior—it was the gaze of one magician to another.
To begin with, I'd never had a proper magic duel with Ryu Se-eun. The most we'd done was that brief clash at the hotel that day?
That scuffle ended quickly with my Heavenly Thunder laced with deep frustration...
Honestly, if we were to face off with full intent to crush each other? Who knows.
Even then, could I unilaterally overwhelm her nature-affinity divinity?
Sure, I don't think I'd lose to her.
But it wouldn't be an easy win either.
The match just now had been that overwhelming. And her black-haired opponent wasn't low-level by any means.
Yet Ryu Se-eun pierced his defensive sword circle in an instant and ended the fight.
Considering that nature magic—plant control in particular—tends to lack offensive punch, that was impressive.
If I hadn't stolen 'Plant Manipulation' from her and added ice attributes like I did, pulling off that kind of firepower wouldn't be so easy.
Anyway, today's match wrapped up like this—almost anticlimactically, one might say.
Winner: Ryu Se-eun. As the top freshman, she had the edge probabilistically.
Even accounting for that perception, a win was a win. Just as I stood to give her some praise outside the stadium for a job well done...
"What did you think."
A gloomy voice wormed into my ear.
I froze for a split second.
I turned to trace the source of the voice. No need to look far. Right beside me. The other second-years had somehow cleared out from nearby.
And in the seat next to mine sat a man with turquoise hair.
Someone I'd met only once, but those eerie eyes were still etched in my memory. Same as ever.
Ryu Jin-seong turned his head slightly, meeting my gaze.
"Was my daughter's skill up to par?"
"... ."
And he asked that.
How was I supposed to answer?
Not that it was a tricky or difficult question—just that I couldn't read his intent.
If I knew what response he was fishing for, it'd be easier.
Ryu Jin-seong said nothing more, just fixed his gaze on me steadily.
Waiting patiently for my reply.
I grimaced awkwardly but gave it some thought anyway. If I couldn't guess the model answer, I'd at least share my honest take.
'... Was Ryu Se-eun's skill decent, huh.'
He'd asked about his daughter's prowess. A grand magician who could survey 'magical skill' from on high wouldn't need to ask me if he couldn't gauge her himself.
Which made it all the more subtle.
"Eh, sure."
I scratched the back of my head sheepishly and replied.
"She's decent enough."
A short answer. But don't call it half-hearted. 'Decent enough' was my genuine feeling, and it was the truth.
Decent, but still lacking.
Not that I was looking down on her or placing her below me.
It was simpler than that. In essence, it boiled down to the difference between PvP and PvE.
'She must've tangled with monsters almost daily in Cheorwon.'
I didn't know her full growth background. But it was clear she'd grown up in Cheorwon after being taken in by Ryu Jin-seong at age ten.
And the border guard stationed there existed to prevent monsters from heading south.
North Korea was half-destroyed anyway, no need to worry about them, but gate breaks originating there still needed cleanup.
Living with soldiers and fighting monsters, Ryu Se-eun had to be a PvE specialist too.
Didn't that tendency show a bit in the last match? She hit that second-place guy a tad too aggressively.
Well, with this 8-person tournament mimicking real combat, most wouldn't mind much...
One slip, and I might be the one knocked out in the semis against her. Or maybe Cheon So-yul, if she beats me and advances.
"I'd suggest refining that brutal attack style. It might work on mindless monsters, but not reliably against fellow humans."
Why could I say that? Simple: after fifteen, I'd endured magic training geared toward PvP every vacation. At my master's place.
... Anyway.
I finished and glanced sideways at Ryu Jin-seong's profile.
To gauge his reaction.
The expressionless man nodded silently as if he'd heard me, but his overall response felt oddly flat.
'Act interested at least...'
As expected. He hadn't come to hear my evaluation of Ryu Se-eun's skills. Of course not.
I let out a deep sigh and turned back around.
Only then did Ryu Jin-seong snap out of his daze and look properly at me.
For a magician, he was pretty built. Taller than me, at least.
Put crudely, a utility pole of a man.
Though that sounded negative; he was a neat-looking twenty-nine-year-old.
"Got something to say?"
I didn't beat around the bush.
His face screamed he did.
'What if he tells me to kneel.'
I kept a composed facade, but inwardly I was a bit spooked. I'd whacked him, after all—undeniable fact.
In awakener society's senior-junior hierarchy, it was a massive breach.
If he demanded an apology, I'd bow my head right away. But kneeling? No way.
Not when he'd started barking like a dog first...
With thoughts of bolting if needed, I faced Ryu Jin-seong.
Ah, but keeping a maximally calm front, of course. 'Pride'.
"Lee Hyun-jin."
But Ryu Jin-seong called my name curtly and simply asked.
A single short question.
"What is a father's role?"
"...?"
It was far from what I'd expected. I failed to mask my surprise.
... What is a father's role?
Reasons for my bewilderment were many, but above all, wasn't this a question for a barely twenty-year-old kid?
Had to be a reasonable thought.
Just as I opened my mouth to retort incredulously...
I noticed where Ryu Jin-seong's gaze was directed. A bit late.
"... ."
The man was staring at Ryu Se-eun, who was just leaving the stadium.
After asking me that one thing, his eyes had stayed fixed there.
Reluctantly, I clamped my mouth shut. Unbidden thoughts surfaced from yesterday's talk with the Fist Emperor about this father-daughter duo's odd dynamic.
What circumstances had shaped Ryu Jin-seong's pathetic personality.
Considering that, I couldn't bring myself to treat him harshly anymore.
I turned my body back fully forward and looked down at the stadium.
Ryu Se-eun, who hadn't used much mana but was still drained, wiped light sweat as she exited the arena.
Only after she vanished from sight in the stands did I lift my head.
And decided to speak.
"No idea."
A frank start.
My honest truth.
"... ."
Ryu Jin-seong silently turned to look at me, expression unchanged—no disappointment or regret.
Of course, I wasn't done yet.
I'd never been a 'parent', sure.
Even so, I felt like I knew what Ryu Jin-seong needed to do right now.
Nothing deep about it—just the obvious.
He'd come to the Blue Pine Festival, his daughter's school event. Obviously to see her.
And she'd just fought in front of everyone...
"It's not complicated."
I turned to Ryu Jin-seong, jerking my chin cockily toward the stadium exterior.
His eyebrow twitched for a moment.
"Just go tell her she did well. If it feels right, pat her head, say some kind words..."
"... ."
"What's so grand about being a parent? Do what you're supposed to for your kid, say what needs saying."
This was purely my opinion. I couldn't claim it was absolutely right.
But one thing I was dead certain of:
For Ryu Jin-seong and Ryu Se-eun, this was exactly the word they needed most.
A glint finally sparked in Ryu Jin-seong's violet eyes.
I chuckled then. Probably because we shared innate magic, their physical traits really matched.
Bet neither had that hair or eye color originally.
Now anyone could see they were family, right?
That should be enough. Looked good to me, at least.
Ryu Jin-seong nodded solemnly.
"I'll keep that in mind."
Before I could reply, he melted into shadow and vanished.
I stared blankly for a moment, then snapped out of it with a hollow laugh.
'Grand magicians are grand magicians, huh.'
Couldn't track his presence. Couldn't even read his mana flow. Figuring where he went would take ages.
My master, Ice Empress Seol Ha-yeon, must be on the same level.
'When will I...'
A fleeting sentimental thought crossed my mind amid vague melancholy.
When could 'Magician Lee Hyun-jin' ever catch up to her?
No telling.
At least, not now.
[The second round will be at 4 PM. Second-year first place Cheon So-yul and second place Lee Hyun-jin, please wait in the waiting room.]
I stood from my seat.
For now, it was Cheon So-yul's turn.
Thinking of another woman while ignoring my wife? That'd be rude, no?
With that silly, playful thought, I stifled a laugh.