Chapter 67
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Blue Pine Festival (8)
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‘Where am I? Who am I...?’
Cheon So-yul was in a state of utter confusion. She felt like she couldn't step onto the stage unless she lost her mind completely.
No, that was actually the case. She had stumbled out of the waiting room, but she was far from being in a normal state.
It was just inertia driving her.
She had to do it. It was her role.
Sometimes, awakeners experience a heightened sensitivity without any particular reason...
For Cheon So-yul, that was happening right now. All her senses were sharpened to a razor's edge.
And in that state, her gaze suddenly turned far off toward the academy's main building towering in the distance, specifically its top floor.
Her vision stretched out to quite a distance, but of course, she couldn't see inside.
It was just a guess. Yang Chan-ho was probably there beyond it—the man who had urged her and Lee Hyun-jin to participate in the tournament.
...The promise of receiving the agreed item would only be fulfilled once one of them met the condition of reaching the finals.
Even so, a contract was a contract. Cheon So-yul wasn't the type of girl to run from a stage that had already been set, no matter what personal circumstances arose.
That was why she forced her trembling legs to move, step by step, toward the stadium...
But just heading out there didn't solve everything. That was merely the bare minimum.
Cheon So-yul knew who her opponent was. How could she not? Lee Hyun-jin.
She had once gotten excited about the chance to truly settle who was first and second place, even vowing to reestablish the hierarchy.
But now, Cheon So-yul had no room left for such petty thoughts. Not even a shred.
‘...Ah...’
Her mind was just blankly numb. No, it wasn't some dramatically complicated turmoil or heart-pounding crisis.
Still, it wasn't a condition where she could bring out her full strength properly.
Cheon So-yul pressed down on the hem of her clothes with a firm grip, adjusting its position.
The exact spot where Lee Hyun-jin's hand had nearly slipped up just moments ago.
Recalling that recent memory made her head spin once more.
And inwardly, she screamed. You lunatic, you bastard, you horny pervert.
Of course, all those curses pointed to one person. Cheon So-yul felt like she could barely hold onto her sanity.
Right then, cheers erupted.
“...”
Cheon So-yul had no choice but to take one more step forward. She lifted her head.
Forcing a confident posture, expression, and gaze as she looked at her opponent.
There stood Lee Hyun-jin.
Suddenly, Cheon So-yul felt wronged.
‘You bastard, seriously...’
His expression was so infuriatingly calm. Utterly nonchalant, as if anyone could act that way—preparing for the fight ahead with her without a care.
The azure mana imbued with Lee Hyun-jin's unique attribute began quietly swirling through the air.
Cheon So-yul's lips pressed into a thin line. At the same time, she ground her teeth silently, so no one else could hear.
Krrrind...
Even so, it sounded like she could chew someone up whole. Probably Lee Hyun-jin.
To her, her close friend's attitude felt utterly infuriating.
Just moments ago, in the stadium waiting room—which was undeniably "outside," even if no one else was there—he'd done that.
And now, after she'd somehow coaxed, soothed, and persuaded him to get up on stage, she was the only one furtively glancing around.
In this situation, was she the weird one for dwelling on such a trivial matter(?) ? No, by any common sense, that couldn't be right.
Cheon So-yul finally couldn't hold back.
‘Ugh...!’
Boom!!
She stomped the ground fiercely. The stadium stage had undergone meticulous magical reinforcement to prevent collapse under normal circumstances, but her stomp sent faint currents of electricity crackling across it.
In other words, fine cracks had formed on the surface.
The noisy, chaotic arena fell silent in an instant. Quietly and calmly, all eyes focused on Cheon So-yul.
And at this moment, she decided to ignore those gazes entirely.
Was it her problem?
‘The point is, I just need to beat the crap out of that bastard here, and I can deal with all the other weird thoughts after I get down.’
Her eyes gleamed sharply. Her expression grew more serious, and a single bolt of lightning crackled beside her pale forehead.
Cheon So-yul was the type who could admit all her flaws.
As such, she accepted the facts as they were. Allowing Lee Hyun-jin access to her body, letting her guard down to the point of intimacy.
Even going so far as to let him act like her lover, as if they were true partners.
All of it was her doing. Dealing with the aftermath was her responsibility too, and she had no intention of denying it—she would own it.
After all, the most important thing was just one.
Cheon So-yul's eyes darkened lowly.
If someone acted like a bastard, they deserved a beating. She'd been too flustered back then and let it slide ambiguously, but not now.
‘Lee Hyun-jin.’
Crackle-!!
‘...No.’
With a short thunderclap, azure lightning blades materialized one in each of Cheon So-yul's hands.
She looked straight ahead with a plain yet icy gaze.
‘Come here, you bastard of mine.’
She murmured softly to herself.
Beeeep!
The next moment, the horn signaling the start of the match blared through the speakers, echoing across the vast stadium.
Lightning and ice clashed violently.
"There, there. Calm down, calm down."
Cheon Se-hee's eldest daughter and the 3rd team leader of [Raven], Korea's most famous and powerful awakener guild in the current era—'Thunderclap' Cheon Hyun-ah.
She was currently supporting her younger sibling while patting their back.
Of course, this wasn't about Cheon So-yul. She was up on stage right now, locked in a fierce battle.
In other words, it was her other younger sibling. Not her sister, but her brother.
A 22-year-old youth who had been born with lightning magic aptitude surpassing even Cheon Hyun-ah's own talent.
Cheon Woo-hyuk. Blue Pine Academy's student council president.
"I'll kill him. I'm going to kill Lee Hyun-jin..."
He was groaning and mumbling half like sleep-talk. His speech was slurred.
But Cheon Hyun-ah could roughly guess what her brother meant.
What else could it be? Even if he pretended otherwise, Cheon Woo-hyuk was the one who cared for and cherished their family the most deeply among the siblings.
Especially now, with the youngest—the family's darling, Cheon So-yul—at the center of it all.
Cheon Hyun-ah twisted her lips into an enigmatic expression that was hard to read.
Her gaze was fixed straight ahead.
In other words, at the stadium's center. The middle of the stage. Where two geniuses were unleashing magic far beyond the level of second-year academy students.
One was a girl she knew well—Cheon So-yul, naturally.
But this time, Cheon Hyun-ah was focusing on the other one.
The ice magic prodigy, Lee Hyun-jin.
‘Haha, is that level of high-tier magic even possible at that young age? Really...’
Cheon Hyun-ah let out a silent laugh, lifting the corner of her mouth in exasperation.
Whenever she'd asked about academy matters, Cheon So-yul dodged, and Cheon Woo-hyuk clammed up, so she hadn't known much.
How had her two siblings hidden such an amusing kid from her?
So heartless.
Murmuring that inwardly, Cheon Hyun-ah laid Cheon Woo-hyuk roughly on a chair and straightened her posture. The picture of a model spectator!
With a faint smile playing on her lips, she clapped lightly.
The stage was filled with deadly anti-personnel attack spells that could cause fatal wounds with a mere graze, yet the combatants showed no signs of injury.
Wondering how that was possible, she pondered briefly—and the answer came quickly.
They were simply too familiar with each other.
On the level of reading every one of their opponent's moves.
Awakener Cheon Hyun-ah sincerely paid her respects to the two young students' achievements. Her quiet applause was proof.
And then.
‘Oh dear, what am I going to do with you...’
The impressions of ‘Cheon So-yul's older sister’ Cheon Hyun-ah were just beginning. She quickly shed her serious expression, replacing it with a mischievous grin.
To put it simply, how could she miss what Cheon Woo-hyuk had seen?
Naturally, she had realized everything. She grasped the truth.
For example, she could guess more details about that intriguing incident at the Cheon family estate two months ago...?
Cheon Hyun-ah just thought to herself.
How far did they go, I wonder?
Of course, no matter how the truth came out, she would respect and support her youngest sister's choice.
Would the rest of the family do the same?
She couldn't be sure.
No, probably the opposite.
Cheon Woo-hyuk went without saying. He was grinding his teeth even now while lying there groaning and showing his hostility.
And the biggest problem lay elsewhere. Ah, to be direct—on the right.
Feeling a twinge of tension this time, Cheon Hyun-ah turned to her side.
More precisely, to the one woman sitting there.
“...”
This nation's strongest magic swordsman was there. The most experienced among the three great archmages.
She was Myriad Thunders Cheon Se-hee.
After hesitating briefly, Cheon Hyun-ah awkwardly smiled and leaned her shoulder against hers.
Casually.
"Um, you okay, Mom?"
Crackle...!
"Mom!"
She jolted in surprise and quickly pulled away.
Cheon Hyun-ah hurriedly brushed off her shoulder.
Even with her innate lightning resistance, a sharp sting ran through her body from the rough current.
‘Oh come on, why take it out on me...’
She decided to just keep quiet.
Muttering inwardly only.
Just as Cheon Hyun-ah thought there was no one else to talk to about this and she should just silently watch the match.
Whoooosh...
A strangely artificial chill wind brushed past Cheon Hyun-ah's ear.
Immediately after, a change came over the space.
Cheon Hyun-ah's expression changed.
Cheon Woo-hyuk sat up.
"...You..."
Cheon Se-hee wiped away her displeased expression from moments ago and began showing clear bewilderment.
Her head turned to the side.
"Ahaha."
There was a girl.
Wearing a deep white hood.
A girl who had appeared there, glaring at the arena while revealing only her faint blue eyes.
"...I thought I might be a little late."
The girl's lips curved into a pleasant arc.
She hummed in a clear voice.
"Good thing I made it just fine. Haha, this is well within the margin of error."
“...”
"Right, ma'am?"