Chapter 122
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 122: How to Face the Past (8)
“Looking at your appearance, I recall you were a child adopted into a subordinate clan of our Beastkin branch.”
“Not anymore. Since someone sold me off to get on the good side of some twins.”
“Ah, yes, I remember now. We received great help thanks to that. I thought you would be dead or driven mad after becoming those twins' plaything, so I was surprised to hear the news you were alive and well.”
Nika didn't seem to care much about Choi Sujeong's hostile reaction.
She smirked and said.
“Live well. Is it not the freedom you worked so hard to obtain?”
“You all are so shamelessly arrogant.”
“What is there not to be arrogant about? The resources born for my sake were simply used for my sake. You, too, surely agreed to work for the glory of your kinsmen.”
“I was a child who knew nothing.”
“I became the family head through their sacrifice. It was not a useless sacrifice, so they too will be glad.”
“That’s truly dog-shit talk.”
Whether Choi Sujeong looked at her with a cold face or not, Nika stood confidently before her.
Choi Sujeong glared at her, looking ready to pounce at any moment.
Swamp-like green eyes and jewel-like violet eyes stared at each other.
What stopped the confrontation was a single, fine white hand.
“Sujeong.”
Lee Hana's hand gently grasped Choi Sujeong's.
Kind and calm aquamarine eyes met Choi Sujeong's.
Only then did Choi Sujeong seem to realize that everyone else's gaze was focused on them.
“This isn’t the place for this, so stop.”
Only after Na Yuhan spoke with a deep sigh did Choi Sujeong whip her head away.
Choi Sujeong immediately snatched my arm away from Nika.
“Hubae-nim, you like me, right?”
“What? Y-yes!”
As I answered reflexively, Choi Sujeong held my arm tightly and scoffed at Nika.
Nika, annoyed by this, raised an eyebrow and reached out to grab my other arm.
“Do not associate with that thing.”
“That’s my line.”
I laughed awkwardly, "Haha," and tried to pull my arms free, but neither of them would let go.
Wait, don’t use strength! Don’t pull from both sides!
My arm’s gonna pop out! It’s gonna pop out! Ow ow ow!
“That’s enough.”
“Cut it out.”
Park Siwoo and Na Yuhan stopped them, respectively.
Barely freed, I rubbed my stinging arms, feeling relieved.
I really thought they were going to pop out.
“My lady. Why don’t you just eat with them?”
“I dislike it. Then our secret conversation cannot progress, can it! I came thinking we would eat alone!”
The Fox tried to persuade Nika, but it wasn't easy.
If you look closely, she has dignity, but also a childish side. She’s a very colorful person.
Nika, who I couldn't tell if she was a child or a sunbae one year older than me, grumbled, but after complaining a few times, she reluctantly agreed to the Fox’s words that ‘this way is fastest’.
“Listen well. I am letting this go only this once.”
“That’s what I should say.”
…Sparks still flew between Choi Sujeong and Nika, but it was suppressed before it became a huge fire, and we sat side-by-side and ate lunch.
For reference, Nika’s lunchbox was needlessly extravagant and varied.
And she kept giving me her side dishes.
…Honestly, they were delicious.
The cautious lunchtime ended, just before we went to class.
"Nika."
"Hm? What is it, my fiancé?"
"When will the preparations for the Haeju be ready?"
"The equipment needs to arrive, so it will take some time. We also need to set a suitable day... Yes. It seems possible right after this 'midterm' thing."
"Got it."
That must be related to Lee Hana's curse.
I suspected that was the main purpose for which Na Yuhan had demanded compensation from Nika.
The original novel also said that the Balder Family’s cooperation was needed to solve the ‘curse’ problem.
Choi Sujeong, glaring at Nika warily while holding tightly to both my arm and Lee Hana’s, muttered quietly.
“I don’t know why we had to get involved with that family of all families.”
“Who knows.”
“Still, it seems solvable. What a relief. Ugh—Now that it’s come to this, it feels like they’re going to make me do all sorts of chores as promised~ I’m totally going to be worked to the bone!”
Lee Hana patted Choi Sujeong, who was speaking playfully and leaning her head on her, and smiled.
“Yes. You’re right. Don’t feel guilty about me anymore, just focus on Yuhan.”
“...I don't know. Hubae-nim, buy me a drink~”
“What do you want to drink today?”
“Umm… Um… We’ll see!”
Choi Sujeong turned her head away as if embarrassed and clung to me instead.
I smiled and led her along.
Lee Hana, who had been holding her hand the whole time, followed us leisurely.
“Today, I challenge 'Pine Needle's Eye'!”
“Pine Needle's Eye? Is it good?”
“Dunno~”
“If it tastes bad again, you’re just going to pass it off to someone nearby!”
“I’m not taking it this time….”
I took in Kang Yu, Shin Baran, Min Jaeyun, Choi Sujeong bickering with Shin Baran, and Lee Hana watching Choi Sujeong with a warm gaze, all in one glance, and smiled faintly.
I want you all to be happy.
A person who would endure even borrowing the power of a family she despises, if it’s for the sake of saving her friend.
Isn’t that a fitting reward for such a person?
Na Yuhan choosing the method of cooperation with the Balder Family was also the best choice in its own way.
He must have gone through tremendous trouble just to secure that cooperation.
I suddenly wished that a happy ending was really prepared for this world, just like in a novel, so that everyone's hardships would be rewarded.
I really wished it would be so.
During the next break, Nika loitered in front of our classroom door again, but she left disappointed when I said today was really the end.
Thankfully, she didn't show up from the next break on.
So willful, anyway.
After class, we decided to gradually switch from practical training to theory study sessions.
"Since the occurrence of the Gates, Hunters have adopted and used the monster classification system used in the past. Similarly, they graded the Gates—"
As expected, everyone was good at taking notes.
I was also getting the hang of it and following along well in many subjects, but history, especially the detailed history course covering the Awakened Tower, was still my weak point.
However, there was someone even worse at it than me…
“Gate? Grade? I know the conceptual definitions, but I don't get the specific correlation between the monster and Gate grade classification criteria. And what are the exceptions?”
It was Kang Yu.
My kid is smart, so he had memorized the concepts he’d studied in advance, but he was still a blank slate regarding the knowledge one could only acquire at the academy.
To be precise... Yggdrasil had only crammed in the scope of concepts needed to pass the transfer exam.
Our teacher is too practical-minded. This disciple is worried…
In the end, the study session became a special lecture for Kang Yu.
And I learned on the side.
Well, still, my smart kid got the hang of it quickly.
My kid is a genius.
“Hubae-nim, you look happy~”
“You really like your brother.”
“I like noona too!”
Choi Sujeong pulled at my cheeks as I grinned looking at Kang Yu.
I paid no mind to Park Siwoo’s comment.
Isn't this level of love for a sibling normal for everyone?
Compared to Shin Baran, mine is just a drop in the bucket.
Yep, that’s right!
Anyway, after the passionate study session, we got decent grades on the written exam.
It was a relief to be in a stable range where I felt I could stay in Class A.
Come to think of it, I wonder what happened with Choi Borim.
I thought of her, who had left after saying something that weighed on my mind, but decided to just focus on practical training.
“Next, Kang Nahyun!”
It was my turn anyway.
While preparing for the practicals, Yggdrasil had no doubt we would get good grades, but she said it was still best to prepare thoroughly and set up training fitting the midterm evaluation.
A 1-on-1 duel with a monster. A practical type where you use all possible items and equipment.
Normally, we’d practice through a simulator, but—
“And here is a new wyvern!”
…It seems our dear Yggdrasil is a bit too serious about training.
I looked up at the sky.
A silver wyvern dominated the sky, glaring at me inside the iron cage.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t an illusion, but real.
Wyvern.
A subspecies of dragon, possessing excellent defense and no weakness to any attribute of magic.
Famous for its hard core, it’s also fast and capable of aerial combat, making it extremely difficult to defeat.
Therefore, its measured grade starts at a 'minimum' C-rank.
Kieeeeeek—!!!
I stared at the wyvern flapping its wings in the large, ceiling-enclosed lot, glaring at me.
Right.
We were at the private training ground Yggdrasil had prepared.
The very same place where Kang Yu had prepared for his transfer exam.
“Go!”
Yggdrasil operated the cage without mercy.
Screeeech— Thud.
The top of the iron cage surrounding me disappeared.
Kieeeee—!!!
As if it had been waiting for that moment, the wyvern rushed at me.
I suddenly smiled.
I’d been wanting to test a new application of 'Story Twisting', so this was perfect.