Chapter 124
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 124
Chapter Title: Temptation Should Be Bold!
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Kang Seol-hwa had been born the only daughter of the Jinseong Group, burdened with expectations from the moment she drew her first breath.
The world's greatest conglomerate was Eldra, but Jinseong Group was no slouch either, wielding immense wealth as one of Korea's top chaebols.
As such, from childhood, Seol-hwa had endured genius-level education and constant pressure from her parents to always be the best.
Coming in first was a given. Second place was worthless.
You're the daughter of Jinseong Group, the daughter of Chairman Kang Jin-seong.
Those were the words she'd always heard.
To cultivate refinement, she'd received education far beyond her peers from a young age. She mastered violin and piano as "basic accomplishments," and when told she needed feminine charm as well, she took up figure skating on command and even snagged awards.
And when her magic awakened, Seol-hwa saw her father truly rejoice for the first time.
"Yes! You've become a hunter too! Of course! The heir to Jinseong Group has to awaken! There's no way you'd fall behind Eldra's heir—we're Jinseong!"
'Father's so happy...!'
Her father, always stern and impassive, emphasizing first place above all else—this new side of him filled Seol-hwa with joy.
'I'll... I'll become an even greater hunter. Then Father will acknowledge me more!'
From that day, Seol-hwa's goal was set: to become the greatest hunter and earn her father's recognition.
Afterward, she adapted her figure skating moves into a unique fighting style that played to her strengths.
Of course, she didn't neglect her studies either, striving to be the perfect daughter her father could be proud of.
And when word came that she'd placed first at Prometheus Academy and been chosen as freshman representative, Seol-hwa was over the moon.
'I won! I... I beat Rubelt Eldra!'
Rubelt Eldra.
The Eldra heir, often in the news, dubbed the golden prodigy.
Surpassing him to become freshman rep filled Seol-hwa with immense pride and joy.
"Father. I... I've been selected as Prometheus Academy's freshman representative!"
"I heard. Well done."
'Father praised me...!'
Her father usually responded with a curt "As expected" or "Understood," as if it were only natural. Just hearing "well done" made her happier than when she'd first gotten the news.
She'd rarely ever received praise from her parents, so each word felt like sweet honey.
But the sweet feeling didn't last.
After the entrance ceremony, Seol-hwa trained relentlessly at the academy and even at home, honing her skills to the utmost.
To never lose first place.
To keep beating Rubelt Eldra.
And the drive to keep earning her father's praise pushed her even harder.
Then came unbelievable news.
Rubelt Eldra had repelled Strentzer Kang Cheol-san in the park.
'He repelled Kang Cheol-san?'
Kang Cheol-san, the Strentzer known to possess at least B-rank hunter strength.
The fact that he'd forced such a Strentzer to retreat meant Rubelt was already beyond student level.
But Seol-hwa couldn't accept it easily.
'No, he just made him back off. Didn't defeat him. The Strentzer probably wasn't serious either. Otherwise...'
Otherwise, she couldn't fathom why she, not Rubelt, had been chosen as freshman rep.
She rationalized it somehow and steadied her heart.
But soon after, news shook her resolve again.
On dungeon practice day.
Rubelt had soloed Strentzer Kang Cheol-san.
"Unbelievable. Taking down a Strentzer at that age."
Even at dinner, the topic on her father's lips was Rubelt.
"The Eldras were raising a monster."
Monster.
Chairman Kang Jin-seong saw Rubelt as something beyond norms.
Seol-hwa had to concede the point.
Rubelt's feats were absurd.
'Why weren't you the freshman rep, Rubelt Eldra?'
And on midterms results day.
Seol-hwa eyed the rankings.
1st: Rubelt Eldra
2nd: Kang Seol-hwa
'As expected...'
She'd anticipated it, but seeing it stung all the same.
"Kang Seol-hwa."
"...Eldra."
Rubelt approached her first.
Surprised, but her lingering frustration made her glare.
During their talk, she heard something unexpected.
Rubelt saw her as a rival.
After losing freshman rep to her, he'd pushed to reclaim first, and declared he wouldn't lose next time.
Seol-hwa hadn't seen it coming.
She'd thought he'd come gloating, treating victory as natural and mocking the runner-up.
Instead, he framed it like his efforts against her had led to this.
'Rubelt Eldra sees me as a rival?'
Her heart raced—not just from her father's praise, but something more.
Still, frustration was frustration.
She declared to Rubelt that she wouldn't lose either, then stormed off.
And after school.
'Rubelt Eldra...'
On the way home, Seol-hwa swallowed her bitterness.
'Next time... next time, I'll take first. Only then will Father...'
Arriving home, she headed straight to her father's office.
"I'm home, Father."
"Yes."
Kang Jin-seong replied without looking up from his papers.
"Results are out?"
"...Yes."
At his question, her earlier anger vanished, replaced by a child's fear of scolding.
Her heart shrank.
"Second place..."
She squeezed her eyes shut as she spoke.
Expecting him to bellow "Second place?!"
But what came was a calm query.
"Who was first?"
"Rubelt Eldra."
"I see. Go on."
A reaction utterly unlike usual.
Seol-hwa couldn't leave without asking.
"You're... not scolding me? Even though I got second...?"
"Why would I? First was Rubelt Eldra, wasn't it?"
"...Yes."
"Then second's inevitable. Out."
Seol-hwa understood what he meant.
He didn't put her and Rubelt on the same level.
Not even as rivals.
Rubelt was a monster to him.
An untouchable existence.
In other words, he saw no chance of her beating Rubelt.
He hadn't even hoped she could.
"Understood..."
Seol-hwa left the office and returned to her room.
And then.
Grip!
Head bowed, she bit her lip in rage, clutching her skirt.
It infuriated her.
Her father's response, deeming her unworthy and harboring no expectations—it drove her mad.
'Eldra... Eldra saw me as a rival. Why can't Father...!'
Rubelt calling her a rival only fueled her boiling frustration.
She wanted acknowledgment.
From the father who'd abandoned expectations of her.
She wanted victory.
Over the Rubelt who called her rival.
'I'll win... next time, I'll definitely win, Rubelt Eldra...'
Fueled by that fury, a fighting spirit unlike any before blazed in Seol-hwa's chest.
Weekend.
'Oh, today Young Master Rubelt's coming...!'
Maria was buzzing with tension.
The promise Rubelt had made last time to visit the orphanage.
Today was the day.
The day after grades came out, after school.
Rubelt had called Maria.
[Maria.]
"Ah! Young Master Rubelt. Hello. What's up? Do you need a favor...?"
[Remember our promise? I said I'd stop by the orphanage. How about this Saturday?]
"Th-this Saturday!?"
[Yeah. Does that not work?]
"No! Of course it does! I'll be waiting Saturday, Young Master Rubelt!"
[Got it. See you then.]
After the call.
"S-Si-hoon!!!"
"Huh? Ack! W-what, Maria!?"
"Young Master Rubelt! Do you know what he likes!?"
"What!?"
In the midst of volunteer work, Maria cornered Si-hoon, desperately probing Rubelt's tastes.
-Rubelt'll be fine without special treatment. So it's okay... Ack! Fine! I'll think! Stop shaking me!
Her relentless grilling yielded one tidbit.
-Ahem, well... You know Rubelt's a harem guy, right? Loves women and all... What I'm saying is... Maria, you're pretty, so just being yourself should charm him... Y-Ye-seul? What's wrong? I said you're pretty, but to me, Ye-seul, you're the prettiest...!
'Young Master Rubelt likes women... A gentleman who pursues a harem must have strong male desires too... What I can offer him is...'
Maria steeled herself and opened her closet drawer, pulling something out.
'Time to wear this.'