I'm Not the Sugar Princess!
I closed my eyes, facing the sweets that Alexandr and Monica had laid out in front of me. Lollipops, cakes, cookies, and snacks too—the things I'd been glued to lately.
"I... can endure this... verily..."
Sweat beaded on my forehead as I clasped my hands together in prayer. Otherwise, my hand might shoot out and grab a candy any second.
Alexandr waved a massive lollipop around before reality hit him, and he dropped it on the floor.
"This can't be right. You're supposed to become the world's strongest! Magic training's already not enough, and now this is your 'training'?"
I wiped the cold sweat from my brow and replied.
"Building an image is also part of becoming the world's best, verily. And besides! The training ground's under remodeling anyway—we can't go in!"
Alexandr had no comeback, so he crunched into the lollipop instead.
Crunch crunch—
"Ah..."
I stared blankly at the shattered candy, and Alexandr bared his sharp teeth, chomping the whole thing down.
"There. Enough with this stupid nonsense."
"Y-You ate it...? Why would you eat it... why..."
"Hng."
Monica watched my face, then shoved a forkful of cake into her mouth.
"Ah, this fresh cream cake is so good. It's exactly the sweet, soft flavor Eunha loves~."
"......"
I fought back tears and stood up.
"I'm leaving."
"Where to?"
"Yeah~ Training ground's closed for remodeling, nowhere to go~"
"My room! I'll go crash there!"
"At 1 PM?"
Outside, the sun blazed in a perfectly clear afternoon sky.
"......"
As I sulked, Monica's phone buzzed. She checked it and nodded.
"Oh, Hajieun says the stream's good to go. She's bringing broadcast gear to the Bundang Training Ground."
"Understood, verily..."
Monica tossed her phone aside and kept eating cake.
"But why this girl? Honestly, she's just a small-time streamer with no influence. What's she got that Eunbyeol doesn't?"
"She just caught my eye, verily."
"Huh."
"Opportunities should go to those who work hard, no?"
Monica grinned and offered me some cake.
"That's my little kid for you."
"Ack! Don't sneak it over like that! I'm already dying holding back here!"
I felt my nerves taut as a bowstring and shoved the cake away.
"I'll show a cool side at the newly reopened training ground and smash all that Sugar Princess, Sugar Tyrant nonsense for good."
"Yeah, yeah."
Monica leaned back on the sofa, munching cake while eyeing me. Her eyes curved like crescent moons.
A week of sugar abstinence training later, I stood before the freshly remodeled training ground.
"Hmm, magic really is fast, verily."
"This is slow. Normal restorers finish in a day or two."
"Is that so, verily...?"
"You did kinda wreck it a bit."
Monica said that, then inspected the pristine training ground.
"Good. It keeps the old vibe in the design, but inside it's brand new. Safety should be fine too."
As we toured the place, broadcaster Hajieun arrived, lugging several cameras. Exhausted, she plopped down in front of the training ground.
"Hello! I'm streamer Hajieun! Please take good care of me today~!"
Her polite greeting made me tilt my head.
"......You walked here? No car?"
"Uh.... As if. Do you know how much it costs to maintain one?"
I nodded.
"Let's go. Lots to film, verily."
I grabbed the hand of Alexandr, who'd been standing quietly beside me. His eyes went wide.
"Huh? Me? Why?"
"You're sparring with me on stream today, verily."
Alexandr's jaw dropped.
"W-Wait, miss? I was planning to head back to Byeolbada today...!"
"One spar and you're free. Follow me."
"Holy crap, it hit five thousand the second we started."
Hajieun spaced out for a sec, then snapped to.
"Hello! I'm streamer Hajieun, your magic specialist! As announced, we're live with hot-topic mage Yu Eunha's training session!"
Hajieun sweated as chats flew up, pushing the stream on.
"We're inside the newly remodeled Bundang Training Ground! It's opening free to the public soon!"
Hajieun filmed around, feeding the crowd's curiosity.
"The Bundang Training Ground preserves its 90s architectural heritage!"
Someone chatted about size, and Hajieun pounced.
"Right! Modern stadiums this big? Nonexistent."
"Yep. Free access is wild. 8 hours a day? 72 billion a month."
"Right? Huge decision. Wonder if she can handle it solo?"
As Hajieun wrapped the intro, Yu Eunha entered the vast arena. Dressed in black training gear, she radiated sharp, heavy menace.
Yu Eunha toddled up to the camera.
"Hello, mage Yu Eunha. Long time since the interview."
"Yeah, long time. Called you cuz you were the only polite one last time, verily."
"Ah, thank you!"
Noticing the chats, Yu Eunha looked apologetic.
"Sorry about the speech. Hard to fix, verily."
She glared at the camera.
"Anyway!"
With a cold, fearsome expression, she declared,
"Watch this training closely. This is my baseline power. Everyone needs to prep for this level, verily."
She paused, then added,
"And I don't like sugar... that stuff. I like bitter things. Bitter."
Hajieun subtly blocked the camera with her body, smiling as she sent Yu Eunha to the arena.
"Watch closely—no more Sugar Princess! Sugar Tyrant talk!"
As Yu Eunha took center stage, another boy emerged from the player lounge.
"One more?"
Everyone chuckled at Yu Eunha's cuteness.
Beeeep—
A high-pitched alert signaled the spar's start.
BOOM!!
A massive crash—and the notoriously tough blue coat shattered.
"Eh?"
Panicked, Hajieun checked the camera. Zoomed in: Yu Eunha, fist planted in the floor.
"Eh?"