Chapter 52
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Shouldn't Have Used It
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"...A ring, huh. A ring... to express thanks for all the help up till now? Ha."
After Yoon Seo-rin left, Wol Ha-yeon stood in the middle of the quiet training hall, murmuring as if chewing over their recent conversation.
"I taught you the sword, trained with you, even threw myself into danger for you..."
She slowly closed her eyes, then opened them, lightly biting her lip.
"...But the reward goes only to Seo-rin? And not just any item—a ring? Is this for real? Am I reading too much into it? No? No matter how I look at it, no?"
She let out a small breath.
A smile tugged at her lips, but her eyes weren't smiling at all.
"Yeah. I get it. Seo-rin's a bit blunt and bad at showing emotions, but she's pretty, quiet, reliable, strong—mm, very attractive."
But the whisper that followed was much lower, much chillier.
"...Still, this crosses the line. Hyun-sol... I was sincere with you."
Wol Ha-yeon slowly raised her head.
In the distance, Kang Hyun-sol was diligently stretching alone, oblivious as he counted, "One, two... one, two..."
Wiping sweat, rolling his shoulders, loosening his knees, turning his neck—pure peace.
Situational awareness: 0%. Sense of crisis: 0%. Awareness of his own fault: 0%.
Wol Ha-yeon's eye twitched faintly at the sight.
"Haha... really funny?"
But soon, she regained her smile.
The neat, elegant, kind expression as always.
She sheathed her sword at her waist, neatly swept back her hair, and walked slowly toward Hyun-sol, as if nothing had happened.
Her footsteps soft, her presence steady.
A gait perfectly disguised as the usual Wol Ha-yeon.
"Hyun-sol."
She called to him in a soft, affectionate voice.
"Today..."
With her hands clasped behind her back, she tilted her head slightly.
Her pupils reflected warm moonlight, but deep beneath flickered a strange shadow.
"Before sword training, can we talk for a bit first?"
"...?"
Kang Hyun-sol stared at her blankly, utterly puzzled.
"Huh? Uh... suddenly a talk? Not a problem... Got something to say?"
Wol Ha-yeon beamed.
"Yeah. A lot."
"Something to confirm." Wol Ha-yeon's words echoed in my head.
I took a sip of water and replied.
"Yeah, go ahead. What is it?"
"......"
Wol Ha-yeon didn't answer right away.
Instead, she sat naturally across from me, neatly crossing one leg and resting both hands on her knees.
Her smile was serene.
Too serene—almost unnatural.
"What the heck..."
"Hyun-sol."
"Yeah?"
"I always thought you were a really honest guy."
"Suddenly? I'm always hon—"
"But you know."
Tok—.
Wol Ha-yeon raised her index finger and pressed it gently against my collarbone.
No real pressure, but it felt strangely suffocating.
"Why didn't you mention the most important part?"
"...Important?"
"Yeah. For example..."
Wol Ha-yeon tilted her head slightly and smiled brightly.
"Gave her a ring to express gratitude for all the teachings received so far?"
"Kuh—!! Cough, hack! Y-you already heard?"
"Yeah."
"S-Seo-rin told you...?"
Wol Ha-yeon nodded slowly.
"Yeah. That Seo-rin told me. She was super shy and embarrassed? So cute—I had no idea she had that hidden charm."
"Ah, that was just... thanks for the training. No special meaning—"
"I know. That's what I figured."
Wol Ha-yeon softened the end of her words.
But the gaze she fixed on me... wasn't soft at all.
"Just thanks, no special meaning, right?"
"...Yeah, really."
"Yeah. I want to believe you."
Wol Ha-yeon closed her eyes briefly, then quietly opened them.
And whispered in the gentlest voice.
"But you know, Hyun-sol."
She leaned forward slightly.
Her scent wafted close.
"I'm really curious why you only gave a gift to Seo-rin, who helped less, and nothing to me, who gave you so much more guidance.
And why, out of all the countless items, it had to be a ring... A ring, you know.
It's something that shakes people's hearts quite a lot."
"......"
"Especially a woman's."
I was speechless for a moment.
Wol Ha-yeon narrowed her eyes slightly at my reaction and smiled.
"So I'm curious. If it was just thanks..."
She tilted her head.
"Why a ring of all things? There are necklaces, brooches, bracelets."
"That was... just, since she's a gun hunter, something to wear on her finger seemed convenient even mid-battle—"
"Yeah. Good answer."
Wol Ha-yeon nodded right away.
But the words that followed veered off in a completely different direction.
"Then why not me? I even gave you a sword... Isn't that unfair?"
"......"
"I'm so hurt. Was I the only one sincere? I devoted everything to make you stronger?"
"No, phrasing it like that feels weird."
"Shh."
Wol Ha-yeon pressed her soft finger to my lips and continued.
"The important thing right now is that you betrayed me. How could you do this to me?"
"Tha..."
I tried to make an excuse but just shut my mouth.
No point saying anything more here.
Better to find some way to calm her down, even a little.
'Please... think of something!! A miracle solution!!'
If Wol Ha-yeon lost interest because of this mess and left the academy, it was game over.
I had to prevent that no matter what.
Please... please!!
I racked my brain desperately, trying to come up with any way to salvage this.
But no matter how hard I thought, nothing came to mind for calming this blackening munchkin girl.
'Screwed. Totally screwed!! So shortsighted—should've prepared something for Wol Ha-yeon too. No, should've talked to Yoon Seo-rin properly!!'
Just as I thought it was all over.
'.. Wait, what about that?'
I finally recalled the one and only way to fix this. I quickly rummaged through my inventory.
And soon found the heroine gift package tucked away in the corner.
[Would you like to use the Heroine Gift Package?]
'Yes!! Quick, quick!!!'
[Heroine Gift Package opened. Obtained Wol Ha-yeon exclusive B-Grade item — Moonlight Meteor Hairpin.]
'Whoa... whoa... I'm saved!!!'
Cheers exploded in my head.
Oath of Indulgence!! You damn thing!! I believed in you!!
This rotten bastard caused this near-death crisis, but thanks to it, I kept my life.
I exhaled, smoothed my expression as naturally as possible—
"Hey, Ha-yeon."
"...?"
With Wol Ha-yeon's finger still covering my lips,
I cautiously raised my hand.
"Actually... was gonna give it after training... but I prepared your gift too."
At those words, Wol Ha-yeon's eyes shook faintly.
Smile unchanged, but her gaze shifted just a bit.
"...Really? For real?"
"Of course."
I slowly pulled the Moonlight Meteor Hairpin from the system.
A hairpin pale as moonlight, engraved with a faint blue pattern.
With desperate hope that it would soften her mood even slightly,
I held it carefully between thumb and index finger, offering it to her.
"You know you're my swordmaster... the person I rely on most? No way I wouldn't prepare a gift."
"......"
Wol Ha-yeon's eyes fixed on the pin.
Still smiling, but the earlier murderous moonlight had faded a little.
"...That's really a gift for me?"
"Yeah. You always wear just that one crescent moon pin in your bangs, right? Figured you like moon-shaped ones, so I scoured the internet for two weeks straight."
"......"
A thick silence settled over the training hall.
Wol Ha-yeon stared at the pin for a long while, then slowly reached out and took it.
And very faintly, really faintly—
"...So pretty. Totally my taste."
A whisper slipped out.
Good, now just wrap this up perfectly.
"Ha-yeon, wanted to say thanks properly, even if belated. All the time you helped me—I never took it lightly. Take care of me going forward."
Only then did Wol Ha-yeon lower her finger.
She raised her head and showed the brightest smile I'd ever seen.
"Yeah. Thanks so much! Take care of me too!"
"That's my line—take care of me!!"
And just like that, I barely survived the sudden life-or-death surprise event.
'Thought I was a goner...'
Sword training began after she neatly pinned the Moonlight Meteor Hairpin into her bangs—not much different from usual.
No, just one thing was different.
"Here, your step was half a beat slow."
Wol Ha-yeon grabbed my wrist to correct the sword's angle as she spoke.
A correction that would've ended with a crisp word normally.
But today, her fingertips lingered on my body unusually long.
'This... feels ominous.'
"...Hey, Ha-yeon?"
"Yeah?"
"Um... isn't your hand on my wrist a bit too long?"
"Ah, sorry. Spaced out?"
She apologized but showed no sign of letting go even at the end.
Forgot? No—definitely on purpose.
I was certain.
With that strange unease, we continued the sword training.
An hour later, training wrapped up. We quickly packed and headed to the lecture hall for today's class.
Wol Ha-yeon kept fiddling with the hairpin in her bangs with her fingertips.
Kept touching it, really.
Sweeping her bangs: tap tap on the pin.
Fixing her side hair: stroke the pin.
While walking: fiddle again.
At this point, even the most oblivious person would notice.
She wanted me to ask about it.
So I opened my mouth as casually as possible.
"Like it that much?"
"Yeah."
Answer came lightning fast.
No hesitation whatsoever.
"Uh... really? How much?"
"Hmm..."
Wol Ha-yeon pondered briefly, then tilted her head with a smile.
"Enough to wipe away all the irritation from that demon crap?"
"...That much?"
"Yeah, isn't that plenty?"
"Well... sufficient."
"Right?"
After that, Wol Ha-yeon went on nonstop: which part of the hairpin she loved, how neatly finished this bit was, and so on.
All the way to the lecture hall where class was underway.
And as I watched her do this right up until class started, I belatedly realized I'd made a colossal mistake.
'Ha... shouldn't have used the Book of Restraints.'
Lately I'd been regretting it a little, but today was the day I truly regretted using the Book of Restraints.
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