One-on-One Duel (5)

"Ah... at this rate, I have no choice but to take first place."

I'd actually been planning to throw the finals to Nam Da-eun. Diving into her route this early would only make everything more complicated, and I wasn't in any position to pick a fight with the Buyer Guild — not while they still held her weakness in their hands.

I could probably pull it off if I mobilized every connection I had, but did I really need to go that far? In half a year my standing would be far more solid, and my abilities would have grown even further. Dealing with them then would be a whole lot easier.

But a plus-one affinity with every single heroine...

"That's a pretty big deal."

The current heroines were Lucy, Rumi, Nam Da-eun, Elise, Mun Su-rin, Lim Sol, Liliana, and Baek A-young — eight in all. This was an eight-point affinity quest.

"Haa... should I just go ahead and win it?"

Whether it was the Buyer Guild or anyone else, I could just work hard and handle it, right? Acting first and thinking later didn't seem like the worst idea in the world...

I'd watch the match first and think it over afterward.

On the screen, Elise and Nam Da-eun were already facing each other in the sparring arena. They looked ready to go.

The instant the match began, Nam Da-eun closed the gap, darting in with a burst of speed and swinging her blade. Elise would rather clash swords just long enough to create distance than commit to a close-quarters fight — because in a pure contest of steel, she simply could not beat Nam Da-eun. In the end, this was a battle over whether Elise would be given the opening to properly use her magic. And Nam Da-eun was never going to give her that opening.

Vines burst from midair and coiled around Nam Da-eun's arms, fouling her movement. She slashed through them in a heartbeat and pounced. Elise parried the blow while tracing a magic circle, and a pillar of fire erupted from the floor; Nam Da-eun leapt backward, putting space between them once more.

"They're on another level..."

There was no comparing them to the other cadets. The two of them kept exchanging blows, and at a glance it looked even — but from where I sat, Elise was going to lose this one too. Her Congenital Mana Disorder would catch up with her soon enough.

Elise's expression hardened, just for a moment, as the fight wore on. The mana she'd charged from her mana stones had run dry. From that point on she shifted to a passive style, parrying Nam Da-eun's attacks as best she could and fishing for an opening — but Nam Da-eun refused to give her one. Instead she picked up the pace, pressing even harder.

"Kh—!"

Nam Da-eun's spatial dominion sharpened her reactions to everything that happened inside her territory. The closer they got, the more Elise was forced onto the back foot, and with her magic usage already cut down she simply couldn't hold out. The wounds on her body piled up one after another, until a deep gash across her chest finally decided the match.

Elise hung her head, her body trembling with frustration, then composed her face ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠into something stoic and stepped down from the arena.

"She's not going to cut it until that mana disorder is fixed."

I knew how to cure Elise's Congenital Mana Disorder, of course. It was the core of her route. Confronting her older sister Irene, and treating the disorder — complete those two tasks and Elise's conquest was all but finished. Her route opened around the same time as Nam Da-eun's. The villain who could actually treat the disorder didn't show up until the mid-to-late game, so there was no fully conquering her before then.

In the game it had been an infuriating bottleneck. For me, it was actually a blessing. Getting too close to a heroine I couldn't properly pursue just meant more work and more headaches. I wasn't sure why Elise's affinity had spiked the way it had — that part was a little startling — but since it was already up, I hoped it would hold until her route properly opened.

The semifinals were over, and we had about an hour to kill.

"Now what...?"

I stepped out of the waiting room. Sitting in there any longer was going to drive me insane. The finalists' waiting area was ours alone now — just me and Nam Da-eun. The other rooms had no nameplates and stood empty. The quiet hallway held nothing but a lonely beverage vending machine, sitting there as if it had no idea who it was even for.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Maybe I'd head up to the spectator stands. Kim Young-han would be there, and Lucy and Rumi too. I left the waiting-room floor and started toward the seats.

"Hey."

Someone slipped up beside me and spoke.

"Oh... hey. Good match out there."

"Thanks. Even if I lost."

Elise smiled faintly as she went on. She was greeting me first now? Why had she gotten this nice all of a sudden?

Counseling...?

What kind ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of counseling was she talking about? And why was she thinking that while looking at me? I'd have to ask Baek A-young about it later.

"Where are you headed?"

Elise asked first.

"Nowhere special. Figured I'd go up to the stands and see some familiar faces."

"I'd skip it if I were you. The place is crawling with reporters. It's a zoo up there."

"...Guess I'll go later, then."

If the press caught me and I slipped up even once, it would be a genuine disaster.

"Good luck in the finals. But don't push yourself too hard."

"Yeah. Take care of yourself too."

Elise gave a little wave and drifted away. A pretty girl turning kind was nice to look at, I had to admit. Still, I was a little disappointed. That prickly attitude of hers had been part of the charm.

If the stands were packed with reporters, I might as well head back to the waiting room. I retraced my steps. I was about to go in and try meditating when I noticed someone standing in front of that lonely vending machine in the hallway.

What the.

I caught Nam Da-eun's profile and ducked behind the wall on reflex. She was staring a hole through the vending machine, her lips working soundlessly.

Playing the good guy at the supermarket yesterday must have done the trick — her affinity had jumped from eleven all the way to thirty-one. Sweet mint chocolate, though? Whatever. I'd just go over there.

"Hey."

"...Hey."

Nam Da-eun blinked at me, startled by the sudden appearance. Fair enough. Acting buddy-buddy with the person you were about to fight was a little weird. I casually tapped my smartwatch against the payment panel.

Sure enough, one of the drinks was labeled Sweet Mint Chocolate. I reached toward the banana milk next to it, then let my finger slip and hit the mint chocolate instead.

"Huh?"

Clunk.

"Ah, wrong button."

Clunk.

I pressed the banana milk for real this time, pulled it out, and put on my best look of mild distress.

"What do I do with this. I don't even drink mint chocolate. You want it?"

Even I had to admit the acting was seamless. Water off a duck's back.

"Uh...?"

Nam Da-eun echoed, looking awkward about me talking to her out of nowhere.

"I don't drink mint chocolate, but I hit the button by mistake."

"...If you're offering, I'll take it."

She accepted the mint chocolate with a flush creeping into her cheeks, looking almost embarrassed. Why was she embarrassed?

How did she know?!

The acting had been perfect... She really was sharp.

"Ah — sorry if that came off wrong. I just wanted to buy you something. That's all it was."

If the act had been seen through, an apology was in order. She'd feel awful if she thought I'd bought it out of pity.

"I'll enjoy it."

Thankfully, she didn't seem upset.

"I should get back to my waiting room. See you later."

Nam Da-eun moved to wrap things up and leave. But I wasn't quite ready to let the moment go. With only the finals left and her affinity sitting higher than it ever had, even a little more conversation felt worth it. Chances like this didn't come around often.

"Nam Da-eun."

"Hm?"

I caught her just as she was about to step into her waiting room.

"We've still got time before the finals. Want to talk for a bit?"

I didn't expect her to say yes, but there was nothing to lose by asking.

"...Sure. Come to my waiting room, then."

Wait, that worked?

Nam Da-eun went in first, and I followed. The layout was identical to mine, which shouldn't have been surprising.

"..."

"..."

So... what were we supposed to talk about?

"Uh, I watched your match with Elise. You were great."

"Thanks. You were good out there too."

"..."

What were Nam Da-eun's hobbies again? Housework? Hunting for sale items?

I can't bring that up right now.

Beep.

Nam Da-eun's smartwatch chimed. A message, by the sound of it. The way she glanced at me sideways — was she uncomfortable having me here? It might even be her scheduled call with her sister.

"If it's urgent, I can get out of your hair. See you later."

"Lee Ho-yeon. You want first place too, don't you?"

I'd been about to leave first, to spare her the discomfort — but Nam Da-eun's words stopped me cold. It was the first time she had ever called me by name. This was something important.

"Uh... yeah. Winning first would be nice."

I couldn't say otherwise. Not after clawing my way to the finals.

"I've never shown this to anyone... haah."

Nam Da-eun suddenly started a video call on her smartwatch.

"Um...?"

The bright, lively voice of a little sister spilled from the smartwatch, and I shut my mouth. I was sitting ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠right next to Nam Da-eun, but I'd kept myself out of the camera's frame. Being here wasn't wrong, exactly — I just had a feeling I shouldn't appear on screen.

"You been doing okay?"

"You already saw it?"

Nam Da-eun kept the call going without paying me any mind.

"Heh. That's cute. Is that guy lying on the ground my opponent?"

"..."

A wobbly, crooked drawing showed a girl with both arms thrown up in victory, and a guy sprawled on the ground with X's for eyes.

That was supposed to be me?

Nam Da-eun stayed on the call with her sister for over ten minutes.

"I should get going now. I'll call you again after the finals."

"I love you too, Da-hee."

Beep.

Nam Da-eun ended the call, closed her eyes for a moment, then looked at me.

"...I see."

"I'm sorry I couldn't cooperate during the group assignment. I just... I'm sorry."

Nam Da-eun was already laying her cards on the table. That one lucky bit of image management must have paid off more than I'd thought. She hadn't told me everything, of course — but even this was a huge step forward.

"So... even if I take first place, please don't hold it against me."

Had she already reached her limit? The human heart wasn't a simple thing. A small push could set off an enormous change. The way a butterfly's wingbeat could birth a storm — something like that might have happened to Nam Da-eun.

Haah. How was I even supposed to answer that. The last thing I wanted was to say something weird and tangle this up.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

A rapping at the door cut through my hesitation like it had been waiting for the cue.

"Cadet Nam Da-eun~. Last medical check before the finals."

"Yes, come in."

The door clicked open.

"Huh?"

"Hello, Nurse."

Baek A-young's pupils trembled the moment she spotted me sitting in Nam Da-eun's waiting room.

"Y-you were here. Cadet Lee Ho-yeon."

She was trying to come find me again. Looking to collect on what she hadn't been able to do earlier thanks to Lim Sol, no doubt.

"Nurse. If it's a medical check, we can just do both of us right here."

"Huh...? I-it would be better to do them separately..."

Baek A-young's face said this was not how she'd pictured things going. Tch. I wanted to tease her more, but Nam Da-eun was watching. Time to knock it off.

"I'm kidding. I'll be waiting in my room."

"Y-yeah. I'll wrap this up and come over."

I'd appreciate it if she held back a little right before the finals.

I needed to manage my condition too. If she showed up at my waiting room, I'd just tease her a bit and send her on her way.