Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Culling (1)
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Jin Se-jeong locked eyes with Fuyuno Tsubaki, who had grabbed her wrist.
Even as she confronted her with open hostility, there wasn't the slightest hint of backing down in the other girl's demeanor. It made Jin Se-jeong's stomach boil.
It was because she felt like a petty, narrow-minded woman, heartbroken over Yang Woo-bin's corruption.
"You... you knew, didn't you?"
That was why Jin Se-jeong sharply asked Fuyuno Tsubaki, who was holding her wrist to stop her from dragging Yang Woo-bin away.
It was a question loaded with the implication that she herself was reacting so sensitively because she'd just learned the truth now, while the other girl could remain so composed because she'd known all along.
It was a self-protective remark, thrown out to console herself that her heartbreak was unavoidable.
"No, I just heard it for the first time too."
"...What?"
But Fuyuno Tsubaki's response was the complete opposite of what Jin Se-jeong had hoped for.
"D-don't lie. How could you stay so calm after hearing such a shocking, horrific confession for the first time? It doesn't make sense. Common sense says a guy who admits to whoring around like that has a problem, and it's weird to say otherwise!"
Unable to believe Fuyuno Tsubaki—and unwilling to—Jin Se-jeong furrowed her brows and raised her voice, denying the response.
"Why do you think it's weird? I don't think there's anything wrong with me for believing Yang Woo-bin is fine."
Yet once again, Fuyuno Tsubaki replied to Jin Se-jeong with unshaken eyes and voice.
Her gaze and tone were so straightforward that it was impossible to dismiss as a lie. Jin Se-jeong felt a thick, heavy emotion wrapping around her heart like a vise.
The identity of that emotion was an inferiority complex and sense of defeat she'd never felt before in her life.
The rage that had filled her entire body drained away completely, replaced by this primal female sense of inferiority and defeat for the first time.
"How can you be so unaffected? Yang Woo-bin is... special to you too, isn't he?"
In that state, Jin Se-jeong asked in a voice drained of all strength, almost pleading.
This time, it was a straightforward question, without any hidden barbs.
Fuyuno Tsubaki answered instantly, without a moment's hesitation.
"Exactly because he's special, like you said. No matter what Yang Woo-bin did or what kind of life he lived, it doesn't matter to me. There's only one thing that's important."
She paused briefly, took a step closer to Yang Woo-bin until their shoulders touched, then finished while looking at Jin Se-jeong.
"Doing my best to be of help to the Yang Woo-bin who saved me. Nothing else matters."
"... ."
Jin Se-jeong was left speechless by Fuyuno Tsubaki's frank words.
Unlike herself, who harbored impure motives despite Yang Woo-bin saving her life, Fuyuno Tsubaki was purely focused on repaying the debt.
Facing her made Jin Se-jeong feel like she was the only trash around. She could no longer meet the other girl's eyes.
Just as she lowered her gaze in defeat and tried to release Yang Woo-bin's wrist, which she'd gripped so roughly, Jin Se-jeong caught sight of Fuyuno Tsubaki's hand.
"...?"
Not her left hand gripping Jin Se-jeong's wrist, but her right hand, clinging to Yang Woo-bin.
The tips of Fuyuno Tsubaki's fingers, subtly grasping the hem of his academy uniform, held an emotion Jin Se-jeong knew all too well.
"Ha."
Jin Se-jeong looked at Fuyuno Tsubaki's right hand, let out a disbelieving scoff, then lifted her gaze to stare at her again.
The emotions in that right hand—attachment, obsession, anxiety—were exactly what Jin Se-jeong had felt every day since parting with Yang Woo-bin. She couldn't mistake them.
"Hey, you... ."
Realizing Fuyuno Tsubaki wasn't sticking to Yang Woo-bin purely out of gratitude, Jin Se-jeong regained her lost momentum.
The moment she opened her mouth to expose the dark secrets the other girl was hiding...
"Guess it's about to start."
Yang Woo-bin, who had stayed silent since his shocking confession, suddenly muttered something cryptic.
Immediately after, without any warning or prelude, the announcement signaling the start of the 'Culling' echoed throughout the entire Jincheon District via speakers.
"What the...?"
"Let go first."
As even she, the Student Council Enforcement Chief, was thrown into confusion by the unexpected announcement, Yang Woo-bin casually shook off her hand from his wrist.
"Huh?"
"Go easy on her if you run into the kid along the way."
He muttered another cryptic line, then stepped back, putting distance between himself and Jin Se-jeong.
Now separated from Yang Woo-bin, Jin Se-jeong found herself with only Fuyuno Tsubaki gripping her wrist.
There was no reason to stay caught like that anymore, so she tried to shake it off—but it was already too late.
Woooong—
A pure white light signaling spatial transfer overwhelmed her vision before she could free her hand.
Fwaaah—!!
When her whitewashed vision returned to normal, Jin Se-jeong realized she was standing in a vast grassland.
"... ."
"... ."
Standing there with Fuyuno Tsubaki still gripping her wrist.
※
"Didn't expect her to react that seriously."
Having been dropped into the field for the Jincheon Class's true midterm—the 'Culling'—I started walking forward while recalling the kid's face from moments ago.
I'd anticipated the look of contempt at first, but her tearful expression afterward wasn't part of my plan. It caught me so off guard I couldn't say a word.
"Should I have just stuck to the original plan...? No, no. This was good. The original plan would've been worse."
The initial plan was to recruit the kid as a comrade like Fuyuno Tsubaki and stick together.
But the kid had become far bigger than I'd thought, and to her, my current self was nothing but a stain.
"Becoming heir was one thing, but top of the class and Enforcement Chief? She's grown way too big."
What the kid had achieved were monumental feats even I—the world's best at reversal hero stories—couldn't pull off in any game.
Of course, it was due to the system's limits, and given enough time and freedom, there's nothing in this world I couldn't achieve. Still, what she'd accomplished was undeniably impressive.
Without the original story knowledge like me, she'd climbed there purely on effort and talent. She was no longer some kid I could call "kid" without embarrassment.
She's already amazing, and she'll only get more so. Asking her to help with my revenge—to join me in smashing the Yang Family that once did her a favor—wouldn't be right for any decent person.
"A girl who's gonna soar on her own if left alone... How could I block a friend's path?"
That's why I scrapped the ally-recruitment plan and decided to use her instead.
By confessing my story directly to the cadets she'd brought, leveraging her influence as Enforcement Chief.
Sure, it's all crap—I'd been chained to the family my whole life, never seen the outside world or people, and the Vow of Impotence forced me to stay a virgin anyway... but that didn't matter.
What mattered was my current appearance screaming "blond-tanned thug," and no one to verify the truth of my words.
Who'd argue when it's straight from my mouth?
In the end, I successfully built my sleazy playboy image and spread the rumor that "the Yang Family heir is an unbelievable scumbag" right in front of all those cadets.
"...Sigh."
I hadn't expected the kid to react so passionately, and I had no idea she still saw me as such a precious friend. I'm really sorry now, but it couldn't be helped.
Completely ruining the Yang Family's reputation, smashing them to pieces, and getting revenge—that's my life's goal right now.
It's the only way to shatter the Vow of Impotence hanging over me.
I felt guilty for treating the kid so harshly, but I didn't regret it.
It had to be done.
"Later, after I crush the Yangs, I'll have to kowtow and apologize first thing."
"Everything I said was bullshit, I'm actually a virgin! Sorry!" Maybe that'll work? Doubt she'll accept it. Hope she doesn't slam the door in my face telling me she never asked.
"Well, to apologize, I gotta smash the Yangs first, so that'll take at least a few more years. I'll think about it then. For now... focus on what needs doing."
I buried the guilt toward the kid and my sincere apology deep in my heart, then headed where I needed to go.
"Let's go."
The Jincheon Class exclusive midterm 'Culling' was a golden opportunity to remove the malignant variables that would only hinder smooth story progression later.
How long I'd waited for this day.
"Yang Woo-bin style 'Culling' begins."
Today was my debut.