Chapter 133
Chapter 133
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 133
Chapter Title: Losers Are Happy Just Seeing Each Other's Faces
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Huuff— huuff—
My ragged breaths echoed across the grass. On the lush green field stretching out before me.
I'm lying spread-eagled. No strength left to get up, so I'm just catching my breath like this.
The sky sure is pretty.
Lying here like this makes me feel just like the protagonist in some youthful sports manga. Kinda nice.
Raphael's poking at me next to me, saying stuff like 'You alive?' but I ignore her. No energy to respond.
Can't blame me. I ran two more matches after that. I've been keeping up with training lately, so my stamina's improved, but even so, three matches in a row wears anyone out.
"You call that a little effort and flop like this?"
"A little? It was brutal."
"Brutal my ass. You pull every trick in the book, fair or not."
Anyone overhearing would get the wrong idea. Not tricks—clever exploits. Not even against the rules. If it was, they'd have caught me.
True enough. The only ones who know I dropped it are the maids and Yang Min-ji.
To anyone else, I just dodged the falling steel beam on reflex.
"If they don't catch you, it's not a crime, huh? They don't even grab the guy who tied people up indiscriminately without checking friend or foe."
"Not against the rules from the start. Interference is allowed."
Mornings have lots of individual races early on. Meaning no need to distinguish allies—just get to first place.
That said, I didn't take first every time. Couldn't, really? Aside from the first race, reacting to the steel beam made first impossible.
Exploits only work once. In a sports day crawling with monsters, weaklings like me struggle to survive.
"Give me back my trap, you damn Rosaline!!!"
Still, I placed mid-pack every time. Thanks to Raphael's buffs—
—and this guy's help. Levatein, transformed into my headband. At the start of the race, if it ignites, it counts as wielding a fire weapon and activates its skill.
"In other words, even slathered in buffs, you only hit mid-pack?"
"Shut up."
Feels like the Maldives is slipping further away. Or is it just me? The conditions are brutal anyway.
Stand out the most and lead your team to victory? For a guy who chats with the goalie as a defender in class soccer games and huddles in the corner talking anime during sports day—way too harsh.
Still.
No choice but to do it.
"Levatein."
"In this world, money is everything."
Maldives for 13 nights won't fall from the sky.
"Teaching some fine lessons!!"
It's not wrong. Midway through bantering with Raphael, now sitting beside me and chattering away, the speakers scattered around blared to life.
"Don't we have to join this one?"
"Ah."
No time to rest.
There's a saying in this world: quantity over quality.
Better to join lots and place middling than shine in few.
Not because I can't shine. Absolutely not.
Me? A man who delivers when it counts? Shortened to—
"This school's insane."
I nodded gratefully to Raphael for cutting me off. We're stranded alone on the field now.
Why? 'Cause the school's nuts, obviously. They make teams form themselves for cavalry battle.
Give four minutes on the spot? How's someone like me supposed to manage? No consideration for friendless loners?
And if you can't? Disqualified?
"They're provoking me."
"Even provoked, you got no friends."
Normally I'd grab Isia and Sophia, but they're on blue team. Weirdly, everyone around me vanishes when needed.
But like I said. I deliver when it counts.
Four-man cavalry battle teams, so just need two more.
Don't underestimate my charisma.
"Will charisma built on anime and games work here?"
How does she know that so well? Ignoring the one dredging up painful memories, I scanned around.
Students already grouping up in threes and fives. Gotta recruit white headbands for my team.
Time's short, so I hurriedly looked around. Hope I spot someone I know.
I've met plenty at Justitia. Surely some familiar faces—
Trailing off, I turned away. Shifted from the eyes I met to elsewhere.
"Man~ nice weather~"
"Why the sudden poetry? Not like you're reading a literature book. And nice weather? It's scorching! My blonde hair's about to turn to ash!!"
Won't shut up. I kept my gaze fixed ahead, scouting.
Saw nothing. Heard nothing. Yeah. Must be hallucinations from exhaustion. Gotta be.
That pattering beside me? All in my head.
"Time's running out. Let's make a four-man team quick!!"
Raphael stared like I'd lost it, but it didn't last.
Escapism never does.
"Hi?!"
Something burst into view. From the direction I'd been ignoring.
Shorty running up eagerly to shove her face in mine. Beaming so bright, hard to snap at her.
Can't spit on a smiling face, huh? Ancestors were spot on.
"Oh. Hi. Long time no see."
"Yeah! Hi!! But why's she ignoring me?!"
"She's always like that."
"You know and it still hurts!!"
She jumps with an 'Eek!' I reluctantly looked down. Brown hair. Petal-like eyes.
A ditz on Raphael's level hopping before me.
"Yang Min-ji."
"Yay!! He responded!! Lee Seong-hoon responded to me!! Pretty big sis!!"
"Congrats. You've entered stage one of taming Lee Seong-hoon. Next, bond with him. Recommend starting with food."
"I'll do my best!! What should I get?!"
"He's into healthy eats lately. Salty stuff's bad for kids."
"Right? Salty's no good for you!!"
Am I some wild animal? I placed hands on their heads, pressing down to shut them up.
Yang Min-ji giggles and bows her head under pressure, but Raphael stubbornly resists, looking up defiantly. Smiling like 'What now?' I press harder without thinking.
I released Yang Min-ji and used both hands on Raphael as I spoke.
"You got tons of friends."
Stubborn. Where's this strength from? Glaring as I pressed, she tilted her head.
I need to shine in cavalry battle. For MVP, gotta snag at least five headbands.
But with zero-combat Yang Min-ji? Headband hauls plummet exponentially.
That's why I hinted she should go.
"Everyone already teamed up!!"
Figures. That's Yang Min-ji for you. Zero tact. But can't tell a smiling girl to scram.
How to phrase it nicely— I gave up.
What nice phrasing? Since when do I care about others? Never.
"Yang Min-ji. You can't join us—"
"Steel beam."
Yang Min-ji cut me off smiling. I eased up and got shoved by Raphael.
"Looked like you struggled dodging it. Rosaline was hunting for the culprit~?"
Gulp.
Dry swallow. Raphael shook her head beside me: 'This won't do.'
"Nah. Wonder whose doing that beam was."
Yang Min-ji beams innocently. I smiled back.
"We'll make a great team. Pretty please."
"Of course!! And next time we pass on the road, say hi back. Got it?!"
Obviously. I grabbed her outstretched hand with both of mine and shook.
"But what about our last member?"
"Grab someone strong. Please."
"As long as the mount's sturdy, right?"
"You get the essence of the game!! Good job, Yang Min-ji!!"
"Ehem!!"
"I was about to say that!!"
Old saying: Losers are happy just seeing each other's faces. Maybe that's why we were so rowdy.
Should've stayed quiet.
Snap—!!
A crisp fan snap. Looking over— a lunatic in heels on sports day.
Standing tall, fan over mouth. Other hand on hip, looking down at us.
Purple hair. Purple eyes. Purple fan.
The one dubbed Purple Ball was there.
"Looks like you need my help."
Please.
Hearing the rules boom from the speakers, Dream Team—Lee Seong-hoon Squad—gulped dryly.
The team's sole guy, Lee Seong-hoon, at the front of the mount. Behind, purple-head and blonde support it.
Atop, a girl grinning brightly gripping his shoulders.
No special reason she's rider. Zero combat ability.
Couldn't support elsewhere. Mount collapse means instant out, so she rode by force majeure.
"Let's go~~~"
"Don't say it so cheerfully. My insides are burning. Like downing a bowl of spicy ramen in one go."
"I'll buy after!!"
"That's the point?! Not what I meant?? Huh? Not?!"
"I'll take food!!"
"Quiet!!"
Watching the never-silent team, Lucy wondered if she'd picked wrong. Headache incoming.
Why so noisy? Chatter nonstop. Three idiots together—driving her mad.
'If only Isia were on our team.'
If Isia were white team, no this mess. Should've been rider herself.
Nothing pleased her. Lucy shut her mouth and supported the mount.
This was utterly ungraceful.
"Alright. We follow the plan. Weaklings have their own ways to fight."
"Seong-hoon always talks big, that's the problem."
"Gotta sound cool at least!!"
"Honestly, not even cool..."
"Agreed. If you think lines like that are cool, see a shrink."
"Okay. You lot, we're settling after!!"
Finally, swept up, Lucy opened her mouth—and the whistle blew. Signal given, Lee Seong-hoon Team—
bolted.
Mounts clashing everywhere, oblivious. They fled without looking back.
"Wounds on the back shame a swordsman!!"
"Seong-hoon. Say that when not running."
This is tactical retreat—!!
No replies to the echoing words.