Hurry Up and Praise Me
Yi Do merely maintained his good-natured smile in the face of Bukjin’s bluntness, showing no sign of irritation. "Haha, it seems I’ve shown you a rather unseemly side of myself. I suppose I’ve been acting a bit too much like a stiff adult lately, giving off a rather tedious vibe. But I truly do wish to be friends with Student Im. I have no ulterior motives; I simply want to invite you to join our faction."
Bukjin replied flatly, "Is that so? Well, I’m sorry. I didn’t come here to make friends."
"Hahahaha! Did you hear that, Yi Do? This delinquent doesn't even know how to accept a gesture of goodwill. How pathetic! You, who usually fancy yourself a sovereign, have finally met your match!" Do Manseong laughed uproariously, seizing the chance to mock his long-time rival.
Yet, Yi Do remained unruffled. He answered calmly, "I heard Student Im is a genius of the sword. It’s only natural for an extraordinary person to have an extraordinary personality."
Hearing this, Bukjin couldn't help but acknowledge that the aura of this noble-looking boy standing before him was far from ordinary. Nevertheless, Bukjin kept his arms crossed, maintaining an expression of utter indifference.
"It truly is a shame. I was looking forward to exchanging insights with Student Im during this opportunity..." Yi Do said with a smile. "In fact, I was just speaking with Student Mok of the 3rd Academy about your performance during the annual competition. Hearing about it has only piqued my curiosity and admiration for you."
Before he could finish his sentence, a stunningly beautiful female swordsman from his entourage stepped forward. She stood by Yi Do’s side with a slender smile. It was Mok Simwol.
"Im Bukjin, Senior Yi Do thinks very highly of you. He is being sincere," Mok Simwol said, her voice smooth. "I know you still have that childish pride buried deep in your heart. But there is no shame in cooperating with Senior Yi Do or admitting that he is superior to you."
Is it this girl again? Doesn't she ever get tired of this? Bukjin thought. He was genuinely impressed that the 3rd Academy had produced such a persistent fox. Looking at the thick-skinned Mok Simwol, he found himself at a loss for words.
Mok Simwol, seeing Bukjin's silence, felt a surge of triumph. She believed the time had finally come to repay the humiliation she had suffered previously. So what if you're the top student at our school? You're nothing in front of a true genius like Yi Do.
"People need to know their place," Mok Simwol continued her bitter lecture. "You only gain something by staying close to those who are superior. Im Bukjin, it’s foolish to push away Senior Yi Do’s kindness just because you're blinded by jealousy."
Bukjin’s lips twitched as he prepared to snap back. But at that moment, something unexpected happened.
"You idiot! Do you even have the right to call yourself my boyfriend after letting her talk to you like that?"
A voice so cold it sent shivers down everyone's spines echoed from behind Bukjin. Immediately after, a hand as fair and smooth as white jade reached out and gently linked arms with him. Bukjin’s face went blank.
He instinctively tried to pull his arm away, but the grip was incredibly firm. To Bukjin, the arm linked with his felt as unyielding as a steel pillar.
"What the hell? Who are you—" Bukjin turned his head, ready to snap in annoyance. And then...
Ah, my eyes... Why is it so bright? Bukjin rubbed his eyes with his free hand, letting out a strange groan. It was blinding. The girl who had suddenly appeared and latched onto his arm was radiantly beautiful—a celestial beauty that defied description.
She's so white... and so beautiful... Her beauty was as dazzling as the sun. The moment Bukjin turned his head, he felt exactly like he did back on Earth when he'd been hit by a flashbang in a video game. His vision went white, and his mind followed suit.
For the first time, Bukjin felt his vocabulary was lacking. He couldn't find the words to express the sheer beauty of this girl. To put it simply, her beauty transcended Mok Simwol’s by several orders of magnitude. Mok Simwol, the supposed 'Princess' and top beauty of the 3rd Academy, looked like a common hen standing before a phoenix in this girl's presence.
"Be quiet," the girl whispered into Bukjin’s ear, frowning at his exaggerated reaction. "It’s not like this is the first time we’ve linked arms, so why are you acting so surprised? Are you trying to embarrass me?"
Bukjin looked bewildered. Not the first time? Then... how many times has it been...?
"You're..." Bukjin started to ask what on earth was going on, but the girl turned her gaze toward Mok Simwol.
"You're Mok Simwol from the 3rd Academy, right? A piece of trash ranked outside the top 50... who do you think you are? How dare you tell my boyfriend what to do? Who are you to act like his superior and try to humiliate him? Hmm?"
The entire area fell silent in an instant. The atmosphere shifted drastically. Mok Simwol had never been treated this way in her entire life. Seeing this beautiful girl openly disregard and confront her, a fierce sense of feminine rivalry and hatred flared up in her heart. Dropping all pretenses, she replied with a cold sneer.
"A piece of trash outside the top 50? Hoho, and who might you be? You claim a delinquent loser like Im Bukjin is your boyfriend? It seems you're nothing special yoursel—"
Before she could finish, Do Manseong and Yi Do finally snapped out of their shock. The two genius students looked flustered, like mice caught by a cat, and hastily bowed in greeting.
The other students standing nearby, especially those from the National Imperial Junior Academy, suddenly lost all of their previous arrogance. As if waking from a dream, they all cupped their hands in a respectful and reverent salute, following the lead of Do Manseong and Yi Do.
Mok Simwol had more to say, but the words died in her throat as she witnessed the scene. A name that was practically a taboo flashed through her mind. Sure enough, the girl’s cold voice rang out in the next moment.
"I don't look like much, you say? Listen closely. My name is Im Jin. Do you understand now whether I'm 'something special' or not?"
Im Jin. The peerless genius girl whose name sat at the very top of the comprehensive rankings displayed on the stone pillar. She was the strongest existence here, standing above 99 of the 100 gathered students.
[COMPREHENSIVE RANKING]
1st Place: Im Jin
Mok Simwol felt as if the name 'Im Jin' had exploded inside her brain. I-Im Jin...? She stood there, mute and paralyzed. Though she had never seen Im Jin in person, she had heard of her fame countless times. Im Jin was not only considered the top genius among the second-year students in all of Unmong City, but the greatest genius of the entire younger generation. The only person ever rated higher than her was 'Im Cheong-seon,' who was known as the 'Talent of the Empire.'
Furthermore, beyond her genius, Im Jin possessed another identity. She was the most precious daughter of the Lord of Unmong City, the apple of his eye. She held the highest noble status in the city. In both talent and status, she utterly overwhelmed Mok Simwol.
And she... is Im Bukjin’s girlfriend? Since when? Im Bukjin never said a word...
"I-I'm sorry. I didn't realize it was you, Senior Sister Im Jin..." Mok Simwol’s spirit broke instantly. She had no choice. The girl standing before her was on a completely different level, someone she could never hope to oppose. Until she gained more power, Im Jin was someone she absolutely could not afford to cross.
"Is being sorry enough?" Im Jin asked, her voice fierce as she pulled Bukjin closer.
"What? That's..." Mok Simwol looked up in shock. She hadn't expected Im Jin to be this aggressive.
"I'm only giving you one chance." A cold ruthlessness settled over Im Jin’s breathtakingly beautiful face. "Kneel and apologize. Otherwise, I will show you the true meaning of regret. I’ll make sure your life in Unmong City becomes a nightmare, starting from this selection trial."
No one present doubted Im Jin’s words. Her status and position were that immense. Her power was that absolute. Mok Simwol was in a state of panic, looking toward Yi Do as if pleading for help. Yi Do simply looked away, indicating he could do nothing to assist her.
Thud! Mok Simwol made her decision and dropped to her knees immediately. "I am sorry. I was wrong," she said, her head bowed. A massive wave of humiliation made her body tremble.
"I've seen plenty of girls like you. Thinking they're something special... Hoho, let me give you two pieces of advice." Im Jin continued in a calm, cold voice. She was like a being standing atop the clouds, looking down at Mok Simwol, who was like an ant crawling on the ground.
"First: If you want to embarrass someone else, you must be prepared to be embarrassed yourself. Second: You're fairly clever, but that doesn't mean everyone else is an idiot. Don't think you can just use anyone for your own ends."
Mok Simwol’s trembling intensified. Though they were just two pieces of advice, Im Jin’s words seemed to pierce through her very soul.
"Now, get lost." Im Jin waved her hand dismissively, as if shooing away something disgusting. Mok Simwol stood up and, without a word, turned and fled the scene.
"You two, vanish from my sight as well," Im Jin commanded.
Do Manseong and Yi Do, the two geniuses of the Imperial Academy, didn't dare to argue. They bowed politely and quickly made their exit. Before leaving, Do Manseong glanced at Im Bukjin with a thin smile and gave a thumbs-down gesture. It was a clear sign that he wouldn't let Bukjin off easily.
"Everyone, return to your places," Im Jin said firmly, her voice leaving no room for questions. The crowd of students that had gathered to watch the spectacle dispersed in an instant. With just a few words, she had completely settled the situation.
Once everyone was gone, Im Jin turned her head to look at Bukjin.
"Hehe! How was I? How was I? Brother Bukjin, how did I look just now?"
The cold, haughty Ice Queen from moments ago had vanished without a trace. Im Jin shook Bukjin’s arm, acting like a cute, affectionate younger sister.
"I boosted your ego, so hurry up and praise me!"