The Wall of Scorn
It was so large that I didn’t recognize it at first. Never mind that it was a low-quality prank to begin with—the content itself was far more vicious. Words brimming with contempt and ridicule for Yeon Minha filthily covered the outer wall.
“This is…”
The instant I confirmed it was graffiti and took in the message, a hot surge of anger rose from the depths of my chest. Even though I wasn’t the target, the fury came anyway. I barely swallowed the curses that nearly flew out, but the urge to hunt down the culprits and beat them senseless still burned inside me.
“W-why are you suddenly like this… what are you going to do…”
Yeon Minha hurriedly stopped me as I turned away.
“What do you mean, what am I going to do? Obviously I have to catch the bastards who did this.”
“What…?”
“Your senior’s dormitory is tucked away quite deep in the grounds, so it would have been difficult for them to slip in and out without leaving any trace. First, we go to the administrative office, cross-reference the list of residents in the nearby dorms, and then—”
“No, no! You can’t do that…”
Yet Yeon Minha continued to hold me back.
“Why not? It’s Sunday, but there should still be someone on duty at the office…”
“That’s not what I mean. This isn’t a problem that can be solved that way…”
She stepped so close that I could feel her breath. She stretched out both arms, firmly grasping my hands, took a short breath, and looked up at me. Yeon Minha remained eerily calm. Meeting her eyes helped cool the heat that had risen in my own chest.
When I finally reined in my anger, she let out a small sigh of relief. Then she continued in a quiet, measured voice.
“That kind of approach would only make the other side look down on us even more. This has to be settled among the students.”
“…”
“It’s fine. These were things I already expected the moment I decided to return to the Cradle.”
The person actually being targeted spoke in a coldly detached tone, as if it were no big deal.
“Besides, it won’t be hard to deal with. Only cowards without the courage to step forward do things like this. If I just crush two or three of the right ones later, they’ll bow their heads again like nothing ever happened.”
“But…”
When I trailed off while staring at the graffiti, Yeon Minha snatched my wrist and began walking toward the back door of the dormitory.
“Enough. The graffiti can be cleaned off tomorrow when it’s light. More importantly, let’s get inside already. What if someone sees us out here like this…”
I let her pull me along like a balloon caught in the wind. She hurried inside the dormitory and locked the back door behind us. Only then did she stop abruptly, turning her head just enough that I could almost see her face.
All I could make out was the thin, elegant line of her nose.
“Um… are you… very angry…?”
It was true that rage had flared up inside me, but right now embarrassment outweighed everything else. Once I’d cooled my head and thought it over, I realized her suggested approach was far wiser than my own impulsive reaction in every way. Even if force was going to be used, the proper stage had to be set first.
“A little…”
“I see…”
Hearing my awkward answer, Yeon Minha suddenly dropped her gaze to the floor. Then she began muttering incoherently.
“A-anyway, you must be tired… go lie down quickly… I think I’ll turn in early today too…”
“Wait—”
Before I could reply, she shot upstairs like an arrow and slammed the bedroom door shut. The loud bang of wood against wood echoed through the dormitory.
“…”
I was left alone in the silence and darkness. My brain couldn’t keep up with the whirlwind of events that had just unfolded. For a long time afterward, I pondered the meaning of the joy that had been woven into Yeon Minha’s voice.
-Lick… lick…
When I opened my eyes, the world outside the window was still wrapped in lingering darkness. A damp, slightly rough sensation kept brushing across my lips. I found myself suddenly locking eyes with a small cat flicking her tongue.
“Myaong~”
Ttangkong let out a soft cry, as if greeting me good morning. The adorable sound made the corners of my mouth lift without me realizing it.
“Sigh… why do you like my lips so much?”
It was probably because that was the only exposed part. Ever since we reunited, I had been wearing a mask almost constantly.
Since I had woken up earlier than usual, I spent a lazy moment stroking Ttangkong. Her eyelids drooped, and she immediately began to purr. It was ridiculous how she could fall asleep from just a little scratch under the chin. She had woken me up, yet here she was, dozing off again.
Why had I ever tried to push away such a cute creature?
I covered the sleeping Ttangkong with the blanket and got out of bed. For some reason, my body felt unusually refreshed today… or was it just my imagination?
After several days of forced marches, I had still been quite exhausted as recently as last night. Yet now I could barely feel any fatigue or weariness. I had even woken up much earlier than usual because of Ttangkong.
This lightness felt familiar. I searched my memory and realized I had felt something similar when I woke up in the infirmary after returning from the south. The common factor was… waking up after feeling Ttangkong’s damp tongue?
I looked at the little cat, who had already fallen into a deep sleep. Perhaps her very presence gave me a sense of stability. She was like the only bridge connecting the person I was now with the person I used to be.
“…”
After a moment of quiet reflection, I stepped into the hallway and noticed that Yeon Minha’s bedroom door was wide open for once. The distinct scent of narcissus filled the corridor. She was combing her still slightly damp hair.
Since the dressing table faced the door, all I could see was her back—her elegant neck and the curve of her waist clearly visible. Because her hair was so long, she was putting considerable effort into it, making small grunting sounds.
I had only been watching for a brief second, but Yeon Minha, with her back turned, seemed to sense my presence like a ghost. Her shoulders twitched slightly before she spoke first.
“H-how dare you peep at your senior while she’s grooming herself. Now you’re even sending me those shameless, lecherous looks…?”
“…”
Wasn’t she the one who left the door open? What surprised me more was how she could detect my presence after I had only stood there for a moment. A sense of injustice made heat rise in my chest. This feeling was slightly different from yesterday’s anger.
I stepped boldly into her bedroom.
“…Enough. I already know very well that you’re obsessed with color. As your senior, I should generously overlook it… Kyaa—what, what are you—!”
Yeon Minha, who had been thoroughly scolding me, suddenly let out a high-pitched shriek. Seeing her like that filled me with strange satisfaction.
“Even so, doing this first thing in the morning…”
“Stay still.”
I took the comb from her hand. Then I grabbed both her shoulders and turned her to face the dressing table. Perhaps startled by the surprise attack, she remained frozen like a wooden puppet. I took the opportunity to begin brushing her long hair.
“Senior.”
“…”
“Minha senior.”
“W-what? Why are you calling me…”
“Good morning.”
“…You really are a pervert.”
I had offered a morning greeting, but she responded with another insult.
“What made you wake up so early today?”
“A-anyone would think I sleep in every day if they heard you…! I can’t have such misunderstandings…”
Yeon Minha, who had been hanging her head, suddenly shouted with an indignant expression. Though honestly, it wasn’t a misunderstanding—it was the truth. Sleeping in had recently become one of her favorite things.
Ever since she moved into the Beech Tree dormitory, today was the first time I had seen her awake at this hour. Unlike first-years, second-years had voluntary early morning training, so she had never emerged from her room until sunlight filled the space.
“I… have somewhere to go today… so I hurried to get ready…”
She finally admitted that her behavior was unusual.
“Somewhere to go? Where?”
Then Yeon Minha said something unexpected.
“To apply for my return to the student council.”
“Why so suddenly… and you were in the student council?”
“Students from the five great families are automatically assigned a position upon enrollment. I turned it down before because I didn’t have the mental capacity due to my mental pollution treatment… but now, thanks to you, I’m fine.”
I could feel her gaze flicking toward me through the mirror.
“And I need to expand my influence more than I have now…”
“…Does the student council really hold that much power? I’ve heard about it, but…”
“Of course. The Cradle student council is practically a miniature version of the Republic’s Supreme Council. Although it only partially inherited the education committee’s functions, it can handle its own budget and enforce school laws.”
Yeon Minha answered immediately. If one intended to step into the Supreme Council in the future, experience in the Cradle student council was the first step. She rattled off dozens of benefits granted to council officers: shortened military service after graduation, guaranteed first posting in the capital, access to top-secret classified information, and more.
The images of several students who had desperately tried to curry favor with the council flashed through my mind. I finally understood why they had acted that way.
“And that bitch Cheon Ha-rin… do you remember her?”
“Cheon Ha-rin…”
The memory was hazy at first, but then the face of a certain second-year female senior—the one I had nearly fought alongside Yeon Minha—suddenly came to mind. It had been right before I left for the south on an external request. Despite being the daughter of one of the 27 Magic Families, she had openly supported the Paecheon faction and sharpened her blades against the Red Flower. Her venomous nature, which didn’t lose out to Yeon Minha’s, had left quite an impression. Moreover, she had apparently lost her pinky finger in a duel with her…
“The reason that bitch struts around so arrogantly is because she’s an executive committee member of the student council. It’s the perfect position to crush others with power. Now that those types will be running even more rampant, obviously I need something to push back with, don’t I?”
It was a fairly reasonable explanation, and I was about to accept it when her next words left me stunned.
“And I need to secure a seat for you as well.”
“Pardon?”