The Red Flower Falls (2)
The sweet fragrance filled the Cradle's vast garden so thickly it bordered on headache-inducing. Spring blossoms of every hue flaunted their beauty in all directions. Beneath one of the pergolas scattered throughout the grounds—the one offering the finest view—a group of female students sat clustered together, chattering with unrestrained enthusiasm. First-year badges adorned their jacket lapels.
"So? What happened next?"
"Stop rushing me! I was getting to it."
The prompted girl gave an irritated huff before clearing her throat. "So there I was, suddenly surrounded by a pack of Parnis beasts. I genuinely thought it was over. The seniors were too far away, and of all moments, I hit particle exhaustion—my body wouldn't even move..."
Her face grew increasingly flushed as the memory took hold. "...Then came this metallic clang and the death screams of the monsters. When I opened my eyes, he was shielding me completely, asking, 'Are you okay? Are you hurt any—'"
"Kyaa! That's insane!"
"Oh my god..."
The girl's brief recollection vanished beneath a wave of high-pitched squeals exploding from every direction.
"And then? What happened after that??"
"...We decided to meet this weekend. Secretly, in the capital..."
She finished with a shy dip of her head, and the pergola descended into even greater chaos than before. Every girl present came from a family of deep historical roots or immense influence. They had formed their own private circle, eager to vent all the emotions they'd bottled up during their recent external missions.
Yet their conversation held nothing particularly noble or profound. Like any girls their age, their interests aligned with the usual. Strip away the superficial layers, and eighty percent revolved around the opposite sex. No matter what new topic someone introduced, the discussion inevitably circled back to the same destination.
Students in their prime, thrust into life-threatening external requests, frequently returned with blossoming romances rather than mere mission success. In such circumstances, school rules barely registered. The shared philosophy was simple: don't get caught.
"I'm so jealous... Why does our group only attract pigs or total duds? Maybe I should switch groups once the prep period ends..."
"Just accept it. Who knows? He might be your fated match."
"Are you insane? I'd rather hang myself."
The girl who had delivered the deadpan retort to the teasing now turned to someone who had remained deathly quiet the entire time. "Haewon. Got anything to share?"
"Ugh, no. I barely crawled back from death's door. Romance is the last thing on my mind..."
The girl shaking her head wore a Chungmu Order medal on her chest. She had been caught in a southern terrorist attack during an external request and suffered severe injuries. Her arm remained wrapped in a thick cast. Still, everyone who heard the news agreed she was lucky to be alive.
"Yeah, that tracks. What terrible luck..."
"It's fine. I'm alive, that's what matters. Even remembering it now... ugh." Haewon shuddered, clutching her shoulders. "If not for that guy, I'd be inside a monster's stomach right now."
"That guy?"
"You know. The masked one... the irregular..."
"...Ah."
The male student wearing a smooth mask had already melted into the Cradle's scenery. Soon Haewon launched into a vivid retelling of her southern ordeal. Though this had to be her umpteenth repetition, the raw immediacy of her account far surpassed anything a newspaper article could convey. Once again, her story concluded with a description of the masked man's back as he wielded his blade.
"Anyway, I saw him again. Skills aside, staying behind alone like that—is that even something a normal person could do? Makes you wonder if the rumors are completely unreliable."
"Who knows? Maybe his face isn't ugly at all. Maybe he's so ridiculously handsome he has to hide it."
"Look at her. She's completely lost it. But if he's really that good-looking, maybe getting disciplined by him wouldn't be so bad..."
"You crazy bitch... Want me to smack your ass for you?"
"Kyaa! Where do you think you're—"
"...Tsk."
Amid the ongoing uproar, someone's sharp tongue-click instantly froze the atmosphere. The girls who had been reveling in the mischief cleared their throats awkwardly and straightened their postures.
At the far end of the pergola sat a girl with her lips pursed in clear displeasure.
"...Haha, maybe our Yeseo doesn't have any stories this time...?"
"None."
The immediate reply cut through the awkward smile of the questioner. Jin Yeseo's golden hair, tied back in a tight ponytail, caught the light with brilliant flashes. Her eyes held a vivid emerald glow like the highest-grade gemstones. Her features were flawless, as if sculpted by a master artist. Her beauty naturally drew every passing gaze, yet she displayed zero interest in such matters. In fact, her attitude leaned toward the complete opposite.
At the start of the semester alone, a whole crowd had tried flirting with her while evading the professors' notice. Jin Yeseo's response had been to report every last one to the student council for public humiliation. What she despised most in the world were arrogant men with nothing to back up their swagger.
She found it deeply irritating that they received such high evaluations simply because women's bodies showed greater sensitivity to particles, resulting in higher awakening rates. Each generation produced far more outstanding mages among women. Even the Cradle's principal was the great Hae Wolhwa, and the top two second-years were both female seniors.
Her family had long suggested arranging a fiancé, but she had shut that down just as firmly. She planned only to fulfill her successor duties by selecting a suitable stud when the time came. What truly grated on her, however, was that the subject of her classmates' gossip had been that bastard.
By both talent and bloodline, first place among the current first-years should have been hers by right. Instead, some unheard-of wild horse had rolled in and claimed the spot. She had intended to redeem her previous mistakes during the external request, but the southern incident had only widened the chasm between them.
At this rate, she wouldn't be able to face the senior she respected so deeply. Her own pride needed no further explanation.
Grind...
Lost in thought, Jin Yeseo clenched her molars tightly. She had no intention of wasting this new opportunity.
Catching up on delayed coursework, testifying at the Security Bureau about the southern incident, visiting everyone who had left their names in the visitation records to offer greetings—in the midst of all that, two days of supposed free time vanished in a blink. Before long, the day of the ranking matches had arrived.
From every dueling arena came thunderous cheers and chants from the spectators, punctuated by the explosive booms of magic. Today the Cradle's campus teemed with far more people than usual—headhunters, military reinforcement officers, professors specializing in special talents. Come to think of it, regular ranking match days did involve opening the academy to outside visitors.
Then someone scanning the area in the distance caught my eye. It was Team Leader Myo Sang-ah from S&C, whom I had met before the southern dispatch to arrange equipment. Sensing she might be looking for me, I quickly ducked out of sight.
She had made quite the fuss when I called after seeing my name in the visitation log. Fortunately I hadn't mentioned using up all the medicine she provided. If my sisters caught wind of that, they might very well bind me head to toe in iron chains.
I made my way to the arena assigned for my match and waited in the preparation room. A polite knock sounded, followed by the guide cracking the door open and poking her head inside.
"Student Lee Hyun? It's time to enter the arena. Are you ready?"
"Yes. I'm fine."
I nodded and rose, following her out. As we entered the passageway, distant thuds and roaring noise gradually swallowed the space. The familiar faint thrill and heightened awareness before a fight washed over me.
When I finally stepped through the bright exit at the passage's end, the flat, solidly packed dueling ground and the spectator seats packed with students filled my vision. Weren't regular ranking matches supposed to have fewer observers than formal duels? Yet the crowd seemed several times larger than during my duel with Yeon Minha.
I glanced at the large matchup board prominently displayed beside the arena. Perhaps being the final match of the day had drawn every idle spectator. Familiar names also dotted the bracket.
Ryu Seungheon vs Choi Woojin (W)
Ha Yena vs Shin Muyeong (W)
No wonder Muyeong's expression earlier had looked so miserable. Wondering if they had both shown up, I scanned the stands. Sure enough, I spotted them far apart on the opposite side.
The preliminary bell rang, and the supervising professor's amplified voice followed. From the opposite side, a female student with her golden hair tied back tightly walked slowly forward. Even at a distance, her emerald eyes sparkled brightly.
The girl of Western descent, Jin Yeseo, finally stopped right before me. She stared directly into my eyes and spoke.
"I've been wanting to fight you at least once. Perfect timing. Who knew this opportunity would come?"