episode_0050

050.

Whooooosh.

The wind.

A chilly wind is blowing.

Beyond the window of the deserted academy chapel on the 3rd floor corridor, the cool wind brushed through Roxanne’s hair.

Her strawberry blonde hair swayed in the strong breeze, causing her neat academy uniform to slightly ruffle.

Her eyes, which were usually clear as if reflecting a sunny sky, now had a hint of gloomy clouds. It was a gaze filled with anguish, worry, and hardship.

Roxanne quietly looked up at the sky with a shadowed face.

Dark, ominous clouds were gathering, slowly engulfing the corridor in darkness.

She closed her eyes slowly, intending to pray to God as she always did.

That’s when it happened.

“Hello?”

Right behind Roxanne.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Roxanne.”

A girl’s voice echoed through the corridor.

It was a soft and slender voice, but with a hint of sharpness.

Roxanne slowly turned her head to confirm the source of the voice, and in her emerald eyes, she saw a familiar figure.

It was Seyura.

“I haven’t been coming to the academy much lately because I’ve been busy.”

Seyura, with a slightly disappointed expression, took step after step towards Roxanne.

Clack, clack.

The sound of footsteps echoed loudly in Roxanne’s ears.

“You might end up failing if you keep this up, you know.”

Running her fingers through her short hair, Seyura walked closer to Roxanne with a mischievous smile.

“Isn’t that right, Roxanne?”

“Seyura.”

The dim corridor was strangely quiet.

Although it was a corridor of the chapel, where a few students or believers would usually be walking around.

At this moment, there were only Roxanne and Seyura in this corridor. It was as if someone had deliberately blocked the passage.

“….”

“….”

The two of them stood there, lips sealed, gazing at each other.

An unknown silence weighed down on Roxanne and Seyura.

They were like water and oil.

If Roxanne was a saint, then Seyura was a sinner.

Their personalities, tendencies, values, everything was different, making it impossible for them to empathize with each other.

Yet, despite everything, the two of them were facing each other now.

Their faces reflected in each other’s pupils.

Very clearly.

“Seyura… why are you here?”

Seyura, who usually manipulated others from behind to torment Roxanne, had never expected to make direct contact like this.

And Seyura, who rarely came to the academy, was it because of what happened last time?

“I… got into a fight, Roxanne.”

It was Seyura who finally broke the silence.

After letting out a deep sigh, Seyura shook her head in disbelief, expressing her surprise with an amazed tone.

“I managed to take down the subordinates I sent. Can you believe it?”

“Were they the ones you sent?”

During the sudden attack by unknown villains at that time, Roxanne and Kim Deok-oh’s lives were as fragile as candles in the wind.

But…

“Our kids, you know. We had to search every nook and cranny of the mountains to barely find them, clinging to life by a thread.”

“Is that so.”

In a moment of desperation, a strange man saved Roxanne and her companions.

His face was covered with a hat and a multi-scarf, making it impossible to know who he was, but he was a formidable force.

It was no wonder, as he wielded magic and used a sword, reaching a level that Roxanne could never reach.

Of course, Roxanne was not a detective, so she couldn’t be sure.

“Excellent. Did you set a trap expecting an attack from me?”

“You should know better that it’s not possible.”

“You never know, just in case.”

In truth, Seong Yura felt quite upset.

The fact that Matteo Evans, whom she was somewhat infatuated with, was now in a coma and had not yet regained consciousness, was troubling her.

Matteo’s level of power was quite valuable even to Seong Yura.

It shouldn’t have been wasted like this.

“Could it be that some unknown organization or faction was secretly helping you?”

“If you say it was just a passing person who helped me?”

“Ahaha, a joke. A passing person by chance? In the mountains where monsters are?”

“…It’s possible.”

It was hard to believe that there would be anyone brave enough to enter the mountains where monsters dwelled with no human presence.

And there wasn’t even any relic hidden in those mountains.

That Rock Sanneu, he’s quite something. If you’re going to make excuses, at least do it properly. If you speak like that, even if I wanted to be deceived, I couldn’t.

“Really. Has my situation become somewhat difficult too?”

“It serves you right.”

“That’s too much.”

When Rock Sanneu responded with a slightly cold gaze, Seong Yura weakly lowered her shoulders.

Rock Sanneu seems a bit cold towards me. Well, considering what I did, it’s only natural.

“Anyway, rumors have spread among the subordinates. There’s a possibility that a powerful faction or group is helping you.”

“….”

“There are traces of a fight and escape, making things more troublesome. Everyone is a bit scared because someone as powerful as Matteo ran away. Anyway.”

“…Was that person really that strong?”

Kim Deok-oh, who was attached to Rock Sanneu’s escort troops, was helpless and couldn’t even resist. He seemed strong enough, but how strong was that mysterious man?

‘If that’s the case, how strong was that man who was alone in the mountains?’

Despite having a numerical advantage, Matteo and his group chose to flee. Why was that man alone in the mountains? The only things in those mountains were monsters and Rock Sanneu’s group.

‘…It’s probably not like someone was assigned to me, as Seong Yura said.’

If that were the case, it would have been great. If that person existed, it would have been much easier to stop Seong Yura.

“If the business fails on this ground, it’s not good. So, I’ll ask, do you happen to know who that person is?”

“I don’t know.”

“Ah, well. If you say you don’t know, I won’t pry. I’ll find out on my own…”

“Seong Yura.”

Suddenly cutting off Seong Yura’s words, Rock Sanneu spoke in a quiet voice.

“I sympathize with you.”

“What, all of a sudden?”

Seong Yura blinked her eyes in surprise at the sudden remark.

“I know to some extent how hard you’ve lived from the bottom. It must have been a really tough life.”

Both of them were orphans without parents, but their paths were different.

“Other people must have been unpleasant. They must have been hateful and disgusting to you when you were suffering.”

Unlike Rock Sanneu, who became a decent person with the help of others, Seong Yura, who did not receive help from others, fell into villainy.

“It’s okay to torment me. It’s my job to accept your anger.”

Seong Yura, I can accept the anger, resentment, and rage that you have suppressed deep in your heart.

“You sent people to me. I know you didn’t intend to harm me. It was to put me in danger, hurt those around me, and observe my reaction.”

Seong Yura, I know you wanted to drag me down to the mud pit because I couldn’t be like you.

“However, do not cross the line.”

“The line? How interesting. I think I’ve already crossed it.”

“No. Seongyura. You are undoubtedly a villain. But you can still turn back.”

Roksanne approached with a clear gaze.

“Please do not make irreversible choices. Of course, your past misdeeds may not be easily forgiven, but you must not commit any more evil deeds.”

“…Amusing. You don’t even know what I’ve done all this time.”

“Seongyura.”

“And let me tell you. Verbal warnings are unnecessary. If I don’t like something, show it through actions.”

“I will stop you.”

“You, stop me?”

Seongyura chuckled.

With no equal in abilities, power, authority, or wealth, how could Roksanne dare to stop Seongyura?

“Ah, Roksanne… You’ve always been like this. Not fearing me, always looking at me with those honest eyes. That’s why I want to destroy you even more. Like me.”

Seongyura suddenly turned around.

“It was a pleasant conversation today. The midterm exams are coming up soon, right? Study hard. See you later, Roksanne.”

“…”

Roksanne watched Seongyura’s back.

Until the gaze completely disappeared.

Endlessly.

***

In the spacious study of a mansion.

A petite girl sat in front of Seongyura.

“Oh~ Is it almost tomorrow? The Union Academy midterm exams.”

The girl, with pure white hair tousled, yawned as she stretched out on the plush sofa.

Reaching out randomly, she grabbed a snack and chewed on it.

She gulped down the hot tea, exclaiming, “Ouch! Hot!” as she stuck out her tongue like a cat and fanned it with her hand.

Although she looked carefree, the girl was Yudahee, the leader of the group called Rebellion. Seongyura was a member as well.

The organization was like a village gang, with few members, but filled with powerful villains with extraordinary abilities. Seongyura was quite impressed by their strength at first.

Above all, this Yudahee was a girl.

She may have looked like an ordinary high school or middle school student, but her abilities surpassed imagination.

Compared to Yudahee, the so-called top hero of the next generation, Isiwoon, seemed laughable.

Yudahee was incomparable among her peers.

Even Baek Yurin couldn’t match her.

Yudahee was already beyond the level of a student.

She was stronger than most mid-level heroes.

Moreover, she was still growing.

Isn’t she a monster?

Seongyura looked at her with a slightly disgusted expression.

Although Seongyura had surpassed the level of a student, she couldn’t possibly be on the same level as Yudahee.

With her alone, any trouble during the upcoming midterm exams would be easily resolved.

Yudahee was that strong.

“As this is the first evaluation battle of the Golden Generation, the media’s attention will be high.”

Rebellion was more of an organization in name only, with a laissez-faire attitude, not interfering much unless there was a major dispute or harm caused within the organization.

It was more like a gathering of individuals cooperating to achieve their goals.

That’s why Seongyura joined.

To exchange information and help when needed.

“SL Group’s Isiwoon, Heukyeong’s Kang Daehan, Gaon Nuri’s Yuseolhyun, Madosa’s disciple Yuriya Troianova, Oseong Group’s Ju Jiyeon, Taebaek’s Gu Hanchul…”

Yudahee moved her hand again, grabbing a bunch of snacks.

“The next generation of heroes responsible for the future… must be satisfying to take them down. Isn’t that right?”

*Crunch, crunch.*

Yudahee, who had swallowed the snack in one bite, smiles brightly.

“I was planning to prepare for the final exams and the training camp, but when you suddenly took such direct action, I was a bit surprised. So, I had no choice but to prepare in a hurry. It’s not like I’m careless or anything.”

“Why? Isn’t it all over now? Why suddenly want to know more?”

“Oh, it’s nothing in particular.”

Shrugging his shoulders, Yudahee added a few more words.

“I didn’t know you were so engrossed in bullying. Poor thing. Was it Roxanne? How did a nun like her end up being interested in a psycho like you?”

Although he had planned to stay quiet during this midterm exam, when Seong Yura decided to take action first, there was no choice.

Since they were an organization of laissez-faire(?), Yudahee didn’t want to stop Seong Yura’s actions, and since it had come to this, he had also made up his mind to move together.

“I’ve never seen someone so sincere about tormenting others like you. Worried someone might think you’re a villain, huh?”

Ignoring Yudahee’s sarcasm, Seong Yura only smiled mysteriously.

“This time, I want to cross the line, not just simple torment.”

Roxanne, did you sympathize with me?

Can you really sympathize with me?

With me who has crossed the line?

“The line? What line?”

“Well? I don’t know what line it is, but I think Roxanne might draw a line this time. I wonder how she’ll react.”

“That damn Roxanne, Roxanne. Got it. Someone might think we’re dating?”

“Do you want to die?”

Yudahee nodded his head slowly, then suddenly stood up from his seat.

“Well then, let’s do our best for each other’s goals. We may have different thoughts, but we have a common denominator, right?”

“Hmph.”

“Let’s make some noise at the Union Academy’s midterm exam that everyone is waiting for… Let’s stir things up a bit.”

The Union Academy, known as the hope of South Korea.

With heroes-in-training as bright as the rumored golden generation, the interest from the media and clans was much higher than usual. If the fledglings were trampled by villains, how would people react?

What if the cradle of peace and hope was brutally trampled under dirty boots?

Oh. Really.

I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep well with all the anticipation already building up.

Truly.