episode_0168

Manroe Cheon Sehui, one of the three Archmages. In her early fifties, she was the eldest of the three.

In a way, it was fair to say she held an elder’s position. At present, considering two of the Archmages were young adults in their twenties, her role was truly immense.

Although he had improved greatly now, Ryu Jinseong once had character flaws.

And was Seol Hayeon an easy junior to control? Absolutely not.

“Hoo…”

Cheon Sehui sighed and pressed her forehead. It was already terribly annoying how she always grated on her nerves, calling her “Auntie,” “Auntie”….

Recently, the existence of that Ice Empress was one of Cheon Sehui’s biggest worries.

Why was that? There were many reasons, but primarily, it was related to Cheon Sehui’s youngest daughter.

—who was engaged to that very Seol Hayeon’s beloved disciple—Cheon Soyul, a current second-year at Cheongsong Academy.

…Cheon Sehui, despite not being on good terms, had quite a deep connection with Seol Hayeon.

Perhaps it was a relationship where they knew much about each other precisely because they weren’t harmonious.

So she knew. She knew what kind of feelings Seol Hayeon, that much younger woman, harbored for her own disciple, five years her junior.

In fact, without even needing to look deeply, it was obvious just from a glance.

Thinking of the things she showed during the Cheongsong Festival a few months ago, probably many S-ranks, not just Cheon Sehui, would have noticed something strange.

But.

“…Still, I thought you were a child who knew how to keep within bounds and lines.”

Cheon Sehui’s head had never ached so much as it did today. Her stomach burned, to the point she instinctively wanted to reach for antacids.

As she sat at her office desk, she lifted her head.

“Seol Hayeon… Hayeon.”

“…”

“Why on earth are you doing this to me…?”

Across from Cheon Sehui, who was murmuring mournfully, sat a girl.

A girl with long, snow-white silver hair and blue eyes.

But the essence within was unmistakably that of an adult.

The Ice Empress, Seol Hayeon. That was her name.

And this place was none other than the private property and mansion of the Cheon family. It was certainly not a place for outsiders to tread carelessly, but—

“Why? Can’t I come to see Auntie’s face?”

To be precise, it wasn’t so strict that the doors wouldn’t open even for relatives or acquaintances.

It meant that if one could prove their identity, they could come and go freely, and Seol Hayeon had abused this very fact to gain entry.

For starters, they were both Archmages on the surface, and it was true they had some acquaintance.

But… weren’t she and herself not particularly close to begin with?

Cheon Sehui recalled such an obvious thought and pressed hard on her brow.

“Since when have you sought me out so diligently?”

“I decided to do so from today!”

“…Would you mind leaving now?”

“I don’t want to?!”

At Seol Hayeon’s tantrum, which was flung at her in an unreasonable manner, Cheon Sehui felt a deep surge of anger rising, but suppressed it with superhuman patience.

If she had her way, she wanted to summon lightning right now and incinerate that silver-haired brat.

But she couldn’t bring herself to do that, because she felt she knew why Seol Hayeon had come to her, no, to this mansion.

Just a few hours ago, Cheon Sehui had received a text message from her youngest daughter saying she would depart soon.

“…Have you come to meet Hyunjin?”

Cheon Sehui asked in a low voice, and Seol Hayeon closed her mouth and fell silent.

In every way, it was a positive response.

“Haa.”

“…Don’t sigh. They say luck goes out.”

Seol Hayeon twisted her hair, acting nonchalant, and Cheon Sehui, restraining the murderous intent that surged once more, rose from her seat.

Seol Hayeon looked up at the approaching Cheon Sehui with tense eyes, but…

“Alright.”

“Eh?”

Unexpectedly, the reply contained permission.

Seol Hayeon’s eyes widened and she blinked.

“You’re… allowing it?”

“Yes.”

“Uh, um. Huh?”

Seol Hayeon’s expression showed a complex change, as if she’d heard something utterly bizarre, but Cheon Sehui ignored her and walked past.

As if saying she wouldn’t care what Seol Hayeon did, and that she would do her own work.

“Oh. W-wait a moment.”

Seol Hayeon, belatedly coming to her senses, hurriedly exited the office she was left alone in.

And behind Cheon Sehui, who was walking with a clack clack, she pattered after her.

“Auntie? Are you serious? Did you just say I can stay here?”

“I said yes, didn’t I?”

“Ehh…?!”

As if she couldn’t possibly understand, when a positive answer came back to her repeated questions, Seol Hayeon showed a truly flustered expression.

Cheon Sehui, who had slightly slowed her pace, turned to Seol Hayeon and uttered coldly.

“What, you don’t like that either? If my easy permission bothered you, I can revoke it right now.”

An aura as if, if push came to shove, she would drive her out of this mansion even by using force.

She, with electricity in her two golden eyes, looked down at Seol Hayeon coldly.

“…Hiccup.”

At this moment, even Seol Hayeon couldn’t be cheeky with her usual insolent attitude.

Leaving aside the superiority of their abilities, she simply couldn’t match her charisma.

“T-that’s not it… If you permit me, I’d be grateful. Hehe.”

Naturally turning her body and whistling, Seol Hayeon countered Cheon Sehui’s pressure.

Cheon Sehui maintained a truly displeased gaze, but Seol Hayeon acted as if she didn’t care anymore, scratching her cheek and averting her gaze.

“W-well then, I’ll be off! This mansion is so cool, I’ll go look around…!”

Seol Hayeon, who soon lost the battle of wits, scurried away and vanished.

Silver hair vanishing beyond the hallway.

“…Haa.”

Cheon Sehui, who watched her back until the very end, let out a low sigh.

Even after rising to the position of Archmage, how could she be so reckless?

Was it because she was reaching the age of what they called an ‘old-fashioned person’? Or was it truly that Seol Hayeon’s attitude towards her seniors was wrong?

Cheon Sehui, who couldn’t bring herself to draw an immediate conclusion, turned around with a bitter expression.

‘If it was clear that problems would arise in the future… Perhaps it would be better to cause a conflict now, like this.’

In any case, as an Archmage and as the head of the Cheon family, she had many things to do.

The reception for the ‘guests,’ who would likely be many, was to be handled by her children.

Along with a small encouragement for her youngest daughter…

…thus, she tacitly allowed Seol Hayeon’s presence.

*****

“Heheh.”

Seol Hayeon, covering her mouth with her wide sleeve, burst into a frivolous laugh.

At this moment, she felt quite good.

‘To think she’d get permission so easily.’

The reason was simple. In this ‘Cheon family expedition (?),’ she had easily overcome the being she thought would be the most threatening enemy, a wall.

Manroe Cheon Sehui was not such an easy opponent. Both in age and rank, wasn’t she an absolute senior and industry elder?

It was because she had a generous personality that she tolerated Seol Hayeon’s playful attitude….

She was aware she habitually committed impoliteness that wouldn’t be strange to get a scolding for.

So today, if Cheon Sehui were to seriously express discomfort and blame her, she had even thought of completely abandoning her pride.

To kneel naked like that and even kiss her feet, she thought she’d get permission then—

“Yahoo.”

Seol Hayeon gave a refreshing eye-smile and reveled in her joy.

She got permission even without something like that!

‘I don’t know what Auntie is thinking, but…’

That didn’t matter. The important thing was that she received permission, and she figured that even if she had other thoughts, there wouldn’t be any big problem.

Seol Hayeon, unable to contain her highly excited mood, continued to traverse the hallway.

And coming down the mansion’s first-floor stairs, when she peeked her head near the entrance.

“…Oh.”

In the distance, at the end of the long private road, she saw a black sedan approaching.

No matter how she looked at it, didn’t it strongly emanate the feeling of being treated as a VIP?

There was only one guest who would arrive at this timing. None other than her own beloved disciple.

—having received certification from Archmage Ryu Jinseong, and on the verge of S-rank promotion….

“…Our insolent disciple-nim. I wonder how much their skill has truly improved for Ryu Jinseong to say such things; I’ll have to confirm it myself.”

Seol Hayeon donned a somewhat sadistic smile and took light steps.

The rear door of the sedan, which had already arrived at the mansion’s entrance, opened.

“Disciple-nim…?”

Seol Hayeon was about to wave both arms and greet the soon-to-appear Lee Hyunjin.

Soon, as three figures appeared from the back seat, Seol Hayeon froze.

Lee Hyunjin, wearing an awkward expression, and…

…Cheon Soyul, desperately clinging to him as if not wanting to lose him.

Up to this point, there was nothing strange, as she had seen it during the Cheongsong Festival.

‘…What the hell is that woman?’

Seol Hayeon, with her expression frozen coldly, looked at the other side.

Hugging Lee Hyunjin’s other arm, a woman in her twenties, smiling mischievously.

With light brown hair tied in a bob, she, who was chattering something as if teasing Lee Hyunjin and Cheon Soyul, was someone Seol Hayeon knew.

Manroe Cheon Sehui’s eldest daughter.

A-rank Mage.

Cheon Hyeon-a.

“Ha…?”

Seol Hayeon’s facial muscles twisted into a truly dumbfounded expression.

What are you doing here?