Chapter 27 : What I wish for

“Hmm, time’s up. That’s all for today’s class.”

When Ji Gyeeun wrapped up the Basic Mana Theory class and left, the cadets began gathering their belongings and stood up to head to their next class—Basic Physical Training.

Naturally, Basic Physical Training wasn’t held in the circular lecture hall but in the training facility, so the students had to move to a different location for the class.

“······.”

However, even as the other cadets got up and left, Fuyuno Tsubaki remained seated like a statue.

It was because Yang Woobin had told her not to leave until he came back.

“Fuyuno Tsubaki… it’s satisfying every time she gets put in her place, but I can’t help feeling a little bad for her.”

“Bad for her? Why? Weren’t you totally into it earlier when Sunhee made her kneel on the platform and apologize?”

“Well, yeah. I mean, it was hilarious seeing the noble daughter of the prestigious Fuyuno family humiliated like that in a low-ranking class. It’s still funny. But still… she finally got rid of the girls who were bullying her, and now she’s got a new ‘master,’ right?”

Sunhee and Jinsook, who used to bully Fuyuno Tsubaki, were both sent straight to the infirmary with crushed faces.

Even so, she remained bound in chains.

“She must feel like crap. She probably thought the leash was finally off when those two were gone… but now she’s got a new master, and he seems even worse. And it’s a male master, too.”

This new figure—Yang Woobin, a tanned blond delinquent—had appeared, with strength on a whole different level than the previous bullies.

For a woman to be dominated by a man was considered a massive disgrace in superhuman society.

A woman with two mana cores could, at least in theory, become twice as strong, twice as fast, as a man with only one core.

So for someone like that to be controlled by a man—it was akin to being defeated as a female, as a living being.

“A male master, huh… As sad as it is, it kind of suits her. For a disgrace to the Fuyuno family.”

In superhuman society, where strength was the true measure of a person’s worth, being defeated as a woman by a man was so shameful that the proud ones would rather die.

To witness the noble daughter of the Fuyuno family go through something like that right before their eyes—the two regular cadets from the commoner class claimed to feel bad for her, but couldn’t hide their smirks.

“······.”

Despite hearing such blunt ridicule right to her face, Fuyuno Tsubaki said nothing.

Ugh, uhh… I keep thinking about it… My heart feels like it’s pounding through my whole body… How can someone’s hand be that big…?

And it was so warm—not just my hand, my whole body felt warm… I’ve never felt anything like that warmth before…

Her head was completely filled with the memory of Yang Woobin tightly holding her hand.

She couldn’t hear a thing anyone else was saying.

I want to see him again… When’s he coming back?

I never knew waiting for someone could feel this nice.

The pleasant thudding in her chest, the lingering warmth of his hand, and the echo of his voice telling her to wait—she cherished everything he’d given her.

The word “kill” is still scary, but… somehow, it doesn’t feel bad coming from him.

That’s weird.

To not be afraid—even comforted—by a word like “kill,” it was clear that the feelings she held for Yang Woobin were far from ordinary.

I’ve heard people say things like “you’re dead” or “I’ll kill you” a lot in my life, but… why is it only when Yang Woobin says it that it doesn’t sound threatening?

But Fuyuno Tsubaki, having never once felt anyone’s kindness or affection in her entire twenty years of life, had no idea what the budding seed in her heart truly was.

‘…I want to know. If I meet Yang Woobin, talk with him, spend time with him… maybe then I’ll understand, right?’

That’s why, all she could do was wait for Yang Woobin and nurture the pleasant curiosity blooming inside her.

‘I want to see him soon.’

For the first time in her life, the thought—I want to see someone—echoed gently within Fuyuno Tsubaki’s heart.

***

Clunk. Creak—

“Jeez, listen to that creaking. Did someone kick this thing? Tsk.”

Spouting some half-assed delinquent-sounding line, I stepped into the circular lecture hall to find only one girl left inside with ash-gray hair.

It was Fuyuno Tsubaki.

I told her to wait, and it seems she skipped her next class just to do that. She’s really a good girl.

I did say she’d be dead if she ran, but no one would actually take that literally, so if she stayed behind, it must’ve been her own choice.

Thinking that, I called out to Fuyuno Tsubaki, who looked awkward and hesitant for some reason.

“Hey, Tsubaki. You waited well. Good job.”

“Uh, oh? Th-thank you…”

Unlike the other cadets in the commoner class, Fuyuno Tsubaki was someone I’d be working closely with from here on out, so I figured I’d treat her well—like I did with that kid back then.

Of course, that didn’t mean I planned to be all soft and kind like I used to be.

After all, I had a duty—as a full-blown delinquent—to disgrace my family’s name and prestige.

To sum it up, I was aiming to be the kind of crazy bastard who causes a ruckus with anyone, but still looks out for his own people in his own way.

A delinquent with some warmth.

“Anyway, the reason I asked you to stay isn’t anything weird. There’s just something I need from you. I wanted to ask if I could borrow it.”

“H-huh? From me?”

With that, I raised one side of my mouth like a proper delinquent and strode toward her.

As I got closer, her body started to tremble, and she didn’t seem to know where to look.

I must’ve been pretty intimidating to her.

Well, I did crush two people’s faces right in front of her, so it made sense that she was scared.

A little fear from Fuyuno Tsubaki would help me keep up my delinquent image—and help shape our relationship going forward—so I didn’t plan to do anything sweet to ease her nerves.

Halfway through speaking, I grinned and walked right up to her seat.

Then, in a slightly shaky voice, she said:

“Uh, s-sorry… I don’t really have anything… I don’t know what you want from me, but I don’t think I can give it to you…”

Her tone and voice were genuinely apologetic, and for a second, I was at a loss for words.

I was the one asking for something—yet she was the one apologizing?

It was hard to wrap my head around, logically or emotionally.

…Had she lived her whole life apologizing even when she was giving?

Well, she is from the Fuyuno family, after all.

The Fuyuno family, ranked third among the world’s most prestigious noble houses, also played a significant role in Tales of Reversal Heroes.

Because of that, players could gather various pieces of information about the Fuyuno family—including details about Fuyuno Tsubaki.

“A traitor born from devouring the previous family head. A cursed monster who should never leave even a name behind, even in death.”

That was how the Fuyuno family itself described Fuyuno Tsubaki in their records.

If even a family so obsessed with pride and reputation recorded her that way, one could only imagine how much torment she must’ve endured growing up.

The mere thought made me click my tongue without realizing.

“Tsk.”

“Uh, oh? I-I’m sorry if I upset you…”

“No, I wasn’t clicking my tongue at you. It’s just… well, I had a reason to.”

“O-oh, really? That’s… a relief…”

“……”

Fuyuno Tsubaki was just… the more I looked, the more pitiful she seemed.

But that pitiful life would end today.

As long as she stayed with me, she wouldn’t have to live like that anymore.

As someone with the Extreme Yin Body, she was going to become insanely strong under my guidance.

With that resolve, I got to the point.

“Anyway, I’m not asking for something you don’t have, so don’t worry. What I want from you isn’t money or stuff.”

“U-uh? Really? Then… what do you want?”

“You.”

“Ehh?!”

Maybe I was a little too direct.

Fuyuno Tsubaki jumped in her seat, eyes wide, totally shocked.

Her face turning bright red was kind of funny.

So I chuckled a bit and explained more clearly what I meant.

“Hey Tsubaki, from now on, be my underling. Lend yourself to me while we’re at the academy. I saved you twice already, right? You can at least do that much.”

Telling someone you just met today, “Be my underling,” was something only a total psycho delinquent would say.

Even I, who had fully committed to the delinquent lifestyle, felt a bit of resistance saying it—it was that outrageous.

But if I couldn’t do something like this without hesitation, I’d never achieve my ultimate goal of “destroying the noble houses.”

So I held her gaze, without taking back my words.

And then, after hesitating for a moment, her face still flushed red, she nodded and answered:

“I-I may be lacking… but I’ll do my best…!”

“……?”

She sounded… kind of happy, for some reason.

***

That night, having become Yang Woobin’s underling, Fuyuno Tsubaki buried her face in a thick blanket, replaying everything that had happened that day.

“Hey, Tsubaki. You waited well. Good job.”

More precisely, she recalled in vivid detail the heart-throbbing words Yang Woobin had said to her.

“Uuugh…”

“Then… what do you want?”

“You.”

“Uuuuugh…!”

“Lend yourself to me while we’re at the academy.”

“Huuuuu…!!”

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The embarrassment made her kick at the blanket without even realizing.

But no matter how mortifying those words were, she couldn’t hate them.

Not even a little.

Her wriggling came to a halt only when a roommate snapped:

“Hey! Are you freaking crazy?! Keep it down, it’s loud as hell!”

“Eek?! S-sorry…”

Fortunately, students in the commoner class shared dorm rooms in groups of four, so her wild movements were soon silenced by the yelling of her dormmate.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

But even though the kicking stopped, the pounding of her heart refused to calm down.

Clutching her trembling chest, Fuyuno Tsubaki waited for tomorrow.

‘…I want to see him soon.’

It was a strange feeling—for someone who had never once looked forward to the next day.