Chapter 43 : Rumors (1)

Jin Sejeong, the first-ever freshman to become the Disciplinary Committee Leader in the history of Daecheon Academy.

In Daecheon, where an individual’s power equals their worth, she claimed the top spot among first-years purely through her own strength.

She had the power and capability to walk a tyrannical path—but chose not to.

Instead, she pursued the righteous path and acted as a true leader of discipline, guiding those who strayed from it back onto the right track.

Though she had the strength to dominate an entire grade, she never used her might for selfish gain.

She used it solely to maintain order.

Within just a month and a half, she earned the respect of nearly all the students in Jincheon Class.

And now, the respected Jin Sejeong was—

“What should I say first when I meet him? Should I just be honest and say I missed him so much, that not a single day went by without thinking of him since the day we parted?”

“Ugh, no… is that too blunt? Or maybe I should tease him, like, ‘Why do you look like some ridiculous blond-tanned punk now?’ to lighten the mood? I had so many things I wanted to say. But when I actually see his face, I’ll probably be so happy I can only laugh.”

“What if I look like a fool? I only wanted to show Woobin my cool side. That’s why I worked so hard. Ahh, it’s complicated. Whatever. Let’s just meet and see how it goes. Once the promotion ceremony is over, I’m going straight to him.”

“Once we meet, we can go back to how we used to be—close, happy, inseparable. Woobin and I have always been like that… We’re childhood friends who could never be apart…!”

She was busy running a mental simulation of their reunion while looking off into the distance—at Yang Woobin, who was over at the arena, basking in the joy of victory with a goofy laugh.

“Wow, look at the Disciplinary Leader over there… The opponent was just that loser who barely even beat Choi Ingyu. Why does she look so serious?”

“She’s the Disciplinary Leader, not just anyone. In front of her, it doesn’t matter whether you’re strong or weak—we’re all just students. She’s amazing.”

“Yeah… you really can’t help but respect her.”

Of course, while her mind was filled with girlish fantasies, her expression remained a cold, stone-faced poker face, so none of the students who admired her had the faintest idea what she was thinking.

They simply continued to revere her in their hearts.

And in that moment, where one girl dreamed of a reunion and others admired her, an announcement rang out from the speakers.

[Attention, please. The principal will be arriving at the arena shortly for the promotion ceremony. Student Tsubaki Fuyuno, please descend from the special guest seating area and proceed to the arena floor.]

It was a call for the winner of the promotion match—Tsubaki Fuyuno.

“…Ah.”

Jin Sejeong snapped out of her fantasy at the sound of Tsubaki Fuyuno’s name, which she had momentarily forgotten while thinking only of Yang Woobin.

She turned her head toward Tsubaki.

Since the special seats for match winners and those for Disciplinary Committee executives were on the same level, Jin Sejeong spotted Tsubaki Fuyuno right away.

“Come to think of it, there’s someone else I need to pay attention to besides Woobin. Tsubaki Fuyuno… She came up from a lower class, yet beat Han Yujin without even a scratch. No matter how many times I think about it, it’s suspicious. I’ll have to add her to the Disciplinary Watch List.”

The girl who had just moments ago been lost in a flower-filled daydream now gazed at Tsubaki with sharp, wary eyes—those of a true Disciplinary Leader fulfilling her duty.

Having once been saved by Yang Woobin, and vowing to live a life that wouldn’t bring him shame—strong and upright—Jin Sejeong took great pride in her role as the Disciplinary Leader.

“I’ve barely managed to establish order in Jincheon Class over the last month and a half. I won’t let an outsider come and mess it up.”

So it was only natural for her to be wary of the powerful newcomer, Tsubaki Fuyuno.

“Hopefully she’s not planning anything… I’ll have to keep an eye on her.”

Jin Sejeong didn’t take her eyes off Tsubaki Fuyuno until she finished walking up to the arena.

“…Huh?”

Just then, she saw Tsubaki—whose noble appearance was more befitting a princess—bounce lightly up to the arena like an energetic puppy, where she met eyes with Yang Woobin.

Both of them were smiling at each other.

They seemed like they already knew each other and were close.

“What’s their… relationship?”

“Excuse me? Did you just say something, ma’am?”

“No, never mind. I was talking to myself.”

Seeing Yang Woobin happily laughing and chatting with another girl—a girl who was not only stunningly beautiful but also incredibly skilled—Jin Sejeong unconsciously clenched her fist.

Just earlier, while imagining their reunion, her heart had been soaring and her whole body had felt warm from the joyful anticipation.

But now, seeing Yang Woobin smile at Tsubaki Fuyuno like that, it felt like her heart had dropped with a heavy thud.

“Huh? Yang Woobin just patted Tsubaki Fuyuno on the head?”

Crack.

“Huh?! A guy is patting a girl on the head—not just patting, but using both hands like he’s playing with a puppy, ruffling her hair all over—and Fuyuno Tsubaki is smiling so brightly, like she actually likes it?!”

Crack.

Just seeing the two of them smiling at each other had already made Jin Sejeong’s heart drop, but now, watching Yang Woobin ruffle Fuyuno Tsubaki’s ash-gray hair—not gently, but playfully and thoroughly—made it feel like her heart had frozen over.

Her jaw clenched on its own, her teeth ground together with a grating sound, and before she knew it, her fists were trembling from how tightly she was clenching them.

“When a guy does something like that to a girl, it usually means they’re really close… Captain, do you think maybe those two are in a relationship? Like, maybe an arranged one between families or something—”

“Silence.”

“…Sorry?”

“I said be quiet.”

In that moment, the disciplinary officer sitting next to her muttered something she didn’t even want to hear.

For the first time since becoming the head of the disciplinary committee, Jin Sejeong snapped at one of her subordinates.

“Ah, I-I’m so sorry.”

“…No, it’s fine. There’s no need to apologize. I’m the one who showed a lack of composure. I apologize instead.”

But Jin Sejeong wasn’t the type to lash out harshly at her own people.

And Lee Hyeryeong, the officer next to her, had been a reliable right-hand assistant this entire time.

So she quickly collected herself and apologized.

“But, um, Captain. Do you perhaps know someone down there? It seemed like… you were really focused on them.”

Though the tense atmosphere had settled again thanks to Jin Sejeong’s apology, the fact that she’d lost her cool hadn’t gone unnoticed.

So Lee Hyeryeong carefully brought it up in hopes of easing the lingering awkwardness.

“Hmm.”

Jin Sejeong quickly realized why Hyeryeong had asked that question.

And although it felt a bit early, she decided she might as well mention Yang Woobin.

‘If it’s just Hyeryeong… it should be okay. She’s not the kind of person who’d go blabbing about it.’

To Jin Sejeong, Hyeryeong was both a trusted subordinate and her closest female friend.

Because of that, her emotional defenses relaxed a bit, and she opened her mouth to answer.

“Actually, I—”

Shooooooom—THUD!

But just as she was about to speak, a sudden whooshing and crashing sound from the direction of the arena interrupted her completely.

Both of them turned their heads toward the source of the sound.

“Oh. The principal’s here. Whoa, did she just fly in and drop from the sky?”

The coliseum had an open roof, and someone like Go Yeoryeong, who could fly, could easily enter through it.

Always valuing efficiency, she’d chosen the fastest route in.

“Um, Captain. I know I asked the question, but is it okay if we continue this later?”

“Yes, that’s fine. It would be improper to carry on a personal conversation during the principal’s promotion ceremony.”

So the two of them put their conversation on hold and focused on the ceremony being led by Go Yeoryeong.

[Honestly, I didn’t think either of you would pass. Guess you’re not just all talk, huh, Cadet Yang Woobin?]

Immediately after, Go Yeoryeong’s mana-infused voice spread throughout the entire arena without a microphone.

It was a sound projection technique used by experienced supers who had mastered mana.

And because her voice filled the entire arena at the perfect volume, the cadets of Jincheon class were awed by a glimpse of her power.

“I felt it during the entrance ceremony too, but yeah… the principal’s seriously powerful.”

“Y-Yeah, Captain. She’s not called the ‘Flying Dragon’ for nothing… I should probably feel honored just to share a character in our names…”

Jin Sejeong and Lee Hyeryeong were no exception to being impressed.

Sejeong was thinking how lucky she was to be at Daecheon, where she could learn so much—when suddenly, a voice rang in her ear that she couldn’t possibly ignore.

[So. This is the childhood friend I’ve been hearing rumors about? Training together, sweating buckets, eating meals side-by-side, spending every afternoon together, growing stronger, and getting promoted to Jincheon class together… what a romantic story.]

“…What?”