episode_0027

*Thump.*

“……Hmph.”

Returning to her dormitory, Ryu Seeun collapsed onto the entrance floor with a deep sigh.

Her face, leaning against the door, looked incredibly exhausted. It was no small amount of fatigue.

In that moment, standing in the dimly lit hallway without turning on the lights, only one face came to mind.

The male student, a year her senior and the second-ranked student, with whom she had just had dinner that evening.

His name was Lee Hyunjin, and he was the same age as her. However, she was still calling him ‘Sunbae.’ She couldn’t disrespect the hierarchy just because they were the same age.

“Hmm.”

Recalling the worst first menu choice (snack bar) she’d shared with him, Ryu Seeun slowly tidied her hair that had fallen over her shoulder.

Honestly, it was the worst. It was important, so she’d say it twice. How could he possibly take a junior female student who asked him to buy her a meal to a snack bar?

‘……It was better than I expected, though.’

Yet, the feeling that came to her in that moment was quite different from such grumbling. Ironically.

Of course, she wasn’t referring to the menu choice. No, well, she did eat it deliciously, but still.

After all, she was the one who had initially led him into a difficult situation. That much retaliation was well within the acceptable range. It was a safe play.

Ryu Seeun did have a conscience, it seemed.

Therefore, regarding the incident where the menu was tteokbokki and eomuk-tang… she wasn’t going to say anything more about it now.

So, naturally, her next thought was about his overall impression.

Lee Hyunjin, that male student. To be honest, he was ‘better than expected.’

His words seemed a bit rough, and he looked like the type to tease people.

But even considering that, hadn’t he quite docilely gone along with her unreasonable demands today?

Ryu Seeun wasn’t unaware of the fact that her actions were quite reckless.

Therefore, being openly pointed out for her discourtesy was within her expectations. Perhaps even if he had shamed her, she wouldn’t have found words to refute him.

…Though if that were the case, she would have clung to him and begged persistently anyway, she supposed.

‘Anyway… he wasn’t uncomfortable, or that kind of person.’

To confess the truth, before she came to this academy and before she stepped into the freshman welcome party the day before, she had held several prejudices against Lee Hyunjin.

Her feelings were quite complex, one might say. Even though there was a hint of apology in a corner of her heart, it was also true that many complex emotions coexisted.

First, there was the apology for dragging him into her unilateral and selfish circumstances.

There was no room for denial there. It was an absurd demand, even when she thought about it herself.

However, other than that, she also harbored vague jealousy and animosity towards him because he was ‘Seol Hayeon’s disciple.’

Why? Because her father always showed interest and concern in that direction.

As a child, she was always grateful that he looked after and cared for her appropriately, but Ryu Seeun was also a mage.

How could she not desire recognition for her own achievements? And amidst all that, her idol was praising someone else until his mouth was dry.

Things like how that young man would surely become the next Archmage, and how if he could only be brought to Cheorwon, she could rest assured.

Every time she heard such talk, Ryu Seeun couldn’t help but make a sulky face.

It was envy.

Was that man really that outstanding? Even so, wasn’t he just a second-best who couldn’t even claim the top spot in the safe academy of the South?

What was she, who had always defended against the monster hordes from the North on the front lines of Cheorwon, inferior to him?

She wanted to show him that she could do well too. The ace of the Border Defense Force? She could perfectly handle a role like that!

With such a mindset, Ryu Seeun arrived at her first meeting with Lee Hyunjin.

‘……That……’

And, she had to grudgingly admit it.

‘He is, indeed, outstanding. Yes.’

She thought she had a pretty good eye for mana. She had even received praise from Ryu Jinseong a few times for that.

……But she couldn’t see it. Even with her own eyes, she could barely read the unique color of Lee Hyunjin’s mana, let alone its concentration.

It was a truly beautiful clear white.

The symbol of an ice mage.

For now, a weak thought even arose: perhaps she couldn’t defeat him.

Ah, truly, the world was vast, and there were many geniuses. It was a moment where Ryu Seeun’s confidence shriveled.

‘Is that why Father told me to rein him in with marriage…?’

Black Heaven Ryu Jinseong had said such a thing to his daughter before she left for the academy. To try and establish a good relationship with Lee Hyunjin if she could.

In fact, Ryu Seeun’s personal interpretation played a significant part in the childish revenge psychology towards the Ice Empress that she had told Lee Hyunjin about.

Ryu Jinseong had already closed his heart to human relationships after that past incident. His focus was probably 100% on Lee Hyunjin’s abilities.

Even that alone had almost made Ryu Seeun very annoyed, but he had even added a flourish.

-If he’s a young man you like, it wouldn’t be bad to even have a child. As you know, the second generation born between outstanding awakened individuals inherits a strong awakening factor, does it not?

……That day was the first time Ryu Seeun had ever yelled at her adoptive father.

Ryu Seeun thought hard for a moment. What had she said then?

‘Ah, right.’

She probably shrieked something like ‘I hate you, Father!!’ and just ran out.

She hadn’t even contacted him separately since then.

‘……How could he say something like that to his own daughter?’

Still, if there was one thing she liked… perhaps it was that Ryu Jinseong had shown bewilderment for the first time in his life upon hearing her words.

If he hadn’t even shown such blatant emotion, she would have truly felt wronged.

Well, she owed him gratitude for nearly ten years, so she would do as he wished.

But her wounded and sulking heart wouldn’t easily recover.

Ryu Seeun thought so, puffing out her cheeks slightly. Anyway, the dice had already been cast, so it was time to finish what remained.

She didn’t even take off her shoes, but simply lay sprawled on the entrance floor and began tapping on her smartphone.

In the dark room, it was the bright screen of her smartphone that illuminated her face.

And the words that appeared on the electronic device’s screen were none other than these:

[Date course with a man]

[Food male students would like]

[Things a woman would like to do for him…]

…

…

…

[Provocative lingerie]

*****

Regular classes had just ended, and everyone was getting ready to leave the classroom.

“Hey, buy me food.”

“…”

Cheon Soyul, who was lying stretched out, using my shoulder as a backrest and waving her legs below the chair, suddenly spoke.

I blinked slowly and looked back at her. Cheon Soyul, likewise, tilted her head back and met my gaze.

“What? Why?”

She didn’t stop there, but rather retorted with the very words I should have said.

My words completely cut off, I repeatedly opened and closed my lips.

Why were there so many people acting like they’d entrusted me with their meals lately?

How brazen…

“I paid for your gukbap last time, didn’t I? Hey, you’re not going to say you forgot, are you?”

“…Ah.”

But she really had entrusted me with her meal.

I awkwardly scratched my cheek.

“Well… is there anything you want to eat?”

“Of course there is.”

“What is it?”

“1++ Hanwoo Tomahawk steak.”

“?”

A question mark floated above my head.

And I twisted my neck as if it creaked, staring intently at Cheon Soyul with sunken eyes.

It was the reaction I had when I truly heard something ridiculous.

And now was precisely that moment.

“…Ahem.”

At that, Cheon Soyul awkwardly cleared her throat and immediately corrected herself.

“No, can’t I even joke? Let’s just go eat anything. How about, uh, pasta?”

“You should have said so in the first place.”

I glared at Cheon Soyul with cold eyes, and she avoided my gaze.

What was she trying to extort from me, someone who lived on a meager allowance?

If anyone should be buying something like that, I thought Cheon Soyul, who received hundreds of thousands of won in allowance every month from the great Archmage, should be treating me. Doesn’t that make sense?

Ah! If only my Master-nim would send me allowance every month, I’d have no regrets.

Hmm.

‘Should I ask her once?’

No, no. I don’t want to turn into an ice statue by probing unnecessarily, so I’ll hold back.

Seol Hayeon was a woman with a temper who would never let her disciple’s rudeness slide.

I quickly erased thoughts of my Master-nim and stood up.

A few days ago, it was Ryu Seeun, and today it was Cheon Soyul’s turn to be fed.

*****

After finishing our meal.

Cheon Soyul and I strolled through the campus, each holding a drink from the cafe.

It was late at night, so caffeine wasn’t good.

I chose peach iced tea.

“There really are guys who buy iced tea at a cafe.”

“?”

“You’re the first one I’ve seen, though.”

But then Cheon Soyul suddenly picked a fight about it.

No, what’s wrong with iced tea?

“You buying hot chocolate is weirder.”

“Because it’s midwinter. It’s cold.”

“I was talking about having a child’s taste, though.”

“…”

Cheon Soyul suddenly clamped her mouth shut, and I thought for a moment before realizing, ‘Ah!’ and it made sense.

“Well, considering your height…”

*Whirrrr!*

And before I could even finish my sentence, Cheon Soyul summoned a saw crackling with golden electricity and thrust it at me. It was a real ‘electric’ saw.

She said with a crescent-eyed smile:

“You can’t cut off your height and attach it to me, Hyunjin-ah.”

“…”

She says such murderous things so nonchalantly. I wasn’t scared, but I decided to back off a step.

I’d briefly forgotten that I should avoid topics related to height with her as much as possible.

To ease the uncomfortable atmosphere, I ended my brief internal conflict and made a big decision.

“Here.”

“…? What is it?”

I turned the straw of my iced tea towards Cheon Soyul, and she raised an eyebrow, looking puzzled as if she didn’t understand my intention.

Of course, my intention was simple beyond belief.

“Try it. I’ll give you a special sip.”

I said, and Cheon Soyul looked back and forth between me and the iced tea with a bewildered expression.

It’s because I feel so sorry for you, not knowing the refreshing taste of this iced tea. Come on, have a sip.

“…No, well, really.”

At first, Cheon Soyul was just dumbfounded, but under my insistence, she eventually clicked her tongue, as if she had no choice.

And, gently pushing her hair back, she lowered her head and sipped loudly from the straw.

“…Hmm.”

She furrowed her brow, and I, full of anticipation, asked:

“How is it?”

“How is what…?”

“It’s delicious, isn’t it? Refreshing?”

Cheon Soyul twisted one corner of her mouth into a wry grin and let out a scoff.

“…It’s winter right now, isn’t it? Please don’t assume everyone has resistance to cold like you do? It’s just making my head ache from the cold.”

“…”

And that, while logical, was not the answer I wanted.

I was slightly offended, and the focus of that emotion soon shifted to her hot chocolate.

What could be so great about her hot chocolate that she would act like that?

I subtly leaned towards her and immediately stole a mouthful of the unknown white cream topping her hot chocolate.

‘Hmm.’

I savored it. It was certainly sweet.

But iced tea is more refreshing.

Still, it couldn’t be helped.

It was just as I was about to subtly open my mouth to give it a 1-star rating out of 5.

“You have cream on your mouth.”

“What?”

“On the right.”

Cheon Soyul subtly gestured towards my lips with a light glance, and I furrowed my brow slightly, fumbling in my pocket. I was looking for a tissue.

…Of course, there was no way a man in his twenties would be that prepared. There wasn’t any.

I paused for a moment with a slightly ambiguous expression, and Cheon Soyul looked at me askance, letting out a clear scoff.

“You’re kind of dumb.”

“…”

So what?

The one retort I couldn’t immediately deliver lingered sadly on the tip of my tongue.

And at that point, Cheon Soyul took another step closer to me.

“…”

Just as I was about to turn to her, puzzled, she suddenly rose slightly on her tiptoes.

*Lick…*

And near my mouth, a decidedly soft and ticklish sensation.

“…? …??”

“Hmm, it’s just sweet, why?”

I wore a blank expression, and Cheon Soyul nonchalantly licked her upper lip once with her tongue, then tilted her head to the side.

…For a moment, a huge jolt hit my heart.

Our gazes locked, sticky.

She closed her eyes first, and I slightly lowered my head, sharing a light kiss with her.

Even with just this, an un-winter-like heat was beginning to rise in my body, but Cheon Soyul didn’t stop there.

She immediately intertwined her fingers with mine.

“…Hey.”

She called out to me, a little shyly, her voice laced with faint warmth.

I let out a hollow laugh and looked back at her.

Cheon Soyul’s subtle gaze was directed elsewhere, not at me – it was towards the unmanned hotel on the outskirts of the academy.

…Don’t ask why there’s a hotel inside the academy. Officially, it’s a luxury facility for external visitors, but I didn’t know about that.

What was important was that Cheon Soyul was now holding my hand tightly and pointing directly at that place, which was secretly chosen as a rendezvous spot for students.

That was enough.

“So, you want to take a short break?”

I asked Cheon Soyul, full of mischief, just to be sure. She, blushing, dodged my gaze this way and that.

And then she muttered timidly:

“Ah, if you don’t feel like it, then don’t…”

“…”

It was a statement too powerful to refuse.

…Indeed, it had been almost a week since our last intimate encounter.

Naturally, my own desires had built up a bit, and amidst that, Cheon Soyul poked me like an unforthcoming cat with her front paw.

How could I possibly just let that pass?

I shrugged.

“As the top student wishes.”

“…”

And Cheon Soyul did not reply.

She simply dragged me away to get a room.

And so, the next day dawned.

The dawn broke, and like the highly-skilled mages we were, we cast invisibility spells and stealthily returned to our respective dormitories.

Still, we had to prepare for school.