episode_0257

“You’re really an idiot.”

Jin Ye-seo continued speaking while sitting down and restraining me.

“How could you not notice when it was so obvious?”

“When did you say you made tea like that… ”

I was about to ask a question, but I closed my mouth. Yes. Looking back, honestly… there were more than one or two suspicious circumstances. Now that things have come to this point, I can finally feel all of that. I just vaguely believed it and passed it over.

You’re finally getting a huge penalty for your stupid actions.

“Sorry. I can’t accept your feelings.”

But I shook my head. In the midst of all this, I can understand Jin Ye-seo’s feelings for confessing her hidden feelings. However, even so, I cannot grant her wish.

My life was definitely running towards its end. Moreover, it was not the first time for me to meet Jinyeseo. There were already not one but two people waiting for my choice. I couldn’t add more people here.

At the very least, I want to die with honor. I don’t want to be remembered as a delinquent by those who remain… I refuse to die.

“I just told you. I’m going to die after this expedition ends. Maybe before it ends. If I don’t find a way… Ugh.”

My desperate persuasion was once again blocked by the moist lips that covered hers. I somehow managed to grit my teeth and prevent the invasion of my tongue.

Jin Ye-seo, who had been struggling for a while, raised her head and glared at me as if she didn’t like me.

“Who died? ”

“I don’t want to die either. But… ”

“You won’t die.”

“There is no way to say that… ”

“I told you I wouldn’t die.”

The conversation just wouldn’t continue. Jin Ye-seo’s voice was gradually revealing a little bit of inner turmoil.

“You will never die. No matter what happens.”

“… ”

“You said the witches might know the solution? Good. Let’s go and find out together.”

“If it was going to be that simple, I would have done it a long time ago… ”

“Okay. Just shut up and get up.”

Jin Ye-seo, who had released me from my restraints, quickly grabbed my wrist and helped me up. There was only about a minute left until the departure ceremony.

We ran straight to Hwayanggwan. Jinyeseo, who was running ahead, still held my wrist and did not let go. At first glance, it looked like she was forcibly dragging me along.

Jinyeseo didn’t say anything. All I could see was her golden hair blowing in the wind. Occasionally, her shoulders would shake. The sky was clear, but raindrops fell from somewhere and splashed my face.

“… Promise me one thing.”

And Jin Ye-seo, standing at the entrance of the building, spoke without even looking at me.

“When this operation is over, put me in your options. That’s all I ask… ”

Suddenly, her voice became a little hoarse. Does Jinye really believe that I will survive?

Maybe I have no choice but to believe it.

There was no time to utter a response, whether it was acceptance or rejection. Before I knew it, the grand banquet hall was bustling with people. Jin Ye-seo walked into the middle of it all and threw me to the floor as if she was throwing me.

“Hey! What were you doing, coming here now!”

“Sorry. I have to catch a latecomer.”

Jinyeseo responded to the professor’s shout that found us as if it was nothing. A light laugh rang out around her. She gave me a glance and went to the line to take her place.

I also got up and looked around. We were in the first-year line. The second-year line on the opposite side was not visible. Perhaps Yeonmin and Yeon-i are here now.

“Chief… !”

And then I heard a familiar voice calling me. A short, bespectacled boy with a stern expression spotted me and waved happily.

“So the leader is going to the devil’s court! I knew it!”

“Muyeong? You volunteered too?”

“Yeah. I barely qualified with a chin-up. So… hehe.”

“But… it might be dangerous… ”

“Knowing that and volunteering, that’s what makes a man. Who would dare judge his courage?”

During the conversation, a rough voice was heard from behind. Choi Woo-jin, who had approached without anyone noticing, was standing there blocking out all the light. With his large size and wearing a special protective gear, he looked quite intimidating.

“Anyway, I saw you again, Unicorn Spirit Master. I thought you were a weird guy, but I didn’t know you had such a strong point. Huh?”

“Who is the unicorn spirit master… ”

“Well, I guess I can’t even use that nickname anymore. Are you still seeing that senior from the Shadow Banquet? Oh, then maybe you’ve become so manly… ”

“Hey, stop it!!”

Muyeong jumped up with his face flushed bright red. But somehow he didn’t look too upset.

Next to Choi Woo-jin was a handsome, noble-looking male student. Seung-heon, who was about to greet me, noticed something and asked worriedly.

“Huh? Hyuna. There’s blood on the corner of your mouth… ”

“Phys?”

When I put my finger on it, a little red liquid came out. It was definitely Jin Ye-seo’s doing. When did she bite here again?

“Did something happen?”

“… It’s nothing. I just got bitten by something.”

“Did you go to the demon farm? What a surprise… ”

I denied it as if it was nothing. Actually, I wasn’t wrong. It’s true that I was bitten by something.

“What about the Demon Slayer pen? Didn’t you see him coming in with Jinyeseo earlier? He must have gotten punched during their last fight.”

And Choi Woo-jin, who turned around and left Moo-young running around, finally opened his mouth.

“But what’s wrong with that… Did you lose? Of course I don’t think they’ll let you off the hook… ”

“Be quiet. It’s not your job.”

I snapped back in a fit of anger. Strictly speaking, I was just taking out her anger. If I hadn’t been hit in the weak spot in the first place, I wouldn’t have been able to subdue her.

I needed to quickly change the subject before the unpleasant smile spread across Choi Woojin’s lips. I turned my head and asked Seungheon.

“But you guys are here… ”

“I can’t just sit still as a member of a prestigious family in this kind of crisis. And I heard news about my older sister… ”

Seungheon smiled sadly. It seemed that the content of the dream he had told the principal had been secretly passed on to his family.

“Hyun, I never dreamed that you would be in the same unit as my older sister… ”

“… I’m sorry. I asked you to keep it a secret… ”

“I’m not saying anything. It’s just that my older sister’s personality would have made her do that. She left the position of successor to me because she didn’t want to be a burden to the family… ”

Seung-heon shook his head after hearing the apology. After hesitating for a moment, he carefully opened his mouth and asked.

“My sister… is doing well there?”

“… Yeah.”

After much thought, I nodded briefly. Seungheon seemed relieved by those words, and only then did he let out a deep breath.

“I see… That’s fortunate. Really… ”

He said that he had not seen his older sister Sehwa for over 15 years and only exchanged letters occasionally to keep in touch with her.

Although it was said that the decision was made out of concern that the family would be implicated in the captain’s actions… there’s no way that his heart would be at ease after suddenly being separated from his family.

Me too.

“Please… save it.”

“Yeah.”

He nodded his head as if he had made up his mind after hearing what I said. Then, the officer standing on the podium’s sharp voice resonated through the amplifier.

“Attention! I will now announce the temporary unit formation! The students whose names have been called, please come forward… ”

A buzzing noise was loudly knocking on my ears. The tension of the first battle, the fear of death, the desire for fame and success. The air smelled more hostile than ever.

I turned my head once and looked around. This place that had felt so awkward and like clothes that didn’t fit had now become a comfortable and familiar sight.

I took my time and took in everything here.

So that even if I die, I won’t forget.

***

Except for the occasional rattling noise of the machine, the inside of the vehicle was extremely quiet. I opened the partition of the transport compartment slightly and looked outside. There were hundreds of transport vehicles lined up in front of us and behind us.

“It’s quite spectacular, isn’t it?”

I turned my head at the sound of a voice right next to me. A neat woman in a prison uniform was smiling brightly at me.

“… That’s right.”

I answered, looking outside again.

“I haven’t seen this kind of force even on the northeastern front. With this much, can we quickly push back the demons on the front?”

“Well, that might be a bit too much.”

The black cat shook its head.

“This line is the maximum number of troops we have available. Academy cadets, convicts, and conscripts. It may seem like a lot at first glance, but the limits are clear. If we lose even once, we’ll be pushed back to the capital. ”

Then he nodded at me and said:

“You know, if you’ve fought the Demons. They’re two or three times our size, with horns on their heads, swinging poison claws with one hand, and shooting black magic with the other… They’re monsters. They even outnumber us. They’re no match for a rabble.”

“Then this force… ”

“These are troops for defense, not offense. They will blockade the stronghold and not move until our victory news arrives. But… ”

The black cat, who had been speaking leisurely despite the content, turned its head to another part of the transport compartment.

The vehicle we were in was surprisingly spacious for its size. There were only five people in the vehicle, including me, that could fit over twenty people.

Yeonmin-ha and Yeon-i were sitting at a distance from each other, not even looking at each other.

Although we briefly bonded over our work… I guess becoming close was impossible after all.

Because of that, the air was extremely cold. That must be why no one thought of boarding the command vehicle. They might get together and sparks might fly.

And Jin Ye-seo was sitting in an awkward position, so she was receiving harsh stares from both sides. She was trying hard to act calm, but it wasn’t easy because she was surrounded by seniors who had a lot of influence.

Why did he insist on riding with me? Thanks to that, Yeonmin-ha also seemed to have noticed the relationship between me and Jinye-seo. Judging from the occasional stinging glances from the side.

It was really sad to see him rolling his eyes while stuck in between, but there was nothing I could do to solve it.

If I spoke to you, you would immediately receive several times more arrows.

“Hmm… ”

Of the five, only the black cat looked happy.