Chapter 73
The Red Flower Falls (4)
Baek Seoyeon’s strange behavior lasted only a fleeting moment. By the time Yeon Minha blinked, Baek Seoyeon was already wearing a tearful expression, clasping her hands tightly as if worrying about Jin Yeseo.
Yeon Minha frowned reflexively at the sight. From the first time she met Baek Seoyeon, she found the girl utterly unreadable. Such occasional displays only amplified her disgust for Baek Seoyeon.
Nearby, Yeon Minha recognized a few familiar faces from the second-year students. They were members of the student council, likely here to evaluate potential recruits among the freshmen.
“Choi Ireh…”
Yeon Minha’s gaze turned murderous as she identified a neatly braided girl wearing glasses among them.
Choi Ireh. Successor of the Seongsan Choi family and elder sister to the freshman Choi Woojin.
The girl who clung to Baek Seoyeon and Kwon Yuri like glue. Unlike the airheaded Kwon Yuri, Choi Ireh posed a tangible threat to Yeon Minha and the Jeokhwa faction with her actions.
Choi Ireh was the one who had strongly recommended Jin Yeseo for the student council and had played a major role in establishing the joint venture between Paechun and Seongsan.
The ultimate aim of the venture was to seize the exclusive Stellarite mining rights currently held by Jeokhwa.
Although it was a perpetual right granted to her family for their contribution to the current regime, recent years had seen a succession of eco-terrorist attacks on the mines, leading to unstable production.
Stellarite, known as the only metal capable of containing particles, was indispensable for weapons and armor. However, due to supply instability, its price had skyrocketed.
They demanded the transfer of mining rights to end the chaos, and the support for this demand was growing louder. Rumors even suggested the issue would be tabled at the next monthly parliamentary session.
Though Yeon Minha had regained some stability and voiced opposition, the situation remained challenging.
Surrendering the mining rights was not an option. The immense revenue from Stellarite mining was Jeokhwa’s lifeline.
Moreover, there were strong suspicions that Paechun had orchestrated the terrorist attacks from the start.
Thus, Baek Seoyeon, the undisputed heir of Paechun, and Choi Ireh, her staunch ally, were more than just unlikable; they were enemies Yeon Minha wanted to tear apart.
“Oh no…!”
“Phew… they dodged…”
Yeon Minha’s attention was drawn downward by the squeals. The masked boy narrowly dodged Jin Yeseo’s desperate black flame attack, and the trio of first-year girls from before were fussing over him.
“…Tsk.”
Even though they were cheering for the same person, Yeon Minha felt deeply uncomfortable watching them.
The world was full of people she detested.
***
-Crack! Thud!
“Eek…!”
A sharp scream rang out as a joint twisted. I quickly turned my head to dodge a black flaming spear flying at me.
“Why don’t you just surrender?”
“Huff…! Huff…! Who do you think you are…!”
Jin Yeseo, who had rolled several times across the stone floor, landed a distance away. Her neatly tied blonde hair was now a tangled mess. She screamed defiantly when urged to surrender.
I frowned slightly behind my mask. What to do with her? I thought causing enough pain would make her give up, but she was surprisingly resilient.
I couldn’t strike vital points directly, as there were hundreds of eyes watching, unlike with Yeon Minha.
Pressing a blade to her neck would automatically result in a victory, but my blade was already a worn-out piece of junk lying on the arena floor.
“Huff…! Huff…!”
I assessed Jin Yeseo’s condition again. Her legs were trembling, and her green eyes were losing focus. She seemed to be reaching her limit.
“Hoo…”
There was no other way. I decided to hit her harder, hoping she’d surrender. My body wasn’t in a state to prolong this duel.
I made up my mind and charged at Jin Yeseo again, kicking her knee hard.
-Crack!
“Argh…!”
She lost her balance and wobbled sideways.
-Thud!
“Ugh!”
Before she could fall, I delivered a powerful blow to her side, interfering with her ability to focus. Her attempts to cast a spell failed as the magic dissipated before forming.
-Crack! Thud!
“Surrender.”
“No…! I won’t…!”
-Thud! Thud!
“Surrender.”
“No…! Ugh…!”
-Crack!
“Ah…!”
T h i s wa s c op i ed f ro m ki ngm t l . o r g
“Surrender.”
“No… I won’t…!”
-Crack! Crunch! Thud!
Th is w a s c op i e d fr o m k i ng m t l . o r g
“Hoo… Surrender…”
“Stop, stop!!”
Engrossed in my task, a loud male voice from the amplifier broke my concentration.
A second-year professor overseeing the match was running towards the arena.
“Yu Jinhyun, stop. You’ve won.”
T h is was c o p i e d fr o m ki n gm t l . o r g
“What? But…”
“Yeseo is already unconscious. She can’t continue the match.”
I looked down at my feet. The blonde girl lay motionless, her face a mess of blood and tears.
The judge quickly called for the medical team and announced the match’s result through the amplifier.
“Winner, Yu Jinhyun!”
He muttered with a grim expression as Jin Yeseo was carried out, covered in blood and receiving first aid.
“This might lead to complaints from Baekgwang…”
“I didn’t break any rules. The blade broke, and the opponent didn’t surrender…”
“I know, I know. I mean, from their perspective. A noble family’s heir ended up like that.”
He waved off my explanation, cutting me off.
“Why the duel had to go on until it came to this, I don’t understand. There’s a limit to recklessness. Anyway, you don’t need to worry. If there are complaints, Cradle will handle it. Today’s matches are over, so go to the medical room and get checked out.”
Th i s w a s co p i e d fr o m k i n g m t l .o r g
He patted my shoulder and left. I did wonder, too. She cried but refused to surrender, as if she had an important reason not to lose.
No matter what her reason, it wasn’t my concern.
What mattered was achieving my goal of victory.
Considering my physical condition, she wasn’t an easy opponent. Jin Yeseo’s movements were seasoned, despite only having a few combat experiences.
I remembered the captain’s words: I hadn’t beaten him due to talent but due to accumulated experience.
Maybe this applied to others, too.
Moreover, talent and lineage.
My competitors lacked nothing compared to me.
“Hmm, hmm.”
Someone cleared their throat as they approached. Yeon Minha walked briskly through the dispersing students, heading towards me.
“You’re here?”
“…”
Yeon Minha didn’t respond, instead looking down at the burn from Jin Yeseo’s black flames.
“Senior? Is there a problem?”
“…Follow me?”
Without answering, Yeon Minha turned her head.
“Where to?”
“You’ll see.”
“Understood…”
As I deactivated my prediction paths and prepared to follow her, dizziness hit me, and my legs weakened.
It seemed I had pushed myself a bit too much in my current, unrecovered state.
I barely managed to steady myself. Then I saw Yeon Minha had returned and stretched out her arm, as if to support me.
“Senior. Were you about to catch me?”
“Wh-why would I do such a thing…!”
Yeon Minha raised her voice defensively. Her denial only made me more suspicious.
T h i s w as c opi e d fro m ki n g m t l . org
Thanks to winning such an important duel, I felt comfortable talking with Yeon Minha.
Even her prickly tone didn’t bother me anymore.
“You two seem to be getting along well?”
But a familiar voice that sounded friendly made my heart freeze instantly.
***
Watching the masked boy, Yeon Minha’s expression changed quickly.
A girl with beautiful black hair like the night sky and golden eyes filled with particles approached them from behind.
“Baek Seoyeon. What brings you here?”
Yeon Minha turned and sneered.
“I just came to congratulate you. Yu Jinhyun’s skills are really impressi—”
“So what? Why don’t you go check on your junior? She looks pretty pathetic.”
T h is w as c o p i ed f r om k i ng m tl . org
Baek Seoyeon maintained her smile. But with the keen sensitivity of a spirit mage, Yeon Minha could sense the cracks in Baek Seoyeon’s composure.
Baek Seoyeon was not in a good mood.
“I was going to. But isn’t this too much? No matter what, she’s still your peer…”
“Anything can happen in a duel. She lost based on skill, so what’s there to say? Do you think only she got hurt? He got hurt pretty badly too.”
T h i s w a s co pi e d f r om k in g mtl . o rg
“…”
Yeon Minha kept her arrogant attitude, speaking sharply. She wasn’t in a good mood either.
She couldn’t think of a reason for Baek Seoyeon to come down to the arena and talk. The fact that Baek Seoyeon was eyeing the masked boy instead of her added to her discomfort.
“…I didn’t know you were so caring about your juniors.”
The black-haired girl smirked. Yeon Minha didn’t respond, only giving another haughty laugh before turning to lead the masked boy away.
“Let’s go.”
“…Yes.”
His voice sounded unusually subdued. Yeon Minha realized he had turned his back on Baek Seoyeon without a word.
“…?”
Seeing his shaky hands, she urgently led him out of the arena.
There was no reason to waste any more time or emotion there.
“…”
The pair of golden eyes left behind lingered on their departing figures until they disappeared.
***
Unexpectedly, Yeon Minha took the boy to the medical room.
She sat him down and took out cotton and disinfectant herself.
“Really, what is this…”
His left thigh had a visible burn from the black flames.
“It’s not that bad. You don’t need to worry too much…”
“Who said I’m worried… I’m doing this because your state affects my reputation…”
Yeon Minha retorted sharply, embarrassed that her true feelings were showing.
“Anyway… trusting a guy’s bravado was a mistake…”
Th i s wa s c o p i e d f r o m k in g mt l . o r g
“I’m really fine. A few days of rest and…”
“That’s why I said to delay it for a few days…”
“Senior.”
“Y-yes…?”
Yeon Minha responded, startled by his sudden interruption.
Th i s wa s co p i e d f r om k in g m t l .o rg
“Instead of worrying… I’d like to hear something else.”
“W-what…?”
Her eyes darted around, lost for words.
But sensing his deep, earnest need, her lips unconsciously formed the words in response.
T hi s w a s c op ie d f r o m k i ng m tl . o r g
“You… did well…”
As if those words were the answer, the boy slowly nodded and cupped his mask with both hands.
“…Thank you.”
His fingers no longer trembled.
End of Chapter