ALL NOVEL Chapter 135
“Uh, uh?”
“Can’t you hear? I said no.”
Jin Yeseo felt more bewildered than angry.
It was her, the direct descendant and heir of the Baekgwang family, who was lowering her head.
This was tantamount to complete surrender.
She was already enduring all the humiliation and shame.
But the Masked Male Student maintained his cold demeanor.
“Ha, but… I’m asking you this much…”
“What is this…?”
It seems that her frantic outburst only further irritated the male student.
He stood up without properly responding and started to pack his things.
With the momentum to leave the library at any moment, Jin Yeseo hurriedly blocked the narrow hallway as he turned his body.
Since it was a corner spot outside the bookshelf, her small build was enough to completely block the path.
“Get out of the way.”
“…I can’t.”
“We’re enemies. Don’t you think about the attitude you’ve shown all this time? And Baekgwang is stuck to Paecheon like a leech. And yet you dare say such things?”
“…Ah.”
“What?”
“I know too…”
“What?”
“I… I know.”
“You’re asking like that even though you know. Are you not stupid, but just shameless?”
“… You told me to do whatever it takes.”
“…What?”
“I’m just… following your word.”
As Jin Yeseo protested in a small voice, he appeared momentarily at a loss for words.
After a brief silence, the Masked Male Student spoke again.
“… Ask the professors. First-years can change majors however they want. They would know more about your aptitude.”
“…They can’t.”
Before he finished speaking, Jin Yeseo shook her head vigorously.
“There are several people connected to the family. If I openly change my major, that news will reach my mother’s ears immediately. And if she hears that I’ve abandoned the family’s unique magic… she will take immediate action.”
“Then ask your friends to teach you. You have plenty of friends, unlike me.”
“…They aren’t at a level to teach me. You know that.”
“…”
“I’m not expecting much. I’m not asking for some great secret. Just… Just help me out. Just for a few months… Please…”
“I refuse.”
“Wait, wait…!”
“What are you doing? Get out of the way while you can, before I call security.”
However, the Masked Male Student bluntly cut off her words and moved forward again.
Jin Yeseo extended her arm and blocked the entire narrow passage between the shelves.
The Masked Male Student didn’t hide his displeasure.
He kept clenching and unclenching his hands with visible veins.
Seeing him, Jin Yeseo’s mind was racing to find an excuse.
“That’s your problem. But why should I help you? There’s no benefit for me, and it would mean helping my enemy…”
“Hey, your weakness…!”
“What?”
“…You’re taking advantage of one of my weaknesses. I said it earlier.”
Jin Yeseo hurriedly blurted out.
“Our Baekgwang has been a prestigious family of the release-type unique magic for generations. But what if the fact that the heir is practicing circulation-type magic gets out?”
“…”
“There will be an uproar. My standing in the social circle will be over, and my family will try to sell me like livestock before my value diminishes further. You could take advantage of my situation…”
“So what? I don’t need a weakness like that. Get out of the way.”
With his words interrupted, the Masked Male Student approached her with an intimidating demeanor, as if he would push her aside.
Cornered like a rat, Jin Yeseo bit her lip. If she missed this opportunity, it would vanish forever.
In the meantime, a piece of homework peeking out from his bag caught her attention as it busily scanned the surroundings.
Spotting it, Jin Yeseo inadvertently shouted.
“I-I’ll help you study…!”
“What did you just say…?”
“Oh, I saw that you hadn’t properly memorized the basic theoretical concepts… You were solving this secretly in a corner, right? Were you worried it might be noticed… embarrassed…?”
“…Did you see that?”
His tone dropped even lower. It felt less like anger and more like embarrassment.
But Jin Yeseo had no time to consider such feelings.
“It’s okay. I will help you. I won’t tell anyone. You can solve it quickly, it’s easy problems that even middle school kids can solve, you just need to know how to apply them…! I’ll help you with other things too…!”
“…You said middle school kids can solve this easily…”
After Jin Yeseo had finished her rushed explanation, the Masked Male Student muttered in a somewhat disheartened voice.
A moment of silence passed between them.
Eventually, the Masked Male Student asked Jin Yeseo, his voice a bit calmer.
“Why are you going to such lengths?”
“Huh?”
“Why are you desperately trying to approach me? Don’t you think I could expose this story to someone?”
“…”
Jin Yeseo, with her head slightly lowered, answered.
“…Then I have no choice. After all… I won’t get a chance again.”
She knew her own condition best. Despite practicing with all her might, one thing was certain.
No matter who she faced in the next ranking match, she would absolutely not be able to win.
The Vesel particles are closely related to a person’s mind. The magic manifested through them is the same.
There was nothing she could do in this mental state.
And now that she had squandered her last chance, she would become a mere puppet for her family’s glory.
“And… Uh.”
After a brief pause, Jin Yeseo spoke in a voice that didn’t quite fit the situation.
“What?”
“…I was envious.”
“What about?”
“…You.”
“…”
“The way you handle the blade as if it’s part of your body… Like a bird soaring freely… I was so envious.”
As she spoke, Jin Yeseo lowered her head even more.
“And… I wanted to be like that. I wanted to fly freely like you. To prove myself strong and grasp what I wanted.”
Before she knew it, Jin Yeseo had spilled all of her feelings.
A long silence hung between them.
The Masked Male Student neither affirmed nor denied her words.
Then, in that moment, he started moving again, having paused.
And he passed right by Jin Yeseo.
“Ah…”
Jin Yeseo’s thin lips let out an involuntary lament.
The clear meaning of rejection shone despairingly in her green eyes.
But in the next moment, a low voice reached her from behind.
“I can’t tell you about the predictions.”
“Huh…?”
Caught off guard, Jin Yeseo turned to look over her shoulder.
He stood there, refusing to turn and face her.
“I can’t tell you about the predictions. That’s absolutely not allowed, no matter what happens.”
“Of course… I wouldn’t expect that…”
Jin Yeseo agreed, as it was a very obvious statement.
“I’ve never taught anyone. I’ve never properly learned. All I can do is face you and give you my best.”
“…That’s enough.”
“Ha…”
At Jin Yeseo’s immediate reply, he let out a deep breath filled with contemplation and then scratched his head lightly.
At this moment, a single second felt like a full minute to Jin Yeseo.
How much time passed?
He finally spoke again, his voice still heavy with thought.
“I said clearly that all I can do is give my best in facing you.”
“Uh, uh?”
“…Come to the training room tomorrow.”
“Then…!”
The Masked Male Student left before Jin Yeseo could fully respond.
“Ah…”
Jin Yeseo stared blankly at the space he had vacated.
Her green eyes sparkled like stars, filling with light once again.
*
“Everyone did a great job during the ranking match week. This weekend, make sure to rest well.”
In a classroom filled with the afternoon sunlight, a scruffy professor with a ponytail continued his concluding remarks.
He pressed a button on the device in his hand, causing the projector connected by wires to start operating, projecting words.
“That said, don’t get too careless. Starting Monday, the external request period begins again. I hope you don’t find yourselves incapable of completing requests due to messing around.”
“Ah…”
“That’s too much…! We worked so hard to prepare for the ranking match… how can we jump right into it again…?”
Before his words were even finished, jeers and complaints erupted from the students’ seats.
“Quiet! Quiet! Why are there so many complaints? Did you come here to have fun? Huh?”
Professor Kwon Chanyul slammed the podium with his pointer to quell the uproar.
However, his expression showed clearly that he was also tired of everything.
“Alright, you all know the request regulations well, so I’ll briefly explain a few things.”
Once he finally calmed the atmosphere, he continued.
“If you fail to pass the first request, you start from scratch. And those who pass the second request can choose requests appropriate to their skills and levels. You can complete them individually or gather with like-minded people for group requests. First-years can only handle B-level requests, so keep that in mind. By the way, every year there are always some who bring A-level request forms…”
He sighed and pointed to a part of the image projected by the projector.
“And one more thing. Among those who successfully complete the second request and are currently within the top ten, they will be given ‘nominated requests’ this time. There will be separate notices for the chosen individuals soon.”
As the professor added this, waves of murmurs began to ripple through the students.
Jin Yeseo was also among them, listening to the explanation.
Something that had been weighing heavily on her heart was lifted, and naturally, her appearance began to regain its former beauty.
Her injuries were nearly healed. Her previously dull hair and vacant eyes were regaining some luster and focus.
Jin Yeseo turned her green eyes toward the front.
There were real-time ranking boards for first-years not only in the hallway but also at the back of the classroom.
The names from first to tenth shone brightly, while over a hundred names, as small as grains of rice, filled the remaining space.
And the name of Jin Yeseo, who had firmly held onto second place until last week, was no longer shining.
“The nominated requests aren’t necessarily difficult. Just remember that the subjects of those requests are central governmental agencies, and the success of the nominated request is crucial for future entry into the highest council.”
Just as he finished speaking, the bell signaling the end of the day’s schedule rang out loudly through the classroom’s amplifier.
“Alright, that’s all for today’s class. See you all on Monday.”
Professor Kwon Chanyul, stifling a yawn, was the first to leave the classroom.
Ignoring his earlier warning, the students eagerly discussed their weekend plans, while those who had make-up lessons silently packed their things.
Amidst the ensuing commotion, Jin Yeseo, who had been sitting in the back corner of the classroom, lowered her head.
“Yeowool, congratulations! What are you doing for the request?”
“I’ll probably take on the coastal reclamation security job. My uncle is the director of the western development office, so they’re supposed to give me a request…”
“Really? That’s great! Then maybe…”
The female student, clearly a precious daughter from a distinguished family, was surrounded by friends chatting away.
Mon Yeowool’s face never ceased to beam with joy.
With just a single defeat, all the glory that should have belonged to Jin Yeseo fell into her hands.
With just one victory, Mon Yeowool, who had been lingering around the second-digit rankings since she entered the cradle, instantly climbed to eighth place.
With that achievement, she even earned the right to undertake the nominated request, her first career milestone.
Since the last ranking match, the two hadn’t spoken to each other even once.
Even when they occasionally sat together due to overlapping classes, now it felt like they were strangers who didn’t even greet each other.
Jin Yeseo silently observed the scene.
Yet, she didn’t feel any particular anger or jealousy.
The greatest reason she lost a friend was due to her own arrogance and indifference.
“…”
Jin Yeseo turned her head again.
Just then, she noticed the Masked Male Student leaving through the rear door of the classroom, prompting her to finish packing and rise from her seat.
She headed for the front door, opposite to him. Even if their destination was the same A Building training room, their routes had to differ. She had to consider the ripple effects if their relationship were to be exposed.
As Jin Yeseo trudged through the hallway, painted in orange sunlight, a familiar voice called her name from behind.
“Yeseo?”
Before she even turned her body, she immediately recognized the identity of the caller.
With a bright smile, she responded to its owner.
“Sister Seoyeon!”
The most popular girl in the cradle, a second-year student and her mentor, Baek Seoyeon, was walking toward her from the back of the hallway.
Jin Yeseo rushed over and threw herself into her arms without hesitation.
“Hey, be careful! That’s dangerous; you could get hurt…”
“I-I’m sorry…”
Even with the stern warning from Baek Seoyeon, Jin Yeseo only smiled brightly.
She reveled in Seoyeon’s soft and warm embrace.
Even after they separated, her gaze remained on Seoyeon’s face.
Hair shimmering like the night sky, eyes seemingly filled with pure gold, perfectly proportioned facial features, and a sweet fragrance of wildflowers.
In recent times, Baek Seoyeon’s beauty seemed to grow even more radiant.
An inexplicable sense of worry occasionally cast a shadow over her face, yet even that was merely a material to enhance her innate beauty.
Involuntarily, Jin Yeseo swallowed her admiration.
The thought that such beauty would soon be monopolized by a single man was both painful and heartbreaking.
“Why…? Do I have something on my face…?”
“Oh, no. More importantly, where are you headed?”
“Mm, the student council. An unexpected meeting came up. Are your injuries feeling better?”
“I’m fine now! I’m all healed up. Look.”
Jin Yeseo exaggeratedly nodded her head.
Baek Seoyeon had continuously shown concern for her recovery.
After learning that the relationship between Yeseo and Yeowool had soured, she even adjusted her schedule to ensure their mentoring group activities remained unaffected.
There had been many times when Jin Yeseo was touched by her sincere and warm support.
“…I’m glad.”
Seoyeon said with a somewhat weary smile.
Is she tired from student council work? Just as Jin Yeseo thought that, an unexpected question dropped like a stone in her chest.
“But where were you headed? You looked quite busy…”
“Y-yes…?”
It felt as if conscience had taken physical form, as a sharp ache hit her close to her heart. Jin Yeseo averted her gaze from Seoyeon.
“Yeseo? Why did you suddenly go quiet? Are you really okay…?”
Noticing Jin Yeseo’s strange behavior, Seoyeon asked with a look of concern.
“It’s fine. I was just on my way to do some rehab training…”
“Already? Aren’t you overdoing it?”
“N-no, I’m not overdoing it… I can’t stand doing nothing…”
“Then I’m glad. But still, be careful, okay?”
“…Don’t worry, sister. I won’t cause you any concern.”
“Pfft… Concern, what do you mean?”
With a cute laugh, Seoyeon suddenly checked her watch, her eyes widening.
“Oh my, it’s already time… I have to go! I’ll see you next time?”
“…Yes, sister. Hurry along now…”
Jin Yeseo waved goodbye to the rushing Seoyeon.
And as the fluttering black hair turned the corner and disappeared, she let her raised arm droop weakly.
Jin Yeseo stood there dazed.
After a moment, she snapped back to reality and turned her footstep once again.
A Building’s old training room.
The place where that man was waiting.
The greatest supporter of Yeon Minha, Seoyeon’s rival.
The very person who had clashed with Baek Seoyeon loudly earlier in the semester.
A man who had appeared out of nowhere, like a bolt from the blue, snatching everything that should have belonged to her.
Jin Yeseo could not accept that fact.
Thus, she relentlessly continued to challenge him, but what remained were only her body and spirit, thoroughly beaten.
And although she had crawled her way in, her fate was now tightly grasped in that tyrant’s hand.
Fear, anxiety. Guilt.
Yet a slight hope remained. The excitement for unknown learning. The first step towards self-fulfillment.
Caught in the swirling maelstrom of emotions, Jin Yeseo quietly offered an apology to someone.
As if to dilute the sense of indebtedness to betrayal.
“I’m sorry, sister. I’m sorry…”
But contrary to those words, a lightness had unknowingly crept into Jin Yeseo’s step.