Correcting the Villainess of the Academy - Chapter 112

Chapter 112

Doubt (3)

“Haa… Haa…!”

Jin Yeseo was once again spending her time in the training room today.

Her eyes were sunken, and her pale skin slick with sweat, but she continued her training without pause.

Standing at the center of the training room, Jin Yeseo manipulated the particle array device.

She meticulously designated points, drawing lines of particles to connect them in a predetermined shape.

-Tick… Tidi-click…

As the device activated, the sound of friction echoed, and soon, a burning ring of fire began to form in the air around her.

The flames, black as pitch, created an extremely unique atmosphere.

She gradually expanded the ring, spreading it in all directions.

The black flames spread rapidly, approaching the point she had aimed for.

-Pachang!

But once again, the flames scattered into the air before reaching their target.

Jin Yeseo’s face contorted in disappointment at the sight.
T h i s w a s co p i e d f ro m k i n gmt l . or g

“…”

She stood motionless with a dejected expression.

Her mother had successfully restored their declining family to its former glory, but the family’s signature black flames remained incomplete.

And now, the burden had been passed on to Jin Yeseo.

With her innate magical talent and relentless dedication, she was the one who was supposed to perfect the black flames. From a young age, she had always been burdened with the weight of those expectations.

Until now, she had lived up to those expectations. But recently, her progress had completely stagnated.

No matter how rigorous her training, she couldn’t break through a certain barrier.

What had once seemed like an achievement within her grasp still eluded her.

“Haa…”
T h is w a s c o pi e d fr o m k i n g mt l . o rg

Jin Yeseo let out a frustrated sigh.

Suddenly, her gaze caught sight of an old wooden practice sword lying in the training room.

“…”

Without realizing it, Jin Yeseo walked over to the sword and picked it up from the floor.

After a moment of hesitation, she lightly swung the sword a few times. Although it was just a shabby practice sword, it cut through the air with surprising grace.

Then, as if entranced, she assumed a ready stance.

Th is w a s c opie d fr o m k i n g m t l . o r g
Although she specialized in the Expulsion System, she had some knowledge of basic techniques in the Circulation System.

She smoothly transitioned through a series of simple movements.

There was a small smile on her lips, a natural sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that she hadn’t felt while forcing herself to practice the black flames.

But in the next moment, Jin Yeseo abruptly stopped.

Her expression darkened as she tossed the wooden sword back onto the floor of the training room.

-Clang!

The wooden sword that had cut through the air with such force clattered back down among the dust and clutter.

She didn’t have the luxury to waste time on something like this.

It had been some time since the Student Council Executive had informed her of the duel schedule.

It was a duel for the position of First-Year Representative in the Student Council, and naturally, her opponent was the masked male student.

Before she knew it, Jin Yeseo’s face had twisted into one of anger.

He was the most vile obstacle in her path.

A chance to recover her honor. An opportunity to oppose Yeon Minha’s faction.

Even if it wasn’t about the Student Council, she had plenty of reasons to duel him.

Overcoming him had become her immediate challenge.

After taking a few deep breaths, Jin Yeseo immersed herself in training once more.

Her opponent was certainly formidable, but there was no turning back for her now.

“This time… I’ll definitely win.”

***

T hi s wa s c o p i e d f r o m kin g m tl . o r g
A restless and excited atmosphere filled the Cradle.

Although it was the Festival of the Falling Star, nothing much had changed. Weekday outings were, of course, forbidden. Classes were scheduled to proceed as usual, and the only event planned was a simple dinner at Hwayangkwan in the evening.

But even that seemed more than enough to excite the students.

And it wasn’t just the Festival of the Falling Star that was happening this week.

The time for the second ranking match had also quietly crept up.

Moreover, I had to face Jin Yeseo in a duel for the position of First-Year Representative before that.

Instinctively, I could tell that this was going to be a hectic week.

“So how many?”

“At least five for sure. If I’m lucky, maybe even ten…”

During the Magic Combat class, as I was waiting for my turn, I overheard two male students behind me chatting.

T h i s w a s co p i e d f r o m k i ngm t l . o r g
They were betting on who would receive more candy.

The conversations of other students around me weren’t much different.

The word ‘candy’ was being tossed around quite a bit.

As I later found out, during the Festival of the Falling Star, there’s a custom where girls give candy to boys.

Some, like Muyoung, claimed it was just a marketing ploy by big corporations… But most of the students, who were always deprived of entertainment, didn’t really care about that.

“Pfft… You? That’s nonsense…”

“I’m serious. I’ve got a good feeling. If I’m lucky, I’ll get a whole basket of candy…”
T h i s w a s cop i e d f r o m k i n g m t l . o r g

One voice went on, undeterred by the others’ laughter, full of lofty hopes.

“…”

I thought I didn’t particularly care about such topics.

But for some reason, I couldn’t help feeling restless.

They say that the candy given during the Festival of the Falling Star holds two meanings. Affection, or something more than that.

Perhaps I might receive it from two people. Yeon Minha had outright asked if I liked candy, and Yena’s earlier words seemed to imply something similar.

So what was really unsettling my mind was something else.

My gaze unconsciously fell on my left hand.

My fourth finger felt especially empty.

Someone might give a gift not out of affection, but out of deeper love.

And that someone surely mentioned they had a fiancé…

-Kwaang!

Just as I was sinking into sticky, gloomy thoughts, a loud noise snapped me back to reality.

I looked up to see a male student with a sly expression embedded in the wall of the training hall upside down.

“Ugh!”

T his w a s c o p ie d f r o m k i n g m t l . o r g
The male student trembled all over, groaning in pain.

In front of him stood a woman in short training attire, shaking her head.

“Student Guk Jaeryong. No matter how I see it, I think you’re more suited for the Expulsion System.”

Her short, bobbed hair swayed as she spoke, her toned body radiating health. Despite her position as a professor, she looked quite young.

Shin Jae-yu, the Cradle’s Magic Combat professor.

“Not lasting even five seconds? That’s pretty bad, isn’t it? You’ve been in school for weeks now…”

“Professor… I think my bones are broken…”

“Don’t exaggerate… Don’t worry. I controlled my strength so that wouldn’t happen. Assistant?”

She cut off Guk Jaeryong’s words and waved her hand dismissively.

Then, the assistants carefully lifted him and carried him out of the training hall.

In the adjacent resting area, a dozen or so students were already sprawled in pain.

Despite having sparred with over a dozen students by herself, the female professor didn’t appear the least bit winded.

Only a faint sheen of sweat glistened on her toned abs.

Shouldn’t students have better physical abilities than professors? After all, a magician is at their strongest right after their awakening.

Her strength and combat sense felt all the more impressive.

“Why is this batch so… Ugh, no wonder they keep getting overshadowed by the Expulsion System kids…”

She shook her head as if dissatisfied with something and scribbled something in her file.

“Next!”

At her call, one of the male students who had been chatting behind me stepped forward with a fearful expression.

And barely a minute later, a familiar thud echoed, and another student was carried off to the side of the training hall by the assistants.

But I didn’t really place much significance on this class.

Rather, I had business with Shin Jae-yu, who wasn’t just a Cradle professor.

***

After the long Magic Combat class ended, I approached Professor Shin Jae-yu, who was tidying up the equipment with the assistants.

“Professor.”

Sensing my presence, she turned around with a slight tilt of her head.

“Hmm? What is it? If it’s about your grades, I’m sorry, but I don’t accept bribes.”

“…”

As I hesitated to respond, the female professor sighed and mumbled to herself.

“Ugh, I’m just joking. You’re no fun.”
T hi s w a s c o p i e d f ro m ki ng mtl.o rg

Even though we only exchanged a few words, I could immediately tell that her attitude toward me was somehow peculiar.

She was already well-known among the students for her good-natured personality… but there was something more, a certain warmth in the way she treated me.

Come to think of it, she had been like this since the first class.

She would randomly ask me to demonstrate various techniques, and when I did well, she’d give me full marks as if she had expected it all along…

I had recently started to piece together the reason for this strange sense of trust.

Professor Kwon Chanyul, who was a classmate of the Commander and was even supported by Heukryeon.

And Professor Shin Jae-yu, who seemed to get along well with him.

While the Commander was generally perceived as a bit of a rogue, Professor Kwon had always defended him.

So perhaps Professor Shin Jae-yu, who seemed close to the Commander, also had a strong connection with him.

Given that they were upperclassmen and underclassmen at the Cradle, it meant that Professor Shin would be his junior.

If that were the case, the source of her favorable attitude toward me would be somewhat understandable.

And maybe… she might even know something about the woman who appeared in my dreams.

“So, what brings the ‘Crown Prince of Heukryeon’ to me?”

Naturally teasing in her tone, she continued.

“Are you looking for advice to prepare for the duel?”

“That would be against the school rules. I’m actually here for a different consultation…”

“Consultation?”

She tilted her head in curiosity before nodding.
Th is wa s c o p i ed f r o m k i n gm tl . o rg

“Alright. I understand. Just give me a moment to finish tidying up here.”

T h i s w a s c o pi e d f r o m k ing m t l.o r g
***

I followed her to her office in the faculty building.

As soon as we entered, I was greeted by the sight of a room cluttered with papers and junk.

Just from the scene, I could gauge a bit of her personality.

Leaving me standing, she began to bustle around, cleaning up.

“Could you wait here for a moment? I need to tidy up a bit… Kyaa!”

“…”

She had barely started when she stepped on a can that had been rolling around on the floor and nearly tripped.

How in the world did she manage to live in this mess?

As I waited, I glanced around the room. My eyes suddenly landed on something sitting atop a stack of papers piled up as tall as I was.

It was an item that didn’t quite fit with the official atmosphere of the office.

A soft black fabric, like silk. Adorned with ribbons and lace, with two small holes and one larger one.

It looked suspiciously like underwear…

“Oh my gosh! Why is this here?!”

The female professor let out a loud shriek and snatched the item away at lightning speed.

End of Chapter