Correcting the Villainess of the Academy - Chapter 124

Chapter 124

Fall (1)

***

On the day of the ranking match.

I strolled through the garden with Yeon Minha during the short window of free time before the duel.

“Haa… How is it that our matches ended up being at the exact same time? It’s honestly so annoying…”

Yeon Minha grumbled, her voice full of irritation.

This week, the second-years were also scheduled to have their ranking matches alongside the first-years.

There were so many matches that they were spread out over several days, but despite all that, both Yeon Minha’s match and mine were set for the same day. Even at the same time.

It felt like an unlucky coincidence.

“Should I ask them to change the time?”

“There’s no need for that. We can just go through with it.”

“So, you’re saying you don’t need my support?”

“How could I say that? Anyway, it’s my first time seeing the second-year ranking match. Is it always held like this?”

“Hmph, trying to change the subject…”

Yeon Minha responded with a huff, turning her head away sharply.

“…Second-years have a different curriculum from first-years. They’re usually assigned more outside missions rather than internal events like ranking matches. Since the country is so short on manpower, it doesn’t make sense to waste skilled individuals on internal affairs.”

Even as she explained, a part of me thought it was so typically her.

I still felt a wave of embarrassment whenever I thought of Yeon Minha, but her casual attitude helped me forget my earlier mistake.

Maybe that’s what it means to have a proper senior…

“And…”

Continuing our conversation, Yeon Minha suddenly reached into her jacket and pulled something out.

“…Here, take this.”

What she handed me was a small bundle, tied up like a book.

It was a collection of various fabric swatches, each about the size of a child’s palm. The colorful fabrics varied in texture, color, and thickness.

Some were thin enough that light passed through, while others were so soft they felt slippery to the touch.

The label on the front included the name of a boutique.

What is this?

“Don’t… don’t stroke it too much…”

As I curiously fiddled with the fabric bundle, Yeon Minha spoke in a flustered voice, stopping me from handling it further.

I quickly withdrew my hand, wondering if it was something valuable.

“What is this?”

“Pick one. Whichever you like.”

“All of a sudden?”

“Yeah. Hurry up.”

She didn’t bother answering my question and instead urged me to choose.

“We don’t have much time. Your match is about to start soon.”

“…”

Caught off guard, I unfolded the fabric bundle per her instructions.

Even though she told me to pick whatever I liked, I had no idea what it was for. Knowing the purpose would’ve made it easier to choose.

Still, after going through the swatches a few times, I settled on one.

I chose a dark gray fabric. It wasn’t too soft or too thin, and it had a slightly rough texture that felt just right.

I unfolded the chosen fabric and showed it to Yeon Minha.

“I think I like this one the best.”

“…Really? What part of it?”

Gray reminded me of the clouds before rain.

And I never liked overly soft or luxurious textures. Whether it was clothes or bedding.

I’ve been scolded by the captain before for turning down high-quality items, but that’s something I could never change.

Instead, I preferred rough and rugged things that reminded me of my past.

“…I figured you’d like something rough.”

Yeon Minha nodded, as if she had expected my answer.

“So… why exactly did you make me pick this?”

“…It’s a reward.”

“A reward?”

“Yeah. A prize.”

“…”

She answered so nonchalantly that I couldn’t guess her real intention.

Judging by her expression, she was clearly not planning to explain further.

“Well, I’ll take your word for it. But, Senior… I think we need to head out now. It’s almost time…”

While picking out the fabric, I hadn’t realized how much time had passed, and the ranking match was about to start.

“I’ll go ahead. I’ll see you la—”

“Wait a minute.”

Just as I was about to leave for the arena, Yeon Minha grabbed my arm again.

“What is it?”

“…Make sure you win. Got it?”

There was a brief flicker of sadness and anger in her eyes as she looked at me.

I was reminded once again of how much Yeon Minha hated Sungshan, perhaps even as much as she loathed Paechun.

And it was understandable. Sungshan had always supported Paechun, which constantly pressured Jeokhwa.

To make matters worse, Choi Ireh, the successor of Sungshan, had led their private soldiers during the Jeokhwa incident.

It wouldn’t be any different just because I was facing her brother.

“If you lose, there won’t be any prize or anything.”

Her voice was cold enough that a stranger might think she was trying to pressure me.

But I knew better.

Her words weren’t meant to pressure me; they were her way of cheering me on.

Come to think of it, was her talk about a prize meant to motivate me? Considering the boutique label, maybe she was planning to get me some custom-made clothes.

Either way, I appreciated her sentiment.

At the beginning of the semester, just hearing her voice would get on my nerves.

How did things end up like this?

“Don’t worry. I’ll definitely win. And I’m looking forward to that prize, whatever it is…”

“…Mm. Alright…”

Yeon Minha nodded, her voice deflated.

Still feeling a bit puzzled, I finally made my way to the arena where my ranking match would take place.

The stands were already packed with first and second-years who didn’t have a match today.

Even the normally empty adjacent arenas were now filled with cheers and shouts pouring out.

-Winner of the 12th match! Ryu Seunghun…

-Winner of the 15th match! Hong Sera…!

Amplified by loudspeakers, the sounds from other arenas echoed all around. Familiar names occasionally mixed in with the others, and the rankings on the large screen continuously fluctuated.

My name still remained solidly at the top of the list. Below me was Jin Yeseo in second place, and my opponent today, Choi Woojin, in third.

I wonder what happened with Jin Yeseo. Did she postpone her match due to her injury?

“Yu Jinhyun. What took you so long?”

A voice called out from the other side of the arena, pulling me out of my thoughts.

A massive figure, more fitting for a soldier than a student, with short-cropped hair, approached me.

It was Choi Woojin, the younger brother of Choi Ireh from Sungshan.

“You should’ve been quicker. I thought you chickened out.”

“Not a chance.”

I replied curtly, and Choi Woojin grinned, flashing his teeth.

“Heheh, that’s a relief. I’ve been dying to fight you. You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this moment.”

“…”

His aggressive nature was evident in the way he spoke.

From what I’d heard, Choi Woojin had fought the most duels among the current batch of students. He didn’t just challenge first-years—he’d even gone head-to-head with second-years.

If I hadn’t been absent from Cradle so often because of my involvement in the affairs of the Southern Army or Jeokhwa, he might have challenged me sooner.

However, despite his combative attitude, I didn’t feel any particular hostility from him. Just curiosity.

“Hey, let me ask you something. Is it true what they say? Did you really do that to my sister’s jaw?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Just curious. I tried asking her myself, but she wouldn’t tell me anything. Can you see this? This scar on my forehead is an ‘honor’ I got from trying to dig into that.”

He pointed to the long scar on his forehead, tapping it with his fingers. I wondered if he was aiming for revenge, but all I could sense from him was curiosity.

I didn’t bother answering his question. There was no need to, and given Choi Ireh’s reaction, I figured I might be able to use this against her later, to corner or provoke her.

But Choi Woojin seemed to take my silence as confirmation.

“Kuhuhuh, so it was true. I guess that explains her silence. What a humiliation. No wonder she wouldn’t talk about it…”

As he continued speaking, a commotion suddenly erupted from the stands behind me.

Choi Woojin narrowed his eyes, looking slightly surprised.

“What the…? Why is she here?”

-Baek Seoyeon-sunbae is here!

-Senpai…!

“…”

His reaction, along with the name being shouted by the crowd, told me exactly who had arrived without needing to turn around.

“Why is she here when her mentees are fighting each other? Did my sister say something to her?”

It seemed even Choi Woojin hadn’t anticipated her arrival. His response was lukewarm, neither welcoming nor hostile. If it had been Jin Yeseo, she would’ve been ecstatic.

A sudden wave of emotion surged through me, threatening my calm. I struggled to suppress it.

One person.

It was just one more spectator in the crowd.

I needed to stay focused. The only thing I should care about right now was bringing victory to Yeon Minha.

There was no need to turn around.

Whatever her reasons for being here, it didn’t matter. I didn’t need to know.

“…Ahem, well anyway…”

Choi Woojin finally redirected his attention back to me, looking somewhat awkward.

“So, are you planning to break my jaw today too?”

“…Depends. Though today, that might be difficult. I’ve decided to be a bit more careful from now on.”

“What? Puhahaha!”

Hearing my reply, Choi Woojin’s eyes widened, and he suddenly burst into loud laughter.

“Well, yeah, even I have to admit Jin Yeseo looked pretty bad. Honestly, I never thought I’d see something so satisfying in my life.”

-Opponents! If you’ve exchanged greetings, take your positions!

The voice of the referee boomed through the loudspeaker, prompting Choi Woojin to turn away.

Before heading to his position, he left me with one final remark.

“If you want to break my jaw, you’ll have to give it your best.”

-Opponents, prepare. One… two… three…!

The roaring cheers marked the beginning of the duel.

***

As the time came, Moon Yeowool stepped into the arena, dressed in her battle attire for the ranking match.

Immediately, a cacophony of cheers erupted from the crowd. Since both combatants were mentees of Baek Seoyeon and daughters of prestigious families, today’s match had garnered extra attention.

It had been announced in advance that Baek Seoyeon would not attend, in the name of fairness, but Moon Yeowool didn’t mind at all.

After all, she wasn’t the type to follow Baek Seoyeon blindly, unlike Jin Yeseo.

“…”

Unaffected by the raucous atmosphere, Yeowool simply stared coldly ahead.

Her opponent for today’s match had just emerged from the opposite entrance.

Golden hair cascading down, eyes reminiscent of emeralds, and a beauty straight out of a Western fairytale.

But her face was pale. Although she had taken off her cast, her right arm still appeared stiff, and bandages were wrapped around various parts of her limbs.

“…Ha.”

Seeing Jin Yeseo’s condition, Yeowool let out a hollow laugh.

She, too, walked towards the center of the arena.

Jin Yeseo was the first to speak.

“Hey, Yeowool. Even though I’m like this, let’s both give it our all…”

“Enough. So, you decided to press on with it after all?”

“…”

Yeowool’s voice was anything but friendly, causing Jin Yeseo to close her mouth.

“…Is there something wrong?”

“…Ha.”

Hearing Jin Yeseo’s question, Yeowool smirked coldly.

“Is there something wrong, you ask? Of course, there is.”

Memories of the past flooded Yeowool’s mind—the countless times she had failed to defeat Jin Yeseo, the days she spent proving her overflowing talent, yet always seeing Jin Yeseo a few steps ahead. The constant comparisons people made between her and Jin Yeseo, a so-called friend.

Even after entering Cradle, nothing had changed.

Jin Yeseo, who had consistently maintained her second rank, while Yeowool remained somewhere in the top ten.

The ranking board at Cradle, with its objective and quantifiable measures, only served to worsen Yeowool’s feelings of inferiority and anxiety.

“Jin Yeseo. How far beneath you do you really think I am?”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden…?”

Jin Yeseo, clearly confused, hesitated at Yeowool’s words.

It was especially bewildering because Yeowool had always stood by her side, even when she’d clashed with people like Choi Woojin.

“If you respected me, you would’ve postponed this match. Don’t tell me you couldn’t. You know full well that postponing a ranking match due to injury is entirely possible.”

“I…”

“But you didn’t. You didn’t listen, no matter what I said. Why? Because you thought you could beat me easily, even in your injured state! I’m an easy opponent to you, aren’t I!!”

“No, Yeowool… That’s not…”

“Don’t deny it! It’s disgusting!!”

Her long-suppressed emotions, triggered by Jin Yeseo’s actions, were finally spilling out.

“If you thought this was a fight you couldn’t win, you wouldn’t have shown up today. Obviously. You’re obsessed with your ranking.”

There was no way Yeowool, who had known Jin Yeseo for more than a decade, didn’t understand her.

“Prove me wrong. Tell me, would you have acted this way if your opponent had been someone else? If it had been Yu Jinhyun? Or even that monkey, Choi Woojin?”

“I… I…”

Jin Yeseo stuttered, unable to provide an answer.

Indeed, no matter who her opponent was, Jin Yeseo had never turned down a challenge. She had never once postponed a match.

But Yeowool’s words pierced a part of Jin Yeseo’s consciousness that she hadn’t been aware of before.

If her opponent had been Yu Jinhyun, or even Choi Woojin…

Would she have so readily, without hesitation, decided to proceed with the match?

Would she have been so sure of her victory?

The process of making that decision, which had felt automatic, hadn’t included any respect for her ‘friend.’

It was only now that Jin Yeseo realized this.

“…I knew it.”

Seeing no rebuttal from Jin Yeseo, Yeowool’s lips curled into a cold smile.

“You’re only using this match to restore your sense of pride.”

-Opponents! Take your positions!

“You said, ‘Let’s give it our best’? Don’t worry. I was planning to, even without you saying so.”

-One… two… three…!

-Bzzzt… Bzzzt…

As a sharp sensation ran up her spine, dark purple electricity began crackling along Yeowool’s arms, where her magic formula was drawn.

“I’ll make sure you feel just how arrogant you’ve been.”

Yeowool murmured in a low voice, her eyes cold as they bore into Jin Yeseo.

End of Chapter