Correcting the Villainess of the Academy - Chapter 133

Chapter 133

Fall (10)

***

It had been hundreds of years since the last king left this world. Monarchies had already crumbled long before the old civilization was even established.

The throne must be a metaphor. It probably means that Hae Wolhwa, had she wanted to, could have seized a power as great as that of Paechun or Heukryeon.

I interpreted it as a sign that her strength alone was so immense that she could rival other factions built upon entire families.

“Well, isn’t it obvious just by looking at her? As far as I know, Hae Wolhwa is the only person who has gone beyond slowing aging to actually reversing it. At least, in our generation.”

Choi Woojin spoke with admiration in his voice.

Mages become less responsive to particles as they age.

The slow aging process some powerful mages experience is evidence that they are still holding on to that power.

If she had gone beyond the limits of aging and reversed it… I could see why that would seem extraordinary.

Choi Woojin glanced around his surroundings, then leaned in closer, lowering his voice as if sharing some sort of secret.

“Did you know? There are more than dozens of urban legends here at Cradle. One of them goes like this.”

“What is it?”

Even in my tiny village, there had been countless rumors and ghost stories.

And Cradle, being a prestigious academy with a history stretching over a hundred years, having dozens of such tales seemed almost inevitable.

“If you go to the pond behind the campus at three in the morning on a Friday, sometimes you’ll see a girl in a uniform with no name tag skipping stones across the water.”

“…That’s your big ghost story?”

I responded, feeling a bit let down, but Choi Woojin’s voice remained steady.

“Yeah. And occasionally, she’s seen in the deserted back alleys of the capital. They say she hums a tune while smashing the heads of mutants and dark magicians who lurk in the sewers.”

“How is that even a ghost story…?”

“Hold on. And they say the girl’s eyes gleam with a blue light. Wherever she passes, she leaves behind a fresh, grassy scent. Still don’t get it?”

It was only then that I started to understand why such a story could be considered an urban legend.

Blue eyes that gleam, a lingering fresh scent like grass.

There’s only one person that could describe.

And if I was right about who it was, then yes, that certainly sounded like more than just a ghost story.

“Who can say whether it’s true or not? Not like anyone’s going to ask her directly. It’s probably wise to just chalk it up to an eccentric hobby and leave it at that.”

Seeing the shock on my face, Choi Woojin grinned widely.

“Anyway, back to what I was saying. A lot of people are puzzled by her decision to join the expedition this time. Those who know Hae Wolhwa’s temperament all find it surprising. She’s so famously known for staying holed up around the capital that she’s even earned the nickname ‘Laziness.’ She didn’t move a muscle even during the Witch Incident, so it’s not like she’s chasing after glory at this point in her life…”

Come to think of it, Yeon Jeongmun also mentioned the nickname ‘Lazy Hae Wolhwa’ once.

When I first met the headmaster, she said herself that she wasn’t the type to get involved. The only place she truly ruled over was that shabby greenhouse near the capital.

Hearing that made me curious too. Why had Hae Wolhwa decided to join the expedition into the Unmanned Zone?

“…?”

Suddenly, I felt an uncomfortable stare and turned to see Choi Woojin crossing his arms, looking at me as though he had something to settle.

It hit me then. The fact that he had gone out of his way to find me in this secluded corner of the library. He wasn’t here just to chat.

“What do you want?”

“Let’s duel aga…”

“No.”

I cut him off before he could even finish his sentence.

***

A girl with a hood pulled over her head was climbing the stairs toward Cradle’s library.

A few strands of golden hair peeked out, glistening under the afternoon sunlight.

She had overheard a rumor that the male student she was looking for showed up at the library around this time, so she had come without hesitation.

Jin Yeseo had spent the last few days deep in thought.

But no matter how much she weighed her options, the conclusion was always the same. Even if the path was thorny, there was only one way left for her.

Jin Yeseo arrived at the library and began scanning her surroundings.

Not seeing the person she sought near the main tables, she turned her attention to the edges of the room.

Soon, she spotted something that made her frown.

“…What is this?”

Unconsciously, she hid herself behind one of the tall bookshelves.

She peeked out just enough to see the scene unfold before her.

Two male students filled the already cramped corner of the library. Jin Yeseo immediately recognized who they were.

The one with his hair tied back was the person she was looking for.

The other, the one built like a gorilla, was Choi Woojin.

“…”

Jin Yeseo bit her lips, her irritation rising as she watched.

She hid herself further, her displeasure evident on her face.

Recently, with all her humiliating failures, Choi Woojin had been out to taunt her at every opportunity.

Not long ago, she would have fired back at him without hesitation, but unfortunately, Jin Yeseo no longer had the emotional bandwidth to waste on such petty confrontations.

She was barely holding on to what little remained of herself.

And the only person who might help relight the fire within her… was the masked boy sitting just a few steps away.

“…Hey.”

“Uh-huh… I get it… then tomorrow…”

“No… get lost…”

The two were exchanging words about something, their conversation oddly casual.

The sight of it irritated Jin Yeseo even more. It felt like Choi Woojin was once again getting in her way.

When Choi Woojin asked for something, the masked boy immediately turned him down.

Choi Woojin, though laughing heartily, couldn’t fully hide his disappointment.

He soon got up and walked out of the library. Left alone, the masked boy turned back to face the desk.

Jin Yeseo quickly scanned her surroundings. It was such a secluded corner that she didn’t sense anyone else nearby.

This was her only chance to approach him without prying eyes.

With a gulp, Jin Yeseo quietly crept toward him like a cat.

As she closed the distance, she could hear him muttering to himself, fully engrossed in his work.

“Using the following formula, calculate the loss rate when neutral Vessel particles enter the body… and refer to the diagram visualizing the internalization process…?”

Just from overhearing, Jin Yeseo immediately knew what problem he was working on.

It was one of the basic formulas that every Cradle applicant studied from their preparatory days.

Yet, even though he was already a full-fledged student here, he seemed to be struggling with the problem as if it were some kind of grand mystery.

Jin Yeseo found it surprising, though she didn’t think of it as something to mock or ridicule. She simply didn’t have the emotional energy to waste on such trivial matters anymore.

“When a mage’s Rubin value falls below 3000R and they reach exhaustion, calculate the recovery time using a third-level formula… Sigh…”

Jin Yeseo crept even closer.

He was still focused on solving the problem, leaving her wondering if she should be the one to break the silence.

Just then, without turning around, he spoke.

“Hey. I told you to leave. I’m not dueling you.”

“…”

He was mistaking her for Choi Woojin.

For a moment, a wave of unpleasantness washed over her, but it wasn’t worth dwelling on.

There was no turning back now.

Jin Yeseo took a deep breath.

Then, she spoke.

“Hey, didn’t you hear me? Stop being a pest and leave…”

“I’m not Choi Woojin.”

With dry lips, Jin Yeseo finally managed a weak response.

He froze.

Slowly, he turned around and looked at her.

The only thing that escaped his lips was a heavy sigh.

“Sigh…”

It was a sigh that made it clear he saw her as nothing but a nuisance. The way he treated her was humiliating, but it didn’t matter.

She was prepared to endure much worse.

“…Right. You and Choi Woojin are a bit different after all. I did say something to you, didn’t I…”

The masked boy spoke in a voice heavy with weariness. The exhaustion in his tone made even his hostility seem muted.

“So… are you here to challenge me to a duel or something? Not this week. I’m busy with assignments.”

“No, it’s not that.”

“…What?”

“I’m not here to challenge you to a duel.”

“…Then what do you want?”

His question was filled with confusion, but Jin Yeseo remained silent. Her parched lips grew even drier.

After a long, internal struggle, Jin Yeseo shut her eyes tightly and slightly bowed her head.

Then, with a voice unfamiliar to her own ears, she forced out the words.

“Help… me.”

“…”

A long silence stretched between them.

The masked boy seemed utterly taken aback, staring at her as if he hadn’t heard correctly.

Eventually, he regained his composure and asked her.

“Did I hear that right?”

His voice was now filled with disbelief.

Jin Yeseo barely shook her head.

“…You heard it right. I asked for your help.”

For the first time in her life, Jin Yeseo felt the sting of humiliation, her face flushing red.

As an heir to the prestigious Baekgwang family, she had never once bowed her head to anyone other than her mother, the family head.

“…I thought about what you said last time.”

“What part?”

“You said the only thing that matters is absolute strength. That it alone can grant you everything you want. And… that if you can grasp it, the means don’t matter.”

“…”

“And… you said I was just wasting my time despite having the ability.”

Her voice trembled as she struggled to suppress her rising emotions.

“So?”

“So… I decided to give it a try. To do what I’m good at.”

After another long pause, Jin Yeseo stammered out her next words.

“And so… I’d like you to help me with that…”

“No.”

“What…?”

“I said no.”

At his blunt refusal, Jin Yeseo looked up, bewildered.

The boy, now calm again, gazed at her with indifference.

He spoke in a low, flat voice, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“Why should I?”

End of Chapter