Correcting the Villainess of the Academy - Chapter 141
Chapter 141
Heaven’s Door (7)
***
The moment I became aware of the fact, the metallic object sparked a vivid memory, so real that I could almost feel its texture.
The smell of blood, the magic formula that once covered the vast sky, the spewing poisonous mist, the beasts, the screams. That day’s Red Blooming was like the very heart of hell.
“Recently, business hasn’t been going well, and emotionally, he was struggling a bit… But even so, he would never do something so reckless…”
Even as I listened to the widow’s heartfelt plea, I couldn’t take my eyes off the bracelet on her wrist.
No matter how I looked at it, it was identical to the one Yeon Jeongmun had.
It was a bit of a surprise that someone of his stature—head of one of the Five Families—would carry something that looked like a religious symbol. But since I had no particular knowledge or interest in such things, I didn’t think much of it at the time. Especially since bigger events unfolded soon after.
It wasn’t until much later that I realized he wasn’t in his right mind.
His abnormal affection for his kin and the mental corruption dragged him into an inescapable pit, and he eventually committed treason that would go down in the history of the Republic.
And now, here was a widow, holding an object identical to the one that man had possessed.
A widow whose husband had been declared a mental deviant after dying in the middle of some perverse act…?
It could, of course, be a coincidence, but…
“…”
I finally spoke up, with difficulty.
“Ma’am, if you don’t mind me asking… that bracelet on your arm…?”
“Hic… This?”
The widow looked at me with a puzzled expression at my sudden question. But I couldn’t help but ask.
“…My husband received it as a gift from a local when he went on a business trip to the First City.”
After a brief silence, the widow fiddled with the bracelet and answered.
“A gift…?”
“Yes. They said it was a symbol that brings good fortune… Maybe that’s why, but I do feel a bit more at ease when I wear it… I even dreamed of him last night…”
“I see. Did your husband follow any particular religion while he was alive?”
“No, nothing like that…”
The widow shook her head at my question.
Once again, I found myself deep in thought.
Perhaps it was nothing. After all, it’s not impossible for both a lower-class citizen and the head of one of the Five Families to end up with the same item by chance.
But something about it stuck in my throat, like a bone I couldn’t swallow.
The widow’s tearful plea was one thing, but the fact that it might be connected to Yeon Minha made it even harder to ignore.
If, by any chance, there was more to the Red Blooming incident than what was known…
“…”
After much deliberation, I finally spoke again.
“I’ll look further into your husband’s case. I can’t promise you a good outcome, but…”
“Oh… Thank you… Thank you…! Hic…”
I barely managed to stop the widow from bowing so deeply that her head almost touched the floor.
“But I do have one favor to ask.”
“I’ll do anything I can…”
“Could I… borrow that bracelet for a moment?”
“What…?”
I felt the need to examine it more closely.
The widow looked at me, surprised, but after a moment, she removed the bracelet with its attached ornament and handed it to me.
As I stepped outside after our conversation, the sun was already beginning to set.
A few thugs from the slums tried to block my path, but when they saw my mask, they flinched in surprise and quickly stepped aside. Times like this, the mask really came in handy.
Even as I walked, I carefully replayed the memories of my visit to the Jeokhwa Mansion.
‘How is Father these days?’
‘Recently, he seems much better… He’s gained some weight, and he’s been going outside more often…’
‘I remember a nun started visiting the mansion frequently about two years ago… His expression always seemed brighter after meeting with her…’
I recalled the conversation between Yeon Minha and the servants that I had overheard.
Yeon Jeongmun, too, had suffered greatly from the mental corruption that plagued the Jeokhwa family, to the point of becoming a recluse.
But the servants had mentioned that his symptoms had improved significantly, which had surprised Yeon Minha.
“A nun… a nun, huh…”
The bracelet in my hand made a rattling metallic sound.
Could this item have been given to him by that nun as well?
Was faith what helped him overcome his illness…?
Yeon Minha had speculated that the nun might have been associated with a charitable organization supported by the family.
Perhaps it was worth paying a visit there.
As I hurried on, trying to reach my destination before sunset, a thought suddenly struck me, and I stopped in my tracks.
“Now that I think about it…”
Didn’t the word ‘nun’ also appear in that dream?
***
-Clang!
-Kang!
The old training room in Cradle’s Building A.
A blonde female student, dressed in tight training clothes, swung her practice blade with force.
-Clang!
Her opponent, a male student in a mask, skillfully parried her attack.
However, today, something about him seemed distracted.
Jin Yeseo, not missing the brief opening, sharply targeted his weak spot.
-Ting!
The masked male student barely managed to block with his blade. Though he avoided a critical hit, Jin Yeseo landed a solid blow on his arm instead.
The impact from the wooden blade left a red mark on his skin.
“Ah…!”
Jin Yeseo let out a gasp of satisfaction. Her green eyes sparkled with pure joy.
It was the first time since they had started sparring that she had landed a meaningful hit on him.
-Kaang!
But her joy was short-lived.
The masked male student swung his blade again, seemingly unfazed by the pain.
Jin Yeseo quickly switched to defense, blocking his strikes.
But while she was using all her strength with both arms, he was pushing her back with just one hand. With his free hand, he clenched his fist and struck her exposed abdomen.
-Thud!
“Huek…”
Jin Yeseo let out a groan.
A sharp, tingling pain immediately spread from just below her navel throughout her entire body.
As her knees buckled, the masked male student seized the opportunity and grabbed her by the neck.
-Kwaduk!
“Ugh… Heuk…!”
Then, using his weight, he slammed her down onto the floor.
-Kwaang!
“Haa…!”
Jin Yeseo gasped for breath. The moment she hit the floor, the sparring match was over. She had lost.
The pain was so intense that tears welled up in her eyes, but the corners of her mouth lifted, giving her a strange, almost eerie expression.
The rough treatment was something she had begged him for. The more grueling the sparring, the faster she felt herself improving.
“Haa…”
Jin Yeseo, having released the tension in her body, gently rubbed the area just below her navel where she had been struck.
She felt more joy from her improvement than pain.
Her growth was much faster than she had anticipated. At this rate, she might achieve a significant result before the first semester even ended.
“Hoo…”
Still lying on the floor in a defenseless position, Jin Yeseo steadied her breathing.
She brushed her sweat-soaked hair back and turned her head to look at the masked male student.
He still seemed lost in thought, as if preoccupied with something. He didn’t offer her an energy drink or a towel, as he usually would.
“…”
Jin Yeseo had to admit that much of her progress was thanks to him.
There was no one else who would spar with her like this.
It wasn’t a pleasant realization, but it was the truth.
At first, his touch and the warmth of his skin had made her feel disgusted, but now she had grown used to it.
Of course, she knew very well that his actions weren’t out of pure kindness. One day, this secret training would become a noose around her neck, something he could use to control her.
She was fully aware of that, but there was nothing she could do about it.
By now, Jin Yeseo was already addicted to the sweetness she could only taste through their sparring sessions.
She wondered how she could land another clean hit on him next time.
As she was lost in thoughts of their future sparring sessions, the masked male student suddenly dropped a bombshell.
“There won’t be any more sparring sessions for a while. Today’s the last one for this week.”
“W-What?”
Jin Yeseo felt her heart sink.
She had been lying comfortably on the floor, but now she shot up, her upper body rising in alarm.
She began to question him urgently.
“What do you mean, all of a sudden…?”
She was so flustered that she couldn’t even speak properly. Just when she was making real progress, too. Her mind was filled with the desire to continue riding this wave of improvement.
But unlike the anxious Jin Yeseo, the masked male student spoke calmly.
“It’s the external request period. I’m busy.”
“But you can’t just stop all of a sudden…! Things were going so well…”
“I told you before, didn’t I? If I get busy, we might not be able to spar. Practice on your own for now. I’m leaving.”
“W-Wait…!”
Jin Yeseo, having scrambled to her feet, hurriedly grabbed his wrist as he was about to leave the training room.
He shook her hand off without even looking at her.
But for some reason, the force behind it felt weaker than before. He didn’t twist her wrist this time either.
Turning back to face her, the masked male student snapped at her in an irritated tone.
“I told you not to touch me outside of sparring…”
“I-I’ll help you…!”
Jin Yeseo, eyes tightly shut, blurted out the words without thinking.
End of Chapter
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Jhonrock
Hahahaha… well, well, it seems that our Yeseo is starting to feel the appeal of the “dark side”.