Correcting the Villainess of the Academy - Chapter 176

Chapter 176

***

A few days before the social gathering.

With the lifting of Cradle’s curfew, Yeon Minha received a summons from the Heukryeon main house.

She sat facing the mistress of Heukryeon, with only a small table between them.

The mistress, who looked to be not much older than her, asked in a gentle voice.

“So, have you been well these days?”

“Yes. Thanks to your care…”

Yeon Minha bowed her head slightly in a gesture of respect.

Her elegant posture was flawless, and her etiquette impeccable.

“That’s good to hear. I was quite worried. Still, if anything happens, please…”

The mistress nodded with a warm smile and continued to speak on various topics.

Yeon Minha listened attentively, sitting demurely with her knees together, but a question began to rise in her mind.

As far as she knew, Heukryeon was extremely busy at the moment.

It was the daily life of a high-ranking family, and with their recent return to the political scene, they must have had more than enough on their plate.

Amidst all this, she couldn’t understand why her prospective in-laws had suddenly summoned her.

Especially since this meeting was conducted without the knowledge of the men.

“Ahem, the reason I called you here is none other than this.”

Yeon Minha’s question was answered only after she saw what the mistress presented to her.

“I received this from Cradle a while ago…”

“What…? Pfft.”

Yeon Minha, who had been looking bewildered, suddenly choked and barely managed to suppress it.

It was the first time she had lost her composure.

On the table was a thick paper envelope stamped prominently with the seal of the Cradle Education Committee.

-Letter of Explanation Request.

In the several documents, Yeon Minha’s name and the name of a male student were repeatedly mentioned.

-Multiple reports have been received regarding the inappropriate conduct of the aforementioned students…

-We hereby request an appropriate explanation…

-Please be advised that there may be corresponding disciplinary action in the future…

“…”

Yeon Minha’s hands, holding the documents, trembled.

Her fair skin had long since turned crimson with shame.

‘Which bitches reported us…’

A burning anger, like molten lava, surged in her chest.

The so-called inappropriate conduct was nothing more than occasional minor transgressions like walking arm in arm in the garden, burying her face in his firm chest, and barely resisting the urge to lick the sauce from the corner of his mouth, instead wiping it with her finger.

‘I haven’t even done what I really want to do…’

Yeon Minha, uncharacteristically flustered, tried to read the mistress’s expression.

She wondered if this summons was to reprimand her for her lack of decorum.

“Well… this is…”

“You don’t have to worry too much. I didn’t call you here to scold you.”

However, the mistress simply looked at her with the same gentle expression.

Perhaps it was her imagination, but there seemed to be a hint of satisfaction in that smile.

Only then could Yeon Minha কিছুটা calm her heart.

“You like our second son, don’t you?”

That is, until the mistress dropped a bombshell of a question.

“…Yes, Yehet?”

Yeon Minha was so startled that she bit her tongue.

Her heart sank, her pupils trembled.

For a moment, she wondered if it was a joke, and she barely managed to lift her gaze to gauge the mistress’s reaction.

And only after seeing the mistress, holding a teacup and waiting for her answer, did she realize that it was a serious question.

After a long moment.

Yeon Minha, her ears flushed red, could only nod.

“…Yes.”

There was no trace of her usual haughtiness or arrogance.

There was only a girl suffering from a fever that could only be cured in one way.

“…I’m glad you seem to be getting along well with our son.”

The mistress still treated her with a gentle smile.

“I’m really glad. I was so worried…”

The mistress had learned of the boy’s existence only a few months ago.

A personal profile of someone had suddenly arrived, addressed to her eldest son, who had already cut ties and left home, with no way of knowing his whereabouts.

‘Accept this boy into the family, and since the successor’s seal has already been given to him, treat him accordingly.’

It was a sudden and drastic message, considering it was the first contact in over a decade.

However, the couple complied with their eldest son’s request without a word.

Even that was far from enough to atone for their sins.

‘Extreme aversion to women of the same age, trauma response akin to fear, the mask is the only psychological defense mechanism, never attempt to remove it forcibly, and in case of damage or loss of the mask, take immediate action.’

The mistress remembered every single warning written on the profile.

So, the existence of Yeon Minha, who was close to the boy, was truly a relief.

Until now.

“So… what do you plan to do now?”

“…”

There were three ways to respond to the Letter of Explanation Request.

First, vehemently deny all the allegations as slander.

Second, accept punishment for an undeniable inappropriate relationship.

Third, apply for formal deliberation and obtain official recognition of the right to blood union, in other words, engagement.

“Haha, it seems I’ve asked something unnecessary…”

And Yeon Minha’s inability to answer, burying her face in embarrassment, was as good as an answer.

The afternoon sun shone warmly through the window.

The mistress turned her head to gaze at the clear sky beyond.

“In our time, there were so many rumors at Cradle. The nameless girl by the pond, the moving demon specimen in the basement, the mistletoe that brings love… I wonder if they still exist.”

“They… still exist.”

“Oh, really? That’s nice to hear. It brings back memories…”

Yeon Minha nodded at the mistress’s words.

She didn’t care about the other rumors, but she had clearly heard about the mistletoe that brings love.

“Social gathering, social gathering… The timing is quite good…”

The mistress, lost in thought for a moment, turned back to Yeon Minha.

A hint of apology could be seen in her eyes.

“…You must be having a hard time because of our son.”

Yeon Minha easily understood the meaning behind the mistress’s words.

“It was the same with our eldest… Really, how did he manage to bring someone who resembles him so much…”

The ruffian Sa Jaehyuk, the womanizer Sa Jaehyuk.

Yeon Minha knew his name well.

A man who, relying on his family’s power, indulged in debauchery and committed all sorts of atrocities.

She had heard that he changed women several times a semester.

He seemed to have reformed for a while and even became the student council president of Cradle, but he couldn’t overcome his innate nature and committed a serious crime, leading to his expulsion from the magical society.

Of course, now she knew that he was the boy’s benefactor.

She had also realized that the rumors were quite exaggerated.

But listening to the mistress, it seemed that not all of it was false.

The only difference was that the masked boy, contrary to his will, attracted people.

It was something that made Yeon Minha both anxious and concerned.

“He’s such an outstanding person. It’s only natural to accept that.”

However, Yeon Minha nodded without showing any sign of it.

“Yes… I see…”

The mistress nodded, looking at Yeon Minha.

Yeon Minha found the sadness she felt somewhat strange.

“…We hope that you will be chosen this time. We truly mean it.”

“…What?”

Not fully understanding the mistress’s words, Yeon Minha let out a bewildered question.

It was definitely a better atmosphere than she had initially expected.

She had even hoped that her relationship with the boy might be officially recognized here.

“Please don’t misunderstand. We like you too. And we hope that you will become closer to him.”

The mistress continued to explain in a calm voice.

“But if he chooses someone other than you, we will gladly respect and support his choice. No matter who it is.”

Yeon Minha’s mind went completely blank.

She could only tremble her fingers.

There were many other female students who tried to flirt with him, but the only person she could think of now was one.

A female student who tried to take away even the last thing that belonged to her, someone who couldn’t even be described as a rival.

Baek Seoyeon of Paechun.

“Wh, why…”

“…I’m sorry.”

The mistress apologized to her in a sincere voice.

“We… don’t want to repeat the same mistake.”

Yeon Minha lowered her gaze.

It seemed like there was some kind of situation on their side, but she had no reason to care about that now.

“Being chosen is entirely up to you. Do you… understand what I mean?”

The silence didn’t last long.

Yeon Minha clenched her fist and raised her head again.

“…Don’t worry.”

Extreme nervousness, determination, clear will, precariousness.

The same kind of emotions as someone heading into battle were reflected on her face.

“I will definitely… be the one chosen.”

***

In the student council room, the last meeting before the social gathering was being held.

“Thanks to the help of many young ladies, I feel very reassured… Haha…”

The timid-looking bespectacled male student sitting at the head of the table had an almost servile smile on his face.

On the table in front of him, a nameplate that read ‘Student Council President’ gleamed in the light.

“I have a very good feeling…! I’m sure this social gathering will also be a great success.”

The president, who came from a humble background, seemed to feel a lot of pressure seeing the young ladies from prestigious families sitting on either side of him.

He forced himself to swallow his nausea and shuffled through the official documents.

“Ah… and there was a strong request from the Education Committee. They asked us to strictly crack down on various illegal clubs that cause moral corruption… I hope all the officers will keep that in mind…”

Before the president could finish his sentence.

A female student with braided hair and glasses, sitting on his left, answered.

“Don’t worry.”

“I’ll make sure to eliminate every single one of them.”

Choi Ireh, the head of the disciplinary committee, adjusted the non-lethal subduing blade at her waist as if making a resolution.

The president gulped at the sight.

“Ha, haha… As expected of the disciplinary committee head… Your words alone are reassuring…”

‘Sigh…’

Yeon Minha tuned out the whole scene.

Illegal clubs were of no importance to her.

Sitting with her legs crossed, Yeon Minha stared at the opposite side.

The sight of Baek Seoyeon pretending to be a prim and proper young lady.

It made her irritation rise to the top of her head.

‘Sigh…’

She sighed inwardly.

Baek Seoyeon was the biggest problem and source of anxiety she faced.

After the conversation with the mistress of Heukryeon.

Yeon Minha’s first move was to try to eliminate that source of anxiety.

It was a swift move on her part.

The problem was that Baek Seoyeon didn’t even pretend to listen to her.

On top of that, she had to run a club during the social gathering, which meant Yeon Minha, who had planned to stay with him and coax him the whole time, was in a real bind.

‘At least that bitch is in the same situation…’

She had already sensed that her own club this year wouldn’t be very popular.

She was too embarrassed to even mention it to the boy.

Of course, giving up the position of club leader was out of the question.

It would be a laughingstock for a long time, and she didn’t want to show a lack of responsibility to the boy.

Of course, even as a club leader, she would have some free time to enjoy the social gathering.

In that regard, she was better off than Baek Seoyeon.

Paechun’s club was expected to be so popular that they had to rent a hall that could accommodate two hundred people.

Naturally, it would be much harder for her to find any free time.

In any case, it meant that she wasn’t the only one feeling anxious.

‘Mistletoe… Mistletoe…’

Yeon Minha decided to take comfort in that fact.

And she desperately reviewed her plan.

“Then let’s conclude the meeting here…”

“Wait. There’s one more item on the agenda.”

Just as the student council president was about to wrap up the meeting.

A haughty-looking female student sitting on the same side as Baek Seoyeon raised her hand.

Her face was filled with an emotion that could be either dissatisfaction or anger.

The place where her little finger should have been was empty.

Chun Harin had been glaring at Yeon Minha, who was sitting across from her, as if she wanted to kill her.

“Hey, Yeon Minha. You’re really shameless.”

“…?”

At her sharp words, the president’s face turned pale.

Yeon Minha tilted her head as if she had just noticed her.

“Is there… some problem between the two of you…?”

“This bitch humiliated my brother. She broke his arm and threw him to the ground. She even mobilized her junior to do it! Isn’t this grounds for disciplinary action?”

Chun Harin’s anger exploded at Yeon Minha’s gaze, which seemed to look at her as if she were a disgusting bug.

“Hey. Say something, will you? Did you think you could just get away with it because no one was around? Huh?”

“Sigh…”

Yeon Minha sighed at Chun Harin’s fierce accusations.

Her face was filled with annoyance.

“Miss Yeon Minha? Could you perhaps explain the situation…? There might be some misunderstanding…”

“I did no such thing.”

“Hey! You shameless bitch…!”

Yeon Minha cut her off as if she had no interest.

She didn’t want to waste her energy on someone like Chun Harin in this situation.

But the next moment.

Yeon Minha twisted her lips as if she had thought of something good.

“Ah. Wait a minute.”

She turned her thoughts upside down.

Come to think of it, it was like a perfect stress reliever had rolled right into her lap.

“Come to think of it… I do remember a rabid dog trying to jump on me. I barely managed to get it off me with the help of a passing junior. Really… It was so difficult…”

At her obviously acting voice, Chun Harin’s anger exploded.

“Hey! Yeon Minha! What are you saying about my brother…!”

“You siblings have no class. Should I tell everyone what he did to me? Huh?”

“You…!”

“Harin. Before you criticize others, shouldn’t you keep your brother in check? Is that why you still don’t have a proper fiancé even though you’re about to graduate…?”

“You…! You’ve said enough!!”

‘That’s it.’

Yeon Minha felt a sense of satisfaction.

Just seeing Chun Harin’s furious reaction made the corners of her mouth rise.

She could always claim that the other side had broken the rules first.

At best, it would be mutual fault, and there were no witnesses.

Yeon Minha planned to tease Chun Harin a bit, then go back to her dorm room and get a hug from the boy to relieve some of her stress.

“Don’t be like that, Minha.”

But the next moment, a voice rang out.

Yeon Minha’s eyes instantly froze.

The president didn’t have the power to control this situation.

As always, it was Baek Seoyeon with her smiling face who stepped in for him.

“Maybe he’s just not good at expressing his feelings. Why don’t you try to get along with him at this social gathering?”

“Ha…”

Yeon Minha let out a scoff, as if it wasn’t even funny.

End of Chapter