Correcting the Villainess of the Academy - Chapter 75

Chapter 75

The Red Flower Falls (6)

“Ugh…”

As she regained consciousness, an intense pain flooded Jin Yeseo’s senses, causing her to groan through clenched teeth.

She managed to turn her stiff neck and look around. The place she found herself in was a dimly lit infirmary bed, where the smell of antiseptics stung her nose.

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“Ugh…”

Forcing her upper body to sit up against the headboard, she examined herself.

Her usually well-groomed golden hair was a tangled mess, partially obscuring her vision.

Her exposed limbs, visible through her patient gown, were covered in bruises and bandages, leaving no skin visible.

“Ugh…”

A wave of pain rising from her lower abdomen made her cover her mouth to suppress the nausea.

“Damn it…”

Struggling to hold back the swear words that reflexively came out, Jin Yeseo tried to recall her memories.

The humiliation became clearer as her consciousness sharpened.

Her last memory was of being disgracefully and one-sidedly defeated in the duel arena, with hundreds of spectators, including close friends and respected seniors, watching.

Remembering this, her pale face turned red with anger.

“Hah…”

The blonde girl let out a deep sigh of frustration, clenching her fists until her palms bled.

On the bedside table lay several letters of consolation from acquaintances.

Jin Yeseo opened the letter that came with a flower and candy basket first.

“Heh…”

Reading the handwritten letter from Baek Seoyeon, who wished her a speedy recovery, Jin Yeseo managed to suppress her anger and forced a smile.

But her mood plummeted when she saw the elegant seal on the letter underneath it.

“…”

Hesitant for a moment, she finally reached out with her functional arm and picked up the letter.

There was no avoiding it.

It was a letter from her mother, the head of the Baekgwang Jin family, one of the five great families, and a three-term congresswoman in the highest assembly.

Reluctantly, Jin Yeseo opened the letter. As she infused particles into the unique pattern, neat handwriting gradually appeared on the pristine paper.

‘I heard the news. According to the doctor’s opinion, you can recover completely without any aftereffects if you rest for a few days. So don’t worry too much…’

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The letter continued with praise for her connections with Paechun’s heiress and her impressive ranking, as well as assurances that the family would file a formal complaint about her excessive injuries.

“Haa…”

Though she found the measures displeasing, considering the timing, the complaint had likely already been submitted.

In other words, it was out of her hands.

Jin Yeseo skimmed through the letter, which was mostly filled with typical pleasantries.

The most important and displeasing part was a short line at the end of the letter.

‘…Remember, you only have one more chance. Don’t forget the promise we made before you entered Cradle…’

T h i s w as c op ie d f r om ki n g m tl . o rg
-Crunch!

Unable to hold back any longer, Jin Yeseo crumpled up the letter and threw it towards the trash can.

In her frustration and anger, she missed, and the letter rolled across the infirmary floor instead.

All she got from her outburst was a throbbing pain in her arm.

Jin Yeseo let out a deep sigh of frustration.

Before entering Cradle, she had made a deal with her mother.

If she lost to a male student twice in the first semester ranking matches, she would give up and look for a suitable match, like other heirs from prominent families.

And if she didn’t find a suitable partner by the end of her first year, she would accept whoever her mother chose without complaint.

To escape increasing pressure, Jin Yeseo had reluctantly agreed to her mother’s proposal.

It was also a decision based on an objective assessment of her own abilities.

She was confident that no one entering Cradle at the same time as her could surpass her.

In terms of background or achievements.

Despite the annoying provocations of Choi Woojin, she could easily defeat him if she put in the effort.

So, she believed that she could enjoy complete freedom after just one year.

But now, her plans were on the verge of being disrupted by an unknown challenger.

“Haa…”

Unlike Jin Yeseo, who saw it as a one-time breeding opportunity, her mother wanted an exchange of benefits within the framework of an engagement.

Despite understanding her mother’s reasoning, Jin Yeseo couldn’t fully comprehend it.

She admired everything about Baek Seoyeon but couldn’t understand one aspect.

Baek Seoyeon was considered the strongest mage of her generation, following Hae Wolhwa.

She had an endless reserve of high-level magic, a conversion rate far beyond the average, and could perform weather magic alone, which usually required multiple mages.

In terms of appearance, background, and personality, she was perfect.

Yet, Jin Yeseo was shocked to learn that Baek Seoyeon had a fiancé she loved deeply.

Although some doubted the existence of the fiancé, the happiness Jin Yeseo observed up close was too genuine to be fake.

-Clench…

In the empty infirmary, the sound of Jin Yeseo grinding her teeth echoed.

She didn’t want to waste time on foolishness.

And now, she only had one chance left.

***

“Here you go.”

Still looking tired and haggard, Professor Kwon Chanyul handed over a signed document.

The top of the paper read “Mentoring Group Field Experience Application.”
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“A visit to Ho-Kyung Industries Research Lab for post-graduation career exploration. It’s a pretty solid experience. It fits well with the mentoring group’s objectives.”

“Thank yo…”

“But is the content of the application true?”

“…Yes, but why do you ask…”

“Just a thought. Remembering a senior who used such opportunities for misconduct. I wondered if that person had passed down any bad habits to his students.”

The suspicion in his eyes made my heart skip a beat.

Though unrelated to the professor’s concerns, the application content was far from true.

Did I just imagine knowing who he was talking about?

“Well, I believe you’ll handle it well since you seem diligent. It’s good that you get along with your mentor.”

Professor Kwon continued casually.

“When you first chose that kid as your mentor, there was some talk among the professors. They were quite a handful in their first year…”

He shook his head, as if just thinking about it was exhausting.

“When you two dueled, we thought it was inevitable. But seeing you now is quite a sight. Perhaps the ordeal in the South helped?”

“That likely played a part.”

“Yes. People often bond through such experiences. By the way, you lied during the consultation.”

His satisfied expression turned to mild annoyance.

“What? Predictive ability level 5 and internal particle count of 3000 rubin? That’s a stretch.”

“I… I’m sorry.”

I had no excuse.

T h i s w as cop i ed f r o m k i ng mt l . o r g
Given my known achievements in the South, the professor knew full well that I had downplayed my abilities during the consultation.

“It’s fine. You probably didn’t want to stand out. I get it. There are students like that. Cradle can’t force it. Besides, you couldn’t have known what would happen.”

“Thank you for understanding…”

“What’s with the thanks? Anyway, off you go. Don’t cause trouble outside.”

He waved me out of his office dismissively.

After a polite farewell, I grabbed my small travel bag and left the main building.

I walked through the flower-filled campus towards the main gate.

Soon, I saw someone standing by the large statue at the gate. Yeon Minha, in a neat navy dress instead of her uniform, stood gracefully.

Behind her, a black luxury sedan waited for its owner.

As I approached to greet her, she turned and walked towards me.

She looked at my chest and, for some reason, seemed dissatisfied again.

“Why are you looking at me like that? I tied my tie properly this time.”

“It’s nothing.”

Then she quickly turned and got into the back seat of the car.

***

The girl with black hair dreams of happy days again.

They lay in a field of reeds at night, sharing stories.

Jewels like stars glittered in the sky, and his breath was close enough to feel.

Just turning her head slightly, she could see the face of the boy she loved most in the world.

“Hey…”

At her hesitant call, the boy, who had been gazing at the stars, turned to meet her eyes.

“What?”

T h i s w a s c o pie d f r om ki n g mtl . o r g
Suppressing her trembling voice, the girl carefully broached a subject she had prepared for.

“If we get married… what should we call each other?”

“Can’t we just use our names?”

The boy’s puzzled response made her shake her head vigorously.

“No, that’s not right… Married couples have their own special terms…”
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“Really? I don’t mind either way…”
T h i s w as c o p i e d f r o m k i ng m t l. o r g

“Ugh.”

At her slight whimper of dissatisfaction, the boy realized his mistake and looked apologetic.

“Then what should we use? I haven’t thought about it.”

“In an old book, they used ‘husband’… How about that?”

“Ugh. That sounds too old-fashioned…”

“Hmph.”

Though the boy showed clear disapproval, seeing the tears welling up in her eyes made him quickly correct himself.

“Sorry.”

“Then another term…?”

“Another term?”

“Yes. Adults call each other ‘honey’… How about that?”

“That sounds… okay, I guess.”

The boy nodded slightly, albeit with a hint of embarrassment.

Encouraged, the girl made a bolder suggestion she had prepared.

“Then should we practice?”

“Do we need to practice…”

“These things need preparation…!”

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“Alright, alright…”

Faced with her persistence, the boy gave in, waving his hands in resignation.

“Okay, I’ll go first…”

But the girl could see it.

The embarrassment and slight anticipation on his face.

“Ho… honey…”

Despite getting her way, her lips wouldn’t move easily.

Her face felt like it was burning, and her vision spun, making it hard to see.

She stammered through the first syllable, then took a deep breath as if to gather all her courage.

“Ho… honey…!”

-Ring! Ring!

“Ah…”

As Baek Seoyeon reached out in vain, her eyes were met only by the dark, dreary ceiling of her dormitory at dawn.

She sighed involuntarily, her eyes losing focus.

The words she had struggled to say scattered into a mere dream with the loud ringing of the phone.

End of Chapter
T h i s w a s c o pie d f ro m k i n g m tl. o r g