Chapter 14 – Drawing Closer (4)

The morning after I spent the night with Lee Se-Young.
Rubbing my head due to a hangover, I checked the time on my cellphone on the desk. It was 6 a.m., and as usual, I awoke early after a night of drinking.

“Ugh… my head.”

Perhaps switching to soju midway through was a mistake. My head was throbbing. What on earth happened last night?
With a drowsy mind, I tried to recall the previous evening’s events.

I definitely invited Lee Se-Young for a drink yesterday. It had been a while since our last drinking session, and I remember enjoying the alcohol quite a bit.

As we drank and poured more drinks, I got drunk and subtly mentioned Se-Young’s preferences that I’d seen at the World Tree auction. Then, we went to the restroom…

“We did it.”

From the moment Se-Young took my manhood in her mouth to when she swallowed my seed.
Once the memory of guiding a disheveled Se-Young to her professor’s lodging after a round of lovemaking returned, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Kekeke.”

As I remembered that moment, the corners of my mouth naturally curled into a smile.

But even after laughing like that, when I reflected on my current predicament, my lips couldn’t help but take on a melancholic curve.

[Current friends: 1]

The crucial matter at hand was the business of making friends from now on. After enduring Azalea’s distressing gaze yesterday, I had stealthily checked, and up until now, Azalea remained the person closest to being my friend.

– Azalea (Affinity 9, Dislike)

My affinity with her had taken a nosedive. I considered making new friends, but the quest window seemed unlikely to deceive me.

‘Well, fine.’

Friends… I have to make them. If I can’t, I’ll die.
I heaved a heavy sigh and scratched the back of my neck.

“Let’s stay strong.”

As I did every morning, I vigorously washed my face with both hands and bitterly reaffirmed my resolve.

As always, I must survive.
By any means necessary.

* * * * *

Upon rising from my bed, I quickly washed up, donned a mask, stopped by a convenience store to purchase expensive chocolate, and entered the academy.

I had no way of knowing how to win a woman’s affection, given my limited experience, so I decided to go ahead and do the best I could.

Dear chocolate.

I placed the chocolate I had bought on Azalea’s seat and took a leisurely seat. In my world, ever since middle school, giving someone a treat meant that you were a good person. A single candy could buy a week’s worth of good feelings.

After some time, Azalea and Si-woo entered the classroom.

– Thud.

“What did you do yesterday?”

“Huh? Of course, I trained. There’s a really nice gym on the first floor of the dormitory. Do you want to come with me?”

“Yeah, well, not bad.”

“Then in the evening… What’s that?”

Upon checking the chocolate placed where Si-woo had pointed, Azalea furrowed her brow and tilted her head.

“I wonder who gave it.”

Her gaze naturally turned toward me. She was quite a distance away, so I couldn’t clearly see the emotion in her eyes.

‘Now what? At least I gave it to her.’

For a brief moment, I searched through my memories of the countless students I had encountered over time. How had the kind children, who had given me food, reacted in a situation like this?

“Here, eat this!”
“Huh? Oh, thank you.”

I was certain they had laughed. Yes, they had laughed. The power of laughter is truly immense, after all. So, for now, I would smile!

-Beaming.

My mouth was visible beneath the mask, so it was evident that I was smiling.

“Isn’t there someone who likes you?”
“Come on, who would like someone like me?”

Azalea deftly responded to Si-woo’s teasing words and subtly turned her head toward me.

Her lips moved slowly.

-Sto, p, do, ing, th, is, plea, se.

Swiftly turning her head back, Azalea sat down and flashed a mischievous grin at Si-woo.

“Do you want to grab something to drink before the curfew?”
“Huh? Sure.”

I couldn’t help but burst into laughter on the spot.

“…hehe.”

I had no intention of backing down like this.

For now, Si-woo had to become a charming man captivating women’s hearts, not the unremarkable pushover tucked away in a corner of the classroom. There’s a saying that if you persist ten times, you’re a stalker, but if you go the distance, you’ll reach your goal eventually.

He collected himself and prepared his resolve.

It was time to make friends.

* * * * *

“Oh…”
“Azalea, it seems like I genuinely like you.”
“It just feels like stalking.”
“Could be, right?”

At Azalea’s cool response, Si-woo stuttered and reluctantly agreed. Indeed, if he were to describe what was happening to her now, it would be stalking. When she arrived at the academy in the morning, manly-looking chocolates were placed, and expensive macarons were tucked into the student lockers.

‘Ugh, it’s infuriating.’

Today, Azalea was able to taste a unique kind of hell she had never experienced before. What could possibly be the reason for doing this to her? As the question arose, there was only one person in the world who could satisfy her curiosity.

“Lee Si-heon. Why are you doing this to me?”

He had been so persistent that she had reached the point of giving up. What on earth was the reason for him to cling to her like this? There was no one more infuriating.

-??

As she sat in the back seat glaring at him, Si-heon turned his head after sensing her gaze.

-Beaming!

“Really, that person. Ugh, truly.”

Wood-deuk. Her teeth ground together.

This was more than just wanting to be friends; it was a high level of harassment. Among the female cadets, rumors had spread that a mysterious someone was infatuated with Dal-rae. She couldn’t help but clench her fists, thinking about how much she had suffered due to the rumor that spread in just one day.

Yes, this was Lee Si-heon’s retaliation.

“At that time, I might have been too harsh…!”

Would he accept an apology now? No, her pride wouldn’t allow it.

Throughout the class, she gnawed at her nails to subdue her anger, and suddenly, she thought about Lee Si-heon’s existence.

“Who is that person, to begin with?”

I took a practical test against Jung Si-woo and passed, and last time I saw him, he seemed to know at least some swordsmanship skills.

‘Even that man is targeting Lee Si-heon. What’s the reason? A kid like that?’

Compared to before, I’ve lost some weight, and now it’s difficult to call my body a pig. Gu-seul acts as if the word “pig” is a trigger button, but that’s beside the point. What she’s interested in right now is not Lee Si-heon himself, but the background he has.

I recall the last recreational event.

‘I remember he introduced himself. How did it go?’

“Uh, I’m Lee Si-heon. Nice to meet you.”

He said so in a trembling voice. The frivolous voice and slightly fleshy body were not enough to be considered attractive. Apart from Gu-seul, all the cadets present ignored him.

‘…’

Honestly, it’s a bit pathetic. However, at the same time, I could see that he didn’t reveal any of his personal information. Where on earth did he come from?

`Should I use an informant? No, that would reach his ears.`

If her stepfather were to hear that she tried to use an informant to investigate Si-heon, he would immediately urge her to bring Si-heon to him.

That’s why it’s even more mysterious.

How can that filthy man take an interest in someone wearing such a frivolous mask? Although she despised and looked down on her stepfather, he was a wealthy businessman with an undeniable resourcefulness.

`There must be something about that man that he likes.`

The current target Azalea was embracing was Jung Si-woo, the husband of the World Tree and a man with astonishing swordsmanship skills. In fact, Jung Si-woo’s existence was anticipated to greatly aid in driving her stepfather away.

However, upon closer consideration, there were many ways in which Lee Si-heon’s presence could also be helpful to Azalea. It was just that she lacked the confidence to ensnare Lee Si-heon. If her father were to resolve to entice Lee Si-heon, he would likely fall for it.

“He’s determined to get what he wants, no matter what. It’ll be the same this time.”

It wasn’t as if he hadn’t done this before. To bring down his stepfather, he had often approached and endeared himself to those his stepfather coveted. However, no matter how strong the bonds he forged, they inevitably betrayed her after a few private encounters with his father.

Her brother had done so, and so had her mother.

The only one who had never betrayed her was her biological father – the one and only person who had been on her side, now gone. The sudden realization weighed heavily on her, and Azalea sighed as she rubbed her stiffened face.

“Now, I need to get Si-woo on my side quickly.”

No matter how shameful Lee Si-heon’s actions might be, the priority was set. If Si-woo was truly loyal, she had no doubt that he would support her, just as her father had.

As for Lee Si-heon… they would likely never become close. Undoubtedly, he would have sided with her father long before that.

There was no need to prod at unripe persimmons. That had been the guiding principle of Dallae, who had walked a solitary path in life thus far.

‘The next class… was it Magic Studies? I’m sure I put the book in the desk drawer.’

As she reached into the drawer to retrieve the book, her hand was blocked by a solid, iron-made box. Upon taking it out, she discovered it was more chocolate.

“Ah!”

Suddenly, she looked up and glared at Lee Si-heon. He caught her gaze, then seemed to realize something before grinning, baring his teeth.

– Pure.

To her, his smile appeared akin to that of a psychopath.

* * * * *

Perhaps this endeavor to make friends would prove successful. She hadn’t checked her compatibility yet, but things surely had to work out – it was the only way she wouldn’t meet her end.

-Crunch, rustle.

She unwrapped a remaining piece of chocolate, popped it into her mouth, and entered the training ground where the woodcarving master resided.

Already, there was someone there.

“Is that…?”

It was a familiar face, someone she had secretly hoped to meet.

However, there was one who had given up on getting closer early on, due to the difference in status.

Just the other day, she had approached Si-woo, vowing not to lose next time while igniting her childlike competitive spirit, and now she was exchanging swordplay with her master.

Cornus.

Her body, adorned with long, bright yellow hair, was pulsating with magical energy as radiant as the color of her tresses. It was the fabled haze that was said to manifest when high-purity magic enveloped one’s body. In a daze, he watched her sword dance.

– Paang! Paang!

The surrounding air swirled in the wake of her sword’s path. The pressure that could be felt even through an invisible barrier, a sinister aura unleashed even during training. It felt the same as when he first faced Si-woo. Cornus was undeniably swift and powerful.

– Hwaeak!

He tracked her movements with his eyes. Following her blade, the residual haze danced through the air, adopting a peculiar form.

Like the petals of a fully bloomed flower.

A subtle realization stirred within him.

‘I’ve grown as well.’

Her sword, which would have been impossible to see before, was now clearly visible.
Each movement captured my attention.
From the intricate muscle movements seen when assuming a stance, to the rotating wrist, to the bending blade.

I was supposed to be training, but I couldn’t help myself.

Instead, my body naturally moved in sync with her motions.
Graceful and nimble footwork, the movement of the wrist.
Assuming a posture as if gripping a sword, I followed her every move.

The naturally emerging forms of swordsmanship.

Ah…

A single sentiment transformed into a sword, and a new concept embedded itself in my mind like lightning amid torrential rain.

‘This… This is…’

A truly exceptional sword.

“…?”

When I regained my focus, Sansuyu was looking at me.