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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Sparring (5)
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"...Work together? It's a little surprising to hear you say something like that to me."
Kang Dohui looked at Shin Sehui's outstretched hand with fresh eyes.
"Hmm, it's true I misjudged Jin Yuha at first and made a hasty decision, and honestly, your offer is appealing…"
She narrowed her eyes, as if sizing up Shin Sehui, her arms crossed.
"Flower Patch. I don't think I've misjudged you, considering how long I've known you."
"...Pardon?"
"It's just, if I take that hand, I feel like I won't be able to properly apologize to *him* again. Playing tricks behind someone's back. That's not my style."
Kang Dohui spoke bluntly.
At her firm refusal, Shin Sehui bit her lip.
Then she let out a deep sigh.
"Haa—"
Shin Sehui felt a sense of futility.
What else was she supposed to do?
If she faced him directly, that strange woman blocked her path.
If she tried to use those around him, Kang Dohui refused to join hands with her.
Even when she approached him completely honestly, he pushed her away.
She was cornered.
'Seriously, this is hopeless.'
Shin Sehui felt a stifling sensation in her chest.
* * *
On the way back to the dorms after talking with Baek Seolhui about the next sparring match late into the night.
Two people stood in my path.
"...What brings the two of you together?"
The combination of Kang Dohui and Shin Sehui.
They weren't exactly on good terms, I'd never even seen them talk to each other, so their coming together felt novel.
The two glared at each other, sparks flying.
"I was trying to see him first, you know?"
"Did you make an appointment?"
"What about you, then?"
Kang Dohui didn't answer Shin Sehui's question and brought up her business first.
"...I came to find you because I wanted to apologize."
"Apologize?"
Kang Dohui bowed her head deeply towards me.
I was flustered by her sudden bow.
"Huh? Is this about what you said to me before? If so, it's fine. We didn't know each other well back then, so I understand your reaction."
"No, it's not that."
Kang Dohui shook her head, still bowed.
"Before, I also received a request."
"A request?"
"Yes, a request from the Hunter Management Bureau to investigate you, as you were suspected of being a Demon."
"Ah."
Only then did I understand why Kang Dohui had glared at me so fiercely back then.
She had received a request, and it seemed she suspected me of being a Demon at the time.
And since it was immediately revealed that I wasn't a Demon, she must have felt sorry.
"…Oh, then."
I subtly shifted my gaze towards Shin Sehui.
'She didn't do anything, did she?'
"…"
Even Shin Sehui hadn't expected this, her eyes trembled as if shaken by an earthquake.
"That's why I wanted to formally apologize to you."
Her voice was flat and calm.
Though her head was bowed, there was no hint of servility.
It was just like Kang Dohui.
She's self-centered and strict with others, but equally strict with herself.
I waved my hand and said,
"It's fine. I wasn't really angry. I didn't suffer any harm from it, did I?"
Despite my words, Kang Dohui still seemed hesitant.
"Still…"
"I told you, come to me directly anytime. And I'd answer if you asked."
"...Mm-hm."
"So I'm telling you honestly. It truly doesn't bother me, so it's fine."
Only then did Kang Dohui scratch her cheek in embarrassment and lift her head.
Then she subtly avoided my gaze and spoke in an awkward voice.
"...Th-then, could you, uh, let me join your pa-party…?"
My eyes widened in surprise.
'I didn't expect *her* to bring it up first…?'
Originally, I had planned to ask after Kookbap's recruitment was finalized next week.
Now, we had at least reached a point where we could work together.
Even if it didn't work out, I was going to ask for her number and regularly contact her to make the offer.
'Hmm… but.'
It was a very welcome offer, but I couldn't help but hesitate a little.
'I already told Kookbap that *she* would be the very first recruit, so accepting Kang Dohui first…?'
Of course, Lee Yuli had refused first, so she would understand, but…
It felt like breaking a prior commitment, and that bothered me a little.
And Kang Dohui also liked people who were fiercely loyal in such matters.
To catch both rabbits, Kang Dohui and Kookbap, it was better to refuse here.
I made my decision and said to Kang Dohui,
"I'm sorry, but I have a prior commitment, so I can't accept you right now. Would it be alright if I made you an offer after I've sorted that out?"
"Your sparring opponent next week?"
Kang Dohui raised an eyebrow and asked back.
"How did you know? Ah, you must have overheard my conversation with the instructor earlier."
Kang Dohui let out a short laugh.
"Ha, then I can't go easy either."
Kang Dohui nodded, a subtly chilling smile on her face.
Then she extended her hand to me.
"For now, I'll keep that in mind."
"Yes, I'm sorry I can't give you an answer right away, but I've wanted to recruit you for my party from the very beginning."
I clasped Kang Dohui's hand and said,
It felt as if an almost excessive, heavy force had entered the hand we clasped, but I endured the pain and pulled up the corners of my lips.
"Yes, it's really more comfortable for me to speak directly like this."
She gave a crisp nod, then turned her back and left, as if her business was concluded.
'Wow, the Demon misunderstanding incident ended up leading to Kang Dohui's recruitment like this…'
And what remained was Shin Sehui.
"…You."
She looked unexpectedly flustered.
She was clutching a large pile of unknown documents.
Frowning, she eventually let out a deep sigh, as if there was no answer.
"Haa— It's ruined. It's really ruined—"
I understood her sigh.
She probably tried to use her connection with Kang Dohui as an excuse to make another offer.
But then, Kang Dohui's sudden revelation revealed that Shin Sehui's role in connecting me and Kang Dohui was negligible.
Shin Sehui, who had tried to put me in her debt, had instead ended up in debt herself.
"There's no solution—seriously. How could things get so tangled up like this?"
Shin Sehui muttered, as if displeased.
"But, you can't even stand to be around Lee Yuli, can you?"
"…That strange woman."
"Yeah, you can barely even speak properly when she's around. How do you plan to work together if you join my party?"
At my words, Shin Sehui scoffed.
"...Excuse me, Jin Yuha."
"Hm?"
"I'm going to give you a quiz. Care to guess the answer?"
Even though I hadn't agreed, Shin Sehui brazenly started her question.
"I have one part of my body I'm most confident in, you know? Where do you think it is?"
As she spoke, Shin Sehui pushed her chest forward.
My gaze, which had unconsciously started to drift downwards, was forcibly pulled back up.
"…Your eyes."
"Seriously, jokes don't even land with this man."
Shin Sehui burst into a bubbly laugh.
"I don't know how you knew, but that's the correct answer. My eyes. I trust only them."
"…"
"Then, Jin Yuha, would you like to guess how you appear in my eyes?"
"I wouldn't know that."
To be honest, even now, I didn't understand why Shin Sehui was so interested in me.
It was true that I had grown rapidly thanks to early resources, and my aptitude for swordsmanship was quite high, specialized as S-rank, but that was only outstanding among men.
If women were included, my level was ultimately that of a 4-star.
Compared to Kang Dohui, who was a 5-star, I was still a notch below.
Shin Sehui took a step.
She stepped closer to me.
A remarkably close distance.
"In my eyes, you look like a rough gem. A raw stone that, with a little polishing, could shine brighter than anyone else."
She met my gaze and parted her moist lips.
"Beautiful, captivating, and as if you might disappear the moment I look away…"
Shin Sehui carefully stroked my chin with her fingertips.
"I've never seen a raw gem like this anywhere before. I truly want it. So much so that if I can't have it, I want to shatter it… How can something shine like this…"
Suddenly, her smile deepened.
"But it seems there's no way at all?"
Heh—
"If I truly set my mind to it, it wouldn't be impossible… but I don't want to go that far just yet."
Shin Sehui took a step back and wore a sneer.
"Is that a threat?"
"No. It's a plea."
She replied to my question with a nonchalant voice.
"Please understand. It's the first time I haven't been able to get something I want. It's so unfamiliar that I don't know what to do."
Shin Sehui stared intently at me and opened her mouth.
"So, Jin Yuha. Please answer me. What should I do? How can I gain even a little of your attention?"
I couldn't help but wear a complex expression as I looked at her.
'There's a way to just put her name on the party roster and not use her, but…'
Just as there are dozens of characters from gacha draws, there are naturally discarded students who are drawn but never used.
And they don't particularly complain about being neglected either.
However, this wasn't a convenient character draw, but a relationship built on personal connection.
The Shin Sehui I knew wasn't the kind of woman who could endure such treatment.
'Tsk, what do I *really* do with her…?'
In the short time I hesitated, it seemed the window of her pride had closed.
"You're still hesitating, even with me standing right in front of you."
She let out a small laugh and shrugged her shoulders.
"Well, it's fine. If even throwing away this much pride doesn't work, then it truly won't, will it?"
With a forlorn expression, she scattered the documents she held in her hands across the floor.
"Hmph, what was all this for, that I worked so hard to prepare it…"
Flutter, flutter—
"From now on, I won't appear before you. But I'll still work hard until this group sparring match, so don't worry, party leader."
Then Shin Sehui immediately turned her back and left as if fleeing.
Whoosh—
And a single sheet of paper, carried by the wind, drifted to my feet.
I gazed at it for a moment, then picked it up.
'Oh, wait. This is…'
In that instant, my eyes widened.
"Lee Yuli's party status window…?"