Chapter 196 – Conflict (2)
VqnhNoon, Class Wolf.5kn
kuKx7Despite it being lunchtime, several students remained gathered inside the classroom.9PVRQu
D1uOD4They spoke in hushed tones, not even having eaten yet. And as always, the topic of conversation was Kang Geom-Ma.UO7J8X8
RHtbNHHowever, there wasn’t a single person left making snide remarks about him like before. On the contrary, every gaze turned toward the third row by the window was filled with respect.pZB
uJUSn52A student gently nudged the classmate beside her with her elbow. Her eyes remained fixed on the third row, by the window.Cpk4
dDR“Hey, did you hear the rumor? They say they’re going to appoint a new member of the Seven Stars.”p3PE3C
EUXO5mG“I’ve seen a few articles and videos about it. Makes sense, since the Swordmaster retired… They need to fill that spot.”Zd8Cb
gygEt6“Exactly. But I heard something recently…”tzegl0
2nEbclThe student leaned in and whispered into the boy’s ear. His face shifted from indifference to surprise, and then he looked at her with wide eyes.0tdTg
CDAIWmb“…Seriously?”LmWn
72nH6I8“Maybe. You know my dad’s a deputy director at a news agency. If anything, he has good intel.”yx5nR
20AShe shrugged. The boy swallowed hard and murmured with his mouth slightly open.TydB
KGdwZo5“If you hadn’t said it, I’d have thought it was total nonsense…”SjdF
jqqxjTuHe, too, glanced toward the third row. There, as always, Kang Geom-Ma sat leaning on his arm, gazing absentmindedly out the window. His calm, detached expression didn’t seem like that of someone his age.KlI1Cj
W19The boy murmured without taking his eyes off him.sBNP3
C6Z“It’s a weird feeling…”CFBn8Zi
E6JfdAN“Huh? What is?”AWb
FXqIN“Whether what you said is true or not doesn’t really matter. What matters is that people are talking about him at a national level. It would’ve bothered me before… but now, I don’t know, it makes me happy. Something like that.”yxeO6
Dq9ppjOThe girl nodded, understanding his feelings.i2cFx6r
V9nV“I totally get it too! Just nine months ago, we were all prejudiced against him just for being a special admission student. Not just you and me—everyone in class.”cO80rm
0wfspn“And looking at him now, it’s ridiculous. Judging someone just based on status—how childish.”3RP
1MxtZ“Exactly. I’ve been thinking that too. We were fools. If you really think about it, even we in Class Wolf were looked down on by others.”Pi7
SEv“……”z1x
bWWThe boy, Joto Mate, closed his eyes for a moment in reflection. If what he just heard was true, there wouldn’t be much time left to share class with Kang Geom-Ma.NCdZcH6
9gDiThat made him a little sad, but also relieved. Because Kang Geom-Ma, once scorned for his origins, was finally being publicly recognized.k0a71g
bE6They had never spoken a single word to each other, but just knowing that Kang Geom-Ma was reaching new heights filled him with pride.kvNX
vv5htsSeeing his gentle smile, the girl smiled as well. And with that, a new member had joined the ranks of the “Sashimi Club.”yb1zUQ
BlY12‘Plan successful.’UvQV
TIERS7fJust then, the girl’s phone vibrated with a new notification. Being from a journalist family, she received breaking news instantly. She pulled out her phone and read the headline.nJDuF
pt4N『Japanese Prime Minister Saki Kojima arrives in Korea.』8Wonm
wAInLT***PFDG
gscRmAt the same time, in the VIP parking lot of Incheon Airport.ikNz6an
ToKImQAs he stepped into the black limousine, Kojima shot a look of disgust at Saki Hina, who stood close by assisting him. His slight frown clearly showed his irritation.RWmeH
LlPQ“This visit was supposed to be confidential. How do you explain the presence of the press, Hina?”5MF
3PbeHis tone was completely flat, but it was more than enough to intimidate anyone. The smile he had shown in front of the press minutes ago was a complete political facade. His duality was truly unsettling.0x7N0YB
IdTZc“My apologies, Prime Minister. I informed the secretariat office as required, but—”ftb
0iYan“Enough.”WNzp
z3hKojima cut her off sharply. He rubbed his forehead hard and sighed.KGoVn
0nSEK“How long will you keep making excuses?”DQIHhX
Ia7XWE“…I’m sorry. It was all my fault.”6dusiN2
Jsy“Just don’t give me any more reasons to be disappointed. I’m tired of it.”vjLM4b
LDE6m1m“Yes, sir…”GrbOa
h5LFgj2Without even glancing at her, Kojima spoke to the secretary sitting in the front seat.jxi
NbL“We’ll head straight to Joaquin Academy. Best to deal with things one by one. And try contacting the third daughter again. If she doesn’t respond, drop it.”jEhkyEa
3PspQO“Understood.”MX22
2jrHAfter giving the order, he reclined with his arms crossed, gazing out at the cityscape through the window. Not once did he look again at Hina, sitting right beside him.Inw76M
osLHina pressed her lips together, her face twisting for a moment, before she returned to a blank expression.OThi
m5HX‘Ryozo, just wait a little longer. You stole all the attention and love we never got… I’ll return it all to you.’4M7l
ZRelThe limousine sped down the highway, wrapped in ominous silence. Fifteen motorcycles formed a tight escort behind the vehicle, providing strict security.rvB
Jg5y4***XAh8Gs4
R4rvw“….!”Akpjs
e7gXSuddenly, a chill ran down Ryozo’s entire body, prompting her to quickly glance around. As usual, she was in the academy’s backyard, chatting with her clubmates.xEvwM0
KWP‘What was that?’pPZZazD
bg8dqA tingling sensation crawled up her neck. Although it was late autumn, the weather was milder than usual, so it wasn’t exactly a cold day. Then why did she feel that shiver?SnHbUs
LyryRaAs Ryozo scanned her surroundings, Kang Geom-Ma looked at her with curiosity and asked,msNJ
vCQjj“What’s wrong? Is someone coming?”Ih5G
inbw87Q“…No, it’s nothing. I just felt the air get colder all of a sudden. It’s not important, don’t overthink it.”AKC
kmARyozo crossed her arms, tucking her hands under her armpits. The scarf around her neck fluttered in the autumn breeze.RNDAKva
6haXlCKang Geom-Ma stared at her. Although the day felt fresh to him, he could understand why Ryozo found it cold. After all, Korea was colder than Japan.HBgl5m
fKbAfter a moment’s thought, he held out his coat to her.9h9
XeCjHJA“Here.”XdNS6JN
h7L1lL“……?”TSWJ
EyQcf“I’m more affected by heat than cold. And I was getting warm anyway, so you wear it.”Z7WUN
IqY4d5Kang Geom-Ma offered the coat again. Ryozo accepted it, a little taken aback. Her cheeks immediately flushed a soft red.2Lc
xd8bxShe gently held the still-warm coat in both hands. The familiar scent tickled her nose.IMmC
3crPgAchoo!0npN
l2jJJust then, Speedweapon sneezed. For someone from Hawaii, the Korean autumn felt like a polar vortex. He shivered as he hugged himself, until his eyes landed on the coat Ryozo now wore.fBG
XOf“Hey, Saki, are you not gonna wear that? If not, I’ll take it.”bPNm
06FDRWithout waiting for a reply, he reached out. But Ryozo moved first and twisted his arm instantly.MWDm8
nbYCrack.ij0ayY
QYCSpeedweapon stared at her in disbelief—his arm had just twisted clockwise. The pain followed a second later.Qk15J
qsB“Aaagh! Saki! You could’ve said something first! Who just twists an arm out of nowhere?!”j2t67
b2Z4“I don’t think someone trying to snatch something can talk about manners.”SF3Qh
GDHSpeedweapon glared at her as he rolled on the ground. He wasn’t even cold anymore—heat was surging through him. Not that it was any comfort.wwc0PF5
Vvg6‘Damn it… did I just break my arm?’GT7f
4N8ADhHis arm hung limp. He was considering a trip to the infirmary when Ha-na approached.V9RwAEI
yhjkJWo“Hmm, if you miss the critical window, you might need a hospital for that fracture. Want me to do an emergency fix?”i5b1d
X8QAdjusting her glasses, San Ha-na spoke calmly. Her lenses reflected the light, hiding her expression, but the faint smile on her lips made it clear—she wasn’t doing this out of concern.uXjL
nxZAW‘Wait, there’s a “critical window” for fractures? I thought that was just for cardiac arrest…’YlDSPN
yQ1He hesitated. And in that moment, Ha-na grabbed his injured arm and twisted it the other way.iOf
IoACMaH“It’ll sting just a little~”JZ37JYx
xWNCrack!BkOS6
sImKd“…Huh?”sG3nd
ACPSpeedweapon stared at his arm like it didn’t belong to him. It was back in place.PzUhL2d
S4XiA0Meanwhile, Ha-na applied a healing blessing. It felt like a balm for broken bones—sort of like a painkiller, but with three times the sting when applied.pqMzGZ
44JwCold sweat ran down his forehead, and his jaw trembled. His vision blurred until he saw double. Soon, the intense pain made him forget the cold completely.Dkiq
utR“Ah.”Yw3XwIK
yuMtHis foggy brain issued a single command writhe. So Speedweapon let out another scream and rolled around in the fallen leaves. Watching the scene, Kang Geom-Ma muttered to himself,U0u
e9z8TTk‘This is a mess.’HXsv
7odvFrom the coat to Speedweapon’s screams, the whole situation was so absurd he couldn’t help but let out a dry chuckle.dwmvmS3
547SEven so, they’d managed to get along like this for over half a year. They might bicker every time they met, but when it mattered, they trusted each other.p1zZ5
nXOAnd Speedweapon would take it all in stride—even a broken arm. Sometimes it seemed like he was the club’s punching bag, but…u4Uj
MsRE‘Well, he is a healer. He can heal himself.’0ajYv7
gabKla4Kang Geom-Ma let out a soft laugh. He wanted to keep this dynamic for a long time.Uah
SkVQAs sunset fell over the academy, his pocket vibrated. It was a message from Media. But this time, there were no usual antics—just a simple link.CEctzn
HTh5K“…Reception room, 5th floor of the main building?”4hD
RbbCFIThe director usually wrote paragraphs every time she messaged. Was this that urgent? He was a little suspicious, but didn’t hesitate.jeplKQD
9BzPThe day of the succession ceremony was approaching. Although most of the arrangements were being handled by the Sword Master and Media, some things required his presence. After all, he was the main figure in all of this.CStB
rk7k‘I guess I should go.’il1aQ
pDgZjKang Geom-Ma stood and brushed dust off his pants.C9kjgV
0U86ORyozo was the first to notice. She was already wearing the coat he’d lent her.nsf
s8nV“Heading out?”kmg8
YKC5n“Yeah. Looks like the director needs to speak with me. I’ll be back at the dorm later. Don’t wait up.”CiY81
4IurQy“Ah… okay.”bmfR
7HSBRyozo looked away. She’d been planning to subtly invite him to dinner…9oSo
fHcAWVnBut the disappointment didn’t last. She shook her head.Icl
0n4U‘It’s fine. It’s not the last chance. I’ll find another.’YDoe
6bwecz6She thought about making kimchi stew. She’d go to his dorm with the excuse of returning the freshly washed coat.xqFzA
RPhv“Alright then. Go ahead. I’ll return this clean.”Xi3cUUA
LBBA0g“I washed it yesterday, no need.”eXYxI
NYm“No.”rcnrJ
NFskbzRyozo’s eyes widened, firm.Q0W441
4FVU2“Kang Geom-Ma, even if it doesn’t bother you, it would bother me. Go on, talk to the director.”oyYRjs3
m7uIShe waved him off. The coat was so big that its sleeves covered her hands.KEhSE0
r2uUK“Thanks. Tell the others I stepped out.”K5w
808FwEKang Geom-Ma’s silhouette disappeared. Then Speedweapon, still lying on the ground, looked confused.NfrO5n
ihgetjw“Huh? Where’s the prez? When did he leave?”qgPlgD
bAnsRyozo answered.rBkX
ykvsqq“The director had something urgent to talk to him about. He left me the message before heading out.”Bwdo15T
lj0“The director… urgent…? Right now?”Zn2H
5t6eiSpeedweapon rubbed his arm and muttered. Ryozo frowned.mEiZMt0
bKi“What’s wrong? Got something to hide?”p41me3
nO9mrR“Yeah, but I’m not sure if I should say it.”6rpQ
Or0as0B“What is it?”aiv
Sn3jxl“If I’m right, it probably has to do with the Seven Stars succession ceremony.”jDYibp
wjJGAt the mention of “Seven Stars,” Ryozo’s brow furrowed.C2pLgfz
CXYVG“And what does that have to do with Kang Geom-Ma?”8q5Y
OYnRe“Well…”ByNUO69
Z52Speedweapon hesitated. He debated internally whether to spill or stay quiet.kuoDs
5Rx‘Should I say it… or not?’RLb6mO
KBt9Kang Geom-Ma hadn’t told him to keep it secret, but he preferred being discreet. He liked explaining things, not showing off.FFza9
b3wUrStill, everyone in the club was trustworthy, and in a few days, the whole world would know anyway. So, finally, Speedweapon whispered,wELdKW
YrRs3“If I’m right, next week, our president will be named the new Hero of the Seven Stars, succeeding the Sword Master.”vb7v
4oJYNcM***gprw8
5EGI followed the link Media had sent and calmly walked down the fifth-floor corridor of the main building. Though I’d been in this building many times, I was struck by how big the academy was. This corner felt especially unfamiliar.2krMYrm
350yuwV“Such a classic atmosphere.”o2g
0UjBThe walls were covered with countless portraits. Beneath each frame was a plaque with names—likely graduates of the academy, all depicted wielding weapons.rjCFH3Y
mPc8LAs I looked around, one portrait caught my eye. I instinctively stopped and stared at the figure in the frame.ITNNdr
xnGzjoY“That guy…”jMpmwaz
BEtl9The face was slightly blurred, as if it had been softened with an effect. But the black hair was unmistakable. There was only one historical figure with that feature.EM0
pQjhT“Wow… Seeing it like this, he really does look like the founding hero. Almost like he came back to life.”BKm4b
ROtI4uJA voice pulled me from my thoughts. I quickly turned to its source.mkpZXAd
sYJA refined woman was leaning against the wall. Her outfit, similar to a kimono, differed from tradition—it was provocative rather than modest.sHF3
NnFWith a fan covering her lips, the woman approached with slow steps.Uv6
cr4nTuuTap. Tap. Tap.JO8D
ZDPJpCwThe sound of her wooden sandals echoed through the hallway. Every movement of hers was deliberate and seductive.wusAZ
dlls“Who are you?”XQn
Y5JZTI frowned, but despite my cold tone, she answered with a smile.BM6vH
YpJUnF“Just a simple admirer of the Saint of Sashimi.”gwvosSb
9AH“……”kzScTn
HJAwx“Or maybe someone who might become part of your family?”EXST1m6
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Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaOur rizz lord is so smooth.
Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaPraise to our rizz lord
Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaYess I agree with him
Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaHuh who is this bold and straightforward girl.
nothingjkps
MortalOhh is she gonna try stealing mc from ryojo or something?