Chapter 201 – Succession Ceremony (3)
BUYr“Huff, you were hard to find.”Z9ByX4
ALVSaki Hina complained as she brushed dried leaves from her clothes. At least this time, she was dressed more appropriately.QoK
fTUmmYes, this actually resembled the traditional Japanese attire I was familiar with. Not like that provocative costume she wore earlier.CJZYv
bhlJjDJI watched her with a weary gaze. Hina pretended not to notice my eyes on her, shaking out her clothes with exaggerated motions, as if trying to forcibly change the mood.LOT
1hYfS3She had shown up suddenly but clearly hadn’t thought through what to do next. Her eyes darted about like she was desperately searching for an idea.1e3Q
d2pyb4SI turned my head to the side. Ryozo was glaring at her with a look that could kill.3HK
ajXwo31“Oh, look at those eyes. Is that how you greet your sister? Not even a ‘hello’?”Cbvv6
pQdSeizing the moment, Saki Hina launched into a scolding. Though she stole furtive glances at me, she seemed determined to show who was in charge between sisters. But if she was going to do that, she could at least stop her lips from trembling.y5mlN
teXHBmStill, it was admirable that she didn’t back down. Most people wouldn’t dare face someone who had released that kind of bloodlust on them. But Hina wasn’t like most.aGcM
SEFM“Ha, ridiculous.”zM7GZt
9pf4Ryozo, who had remained silent, let out a dry laugh. She ran a hand through her hair, unintentionally messing it up.3PV8JRu
kHH0vd“You show up out of nowhere and call yourself my sister. So annoying.”hSGj
iK0EEMaybe realizing she’d hit a nerve, Hina gave a nasal laugh and covered her lips with her fan.B0p3Q7
bc0RAaE“Even if we have different mothers, we share the Saki name, don’t we? And in that family, who’s treated you more kindly than I have?”jLe6d0k
bouwbTFeeling she had control of the conversation, Hina grew bolder. She opened and closed her fan with smug satisfaction.O8qbGiM
DDHwJVZ“And I see you’re doing well. Even made some friends.”4Ex
aPjH5QbEvery word added another crease to Ryozo’s forehead.M7h
RPa“But I’m still surprised. You always said you preferred being alone. What made you change your mind?”UDeRCo
77K“…….”siXWF
ytp“It doesn’t seem like it was friendship. And you’re not the opportunistic type either.”4PI8Ym
5ojmosf“What are you implying?”QaT
Tu83P5CHina shrugged with a teasing smile and cast a sidelong glance at me.yLNL
Ju4mTA“Nothing at all. I’m just glad to see my little sister—well, half-sister—has grown up.”fAx
TeH2I simply observed in silence. Getting involved in other people’s family or emotional issues is never a good idea.0Yy
Bc8zvNW‘But what a strange relationship these two have.’Vszp
vrb3Perhaps noticing my discomfort, Hina abruptly fell silent. Then she turned her neck and looked at me.654Qsg
hZsm“Why don’t you go ahead? Am I interrupting your family reunion? Should I leave?”C8d
VHCDbI stepped forward. She, in sync, stepped back.D3u4
XTAD“N-no! It’s fine, you can stay, Mr. Kang Geom-Ma.”0gqQ
ndlgTHina forced a smile. Her cheeks trembled, as if she was barely holding her expression together.Szlb
dR1kK7a“I actually came to apologize for what happened earlier today. I wasn’t looking for Ryozo.”JejaOw
HVK“And how did you know I was here? Don’t tell me you followed me. I made myself pretty clear, didn’t I?”O1iL4o8
9GlRHina shrugged. She smiled awkwardly as she explained.OX4pWG
kVD“O-of course not. I got a tip from one of our staff that you were headed this way and rushed over.”gt50
Y9F“Hmm. And here I thought you weren’t that stupid.”a6P
Sqc6RFnHina gritted her teeth. Of all Kojima’s children, she was undoubtedly the most loyal.Os7pXu
aP7LNShe was willing to do anything to earn her father’s approval. And that included winning over Kang Geom-Ma.Rz98Ww
QiMwqBut now that she was face-to-face with him, her entire body trembled. Her fervent loyalty crumbled like a sandcastle in the tide.JJ8Uyb
XoV7The pressure from his bloodlust hung in the air like a dark tide. The sticky atmosphere clung to the skin.U1d
evTIn the quiet of night, Kang Geom-Ma’s presence provoked a primal fear.0xKAY
Y13ocwHe was beyond reckoning. Not even her father could control him. And she was supposed to win him over with conventional means? Ridiculous. No method would work on that monster.FOmd
zZdH99y“If you’re done, leave. Just seeing you is giving me a headache.”NSqx
gyjRyozo gestured as if to shoo her away. Hina covered her lips with her fan, hiding her grimace. But she couldn’t hide the red veins forming in her eyes.eNmfd3
RoW“Hoho, still such a brat. Even here at the academy, your words are as sharp as ever. No wonder your siblings avoid you.”suulg
qzL“What a joke. As if it wasn’t because they hate me. Honestly, I’d rather be alone than laugh with those idiots.”gOCFrLj
GKwQ“…….”VMZCFo5
9qQ“And Hina, why are you suddenly playing the big sister role? It’s obvious you’re just trying to look good in front of Kang Geom-Ma. Yes, I admit you were the only one who ever supported me a little. But in the end, you joined the rest, didn’t you?”c5f
EYrRnSaki Hina couldn’t answer. Because what Ryozo had just said wasn’t a lie. Just as she said, the rest of the siblings had always been too busy resenting Ryozo.ixq6Y9f
sxK0lIt was five years ago.GZaC
GMlFyThe youngest daughter of the fourth wife, from the lowest rung of the lineage, was suddenly declared heir by her father.JCOBn
XoKCEveryone was stunned. From that day on, they turned their backs on her.kGgzC7w
e3huEven Hina, who had maintained a relatively good relationship with Ryozo up until then. She felt guilty about it, but she suppressed that feeling.whB
vSqsEW4More than anything, Hina desperately wanted her father’s approval.PvDPiB7
QApSlpStill, unlike the other siblings, she never went too far with the bullying. That was her small bit of conscience.C0VA7WS
CfBLpmtThough in truth, she was simply less direct. In the end, she took part like everyone else.NH3I
xoDQRyozo was subjected to Kojima’s brutal method of education. A form of instruction that wore down body and mind—but she absorbed it like a sponge.kaQr2Xk
moQPAhtEven in isolation, Ryozo endured. Her father’s approval meant nothing to her.NQ5n
3oAOWhat mattered to her was that the more her father focused on her, the more respect her mother received within the family.MoAura
RA19Of course, the more that happened, the more intense the hatred in her siblings’ eyes became.S30paC
pdyBut back then, Ryozo saw those glares differently.6xVLzv
87ESpgShe saw them as the envy of the defeated. And it made her laugh.zv0LehO
NyZJjMqOne by one, her allies in the family vanished.UMoDJNd
47aeHRDThe maids who helped her, the neighborhood kids she played with… all disappeared like ghosts.Pa2vuF
mjfVbTUntil finally, there was only one person left beside her in the Kojima household.JAC8
q02OAnd then, her mother disappeared without a trace. At first, she thought she had gone on a trip.s04
vGzBut it didn’t take long to understand.RuU
lwImBJust like the others who’d been close to her, her mother had vanished like smoke.Hu3r
oHU2All orchestrated by Saki Kojima.M7N
6VSgRyozo ran to him that same day. And before she could even scream or demand an explanation, Kojima admitted it bluntly.Ho6nSjQ
j9LTEwr“Yes. It was me.”Pcr3
hc3“W-why!? I did everything you asked! What did my mom do wrong!? How could you just cast her out—someone you married for love!?”YsclhN
MTzMk“Ryozo.”oeEv
inHKojima sighed and closed the book he was reading. Then he walked toward her, hands clasped behind his back.HHc7lgv
BH3ao“The only person I’ve ever loved is no longer in this world. Your mother knows that, and she never expected love from me.”3FRye
l4mj4“B-but…”ps0
vE1zd3“I’ll make it simple. Your mother didn’t love me either. She married me for her own reasons. Understand?”11t
qdJhRyozo’s young face was soaked with tears and snot. Sobbing, she screamed.s6u
LjL5y“Even if you didn’t love each other, you didn’t have to make her leave! Was it my fault!? Did you think she’d distract me or something!?”VFWzqnK
Ksb“Your mother left you by her own choice. I simply honored that decision.”GjDPzT
9Oa“That… that doesn’t make sense…”MAFzB
3rCEKojima turned his back on her. With a shadow cloaking his figure, he murmured quietly.NUOe
zSKvDL“She said she wanted you to achieve what you desire most. She asked me to tell you that.”atfXp3N
La2a7EThat day, Ryozo lost her entire family.4KwPb
stH***KIJ
pGSKKESilence, heavy with sorrow, spread across the area. Maybe it was the night breeze chilling the air, but Saki Hina’s head felt unusually clear.EX1ot8q
JdGFor the first time, she didn’t feel resentment toward Ryozo.UtHrY
nHCLZPerhaps her blind loyalty had finally dissipated, letting a bit of fresh air into her mind. And if that was the case, she owed it to Kang Geom-Ma.nKk
i4IKCKEThat damn brat. The more recognition she received from others, the darker Ryozo’s expression became.z265A
CLCP‘Was Ryozo always capable of making that face?’gxp3
8PnHer eyes, which Hina hadn’t seen in months, now shone with life. No doubt, that too was thanks to Kang Geom-Ma.IMST
IfeqShe still had that insufferable look. And it’s not like they’d suddenly become loving sisters. But even so…p1K
b4W‘Tch.’xznr2
GCKUOU2Saki Hina turned around abruptly. In the end, her attempt to win over Kang Geom-Ma had failed miserably.4gNVA
ZRzShe had no reason to stay any longer. Besides, just making eye contact with Kang Geom-Ma made her knees shake.TRYul2f
9jfhqJust as she was about to hurry off, Hina spoke up.Tdi2e
DoKCS“Hey, Ryozo.”rEC
ZYNbER“What?”Xvm
JzbsPj“Such a rude way to speak to your sister… Whatever. I just wanted to say I might be able to find out where your mother is.”17tjo
UISA4Ryozo’s eyes widened in shock. Hina, looking uncomfortable, scratched her cheek.q7B6
OGNlGQ“Don’t get your hopes up. I’m leaving.”Roq
2MVVAnd with that, Hina’s silhouette disappeared over the hill. Ryozo clicked her tongue and muttered,pA3BmpT
vja“What was that supposed to mean?”2QS
0DOwkThe calm returned to the area. While I stood there silently, Ryozo suddenly spoke.WnVP4g
Y9Tgn76“Vixbig sent you, didn’t she? Because I’m going to become a Hero of the Seven Stars.”eQcg72
cbm9yYw[Ah!]nAm87
BL4f3twA startled voice came from my pocket. Ryozo, completely deflated like a balloon, brought her hand to her forehead.pskTcV
gwV“Seriously… An AI that worries too much and doesn’t know how to keep its mouth shut. I’m going to have to review its code.”vD4Ct
g2kBiL[…]a5DJBD
sKXotpqRyozo sank into the bench. Then she patted the seat beside her with her palm.TGq5FC
qGN59LM“Looks like this is going to take a while. Come on, sit and let’s talk.”CX7xnE8
GnWrTK“…That…”voM
I6Z“I’m not angry. Kang Geom-Ma, you didn’t do anything wrong. I’m not a child who lashes out at the wrong person. It’s just that…”sjcRJSf
72ZRyozo hesitated for a moment and took a breath. Then she lifted her eyes slightly and murmured softly.hqee
rPUfaFe“It just… hurt a little. I thought we were close, and yet I didn’t know anything about you.”mxzY
owYpB“……”HbJxz
jIx0yr“But you can tell me your story later.”fe0R0d
FpPRyozo looked up. The clouds that had covered the sky were beginning to clear, and the moonlight bathed the academy.2bCF8yD
rXNThen she looked down again and turned to me. Her blue eyes sparkled clearer than ever.fkf
l4MgT0“I’ll tell you how I grew up, Kang Geom-Ma. And when I finish my story… you can tell me yours.”r2NhF8
Wh5J***UGeyp
yqXAt the same hour, in room 313 of the academy’s annex hospital.Jk0T
gPNwgaChief Sung lay on the bed, deep in thought. He was close to being discharged, and afterward, he would be on extended leave before returning to the association.kQi
sy0IR“And now I have to come up with Kang Geom-Ma’s title…?”2434SE
bvv6Within the Hero Association, there was a special department in charge of assigning titles. The Swordmaster, Changseong, the Sage, and Kojima… all the Seven Stars’ titles had come from there.7Zv
LThafplSo why had this task fallen to him, someone still hospitalized? Because of a direct order from Changseong.UDotvrm
YzqOy“Weren’t you the one who personally witnessed Kang Geom-Ma’s actions? There’s no one more suitable than you to name him.”pO5n3
JKEChief Sung let out a faint sigh. In a hierarchical system like this, orders were followed. And when it came from the number two of the Hero Association, there was no room to argue.DUn9
beVmLo“Even so…”9GuS1
6DsLHKang Geom-Ma had saved his life. To be able to give someone like him a title—just the thought of it made his heart race.qVP
KgEr“It has to be a title just for him. Unique and irreplaceable.”F1poV
e9lRiChief Sung pondered deeply. The problem was that titles containing the character ‘검’ (sword) were already overused, Swordmaster, Sword Emperor, Sword King, Sword Phantom.vbKH2
07fP3hUSuddenly, Chief Sung turned his head toward the window. The clouds covering the sky looked like a dark veil, reminding him of Kang Geom-Ma.KDR5
bj3hd“…!”hx8
WR6uy4He quickly pulled out a notebook and wrote down two characters.PEma8A
IR3XjfvHis eyes, staring at what he’d written, were filled with resolve.uAqLl4U
IgsaChief Sung smiled, baring his teeth.B3DVPGy
ume“Yes, this is it.”OKCzoK
i1fWithout wasting time, he took a photo of the notebook and sent it to Changseong. The reply came in less than a minute.ONB
WR5GF[Approved. Go ahead.]yI8v
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Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaShe is really a bitch 😒
Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaGood one ryozo