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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Duel (2)
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Blink, blink—
Opening her eyes, she saw the familiar ceiling.
Turning her head towards the window, the view outside was dark.
"Hmm… Is it dawn? Looks like I dozed off yesterday."
Shin Se-hee blinked her eyes, then slowly sat up in bed.
Her entire body was drenched in cold sweat, making her feel uncomfortable.
"...That was a truly unpleasant dream."
She furrowed her brow and pressed her throbbing forehead.
"Drinking alcohol I usually don't touch. Honestly, what a ridiculous dream…"
As she replayed the dream's contents, a feeling of emptiness washed over her.
A dream where she was begging and pleading to be included in Jin Yu-ha's party.
It was supposed to be *him* clinging and desperate, but instead, she had made a complete fool of herself.
Even in the dream, her dream-self was subservient from beginning to end, as if she would cling to his ankle and beg.
At this point, it was beyond unpleasant; it felt almost novel.
No matter how appealing his party seemed, there was no way she would ever act like that.
"Haa, but to think he wouldn't offer me a party invitation…"
Indeed, this incident had left a significant wound on her lofty pride.
Originally, she had envisioned Jin Yu-ha, having confirmed her competence through the Kang Do-hee matter, offering her a party invitation, and she would reluctantly accept it.
Even attaching various conditions in exchange for joining the party.
But to be completely ignored?
It was a first for her.
She was someone who chose others, not someone who waited to be chosen.
"No, this is a power struggle."
Shin Se-hee shook her head, letting out a small laugh.
That must be it.
There's no way anyone else could be as helpful and necessary to his future as she was.
Jin Yu-ha was a man who had been wary from the start. That's why he was careful not to let her easily join his party this time either.
"But this time, his method was poor, Mr. Jin Yu-ha. As he dared to challenge me to a power struggle, be prepared, for I will make him pay dearly. It won't be easy, even if he prostrates himself and begs me to join."
Then, Shin Se-hee suddenly cleared her throat.
"By the way, I'm a bit thirsty."
She pressed the red button next to her bed.
Beep—
And after a short wait.
Knock, knock, knock—
A knock sounded from outside the door.
"Come in."
Creak—
Secretary Kim opened the door and entered with a worried expression.
Thoughtfully, on the tray he carried, there was honey water with ice cubes floating in it.
"Lady Shin Se-hee. Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, apart from a slight headache."
"Here's the honey water."
"Thank you."
Gulp—
She took the honey water and took a sip.
As the cool refreshment and sweetness flowed down her throat, her muddled head felt a little clearer.
"First, we've secured the culprit who stole the necklace. It was indeed him."
"I see. Handle him thoroughly."
"Yes."
Based on Jin Yu-ha's information, they had caught the thief who stole the necklace.
Now, that thief would see hell while still alive.
Because he dared to covet what was hers and tried to tarnish her name.
"By the way, Secretary Kim. How long was I asleep?"
"You seem to have slept for approximately six hours."
Secretary Kim replied, looking at the watch on his wrist.
"...Hmm, then I should start getting ready to go out. I already got demerits, so I can't be late for morning training."
"Morning training? What do you mean?"
"Huh? If I drank and slept for about six hours, isn't it dawn right now?"
"It's evening right now, though…?"
"?"
Shin Se-hee took another gulp of honey water, then tilted her head.
"Oh, and I conveyed your message well to Mr. Jin Yu-ha."
"Jin Yu-ha caught the necklace culprit? I was going to tell him about that separately."
"No. I'm referring to how he took care of Lady Shin Se-hee today?"
"...What?"
The conversation was strangely off-kilter.
Shin Se-hee was bewildered, unable to fully grasp what Secretary Kim was saying.
She had clearly fallen asleep after drinking yesterday, so what did he mean by it being evening instead of dawn, and what did he mean by Jin Yu-ha taking care of her?
"Wait a minute. What are you talking about?"
"Earlier, I received a call from Lady Shin Se-hee's phone. It said that Lady Shin Se-hee was drunk and to come pick her up."
"I, today, met Jin Yu-ha?"
"Yes, didn't you ask me to find out where he was earlier today?"
Suddenly, Shin Se-hee's pupils trembled as if an earthquake had struck.
'No, surely not…'
Frustratingly, her mind was brilliant.
Given a few clues, her brain began to piece together the puzzle on its own.
"S-Secretary Kim. D-Did I perhaps go to a gukbap restaurant today…? Oh, please tell me no. P-Please."
Shin Se-hee asked desperately, as if grasping at a straw.
Her voice couldn't help but tremble.
"Yes. That's correct. You said you would go find Jin Yu-ha since he went there to eat, and I even saw you off."
Thump.
Her heart sank.
'So, it's not dawn but night now… and all of that wasn't a dream but something that happened during the day…?'
The memories from her dream resurfaced vividly.
Herself, pleading and clinging to him.
But Jin Yu-ha, as if she was of no importance, proposing a party to some strange woman.
'All of that was real?'
And what did she say again…?
—Again, again! You only let others in, why not me! Me!
Shin Se-hee's face instantly flushed crimson.
'Ah.'
"Kyaaaaah!! Insane!!!!!"
Shin Se-hee clutched her head and shrieked.
Smash—
The cup, falling to the floor, shattered with a sharp sound.
* * *
The second weekend.
The day of the group duels dawned.
We gathered at the training ground first.
What's wrong with Shin Se-hee again?
She was standing with her face completely turned away, as if her neck was broken.
"I will now explain about today's group duels."
Baek Seol-hee spoke with her usual blunt expression.
"The group duels will proceed in a tournament format. A total of 32 teams will conduct their duels in their assigned training grounds. Today, we will have the Round of 32, Round of 16, and Quarter-finals. A total of three matches."
The group duels were in a tournament format.
That's a relief then.
'If we just keep winning, we'll eventually get to face Gukbap's group.'
I nodded.
"The semi-finals and onwards will be held next week. On the last day of basic training, they will be public duels in the main training arena."
"So today, if we're doing it in our assigned training ground…"
"It means either the opposing team comes here, or we have to go to them."
"So, do we have a schedule for moving around as well?"
"No, there isn't. All opposing teams will come to us."
Baek Seol-hee shook her head, a subtly proud expression on her face.
Having observed her for nearly two weeks, I could now somewhat read her emotions even from her expressionless face.
The night before.
Baek Seol-hee had a meeting with the instructors assigned to basic training this time.
—S-Senior. Still, if you could just save my face this once…
—Are you telling me to lead the cadets and come to *your* training ground?
—Th-That is…
—Very well. Then let's settle it with swords. If you fight and defeat me, I will personally go there.
—Uh, ah, no! W-We'll go, we'll go!!! P-Please put your sword away!!!
In group duels, who visited and who was visited ultimately came down to a seniority battle.
Those with lower ranks among the instructors had to move around for all three matches, while those with higher ranks simply received challengers at their spot.
As Baek Seol-hee was ranked directly below the Chairman, it was a given that the opposing teams would have to come to her.
Ultimately, the cadets under her charge had to bear the brunt of this unfairness. But then again, if one had complaints, couldn't they just climb higher in rank?
I fell into thought, gazing at Baek Seol-hee's proud expression.
'Hmm, so we might meet Gukbap's group first?'
32 teams. So, the probability of meeting one of the 31 teams excluding ours.
That is, 1 out of 31.
'3.2%? That's ridiculously generous, isn't it?'
The probability of pulling a 5-star pickup character in Velvet Sora is 0.4%.
That's 8 times higher probability in comparison!
If it's me, who pulled Alice with a single coin on the first gacha, isn't it entirely possible?
'If I could just meet Lee Yu-ri's team today, show them my skills, and finalize the party recruitment offer. That would be perfectly clean!?'
I ran that happy circuit in my mind, but.
There were no surprises.
'Who are these guys?'
I frowned at the failed gacha and looked at our opponents.
Children with strangely dispirited faces. The instructor was no exception.
A little distance away, Baek Seol-hee and the opposing female instructor were talking to each other.
Detect.
"...Haa. Senior. A War Hound and a Heavenly Flower. Isn't this too unbalanced?"
"Add 'nim'. You fool."
"...Senior-nim."
"Isn't that why I had them wear magic restraints?"
"Even so, it wouldn't matter!"
"I'm sorry to say, but those magic restraints are no ordinary magical artifacts. The Chairman personally crafted them."
"...The, the Magic Emperor!?"
Baek Seol-hee nodded.
"Go ahead and check."
When she gestured with her chin, the opposing instructor approached us, her face still etched with doubt.
She walked past me and headed towards Kang Do-hee.
"...Cadet Kang Do-hee. I apologize, but may I examine those restraints for a moment?"
"Yeah, sure."
Kang Do-hee casually unfastened the bracelet from her wrist and handed it to her.
Then, the instructor, who had put the bracelet on her own arm, spoke with an astonished expression.
"...Gasp! Th-This is insane! It does *this* much!?"
"Yes, only then can it be a fair competition."
"Haha… Huh? Now that I think about it, this might actually be doable…?"
She tilted her head, then.
A sly grin spread across her lips.
"Senior. If we win today, no hard feelings, alright?"
"Add 'nim'. You fool."
The opposing instructor requested a brief timeout and then gathered her party members.
And a short while later.
"Then, let the duel begin."