〈 131화 〉 130화 – Let’s Communicate Clearly When Assigning Tasks
*
With quite a number of students around, it was inevitable to hold preliminary rounds before the main tournament.
The participants of the preliminary rounds received a notification on their phones a day before and gathered at the sparring ground by the designated time to compete under the supervision of the professor.
Both Jeong Ahyeon and I were also among the candidates, waiting our turn at the sparring ground.
However, this was only for the targeted participants; anyone not involved had the freedom to do as they pleased—whether that be watching the sparring, attending their sponsoring guild, or running personal errands.
Compared to our first year, it felt like we were in a completely different academy, as the atmosphere was much more relaxed.
Thus, both the students competing in the preliminary rounds and those enjoying their freedom were satisfied, except for one team.
That was Hyeji and Elcia’s team, [We’ll Truly Kill You].
“This is unfair! Why are we disqualified?”
“If there are no valid reasons, I will send you straight to the makeover.”
Hyeji and Elcia were protesting with expressions full of grievances towards the supervising professor, having received sudden disqualification notice before even starting the preliminary rounds.
“U-Um, as you all know, at the registration office, you had to write down the names of the teams to be disqualified on a small piece of paper at the end.”
“We didn’t do that, we just came here!”
“Exactly!”
“That was a vote to disqualify teams for this tournament.”
That was the professor’s explanation.
A vote was conducted where participants wrote down the names of teams they wanted to disqualify on a small paper handed out at the registration desk.
This was done because an overwhelmingly powerful team’s performance could make the tournament boring.
Thus, the [We’ll Truly Kill You] team was disqualified due to the overwhelming number of votes against them.
Of course, Hyeji and Elcia were not easily convinced.
“Just give us a bit of time, and we’ll provide a sufficient reward.”
“10.”
As soon as Hyeji said the number, the professor quickly wore a forced smile, eager to speak as fast as possible.
“10 minutes? That’s enough time for a reasonable reward.”
“9.”
“St-Stop it!”
Hyeji’s merciless countdown began.
The professor, looking pale, started spouting nonsense before finally making a bold proposal.
“I’ll give you perfect scores on the final exam! And a separate bonus!”
“5…4…”
“How much are you offering?”
“How about this amount!”
While Hyeji monotonously counted down to the end, Elcia sneakily glanced at the amount the professor was hastily showing.
And then.
“I’m going double or nothing!”
“Yes! Yes! Understood! Thank you!”
“Hey! F*cking Pansy!”
Elcia agreed to the negotiation.
The professor looked like he’d been given a second chance, with tears welling up in his eyes as he repeatedly thanked Elcia and immediately contacted someone.
Meanwhile, as Hyeji directed her knife-edge gaze towards Elcia, Elcia pulled Hyeji aside to whisper.
I couldn’t hear their conversation at all.
“There will be many chances. Let’s aim for the next one.”
“When’s the next opportunity?!”
“Scared?”
“You f*cking bitch?”
Hyeji returned with a sulky expression and said to the professor.
“Give me four times the amount you agreed to with the Pansy.”
“Th-That’s too much! How about double?”
“Four times.”
“I’ll give you double and ensure no exams until the second semester! How about that?”
“Four times.”
Hyeji’s words were firm.
However, the professor insisted he couldn’t bend this time.
“This is absolutely impossible! Instead, I will give you two sets of the Healing Gift Set!”
“Four times.”
“Impossible! You might as well kill me!”
“Really?”
At that, Hyeji’s expression turned blank.
“3…”
Grr… “I have no choice! I’ll endure at three times!”
“2…”
“Ah! Ah! Alright! I’ll do four times! Four times!”
Hyeji’s countdown ultimately led to a dramatic compromise.
Moreover, Hyeji managed to snag four additional Healing Gift Sets.
[Hyeji should be realizing now that what she was doing was akin to blooming flowers in a wasteland…]
‘Even if dreams can’t be achieved, they must still be held onto.’
Thus, it becomes all the more beautiful.
Once all negotiations concluded, Hyeji and Elcia walked over to us.
Hyeji, holding the Healing Gift Sets, didn’t look too pleased, while Elcia was grinning ear to ear, perhaps due to her windfall.
Hyeji plopped down beside me and started venting.
“I’m so f*cking pissed. I want to tear everything apart.”
“……Hyeji, this is really a dangerous time. It’s a violation of election law.”
[Even the upload date feels sketchy…]
‘F*ck, seriously.’
Elcia sat on my left and casually mentioned something very dangerous.
“I’ll take care of it!”
“You crazy btch! Shut the fck up!”
I quickly covered Elcia’s mouth.
Hyeji sighed softly, stuffing a few Healing Gift Sets into her mouth and mumbling.
Watching her, I had a question.
“But hey, Hyeji, does the Healing Gift Set really work?”
“Come on, this isn’t a novel. There’s no way that exists! It’s all a joke.”
“Hyeji unni! I want to try one too!”
“Go ahead.”
No sooner had Hyeji given her permission than Elcia pulled out one of the Healing Gift Sets Hyeji had brought and popped it into her mouth.
“Mmm~! This tastes like strawberry!”
“Right? No effect, but it does taste good.”
“Totally!…….Oh?”
Elcia, savoring the taste of the Healing Gift Set, suddenly froze.
Soon, she grimaced slightly, letting out small whimpers of pain.
“Ugh……”
“Pansy, what’s wrong?”
“Elcia, are you alright?”
“Elcia, what’s wrong?!”
“Uh….It hurts!!”
Elcia clutched her chest, complaining of pain.
In the midst of our chaos at Elcia’s sudden reaction…
Bang!!!
The front of Elcia’s blouse ripped apart with a thunderous sound.
Only then did she stop making pained noises, as if freed from her pain, and regained her calm expression, covering her exposed chest while saying in awe.
“Oh! My chest really got bigger!”
[I can’t believe it actually works…]
‘I honestly didn’t believe it.’
At that moment, Hyeji plopped down onto the ground beside me.
Her eyes were wider than ever, fixated on Elcia’s chest, and she didn’t move an inch, as if petrified.
Hyeji looked like she was on the verge of collapsing under the unbearable reality.
Regardless, Elcia approached Hyeji and started some not-so-subtle bragging.
“Hyeji unni! This really works! Thank you!”
“I…I got it?!……..”
At those words, Hyeji’s aura vanished.
*
After that, Hyeji, regaining her aura, gnawed on the Healing Gift Sets as if possessed, devouring them voraciously.
Yet, Hyeji’s chest didn’t budge.
It remained as placid as ever.
Though her chest stayed still, the turmoil in Hyeji’s heart only amplified.
Banging on her solid chest like concrete, Hyeji unleashed her rage without restraint.
“F*ck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
This time, even Elcia, valuing her life, hurriedly fled the sparring ground, claiming she was fixing her blouse.
Hyeji, unable to let go of her regret, was forcefully tearing apart the packaging of another Healing Gift Set.
At that moment, the number over Hyeji’s head rose by one, and her previously busy hands suddenly came to a halt.
It was an expected future, so I silently watched.
That hapless Hyeji suddenly burst into tears of blood and let out an indescribable wail, slowly departing from the sparring ground.
We could only watch her retreating figure in a heavy silence.
[Is there truly no way for Hyeji’s chest to grow?]
‘Reviving the dead would be easier.’
Once Hyeji completely disappeared from sight, Jeong Ahyeon let out a sigh of relief and spoke to me.
“Either way, I’m really glad we didn’t have to fight with those girls.”
“If we did, we would’ve definitely lost.”
Elcia’s useful abilities had become even more troublesome.
Hyeji was crazy from the start.
I couldn’t see any chance of winning.
Just then, the professor in the distance called my and Jeong Ahyeon’s names.
“It’s finally time to show the skills you’ve honed.”
“Yeah, let’s do our best.”
We stood up and fist-bumped each other as a gesture of encouragement.
When we arrived at the sparring ground, our opponents were none other than two martial artists.
As soon as they spotted Jeong Ahyeon, both burst into mocking laughter.
“Hmph! A martial artist getting attached to that loser! No pride at all!”
“You’re a disgrace to martial artists!”
“……”
Jeong Ahyeon made no response and remained still.
After all, among the four of us gathered, three didn’t seem to be preparing much as martial artists.
I picked up an appropriate weapon, and as soon as I took my place, the professor began operating the sparring ground system while announcing the team names.
“We will now begin the preliminary round of the tournament.”
Pointing to the two martial artists, he announced their team name.
However, perhaps he couldn’t quite remember the name, he was mumbling it while burying his face in a piece of paper.
“Left side! [Strong Dominates Waste] team!”
As soon as the team name was called, the martial artists laughed confidently at us.
And it was then, when the professor pointed at us to announce our team name.
“Right side!”
“Hmph. It’s time to show off my clerical festival.”
Giseungwi> team!”
“……What?”
Jeong Ahyeon suddenly stopped moving.
Her previously confident face cracked.
She slowly turned her head towards me, like a broken doll being forced into position.
Those were supposed to be green eyes, but right now, they somehow appeared as deep and dark as the abyss.
With a bright smile, I waved at her.
[Cheonma Giseungwi (Heavenly Demon Riding Team)]
That was our team name.
I hadn’t done anything wrong.
After all, the term Cheonma was included in the team name.
They should’ve told me accurately if they had any complaints.
[Can you kindly hold your breath and just die?]
That was my sincere request to the piece.
