Chapter 149: Friendly Martial Arts Competition (2)
Flinch-
The Qi flowing within me suddenly twitched as if it had just experienced a spasm.
‘But why?’
While it was unavoidable to draw lots, the way the matchups were arranged could easily have been influenced.
That only made things even more puzzling.
Why on earth would they put Tang Soyeol and Jang Seonyeon against each other?
‘Is it really all a coincidence?’
Deep down, I knew that it wasn’t, but a sliver of hope lingered.
“My opponent… must be that person, huh?”
I shifted my gaze to Tang Soyeol, trying to gauge her expression.
She seemed unfazed by it all.
Of course, I was the only one who knew the truth about him.
“Is he strong? He looks pretty weak at first glance.”
He was strong.
I could feel it when we shook hands.
“He’s probably strong. After all, he is the son of the Alliance Leader.”
That was all I could offer her for now.
The cold winter air seemed to seep into my mood.
“That’s true.”
Tang Soyeol smiled at my words.
Judging by her expression, it wasn’t so much that she wasn’t worried…
She seemed to be getting fired up instead.
‘Looks like she’s not letting her guard down.’
Her caution was understandable since she didn’t know what to expect from her opponent.
It was nerve-wracking not being able to fully gauge his strength, which indicated he could be a formidable rival.
Yet, Tang Soyeol’s eyes remained calm.
Before being a young girl, she was also a martial artist representing her clan.
In that sense, she was far better than other talented fools out there.
‘She’s also one of the few who hasn’t lost sight of her convictions.’
In my memories, the Poison Queen was a perfect example of that.
She had faced hundreds of demonic creatures alone, sacrificing herself for her kin and countless others to escape.
Because of that, Tang Soyeol was among the rare few I considered a hero.
‘I just don’t get it.’
I really couldn’t understand it.
Why did she make such decisions?
And why did she say those words in her final moments?
Why?
‘She doesn’t blame me, does she?’
That was a question that nagged at me concerning her.
As I continued to watch Tang Soyeol, she turned her head my way.
“Since we’re in different groups, it’ll probably take a while before we meet.”
“Most likely.”
After a brief moment of eye contact, Tang Soyeol spoke softly.
“Young Master Gu.”
“Yes.”
When I replied, Tang Soyeol shyly smiled as she continued,
“If we happen to meet on the martial arts stage, would you do me a favor?”
I was momentarily taken aback by her sudden request.
That came out of nowhere, right?
“So suddenly…?”
“A bit cheeky, isn’t it? Asking you for a favor before even knowing if I’ll win.”
“What’s the favor?”
“It’s not much, but…”
She cleared her throat as if to muster courage, avoiding my gaze.
“I was hoping that you… would speak to me casually.”
Hmm?
“Casually?”
When I asked for clarification, Tang Soyeol started to panic and gestured wildly.
“No… It’s just that Young Master Gu… speaks casually with Sister Bi-ah.”
It almost sounded like she was trying to justify herself.
“And I’ve spent quite a bit of time with you too…”
Sure, it had only been a few months.
If you count how little time we’ve properly interacted, it’s even less.
“Lady Tang.”
“Y-Yes?”
“You do realize I’m younger than you, right…?”
“…”
She looked slightly hurt by that remark.
Oh, did I go too far?
“…Still, you speak casually with Sister Bi-ah.”
Well…
‘How do I explain this?’
Actually, I didn’t have much to explain.
Tang Soyeol and I weren’t particularly close.
If she was bringing this up despite knowing that, then…
‘What on earth is her deal?’
Unlike Wi Seol-Ah or Namgung Bi-ah, I didn’t have any special moments with Tang Soyeol.
But even so, it was obvious that she had feelings for me, and she continually showed that.
I had nothing to return for her feelings.
“…C-Can’t it be done?”
Tang Soyeol asked with a fearful expression, anticipating rejection.
This was a level of worry she hadn’t shown regarding the upcoming duel.
After examining her for a moment, I finally spoke.
“…You don’t really need to condition something like this…”
“No.”
I was about to say it was fine, but Tang Soyeol cut me off firmly.
“…That kind of nullifies its meaning.”
“What do you mean…?”
“It sounds like I would lose.”
“Huh?”
What on earth was she talking about?
I gazed at her, completely confused, but Tang Soyeol’s determined stare never wavered.
Yet, there was a tiny hint of relief in her expression.
To confirm my suspicion, she added,
“But that means I wouldn’t be rejected, right?”
“…Well, yes.”
I didn’t get why everyone was obsessed about how I spoke to them, but I suppose it wasn’t a difficult request after all.
I thought about whether I should draw the line, but…
My hesitance felt silly.
Tang Soyeol just kept smiling widely, clearly not aware of my inner turmoil.
“Then I absolutely must win my battles.”
Tang Soyeol’s eyes gleamed with determination after my response.
Whereas, mine just furrowed deeper.
‘…Jang Seonyeon.’
As the chill breeze whispered past…
I found myself thinking solely about his name.
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