Beyond the long, delicate eyelashes, golden waves shimmer like autumn fields.
Some might be willing to risk destruction to win her love.
The natural beauty flaunted by a girl of her age could certainly be said to have that kind of power.
However, no one would ever think that this girl is the same person who once launched a heart-wrenching tirade of sharp words.
“Uh… I noticed you had a wound on your arm earlier… is it hurting…?”
When my silence lingered, a voice filled with anxiety and unease rang out again.
I pondered for a while about the purpose of her current attitude, but in the end, there was only one conclusion.
I realize once again that she has always revealed her true self in spaces unseen by others.
In a place where there are so many eyes, it’s only natural to show such a side.
“…”
“Haha, it seems our daughter has indeed been quite concerned.”
As my silence stretched on, the head of Paecheon chimed in with a playful remark.
“Why not be gracious and accept it? Isn’t it a situation that arose from public matters? We will be seeing each other often, so I hope you won’t hold any ill feelings.”
“…It’s okay. Thank you for your concern.”
It was pointless to suffer alone; there was no answer.
Yet, even though I was just returning a formal reply to formal concern, even uttering that short sentence wasn’t an easy task.
“…Of course, there’s no ill feeling at all. After all, you did what was expected of you, didn’t you, senior?”
“Hahaha! That’s how the bloodline of the Black Lion should be. Thank you. I will make sure to properly compensate you for this matter later.”
The head of Paecheon, Baek Il-yong, laughed heartily and patted my shoulder.
“Ah…”
However, the girl standing behind seemed far from satisfied for some reason.
Instead, she only wore a wet sigh that felt almost tangible.
It was a fleeting moment of gloom, but I could clearly sense that she harbored such emotions. It was natural enough to resent myself for noticing it.
Yet, no matter how much I pondered, I couldn’t reach the source of that emotion.
Regardless, Baek Il-yong turned his body and resumed his conversation with the Heukryeon family.
“By the way, senior. Are you really planning to return to the Supreme Council?”
“If I do, what would it have to do with you?”
“…That’s a bit much. After all, you can’t say it has nothing to do at all.”
For the first time today, a faint hostility passed through the man’s voice.
“It was a decision made so that innocent people would no longer suffer harm. The shame should only be borne by me and this person.”
For some reason, I felt Sa Daeryong’s gaze slightly skimming over the top of my head.
“Thanks to someone crossing the line one after another, I was able to make a decision easily. Isn’t that right? You can’t justify everything by using past events as a shield.”
“It seems there’s a misunderstanding. Regulation 25 is merely a bill proposed to prevent market monopolization by certain companies. Would it be right for me to harm the people who are already struggling in life?”
“Well, words can be applied anywhere. Continuing to talk will only lead to meaningless chatter. If we’re finished talking, we should be on our way.”
“Ah, I’m sorry. I’ve been keeping you too long. It makes sense considering it’s your return after 15 years.”
Upon Sa Daeryong’s words, the man finally stepped back and showed signs of finishing up.
With a smile as if asking when he ever did that, he left his final farewell.
“Then have a good trip. Once again, welcome back to the Supreme Council.”
“Thank you, kid. Let’s go.”
The couple exchanged formal replies and moved on.
The hallway remained empty, echoing only the sound of the crows’ wings flapping.
I followed behind them.
The sudden encounter had made a mess of my mind, so I needed a topic to calm it down, even a little.
“Uh… what does it mean that the principal isn’t here…?”
Then Sa Daeryong replied.
“Oh, Haewolhwa is currently down in the south. It seems she missed the news of leaving for Jeokhwa around the same time.”
“Really? Why is she in the south…?”
“To my knowledge, there was a support request from the Southern Headquarters. It is said that a large-scale hunt is scheduled soon in the no-man’s land.”
The host continued to explain.
“The military believes that this is a golden opportunity since the 1st Regiment of the PLF has been completely annihilated. Moreover, it’s been confirmed that the owner of the South West Plain, who had been blocking development, has also exhausted his lifespan; they probably want to expand the human territory even at some cost.”
At the mention of the owner of the South West Plain, one thought sprang to mind.
When I went to the south, I had heard from a soldier while watching the sunset with Yeon Minha on the rampart.
He had said that a colossus, probably a mutated Dertia gas, was dwelling just beyond the no-man’s land.
That monster’s distinguished magic beast identification name was certainly the owner of the South West Plain.
A creature resembling a giant tortoise carrying rocks on its shell.
Moreover, the image was vividly etched in my memory since the soldier who shared that information had immediately been shot through the chest by a warlock.
“But then again, this is quite something. That person never ventured outside the capital for just about anything since he was young.”
“There’s a reason they call him ‘Lazy Haewolhwa.’ Maybe he has finally become a bit more diligent as he aged…”
“….”
Even though I brought it up, I still couldn’t concentrate on their conversation.
The once clear voices gradually turned into a low mumble.
All I could feel was a pair of golden eyes still gazing over here.
*
“I will now return to the cradle. The Jeokhwa family will never forget the grace bestowed by the Heukryeon family.”
“Kid, are you really okay…?”
As Yeon Minha deeply bowed at the table, the head of Heukryeon sent her a concerned gaze and tried to dissuade her.
“Think it over once more. In your current situation, you can be recognized for exceptions. There’s no need to graduate from the cradle to inherit the Jeokhwa family business…”
“No.”
But Yeon Minha just shook her head firmly.
“I don’t want to give the enemies even the slightest opportunity.”
Seeing her resolve, the host sighed softly and nodded, as if there was nothing more she could do.
“…Alright. If that’s your determination, how can I stop you…?”
The incident surrounding Jeokhwa, which had been causing quite a stir in the capital for days, was gradually reaching a state of calm.
The crimes committed by Yeon Jeongmun were sins that could never be forgiven, but thanks to Jeon Minha’s efforts to stop him until the end, she was barely able to maintain the Jeokhwa name and the status of the five noble families.
But punishment is punishment. The companies and foundations owned by Jeokhwa were set to be distributed among new owners, but all of them were destined to fall into the hands of Heukryeon, who declared his return to the political world after 15 years.
This was strongly reflective of the will of Yeon Minha, who had barely maintained her status as the heir.
Certainly, it was a hundred times better than the Stellaight Mine falling into the hands of Paecheon and that faction.
“I understand. Don’t worry too much about the Jeokhwa family’s businesses. The moment you graduate from the cradle, I will begin the return process immediately. Just focus on your studies.”
“…Thank you.”
With the host’s words, Yeon Minha expressed her gratitude once again.
As the conversation continued, she finally managed to bring up the topic she had been curious about for a while.
“Uh, could I ask you one thing…?”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“Is… is Hyun really from Heukryeon…?”
Still unfamiliar with saying the name, Yeon Minha stuttered slightly.
However, the host just shook her head slightly without answering.
From her small action alone, Yeon Minha could infer the answer.
“But I want to think so. And in a way, that’s not entirely wrong. The man outside and I have already accepted that child as our second.”
“Why? Why would you do that for someone you don’t even know…”
“…So that we wouldn’t repeat the same mistake twice.”
But the host’s answer only made her understanding even harder. The heartfelt sadness in her voice still left its meaning elusive to her.
However, before Yeon Minha could even begin her speculation about that, the host abruptly changed the subject with a somewhat playful laugh.
“By the way, you seem to get along very well with our son. It doesn’t look like an ordinary senior-junior relationship, does it? Am I guessing right?”
“Hah…”
Instantly, Yeon Minha’s face turned as red as a well-ripened strawberry.
The doubts she had just held vanished without a trace. She stumbled over her words, trying to piece together a response that made sense.
“Certainly, he is a junior I care for, but… we still need to get to know each other better, and it feels a bit too hasty…”
“Hehe, that sounds about right. I think I might get it without you saying anything.”
Realizing that the host was teasing her, Yeon Minha quickly changed her expression.
She cleared her throat and took a breath, while the host once again smiled with a hint of sadness.
“Hm, hm…”
“I’m just glad. You don’t seem likely to make the same mistakes as us…”
She then gently held Yeon Minha’s hand and made a request.
“Please, do get along well with that child.”
As if knowing that it didn’t need to be said, Yeon Minha nodded slowly yet decisively.
“…Yes.”
*
“Hm~hm~”
A certain female student hummed softly while strolling through the streets of the cradle.
Her yellowish bleached hair. A tight skirt that revealed her white thighs. A delinquent aura that was unmistakable.
On her name tag, which matched the color of her school uniform, the name ‘Yu Sera’ was written.
While others babbled about dark magic and magic beasts, she had no interest in such tedious matters.
She was just lucky to have made it to the cradle, thinking that if she could casually mingle with the children of good families and just get her diploma, that would be enough.
“Uh…?”
Then suddenly, she spotted something and instinctively shifted her gaze.
The large letters on the newspaper stand next to the shop sign caught her attention for some reason.
-Unexpected developments in the Jeokhwa incident… Heukryeon’s new prince unveils… (Breaking News)
“…What is happening here?”
The female student frowned slightly as she read it.
She recalled a certain masked male student who had accompanied her on an external mission before.
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