Festival (1)
“Uh…” I was contemplating how to respond to such nonsense, but fortunately, the host engaged us.
[Let’s take a moment and indulge in a brief chat with today’s protagonists. First up, Shin Dongmin, the senior?]
“Yes.”
[Honestly, I’ve been seeing you for three years, do we even need questions? Now, let’s turn to Lee Hoyeon, the freshman!]
“Pfft.”
Shin Dongmin, who was waiting for question, had a face that looked like he had chewed on poop as the host spoke. I couldn’t help but laugh. While he shot me a disdainful look, I ignored him and focused on the host.
[I heard the first-years just wrapped up a survival test yesterday. Judging by your exhausted appearance, it seems you survived until the end. Is that correct?!]
My face was illuminated on the holographic screen in the auditorium. Due to being drained and the effects of the survival test, my hair was messy, my cheeks were slightly flushed, and I had dark circles under my bloodshot eyes. Despite that, there was a certain charm to it.
“Ah… yes. Honestly, I overslept. I must have inconvenienced the host by being fashionably late.”[No inconvenience at all. Thanks to you, the atmosphere has become remarkably lively!]
“Hooray! Vice President!”
“Shin Dongmin! Shin Dongmin! Shin Dongmin!”
Unfortunately, the majority in the auditorium seemed to favor Shin Dongmin. Most of the cheers were directed his way, and while there were some for me, they lacked the same vigor.
[As it’s a friendly match with the third-year, many are anticipating your defeat, Lee Hoyeon. What are your thoughts on this?!]
“I’ll show you the results.”
Can we get on with this? My head is throbbing a bit.
[Ooh! Confident words! How will the outcome of this battle unfold? Let’s get started! First, let’s begin the draw for the arena!]
The magic circle in the center of the auditorium activated, and a large roulette began to spin.
[Since it’s an event match, the arena will be randomly determined! Depending on the field, it might be a battle even Lee Hoyeon could handle!]
“Hmm….”
Even after showcasing my skills in a one-on-one duel, skepticism lingers—probably because I’m just a freshman. This time, I hope to end it convincingly. It’s high time to silence the doubters.
The roulette slowed down, and the needle pointed to one section.
[Ah! The field over the sea has been selected! This is like a bolt out of the blue for Lee Hoyeon! A terrain completely favorable to Vice President Shin Dongmin!]
“Heh, sorry about that.”
Predictable, too predictable…
Looking at his face, it’s evident that some manipulation was at play behind the scenes. But I don’t care.
The salty scent of the sea wafted to my nose. Suddenly, my surroundings transformed into a sea. The spatial expansion magic circle surrounding the arena enlarged and turned it into a vast sea. Underneath my and Shin Dongmin’s feet were several tens of meters-sized buoys floating in the sea.
[Alright then! Let the friendly match between Lee Hoyeon and Shin Dongmin begin now~!]
The reason I’m not concerned about the field is simple. Strangely enough, having sex with Liliana has pushed me to a new level of growth. I still don’t know her secrets, but in the process of unraveling her high-level magic, my magical prowess has taken a step up. There was a rumor about my awakening back then, but it was dismissed since it was unlikely for a first-year to awaken.
This time, it’s going to be chaotic.
The magical barrier between me and Shin Dongmin vanished, and the surging waves began to rise.
Shoosh! Splash!
Thump. Thump.
He’s stronger than expected, huh.
It’s undoubtedly a poorly balanced game if academy students are stronger than active hunters.
Thump.
The familiar sensation of battle enveloped my body.
Shin Dongmin has already set up his magic circle as if he had prepared in advance. With each wave of his hand, the surrounding water took various shapes. Focusing on the enormous wave crashing towards me, I slowly concentrated my mana.
Whoosh! As the wave surged, water dragons emerged.
“This is ridiculous! Water dragons?!”
“It’s over. Even the arena seems to be rooting for Shin Dongmin.”
The sounds from the audience reaching me were astonishing. During the one-on-one duel, it wasn’t discernible, but is it because it’s now just an ‘event’?
[Shin Dongmin! A miraculous grasp of magic! Summons five water dragons in the blink of an eye!]
The colossal tidal wave and the five water dragons swirling around me. Even the audience couldn’t contain their excitement over this miraculous display of magic.
Sure, it’s visually striking.
“But what does it matter?”
To me, these aquatic theatrics are utterly inconsequential. I’ve got plans to entertain Liliana, and I can’t afford to waste time on this spectacle.
Thump! I unleashed the surging mana within me. It’s been a while since I dabbled in elemental magic other than fire, but what’s the harm? I can do it.
Crackle!
A chill emanated from my body. The water dragons and waves crashing toward me started to freeze as they encountered the icy touch.
Crack. Crackle.
The once threateningly large waves transformed into frozen shards. The determined water dragons struggled to avert their freezing fate, but they ended up frozen in even more bizarre poses. The cold sought its next victim and it froze the sea. With a crackling symphony and expanding ice, Shin Dongmin began to exclaim in bewilderment, “This can’t be! Ice?”
[…W-what is happening? Freshman Lee Hoyeon has the ice attribute! Is this… dual attribute? Dual attribute?!]
Crackle. Crackle.
The sea turned into a frozen expanse. The buoys that swayed with the waves were proof of that.
“Surely this isn’t the end, right?” I grinned wryly at Shin Dongmin. After all the trouble, throwing in the towel now would be preposterous.
“…”
“Oh. You do have some pride.”
Undeterred, Shin Dongmin drew the magic circle once again. Just because there’s no water doesn’t mean you can’t pull off water attribute magic. In this field, it’s just more convenient to summon water, as it demands less mana. Originally, water attribute magic involves the entire process of conjuring water.
Thump. Thump.
I’ve just expended a considerable amount of mana. Considering my less-than-ideal condition, wrapping this up swiftly would be wise. With the remaining mana, I raised the fragmented frozen sea. Shin Dongmin, engrossed in drawing the magic circle, surveyed the scene, and his complexion turned pallid.
“If I win, you promised to do anything, right? Don’t approach the president again. If you do, I’ll really kill you next time.”
Crack!
A barrage of ice chunks swarmed Shin Dongmin.
“Aaaah!”
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Despite drawing frantic magic circles to block dozens of them, the match was over the moment the initial spell was foiled.
Crack! Crack! Crunch!
Ice chunks penetrated Shin Dongmin’s defenses, and with each hit, his magic weakened.
“Why?! Why?! Why?!!”
Observing Shin Dongmin scream amid the onslaught, my laughter involuntarily bubbled up.
“Maybe, instead of fixing the match, you should’ve put in some effort, senior. Who knows, the outcome might’ve been different?”
“Noooo!”
The relentless ice chunks pounded Shin Dongmin and ultimately formed a massive ice pillar around him. He’s now a human snowman, not Elsa.
[Ah… Game over! Freshman Lee Hoyeon is the winner!]
Swoosh! The frozen sea vanished and the original arena was restored. Encased in magically crafted ice, Shin Dongmin slumped to the ground as the ice disappeared. Medical staff rushed in, hoisted him onto a stretcher, and carried him away.
Last time, his lackey was the one carted off. Now, it’s his turn.
“Ugh.”
My head is spinning. I wanna sleep.
[Freshman Lee Hoyeon! Share a word on your victory!]
Suddenly, the host approached me. I wanted to hit the sack due to fatigue, but since this person dragged me into this spectacle, I should offer a few words.
“Ah… Thanks. I unveiled a secret weapon this time, and I hope everyone enjoyed it. Enjoy the Celestial Festival. I’m off to bed.”
[Wow! You’re so cool. So cool! Freshman Lee Hoyeon seems really tired, so let’s have the guild officials discuss the dual attribute thing! I’ll move on to the next item on the agenda!]
Fortunately, the host didn’t dig deeper after glimpsing my worn-out state.
Phew, it’s draining.
I descended from the arena. Still, I should acknowledge the student council members.
“Good job. I’m out.”
“You were so cool, junior… Leave the rest to us!”
“Thanks. Where’s the president?”
Even after scanning the surroundings, I couldn’t spot Moon Soorin.
“I saw her over there, but where did she go?”
Disregarding the bewildered female student, I stepped into the officials’ waiting room, considering Soorin probably wasn’t a fan of crowded places.
“Hoyeon…!” Moon Soorin appeared, and our eyes met.
“Noona, thanks. I’m tired and heading to bed. I just came to say hi.”
“Yeah. Go rest. Your face says it all.”
After thanking her, who affectionately touched my cheek, I left the waiting room. Now, time to chill back at the dorm.
“Hey there, good job, pretty boy!”
“Is my nickname permanently ‘pretty boy’ now…?” As I tried to breeze out of the auditorium towards the dorms, Kim Younghan popped up. Looks like he waited for me outside.
“Yeah!”
His happy-go-lucky grin didn’t sit quite well with me.
“Sigh… Just call me by my name.”
“Why? ‘Pretty boy’ suits you. It rolls off the tongue.”
“Ugh, aren’t you tired too?”
He survived until the last day with me, but he seemed full of energy.
“Well, unlike you, pretty boy, I didn’t fight hard. On the last day, I just ran away.”
“Call me ‘pretty boy’ one more time, I dare you…”
“…”
“I’m going to rest. Tired.”
Ignoring the sulking Kim Younghan, I headed towards the dorms. The idea of snuggling with Liliana warmed my heart.
I opened the dorm door and stepped in. I left at 8:50 PM, back in less than an hour. On the way to the room, I shed my student uniform, leaving a trail like Hansel and Gretel.
Inside, Liliana was still snoozing just as I’d left her. I undressed and hopped in beside her. Nestling close, I laid my hand on her chest. The gentle touch on my body and hands brought a soothing feeling.
“Haa…”
While lying on the bed, a mix of tension and fatigue washed over me.
I’ll sleep and wake up to have fun with Liliana. Oh, and I should ask about her mana too…
My memory cut off right there.
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