—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“Raymay Rougecampbell.”
A serpent slithered.
The utterance of her name, transformed into a serpentine whisper, coiled around her ankles.
A cold, viscous sensation crept up her legs, constricting her calves, tightening around her thighs.
“Do you confess to betraying trust and resorting to underhanded tactics, using external divine power to secure victory for Ruamos Academy?”
“…”
“No answer?”
The room was silent.
Just a few steps away, the coliseum buzzed with the energy of victory, the roar of the crowd a palpable force.
Yet, Raymay remained rooted to the spot, unable to move, a prisoner of her own guilt. She could only nod.
‘How did this happen?’
Where had she gone wrong? She had believed her plan was flawless.
Raymay replayed the events in her mind, but couldn’t understand how Lee Seok-hyun had discovered her use of divine power to relay information.
Only Ruamos Academy wielded divine power.
That advantage should have been unassailable. Yet, the man before her seemed to know her every move, anticipating her every tactic.
‘I failed.’
She’d initially resisted, arguing and protesting, clinging to the hope that she could somehow escape his accusations. But Lee Seok-hyun had effortlessly dismantled her arguments, his expression a mask of boredom. He’d refuted every point, every excuse, leaving her with no escape.
Now, she found herself in a position she’d never imagined—a Saintess forced to confess her sins.
It was a humiliating reversal, the world turned upside down.
‘A Saintess forced to make confession… This is a disgrace.’
She almost wished he would exploit her, demand something outrageous, anything to break free from this suffocating logic.
But Lee Seok-hyun remained impassive, his demands cold and calculated, focused solely on tangible compensation.
“Forget the original wager. Just give me twenty kilograms of pure mithril.”
“W-what?! Mithril?”
“Is that a problem?”
“Th-that’s not something I can decide on my own!”
“Neither was using divine power to cheat.”
There it was again.
The serpent coiled tighter.
It slithered up her legs, its scales a cold, viscous caress against her skin. It moved without hesitation, without restraint, treating her body like a plaything.
“Did you really think this was a private matter between you and me? This is a negotiation between me and Ruamos Academy. You’re just the intermediary.
“Do you really believe Mirinae and Velutos wouldn’t investigate your methods if they suspected foul play? Do you think they wouldn’t discover your use of divine power? I doubt you were that thorough. What do you think?“
With each word, the serpent tightened its grip, constricting her, suffocating her.
It slithered up her torso, its cold scales a stark contrast to the warmth of her skin. It moved past her ribs, tracing the curve of her waist, its head resting in the valley between her breasts, its tongue flicking against her chin.
Raymay instinctively crossed her legs, her eyes fixed on Lee Seok-hyun.
Or rather, she tried to meet his gaze.
‘I can’t.’
She couldn’t bear to see his expression, to meet his eyes. She was afraid of what she might see, of what he might reveal.
It felt as though his gaze could strip her bare, exposing her deepest secrets.
Raymay clenched her fists, forcing herself to speak.
“Alright… alright… I agree. I’ll give you the mithril… just… please… don’t tell anyone.”
“Of course. I’m a man of my word. Just give me the mithril, and I’ll forget all about your little indiscretion.”
She was offering everything she had, pleading with him to contain the damage, to keep her secret safe.
–Gulp.
The sound of her swallowing was amplified in the tense silence. They were so close she could feel his breath on her skin.
The serpent continued to coil around her, its presence a constant reminder of her vulnerability.
“So, we have a deal?”
–Ssssss.
The serpent’s tongue flicked against her earlobe, its scales brushing against the golden strands of her hair.
It slithered into her ear, its cold body a stark contrast to the warmth of her skin. Its thick coils tightened around her waist, pressing against her hips, its fangs grazing her earlobe, marking her as its own.
Raymay knew, with chilling certainty, that there was no escape.
“Yes…”
Her voice was barely a whisper, a desperate attempt to maintain her composure as her legs trembled.
Lee Seok-hyun, seemingly satisfied, patted her shoulder and walked past her, as if their business was concluded.
Raymay, trembling, fled the scene, her legs shaking like a newborn fawn’s.
‘I have to get away.’
Away from the serpent, away from the suffocating pressure of his words, away from the feeling of being consumed, digested, and absorbed.
As she stumbled away, she instinctively rubbed her earlobe and shoulder, the phantom sensation of the serpent’s scales still clinging to her skin.
It was a chilling reminder of her encounter, a memory she desperately wanted to erase.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“So, we’re all agreed? The contracts are binding?”
“…Yes. A deal’s a deal. Besides, there are plenty of other competitions left.”
“A true knight never lets a single defeat break their spirit.”
The conversation with Raymay had been unexpectedly lengthy due to her attempts to negotiate a lower price for my silence, but the other representatives were less resistant. There weren’t any major points of contention. They simply reviewed the terms of the wagers, ensuring the proposed compensations were fair and agreeable. They were, after all, exceptional students, quick to acknowledge defeat and eager to learn from their mistakes.
“…Thank you.”
The meeting concluded swiftly, and Arak, as he was leaving, offered Lee Seok-hyun a sincere expression of gratitude.
Despite the humiliation of his defeat, he honored his agreement. That was the mark of a true knight. Some might question the value of second place achieved through subservience, but ultimately, results were all that mattered.
‘A good outcome is a good outcome.’
And this outcome meant Tanteroi would have the second pick of territories next year, securing the advantageous forest terrain. Wasn’t that a worthwhile trade?
As Lee Seok-hyun hummed cheerfully, reviewing the terms of the wagers and calculating his potential earnings, he felt a presence blocking his path.
–Thump, thump.
He looked up and saw a figure standing before him, a smug grin plastered across their face.
“…?”
The unexpected appearance of this particular individual caught him off guard.
‘What is he doing here?’
This was a student from Mirinae Academy’s second-year class, a close associate of the representative’s right-hand man. In other words, he was low on the totem pole, but clearly enjoyed wielding whatever little authority his connections afforded him.
“Greetings, Lee Seok-hyun. I am Johnson One Johnsonville. A second-year student at Mirinae Academy. Your senior, so to speak.”
“Ah… yes.”
The unexpected encounter left Lee Seok-hyun momentarily speechless. Inter-class relations at Mirinae Academy were notoriously strained due to the deep-seated conflict between nobles and commoners. First-years were relatively insulated from this, thanks to Lee Seok-hyun’s influence, but the upper years were a different story. The rivalry between noble and commoner factions was fierce.
And this Johnson character was firmly on the side of the nobles.
Born a commoner, he’d eagerly embraced the noble faction, hoping to bask in their reflected glory. While not inherently wrong, his methods were often underhanded and manipulative, making him a less than savory character.
‘Of course, it’s not like nobles are inherently good and commoners are inherently virtuous. It’s all just tribalism.’
Both sides were equally capable of pettiness and manipulation. They were simply different tribes vying for power.
However, Johnson, having tasted the privileges of noble patronage, was drunk on power. He practically oozed arrogance as he continued.
“I’m sure my presence here has surprised you. And I have some proposals regarding your future… Hey! Where do you think you’re going?!”
“I… I have a pre-existing condition.”
“A pre-existing condition? What are you talking about? There’s nothing in your file about…”
“Ah… it’s… I have this incurable disease. Whenever I hear bullshit, I have to leave immediately. If I don’t, I could spontaneously combust…”
Johnson stared blankly at Lee Seok-hyun, trying to process his words, then, realizing he was being mocked, he raised his voice.
Or rather, he tried to.
“Seok-hyun! Where are you?! The others are looking for you! We need to plan our next strategy!”
Mijuran, apparently growing impatient, had come looking for him. She inserted herself between them, effectively ending Johnson’s attempt at recruitment.
Johnson, acutely aware of social hierarchies, immediately deflated at the sight of the Mudanad princess.
Unable to speak in her presence, he quickly retreated.
‘The second-years are already making their move, huh?’
While Lee Seok-hyun knew that recruitment attempts during the exchange competition were common, even among instructors…
He hadn’t expected them to start so soon.
He pushed the matter aside for now; there wasn’t any immediate need to address it.
He fell into step beside Mijuran.
“I… I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but… I just happened to see… well, I glimpsed…”
“…? What is it?”
As they walked and chatted, Mijuran suddenly adopted a serious expression.
“You… you were talking with the Ruamos representative… alone… No, I’m not saying I was watching… it was just… a glimpse… But… what were you talking about?”
While he couldn’t understand why she was so flustered, he simply shrugged.
Or rather, he started to shrug, then stopped.
‘Wait. I can’t just tell her the truth.’
If she knew they’d been alone, she’d realize he’d been there for a while. And any half-hearted lie would be easily seen through.
The most effective approach in this situation was to blend truth and fiction. He carefully crafted his response.
“Ah, we made a pact. A secret friendship pact.”
“What?”
“Ah.”
‘That wasn’t the right answer.’
An awkward silence descended, stretching all the way back to the Mirinae Academy meeting room.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“So that’s it? You just left?”
“…Yes… I apologize.”
Johnson, having failed to recruit Lee Seok-hyun and thoroughly intimidated by Mijuran, stood before his fellow second-years, nervously fidgeting.
“You couldn’t even handle a single commoner? A fellow commoner, at that? I thought you’d at least be able to connect with him… Just offer him some money. It’s not that complicated. Why are you making this so difficult?”
“Seriously, you incompetent fool.“
Despite the blatant insults, Johnson couldn’t retort.
The person addressing him was too powerful, too influential.
“Well, it can’t be helped. He’s a commoner, after all. Just dangle some money in front of him, and he’ll come running.”
No matter how talented he might be, a commoner was still a commoner. They couldn’t resist the allure of wealth, the promise of a better life.
They were confident they could easily sway Lee Seok-hyun with an offer he couldn’t refuse. They would use their authority, their status, to crush him.
“How much money could a commoner possibly have?”
They were certain they could easily recruit Lee Seok-hyun.
After all, he was just a first-year. He couldn’t possibly match the experience and skill of a second-year student.
Besides, once he saw their performance in the upcoming competitions, he’d change his mind. They would showcase their superiority, their mastery of their chosen disciplines.
Meanwhile, Lee Seok-hyun hadn’t even bothered watching the second-year competitions.
“Ugh… I feel another flare-up coming on.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“Nothing. Just… ignore me.”
Lee Seok-hyun cleaned his ear with his pinky finger, then resumed discussing their next strategy.
His “incurable disease,” it seemed, would require significant time and effort to overcome.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
