Chapter 126: Team Battle

< Chapter 126: Team Battle (1) >

8 PM.

As usual, after training with Jia and Si-yeon, we sat at a nearby cafe to rest.

“I wish... I wanted to be on that team too.”

Si-yeon mumbled with the straw from her coffee in her mouth.

“You said you wanted to be with Chul-jin.”

“I never said I wanted to. I just asked once.”

She pouted with the straw still in her mouth.

“Ugh. It’s so unfair, I’m the only one left out this time...”

She took the straw out of her mouth, put her cheek on the table, and looked up at me.

Her eyes seemed to claim, “I’m upset.”

She might be hoping for some consolation, but no chance. I wickedly smiled inside.

Si-yeon is fun when teased.

“Do you want to join our team now?”

“Ugh... You know I can’t because of the penalty points, right?”

“I just thought we could consider it for you, Si-yeon. Right, Jia?”

I winked at an angle Si-yeon couldn’t see.

Jia’s lips formed a playful curve, “Yes. We can take the penalty for Si-yeon.”

She seemed to understand my intention perfectly.

“Heard that? So, you’ll join our team?”

“...Huh?”

Si-yeon looked shocked as if she was thinking, ‘This wasn’t the plan.’

“Shall I contact the school now to change the document from a 2-person team to a 3-person team?”

“First, we need to contact Kim Chul-jin.”

“Right, that comes first.”

“No, wait... guys?”Alll latest novels at novelhall.com

As we continued, Si-yeon’s face got paler.

It was obvious what she was thinking.

“Why?”

“...Are you really going to make it a three-person team?”

“Yes. We said we can take a penalty for you, right?”

She pretended to be upset at first, but when asked to change teams, she thought of Kim Chul-jin’s team.

She couldn’t possibly tell the team designed with Ha Si-yeon in mind that she was leaving.

“Well... isn’t it a bit much to change teams all of a sudden?”

Si-yeon was restless, fidgeting with her fingers, avoiding our gaze.

Perfect. Now’s the time.

“Oh~ Now that it’s happening, you don’t want to be with us?”

“...Huh? No, what?”

This time, it seemed like she had a mental freeze, her soul seemed to have left her.

“Jia, it looks like Si-yeon only said she wanted to be on our team out of politeness.”

“That seems right. Looks like she prefers Kim Chul-jin and Choi Ji-hoon over us.”

Jia responded immediately.

The disappointed look in her eyes looked quite genuine.

“No, no! That’s not it...”

“Oh, is it? Did I misunderstand?”

“Well... of course!”

Si-yeon smiled as if relieved. But you shouldn’t trust those who are trustworthy.

“So you’ll be on our team?”

I smiled innocently.

“Uh, well... about that...”

Ha Si-yeon’s pupils shook more than they ever could.

It’s as if her eyes were fitted with some kind of electric massager.

Jia and I purposely stared at Si-yeon for a long while.

“...Uh.”

How much time must have passed like that?

“I’m sorry...”

Ha Si-yeon mumbled with a gloomy expression.

“I really do want to be with you guys, but...”

She continued speaking with an expression like an accomplice in crime.

“Even so, changing teams at this point... seems difficult...”

She lowered her head and peeking through her bangs, she sneakily tried to gauge our reactions.

It was unintentionally adorable.

“Pfft.”

In the end, Jia couldn’t hold back her laughter. I was the same, covering my mouth and laughing uncontrollably.

“...?”

Si-yeon tilted her head as if she still didn’t understand the situation.

Jia’s laughter grew louder.

There were even tears at the corners of her eyes.

“Hehehe!”

Isn’t Si-yeon really too innocent? Teasing her is just too satisfying.

“...Ugh.”

She seemed to have finally grasped the situation.

Si-yeon glared at us with a stern look in her eyes.

Her cheeks were slightly puffed out.

She was genuinely upset this time.

I left the classroom, listening to the blabbering of the poor souls who failed the test.

They all seem half out of their minds.

Even while walking in the corridor, all I could hear was talk about the test.

“Ah, what’s the use of regretting now? How are you guys preparing for the practical test?”

“Don’t even mention it. Getting the team coordination right is so hard. Ugh.”

Those who did reasonably well in the written test were now engrossed in discussions about the practical exam.

The practical test is next Monday.

Today is Friday, so there are only 3 days left.

“I really want to change my team. No one talks.”

“At least you’re practicing. My team doesn’t even show up for training. I’m going crazy.”

Everyone seems to be struggling. Well, it’s kind of an extension of group assignments.

I deeply empathize as someone familiar with the crappiness of group tasks.

“Maybe I should have formed a two-person team like Kang Seo-yul and Shin Jia.”

It must be hard for them to even think that.

“Eh, but not a two-person team. Maybe 3 or 4.”

“I know. Just saying. No matter how you see it, it’s all the same. Ah, so frustrating.”

“...You’re really struggling, huh?”

Leaving those poor souls behind,

I exited the school building with a relaxed smile.

Jia was standing in front of the school gate.

She waved when she saw me.

“Seo-yul~ Over here!”

There were many people around, so she used the informal name ‘Seo-yul-ah’.

“Sorry, did you wait long?”

“No. The limousine just arrived.”

“Really?”

The chauffeur bowed his head towards me.

“Thank you.”

I nodded slightly and got into the car. Jia followed, and the chauffeur got in as well.

The car started immediately.

“Ancestor, did you do well on the test?”

Immediately, Jia’s address changed back to ‘Ancestor’.

Being the VIP’s business limousine, the front and back are completely separated.

The chauffeur could not hear our conversation.

“I did well. Probably got a perfect score.”

As long as I didn’t make a mistake, it’s 100% perfect.

“As expected of the Ancestor.”

Jia looked at me with admiring eyes.

Lately, her gaze has been getting more intense.

I’m starting to get genuinely scared.

What’s scary is how she might change once she realizes I’m not an elf.

“Ugh.”

Just imagining it gave me chills, and I shivered uncontrollably.

“Ancestor, are you cold? Should I turn off the air conditioner?”

Jia looked at me with a concerned expression.

“It’s okay. It’s not because I’m cold.”

I waved my hand dismissively.

“More importantly, are you really okay, Jia? You have to stick with me for 2 nights and 3 days.”

Starting today until Sunday night, we are planning to have hands-on training at Jia’s villa in preparation for the team battle.

Will it be okay?

“Of course! You’re personally teaching me how to shoot an arrow 1:1. Is 2 nights and 3 days a problem? 364 nights and 365 days wouldn’t be a problem either!”

For the first time in a while, I could see the welcome of a Golden Retriever behind Jia.

If she had a tail, it would probably be wagging wildly.

“Princess, Goldie, and White Tiger are coming too, right?”

“Yes. They will also help with our training.”

“Wow....”

Her eyes, filled with admiration, shot out a light of longing.

These days, Jia has been obsessed with the trio of Rena, Goldie, and White Tiger.

She must be excited at the thought of traveling with the three of them.

“Oh, right. Did you bring that?”

“Ah, the Essence of Ten Thousand Years? I brought it. Here.”

Jia handed me a small stone.

A very small, pretty pebble that you’d expect to find on a beach.

This pebble’s name is ‘Essence of Ten Thousand Years’.

It’s one of the heirlooms passed down in the Shin family line, the only mysterious item whose use is unknown.

“Ancestor, do you know what that’s used for?”

Of course, I know.

“That’s why I told you to bring it.”

Jia’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Really? What is it used for?”

I fiddled with the pretty pebble and gave a faint smile.

“I’ll keep it a secret for now. I’ll tell you later.”

The Essence of Ten Thousand Years.

This item is a key item that activates Jia’s awakening, ‘Transcendent Lineage: Elf’.

< Chapter 126: Team Battle (1) > End.