Seong Dasom was someone with exceptional follow-through, even if her quick temper often led to mistakes in her work.
As proof, she, who had taken my bait, sought out Eun Suhyeok that very day and brought back his confirmation.
“Suhyeok agreed as well. Regardless of who is elected Student Council President, the one who loses the election will unconditionally assume the position of Vice President. And we decided to settle the matter through a duel, betting on Junior Do Gyeonu’s support. It just so happens that a gathering where the registered candidates running in the upcoming election can display their abilities will be arranged soon. We decided to set the date for then.”
“It would also serve as an opportunity to show the Academy students who is stronger while we’re at it.”
“Yes, exactly. Barring any unexpected variables, the winner of the duel will almost certainly be elected Student Council President. So the board is set just as you intended, Junior Do Gyeonu. Are you pleased?”
Though Seong Dasom had an emotional personality, she wasn’t so foolish as to be deceived by me without realizing it.
Having been forced into fighting a duel that would effectively determine the Student Council President with Eun Suhyeok against her will, she glared at me with clear displeasure.
Lest I rub her the wrong way and make the situation uncomfortable, I chimed in lightly.
“Isn’t it better to settle things cleanly rather than badmouthing and fighting each other? And not just me—the students will be hoping that you and Senior Eun Suhyeok will run the Student Council together. Don’t you think so too, Senior?”
“…Suhyeok may have his stubborn and narrow-minded sides, but he is someone you can trust with work. If I become President, considering gender, I was going to consider a male for Vice President too… What is it? Why are you snickering like that?”
“Nothing. You just seem to know Senior Eun Suhyeok very well.”
“…We have a deep, ill-fated relationship, enough to have known each other since childhood.”
“So you’re like Haneul and me. Childhood friends.”
“We’re not as deeply attached as to be mistaken for lovers like you two, you know? Still… we are quite close in our own way. I don’t know what he thinks, but perhaps….”
“Who knows? Senior Eun Suhyeok probably thinks the same way you do, don’t you think?”
If only they could speak their minds freely and refreshingly as Haneul and I did.
Seong Dasom and Eun Suhyeok had likely become a pair who bickered back and forth, unable to express themselves honestly.
‘Still, a relationship where you fight and make up doesn’t seem so bad either…’
In any case, I genuinely wished for the two of them to move toward a future different from the game through this episode.
Many incidents would occur next year as well, and having them both at the Academy would be of great help.
It was then that Seong Dasom broached the subject.
“Anyway, I’ve done my part. Now it’s Junior Gyeonu’s turn.”
“My turn?”
Before I knew it, the way Seong Dasom addressed me had changed from “Junior Do Gyeonu” to “Junior Gyeonu.”
It seemed she had grown comfortable with me.
I, who wanted to maintain a harmonious relationship with her, accepted it without minding.
Soon, she pursed her lips and spoke.
“The reason we accepted the proposal was on the premise that if we received Junior Gyeonu’s support, we could also receive the support of Junior Gyeonu’s friends. So I would like you to promise us that you will represent their support.”
“How should I promise?”
“Suhyeok needs to know as well as me, so bring a recording of them saying they will follow Junior Gyeonu’s wishes. A document is fine too.”
It was an errand that should have originally been given to Gang Hanbyeol.
Having somehow ended up taking his place, I lamented my lot.
“Understood. I’ll bring back their confirmation.”
* * *
In the game, Gang Hanbyeol took care of his friends’ trivial requests in order to represent their support.
But by some ill chance, I, who had taken on the protagonist’s role in his stead, had to seek out trouble for myself.
‘This is a bit unfair. The me in the game complied with Gang Hanbyeol’s request without any compensation….’
But there was no way Gang Hanbyeol, who calculated every gain and loss, would respond without compensation.
As expected, after hearing my situation, he smirked and said,
“Is that so? Gyeonu, but you know I don’t like freebies, right? Hmm, what should I take from you… The Azure Sword probably won’t do?”
“Say something that makes sense.”
“I’m very tempted, but it can’t be helped. Then… hmm… Haneul, perhaps….”
“Hanbyeol, you want to die?”
“Sorry, just kidding.”
There are things you can say as a joke, and things you should not.
The moment I heard Yeon Haneul’s name, I pressed my sword against Gang Hanbyeol’s nape without a moment’s hesitation.
Only then did he switch stances and raise both hands as if surrendering.
Then he gingerly pushed my sword aside and spoke.
“Actually, I had something to ask you, so this is perfect. Tell me some date spots. What sights are there in Academy City, where are the good restaurants, things like that. You must have gone around a lot with Haneul.”
“To use on Seora noona?”
“Yeah, we’re going out this weekend. So I need it for reference.”
Shin Seora, the Rookie Maestro.
Currently, she was staying at a workshop under the Regulus Clan in Academy City, producing artifacts using the Doll Girl’s soul stone as material.
For Gang Hanbyeol, who liked her, the time she was staying in Academy City must have seemed like an opportunity.
Having realized his ulterior motive, I couldn’t help but smirk.
“Got it. I’ll organize all the places I’ve been with Haneul so far and send it to you via text.”
“Gyeonu, seriously, thanks! I’ll leave my vote to you!”
“Then buy me a meal if things work out?”
“…Wouldn’t you succeed faster than me, who hasn’t made much progress? That’s how it should be from the start….”
In any case, I resolved Gang Hanbyeol’s request.
After that, I went around to receive support from other friends.
Fortunately, they didn’t demand anything too difficult.
In Yeon Haneul’s case….
“I don’t particularly want anything…. Ah, a horror movie is opening this weekend. Let’s go see it.”
“A horror movie opening when summer is already over? What kind of movie is it… Do we absolutely have to watch it?”
“Don’t want to?”
“…No. Yeah, let’s go see it.”
She was definitely planning to enjoy my reaction of flinching during the horror movie.
I could clearly see her treating me like a child, saying things like to stick close to her if I got scared, or that I could open my eyes once the ghost disappeared.
Even so, I couldn’t refuse her request under her unblinking, upward gaze.
Meanwhile, in Min Arin’s case.
“What? You need my name? Why me? Voting is something you do through your own judgment, you know? So I’ll carefully compare the two seniors’ platforms and then vote, so give up.”
“Is that so. There’s no way to change your mind?”
“Well… if you’re asking that desperately, it’s not like I can’t….”
“If there’s anything you need from me, just say it.”
“Ahem! This weekend… are you free? You said you didn’t have Shield activities this Sunday, right?”
“This Sunday? I don’t have Shield, but I made plans to see a horror movie with Haneul that day.”
“…You really need to drop dead. I’m so disgusted I could die.”
“What did I do wrong….”
Min Arin showered me with curses.
Fortunately, I managed to soothe her and compromised by helping her with library volunteer work on a weekday.
Meanwhile, in Yong Haerang’s case.
“Who I’ll vote for in the election? I’ll vote for the strong one.”
“Really? That matches what I think. I was also planning to decide who to vote for between Senior Dasom and Senior Suhyeok after seeing who wins the duel. Then, Haerang, train hard and….”
“Wait, Do Gyeonu.”
“….”
“Did you think I didn’t know?”
“…How did you know?”
“Go Eunbi shared it in the group chat. Right before you came.”
“Go Eunbi…. I definitely told her not to tell anyone….”
“Don’t you think it was a mistake to tell Go Eunbi in the first place?”
“I didn’t want to tell her either, but she found out by chance. I even bought her a hamburger….”
“Is that so. What a pity. But you’ll have to grant my request.”
“You said you’d vote for the strong one anyway.”
“I’ve changed my mind. I’m thinking of voting for the loser.”
“…What do you want?”
“I’m glad you understand. What I want is….”
“….”
“Are you free this evening?”
“You want to duel? If it’s that, well….”
“A duel is a given. Afterward, let’s take a bath. Scrub my back for me.”
“Got it, got it.”
In the end, that day, after a heated session with Yong Haerang, I entered the dormitory bathhouse.
Somehow, Gang Hanbyeol and Park Sagun, who were in different dormitories, came to hang out and ended up washing up together.
“It’s hot. Haerang, let’s get up now. I’ll scrub your back.”
“Got it. But Do Gyeonu, you….”
“What?”
“Contrary to your face, you’re unexpectedly….”
“Right. Gyeonu, you….”
“My glasses are fogged, so I can only faintly make out the outline, but quite….”
Quickly changing the subject, in Cha Eunsol’s case.
“Mmhmm… What I want? Now that I think of it, a delivery should be arriving soon….”
“Where is it coming? I’ll go out and quickly receive it.”
“Yeah, if you do that for the next week, I’ll vote for whoever you say.”
“….”
My pride took a bit of a hit, but I finished it by going to receive the delivery food.
And in Nam Yuri’s case.
“Gyeonu, Gyeonu! I’ve been itching to go lately, so let’s enter a Gate and play! Show me how much you’ve understood Electrolysis so far! Ah, you know you have to pay the Gate rental fee, right? Geumgang Coins, you have plenty anyway!”
It wasn’t any different from the game’s contents.
I had to wander around artificial Gates with Nam Yuri for a while.
Thanks to that, I was able to practice techniques applying Electrolysis, including the Lion Divinity, quite a bit.
Meanwhile, in the case of O Jun-sik of the Heukma Oga clan, whom I had grown close to during the first-semester class tournament.
“What I want is nothing much. Don’t just hang out among yourselves—call me sometimes too, and let me know if anything happens. I want to have a foot in the incidents you guys cause.”
“You mean you want to help us? I’m grateful, but is that okay?”
“As you know, the Heukma Oga clan’s standing fell greatly because of Hyung Jun-su’s incident. Some even think the clan views you guys unfavorably. But if I get along well with you, it will quell that perception, and won’t it save face for me within the Academy? Besides, if I help you guys, who drag incidents around everywhere, I might gain fame.”
“Hmm… you have a point. I’m fine with it. I’m counting on you. I was planning to have a drinking gathering soon anyway, so I’ll make sure to call you then.”
“Don’t forget.”
Compared to friends who shamelessly tried to exploit me, I couldn’t help but think that O Jun-sik was the true friend.
Having learned his true character, which had been no more than an extra in the game, I shook his hand gladly.
Finally, in the case of Lisa, who held the collective will of the Grace Empire students.
“Gyeonu, I….”
“Yeah, I don’t need you.”
“What?”
Without a second thought, I ignored Lisa, who had been brimming with anticipation.
She seemed completely flustered by the unexpected response.
“This, you’re trying to negotiate right now? You think I don’t know what you’re up to, Gyeonu?”
“I’m not negotiating. I really don’t need your collective support.”
“What do you mean… Gyeonu, there are so many Empire students at the Academy.”
“That collective will isn’t directed straight at you, is it?”
“…No way.”
“You have Mikhail hyung in the third year. He’s graduating next year, but his influence should still be sufficient, shouldn’t it?”
“Ah….”
While Lisa stood dumbfounded, I snickered.
Last time, Mikhail Grace, who had been defeated in the Five-Colored Tournament, had to follow my words unconditionally according to our bet.
I, who had been aiming for this moment, immediately left her behind and went to meet him.
He displayed a displeased expression but could not refuse my visit.
“Mikhail hyung, have you been well?”
“I said I’d permit casual speech, but I don’t believe I ever told you to call me hyung? It’s not Mikhail hyung—call me Senior Mikhail. In the first place, in the Grace Empire, terms like hyung, noona, oppa, and unni can only be used for blood relations.”
“Is this the Grace Empire? This is Korea. Don’t be so uptight. Lisa also comfortably calls Si-eun noona ‘unni’….”
“…What? Lisa?”
Mikhail blinked his eyes as if he couldn’t believe it.
But it was true that Lisa called Do Sieun “Sis Sieun.”
I replied nonchalantly.
“Why? Is there a problem?”
“…No. Right, it’s possible to call her that according to the culture. There are actually students like that…. So, what business do you have with me?”
“In the upcoming student council president election, be my yes-man.”
“Yes-man?”
“You don't know because it's Korean? A yes-man is….”
“I know what a yes-man is. That's not it… I wish you’d speak with more consideration for others. ‘Yes-man’—is that something you say to the Empire’s prince?”
“Anyway, you’ll do it, right?”
“….”
And so.
I even seized the consensus of the Grace Empire’s students.
* * *
As the public speeches of those running for student council president drew near.
I encountered Eun Suhyeok, the North Wind of the Seolchang Eun Clan, on this day while heading to the training hall.
Walking down the corridor to find my reserved training room, I spotted him approaching from the opposite side.
‘Just as Senior Dasom evaluated, he’s stubborn, inflexible, and a model student, yet in the future he could turn into a villain and become one of the Six Demons of the Majin Association…. Now that’s a surprise.’
As the name Seolchang (Snow Spear) signified the clan’s prestige and glory.
The people of the Seolchang Eun Clan used a special spearmanship that converted the mana within their bodies into snow and ice to fight.
It was widely known among the world’s people that their spearmanship evoked the scenery of a snowy winter.
In such a clan, the most promising prodigy who was called the North Wind was none other than Eun Suhyeok.
Blue hair and blue eyes altered by the influence of the mana within his body.
In contrast, skin as white as snow, clean without a single blemish.
With an overall cold impression, he belonged to the type of handsome man who seemed like a reversal of a powerful star.
‘If Hanbyeol is a sun-like handsome man, would that senior be a moon-like handsome man? …Then what am I?’
I don’t know.
Stopping such useless thoughts, I bowed my head in greeting to Eun Suhyeok as the distance closed.
“Hello, Senior.”
Eun Suhyeok and I were not meeting for the first time.
Whenever I used the training hall as I did today, we would often run into each other.
Each time, we would exchange light greetings and pass by….
“Do Gyeonu.”
“Yes?”
As if he had something to say today.
Eun Suhyeok suddenly stopped in front of me and called out to me.
“I heard from Dasom not long ago that you suggested we run the student council together.”
“Yes, I did.”
“Thank you for persuading her. If I had brought it up, Dasom’s pride would have been hurt and she definitely would have flown into a rage, given her personality.”
“….”
“Also, even though the election would have ended right there if you had supported Dasom, thank you for arranging a spar between her and me, giving me a chance too.”
“Not at all. I just thought this way, there wouldn’t be discord later no matter who becomes president.”
True to someone who doesn’t show emotion well, Eun Suhyeok’s voice was blunt.
The atmosphere he exuded was far from soft; it was incredibly stiff.
This must be why people who weren’t close called him the cold-blooded man of the Seolchang Eun Clan.
‘This must also be why Senior Dasom feels frustrated that they can’t communicate….’
Recalling the time Seong Dasom had complained to me, I smiled bitterly inwardly.
It was then that Eun Suhyeok’s gaze sharpened fiercely.
“But you know.”
He glared and growled.
“I don’t know what your intentions are, but if you’re trying to use Dasom.”
“….”
“I won’t stay still then.”
“…You don’t need to worry. I don’t want to get on your bad side either.”
“Then that’s a relief. I shall trust you.”
Having finished his business, Eun Suhyeok nodded and passed by me.
I looked back at his retreating figure and sighed.
‘If Senior Dasom is that precious to him, instead of just warning me, he should go find her and express it directly…. This is why those two are drifting apart.’
I must never be like that.
To Haneul, if she’s pretty, I should say she’s pretty; if she’s precious, I should say she’s precious.
After all, she’s a childhood friend who undervalues herself if I don’t say it.
I Became the Childhood Friend of the Mid-Boss
(244) [Illustration]
Seong Dasom and Eun Suhyeok.
The two members of the Ten Great Clans had agreed to jointly operate the student council regardless of the election results, and they were holding a spar to gain the support of Do Gyeonu of the Divine Sword Do Clan.
It was news that couldn’t help but draw considerable interest from people.
And so, on this day.
“You’re here. Who do you think will win?”
“Well… I think Suhyeok will win. In a one-on-one spar, Seong Dasom, who uses white magic, would be at a disadvantage.”
“I’m going with Seong Dasom. Maybe she accepted the spar because she has a plan?”
The central hall of the Cultural Center, where the public speeches of the student council president election candidates were taking place, was packed with people.
They had even brought in chairs from outside to make seats where there were none, and they chatted among themselves.
“I was talking with the girls from our class, and they’re almost all cheering for Suhyeok. Because he’s handsome and cool, I guess.”
“So that’s where you went? You sneaked off to flirt with the girls alone? You should have taken me with you.”
“Suhyeok is handsome, sure. I understand the girls’ hearts. That’s why I’m cheering for Dasom.”
“Because she’s pretty?”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
“Pathetic. Do you think the student council president election is some kind of popularity contest? You should look at the candidates’ campaign promises and vote for someone who’ll help academy life….”
“Hey, don’t be serious alone. Anyway, if a joint student council is launched, both sets of promises will be realized.”
“But if opinions differ, more power will be vested in the student council president, right? For example, what kind of building they’ll erect on the site of the collapsed Dongsik Hall this time….”
“Didn’t Dasom say she’d use it for socializing, and Suhyeok say he’d use it for training? Since they’ll combine them, can’t they combine the building’s purpose too? For both social and training use.”
“Tsk…. You’re not entirely wrong. If you put it that way, I have nothing to say.”
“He always acts smart but is actually an idiot when you get to know him. That’s why he did poorly on the midterms.”
Unfortunately, there were almost no people there for the other candidates besides Seong Dasom and Eun Suhyeok.
Most of the candidates hadn’t expected to win the election from the start.
They were merely participating in campaigning to expand their standing.
So when the public speeches began, they left the stage tactfully as soon as they finished their orations.
Time passed, and finally.
“Suhyeok! Our dongsaeng! Let’s become student council president for sure!”
“Guys, we can’t lose either! Together with Dasom noona!”
The spar between Seong Dasom and Eun Suhyeok approached.
The students cheered for the two ascending the prepared stage.
Seong Dasom waved leisurely, welcoming their enthusiastic reception.
Meanwhile, Eun Suhyeok didn’t even look at them with his blunt face.
He was gazing only at her approaching from the opposite side.
Nevertheless, those cheering for him didn’t mind at all.
Soon, the two stopped at a close distance.
“You’re still popular with the women. What’s so good about a man like this….”
“I think the same could be said of you. I really don’t know why the seniors call you noona.”
“Pretty girls are all noonas, you know? That just means I’m pretty. Got it?”
“…I’ll give you that.”
“It feels like I’m bowing down to you? How annoying…. You’re a blockhead. You don’t even notice what’s changed about me….”
“I think you cut your bangs.”
“…Hmph, you remember the promise, right? You can’t back out now. Well, unless you want to get thoroughly cursed at with everyone watching, you won’t cancel the promise.”
“I remember. If I win, you become vice president.”
“Are you talking like I’ll lose? If I win, you’re the one becoming vice president, you know?”
“Right.”
Seong Dasom glaring as if displeased, and Eun Suhyeok responding calmly.
The two wearing small microphones bickered regardless of whether the people around could hear.
They were restrained by the instructor and retreated to their designated positions.
Seong Dasom, gripping her stone spear, pouted her lips.
“Come at me with everything you’ve got. If you go easy on me trying to insult me like last time, I won’t let it slide.”
“I think I told you then too. I absolutely did not intend to insult you. It’s just that you were weak… so I was trying to match you….”
“What? Why do you always talk like that? Can’t you choose your words more nicely? And are you my nanny? Who asked you to go easy on me then? No, why….”
“Both of you, stop chatting and focus on the spar. Final warning.”
The instructor glared, putting strength into his eyes.
Seong Dasom and Eun Suhyeok, having no intention of defying him, closed their mouths and prepared for combat.
Slowly, they raised the mana within their bodies.
Shortly after, the spar began.
Seong Dasom summoned winged rings that performed cover attacks.
At the same time, Eun Suhyeok, who had stamped onto the ground, swung a spear wreathed in a blizzard.
* * *
Seong Dasom and Eun Suhyeok had naturally known each other since childhood through their parents’ continuous association.
The two had different temperaments.
If she was extroverted, he was introverted.
If she pursued ideals, he pursued reality.
If she centered on emotion, he centered on logic.
If she moved spontaneously, he moved according to plan.
Thus, there was no point of contact to be found between the two’s temperaments.
Nevertheless.
—“For all your status as a person of the Gwangmyeong Seong Clan, they say you should be able to do at least this much.”
—“Me too. As a person of the Seolchang Eun Clan, I often hear that I should endure pain.”
The reason the two could become close was that they were both exposed to the unique competitive environment of the Ten Great Clans, designed to raise excellent Hunters.
In childhood, to each of them, the other was a confidant from whom they could escape their clan’s oppression and honestly vent their feelings, and the only one who could empathize with the other’s feelings.
They were also equals to each other, and someone to rely on.
Thus, it was no surprise that in the process of growing up, they developed romantic feelings for each other.
One day, Seong Dasom, who had gone through puberty first, became aware of that emotion.
—“Seong Dasom?”
—“…Yes? W-why?”
—“You’ve been quiet since earlier. Is something wrong with your health…?”
—“Ah, it’s nothing. I was just spacing out for a moment.”
After becoming conscious of Eun Suhyeok as a member of the opposite sex.
Seong Dasom could no longer treat him as casually and frankly as before.
Whenever she was alone with him, she would stiffen her body nervously.
She flinched even if their fingertips brushed.
—“Why do you keep avoiding me?”
—“A-avoiding? I’m not avoiding you…. If it seemed that way, I’m sorry, I apologize.”
—“….”
As time passed, the relationship between the two could only drift apart little by little.
Eventually, from some point, Eun Suhyeok also began to treat her awkwardly.
Thus, a lack of communication arose.
From this point on, while neither had the courage to confess their feelings, they would often argue and squabble with the other, harboring resentment that their feelings weren’t being recognized.
Meanwhile, Seong Dasom had become acutely aware that Eun Suhyeok had grown up rapidly and changed into a manly figure.
—“No, it’s dangerous.”
—“Dasom, you stay in the back.”
—“I’ll handle this here, so don’t recklessly step forward.”
—“I’ll protect you.”
—“You stay still. I’ll do it.”
Eun Suhyeok’s excessive interference, protection, and consideration.
Seong Dasom, who had felt good about it at first, gradually began to feel burdened.
She also felt offended and displeased, as if her territory was being invaded.
Above all, she didn’t like that the relationship she had thought was equal seemed to be crumbling.
Therefore.
—“No, I’ll do this.”
—“I can do it too, you know?”
—“I’m a person of the Gwangmyeong Seong Clan, you know? Are you insulting me right now?”
—“It’s my business. Don’t concern yourself.”
Seong Dasom sharpened her guard against Eun Suhyeok to correct their relationship.
She wanted to prove that she could handle things alone without necessarily receiving his help.
‘I have no intention of becoming dependent on you, you know?’
Now was exactly the opportunity to prove it.
She would win against Eun Suhyeok in this spar watched by countless people.
And she would take him in as vice president.
With a firm goal, Seong Dasom spared no expense on her body.
She quickly withdrew her body within the raging blizzard and infused mana into her stone spear.
She deployed a technique.
Borrowing the power of the contracted angel.
“…!”
“You didn’t know I could do this, did you?”
An illusory circuit rose behind her back.
Blue mana flowing from her heart dyed the transparent circuit.
A brilliant flash of light burst forth.
“This is a spell I prepared for today.”
The air on either side of Seong Dasom rippled, and circular gates made of gold appeared.
The white magic of the Fifth Celestial Rank angel Jeanne Forte, “Sacred Corridor.”
At last, the gates opened.
From within, armored knights with white wings crossed over.
“…What did you summon?”
“They’re the gatekeepers of the Celestial Realm.”
The armored knights, equipped with weapons such as swords, bows, and spears, guarded Seong Dasom as they radiated a daunting pressure.
With a triumphant look, she put on airs before Eun Suhyeok.
“Did you think that I, disadvantaged in close combat, would fight you head-on? Unfortunately for you, that is absolutely, positively, utterly out of the question.”
Even for you, they’ll be hard to—
It was just as Seong Dasom was about to continue.
Saaak! Bang!
Eun Suhyeok closed the distance in an instant and swung his spear in a full arc.
The armored knight struck head-on left the ground and, in the next moment, was embedded in the wall.
Her hair blown about by the force, Seong Dasom belatedly came back to her senses and blurted out as if making an excuse.
“Yes, of course, this is how you should come at me. At full strength. I never thought I’d win easily from the start.”
* * *
Feathers and snow crystals fluttered through the air, and the world was covered in white.
Within it, Seong Dasom and Eun Suhyeok were locked in a close battle, neither side clearly having the upper hand.
All the friends watching the spar with me were impressed.
“It’s a fight worth watching.”
“Yum, yum. It really is. Delicious.”
“Even if she isn’t fighting alone, to think she can lead the flow of battle without being pushed back against a spearman… Her handling of white magic, too—she’s truly incredible. So this is why the Gwangmyeong Holy Family is called the foremost family in Korea’s white magic line… Still, she’s already used more than five kinds of white magic. Is that really all right? The price must be considerable…”
Gang Hanbyeol and Yong Haerang’s eyes were shining as they tried not to miss a single movement from Seong Dasom and Eun Suhyeok.
Cha Eunsol, who had bought and was eating walnut cakes from students roaming around with makeshift stalls, gave a halfhearted response.
Lisa, who belonged to the same white magic line as Seong Dasom, seemed to have a lot to learn and kept muttering to herself.
Glancing sideways at my other friends as well, I put a Deli Manjoo in my mouth.
‘It’s good.’
Custard cream spread through my mouth.
Enjoying the harmony of its warmth, fluffy texture, and sweet flavor, I raised the corners of my lips.
Then I held out a Deli Manjoo to Yeon Haneul.
She parted her lips slightly and gently bit it with her front teeth.
The sight of her cheeks moving as she chewed, all while completely absorbed in watching the spar, was quite striking.
That was when Do Sieun spoke to me from beside us.
“I never thought you’d persuade Dasom and Suhyeok into proposing a joint student council. You know this too, Gyeonu, but both of them are very strong-willed. That’s why I was worried innocent students would end up suffering while caught between them.”
“Even if those two bicker and fuss, it’s not like they’re on bad terms. So I figured that if they were just given a chance, both of them intended to compromise in moderation while pretending they had no choice.”
“And that chance was your support, huh. You read them well. Good job.”
“I’ve always had a good eye, haven’t I? Noona, do you want a Deli Manjoo too?”
“Yeah.”
Do Sieun, the student council president whose term now had little time left.
Seeming to have one worry lifted thanks to me, she relaxed her expression gently.
I handed her a Deli Manjoo taken from the bag.
Then she leaned toward me and carefully took it into her mouth.
‘She could’ve just taken it with her hand…’
It made me feel like a mother bird.
After that, I continued feeding Deli Manjoo to both Do Sieun and Yeon Haneul.
I didn’t get much of a chance to eat any myself, but just watching the two of them eat made me feel full.
Then Yeon Haneul brought it up.
“Hey, Gyeonu.”
“Yeah, what is it?”
“Who do you want to win?”
Was she trying to decide whether or not she would become a student council officer depending on who became student council president?
Looking at her, still torn between Shield and the student council, I shrugged.
“No matter who wins, the result will be the same. But if I had to choose… Senior Eun Suhyeok?”
“Why Senior Eun Suhyeok?”
“Senior Dasom isn’t meticulous. She makes a lot of mistakes, and she seems kind of clumsy. Like she’d be a bit of an airhead.”
“Hmm…”
“…What?”
“It’s just that you’re saying it like you’re guessing, but your tone makes it sound like you know her well.”
“…”
“And Senior Eun Suhyeok is Senior Eun Suhyeok, but Senior Seong Dasom is Senior Dasom, huh? You two must be close?”
“Well… even if we are, could we be as close as you and I are?”
Yeon Haneul looked at me with a sulky face.
I felt guilty for no reason, even though I hadn’t done anything wrong.
Awkwardly avoiding her gaze, I asked Do Sieun for help to change the subject.
“What do you think, noona? Who do you want to win?”
“Like you said, Dasom does make mistakes often. To be honest, that’s why I’d like Suhyeok to win too, but…”
“Looks like that’ll be hard.”
“Yeah.”
The spar, which had remained neck and neck the whole time, was now drawing to a close.
Seong Dasom had judged that she had worn down Eun Suhyeok’s strength and pulled out the move she had been hiding until now.
Catching all of us off guard, she spread pure white wings and soared upward.
“This ends here.”
“Kh!”
Eun Suhyeok had no proper means of countering aerial combat.
On top of that, the armored knights were surrounding him with their numerical advantage.
With his movement restricted, he ultimately had no choice but to accept defeat.
“It was a good spar. I look forward to working with you from now on, Vice President.”
Seong Dasom unfolded a magic circle in the sky and bombarded the ground.
The merciless barrage swallowed Eun Suhyeok and the armored knights.
The sounds of explosions did not cease.
But maybe it was just my imagination…
Ohohoho, ahahaha!
For some reason, I felt like I could hear Seong Dasom laughing in overflowing joy.
‘That senior… It really will be okay if she becomes student council president, right?’
I let out a bitter smile.
I Became the Childhood Friend of the Mid-Boss