## Chapter 384 – Unconscious Intent (4)
A single peony bloomed beautifully in her head.
That was probably the best sentence to describe her current state in just one phrase.
The world seemed beautiful, but amidst all that, she was sighing more and more without even realizing it.
‘How do I approach him?’
The reason was that for Hye-ryung between the end of the special evaluation and the start of the new semester, there was no longer any excuse to meet Antonio.
Formulating a plan to win love, as any girl in love would naturally do.
But the real problem was that Hye-ryung had lived her life perfectly fine without any of that, a proud young lady from a good family, walking her own path.
‘But if I go to him first…
Won’t I seem like a frivolous woman…?’
Let’s say she succeeded in realizing her undisguised, honest feelings and even getting her prideful self to acknowledge them.
But the current situation was that only the realization itself, nothing more and nothing less, was being produced.
‘He must be mine.
As much as I must be his…’
While the one who should be giving the rice cake wasn’t even imagining it, a monster created by her pride was running rampant in her head.
Thinking about the women who would approach the quite handsome Antonio and the way he would smile at those women, Hye-ryung felt like her insides were burning up day by day.
‘Even now, there must be foxes around him, wagging their tails…’
She bit her nails without realizing it, fidgeting restlessly.
Eventually, even the family’s disciples noticed her change, and Hye-ryung spent days agonizing over a solution.
After those days of anguish.
She had no choice but to conclude that thinking about romance, a field she knew nothing about, all by herself was meaningless.
“Disciple Gyeon Sa-woo. You and Disciple Jik Yeo-hwa are fond of each other, aren’t you?”
In the end, the person she dragged in was a loyal family disciple.
Among them, it was one male disciple who seemed to have a particularly good relationship with another female disciple.
“Eek…!! How did Senior Sister know…?”
Perhaps surprised that Hye-ryung, who usually wasn’t interested in such things, had pinpointed it so accurately, the disciple who was named stammered for a moment before finally confessing the truth.
The woman that Disciple Gyeon Sa-woo liked and who liked him was Jik Yeo-hwa, a disciple who also resided in the same mansion and served Hye-ryung.
The two had been fond of each other since they were in the Cao Xing’s Tang family, and when they left their homeland to assist Hye-ryung on her trip to the academy, they became even more reliant on each other.
“Not really. You two are always giggling together like that, how could I not know?
What does it feel like? Being in a relationship, I mean.”
“Hmm… It feels like strolling through a delicate flower garden every day…
I become careful not to step on the flowers, and while I’m looking at them, I forget all my worries.
When I look at Yeo-hwa, a smile naturally appears on my face…
But at the same time, I’m constantly worried, so I become careful about even the smallest actions.”
“Does Disciple Jik Yeo-hwa feel the same way?”
“One hundred people have one hundred different thoughts.
It is said that people’s emotions are similar yet different.
My heart and Yeo-hwa’s heart are probably similar yet slightly different.”
Suddenly, that thought came to her.
If this feeling was only hers, then conversely, Antonio might not like her.
That made her voice tremble slightly, revealing itself in Hye-ryung’s question.
“Don’t you think that’s unsettling?
If you don’t have the same thoughts.”
Hearing Hye-ryung’s question, he let out a soft sigh, seemingly thinking about something for a moment.
After a moment of contemplation, Gyeon Sa-woo, as if he had organized his thoughts, began to speak, offering an answer with a gentle smile.
“I just believe it.
We cannot be the same, but we are looking at the same place.
Right now, we are working hard to help each other in order to assist Senior Sister.
That’s what I think and believe, and I’m doing my best in this moment together.
In the future, it will be for my family as well as Senior Sister.
For now, I’m just trying to think about it that much.”
Hye-ryung slowly mulled over the heartfelt story from the guy who always stubbornly shouted “That won’t do” next to her.
“If that’s wrong, the future will tell us someday.
If not, then our choice will have been right.
So there’s no reason not to pour more passion into it.”
“Difficult…”
That man, of all people, was in a passionately loving relationship with Jik Yeo-hwa, the woman who most perfectly fulfilled her role as a disciple who handled situations smoothly and flexibly.
When you think about it, Jik Yeo-hwa always took care of the aftermath whenever Hye-ryung poked at Gyeon Sa-woo’s pressure points whenever he said no to something.
In the end, feeling a bit confused, as if she couldn’t understand it yet, she made a pouty face. Gyeon Sa-woo chuckled and shrugged at her.
“Senior Sister is also at that age, so you’ll probably find someone.
Just do your best.
At least for me, I think that my best has reached Yeo-hwa.”
“Yeah… you mean do your best…”
With those words to herself, Hye-ryung left her spot and returned to her desk.
Sitting down and taking out a brush and parchment, she began to write something down as if scribbling, her eyes deepening as she didn’t stop writing.
– – – – – – –
A few days later.
Hye-ryung, thinking that she needed to fill her own shortcomings, suddenly recalled an idea that came to her mind and carried it out confidently, as was her usual style.
Recalling her conversation with Tang family disciple Gyeon Sa-woo, she thought that what she lacked was the ability to make friends and understand their thoughts.
She pondered what she needed to improve her social skills.
“Yeo-hwa. Do you have the letters that came last time?”
“Yes, Senior Sister. Which ones are you referring to?”
“You know, the thing about the social gathering or whatever.”
“Ah, you said you didn’t need that, so I’m probably using it as kindling by now…”
“Kyaaaaak!! Get it out quickly!!”
In her head, as she barely saved the invitation from becoming ashes, all sorts of calculations repeatedly came and went.
‘Aiding her husband is the most important role of a wife.
My aid supports his foundation.
To do that, social skills among the noble families are definitely essential.
Even more so to thoroughly understand the way of thinking of the nobles my age.’
She, who had always thought of social gatherings and such as useless gatherings of frivolous women, was now attending the Proden family’s social gathering of her own accord.
Of course, there were some problems with that.
“You don’t know me? I’m Tang Hye-ryung of the Tang family.
I’ve come to build friendships with you all, so open the door.”
Whether this should be called cognitive dissonance or that the most frightening people are those who know just enough.
Instead of just handing over the invitation, she didn’t because she thought it was just a piece of paper with a schedule written on it, and she was arguing in front of the door.
“Isn’t there anything more interesting than that?
The Tang family doesn’t even consider that humor.”
And because of her already high pride, she often acted like a master, lording over others.
“Consider it an honor to have met me, you ignorant people.
I am Tang Hye-ryung of the Tang family, from the Department of Pharmacy.”
It was Lucas, the host of this social gathering, who saved her from someone who came to socialize but seemed like she would end up breaking off friendships.
“Well, there’s no helping it, is there?
We have no choice but to start a special content, ‘Make the Tsundere Lady Laugh.’
As a prize, I’ll give you a choice to invite someone to our family’s social gathering!!”
“Then I have no choice but to unleash this…?
I’ll have to bring out my collection of legendary stories.”
“Get out of the way for a bit.
I’ll show you the humor of Barmhausen.”
“See, I told you!! You’re eliminated!!
It’s my turn, my turn!!
Watch closely what I, the socialite of the social world, do!!”
“You’re the same, so go stand in the corner!!
We need to neuter you soon, you pig bastards.”
“Ugh!! Such harsh words…!!
Actually, it might be an industry reward…?
The cold Cao Xing lady’s insults… Heok heok…”
From the start, the tension was so high that Hye-ryung’s insults even became a clown moment.
Hye-ryung, not even knowing that her own appearance was funny, was scattering insults like a fish in water, and in the end, she was meeting Carla at the social gathering as well.
“Oh, it’s you again? Sterben, was it?”
“Ah…!! The one from that time…!!”
Frankly speaking, neither Hye-ryung nor Carla had any particular feelings for each other.
Perhaps because Hye-ryung’s usual overbearing attitude was a bit uncomfortable, Carla was about to get slightly scared, but at that moment.
‘Thinking about it… what if I target his family?
He seems to care a lot about his younger sister…
It would be good to gain her favor in advance, right?’
“That’s right. Your brother owed me a favor back then.
Because he couldn’t handle things underground, I had to sprinkle precious medicine on the ground.”
Of course, the problem was that the idea of targeting was similar to bringing a gun to a casual hunt.
Anyway, as Hye-ryung showed her favor and looked at her, Carla, who had the same sense as other socialites, was smoothly accepting Hye-ryung’s words.
“You were in the Department of Pharmacy…!! Long time no see!!
Have you been well since that day?”
In this way, Hye-ryung was perfectly(?) improving her social skills and even winning over Antonio’s younger sister(???), and her plan to try even if it meant breaking was off to a smooth start.
After that, in order to maintain a close relationship with Carla, she deliberately demolished the workshop that had only a shabby warehouse left and even invested in the academy in the name of her family to build a building.
“Construction!! Hurry!! Are you still far?
I have money, so do it faster!!”
If she shared Carla’s workshop and space under the guise of building her own laboratory?
Antonio, who was very interested in his younger sister, would surely visit the workshop often to check on her.
Then, naturally, she, who was using the same space, would also be able to make an impression.
“Oh, Lady Hye-ryung? I’ve heard the story well.
I heard that the Tang family invested in building this building.
Carla will be using it together, so please take care of her.”
“T-This much is nothing…
But if you insist on me taking good care of her…
Maybe… we could… have a meal together…”
As she did so, Hye-ryung’s project to win Antonio’s heart was progressing more smoothly than she had expected.
In fact, as they had more opportunities to make eye contact, she naturally had opportunities to recommend something to Antonio as a way of repaying him for something she had received.
“Do you… have time… today?”
“I don’t have any plans in particular…?
Hmm. Now that I think about it, I need to go buy a new tie…”
“Then!! S-Shall I… pick one out for you…?”
“I’m the one who’s going!? Right, Brother…?”
“Hmm? Didn’t you put what you were researching into the division machine earlier?
It should be starting to divide by now, right?”
“Carla should… continue studying?
If Lady Hye-ryung has time…
I think it would be good to ask her…
Then, would you spare some time today…?”
“Ugh… Eeeeeeek…!!
My brother is off-limits…!!”
Occasionally, Carla, who was a brother-complex like her sister-complex brother, would notice the subtle tension between the two and try to interfere, but such lukewarm resistance was in Hye-ryung’s palm.
‘Heh heh… A clever fox digs a hundred dens.’
In the end, after pouring all the effort she could, Hye-ryung was able to confirm that they were gradually getting closer.
A goal that still felt a bit distant, a complex human relationship that didn’t seem to have an answer no matter how much she thought about it.
But compared to the beginning, when they knew nothing and started from scratch, she thought that they had come quite a long way.
Now, Carla, who was practically living in the workshop with them, seemed like family and a sister-in-law.
Now, she was having happy fantasies about when they would be able to dress up in formal attire and face each other happily at their wedding.
She didn’t know how many children would be good, but she even had lewd fantasies about having as many as Antonio wanted, and she was cooling down her flushed body in the middle of the night.
Her problem was bursting out in a completely strange place.
– – – – – – –
“Some strange things are running around?”
The academy monster rampage incident, where monsters that were experimental subjects and research specimens managed by the Academy’s Department of Medicine were released and rampaging.
Of course, most of the monsters were only small fries, so it was safe to say that they posed no threat to her.
After facing Arachnella, she had added countless more training sessions to hone her skills, and she believed that in order to become Antonio’s excellent legal wife, she herself had to be the most capable.
In the midst of all that, she met a slightly formidable opponent and even saved her sister-in-law Carla from that monster.
The problem was the information she learned after that.
“Gyeon Sa-woo. Is this true?”
“I cannot know the exact truth, but circumstantially, it seems to be true.
I have confirmed that several containers that appear to be liquid metal were being brought into that brothel…
Jik Yeo-hwa is still watching the brothel, Senior Sister.”
It was strange from the start that monsters were suddenly being released from the Academy’s Department of Medicine, which could be seen as thoroughly thorough.
The fact that the forces behind it were taking various technologies from the academy, which was also a focal point of technological innovation, and that even Carla’s research (who was going to be her sister-in-law) was among them.
Based on that information, everyone was about to charge in right away, but Hye-ryung was trying to gather more information from a step behind.
“Mademoiselle… Laratina…?
She’s been anxious recently because a competitor has appeared…”
“That influence may not be entirely absent.
As a result of the Tang family’s informants investigating, there is an organization pressuring her.”
“Even so, would she be crazy enough to mess with the academy?
Even though there are only losers… no, there are some who are a bit lacking, except for some…
This place is a public education institution that is favored by Groden.
There must be a reason for that.
Dig deeper into those competitors as well.”
“That… I was also thinking of looking into that place more…”
“Is there a problem?”
“While digging up information about those guys, the Swallow Faction, some of the Tang family’s informants were attacked.”
“…… Is that true?”
As Gyeon Sa-woo spoke with difficulty, a slight change was also occurring in Hye-ryung’s eyes.
Who was the Tang family?
They were people who had been in the business of assassination and contract killing since ancient times.
For them, espionage and information gathering were as easy as pie, but they were ambushed at the business of a mere back alley gang.
“I am sorry, but it is true.
Especially the brothel called Floraz.
The place that is said to be Mademoiselle Laratina’s competitor is impregnable.”
“What about the informants’ opponents?”
“The identity of the opposing combatant itself has been identified as a female beastman…
According to the Tang family’s mission rules, if we are attacked any more than this, there will be a shortage of personnel to assist Senior Sister.
It is impossible for us to step out any further than this with our current forces.
I will request the dispatch of a master from the Tang family…”
“Then let’s postpone that for now.
After all, what we need to worry about right now…
Doesn’t seem to be those guys.”
If they were just fighting for power, there was no reason for the Tang family to step in.
Until the exact truth that they were involved in this incident was revealed, there was no reason to designate them as her target.
Feeling a subtle sense of unease, Hye-ryung decided to focus on the goal in front of her for now.
‘The investigation can be done later.
I need to resolve the damage to those who will become the Tang family’s family first.’
What was always most important to her was one unchanging goal.
Finding Carla’s stolen research results, who was now a Tang family member, was the only goal she had to think about right now.
‘And if the results are good, the young lady will surely open her heart to me more, right?’
It was also to become closer to her sister-in-law Carla, who had been wary of Hye-ryung like a puppy, growling at her because of her anxiety about being robbed of her brother.
Hye-ryung, who was thinking about the considerable importance of this matter, ended up joining the Mademoiselle raid.
And there, she ended up receiving even more hatred.
“You can’t hesitate when you kill.
This is a necessary thing, right?”
“But… there’s no need to go this far!!
There was no need to kill them all…!!”
It was clearly a divine assassination that everyone would praise as flawless, a rare occurrence.
Laratina’s organization members, who were quickly dying from being caught in a chain trap, eventually met their deaths while spitting out the information they wanted.
Thanks to that, she was one step closer to her goal, and even though it was a situation where praise should be coming out.
Rather, seeing Carla and Yui’s faces looking at her with fearful eyes, Hye-ryung almost took a step back without realizing it. She steeled her heart again and was trying to explain her actions to her.
“What do you think human lives are!?”
“In the Tang family, we were taught that.
Awkward mercy is more painful than a quick death.
And you must not leave any loose ends.
Those are your enemies.
Don’t choose the wrong target to pity.”
The problem was that what was natural for Hye-ryung was not necessarily natural for Carla.
Especially in response to Yui’s vehement protest, who had taken Carla’s best friend spot, Hye-ryung had to scold her and remind her of the seriousness of reality.
She may have had the naive thought that if she secretly sneaked in and took only what she needed, everyone would be happy, but if it ended with that, then the Tang family’s very reason for existence would be denied.
The world was not so easy, and if you wielded a sword to kill someone incorrectly, that sword would rather lead you to death.
‘What is that… I’ve been working so hard for the young lady…’
In the end, Hye-ryung’s heart was becoming a little uncomfortable as she sent everyone else out and cleaned up the scene, thinking that she couldn’t make rice or porridge like this.
It had started in the name of Antonio, whom she loved more than anyone else.
Even though she was working hard for his beloved younger sister, who was increasingly catching her eye.
Hye-ryung couldn’t understand why she was being looked at with those eyes.
Clearly, until recently, they had been laughing and spending time together, and even though there were some slight differences of opinion, she didn’t think that time would change either.
But an incident occurred that directly betrayed her expectations.
It was when she discovered a tattoo right behind Yui’s butt in the shower.
Even when Hye-ryung, who was convinced that it was a monster entity of something other than a part of the human body, tried to eliminate the danger that might be directed at Carla.
Carla pushed Hye-ryung away and rather protected Yui.
“Young Lady……”
“Maybe… there’s a reason I don’t know…
Something like that…
But Yui is my friend…”
Was that when it started?
The thought that she would no longer be able to get close to them.
Seeing Carla protecting such an unbelievable friend who was raising an unknown monster in her body, and rather pushing away herself, who had been helping her with all her heart until now.
In the end, Hye-ryung had no choice but to leave that place without a word.
‘Everyone’s crazy.’
So, when she went to Mademoiselle because she couldn’t acquire Carla’s research that she wanted, she had prepared the nerve poison even more thoroughly.
If she laid the groundwork for a situation where she could properly understand her intentions, she had a final expectation that she would understand her thoughts.
But more than the fact that she could safely retrieve the data this time, Hye-ryung had no choice but to let go of her last remaining attachment as she watched them have a fit over the fact that people had been caught up and died.
‘Get back. You’re clumsy.
You’re just a bunch of losers……’
Even when the liquid metal drone that had lost control after the alchemist brothers of Raratina died swallowed Yui and went on a rampage, she had grabbed Carla’s arm to protect her, and that was the last time.
In the end, Carla shook off her hand and reached out to Yui, who was likely already dead from suffocation. Watching that scene.
Hye-ryung, who was beaten back by the silver whip that followed and fell backward, felt her fading vision gradually blurring.
Lying on the messy floor, spitting blood, she muttered to herself as if whispering for the last time.
“Now… it’s okay…”
