A Dark Past

She wasn’t weak. Yet here she was, showing vulnerability in front of me. I had plenty to say to her, but for now, it seemed wiser to listen. This wasn’t how I wanted our conversation to go, but if we had to talk, it might as well be now.

I nodded slightly, signaling my agreement, and she offered a faint smile.

“Before we start, I have a question. How do you see me?”

I couldn’t quite grasp the intent behind Jeong Ha-yeon’s question, but I didn’t dwell on it. Just as I had shared a piece of my truth with her through the Crystal of Truth, she seemed ready to reveal her own inner self. I recalled the time at the ruined lab when she reacted to the Golden Lion Clan.

“I think you’re a smart and skilled magician.”

“And?”

“You’re calm and prefer to solve problems logically. You have your own standards, but you’re also flexible.”

“And?”

”…Your voice is clear.”

She chuckled softly. “And?”

I fell silent, meeting her gaze. Her face seemed to be smiling, but her eyes were deeply contemplative. I chose not to say more.

“Everyone has a side they show to the world and a side only they know.”

“There are people whose inner and outer selves align.”

“No, I never believed that. Even if someone seems similar, they’re never exactly the same. But meeting you shattered that belief.”

”…….”

I let out a small sigh. I understood her sentiment; I once thought the same. It was a bit sad, really. What had happened to make her so disillusioned with herself and others?

“There’s nothing to doubt. I know the power of the Crystal of Truth, and your sincerity was genuine. It’s amazing to meet someone whose actions and inner self are in harmony.”

Though her words stung a bit, I quickly composed myself. I didn’t feel guilty. As long as my feelings for my brother and Han So-young were genuine, I could withstand any embarrassment.

Jeong Ha-yeon refilled her glass, wetting her lips before continuing.

“I think I mentioned it before. If something feels off, I need to address it. That’s my creed in the Hall Plain. Do you know why I hold such a cold principle?”

“I don’t.”

“I was a member of the Golden Lion Clan a year ago.”

She spoke without any preamble or hesitation. That was Jeong Ha-yeon for you. Finally, we were getting to the heart of the matter, and I focused intently on her words. She closed her eyes briefly, as if organizing her thoughts, then opened them and spoke in her clear voice.

“You’re not surprised. Good. I thought you might have guessed. When I heard you turned down the Golden Lion Clan, it felt… unique.”

“Joining a clan with no future is madness.”

“A clan with no future… Who could say that about the current Golden Lion Clan? But I agree with you.”

She paused, her expression wistful, as if recalling memories. It didn’t take long for her to continue.

“The Golden Lion Clan is a traditional clan. When they conquered Barbara, the clan leader, who had been in charge for eight years, died. So, it’s been around for twelve years now. Considering no one survives in the Hall Plain for over ten years, it’s a well-established alliance. They changed after conquering Barbara and gaining power. I wasn’t there then, but I feel qualified to say that.”

”…….”

“I entered the Hall Plain two years ago with my younger sister. It was when the Golden Lion Clan was thriving. I was in my final year of university, and suddenly, I found myself in the Hall Plain. I was terrified—facing monsters I’d only seen in movies, realizing I couldn’t go home. But I met another user during the Rite of Passage.”

Her words were so sorrowful that I wanted to say something, but she shook her head, stopping me. I sighed and closed my half-open mouth.

“That user was incredible. Handsome, tall, well-built, and noble-looking. He was the kind of person young women dream about. He became the leader of those who fell with us and led us out of that hellish Rite of Passage. I couldn’t help but fall for him. He was skilled, and there was nothing he lacked. He was especially good with a bow—every shot hit its mark. If he had ridden a white horse, he would have been a prince.”

So, he was a second-year like her and skilled with a bow. I thought of a few users, but none matched her description. There were many archers in the Golden Lion Clan, and I couldn’t recall anyone below Seon Yu-un, who had made it to the River.

“After escaping the Rite of Passage, we entered the User Academy together. He stood out there too. Being the top of the academy as an archer wasn’t easy. I believed we would stay together, so I trained hard. I didn’t want to hold him back. On graduation day, he received an offer from the Golden Lion Clan, envied by all new users. And my dream came true.”

“Your dream?”

“To stay with him. On graduation day, he approached me, holding my hand, saying he wanted to be with me. He asked the Golden Lion Clan to take one more person. My grades weren’t bad, but not enough for that clan. Yet, the scout nodded readily. I was just happy to follow him, but maybe that was the start of everything… ha.”

Jeong Ha-yeon paused, letting out a short sigh. I quickly refilled her empty glass. With this last drink, the bottle was empty. She downed it in one go, wetting her lips with her tongue before letting out a dry laugh.

“The users who came out of the Rite of Passage with us, including my sister, weren’t included. They said they barely spoke to anyone after entering the User Academy. But I understood. I was even happy. I worked hard to be a user worthy of him. You didn’t have the skills, so you weren’t chosen. My sister Ji-yeon was a bit of a concern, but she was considerate. I felt like a princess entering the Golden Lion Clan with him. I loved how he treated me as someone special.”

I briefly thought of the unique ability, Charisma. For someone as perceptive as her to be so captivated? If he had Charisma… or maybe she wasn’t as rational back then. I pushed aside the thoughts swirling in my head. She continued speaking.

”…I’ve talked too much. I’ll wrap it up. Life in that clan wasn’t happy. The users who joined on merit looked down on me, and the new users were jealous. They whispered that I had slept my way in, calling me a whore behind my back. From above and below, I had no allies.”

“Didn’t that user stand by you?”

At my question, she gritted her teeth so hard I could hear it. After a moment of biting her lip, she let out a deep sigh. She lowered her head, staring at the ground as she spoke.

“It was one night. I was exhausted, lying down to sleep, but the other users in the dorm didn’t come back. I found it odd, but I was too tired to care. After a while, I heard the door open. Thinking it was one of the dorm users, I kept my eyes closed. Then, suddenly, someone climbed onto my bed, pinning me down with their weight.”

“No way…”

“Shocked, I tried to get up, but the person tore at my clothes. I fought back desperately. I wasn’t someone to be easily overpowered, but maybe I was caught off guard, or maybe my resistance was just lucky. The spell I was practicing for speed unexpectedly succeeded. The intruder was thrown off with a loud noise. When I finally looked up, the person bleeding in front of me was the scout from the User Academy. He was furious.”

“He was angry?”

“Yes. Honestly, I should have been the one angry, but I was just stunned. He said something like, ‘What? Haven’t you talked it all out with that guy?’”

As soon as she said that, I frowned. That one sentence was enough for me to piece together the situation. She noticed my reaction and smiled, but it was a smile filled with bitterness and loneliness.

“Yes, it’s probably what you’re imagining. That day, the Golden Lion Clan was in chaos. I hadn’t done anything wrong, not even a little. I followed the clan’s orders and did everything I was told. There was nothing they could criticize me for, except for the rumors. But that was it. As time passed, the issue was quietly buried, and the higher-ups decided to let it go. They hinted that I should be grateful I wasn’t expelled. And on the day it was decided to bury the issue, the user who had brought me into the clan called me.”

If things were like this two years ago, I could only imagine how they were now. Sure, the big expedition had failed, but it seemed like everything crumbled too easily afterward. By now, two years later, I didn’t need to see or hear to know how rotten things had become inside.

“Still, I thought he was my only ally, so I wanted comfort. But when I went to him with a sad face, he looked at me coldly and said one thing.”

“What did he say?”

“He called me a fool. Said he thought I was smart but I was just an idiot.”

“That’s enough. You don’t have to say any more. I understand the situation.”

With that, I was certain. I raised my hand to stop Jung Ha-yeon from speaking further. But despite my gesture, she shook her head fiercely, her shiny bob swaying beautifully from side to side. Seeing her determination to continue, I had no choice but to lower my hand.

“We had a terrible fight. It was the first time I stood up to him so fiercely. In the end, I was crying, asking how he could do this to me, but he just kept blaming me in that cold voice. He said I had made him fall out of favor with the scout. Did I know how powerful that person was here? He said keeping one’s chastity in the whole plane was foolish. You have to do whatever it takes to survive. Why couldn’t I understand his feelings? After a long lecture disguised as persuasion, he left me there, sobbing. The scout said he’d try to talk to him again and told me to face reality.”

“Jung Ha-yeon.”

“It’s almost over. Just a little more, please. After that, I barely remember how I got back to my room. I spent three days and nights crying and sobbing. But even then, I couldn’t see reality. Not the reality he was talking about, but the one I saw. A part of me still wanted to believe in him. After a long time of agonizing, I decided to accept what he said. There were indeed some female users living like that, and the whole plane had a looser view on chastity compared to modern society. I imagined it was all for me, that once things settled, he would accept me again. With that self-delusion, I pulled myself together and got up.”

“That was foolish.”

She nodded at my criticism.

“Yes, I admit it. Looking back, I was really foolish. It’s not something to brag about, but until then, I had never been with a man. I had this fantasy about my first time, wanting it to be with someone I loved. So I got up, dressed up as prettily as I could, and waited for nightfall. I snuck out of my room and went to his. I thought if I gave him my first time, it would be a small comfort for the pain I would endure living like that. So I steeled myself and went to his door. I put my hand on the doorknob, but then…”

Recalling the memory, Jung Ha-yeon’s lips trembled with distress. Her hands shook, and her eyes quivered as if tears might fall at any moment, but she held them back. After a few deep breaths, she continued in a choked voice.

“As I stood at the door, I heard faint sounds from inside. Yes, it was the sound of a man and woman. My hand on the doorknob trembled, and I stood there, dazed. Then, as if possessed, I slightly opened the door. Inside, as expected, he was with another female user, exploring each other’s bodies. And at that moment…”

Jung Ha-yeon paused, and I felt as if a fierce blue flame flickered in her eyes. The anger was so palpable that I swallowed hard, waiting for her next words.

“I locked eyes with the woman lying beneath him.”

---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=

Hello, this is Ro Yujin.

I imagine many of you were surprised today. :)

I attended a meeting on February 28th, and it turns out that those who participated three times or more in February, including the 28th, don’t have to join the March 1st-2nd overnight course. While it’s good to attend, many who participated three times chose not to, so I decided to follow suit. Plus, I wasn’t feeling well, and I thought it would be better to rest at home and write instead of stressing myself out.

Thanks to that, I have a bit of free time today and tomorrow.

As promised, I’ll continue writing as long as I have the time, so a pat on the head would be appreciated. :)

PS. Please don’t be too harsh on Ha-yeon. She has her own story. ㅜ.ㅠ

『 Reader Comments 』

1. Hwi-eul: Congratulations on being first. Two consecutive firsts! Is a new champion emerging?! Haha. What could have made Su-hyeon so alert?

2. EchoingSoul: It’s okay! Commenting heals even sore fingers! Really! (Thud thud.)

3. Amish: : I… I was just used… ㅜ.ㅠ

4. GradeRown: Yes, and this was the setup all along. The reasons will be revealed in the next chapter. Haha. The innkeeper was a major figure from a faction that clashed with the protagonist’s group in the first round.

5. DragonTamer: I’ll write it subtly but sufficiently suggestively. I’m not sure how well I’ll do since it’s my first time. ㅜ.ㅠ

6. MoonChaser: Ah, you have a vague standard. It’s a dilemma. Sob sob.

7. Marama: Shout it out! Ero Yujin! EE… Just kidding. OTL

8. 9597: The author checks the summoning status. The catalyst is sufficient. Responding to 9597’s continuous writing summoning skill. Shooong~!

9. Idrian: …I was momentarily staring blankly at the comment. ㅜ.ㅠ

10. MonsterSlayer: Haha. It might be tough to progress the story to the chapter, but clearing the false accusation of being impotent is necessary… Oh, never mind. Ahem.

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