Correcting the Villainess of the Academy

“…Really?”

“Yeah. The doctor said it’s truly a miracle. Hyun Ah, does that make sense? A miracle…!”

At the foot of the hill behind the village.

Yeon Yi, who was lying next to me, excitedly poured out words, a rare sight for her.

Yeon Yi regularly received thorough check-ups from her doctor, and she would always share the confidential exam results with me as if it were nothing.

Just last month, Yeon Yi’s body was in such a serious condition that there wasn’t a single healthy organ left.

She said if the symptoms worsened even slightly, she would soon be lying in bed with a ventilator, waiting for a death sentence.

I still remember Yeon Yi’s face, which was so dark when she told me that.

Originally, a wizard’s body is stronger than an ordinary person’s in every way, but Yeon Yi was helplessly fading away due to her severe illness.

However, according to yesterday’s test results, Yeon Yi’s body showed a hint of natural recovery ability.

Her body was still severely damaged, but the fact that she had regained even a little bit of recovery ability was something that had never been seen in patients with particle hypersensitivity before.

“You should’ve seen the doctor’s shocked expression. You can’t imagine how ridiculous it was. And I think it might be because of you.”

After chatting for a while, Yeon Yi suddenly turned her head and looked into my eyes.

Yeon Yi’s eyes were filled with joy and conviction.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I feel like my health gets better when I’m next to you. My head gets clearer, and the pain decreases.”

“Um…”

“I think it’s because we are destined for each other. It’s definitely it. We are overcoming the illness through the power of love…!”

“Yeon Ah… that doesn’t make any sense…”

“I’m serious…! It’s so frustrating… Why don’t you believe me?”

Perhaps unsatisfied with my response, Yeon Yi began tapping her chest with her fist.

Then she puffed up her cheeks and turned her head away.

“Then don’t believe me. I’ll think that way by myself.”

“Sigh, you’re doing it again.”

“Hmph.”

“I was just joking. I’m sorry.”

“Now, it’s too late….”

“I really think you’re right.”

“…”

Yeon Yi, who had been pouting a lot, paused to think after hearing my apology.

Then she rolled over and snuggled into my arms.

“I’ll forgive you this time. Hehe…”

“Sigh…”

It was quite amusing how quickly her expression changed.

I often thought that if Yeon Yi weren’t a wizard, she would have been a great actress.

But the idea that being next to me seemed to improve her health was just absurd.

The notion that she overcame her illness through love was even more ridiculous.

While it was undoubtedly a wonderful thing that Yeon Yi regained even a little health, I thought it was simply because her body was strong enough.

After all, hadn’t Yeon Yi herself said that wizards are stronger than regular people?

Not to mention, Yeon Yi, who possesses great wizarding talent, must have an even sturdier body.

I just thought that she wanted to spend more time together and was being a bit stubborn as usual.

“You know, I want to take back what I said last time.”

Yeon Yi, who had been quietly cuddled next to me, suddenly shot up.

“What did you say?”

“The thing I said about you meeting another girl if I died. No matter how I think about it, I can’t stand it. I absolutely won’t die. So you can’t meet another girl, okay?”

“I was wondering what you were talking about. You told me to meet a prettier girl and live happily.”

“I hate it. I hate it. I absolutely hate it!”

Hearing my words, Yeon Yi vehemently shook her head. Then she suddenly glared at me with fierce eyes.

“Did you want to meet another girl? Do you have someone you like?”

“Ugh…”

Her persistent questioning felt like poking a hornet’s nest. I opened my arms and gestured to Yeon Yi.

“That’s impossible. Come here.”

“You’re trying to brush it off again…”

“Quickly.”

“Ugh…”

As I kept urging her, Yeon Yi, unable to resist, hurried over and snuggled into my embrace. I pet her head a couple of times and spoke again.

“I won’t meet anyone else.”

“…”

“I like you the most.”

“…”

“And you’re the prettiest.”

“…I know.”

Yeon Yi replied, seemingly satisfied. We remained silent for a while before she spoke again.

“…I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“…Mm…”

We lay on the grassy hill, tightly pressed together. Then we enjoyed the pleasant breeze for a while.

*

It seemed the miracle was not a one-time event, as Yeon Yi slowly but steadily regained her health.

She was still alive, even after half a year had passed, when she had thought she would miss the New Year’s sunrise.

The signs of illness that had once clouded her face had vanished without a trace.

Instead of gloom, vitality was taking its place, something even I could see.

At first, I feared that harboring vain hopes would lead to greater wounds, but now I naturally accepted our joy.

However, it wasn’t all good news. Yeon Yi’s absurd belief that she overcame her illness through love only deepened. My obsession with her also grew in proportion.

Now, except when we were sleeping, we hardly left each other’s sight. Yeon Yi sincerely regretted not being able to be together every night.

Meanwhile, as if to compensate for her previous pain, Yeon Yi began to grow explosively.

She matured day by day and became more beautiful.

Though it was said girls grow faster than boys, I was shocked when Yeon Yi, who used to fit snugly in my arms, grew taller than me by a decent margin.

On the other hand, I was considerably shorter than my peers, including Jin Ho and Ina.

Moreover, I had been feeling inexplicable fatigue and soreness throughout my body for some time, and the doctors couldn’t find any clear cause, leaving me increasingly frustrated.

“The doctor said that growth spurts can come a little later.”

“But isn’t it too late?”

“Just wait a little longer. And what’s wrong with height? You’re already lovely the way you are.”

“I want to grow taller.”

“It’s okay. I think I prefer you just the way you are.”

“What?”

“…Hehe, never mind!”

Yeon Yi hugged me tightly, claiming she found me cute.

But in a corner of my heart, a feeling of similar impatience began to grow.

In contrast to Yeon Yi, who was regaining her true self, I was still lagging behind with nothing accomplished or possessed.

Perhaps because of that feeling, I found myself working harder than ever to fulfill Yeon Yi’s wishes, even for trivial things.

Of course, Yeon Yi’s requests mostly stemmed from emotional stubbornness; she had never once asked for anything material.

But one time, I noticed her looking enviously when Jin Ho and Ina got matching rings together.

Though she tried to hide it, I could tell the atmosphere changed when Yeon Yi looked at Ina’s finger.

To make Yeon Yi happy, I saved up my allowance for a long time.

After sneaking a measurement of Yeon Yi’s finger while she napped, I headed to the nearby village’s jewelry shop.

But with the money I had, I could only afford a low-quality ring. I barely managed to meet the budget after a long haggle with the owner.

I delivered the wrapped ring to Yeon Yi, filled with regret.

Fortunately, when Yeon Yi saw the ring, she looked as happy as the happiest person in the world.

“Oh my… It fits perfectly… Wow…”

“I’m sorry. I wanted to give you something better…”

“What are you talking about? I love this ring most in the world. It’s so pretty…”

Yeon Yi held up her finger to catch the sunlight, murmuring to herself.

My embarrassment gradually subsided as I saw her expression.

“I want to wear it all the time. It’s really frustrating…”

After admiring her ring for a while, Yeon Yi suddenly frowned with disappointment.

We were now on the brink of turning 17, and Yeon Yi, who should have died long before, was miraculously regaining her health.

And奇迹 certainly started to occur around her.

For some reason, Yeon Yi began to emit an intense and sweet floral fragrance that could make one dizzy. We discovered that the scent was similar to the forget-me-not flowers that grew by the village stream.

Although we hadn’t seen it directly, it was said that while Yeon Yi slept, various items and clothing floated in the air, and the maid Yeo Jin once witnessed a bright golden aura shimmering around her.

These symptoms were a prelude to blooming.

Furthermore, exuding a unique body scent or having color permeate the body meant Yeon Yi was an extraordinarily powerful wizard.

Whether word got back to her family or not, the visits of their clan’s guardians began to increase.

While I had no way of knowing what they were thinking, their greedy and arrogant expressions were easy to recognize from afar.

Due to their presence, it became increasingly difficult for Yeon Yi to act freely, as she had before.

“…I’m sorry. If someone finds out, our relationship might reach the family. Then you’ll be in danger…”

“It’s fine. I don’t care.”

To be honest, it would be a lie to say I didn’t care at all, but there wasn’t much else I could say.

Yeon Yi tried to brush off any disappointment and cheerfully switched topics.

“…But I think it would be okay to turn it into a necklace. Then it wouldn’t be visible under my clothes. I could wear it on my finger only when I’m with you. How about it? Can we patch things up with that…?”

“Sure. And I’m not mad.”

“Hmm?”

I hastily denied the fluttering feelings in my heart, and Yeon Yi glanced at me with a strange expression.

“What is it?”

“…Nothing. However, I’m saying you should wear it all the time.”

“Huh?”

“Isn’t that obvious? We need to mark that I’m taken. In this way, I can also… urgh!”

Suddenly, Yeon Yi clamped her mouth and looked at me cautiously.

Although Yeon Yi had become considerably more refined than before, she still expressed extreme displeasure whenever girls approached me.

And now, I could very much understand that feeling.

“…Okay?”

“…Yes.”

I promptly slipped the ring onto my left ring finger and extended my hand.

Only then did Yeon Yi beam with satisfaction.

*

With Yeon Yi’s increasingly dazzling beauty, the news from the nation was only filled with bad tidings.

Reports came in about markings presumed to be from demon species found near the northern barriers,

or in the east, high-level monsters appeared but many excavation villages suffered irreparable damage after failing to intercept them,

and rebels rising in various places seemed to be connected to the demons, probably led by warlocks.

Then one day, even the truck trader who brought such news failed to show up, and we only received word that he had been attacked by a horde of monsters on his way.

Now our village could no longer be seen as just a safe area.

Among the guardian group, there were talks of moving Yeon Yi to a safer place, but since we couldn’t ensure her safety until her blooming and she vehemently opposed, it was eventually put on hold.

In the midst of such chaos, my 16th birthday arrived, and since Yeon Yi wanted to celebrate privately with me first, I asked my mom, Jin Ho, and Ina for their understanding.

They kindly gave us space, and while the three of them prepared to celebrate at our house, puttering about, I stepped outside to meet Yeon Yi.

As I put on my shoes, my mom threw a mischievous remark at me.

“Son~ You’re coming back home today, right? When did you grow up so much…”

“…What kind of mother says that to her son?”

I tried to ignore my mom’s words and left the house.

Then, I secretly joined up with Yeon Yi on the dirt path leading to the hole in the village wall.

Our destination was an empty cabin belonging to the mountain keeper behind the village.

Thanks to our frequent visits, this place had transformed into our cozy little hideaway.

“What… is this…?”

“…What?”

“…Why is that thing following us?”

Yeon Yi pointed with exasperation at a corner of the cabin, and following her finger, I saw Ddak Kong, seated on a mat and diligently licking his fur.

-Whyang!

Seeing Yeon Yi’s finger-pointing, Ddak Kong whined as if aggrieved. Yeon Yi continued her lamenting.

“I locked it in the room, so how did it get out…?”

“…Maybe the window was open. Let’s just let Ddak Kong be. It’s an animal, not a human…”

“I don’t know. I don’t think it’s just an animal. Lately, it understands me too well.”

“That could happen. Cats are clever creatures, you know…”

“It’s more than that. Listen. The other day…”

Yeon Yi started detailing her complaints about Ddak Kong for quite a while before finally beginning our celebration preparations.

Today was not a day when any guardians would visit, and my maid sister had been sent to the upper city on an errand, so we could enjoy a leisurely time without anyone watching.

I barely held back laughter at the clumsily made cake, and after singing the birthday song, I blew out the 16 candles.

While eating cake and food, we chatted about trivial matters for quite some time.

Our happy time passed especially quickly. Before we knew it, the sky had darkened, and we could see little stars twinkling everywhere.

We left the cabin to return to the village before it got too late.

After walking in silence for a while, Yeon Yi suddenly spoke up.

“Hyun Ah, we’ll be turning 17 next year.”

“That’s right. Already…”

We had reached the final stretch of our childhood.

Hearing Yeon Yi’s words made the past memories flood back.

A slight sense of pride welled up in my heart.

Though our first meeting hadn’t been pleasant, we had overcome everything and arrived at this point.

-Pohk

“Yeon Ah?”

Suddenly, a warm sensation enveloped me, accompanied by the rich and sweet scent of forget-me-nots.

“…I’m sorry.”

“All of a sudden?”

“I know you’ve been going through a lot lately.”

“…”

I pretended not to understand, but Yeon Yi seemed to see right through my heart.

Watching Yeon Yi gradually reclaim her light, I felt a hint of anxiety that I was falling behind with nothing achieved or possessed.

Perhaps that anxiety had somehow conveyed to Yeon Yi as she sensed my emotions too.

In embarrassment, I searched frantically for excuses, but the right words simply wouldn’t come.

Leaving me to flounder, Yeon Yi calmly continued her speech.

“Last time the guardians said that if you maintain your current condition, you’ll bloom around 17. It’s really not much longer now.”

Yeon Yi hesitated for a moment before continuing.

“And… you know, in our country, you become an adult at 17. By then, I’ll be much freer in my conduct.”

“…But?”

“If I’m able to bloom as a wizard and become an adult, then…”

“…Then?”

“Then… at that time…!”

-Kwa-BOOM!

After hesitating a lot, the words Yeon Yi was finally about to say did not reach completion.

A vibration that shook both heaven and earth suddenly came from below the mountain.

At that shock, we instinctively turned our heads in unison.

Even in the dark of night, we could clearly see everything.

Fires raging fiercely atop the walls surrounding our village and a rising pillar of black smoke.

“What is this…”

-Kwa-BOOM!

-KWANG!

Before we could even grasp the situation, loud blasts erupted from every corner of the village.

The echoes of many people crying out and the sounds of gunfire merged and began to fill the air.

Soon, we began to smell the scent of death, carried along by the choking smoke.

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