This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 322

One thing I realized anew today is that people really love to gossip about others’ stories.

“So who do you think will win this?”

Look around now.

As Chae-rim and Yoonseo’s match approaches, isn’t that all they’re talking about?

‘Honestly, I get that it could be thrilling, but…’

From my perspective as someone who knows both Yoonseo and Chae-rim, it feels as uncomfortable as chewing on sand.

Thanks to that, while I was smacking my lips, the conversation between the two women next to me continued.

“Don’t you know? Of course, it’s Lightning Lady.”

“Come on, you can’t really be that sure, right?”

“Sure about what?”

“Well, you know.”

“So what’s your point then?”

“Even if Tricky Face isn’t the strongest among the renowned villains, he’s still a named villain, right? If one of them was captured, then… Yoonseo? That means she’s something else entirely.”

“Well, yeah… I guess that makes sense.”

Maybe the girl who had been insisting they ‘still don’t know’ since the start of the conversation didn’t like the other’s lukewarm response.

She started speaking passionately again.

“Exactly! If that Yoonseo doesn’t get scared and does well…”

“Does well, how?”

“If she plays her cards right, she could win, right? That’s what I mean.”

“Hey.”

“What?”

“Make sense! Just make sense!”

Had she been purposely keeping her thoughts to herself until now?

The sheer disbelief in her voice was met with a whirlwind of counterarguments.

“Yoonseo, right? I know she’s something special. Honestly, how many can match her talent at that age?”

“True, true?”

“Yeah, she could definitely be considered a genius.”

“Exactly! So this match…”

“But that’s all there is to it.”

“…Huh?”

“I said that’s all there is to it.”

Maybe I was taken aback by the firmness in her tone.

“What do you mean by that…?”

The voice advocating for Yoonseo’s prowess wavered slightly.

“You’ve never watched any of Lightning Lady’s battle footage, have you?”

“What are you talking about? I watch it whenever I need to analyze.”

“Not the recent ones. The old ones.”

“I mean… is the recent more important than the old…?”

“If by any chance you find time later, go check out the combat analysis room.”

“What could possibly be in there…?”

“Stop asking and just go see. You’ll understand what I mean.”

While I was listening keenly to the conversations floating around, it seemed the preparations were finally complete.

An announcement came from the speaker hanging from the ceiling, requesting that spectators step back to the outskirts of the arena for smooth proceedings and safety as the match was about to begin.

And almost simultaneously… Yoonseo appeared from the entrance.

What was slightly surprising was that only Yoonseo showed up.

Where did that guy go who said he’d comfort Yoonseo, who might be nervous before the match?

Did he perhaps take a different path?

Anyway, as Yoonseo stepped out, the once noisy arena fell eerily silent, as if a mouse had died.

Of course, people’s gazes were quickly drawn to Yoonseo.

That made it extremely nerve-wracking for me… but what could I do?

This was the only timing to give her ‘this.’

Had I known the attention would narrow so much, I would have asked the guy for help much sooner.

It was a hassle that he left in such a hurry that I missed the chance to say anything.

Sigh…

As I inwardly exhaled in frustration and approached Yoonseo, those who had been staring at me from a distance started shifting their gaze toward me one by one.

Most of them seemed to say, ‘What is that guy doing?’

“Hey.”

Receiving all those gazes aimed at me, I finally stood in front of Yoonseo… but one of the staff members from the Association, seemingly protecting Yoonseo’s sides, stepped forward and blocked my way.

“It’s alright.”

Still, as soon as that word escaped Yoonseo’s lips, the staff member stepped back again.

And as soon as I was with Yoonseo, we quickly moved to a quieter spot.

It made sense because continuing our conversation there with so many eyes on us felt impossible.

So we shifted to the corner first—

“Where’s that guy?”

“Rest Area.”

“He’s in the Rest Area? Why?”

“He said he couldn’t watch in case I got hurt during the match. So I just told him to stay there until it’s over.”

“Oh…”

That was understandable… Given the circumstances, he would surely worry more, especially since it was Chae-rim he had to keep an eye on.

“So, um… How did your studies go? Was it ok?”

“Well… it was alright? Easier than I thought.”

“Really?”

“Yup.”

“That’s a relief.”

I was ready to ease her tension if she was as stressed out as this morning.

As we were facing each other, I couldn’t help but feel the underlying tension Yoonseo might be experiencing seep into me.

For some reason, it felt hard to break the silence.

“So, um…”

“Yeah?”

“Are you… nervous?”

Because of that, the only way I could phrase it felt awkward.

And maybe my anxiety showed on my face.

Yoonseo chuckled slightly, her tone teasing.

“Isn’t it you who’s the one feeling nervous, not me?”

“N-no, this is just… well…”

Having no way to deny that, I scratched my cheek, feeling a bit embarrassed.

While I was lost in this feeling of embarrassment…

“…And?”

Yoonseo continued.

I didn’t catch all of it as I had been lost in my thoughts.

“What?”

“If I said I’m so nervous I might die, what are you going to do?”

Her voice, almost whispering, reminded me of what had happened earlier.

I flinched unconsciously, and Yoonseo burst into laughter.

“It’s a joke.”

“What kind of joke is that…?”

“So what brings you here?”

“…This.”

I sighed as I offered Yoonseo something.

It was a pair of ice grips typically used in winter.

As the purpose could be guessed from the season, they were affixed to shoes to prevent slipping.

“What’s that?”

“Come on, it’s ice grips. Don’t tell me you don’t know what they are.”

“I mean, what I meant is… you didn’t pack these this morning.”

“Ordered them express and received them, okay?”

I would have loved to go out and buy them myself, but alas, I couldn’t wander around freely.

“These? Why?”

“I mean… if I freeze the ground as planned, you’ll slip too, right?”

Chae-rim could just float but Yoonseo couldn’t.

That meant without any preparation, if we went ahead with our plan, we might end up getting trapped in our own trap.

Honestly, I’d rather avoid scenarios like that.

That’s why I hurried to get these ready, but Yoonseo didn’t seem thrilled.

Was there something weighing on her mind?

“Why? What’s bothering you?”

“I don’t know, it feels a bit… cowardly.”

Literally, when I asked out of caution, it turned out to be a trivial worry.

“That’s nonsense… This isn’t cowardly; it’s being well-prepared.”

“Is it… really?”

“Oh, enough with that! Just put your foot forward. I’ll attach them.”

As I was attaching the ice grips to Yoonseo’s shoes.

“Sorry to make you wait. Something urgent came up, so I had to handle it quickly…”

The people who had been glaring at us suddenly shifted their attention, as if nothing had happened, and looked elsewhere—

“In that sense, if you’re all set—”

From the direction their eyes had turned, a very familiar voice rang out.

“Shall we get started?”