Chapter 47 Why You? (7)
In the spacious living room of Lee Siwoon's mansion. "..."
"..."
An unknown silence pressed down between us.
Choi Changwon's eyes, like a lost child, wandered aimlessly
until they met Soyeon's gaze.
For a moment, their eyes intertwined.
The emotion in Soyeon's eyes wasn't reproach or resentment.
Instead, it was a hint of sadness and compassion.
Reading that in Soyeon's eyes, Choi Changwon trembled, bit his lower lip, and averted his gaze.
It seemed too difficult for him to meet her eyes any longer.
Despite his disgrace being laid bare, Soyeon looked at him with pity instead of reproach, making it unbearably shameful and humiliating for him.
Lowering his head, Choi Changwon bit his lip even harder. "Changwon."
"..."
"I don't understand why you did this." "..."
"I thought you were…" "..."
Suddenly. "…Ha."
Choi Changwon let out a sardonic laugh. "…Seriously. Damn it."
Cursing, he wore a bitter expression. "…Yeah, that's it."
Half resigned, he muttered to himself.
"Heh, yeah, you don't know? Why I did this?"
With a twisted smile, Choi Changwon sharply turned his gaze to Soyeon.
His eyes were those of someone who had given up everything.
"Jin Soyeon, do you really not know why I did this?" "Changwon…"
Having resigned himself, Choi Changwon seemed ready to pour out all his pent-up emotions.
Suddenly, he roared like a wounded beast, raising his voice. "It's all because of you!"
"Ah."
"You're the one who approached me first!" "What do you mean approached…"
"You came to me acting all interested!"
As far as I knew, Choi Changwon suffered from a lack of affection.
His parents both worked, often coming home late, so he had never received proper attention and love growing up.
Although he was talented enough to enter Union Academy, having spent much of his childhood alone, he struggled to form meaningful relationships.
He got along with his classmates but didn't have anyone he could open up to.
Until Soyeon approached him.
She must have helped him blend in with the other kids and offered to help whenever he had trouble.
A pretty, kind girl smiling and helping him with various things, listening to his stories, and always smiling at him— how could Choi Changwon not be infatuated?
Especially since he had never had a girlfriend.
Although there were girls interested in him because of his abilities, his plain appearance and somewhat shady, boring personality often made them lose interest after talking to him.
But Soyeon was different.
Unlike other girls, Soyeon genuinely helped him, listened to his troubles, and spent time with him.
"You just like leading boys on, don't you?!" "No, it's not that."
So it wasn't surprising that Choi Changwon misunderstood.
Soyeon often helped others without expecting anything in return, making it easy for guys to misinterpret her intentions.
Imagine a pretty girl helping and smiling at you without asking for anything in return.
It's easy for a guy to think, 'Is she interested in me?'
In the past, most boys in the class were hesitant to approach Soyeon romantically because she had a boyfriend and was extremely beautiful.
But Choi Changwon, being ranked 34th among freshmen and knowing Soyeon had broken up with her boyfriend,
seemed to have misunderstood that she was interested in him.
Of course, that didn't justify Choi Changwon's actions.
"You acted like you were interested! Always leading boys on!"
"Changwon, I was just trying to help…" "Shut up, you bitch!"
…That's going too far.
Choi Changwon, having nothing left to lose, hurled insults at Soyeon without hesitation.
But saying such things would make it impossible for Siwoon, who worshipped Soyeon, to hold back.
The reason Siwoon and I had stayed silent was because of Soyeon.
She had kept signaling that it was okay.
But after hearing such insults, he couldn't hold back any longer.
If Siwoon didn't step in, I would. I was getting annoyed too.
I had been listening to provoke him, but he was talking too recklessly.
"Jin Soyeon! You lead other boys on like this too…!" "Shut up, Choi Changwon."
"Siwoon, you're also being played by that bitch… Ugh?!" "I told you to shut up."
With a cold expression, Siwoon reached out and grabbed Choi Changwon's throat. Clearly angry at the insults directed at Soyeon, he tightened his grip.
Choi Changwon choked for a moment and then used his magic to knock Siwoon's hand away. Siwoon stepped back.
"Cough, cough, damn it, Siwoon you…!" "..."
Siwoon stood protectively in front of Soyeon, looking down at Choi Changwon indifferently.
Choi Changwon, displeased with the sight, started to gather his magic again, threatening Siwoon and Soyeon.
"Damn you all, it's always like this. I'm always the bad guy, right?"
"You brought this on yourself, Choi Changwon." "Changwon, stop this. Just stop."
"Shut up! Damn it… If it's come to this, brace yourselves."
With a twisted expression and eyes filled with intense anger, Choi Changwon glared at Siwoon and Soyeon.
He seemed to have given up on any resolution and was ready for a fight.
But he wasn't even acknowledging me.
Not that I planned to get involved. Siwoon could handle it alone, and I had prepared various contingencies.
…Besides, this is a highlight moment, and it would look better if Siwoon took him down.
"Die, damn it!" "..."
Choi Changwon suddenly formed a ball of magic and fired it at Siwoon and Soyeon, but Siwoon deflected it sideways with a wooden sword hidden under the table.
The magic ball hit the wall with a thud, and Siwoon quickly approached Choi Changwon, striking his abdomen, temple, and throat. Wow, impressive.
"Ugh!"
While Choi Changwon was momentarily incapacitated, Siwoon tripped him, pinned him to the floor with his knee, and completely subdued him.
'…That's pretty cool.'
It felt like a scene from an action movie, quickly approaching and subduing the opponent.
'A handsome guy doing that really makes the scene look good.'
I admired it silently.
'I didn't expect Choi Changwon to be subdued so easily. He was ranked 34th after all.'
Although Choi Changwon was unarmed and weak in close combat, I was surprised he was taken down this easily.
Siwoon seemed much stronger than during the practical exam.
As expected of a talented protagonist, he was growing rapidly.
"Let go of me!"
"Choi Changwon. I told you I'd give you one chance. That was for Soyeon's sake."
"What?"
"If you had confessed and begged for forgiveness from the start, Soyeon would have shown some leniency."
"Th-That's…"
Of course, leniency was all he would get. Choi Changwon couldn't escape punishment. Siwoon was angry, and he wouldn't let it go. Bang!
"Are you okay, sir?" "Sir!"
Security guards burst through the front door into the living room.
They wore black suits and were armed, looking at us intently.
Most of them were former heroes, strong enough to handle any situation.
No matter what Choi Changwon did, he couldn't do anything to them.
"I'm fine. It's over now." "I see."
One guard glanced at the subdued Choi Changwon and nodded.
They had been briefed on the situation, so they understood. "Shall we take this man?"
"Yes. I'll decide what to do with him later, so for now, take him."
"Understood, sir. Let's go."
At a nod from one guard, the others approached and took Choi Changwon out of the living room.
Despite Choi Changwon struggling, it was futile.
Soon, only the three of us remained in the living room. Soyeon, Siwoon, and I.
We stood in silence for a moment. And then.
"Well, I think it's over."
"…Yeah."
Soyeon nodded weakly.
"So, what will you do about Choi Changwon?"
"Well, considering what happened today, we'll have to inform the academy and see what happens. Reporting to the police wouldn't matter much."
"He might get expelled?" "Probably."
A hero-in-training at the nation's top academy stealing a girl's belongings and secretly photographing her—such a bizarre stalking case would not be taken lightly.
The academy had strict punishments for such behavior.
We might have committed trespassing, but Siwoon would handle it.
'Siwoon's connections are really useful.'
Using his connections for fingerprint analysis, quickly finding Choi Changwon's information, having former hero security guards… all very useful.
'I need to stay close to both Siwoon and Yoo Seolhyun.'
This was just a stalking case, but in the future, we'd be involved in much bigger incidents.
In such situations, Siwoon and Yoo Seolhyun's connections would be invaluable.
"…I'll go now. I'm a bit tired. See you later." "Sure, Jinhyuk."
It's time for me to leave.
Siwoon had heroically subdued the stalker, so it would be good to let him talk to Soyeon alone.
I had raised suspicions about Choi Changwon being the stalker, but Siwoon had handled most of it, so Soyeon would be grateful to him.
She must be hurt learning that someone she considered a friend was a stalker, but Siwoon would comfort her.
This incident could bring them closer.
'Soyeon might also realize that helping random boys can lead to such situations.'
Though a busybody, Soyeon wouldn't stop helping others because of this.
Maybe she'd become slightly more cautious? Or not.
'…Anyway, I hope she gets closer to Siwoon.' With that thought, I slowly walked away.
***
"Soyeon, are you okay?" "Ah, yes."
Jin Soyeon, who had been staring blankly at Jinhyuk's departing figure, snapped out of it at the sound of Lee Siwoon's voice.
When she turned to look, she saw Siwoon looking at her as usual, but with a hint of concern in his eyes.
"…I didn't know Changwon felt that way about me." "Soyeon."
"…I didn't think he'd do such things." Jin Soyeon murmured bitterly.
Yes, she didn't know.
Choi Changwon's feelings.
She had thought they could just be friends.
Some people believed men and women couldn't be friends, but not Soyeon. She believed they could be.
How did it come to this?
'Come to think of it, I didn't know Jinhyuk liked me either, and I hurt him… Now I did the same to Changwon…'
Once is coincidence, twice is fate.
Jin Soyeon recalled Choi Changwon's words.
– You're the one who approached me first!
– You came acting all interested!
– You just like leading boys on, don't you?!
– You acted like you were interested! Always leading boys on!
"…Was I wrong?" "That's not it."
"Siwoon, do you think my behavior was… inappropriate?" "Soyeon…"
There were many explanations.
Jin Soyeon didn't help boys out of ulterior motives.
She always helped anyone who needed it, whether they were male or female.
She wasn't like Yoo Seolhyun, who subtly seduced and used boys; she genuinely wanted to help.
It was just that some boys fell for her during the process.
"Soyeon, I think it's great you get along with our classmates. But being too close to boys can sometimes lead to misunderstandings. It might be good to be a bit more careful."
"…Yeah, I know."
Soyeon felt confident she could distinguish between boys who liked her and those who didn't.
She could tell to some extent and tried to act appropriately. She didn't want to give false hope to boys who liked her.
But she tended to miss the signs when it really mattered. Like now.
"Oh."
Suddenly.
Very suddenly.
She remembered what Lee Jinhyuk and Yoo Seolhyun had mentioned a few times.
…That maybe Lee Siwoon liked her. "…Siwoon."
"Yes."
"…I hope you don't take this the wrong way." "..."
Normally, she wouldn't have worried about such things, but after experiences with Jinhyuk and Choi Changwon, she couldn't ignore it.
Siwoon rarely got close to other girls, but he was close to her.
He helped her today.
There's a saying, 'Better safe than sorry.' With a slightly hazy expression and trembling eyes, she parted her lips, hoping Siwoon wasn't like the others.
"…Is it possible, maybe…" "Soyeon?"
Noticing something strange in her expression, Siwoon looked at her seriously.
"Siwoon… are you… interested in me…?" Suddenly.
"..."
Siwoon's expression hardened.
Chapter 48 Why You? (8)
The dark night sky, like a large curtain, enveloped the world, reflecting Jin Soyeon's heart.
Thick clouds swallowed the moonlight, casting a pitch-black darkness over everything.
Her room, devoid of light, was filled with an inexplicable gloom.
There was no moonlight shyly smiling through the window as usual, nor any starlight scattering gentle glimmers.
Only the brilliant cityscape chased away the thick darkness, but Jin Soyeon's neighborhood was unusually still tonight.
Is it already night…?
After finishing everything and returning home, Jin Soyeon quietly looked outside before collapsing onto her bed.
The soft bed's embrace was the only thing gently comforting her weary heart.
"…Ha."
She closed her eyes quietly in the dim shadows, without even turning on the lights.
As her heavy eyelids closed, the events of earlier replayed vividly in her mind.
'Siwoon didn't say anything.'
When she asked the foolish question of whether he was interested in her, Lee Siwoon chose silence.
He seemed like he wanted to say something, moving his lips a few times, but in the end, he remained silent.
That brief, awkward silence between them spoke volumes.
Sometimes, silence can convey more than a thousand words.
Jin Soyeon, with an awkward smile, brushed it off as a joke, giving Lee Siwoon an escape so he wouldn't feel uncomfortable.
There was no point in waiting for an answer that would only make Siwoon more uncomfortable.
At the same time, this revealed Jin Soyeon's cowardice.
She had asked the question but backed out when she feared an unexpected answer.
Not hearing the answer was a psychological defense mechanism for Jin Soyeon.
By not hearing a direct response, she left room for herself to believe it was just her imagination.
Even though she knew the chances were slim, there was a world of difference between a 0% and a 1% chance.
Like a student hoping against hope that a wrong answer might somehow be right, Jin Soyeon clung to the slim possibility until the very end.
'I'm really a coward.' Yes.
Cowardly.
She asked the question herself and then ran away foolishly. What was Siwoon thinking at that moment?
She couldn't forget Lee Siwoon's face when he received her sudden question. It made her feel guilty. She shouldn't have asked that question in the first place.
'I thought Siwoon would say no.' Jin Soyeon sighed deeply.
Her chest felt tight and stuffy, forcing her to release the hot air inside.
'Why did it turn out like this?'
Since she had known him since middle school, she thought they could be just friends, not a couple.
Especially since Lee Siwoon was handsome, rich, talented, and from a wealthy family.
Jin Soyeon thought he had grown up surrounded by much more beautiful, capable girls and wouldn't be interested in her romantically.
Jin Soyeon was just an ordinary-looking girl from a modest background.
Siwoon had never shown romantic interest in other girls before, which reinforced her belief.
'Even though there were rumors that Siwoon liked me, I dismissed them as just rumors.'
Having suffered from various rumors herself, Jin Soyeon tended not to believe things unless she experienced them firsthand.
But now, that habit had come back to haunt her. She had no idea what Siwoon really thought of her…
– Did you really not know? Suddenly.
– You had some idea, didn't you?
A voice within her mind, another part of her thoughts, shook her.
Asking Siwoon if he liked you was intentional, wasn't it?
Another voice of Jin Soyeon, revealing her raw emotions, struck her.
You knew Siwoon wouldn't nod his head easily in a situation where you were troubled by a stalker like Choi Changwon.
No, I…
– You wanted to make Siwoon say he didn't like you himself, right? To use it as a psychological shield.
Jin Soyeon thought this subconsciously? No way.
– You just wanted to hear him say he didn't like you, didn't you?
Ridiculous.
– Really? Can you honestly say you didn't know Siwoon or Jinhyuk liked you? Didn't you just pretend not to know?
Yes, I didn't know, really.
– Common sense says there were rumors, and you must have seen and heard classmates' reactions. Did you really not know?
Jin Soyeon wanted to cover her ears.
– You didn't want to know? And you had to not know.
But the voice from her subconscious echoed in her mind relentlessly.
– Pretending not to know made you feel better, didn't it? So you could later say, 'I didn't know.'
Unconsciously unfiltered emotions and thoughts buzzed in her mind.
The more she tried not to think about it, the deeper she sank.
– You're just greedy and cowardly. Slowly, very slowly.
– Afraid of friends' confessions and losing relationships. Like a snake, the voice slid into her ears.
– But you don't want to give up on your hero role and friendships.
Eventually, the voice spoke clearly.
– Really…
Jin Soyeon heard it distinctly. "…Aren't you greedy?"
"W-What?"
Startled by the sudden voice in her empty house, Jin Soyeon was shocked.
What, what?! Who is it?
Thinking a burglar might have broken in, she was even more stunned to see the face sitting in the chair.
The person staring at her was someone she knew all too well.
'It's me?'
It was Jin Soyeon.
The woman with a calm face staring blankly was Jin Soyeon herself.
"W-Wait, what is this…?" "Soyeon, Jin Soyeon."
Before she could gather her thoughts, another Jin Soyeon approached.
Looking at the expressionless face of the other Jin Soyeon, she gulped.
"Your childhood friend and the rich boy both secretly love you… It's like a plot from the women's novels you used to read. Remember how you enjoyed those novels? You fantasized about them, didn't you?"
"What are you talking about?! Who are you?!"
"Are you secretly enjoying this situation, pretending not to know?"
"Rubbish!" Eyes.
Their eyes met.
The other Jin Soyeon's eyes were quietly staring.
Golden eyes that seemed to pull you in, not bright and radiant like usual but shrouded in shadows.
Those eyes were frightening for some reason. They reminded her of her past self.
"Soyeon, let's be a bit more honest."
Eyes are the windows to the soul.
Another Jin Soyeon looked through those windows. It felt like those eyes were seeing through her soul.
Her face reflected in those eyes was hard as stone, her eyebrows trembling.
"You know how many people got hurt because of your selfish actions."
"N-No, that's…"
"How many boys can really just be friends with a girl as pretty as you?"
"What are you saying?"
"You knew it was hard for men and women to be friends. But you had to deny it to fulfill your desires."
"That's not true, it's not."
Jin Soyeon's shoulders flinched.
"That's why you made Jinhyuk your fake boyfriend, right? To stop boys from openly showing interest. Jinhyuk was the only one you could ask, and he wouldn't refuse, making him easy to use."
"…Shut up."
"And you said you didn't know Jinhyuk liked you when you asked him for that favor."
"…Shut up."
"Really? You never thought Jinhyuk might like you? Honestly?"
A whisper in her ear.
"You suspected a little, didn't you… Ugh?!" "I said shut up!"
Unable to contain her anger, Jin Soyeon rushed at the other her.
And then.
***
"Haa! Haa! Huh…?!" She shot up.
Sweating profusely, Jin Soyeon raised her upper body. Cold sweat trickled down her temples.
Her heart was pounding.
She gasped for breath, looking around.
The room was empty except for her. There was no other her. No figure, no voice—just silence.
The clock showed it was already 4 AM. "Haa, what…?"
Was it…?
A dream?
A nightmare?
"I had a nightmare…?"
She didn't know when she had fallen asleep, but the dream was deeply unsettling.
Fighting with another her spouting nonsense was creepy even now.
"Haa… Seriously. I must be under a lot of stress, to have such a terrible nightmare…"
Jin Soyeon sighed deeply and looked up.
In the dim light, she saw a full-length mirror.
Though the light was faint, her night vision was good enough to see her face looking extremely cold in the mirror.
With pitch-black hair absorbing all the light, her face was slightly contorted.
She looked so uncharacteristically cold that it was hard to believe it was her.
She was always smiling, making it easy to forget that when she frowned or had no expression, she looked colder than Lee Siwoon.
The Jin Soyeon in the mirror reminded her of her past self. The self before meeting Lee Jinhyuk, filled with anger. "..."
Jin Soyeon instinctively clenched her fists.
She knew it too.
She couldn't keep running away.
She couldn't stay scared and do nothing. "…Afraid of ruining friendships. That's true. But." Jin Soyeon looked at the mirror, resolving herself. "But I have to be clear. No more running away."
She had to apologize to Jinhyuk for asking him to be her fake boyfriend without knowing how he felt.
She had to apologize to Siwoon if he liked her.
She had to be clear without pretending not to know. Even if it meant damaging their current friendships. Clearly.
– Really? You never thought Jinhyuk might like you? Honestly?
Before lying back down.
The words spoken by herself in the nightmare flashed through her mind, but she ignored them and went back to sleep.
Because she really didn't know.
…Honestly.
Chapter 49 Midterm Exams (1)
'Did it wrap up well?'
In the end, the stalker incident concluded with Choi Changwon's voluntary withdrawal.
The academy wanted to avoid the negative publicity of a stalker incident leaking to the media, and since Soyeon had shown leniency, it was decided as a recommendation for withdrawal rather than expulsion.
Thus, without the need for complicated procedures like convening a disciplinary committee, Choi Changwon was made to withdraw immediately.
Choi Changwon, deeply bowing his head, apologized to Soyeon and thanked her before agreeing to withdraw amicably.
He knew that the academy's and Soyeon's decision was exceedingly merciful.
Had the disciplinary process been followed normally, Choi Changwon would have faced expulsion and various other punishments.
He would have been publicly humiliated through media exposure and unable to transfer to another academy, likely causing much distress.
Moreover, his parents, who had worked hard to raise him, would have been devastated to learn that their son was expelled for perverted stalking, leading to numerous difficult situations.
Choi Changwon would have wandered for a long time, burdened by his parents' shock, friends' contempt, and the media's criticism.
Eventually, he might have come to resent and hate Soyeon, the cause of it all, leading him to become another villain.
…Actually, in the game, there is a route where this happens.
Of course, since reality differs from the game, Choi Changwon might not fall into villainy, but you never know.
Anyway, it was fortunate that the matter concluded without any lingering issues.
Choi Changwon seemed to reflect on his actions, perhaps due to Soyeon's unexpected leniency.
If he had been deeply entrenched in his malicious behavior, it might have been different, but since he was still early in his stalking, he seemed to come to his senses quickly.
'Siwoon seemed slightly dissatisfied, but… he let it go after Soyeon persuaded him a few times. Siwoon is really weak to Soyeon.'
I smiled wryly to myself.
In the game, Soyeon had strongly punished Choi Changwon.
That was because, in the game, many victims had already suffered due to Choi Changwon's actions.
Seeing numerous victims in pain, Soyeon couldn't afford to show leniency.
She believed that only a punishment befitting the crime could somewhat console the victims.
'But this case is a bit different.'
In reality, Soyeon was the only victim.
Kang Yujeong was slightly affected, but honestly, she brought it on herself.
And the crimes weren't extremely severe—just spreading bad rumors, gossiping with Kang Yujeong, stealing Soyeon's belongings, and taking secret photos.
Unpleasant crimes, but not the worst.
These reasons and the fact that it was his first offense led Soyeon to make a lenient decision regarding Choi Changwon.
She even kept it a secret, so the other students didn't know why Choi Changwon withdrew.
Some perceptive students might have guessed the situation.
'By the way, I thought this incident would bring Soyeon and Siwoon closer, but things seem a bit off.'
They looked the same as usual, but there was a slight awkwardness.
They seemed to be having a normal conversation, but there was an underlying awkwardness.
Did something happen after I left? "What are you staring at?"
"Eh?"
Yoo Seolhyun approached gracefully, her golden hair shimmering, and acknowledged me.
She followed my gaze towards Soyeon and Siwoon.
Yoo Seolhyun's lips curved mischievously, as if she had thought of something amusing.
"You're staring at those two so intently. Worried?" "Just, well…" I shrugged nonchalantly.
But Yoo Seolhyun, with a faint smile, sat at the desk next to me and looked at me intently.
Because of my fake confession about Soyeon, Yoo Seolhyun had started making teasing remarks more often.
She thought I still had lingering feelings for Soyeon. My acting had worked too well.
That was the problem.
'But it seems like Yoo Seolhyun is starting to talk to me more…'
Perhaps it was a sign that we had grown closer over the past few months.
Originally, Yoo Seolhyun hardly spoke in a classroom full of students.
But lately, our conversations had become more frequent.
"What do you think about those two?" "About what?"
"Oh my, pretending not to know? Do you think they handled the situation well?"
"What do you think?"
"Answering a question with a question isn't very nice."
"No, I really don't know. Don't you think their atmosphere is a bit strange?"
I glanced at the two while asking for Yoo Seolhyun's opinion.
After all, she had known Siwoon for a long time, even if not quite childhood friends. She had a good insight into him.
"Indeed."
Yoo Seolhyun nodded and pursed her lips.
"Siwoon does seem a bit off."
"Right?"
"Did he possibly confess and get rejected right away?"
Smiling mischievously, Yoo Seolhyun's strange words made me shake my head.
The chances of Siwoon confessing were very low.
Siwoon, dealing with the psychological strain from Choi Changwon's case, wouldn't have confessed.
"No way."
"Hmph, it would have been interesting. Siwoon getting rejected by a girl… hehe."
Yoo Seolhyun laughed quietly and then changed the subject. "What if Soyeon had confessed instead?"
"That doesn't make sense either." "Really?"
"Yeah."
Even if Siwoon had heroically taken down the stalker, Soyeon's feelings wouldn't shift that quickly.
Soyeon was slow in recognizing her own feelings and slow in opening her heart.
In the game, Soyeon only realized her feelings after experiencing a decisive event.
It was death.
My death.
Only when I died did Soyeon realize she liked me romantically and started to break down.
The sorrow of not being able to protect me, anger towards my killer, and self-blame for her helplessness.
The scene of Soyeon sobbing and calling my name is still vividly etched in my mind.
In the game, my death was a plot device to turn Soyeon into a tragic heroine.
But in reality…
'I have no intention of dying.'
I knew that my death would be a catalyst for Soyeon's growth and for her to open her heart to the male protagonists.
It would also trigger her hidden strength due to the shock and anger from losing a loved one.
But damn, I can't just die, can I?
Even if my death is the official route in the game, I'm doing this to survive. If I die, it's all for nothing.
'Pretending to be dead for Soyeon's awakening… might be okay… but if she finds out, won't she kill me for real? Hmm.'
I scratched my chin, contemplating.
In hero stories, a protagonist often awakens after a loved one is killed.
Thinking of future events, Soyeon needed to become stronger, but for now, it should be fine.
The threats weren't too dangerous yet.
Still, it's good to keep it in mind.
My death and Soyeon's awakening… Huh?
"Did you finally notice?"
"..."
I realized Yoo Seolhyun was staring at me with a peculiar expression.
Oh, right.
I was talking to her.
She had been silently watching, so I cleared my throat awkwardly.
"Ahem. You should have said something."
"I was curious about what you were thinking so deeply about."
"How considerate of you." "Hmph."
Yoo Seolhyun chuckled, lifting the corners of her eyes.
"Just felt sorry for you, worrying about Soyeon…"
"Worrying about me?"
At some point, Soyeon approached and looked between Yoo Seolhyun and me.
"Worrying… about me?"
Soyeon muttered quietly and then looked at Yoo Seolhyun. "The instructor will be here soon. Can I sit down?"
"Sure."
With a slight smile, Yoo Seolhyun got up from the desk.
Soyeon watched her leave for a moment.
Then she softly spoke. "Jinhyuk."
"Yes, what's up?"
"I… have something to apologize for." "Apologize? Suddenly?"
"Not suddenly, I've been thinking about when to say it for the past few days, but it's not easy."
Soyeon didn't meet my eyes. She seemed uncomfortable.
"What is it?"
"Well, um…"
She lowered her gaze and hesitated.
"I'll tell you after the midterms… I don't want to distract you."
"This is more distracting." "Anyway."
I nodded casually.
I had no idea what she wanted to apologize for, but she seemed serious. What could it be?
'Well, she said she'd tell me after the midterms.' Midterms, huh…
It's that time.
I planned to score high in both practical and written exams.
Knowing how the midterms would be conducted gave me an advantage.
Also, using the space ring would allow me to employ various tricks.
With the items I had asked Yoo Seolhyun to get, I could achieve good results.
'…I hope those guys don't make a move now.'
Their usual timing to act was during the training camp episode, but you never know.
It's best to be prepared for anything. Right?
Chapter 50 Midterm Exams (2)
Whoooosh.
A chilling wind was blowing.
Beyond the window in the third-floor hallway of the academy's chapel, where there was no sign of anyone, the cold wind whipped through Roxanne's hair.
Roxanne's light pink hair fluttered wildly in the strong gust, and her neatly arranged academy uniform was slightly disheveled.
Her eyes, once as clear as a bright sky, were now clouded with dark shadows. Her gaze reflected worry, anxiety, and suffering.
With a shadowed face, Roxanne quietly looked up at the sky.
Dark clouds were gathering, slowly consuming the light in the hallway of the chapel.
She slowly closed her eyes and, as always, tried to pray to God. But then.
"Hello?"
Right behind Roxanne.
"Has it been a while? Roxanne."
A girl's voice echoed through the hallway.
It was a slender and delicate voice, but there was a hint of sharpness to it.
As she slowly turned her head to locate the source of the voice, a familiar figure came into Roxanne's blue eyes.
It was Seong Yura.
"I've been busy lately, so I haven't been coming to the academy much."
Seong Yura approached Roxanne one step at a time, her expression slightly frustrated.
Click, click.
The sound of her footsteps rang loudly in Roxanne's ears. "At this rate, I might get held back a year, who knows?"
Seong Yura brushed her short hair to the side and walked close to Roxanne, suddenly giving a sly smile.
"Don't you think so, Roxanne?" "Seong Yura."
The dark hallway was eerily silent. Despite it being a chapel hallway, where students or worshippers might be expected to wander, the only ones there were Roxanne and Seong Yura. As if someone had deliberately blocked off the passage.
"..."
"..."
The two looked at each other in silence, their lips tightly sealed.
An inexplicable silence weighed down on Roxanne and Seong Yura.
They were like oil and water.
If Roxanne was good, Seong Yura was evil.
Their personalities, inclinations, values—everything was different, making it impossible for them to understand each other.
And yet, they were facing each other now.
Their faces reflected in each other's eyes, clearly and vividly.
'Seong Yura… why are you approaching me?'
She usually manipulated others from behind to torment Roxanne, but she had never made direct contact like this.
Seong Yura hadn't even been attending the academy regularly.
Could it be because of that incident last time?
"…You got me, Roxanne."
It was Seong Yura who broke the silence first.
She let out a long sigh, shook her head as if genuinely surprised, and spoke with a tone of admiration.
"You took down the subordinates I sent quite admirably." "So, it was people you sent after all."
Roxanne and Kim Deoko's lives had been at risk like candles in the wind due to the sudden attack by the villains.
But…
"My people? They scoured the mountain and barely found them. They were hanging on to life by a thread."
"Is that so."
A stranger had saved Roxanne and her group at a critical moment.
The mysterious man had concealed his face with a hat and a multi-scarf, making it impossible to identify him, but he was an incredibly powerful individual.
After all, he had cut through magic and used Sword Qi Wounder, techniques far beyond Roxanne's current reach.
Of course, since she wasn't a swordsman, she couldn't fully understand it.
"Impressive. Did you anticipate my attack and set a trap?" "You know better than anyone that wasn't the case."
"You never know, just in case."
In truth, Seong Yura was quite upset.
Matteo Evans, whom she had favored, was left half- paralyzed and hadn't regained consciousness yet.
Matteo was a valuable asset even to Seong Yura. He shouldn't have been wasted so easily.
"Could there be an organization or faction helping you behind the scenes?"
"What if I told you it was just a passerby who helped?"
"Aha-ha. Joking too? A passerby? In a mountain full of monsters?"
"…It's true."
Could there really be someone brave enough to enter a mountain inhabited by monsters?
It wasn't as if some artifact was hidden in that mountain.
Roxanne really should come up with better excuses. It's hard to believe her even if someone wanted to.
"Seriously. It's made things a bit awkward for me."
"Good for you."
"How cruel."
Seong Yura's shoulders slumped as Roxanne shot her a cold look.
Roxanne seemed to be especially cold towards her.
Well, considering what Seong Yura had done, it was understandable.
"In any case, rumors are spreading among my subordinates. They think some powerful group or organization might be secretly backing you."
"..."
"There were even traces of them fleeing during the fight, which made things more complicated. Since someone like Matteo ran away, they're all a bit scared now. Anyway."
"Was that person really that strong?"
Considering that Kim Deoko, who was attached as Roxanne's bodyguard, was defeated without much resistance, it seemed likely.
'Then just how strong was that mysterious man?'
Despite having numerical advantage, Matteo and his group chose to retreat. Why was that man alone in the mountains? The only things in that mountain were monsters and Roxanne's group.
'…Could it really be like Seong Yura said, that someone was sent to protect me?'
If so, that would have been great.
If that person were there, it would have been much easier to stop Seong Yura.
"It's bad for business to lose face in this line of work. So, do you happen to know who that person is?"
"I don't."
"Ah, well, if you say you don't know, I won't press you. I'll find out on my own…"
"Seong Yura."
Roxanne suddenly interrupted Seong Yura with a calm voice. "I pity you."
"What? All of a sudden?"
Seong Yura blinked, bewildered by the unexpected words.
"I know somewhat how hard you've had to live from the bottom. It must have been a very difficult life."
The two were both orphans without parents but had walked different paths.
"It must have been hard to like other people. When you were struggling, rather than helping, they tormented you even more. You must have hated them."
Unlike Roxanne, who became a good person with the help of others, Seong Yura fell into villainy without any help.
"It's okay if you torment me. I can take your anger."
The resentment, blame, anger, and all the emotions you've hidden deep inside… I can take them.
"I know you didn't really intend to harm me when you sent those people. You just wanted to put me in danger and hurt those around me to see how I'd react."
I understand that you admire what you couldn't become and want to drag me down into the mud, Seong Yura.
"But don't cross the line."
"The line? That's amusing. I think I've already crossed it."
"No, Seong Yura. You are a villain, but you can still turn back."
Roxanne stepped closer and spoke with clear determination.
"Please don't make an irreversible choice. Although your past actions are hard to forgive, you must not commit any more evil deeds."
"…How laughable. You don't even know what I've done so far."
"Seong Yura."
"And you know, warnings are pointless. If you don't like me, show it through your actions."
"I will stop you." "You? Stop me?" Seong Yura chuckled.
Neither in ability, power, authority, nor wealth could Roxanne stand on an equal footing with Seong Yura. How did she intend to stop her?
"Oh, Roxanne… you've always been like this. You don't fear me, and you always look at me with those righteous eyes. It makes me want to break you even more. Just like me."
With that, Seong Yura suddenly turned around.
"I enjoyed our conversation today. The midterms are coming up soon, right? Study hard. See you later, Roxanne."
"..."
Roxanne watched Seong Yura walk away.
She kept watching until she completely disappeared from view.
For a long, long time.
***
A spacious mansion office.
A petite girl was sitting in front of Seong Yura.
"Wow~. Tomorrow's the day, huh? Union Academy's midterm exams."
The girl, with her disheveled white hair, sprawled lazily on a plush sofa, yawned sleepily.
Then, she casually reached out, grabbed a handful of snacks, and stuffed them into her mouth.
Her throat seemed to get clogged, so she gulped down some tea. "Ah! Hot!" she exclaimed, sticking out her tongue like a cat and fanning herself with her hand.
She looked like a typical slacker, but this girl was Yoo Dahee, the leader of a group called Rebellion. Seong Yura was also a member.
Though it was a small organization, like a local gang, it was filled with astonishingly powerful villains with unusual abilities.
Seong Yura still remembered how surprised she was by their strength when she first joined.
And this Yoo Dahee…
Despite looking like an ordinary high school or middle school student, the power she displayed was unimaginable.
Lee Siwoon and Kang Daehan, touted as the next- generation's greatest heroes?
Ha. Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous.
Compared to Yoo Dahee, they were nothing more than a drop in the ocean.
There was no one in her age group who could compare to Yoo Dahee.
Even Baek Yoorin had admitted defeat.
Yoo Dahee was no longer at the level of a student. She was stronger than most mid-tier heroes.
And she was still growing. Is she a monster?
Seong Yura looked at her with slightly overwhelmed eyes.
Even though Seong Yura herself had surpassed the student level, she couldn't stand on equal ground with Yoo Dahee.
With her, carrying out plans during the midterm exams would be much easier.
Yoo Dahee was that strong.
"The media's attention will be high since it's the first assessment of the golden generation."
Rebellion was more of a loosely structured organization, so unless members caused a major conflict or harmed the group, there was little interference.
It was more of an alliance to achieve their respective goals. That was why Seong Yura had joined.
To get support when needed, share information, and build connections.
"Lee Siwoon of SL Group, Kang Daehan of HanYoung Clan, Yoo Seolhyun of Gaon Nuri, Yuliya Troyanova, the disciple of the Archmage, Joo Jiyeon of OhSung Group, Goo Hancheol of Taebaek…"
Yoo Dahee grabbed another handful of snacks.
"The next-generation heroes responsible for the future… they'll be delicious to chew up. Right?"
Chomp, chomp.
After munching on the snacks, Yoo Dahee smiled brightly.
"By the way, I was planning to prepare for the final exams or the training camp period, but you surprised me by acting so directly. So, I had no choice but to hastily prepare. It feels a bit rough around the edges."
"Why? Do you want to back out now? Is that it?" "Ah, I'm not saying that."
Yoo Dahee shrugged nonchalantly and added.
"I didn't realize you were so invested in this bullying game. Poor Roxanne, right? How did that nun get stuck with someone as crazy as you?"
She had intended to stay quiet during the midterms, but since Seong Yura decided to act, she had no choice.
Given their hands-off approach, she didn't want to interfere with Seong Yura's actions. And now that things had progressed, Yoo Dahee decided to join in.
"I've never seen anyone as dedicated to tormenting someone as you are. You're truly a villain, aren't you?"
Ignoring Yoo Dahee's sarcasm, Seong Yura simply smiled mysteriously.
"This time, it's not just about tormenting her. I want to cross a line."
Roxanne, you said you pitied me?
Can you still pity me?
After I've crossed the line?
"The line? What line?"
"Who knows? I'm not sure what line it is, but with this, Roxanne's line will probably be crossed. I'm curious about how she'll react."
"Ah, Roxanne, Roxanne. Got it. If someone didn't know better, they'd think you were dating."
"Do you want to die?"
Yoo Dahee lazily nodded and then suddenly jumped up from her seat.
"Alright then, let's do our best to achieve our goals. We may have different thoughts, but we have a common goal, right?"
"Hmph."
"Everyone's looking forward to Union Academy's midterms… Let's make a big mess."
Union Academy, touted as the hope of Korea.
Its golden generation of promising hero trainees had attracted much attention from the media and various clans.
What will people think if these fledgling heroes are trampled by villains?
If the cradle of peace and hope is trampled under dirty feet? Ah. Honestly.
I'm already so excited I can hardly sleep. Really.
Chapter 51 Midterm Exams (3)
'It feels like I'm about to take the college entrance exams.' Whisper, whisper.
The murmurs of the children were endless.
They were staring at the exam hall with anxious or nervous expressions.
'Everyone seems pretty tense.'
Given that this was the first midterm exam at Union Academy, which was hailed as the best in Korea, the tension was palpable on the children's faces.
They were probably kids who had been quite influential in their hometowns, but after a few months of academy life, they would have realized they were just frogs in a well.
Union Academy was filled with aspiring heroes from around the world who had been praised as geniuses.
It was their first chance to prove themselves among so many geniuses, so it was natural for the kids to be nervous.
Especially since the ranking would be officially determined after this midterm.
Not some vague freshman entrance ranking, but the real ranking.
This was an opportunity to make an impression on numerous clans and the media, so they had to do their best.
"Siwoon! Fighting! Fighting!"
"Hey, wouldn't it be better for you to worry about yourself instead of worrying about Siwoon?"
"Hmph, talk about the pot calling the kettle black~." "What?"
As usual, a crowd of kids had gathered around Lee Siwoon.
Lee Siwoon, however, remained indifferent, his expression unchanging despite it being the first midterm exam.
I wonder if those girls came here to take the exam or just to cheer for Siwoon.
"Daehan, how about we go out after the exam?" "Get lost."
"Wow, so prickly~."
Kang Daehan yawned with a bored expression, pushing away the girl who was chattering next to him.
His irritation was evident, but the girl's face was still filled with a bright smile, as if she found it all amusing.
That girl must be Joo Jiyeon from OhSung Group.
She shows up as a jealous, immature girl when going down the Kang Daehan route, but I guess I don't need to worry about that right now.
Soyeon and Kang Daehan aren't very close at the moment. Probably.
"What are you staring at?"
"Ah."
As I glanced around, I noticed Jin Soyeon giving me a curious look.
Soyeon slowly turned her head in the direction I had been looking.
She quickly realized I had been staring at Kang Daehan. "Why Daehan?"
"Just, no reason."
I scratched my chin for a moment, then casually asked a question.
"Oh, by the way, how are you and Lee Siwoon getting along these days?"
"Hmm? Si-Siwoon?"
Was it because of the sudden question?
Soyeon's eyes widened in surprise, and she hesitated.
Judging by her reaction, it seems like something really did happen between them.
"You two seem to have a bit of a tense atmosphere these days."
"N-Nothing happened. Don't worry about it." "Really?"
"Uh-huh…"
Even though she glanced at me nervously, her words weren't very convincing, but since today was exam day, I decided not to pry unnecessarily.
"Hey, Jinhyuk."
"What?"
"Is it… a bit much if I hang out with other kids too much…?" "What do you mean?"
"Well, you know, because of what happened with Changwon… I thought it might be better to be careful…"
"Yeah, it's probably better to be cautious. There are quite a few guys who like you."
I know you want to get along with everyone, regardless of gender, but you should be more mindful of your appearance.
You're really pretty.
Honestly, you're so pretty that I've never seen a girl as beautiful as you even in my past life.
"R-Really?"
"In the past, since I was playing the role of your boyfriend, it was somewhat okay, but that's not the case now."
"Oh… boyfriend role… yeah…"
As she repeated the words "boyfriend role," Soyeon's expression darkened, and I couldn't help but blink.
It was understandable since her face was filled with guilt.
"…Was being my boyfriend… really hard?"
"Well. A little?"
"I see… I-I'm sorry."
Soyeon bit her lower lip and apologized with a gloomy expression. Her mood swings seem more intense today. I shrugged nonchalantly.
"It's nothing to apologize for. It was a mutual decision, after all."
I mean, I got to play pretend as the boyfriend of an incredibly beautiful childhood friend, something I couldn't even dream of in my past life. It wasn't all that bad for me.
It was just a little tiring.
"It… it couldn't have been just a little tiring…" Soyeon mumbled with a distant expression.
"It must have been really hard… and I didn't even realize it, and I… I…"
"Seriously, it wasn't that hard."
Just as I was wondering, 'What's up with Soyeon today?' "Good morning to you both."
Yoo Seolhyun greeted us with a bright smile as she approached.
"Yoo Seolhyun." "Hi, Soyeon."
"Oh, hi."
They exchanged a rather stiff greeting. "By the way, Jinhyuk."
"Yeah? What's up?"
"How are you planning to do on this exam?" "…I'll do my best?"
My goal for this midterm exam is simple. To achieve outstanding results.
"Hmm, is that so?"
"I plan to give it my best. I can't stay at the bottom forever."
I needed to secure grades that wouldn't hinder my activities with the main characters or other capable children at the
academy.
I needed to show grades and achievements that the other students could trust.
It would be problematic if, when a villain appeared at the academy, others didn't listen to me or believe my words just because my grades were low.
'And I need to show the kids that I'm not someone to be underestimated.'
Do you know why the character Lee Jinhyuk in the game was especially bullied by the male protagonists and NPCs?
Because he was Jin Soyeon's only boyfriend?
That was part of it, but there was a bigger reason.
It was because the character Lee Jinhyuk was a pathetic loser who was easy to bully.
…That was a blunt way to put it, but it wasn't wrong.
The male protagonists acknowledged each other's abilities and fought over Jin Soyeon as rivals, but in the game, Lee Jinhyuk had no abilities, power, wealth, background, or connections.
To the followers of the male protagonists, he looked like a tasty prey.
They didn't think there would be any consequences for bullying a powerless, orphaned weakling.
Kang Daehan even treated him like a parasite clinging to Soyeon.
But I'm different now.
I've built a positive relationship with Yoo Seolhyun, shown great results in the performance assessment, and completed the Youngdeung Mountain Dungeon to some success.
Now, I need to prove with tangible, visible results that I'm not someone to be messed with.
So that even if I upset the male protagonists and their followers, they'll think twice before messing with me.
"Doing your best… That's not going to be easy, is it?" Yoo Seolhyun chuckled softly.
"…Jinhyuk doing his best? What's that supposed to mean?" Hey.
Jin Soyeon, are you underestimating me?
You placed 257th, right? Let's see what happens later.
"Huhu. Is that so? He might end up doing much better than you."
"What?"
"Oh, right, you didn't know, did you? I almost forgot." Soyeon's eyes narrowed.
Ah, Yoo Seolhyun is teasing Soyeon again.
She promised not to bully her, but it seems she's gotten a taste for playful teasing.
"Well then, I'll be going. See you next time."
With that, Yoo Seolhyun gracefully left.
Once Yoo Seolhyun was out of sight, Soyeon pouted her lips and muttered discontentedly.
"What's her deal? What don't I know?" Watching Soyeon grumble, I thought to myself.
'Should I tell Soyeon as well? The fact that I have the ability to foresee the future.'
I hadn't mentioned it because I had some concerns, but if I did, it might help Soyeon grow even more effectively.
'I'll have to consider it.'
With that thought in mind, I glanced at the clock. Is it already this time?
It seems the first practical exam is about to begin.
***
"Hmph, lucky you, Lee Jinhyuk. You ended up on the same team as me."
"Yeah. Seems so."
"You've been getting pretty close to Seolhyun lately, haven't you?"
"Jealous?"
"N-No way!"
Sunari, with her small frame, shook her twin braids back and forth, trying to deny it.
Judging by her bright red cheeks, I must have hit a nerve.
Anyway, since it might stir up unnecessary trouble, I decided not to mention it further.
"Alright, let's quickly decide on a team leader." The first practical exam was dungeon conquest.
We had to work together as a team of five randomly assigned by the academy and complete the dark, cave-like dungeon as quickly as possible.
The dungeon was specifically designed for the exam, so it wasn't particularly dangerous, but it had various artificial monsters and traps to simulate real combat.
But, to me, it's all pointless. Why?
Damn it, this is the main storyline, the main storyline. It's different from Youngdeung Mountain.
I had conquered this dozens of times, not to mention reading all the novels, comics, setting books, wiki entries, and monster encyclopedias related to this midterm exam.
I even wrote and published strategy guides on the internet.
Of course, I can't remember everything perfectly, but that doesn't matter.
I know the layout of the dungeon, the locations of traps, the types and weaknesses of monsters, and the evaluation criteria.
All the information I need.
Chapter 52 Midterm Exams (4)
"Team leader?"
When a girl who looked like an extra questioned me, I nodded and slowly explained.
"Yeah. Since we need to clear the dungeon as a team, we need someone who can quickly assess the situation and give orders."
Because the team members had just been selected right before entering the dungeon, coordinating opinions was difficult.
The academy had intentionally designed it this way, making it part of the evaluation criteria for the trainees to quickly coordinate and work together with others whose abilities and strengths they didn't know well.
Therefore, if someone took on the role of leader and guided the team well, they could easily earn additional points.
Yeah, what I'm aiming for is those extra points, those extra points.
The team evaluation score and individual evaluation scores are separate after all.
"If that's the case, well…"
Sunari sneaked a glance at my face.
She didn't particularly like taking orders from anyone except Yoo Seolhyun, but she had already experienced working with me during the performance assessment.
Thanks to my strategy and leadership skills back then, we had achieved good results, so it was a natural choice.
After all, Sunari wasn't really the type to use her head.
"Wouldn't it just be better to let him do it? He's surprisingly smart and useful, you know?"
"I don't know."
At that point, a male student expressed his doubts in a slightly gruff tone.
Ah, as expected, that guy.
I knew it. There's no way he'd stay quiet.
After all, he's not the type to enjoy taking orders from someone either.
"That's Lee Jinhyuk, right? I heard from someone in our class that he barely scraped into the academy. Do we really have to listen to a guy like that?"
"Hey. Who cares if he barely made it in? What matters for an operator is knowledge and the ability to assess the situation."
It was Lee Jeonghoon from Class 6.
Ranked 29th among the freshmen.
He was from a fairly famous clan and had a strong sense of pride.
So, of course, he'd be dissatisfied.
Listening to orders from someone he's never heard of.
'And that guy has a subtle rivalry with Sunari, so he might not like me because she's defending me.'
In short, he's not someone who can be persuaded with words in a short amount of time.
If I were to brag about how I've actually cleared the Youngdeung Mountain Dungeon before, it would probably just provoke him into reacting even more negatively.
Well, that's fine.
I never intended to persuade him with words anyway. Actions speak louder than words.
"If that's the case, I'll just give the orders, and you guys… huh?"
Lee Jeonghoon's words suddenly trailed off.
He had noticed something. A dark shadow was writhing along the far wall of the cave.
Just as I thought, it appears here. "What the heck is that?"
"The shadow, it's moving, isn't it?" "I think I saw this in class…" "Damn it, get ready to fight!"
Though initially flustered, the kids quickly assumed combat stances.
"Kiiieee, kiiieee."
The name of that monster was Shadow Sentinel. It looked like a kind of demon.
A rather troublesome artificial monster, to say the least.
And it seemed the kids didn't even know the monster's name.
It was briefly explained in the Monster Biology class, but still.
"Ah, crap! What is this thing, it's not working!"
The first to strike was the reckless Sunari, but despite her physical enhancement abilities, the Shadow Sentinel just squirmed and slithered, unaffected.
It was as if she had punched a lump of clay.
The Shadow Sentinel had high resistance to both physical and magical attacks, so ordinary attacks couldn't inflict much damage.
In other words, it was an excellent punching bag.
"That monster, I think it's called a Shadow Sentinel. I heard it's resistant to physical attacks."
"R-Resistant to physical attacks…? Then, what do we do?" A timid-looking girl was on the verge of tears.
The kids tried various attacks on the Shadow Sentinel, but realizing they were ineffective, they bit their lips in frustration.
"We have no choice. Everyone, we should retreat for now—"
Just as Lee Jeonghoon was about to shout for a retreat, I stepped forward with my bow drawn.
"No, hold on a second." "You?"
Do you know why I didn't try to persuade you and instead lured you all the way here where the Shadow Sentinel appears?
To show the kids. Directly, I mean.
Kids like this need results, not words, to be convinced. "Hey, that level of attack won't work on—"
But it will.
I ignored his words and released the arrow.
It flew straight towards the left lower abdomen of the Shadow Sentinel.
And then…"Kiiieek? Kiiieeeeee!"
The Shadow Sentinel, which hadn't flinched even at Sunari and Lee Jeonghoon's attacks, let out a piercing scream.
Good, looks like I hit the mark. "Huh?"
Lee Jeonghoon's face showed a hint of confusion.
I then fired a magic-infused arrow straight into the Shadow Sentinel's mouth.
Thanks to the artifact, I could concentrate a significant amount of magical power into a single arrow.
The arrow shot into its mouth and then… Boom!
It exploded inside, causing the Shadow Sentinel to vomit up dark fluid before collapsing with a thud.
"..."
Two attacks were all it took to bring it down.
The same monster that Sunari and Lee Jeonghoon couldn't even scratch.
"Wh-What? How did you—"
"That's a Shadow Sentinel."
I pointed at the fallen monster with my chin and continued. "I-I know that, but…"
"It has high resistance to both physical and magical attacks, but there's a core hidden under the skin in the left lower abdomen where its nerves are concentrated. If you attack that spot, it causes immense pain."
"Huh?"
"Of course, that alone isn't enough to take it down, but while the Shadow Sentinel is strong against external attacks, it's extremely vulnerable to internal ones. And its weak spot is in its mouth."
"When it screamed in pain, you shot an arrow into its mouth?"
"Yes. I judged that a magic-infused arrow would be enough to bring it down."
According to the setting, this was an artificial monster created by an Archmage to test the students, so as long as you exploited its weak points, it was designed to be taken down without much difficulty.
"…You knew all of that?"
"Of course. I've practically memorized the monster-related books and textbooks. I even look up research papers."
"R-Really?"
Yeah, that was a complete lie.
Where would I find time to read research papers?
But saying it makes me seem more impressive, doesn't it?
"And besides, this isn't a real battle, it's an exam, right? The monsters probably have obvious weak points that can be targeted."
That's right, it's an exam.
This dungeon conquest was an exam.
It wasn't about brute force; the monsters that appeared had clear weak points to assess how well the students had studied theory.
And I knew the weaknesses of all the monsters that appeared here.
Where to attack, how to attack, and how much to attack. "Ah, so it was you… I wasn't sure at first, but…"
"Hmm?"
"I heard there's an academy student who actually participated in a real dungeon raid with the Gaon Nuri Clan…"
The timid-looking girl hesitated, as if she had just remembered something.
"They said he was amazing because he knew almost all the monsters' weak points… Seowoo unnie praised you a lot…"
Wait, she knows Han Seowoo?
"Wait a minute, a hero rescue? Dungeon raid? …Him?"
"Yeah. Didn't you know? He's the one who actually participated in a dungeon raid. They say he did quite well."
"…Huh."
Upon hearing Sunari's words, Lee Jeonghoon fell silent.
Now that he had learned of my participation in a raid where even professional heroes had failed, I seemed to have taken on a new light in his eyes.
This kind of thing never has much impact if you boast about it yourself.
It needs to be heard from a third party to gain true credibility and objectivity.
Good, the momentum is in my favor.
I should take this opportunity to say it.
"Guys, why don't you leave the role of giving orders to me?" I said as I scanned the faces of the kids.
I didn't know the two others beside Sunari and Lee Jeonghoon since they were extras, but it didn't matter.
These two alone were enough to clear the dungeon. "If you follow my orders, I promise you one thing."
At times like this, you can't hesitate or speak without confidence.
You have to speak with absolute certainty. "We'll clear the dungeon faster than you think." I then looked directly at Lee Jeonghoon.
"I've actually participated in a real dungeon raid, so why don't you give it a try and trust me?"
"…"
Lee Jeonghoon stared at me for a moment before letting out a deep sigh.
It was an unspoken approval.
Yeah, with real combat experience and having shown that I could take down the Shadow Sentinel by exploiting its weak points, even you wouldn't have much to argue against.
The other kids seemed to trust me quite a bit after what they had just witnessed.
'…We've been delayed a bit, but it doesn't matter.'
In this first exam, it's impossible for the others to beat me, even if they wanted to.
Really.
***
Jin Soyeon, who had just finished her dungeon conquest.
She managed to complete the first exam of the midterm, which would span several weeks, without any issues.
But…
"Sigh… I didn't make it into the top ranks, after all."
She muttered to herself as she stared at the 3D screen in the auditorium where the trainees were waiting.
The 3D screen showed the real-time rankings of the teams that had cleared the dungeon the fastest, from 1st to 10th place.
Despite her best efforts, she hadn't managed to enter the rankings.
The academy had balanced the teams quite evenly, so she had been somewhat confident, but…
"Siwoon is first, as expected. Impressive."
1. Dungeon conquest time: 37 minutes 09 seconds. Lee Siwoon, Park Seongwoon, Lee Hangyeong, Choi Joon, Kim Oh-hoo.
2. Dungeon conquest time: 37 minutes 43 seconds. Kang Daehan, Lee Jeonggyeol, Kang Daeul, Oh Sooyeon, Lee Hanbom.
3. …
37 minutes?
As expected of Lee Siwoon.
Jin Soyeon's team had taken almost an hour… "Yoo Seolhyun is in 5th place."
She felt a slight twinge of frustration.
Of course, her individual performance couldn't compare to Yoo Seolhyun's, but this was a team exam, a team exam.
She could've done much better.
"Wow, as expected of Siwoon! How did you finish in 37 minutes?"
"Siwoon's team definitely had an easy ride, didn't they? Siwoon's bus was sweet, huh?"
"So lucky~ If I had teamed up with Siwoon, we would've finished in no time."
A bunch of girls were chattering around Lee Siwoon. "Ah, Daehan, it's such a shame. If it weren't for your
teammates dragging you down, you would've been first."
"Whatever. Team rankings don't matter. What matters is the individual ranking match."
"Yeah, true? Even if it's Lee Siwoon, there's no way he'd beat our Daehan in a one-on-one!"
Kang Daehan was also surrounded by people, chatting noisily.
'…Both of them are impressive. Finishing in the 30-minute range.'
She could clearly feel the difference in level between herself and them.
"Huh? Soyeon, didn't make it into the rankings?"
"…What do you want? Did you come over just to say that?"
"No, you just caught my eye." "…. Tch."
As Yoo Seolhyun smirked smugly, Jin Soyeon bit her lower lip. Annoying, Yoo Seolhyun.
Yeah, she's 5th place, right? That's what she's bragging about?
Of course, this ranking was just based on the dungeon clearing time, and the actual individual scores would vary depending on how well they performed in the dungeon. But still, there was nothing bad about being highly ranked.
"Hmm. Is Lee Jinhyuk's team still not up? I wonder what rank he'll be."
"You sound like you think Jinhyuk will make it into the rankings?"
"Who knows? Huhu. I'm curious too."
Yoo Seolhyun smiled with a knowing look. That smile was strangely infuriating.
Acting like she knows everything.
"Who knows? Maybe Lee Jinhyuk will end up with a surprisingly high score…"
It was then.
"Huh? Hey, look! The rankings changed! What? What's going on?"
"Wait, could it be…?"
"What? Did Lee Siwoon get dethroned?" "No way? Who?"
The kids suddenly erupted in chatter.
They couldn't hide their surprise at the unexpected turn of events.
Curious, Jin Soyeon and Yoo Seolhyun turned their heads. The rankings on the 3D screen had shifted.
Every rank on the 3D screen had dropped by one.
Which means…
A new 1st place had emerged.
-Beep.
1. Dungeon conquest time: 25 minutes 15 seconds. Sunari, Lee Jeonghoon, Park Sooyun, Chae Yeonsu, Lee Jinhyuk.
2. Dungeon conquest time: 37 minutes 09 seconds. Lee Siwoon, Park Seongwoon, Lee Hangyeong, Choi Joon, Kim Oh-hoo.
3. Dungeon conquest time: 37 minutes 43 seconds. Kang Daehan, Lee Jeonggyeol, Kang Daeul, Oh Sooyeon, Lee Hanbom.
"…25, 25 minutes?"
Jin Soyeon's eyes widened in shock. No way? Really?
Did Jinhyuk's team…
The team that had taken 1st place with an overwhelming time difference was none other than Lee Jinhyuk's team.
"Lee Jinhyuk. He's not even hiding it anymore?" Yoo Seolhyun chuckled, clearly amused.
Chapter 53 Midterm Exams (5)
'…Is Jinhyuk's team really in first place?'
Jin Soyeon blinked as she quietly stared at the ranking board. She couldn't calm her surprise.
This was because she had never imagined that Jinhyuk's team would achieve such a high score.
Dungeon clear time: 25 minutes and 15 seconds.
That was more than twice as fast as Jin Soyeon's team.
If she were to take the test again, could she possibly reduce her time more than Jinhyuk's team did?
As she pondered quietly, Jin Soyeon shook her head from side to side.
No, it would be impossible.
'Even with people like Sunari and Lee Jeonghoon on the team, that's too fast.'
Sunari and Lee Jeonghoon were exceptionally powerful Ability Users.
They had been quite famous since their middle school years.
They had grown up with full support from their clans, and it was no exaggeration to say that they would be the heroes of the next generation.
Sunari was ranked 17th, and Lee Jeonghoon was ranked 29th.
Both were among the top tier at Union Academy.
But…
'In terms of overall power, my team wasn't lacking either.' Jin Soyeon's team had considerable strength as well.
They had members ranked 19th and 46th.
Yet there was such a significant difference in the results… '…Is it because of Jinhyuk?'
Jinhyuk's command and tactical abilities were quite impressive.
In a dungeon conquest, Jinhyuk's abilities would shine even brighter.
Hmm… well.
She hadn't expected him to take first place, though. Still, Jinhyuk did pretty well.
'To think he cleared it much faster than Siwoon and Daehan.'
Of course, the dungeon exam wasn't over yet.
There were still many trainees waiting to take the test.
But would any team be able to clear the dungeon in under 25 minutes?
Even Lee Siwoon and Kang Daehan took 37 minutes. "Oh, here they come."
"Yeah."
Yoo Seolhyun glanced over and pointed with her chin.
A group of kids surrounded someone, chattering excitedly. Amid the crowd, she spotted two familiar faces—Lee Jinhyuk and Sunari.
"Wow! Sunari, what's up with that? 25 minutes? How did you manage that?"
"Our Sunari is really something!"
"Did you know your team is currently in first place?"
"Whoa, Jinhyuk, was it because of you? Even with Sunari on the team, that was way too fast."
"I was wondering why Yoo Seolhyun took you along for her dungeon conquest. Turns out there was a reason, huh?"
"Siwoon got dethroned! Damn! I had faith in you! Jinhyuk, you're the hero of our class!"
"What are you babbling on about, you idiot?"
The kids, shocked by the unexpected results, swarmed around Jinhyuk and Sunari, chattering away.
Soon, Sunari quirked an eyebrow and raised her voice. "Hey, guys? Stop blocking the way and let us through."
Sunari squeezed her way out of the crowd with some effort. Jinhyuk easily followed her lead.
"Phew. Seriously, people make such a big deal out of it. It's just one test."
"Hello, Sunari. Looks like you did pretty well on this exam, huh?"
"Huh? Uh, yeah? Hehe. I just got lucky, that's all."
When Yoo Seolhyun approached and spoke to her, Sunari's eyes widened momentarily before she sheepishly scratched the back of her neck.
It seemed she was quite pleased with Yoo Seolhyun's compliment.
"It might have been more than just luck. It looks like someone worked really hard."
Yoo Seolhyun subtly shifted her gaze and stared at Jinhyuk, who was standing there nonchalantly.
"Isn't that right, Jinhyuk?" "Hmm."
Since she looked at him as if she knew everything, Jinhyuk responded with a wry smile and a shrug.
"The dungeon was filled with monsters I had studied before. Like Sunari said, maybe I just got lucky."
"Hmm. Well, if you say so."
Since Yoo Seolhyun mistakenly believed that Jinhyuk had the ability to foresee the future, she simply smiled without saying much more.
If he had used his future vision ability, clearing a dungeon like this would have been a breeze.
Except for the fact that the conditions for using the ability were tricky, and he couldn't see whatever future he wanted, Jinhyuk was someone to covet.
Moreover, wasn't Jinhyuk also a master who could use the Sword Qi Wounder technique?
It was strange how he hid his strength to such an extent that he barely made it into the academy, but Yoo Seolhyun was expecting that more of his true capabilities might be revealed in this midterm exam.
Considering the power of the Sword Qi Wounder that he had displayed in the dungeon, he might even be stronger than Lee Siwoon. Hmm. This is why she was even more excited.
Stronger than Lee Siwoon, huh… Honestly, it was hard to imagine.
At Union Academy, where countless geniuses gathered, there were only a few who could dare to stand shoulder to shoulder with Lee Siwoon.
Smart, skilled, and with a strong ability?
It was a bit funny that Yoo Seolhyun, a talented rich girl herself, thought this way, but Jinhyuk seemed like a bit of a cheat, a cheat.
'If Jinhyuk had been born into a good family, he might have become more famous than Lee Siwoon.'
Come to think of it, Yoo Seolhyun couldn't forget the image of Jinhyuk swinging his sword to save her.
That moment was still vividly imprinted in her memory as it had been a truly life-or-death situation.
To be honest, it had been quite a cool scene.
If she were an ordinary girl, she might have developed some feelings for him.
Well, but Yoo Seolhyun wasn't an ordinary girl.
"…Ah, Jinhyuk. Congratulations on getting first place."
"It's just first place in one test. The exams aren't even over yet. There are still plenty of kids waiting to enter the dungeon. And it's only the first test."
"But it's something to celebrate. Honestly, I didn't expect you to do this well."
Jin Soyeon congratulated her childhood friend in a straightforward tone.
To be honest, she had been a little worried that Jinhyuk wouldn't do well on the exams. After all, Jinhyuk had barely made it into Union Academy. She thought he might struggle to adapt and end up failing the tests…
'But it's good. At this rate, there shouldn't be any major problems.'
In hindsight, hadn't he also scored well in the performance assessment and pop quizzes?
Even better than Jin Soyeon.
'…Maybe he's adapting to Union Academy better than I am.' Suddenly.
Fragments of words she had once spoken to Jinhyuk in an overly confident tone flashed through her mind.
– Are you worried about life at the academy?
– Well, given that you barely got in as a substitute, I guess it's understandable.
– Ah, I can't help it. As your senior, I'll take care of you, so don't worry too much. After all, I'm ranked 257th, you know?
Ugh. How embarrassing.
Am I going to be overtaken by Jinhyuk at this rate?
If that happens, he'll tease me endlessly. Ah, why did I say something like that…
'Come to think of it, I used to help Jinhyuk a lot with his practical evaluations during middle school. I guess he doesn't need that anymore?'
Back then, Jinhyuk was extremely, extremely weak when it came to practical evaluations.
So, whenever she had time, Jin Soyeon would help him out.
They would train together, work out together, and even devise strategies together.
But now…
'Lately, Jinhyuk hasn't been hanging out with me much.'
In middle school, they used to train together and hang out together all the time, just the two of them. But at some point, Jinhyuk was no longer by her side.
When she glanced around, she would realize that Jinhyuk, who had always been there, was now laughing and chatting with others.
In the past, in the past, it wasn't like this…Jinhyuk used to always look at her more than anyone else, but now he was spending time with others like Yoo Seolhyun.
Had there been a time when Jinhyuk got along this well with another girl?
No, as far as Jin Soyeon could remember, there hadn't been.
Jinhyuk wasn't particularly interested in other girls, and he was her fake boyfriend, after all.
But now, that wasn't the case.
Jinhyuk wasn't even her fake boyfriend anymore, just a childhood friend.
'…'
Jin Soyeon unintentionally glanced over at Jinhyuk.
He was currently chatting with Yoo Seolhyun and Sunari, seemingly enjoying himself.
Watching him talk with a wry smile, as if he didn't mind it at all, she felt a peculiar emotion.
It was a feeling she couldn't quite put her finger on. Should she call it bittersweet, or maybe somewhat stifling?
In any case, she understood that from Jinhyuk's perspective, he might have been tired of playing the fake boyfriend for the girl he had liked for so long, so it made sense that he would want to form positive relationships with others.
Jin Soyeon personally felt a lot of guilt and regret towards Jinhyuk, and she wanted to apologize to him for it.
But why was it that when she saw Jinhyuk with other girls, she felt this strange emotion?
Jin Soyeon couldn't quite understand it herself. She furrowed her brow slightly and tilted her head. This emotion, this feeling, what exactly is it?
Bittersweet… somewhat stifling… Is that accurate?
No, it feels like something a bit more negative, a bit more unpleasant. How should she describe this emotion…?
How should she put it… it feels a bit… "Soyeon? What are you daydreaming about?"
"Huh?"
"Don't tell me you're already tired after just one test?" "I was just thinking about the next exam…"
"The next exam is the hostage rescue, right?" "Yeah."
"It's definitely something worth worrying about. Since it's a team exam, there's a lot to consider."
Jinhyuk nodded his head in understanding.
"They won't be administering the hostage rescue test today, but… do you want me to give you a few tips that might help?"
"…No. It's fine. I'll do it on my own this time." "Really?"
"Yeah."
For some reason, she didn't want Jinhyuk's help this time. She felt like she shouldn't rely on his help. She didn't know why, but that's how she felt.
"What? How did their team clear it so quickly? Did they use some kind of trick?"
"..."
"Don't let it get to you, Siwoon. They just got a bit lucky, that's all."
"..."
"Hey, Siwoon?" "..."
Amidst the crowd of people, Lee Siwoon was quietly watching Jin Soyeon and Lee Jinhyuk.
With his gaze fixed on those two, he replayed a recent event in his mind.
Just a few days before the midterms.
Jin Soyeon had asked to speak with Lee Siwoon in private.
With a serious expression, she had apologized to him, saying that she was sorry if he had any feelings for her.
It seemed she had sensed the emotions Lee Siwoon had felt for her on the day he restrained Choi Changwon.
Lee Siwoon had silently stared at Jin Soyeon for a moment before suddenly denying her words and thoughts, and then he had asked her a question.
He had asked if there was someone she liked.
Upon hearing that, Jin Soyeon had looked slightly flustered, but then she had given a dry laugh and replied that she didn't have feelings for anyone, that she wasn't interested in romance at the moment.
But Lee Siwoon knew.
He knew that whenever he and Jin Soyeon were talking at the academy, she would unconsciously glance around, as if searching for someone with her eyes.
He knew that when she talked about that person, a beautiful smile and a bright expression, which were usually unseen, would grace her face.
He knew that Jin Soyeon was strangely sensitive and vulnerable when it came to that one person.
…Lee Siwoon knew it all.
'I heard they broke up because she didn't see him as a romantic partner.'
But the way she looked at him wasn't just the gaze of someone who was looking at an ex-boyfriend or a childhood friend. There were so many mixed emotions in her eyes that Lee Siwoon couldn't help but bite his lower lip slightly.
That look in Jin Soyeon's eyes when she looked at Lee Jinhyuk.
Lee Siwoon couldn't forget it.
No, he couldn't erase it from his memory. 'Lee Jinhyuk, Lee Jinhyuk, huh…'
At some point, his fists had clenched tightly, but it took Lee Siwoon quite a while to realize it.