“But, does that really matter now?”
That was my encouragement, or rather, not-so-much encouragement, and with that, I left Yoo Ha-on’s side. She probably needed some time alone to sort out her thoughts.
「𝙎𝙝𝙚’𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙬𝙖𝙮.」
As I left the lakeside, I saw Baek Eun-seo, who had been training separately, looking intently.
She spotted me and asked with a displeased expression.
“What about Ha-on?”
“She’s alone.”
“Alone? Did you make her cry?”
“She’s just lost in thought.”
I knew the general gist of it, but I suddenly became curious and tried to sense Baek Eun-seo’s emotions.
Ring.
【Baek Eun-seo】
▶Level 27
▶Ability Scores
【Stamina: S-】
【Spiritual power: B-】
【Spellcraft: C+】
【Mental Strength: B】
▶Traits (5/10)
【■■■■(-)】
【Quick Draw (A-)】
【Accelerated Growth (B)】
【Tenacity (B-)】
【Sturdy Bones (C-)】
As a member of the Baek family, one of the Three Great Houses, and a member of the protagonist’s party in the original story, she had the talent to live up to her name.
She’s much stronger than Yoo Ha-on at the moment. Of course, she’ll be surpassed soon enough, but until then, she’ll be a great shield.
「𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙣𝙩𝙞-𝘿𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙩, 𝙞𝙩’𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙔𝙤𝙤 𝙃𝙖-𝙤𝙣.」
Yoo Ha-on is a special talent who can raise all of her ability scores to S-rank with the power of her Limit Break trait.
Thinking about the future, she definitely needs to grow up safely.
Since Baek Eun-seo was currently guarding her, I decided to help her a little.
“Isn’t there a student named Shin Hyun-min in Class 1-A?”
“There is, but why?”
“He’s the one you really need to be wary of.”
“What are you talking about?”
While Baek Eun-seo was puzzled, I started walking again to leave.
Then, I stopped for a moment and added one last thing.
“If you ever face a crisis that you can’t handle on your own, just clear your mind and fight.”
“. . .Are you saying I’m an idiot?”
“No. It’s serious advice.”
If she does that, she’ll at least respond before she dies.
Baek Eun-seo’s unconfirmed trait, the true talent of the martial arts Baek family.
🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷
The lakeside on the school grounds.
The spot where Han Kang-yoon had left.
「. . . . . . .」
Yoo Ha-on, who had been standing there in the cold night air, soon puffed out her cheeks slightly, as if she was dissatisfied.
“Geez.”
According to the rumors circulating around the school, Han Kang-yoon grew up in an orphanage without his biological parents. That’s why he’s aiming to become an exorcist for that orphanage.
And Han Kang-yoon said that he was in a similar situation to Yoo Ha-on.
The implication was simple.
That she doesn’t have her biological parents is something she hasn’t told anyone at the academy yet, including Baek Eun-seo.
“So he knew after all.”
If you’re going to lie, don’t let it show.
There’s no point in revealing the truth in words of consolation.
「. . . . . .𝙎𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡, 𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙗𝙚 𝙖 𝙗𝙖𝙙 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣.」
For some reason, it seemed like Yoo Ha-on knew what Han Kang-yoon was trying to say.
Of course, such things wouldn’t be important to her life right now. At least, it’s meaningless to be so preoccupied with the past that she can’t live in the present.
Perhaps it was because she had reached puberty, but lately, Yoo Ha-on had been unable to focus because she was preoccupied with thoughts about the past.
“But, someday.”
When she’s prepared enough, she’ll get the answers she didn’t hear today.
Yoo Ha-on patted her cheeks and cheered herself up. Somehow, her complicated feelings seemed to be sorted out.
「𝙃𝙚’𝙨 𝙖 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣.」
There were all sorts of rumors going around the academy, but when she actually met him, he was completely different from those rumors.
He had an inexplicable presence, and his actions showed a sense of composure.
「𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢.」
Yoo Ha-on began to feel curious about the person named Han Kang-yoon.
🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷
That night. I returned to the dormitory and composed myself with an expression full of anticipation.
That’s because I realized on the way back after parting with the two of them that something had changed in me.
「𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙙.」
The feeling of something new being aligned within my body, it wasn’t so strong that I could tell at a glance, but it was definitely different from before.
“Sentiment.”
Ring.
【Han Kang-yoon】
▶Level 26
▶Ability Scores
【Stamina: C-】
【Spiritual power: D+】
【Spellcraft: C】
【Mental Strength: C】
「𝙔𝙚𝙨!」
There was definitely a change. My spiritual power rank had gone up one level. I clenched my fist, a rare show of joy.
「𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝘿 𝙥𝙡𝙪𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙬.」
However, the fact that it had gone up at all was significant. At the very least, it meant that taking the elixir was effective. In addition to that, I was able to get a rough sense of the side effects of the Shadow Assimilation trait.
「𝙄𝙛 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙬 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙖𝙗𝙨𝙤𝙧𝙗𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙩, 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙢𝙮 𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙨.」
Like this time, if I can infuse a huge amount of energy that the shadow can’t take all at once through a top-quality elixir, or create a similar situation, it’s possible.
It was the moment I found the key to growth.
「𝙄 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙂𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝘾𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙙 𝙋𝙞𝙡𝙡.」
Then what would happen if I took all four of the remaining Green Cloud Pills?
「𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙗𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙮 𝙗𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝘾-𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙞𝙣 𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙝 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙖 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧.」
Some might say it’s only a one-step difference.
However, for me, I could confidently say that D-rank and C-rank were worlds apart.
「𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙢 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣-𝙩𝙮𝙥𝙚 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙖𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙤𝙣𝙚-𝙤𝙣-𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚.」
The Comprehensive Combat Practice midterm evaluation is coming up soon.
The moment my spiritual power reaches C-rank, Cheong Haram will have to prepare herself for the difference in skill level.
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