Chapter 156 : Chapter 156

Chapter 156: Complicated Ties (3)

An ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍autumn chill lingered in the blowing wind, even though it was only the beginning of the season.

Perhaps ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍it was because he was closer to the sky than the ground.

Despite ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the late hour, Baek Ha-seong stood on the rooftop of a building, quietly observing the city center shimmering under countless lights as he sank into thought.

"If ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍I had to use a metaphor for the family, it would look like this."

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍city center was so dazzlingly bright that it was filled only with light.

Because of that, no one could see the darkness within it.

Just as no one could see the ugliness hidden beneath the glory of a prestigious family.

"How bitter."

Baek Ha-seong thought to himself as he took a sip of the alcohol in his hand, only to pull it away from his lips immediately.

"They say that when life is bitter, alcohol becomes sweet. It seems that was nothing more than a groundless rumor."

Whether in his childhood or now, alcohol still did not seem to suit him.

Baek Ha-seong immediately poured out the drink he was holding and looked back at the city.

In his mind, the conversation he had with Choi Yu-seong the previous night resurfaced.

"I was momentarily flustered then."

The sudden question asking if he had a biological younger sister.

At that question, he had become slightly flustered, which was unlike him.

Was it because Choi Yu-seong asked about a sister who did not exist?

No, it was the exact opposite.

"It was a name I had not heard in such a long time."

Baek Ha-ryeong.

That child was certainly his sister.

Despite the age gap of over ten years, she was a child who had always followed him around.

He never imagined he would hear that name from Choi Yu-seong, so he could not help but be surprised.

"Time is truly mysterious. When you look ahead, it feels as if it has stopped, but when you look back, it has passed by in vain."

To think that the small younger sister had already reached the age of a high school student.

Time was truly fleeting and mysterious.

"And so are ties."

Even after ten years, it would have been fine to forget and live on, yet he never imagined she would still remember him and try to track his traces.

It was likely for that reason that memories from ten years ago suddenly came to mind.

"Was it when I was heading to the main house?"

Just because one was of the direct lineage did not mean everyone resided in the main house.

Depending on the circumstances, there were cases where one lived elsewhere, and that was the case for him and his sister.

Thus, on the evening of the day he caused the bloodshed.

As he was about to head to the main house after being summoned, he suddenly remembered what his sister said as she approached him, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

-Big Brother, please be careful. Do not forget to bring something delicious when you come back!

At those words, he had certainly replied like this.

"I will. I shall buy a bag of the candy you like..."

He did not know then that it was a promise he would be unable to keep.

"That makes me even more uneasy."

He had lived for ten years while consumed by revenge.

It had already been ten years since he killed his emotions in his madness for vengeance.

Yet now, to encounter the remnants of the past again—and not a painful past, but a relatively happy one at that.

To be honest, it was not a very pleasant thing.

"Since the objective is what it is... I suppose."

If they had met under good circumstances, he would have welcomed his sister as well.

But that was not the case, was it?

He was in a position of being an enemy to the Baek family, while his sister was still a member of the Baek family.

No matter how much she had followed him when she was young, he was in a position where he could not welcome her with a smile.

"Well, for now, I have left the decision of what to do about my sister to that kid, but I do not know how it will turn out."

As he had emphasized repeatedly, it had been ten years.

It was enough time for even the lush mountains to change. Just because she was a bright child did not mean she would be the same as she was ten years ago.

He did not even know if she still cherished the image of her liking him, or if she had been stained by the filth unique to the family.

However, since his position prevented him from meeting her to find out, he had entrusted it to Choi Yu-seong.

He had left it to him to decide how to treat that girl.

"...I said it like that, but in truth, I could find out for myself."

However, that would be a bit difficult, would it not?

If, by some chance—some absolute chance—Ha-ryeong had turned out like those he hated the most...

"I would eventually have to make a decision."

The decision to cut down his only biological sister with his own hands.

It was a decision that even someone who became a villain and gave up many things would have no choice but to hesitate over.

"...Ties are truly complicated and difficult."

Baek Ha-seong thought so as he slowly stood up and looked up at the sky.

The sky he looked up at was exceedingly dark, but the stars embroidered there were incredibly bright and beautiful.

***

"Now! Today, we will proceed with sparring! The sparring will consist only of physical abilities, without the use of talents. Is that understood!!"

Monday arrived after a short weekend.

While watching the swordsmanship instructor diligently organize the groups in front, I thought internally about the conversation I had with Baek Ha-seong.

'Telling me to handle it on my own... that is easier said than done.'

No matter how much I thought about it, it was not an easy task.

Unless I had the ability to see through people's hearts, figuring out what kind of person she was was by no means easy.

Well, I accepted it because I understood the sentiment behind Baek Ha-seong's words.

'His excuse that he cannot meet her must be based on assuming the worst-case scenario.'

As for the worst-case scenario he mentioned... I will not go out of my way to explain it.

It was obvious it would not be a pleasant story to hear.

'Whew, I suppose I have to do it for now.'

One might ask why I am so obsessed with Baek Ha-ryeong.

One could say that this was something I was going to do under the assumption that Baek Ha-ryeong did not exist in the first place.

They might ask if I could not just exclude Baek Ha-ryeong by sending her elsewhere on that day and carry out the task.

Yes, that was certainly true.

However, at the same time, it was an option I could not decide on hastily.

'To be honest, I do not have the confidence.'

Invading the Baek family, rescuing the person known as Han Seora, and returning safely.

Until recently, I had the vague thought that it would work out somehow, but that was no longer the case.

It was because I had heard about the strength of the Baek family, which had not appeared in detail in the novel, from Baek Ha-seong.

Therefore, if there was a means to increase the success rate of the task even by a little, I had to grasp it somehow.

'And there is another reason besides that.'

Of course, it was not a reason swayed by emotion, such as 'because she is Baek Ha-seong's sister.'

The second reason why I must make Baek Ha-ryeong an ally if possible was the preservation of combat power.

'Through this incident, a situation where someone loses their life or has to give up their life as a player must never occur.'

What were the goals I set when I came to this world?

First was to save the heroes from death.

Second was to design a future where the heroes could be happy.

And third was to save the heroes and protect the world they would live in.

However, for all three of these goals to be achieved, there was an indispensable condition that must be met.

'Specifically, the combat power capable of accomplishing that.'

It went without saying, but it was not something I could do alone.

Based on my current standards, compared even to those who lost their lives in the novel, I was nothing more than a Mayfly.

How could such a guy save heroes and protect the world alone?

If I thought I could do all of this alone, it would be a foolish bravado that could not even be called arrogance.

That was why those who would become significant combat power in the future must never die or be injured in this task.

'Especially in the case of Baek Ha-seong and Yu-hyeon, they are practically the top tier of combat power.'

In the novel, it was not just Kim Su-hyeok and the kids; everyone from mediocre players of the current era to hero-rank players fought.

Even though everyone fought with their lives on the line, this damn world was still rushing toward destruction.

Of course, part of the reason was that they could not exert their full strength due to the villains' schemes and interference.

However, was it not the high-level personnel who were chipped away by the villains' schemes and interference?

'So, I will reduce the possibility of anything acting as a risk as much as possible.'

In any case, if I wanted to pull Baek Ha-seong in as an ally, the option of not attacking the Baek family did not exist.

It was while I was looking at Baek Ha-ryeong, who was sitting in her seat waiting for her turn with those thoughts, that it happened.

"Now! I will call the next sparser, so come forward. Cadet Choi Yu-seong!"

Sparring had already reached the middle stages, and the swordsmanship instructor called out my name.

At his call, I stopped my thoughts for a moment, stood up from my seat, and moved toward the sparring arena.

For the record, I was not particularly nervous.

Maybe it would have been different at the start of the semester, but by now, I had experienced all sorts of things, and on top of that...

'I feel like I know who my sparring partner is.'

As everyone knows, there are common novel clichés.

Therefore, I stepped onto the sparring arena with my nerves relaxed.

"The sparring partner for Cadet Choi Yu-seong is..."

I leisurely waited for the name of the opponent I expected to be called.

If it was a name to be called here, it would naturally be...

"Cadet Kim Su-hyeok! Come forward!"

Kim Su... Huh?

Wait a minute, Kim Su-hyeok?

'Shouldn't Baek Ha-ryeong's name be called here?'

No, that is how it always goes in novels.

A sparring match that coincidentally happens with the person you are debating whether to make an ally or not.

Through that sparring, as weapons clash, you begin to bring out the words hidden inside one by one.

Then, a sincere thought inadvertently pops out, and through that, you decide that you can be comrades with this person.

Wasn't this the most obvious of clichés?

"Haha, Yu-seong, this is the first time we are sparring in front of others like this. I look forward to it."

While I was thinking about that 'obvious cliché' in my head, I saw Kim Su-hyeok, who had arrived in front of me and placed a hand on his sword hilt, and remembered one fact I had forgotten.

The cliché I just mentioned was a cliché that existed solely for the protagonist.

'Damn it. Come to think of it, I was originally an extra.'

Apparently, there was no cliché for me in this place.

And at the same time, I could realize something.

'Looking at Kim Su-hyeok's face, he seems to be looking forward to this with all his heart.'

This place was 'Kim Su-hyeok's own cliché' that was brought about by the protagonist's wish.

...It seemed I would need to be quite nervous from now on, contrary to my initial expectations.

***

"...Phew."

"Haha, as expected, I am always surprised whenever I see you, Yu-seong!"

It had already been an hour since the sparring ended.

I was still dealing with Kim Su-hyeok, who was chatting brightly beside me while I soothed my exhausted body.

Why was I still soothing my exhausted body even though an hour had passed?

That was because the sparring was conducted without using talents.

'Most of my strength comes from my talents.'

Even though I said I grew my basic base explosively thanks to training hard and desperately struggling in real combat to survive, at the very least, it was no match for Kim Su-hyeok.

There was a reason a protagonist was a protagonist.

This guy, who seemed like he would get stronger just by breathing, was getting stronger faster than the flow of the novel, so how could I be a match for him?

'And yet, he did not go easy on me once.'

From what I heard, he said that doing things halfway is not respectful to the opponent or something like that.

It is not like I am Ryu Jin-oh; I did not wish for something like that...

'Still, it was good.'

Oh, of course, it is not that I have a taste for being hit or anything.

It was just that I was happy about the fact that Kim Su-hyeok was stronger than I had imagined, and I was happy with myself for holding out quite a long time against such a Kim Su-hyeok.

While we were chatting about this and that as we watched the sparring matches of Kim Su-hyeok and the other kids sitting next to us.

"Is this the end? That is all for class. Everyone may head back now!"

Before I knew it, the last sparring match ended, and the swordsmanship instructor announced the end of the class.

At those words, the cadets immediately prepared to leave as if they had been waiting for this very moment.

And I was the same, having waited for this moment.

Of course, my reason was slightly different from the other cadets.

I thought so as I slowly moved my feet.

"Do you have a moment to talk?"

"...Huh?"

I approached Baek Ha-ryeong and spoke to her quietly.

Class was over, but my work was just beginning.