Chapter 43
Opening Illustration
It had been a week since Yeonha and I arrived in the Academy City.
During this time, we had grown somewhat accustomed to sharing the same room.
Only somewhat.
Although we had known each other for five years, living in the same space revealed aspects we hadn’t noticed before, leading to changes in how we cared for each other.
Especially between individuals of different genders.
As a result, there were several incidents.
“Well, it wasn’t so bad after all.”
In a way, the week allowed both of us to understand each other much better than in the five years we had known each other.
It might sound absurd, but it seemed like we learned more about each other during that week than in the five years we spent together.
Of course, it was only possible to spend that week together because of the five years that had laid the foundation.
In that sense.
“Should I brush your hair for you?”
“What?”
On the morning when the practical exam day arrived.
Having finished preparing to leave for Geumgang Academy, I sat in front of the dressing table and asked Yeonha, who was brushing her hair.
In response, she made a puzzled expression in the mirror.
“Why all of a sudden?”
Whenever I see you combing your hair, I always wanted to try it once. Could we do it as a commemoration of the time we’ve spent together?
There seems to be no connection between combing hair and the memories of us living together…. Plus, if someone hears about it and misunderstands?
Why? We did live together.
We spent time together.
Same thing, isn’t it?
It feels very different to me. And speaking of living together in the past tense makes it sound like we got divorced. We haven’t even… gotten married yet!
No one would think that way…
But I do?
I sometimes don’t understand you, Gyungwoo.
Why?
It’s actually something I want to say. I sometimes don’t understand you.
Stopping combing, taking a deep breath, looking at myself in the mirror, under the clear sky.
It seems like the week we spent together didn’t hold any meaning.
Then let’s compromise on having slept together.
Um, don’t you think that might be even more misinterpreted?
But it all makes sense.
Not sleeping together, not living together. Let’s compromise on having spent time together.
Same thing, isn’t it?
Different, different, it’s quite different, isn’t it?
There was a book she lent me before.
In that book, women were likened to Venus, and men to Mars.
Back then, I didn’t quite understand, but now, with just one word differing between us, I think I can comprehend.
There surely exists an incomprehensible distance between men and women, just like Mars and Venus are apart.
It’s not just between men and women; it seems that in order for people to understand each other, they must bridge such gaps.
So, it’s not allowed?
My head isn’t a toy, you know?
I’m good at combing. I’ve combed Yeeun’s hair a few times. I’m good at tying it up too.
Hmm… So?
I’ve even groomed Mongshil’s fur…
Am I a rabbit?
You’re my clear sky.
Hmph…. You really want to comb that badly?
Like a carrot.
Even so, when I insisted, Yeonhae eventually gave in with an expression that said she had no choice.
Finally, with a fleeting glance, Yeonhae raised the comb she held in her hand.
It was a signal to take it.
Alright. But just for a bit, okay? I might be late for the exam fixing my hair because of you.
Okay, got it. Don’t worry, you won’t ruin my hair by combing it wrong.
Still, you never know.
I stood behind her, receiving the rain she was catching in her hands.
As I touched her flowing hair, I noticed her ears twitching like a rabbit’s.
“Don’t mess up my hair. Don’t be nervous.”
“Who’s nervous anyway?”
“Oh, really? Then I’ll comb it.”
The hair on my palm was incredibly soft.
No matter how many times I saw it, her hair, as light as the sky, always held a mysterious charm.
Her hair like that…
“Ah… Am I hurting you?”
I combed carefully.
Gradually, she relaxed, subtly tense about entrusting her hair to me.
“How’s that? Refreshing?”
“The term ‘refreshing’ feels a bit off, but you’re good at this.”
“But you have quite a few white hairs, don’t you?”
“…What?”
“Oh, was your hair always like this?”
“You scared me… Don’t joke around.”
“Yes, yes.”
After finishing the grooming like that,
we headed to Geumgang Academy.
—
Since there were so many applicants for Geumgang Academy, the first practical exam was held in various locations.
Naturally, we couldn’t just go to any test site to take the practical exam; we had to go to the designated place based on our exam number.
“The grounds are vast, I was worried about getting lost, but luckily they’ve marked the way to the exam hall.”
“Let’s see… We are…”
“Sunyang Hall is over there. Let’s go.”
Coincidentally, we ended up taking the practical exam in the same place.
Arriving at Geumgang Academy, we followed the directions given by the academy staff.
As we neared the practical exam site, the crowd bustling in front of the main gate gradually diminished.
Finally, we entered Sunyang Hall.
“…”
“There are quite a few people.”
Room 105 of Sunyang Hall.
Stepping into the practical exam site, I glanced at the others who had arrived earlier.
They were also looking at me.
But one gaze stood out.
“Gyunwoo…”
“Don’t be scared. What’s there to be scared of?”
“It’s not about being scared, it’s about being cautious.”
“I know that too.”
Yeon Haneul must have felt that gaze and gently grabbed my sleeve.
Moving forward as if to shield her, I tried to find the reason why their gazes lingered on us peculiarly.
Soon, I could figure out the reason.
“Is it because of our exam papers?”
Yeon Haneul and I answered all the questions, staining our exam papers black.
As a result, we started attracting attention from other examinees.
Intermittently, we could hear whispers among them.
“All 30 questions answered?”
“Wow, in black…”
“Why did we end up being assigned with those guys of all people?”
“We shouldn’t get involved with them.”
Surprise, admiration, lamentation, and more.
Examinees were talking like that.
However, among them, there seemed to be a group who knew about us.
“If it’s black, they must be from a prestigious family, but who exactly?”
“Wait, isn’t the one with rabbit ears… an apprentice of the Seven-Colored Witch?”
“The Seven-Colored Witch had an apprentice? It’s the first time I’ve heard of it…”
“Hey, is the Seven-Colored Witch our friend? If we’re going to be hunters, we should know how to address them with ‘nim’ after their name.”
“Come to think of it, I heard from the Mado Institute that the witch’s apprentice was going to take the academy entrance exam this time. Darn, they applied to Geumgang Academy.”
“Then who’s the one next to them? They’re also in black…”
Hong Ye-na was gaining more fame as the apprentice of the Seven-Colored Witch.
She was scheduled to become an instructor at the academy starting this year.
Because of that, it seemed like Yeon Haneul was quite well-known.
“Ugh… embarrassing…”
“What’s there to be embarrassed about? Just enjoy it. You’ll become even more famous in the future, won’t you?”
Ironically, Yeon Haneul seemed unfamiliar with examinees recognizing her.
I chuckled at her reaction.
“Where, should I listen to what they’re saying?”
I couldn’t help but be curious.
I decided to eavesdrop.
“They must be talking about the person next to them, right? The one who’s been friends with the Seven-Colored Witch’s apprentice since childhood.”
“Ah – that person?”
Yes, me.
The childhood friend of the mid-boss.
“Looking at the sword on their waist, it seems to match, doesn’t it? Them.”
“Who exactly are they?”
“The Swordsmanship Clan, they’re from there!”
“Where is the School of Swordsmanship?”
“At the Divine Sword Do.”
“…The Ten Gates?”
“Is that person from the Divine Sword Do?”
Yes, that’s me.
I am currently the most anticipated rising star in the Divine Sword Do, alongside Dosieun.
“Dosieun of the Divine Sword Do. No doubt about it.”
“Even though I heard that this year’s student council president at the Geumgang Academy is from the Divine Sword Do, Dosieun is a new name to me.”
“You don’t know Dosieun? Didn’t he train at the Swordsmanship Hall?”
“Why? Is he famous?”
“Very famous! Haven’t you heard the story about how he couldn’t catch even a single rabbit and became a laughingstock in his family?”
“Oh! The Rabbit of the Divine Sword Do!”
“That story is quite famous. Whenever the kids at the Swordsmanship Hall didn’t want to train, the instructors would always mention how they shouldn’t end up like that…”
…I didn’t realize my story was that famous.
Suddenly, I felt upset.
“But still, the Rabbit is an old tale.”
“When did it change? Hopefully for the better.”
Yes, I wanted to hear this story.
I tried to control my emotions.
“They say it’s not like the old days, but honestly, the Rabbit’s story is so strong that it might actually be true.”
“You haven’t had a chance to officially show your skills. Isn’t the Rabbit’s story oddly well-known?”
“Maybe the prestigious families are well aware?”
“They seem skeptical too…”
“But now, they say he’s not called the Rabbit anymore, but by a different name?”
“A different name? This is news to me.”
“Are there other names besides the Rabbit?”
“One thing’s for sure, people from the Divine Sword Do are now calling him that.”
The gazes of the examinees were fixed on me.
I proudly straightened my shoulders under their scrutiny.
My praise was heard.
“Young Lion.”
“It’s Young Lion.”
“Is that… an insult or a compliment?”
“It’s probably a compliment. If it were an insult, they would have said ‘rabbit cub.'”
“Isn’t Young Lion an insult? If it was a compliment, wouldn’t they say ‘lion cub’?”
“Young Lion, Lion Cub, Young Lion, Lion Cub, Young Lion…”
From Noble mtl dot com
“Young Lion. Strangely, that one seems to stick in the mouth.”
…Damn.
Hundreds of people repeating the same words.
I grimaced.
Unknowingly, I reached for the sword.
“Gyeonwoo, no! Stop! Hold back!”
“I was planning to loosen up before the exam, and this turned out well. Just let them be…”
“Why do you need a sword!?”
“It’s a sword meant for cutting, so I’ll cut with it.”
“If you keep going like this, it will be murder…”
“It’s okay. We can fight with wooden swords.”
“When did I ever tell you to enjoy yourself? What will you do if you act like this!”
“Are you and I the same?”
“Still, calm down. Be good, be good… What’s the point of causing trouble and getting disqualified?”
Phew, I bear it as Yeonha restrains me.
Instead, I decide to remember their faces.
If I meet them in the exam, I won’t let them off easily.
***
“Hey, Do Gyeonwoo!”
“Over here! Here!”
“So, you were also here with us!”
In the exam room, there were the triplets.
They greeted us warmly, waving their hands, happy to see us after a week.
Approaching them, I noticed the red exam tickets pinned to their chests.
“Still, not completely colorless.”
The triplets’ exam tickets were red.
They must have worked hard in their own way while being separate from us.
It was worth the five years of hard work.
Although not mentioned in the game, the triplets who appeared in the game might have also received the red tickets.
Or perhaps, I need to play a more cunning game than now.
“What’s with that face?”
“Why does it look like you’re praising a piece of crap?”
“It’s oddly unpleasant.”
“Anyway, congrats on not taking the exam and not getting disqualified. If you got extra points, that’s good. Looking around, there don’t seem to be many red tickets.”
“Are you really saying that?”
“Wow, black… How did you really solve it? Isn’t it because Haneul helped you?”
“For now, it seems like there’s no one else in this exam room besides you guys.”
“It does seem that way.”
Even without the triplets telling me, I had already assessed the examinees around me.
Although there was still some time left before the start of the first practical exam, it seemed like, for now, besides me and Yeonha, there was no one else who had answered all the questions.
It was then that Goeunbi approached.
“Wow, we were in the same exam room! Meeting here again. Do you remember me?”
“I remember your name. You’re Goeunbi, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right! You didn’t forget. I remember your names too. Gyenwoo and Haneul, correct?”
I never imagined Goeunbi would be in the same exam room.
Meeting her again filled me with joy.
She seemed to feel the same.
Then, she let out a smile.
“But turns out, both of you are quite famous. I overheard people talking earlier and was genuinely surprised. Did I do something wrong to you guys?”
“No, there was something wrong. Last time, Haneul tried to touch my ear.”
“Ah… Was I rude back then? I did apologize last time, but if I upset you, I apologize again. Sorry, Haneul.”
“No! Don’t worry. Gyenwoo is just joking right now. If you weren’t upset, there’s no need to apologize.”
“Oh, is that so? Well… then, can I try touching it once?”
“That’s not possible.”
“Such a pity…”
Hidden behind me, Yeon Haneul still seemed hesitant around Goeunbi, but nevertheless, he spoke up.
Goeunbi appeared disappointed by Yeon Haneul’s sharp response.
But Goeunbi was Goeunbi.
As if to say, ‘When was I ever like that?’, she quickly regained her composure and changed the subject.
“But Gyenwoo, if you’re from the Sipga clan too, there are two people from the Sipga clan here. I overheard people talking earlier, and they mentioned that the person over there is also from the Sipga clan.”
“Really? Who?”
There’s someone from the Sipga clan here?
Curious about what Goeunbi brought up, I looked in the direction she pointed.
“Over there.”
“…”
“You see the guy in the black suit? He’s quite tanned.”
“Oh, him.”
“They said he’s from the Euihyeong Yongga. Do you know him? He seems to have been glancing at you since earlier.”
“I… don’t know him. Not yet.”
“But you seem familiar to him?”
“I’ve heard rumors.”
“I see.”
With his hair styled up and a short sports cut, sharp and fierce eyes, a black suit that stands out with its color against the times, muscles and small scars subtly visible beneath the suit, and finally, skin that captivates women, resembling a sun-kissed glow.
He emitted an aura that could be seen as bandit-like, yet also pirate-like.
‘He was in the same exam room as me.’
The person from the Ten Gates had no choice but to be closely involved with the protagonist, Kang Hanbyeol, and that man was one of those characters.
No, he held quite a significant role rather than just being a character consumed for the plot development.
Like me and Goeunbi, that man was a character that players could nurture, a member of Kang Hanbyeol’s party.
“Oh, looks like you’re coming this way?”
“….”
One of the Ten Gates, the Yongga of Euihyup.
The direct heir of that family, Yong Haerang.
“Do you have business with me?”
“Seems like it.”
Yong Haerang got along well with Kang Hanbyeol, so much so that calling him Kang Hanbyeol’s soul companion wouldn’t be strange at all.
「Kang Hanbyeol & Yong Haerang」
―Kang Hanbyeol!
―Yong Haerang!
―Cross!
There were many similarities in their personalities to the extent that such scenes existed in the game.
To the point where in the community, the two shared a friendship…
‘Let’s stop thinking about that. Maybe because of the past life, memories don’t come back easily. Yeah.’
Anyway.
I quite liked Yong Haerang.
Despite personal preferences varying on the passionate character, he was a dealer with quite respectable performance.
Above all…
‘Now, that’s a real man.’
Look at that skin and muscles!
How cool.
If Yong Haerang wasn’t a comic relief character, fiercely aggressive, simply ignorant, and not entirely disinterested in love, he would have surely been very popular.
If Kang Hanbyeol wasn’t the protagonist, he might have been instead.
“You’re the one who solved all the problems and got the highest score in the Divine Sword Exam, right? You must be strong to do that. Nice to meet you! I’m Yong Haerang.”
Yong Haerang extended his hand.
I decided to respond to Yong Haerang, who held a black exam ticket.
“Nice to meet you. Seems like you’re pretty capable too, being a black rank?”
“It’s all about talent and hard work! How about a spar next time we get the chance?”
“…Sure, if the opportunity arises.”
I knew it, but still.
To casually suggest a spar in the first meeting was quite aggressive.
The problem is that pretending to be friendly is a scary thing.
I didn’t have much intention of competing with Yongha, so I naturally looked forward to the distant future.
“If I become friends with him, it could spell trouble. He might keep pestering me to compete.”
Regardless of my personal preferences, forming human relationships is clearly a different matter.
Avoiding unnecessary headaches seemed like the best solution.
“Being friends with Yongha and competing is something for the strong to handle.”
Rolling over is the protagonist’s role.
Not being the protagonist, I’ll roll along appropriately and take what I can get.
“It’s a relief not to be the protagonist.”
It feels really good.
Feeling content in this way,
I conversed with Yongha.
Not long after that,
“Anyone entering the exam room from now on will be considered disqualified! We will begin the test now!”
The first practical exam had begun.