Because the game’s overall scale was so enormous, the number of characters who could be recruited into Kang Hanbyeol’s party was far too many to count on one’s fingers.
Bak Sagun, Risa, me, Do-gyeon-woo, Yong Hae-rang, Min A-rin, Cha Eun-sol, Nam Yu-ri, and more.
From the same year alone, there were already seven recruitable characters.
Once Kang Hanbyeol advanced to the second and third years, even more characters would appear.
As a result, some players in my previous life often found themselves overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices.
Still, every character had striking looks, vivid personalities, and clear individuality. Being able to add that kind of variety to your party was one of the game’s greatest pleasures.
“Depending on how you build your party, even the same story could feel completely different in difficulty.”
That was one of the reasons I couldn’t help but fall so deeply into the game in my past life.
There were parties optimized for strategy efficiency, parties focused on farming, balanced parties, parties designed to tackle absurdly high difficulty, all-female parties, all-male parties, parties centred on long-term growth, and countless others.
With so many possible combinations, it was only natural that players’ tastes varied wildly.
It wasn’t uncommon to see people in the community passionately recommending their favourite party setups to one another.
Among those, there was one particular combination that consistently divided opinion.
“Who’s better as Kang Hanbyeol’s supporting damage dealer, me or Noh Hyo-won?”
In the game, there were two main ways characters could be recruited into Kang Hanbyeol’s party.
Either they joined naturally as the story progressed, or they could be recruited by fulfilling specific conditions unrelated to the main story.
To distinguish between the two, players referred to the former as main characters and the latter as sub-characters.
By that definition, the game’s Do-gyeon-woo was a main character, while the Noh Hyo-won standing in front of me now was a sub character.
She was a character Kang Hanbyeol could only recruit if a certain class was chosen.
For players who felt frustrated with Do-gyeon-woo’s lacklustre early performance, she served as an excellent alternative.
“Rabbit? Lion cub? I know both. It’d be stranger not to know you, someone from the Divine Sword Do clan who topped the swordsmanship track and entered as the runner-up. I’ve wanted to meet you at least once. It was a shame that during the entrance exam, I could only see you from afar and never face you directly.”
Sub characters were said to have less growth potential than main characters.
Even so, Noh Hyo-won contributed greatly to keeping the early story stable thanks to her solid performance from the very beginning.
That stood in sharp contrast to Do-gyeon-woo, who only awakened late in the game and then displayed explosive power.
Because of that, players were split between those who preferred the steady, reliable Noh Hyo-won and those who favoured the late-blooming Do-gyeon-woo.
“I played every possible combination back then without discrimination, but still.”
There was also a clear difference in their combat styles.
Noh Hyo-won, who wielded a greatsword as her main weapon, focused heavily on raw strength.
Do-gyeon-woo, whose primary weapon was a one-handed sword, leaned more toward agility.
Having used both characters extensively in my previous life, I could say they each had their own strengths and weaknesses.
Still, since I had reincarnated as Do-gyeon-woo, I hadn’t seriously considered recruiting her into my party.
Even so, I was genuinely glad to meet her in person.
“I’ve wanted to meet you, too. I heard rumours about a peer who wields a sword so well they call her the Duelist of the Crimson Noh family.”
“Oh? Hearing that you knew about me makes me happy. Let’s get along.”
“Likewise. I look forward to it.”
There was etiquette even in a handshake.
When I extended my hand first, Noh Hyo-won clasped it firmly.
Unlike Yeon-ha-neul’s soft hand, hers was rough and hard.
They were the hands of a born swordsman.
I could almost feel the dedication she had poured into swinging her blade.
“Since you’re both in the same year, try to get along. And Gyeon-woo, this is Noh Hwi-chan. He’s a third-year like me.”
“Hey. I’m Noh Hwi-chan. I’ve heard about you quite often from Si-eun. If Si-eun acknowledges you, then the rumours probably aren’t exaggerated. You also proved your skills by entering as the runner-up this time. If you ever have questions or run into trouble, feel free to talk to me anytime. I’ll help however I can.”
“Hello, I’m Do-gyeon-woo. Thank you for saying that.”
“You’re Si-eun’s younger brother, so relax. No need for formal speech.”
“Alright.”
“You adapt fast. That straightforwardness makes you even more likeable.”
After finishing my greeting with Noh Hyo-won, I exchanged introductions with the other students of the Crimson Noh family, just as Do Si-eun guided me.
They were all friendly toward me.
Noh Hwi-chan, a third-year representing those affiliated with the Crimson Noh family at Geumgang Academy, practically offered to lend me his family’s influence outright.
“Is this because of Si-eun noona?”
It probably was.
This must have been the result of Do Si-eun building good relations with the Crimson Noh family over her three years at the academy.
I felt grateful as I watched her converse smoothly with Noh Hwi-chan.
While we waited for their conversation to end, Noh Hyo-won, who had been standing quietly, spoke to me.
“By the way, seeing you next to Senior Do Si-eun, I’m guessing she plans to push you as the first-year representative? Was it Do Seung-woo? I saw him earlier moving around with the second-year representative.”
“Well… that seems likely.”
Even without her telling me, I had already anticipated it to some extent.
She had invited me to the Noble Association and taken the time to teach me various things. Her intentions weren’t hard to guess.
“And now she’s even secured the Crimson Noh family’s support through her connections.”
Do Si-eun clearly intended to make me the first-year representative.
Between me and Do Seung-woo, only one of us could take that position, and I was deeply thankful that she had chosen to back me.
I should treat her to a meal sometime.
“Still, Noh Hyo-won…”
Earlier, Do Si-eun had recommended that I bring Noh Hyo-won into my faction.
She certainly seemed like someone who could help manage the first-year students in the swordsmanship track.
Given her background in the Crimson Noh family, few would dare oppose her.
And even if someone did, at most they’d be from families of equal standing.
Those, I could suppress myself.
“Her personality fits, too.”
In the game, Noh Hyo-won was portrayed as a charismatic character with excellent judgment.
She was well-suited to leading students in my stead.
She also possessed strong ambition, a drive for self-improvement, and a pronounced desire to dominate and conquer.
Noh Hyo-won
Do-gyeon-woo, I want to conquer you. Let us speak through our swords.
Proud of her family, Noh Hyo-won sought to surpass even the Divine Sword Do clan, known as the foremost swordsmanship family.
The context behind her first appearance in the game, where she attempted to defeat Do-gyeon-woo, could be understood in that light.
By doing so, she aimed to prove her strength, elevate her family’s status, and establish hierarchy among the swordsmanship students.
Of course, in the game, she never managed to defeat Do-gyeon-woo.
Either Do-gyeon-woo refused the duel, or she lost beforehand to Kang Hanbyeol, who belonged to the same swordsmanship track.
Noh Hyo-won
Before conquering Do-gyeon-woo, I suppose I should conquer you first, Kang Hanbyeol. Thank you. That was a good match.
That event allowed the player to recruit Noh Hyo-won into Kang Hanbyeol’s party.
Afterwards, she developed ambitions not only to defeat Kang Hanbyeol but also to surpass the rest of the party, harbouring dreams of becoming the leader someday.
Her ambition was immense.
One could even say her thirst for power was strong.
“Someone like her won’t be able to resist my offer.”
If she joined my faction, she could wield the authority I held as representative.
Even if she couldn’t become the top figure, she could reign over the swordsmanship students as a second-in-command, one step short of the summit.
Having reached that conclusion, I spoke to her carefully.
“As someone from the Divine Sword Do clan, I intend to listen to your voices rather than presumptuously speaking on your behalf. But there’s a limit to how much attention I can give on my own. That’s why I want you to become my strength.”
“Oh? Should I take that to mean you’re asking me to join your faction?”
“To put it bluntly… yes. Join under me.”
“That kind of honesty is refreshing. Am I the first one you’ve made this offer to?”
“For now, yes. You’re the first.”
“So that means I can assume you intend to treat me as your right-hand woman?”
“I’ll set the overall direction. The rest, I plan to entrust to you.”
“…So you’re saying you’d allow me almost full authority. That’s bold.”
“If I want you under me, it has to be bold. Don’t you think?”
“I appreciate that you value me so highly, but that doesn’t mean I’ll happily submit. Supporting someone and propping them up are two different things. More than anything, I like conquering others. I don’t like being conquered.”
“So you’re rejecting me? That’s disappointing.”
“And yet, your proposal is tempting. Too tempting to refuse outright. So let’s do this instead.”
“Go on.”
“At the bonding event later, score higher than I do. Show me that you’re superior. If you can do that, I’ll willingly allow myself to be conquered by you. I’ll join your faction and fulfil my role as second-in-command.”
Noh Hyo-won brushed back her crimson hair and proposed with a provocative smile.
In her brown eyes, I could clearly see her desire to conquer me.
Her competitive spirit was burning.
Wanting to recruit her into my faction, I chose to accept her challenge.
“If that’s what it takes for you to accept it, then fine. It’s a promise.”
The bonding event was an activity where members of the Noble Association entered the Gate together to build camaraderie.
Now, I had a very clear reason to give it everything I had.
After the Crimson Noh family arrived,
I found myself exchanging greetings with students from many swordsmanship families, including the Five Great Sword Houses.
Perhaps because Do Si-eun was standing beside me, they treated me with meticulous courtesy.
“How many is this already…?”
The students kept coming without pause.
As soon as one conversation ended, another began, leaving me no time to breathe.
On top of that, every exchange came with a handshake. At this rate, it felt like my hands would wear down.
I half wondered if the calluses embedded in my palms might peel off.
Once the number passed twenty, I gave up on remembering faces altogether. Instead, I relied on the polite phrases that had already settled on my tongue, exchanging empty pleasantries with practised ease.
Unlike the people Do Si-eun had specifically pointed out beforehand, these students were of relatively lower priority. It was enough just to check the family crest on the badge pinned to their clothes.
That was when the crowd parted.
“…I was wondering when I’d see you. Took long enough.”
The student I had been speaking with excused himself tactfully.
Those around me stepped back, forming a clear path.
I turned my gaze toward the two male students walking toward me as if it were only natural.
Both were from the Divine Sword Do clan.
One was Do Jin-woo, the son of my fourth aunt and the current second-year representative.
The other was Do Seung-woo.
“Even though we’re both from the direct line, the difference in how people treat us is something else,” Do Jin-woo said with a wry grin. “I was waiting for a chance to talk to you, but it didn’t look like it was ever going to end. I couldn’t just keep waiting, so here I am.”
“I was actually looking for you, too. You’re teaching Seung-woo properly, right?”
“I’ve been dragging him around and teaching him as we go. Though honestly, it looks like you’re having a tougher time than Seung-woo. Gyeon-woo, stick close to Si-eun noona and learn as much as you can.”
“I am. Just greeting people is harder than I expected.”
“You’ll be doing this for the next three years. Congratulations in advance.”
Jin-woo was easygoing by nature.
He was one of the few people in the family I could interact with comfortably.
So we chatted casually, catching up on things.
Do Seung-woo, on the other hand, didn’t join the conversation at all. He kept his mouth shut.
He didn’t look pleased.
“Well, of course he wouldn’t.”
Unlike in the game,
our positions had completely reversed.
I was no longer the one being harassed by him. If anything, it was closer to the opposite now.
The days when he was hailed as the Divine Sword Do clan’s prodigy were nothing more than distant memories.
As if to prove it, his face lacked the confidence it once held. Instead, it was steeped in gloom.
Dark shadows lay beneath his eyes, like someone suffering from chronic insomnia, and a vicious glint flickered in his gaze.
Even his skin looked dull and lifeless.
Then he finally spoke.
“Must be nice.”
“….”
“Being worshipped by everyone.”
His tone dripped with sarcasm.
Anyone would find it unpleasant. Not just me, but the other two also turned to look at him.
Do Seung-woo was smiling mockingly.
I snorted.
“Yeah. It’s great.”
“….”
“It feels amazing. Exhilarating. Kind of new, actually. You wouldn’t know unless you tried it.”
“Do-gyeon-woo…”
“Oh, wait. You have felt it before, haven’t you? Up until about five years ago.”
“You bastard…”
“What, asshole?”
Do Seung-woo glared at me with murderous intent, grinding his teeth.
I met his stare without flinching.
The ones who stepped in to stop our silent standoff were Do Si-eun and Do Jin-woo.
“Do-gyeon-woo. Do Seung-woo. That’s enough, both of you. Calm down.”
“You two really don’t get along. What do you think you’re doing in front of everyone?”
Their voices carried a stern warning, and they looked genuinely upset.
Especially Do Si-eun. Her gaze was sharp.
Seeing her like that, I had no choice but to rein myself in.
“Tch.”
Do Seung-woo clicked his tongue as well.
With an openly irritated expression, he turned away.
“Let’s see how well you do at the bonding event.”
“….”
“That little shit. Si-eun noona, I’ll go keep an eye on him.”
“Alright. Please do.”
Before I could respond to anything,
Do Seung-woo left without another word, his departure rude and abrupt.
Do Jin-woo sighed at the sight and followed after him, as if resigned.
Soon, three other students emerged from the crowd and joined Do Seung-woo.
They looked like his entourage.
I watched them quietly.
“Do Seung-woo, that jerk.”
“The more I see him, the less I like him.”
“Yeah. He’s seriously obnoxious.”
“….”
Three familiar heads suddenly popped into my view.
Without taking my eyes off the direction Do Seung-woo had gone, I spoke to the backs of their heads.
“When did you guys get here? If you were here, you should’ve said something earlier. Where did you even wander off to?”
“What nonsense is he spouting?”
“We got here way earlier than you and were waiting the whole time, you know?”
“But there were so many people around you, we couldn’t even get close.”
“Is that so. I was too busy dealing with everyone else to notice you. Still, good job finding your way here without getting lost.”
The Noble Association gathering allowed not only members of swordsmanship families, but also their attendants, to participate.
That said, the number of attendants was limited, and prior approval from the hosts was required.
That was how the triplets ended up here as my attendants.
In a sense, they were part of my faction too.
“I wanted to bring Ha-neul, honestly…”
Unfortunately, Yeon-ha-neul belonged to the magic track, not swordsmanship, so I couldn’t bring her to the Noble Association gathering.
As for Kang Hanbyeol, although she was from the swordsmanship track, her very presence tended to draw too much attention, so I didn’t invite her.
In the end, the triplets were the only ones I could bring along.
Just then, they looked at me with unusually serious expressions.
“By the way, did you see that?”
“The three guys who came as Do Seung-woo’s attendants!”
“They looked alike, just like us!”
“So what?”
“They were triplets too!”
“Do-gyeon-woo, doesn’t that bother you at all?”
“They stole our identity!”
“Identity, my ass…”
The triplets ground their teeth in outrage.
I clicked my tongue at the sight.
I honestly couldn’t understand why they were so angry.
But regardless of my confusion, they continued to get worked up among themselves.
“This means war.”
“Do Seung-woo has officially declared war on you and us!”
“We have to show them who the real ones are.”
“He said we’d see each other at the bonding event, right?”
“At the bonding event, we team up with you and teach them a lesson.”
“Let’s prove that we’re the real deal! The real thing has arrived! Roar!”
Their gazes burned with intensity.
I’d never seen them this passionate before.
The fact that they were this fired up over something so absurd left me dumbfounded.
Meanwhile, they stared at me expectantly, eyes shining as they waited for my answer.
“Guess I don’t have a choice.”
Honestly, even without them saying anything, I had no intention of falling behind Do Seung-woo.
If they were this motivated on their own, it was only good news for me.
I decided to go along with it.
“Lackey Geum, Eun, Dong.”
“Lackey Geum!”
“Lackey Eun!”
“Lackey Dong!”
“At the bonding event, we show them the difference in class.”
“Loyalty! Loyalty! Loyalty!”
Even five years after recalling my past life, this feeling hasn’t changed.
I hate Do Seung-woo.
I sincerely hope that Do Seung-woo ends up miserable.
Leave a Reply