All this time, I had been looking for an opportunity to persuade Yeon-ha-neul.
I can’t let her talent go to waste.
If things had gone differently, Yeon-ha-neul might have discovered her ability to handle mana and decided to become a hunter back in middle school. Thinking about the time that would have been wasted until then filled me with frustration.
She had entered Academy City without any background, her potential still untapped.
Even now, with her magic power at 75, her growth potential is already limited. I need to maximize her development during this crucial period.
This wasn’t entirely selfless. Lowering the difficulty of the story, strengthening the main character’s party, and creating a comfortable life for myself after the ending—these were all driving my actions.
With my instincts now under control and time at my disposal, I decided to subtly guide Yeon-ha-neul toward my plan.
“Okay, then you have to take responsibility.”
She hesitated briefly, then nodded in agreement. Hearing her acceptance made my heart leap with satisfaction, though I tried not to show it.
But then she tilted her head, her curiosity surfacing.
“To become a hunter, you have to graduate from the Academy in Academy City. Are you planning to go straight to the Middle School Academy when you’re old enough?”
“If you’re thinking about building a foundation, that wouldn’t be a bad idea. But I’m not planning to go to the Middle School Academy. To become a hunter, you only need to graduate from the High School Academy.”
“Why not attend the Middle School Academy?” she asked, puzzled.
“I’m from the Shinken Doga. Learning directly from my family will be far more beneficial than what they can teach me there.”
Attending the elementary or middle school academies in Academy City offered advantages, such as early exposure to foundational skills and networking opportunities. But for someone from a family like mine, those benefits were negligible.
In fact, it would be a waste of time better spent learning Suwangryu.
This sentiment wasn’t unique to me. Many from prestigious families who could train their own hunters shared the same view. As a result, very few from elite backgrounds attended the Middle School Academy.
Instead, I planned to train diligently for five years before entering the High School Academy.
“Then I’d have to go to the Middle School Academy alone…” Yeon-ha-neul muttered, sounding disheartened.
She misunderstood my intentions.
There’s no way I’d send you there alone.
I opened my mouth to correct her.
“You’ll go to middle school with me and then enter the High School Academy.”
“Me too?” Her eyes widened in surprise.
In an instant, her expression brightened, and her rabbit-like ears perked up. It was easy to read her emotions from that alone.
“I said I’d take responsibility. How could I send you alone?”
“I see… I thought you were going to tell me to go to Academy City first. But… would I be able to get into the Higher Academy without the basics?”
“That’s why we start practicing now.”
“How?”
“Come to the swordsmanship school with me. You can build your stamina there and train on your own as well.”
“Are you asking me to enroll in a swordsmanship school? I don’t have the money for that…”
“It’s run by my family. Why would you need to pay?”
“Really? Are you sure that’s okay?”
“Of course.”
Her uncertainty lingered, but I reassured her. If I asked my father, he’d allow Yeon-ha-neul to attend for free. And if she showed talent, she’d receive support automatically.
With that, her financial situation would improve. No more worn-out clothes or struggling to get by.
“Why are you being so nice to me?” she asked hesitantly, breaking my thoughts.
“….”
“I don’t have much to offer you in return.”
Her words revealed her insecurities. She probably thought I pitied her. I understood where she was coming from, having lived a similar life in my previous existence.
But I wasn’t helping her out of pity. Nor was I giving without expecting something in return.
“I’m making an investment,” I said plainly.
“What?”
“If you become a famous hunter someday, won’t I benefit from having you as a colleague? That’s my reason. Nothing more.”
She stared at me for a moment, processing my words.
“You’re really strange.” She chuckled softly. “Thank you.”
“I told you, no need to thank me.”
“But… if I go to the swordsmanship school, will I learn to wield a sword like you?”
“No. You’ll mainly focus on physical training there.”
“And that’s it?”
“You’ll also need to learn magic.”
“Magic?”
“I told you—I think you have talent for it.”
With her magic power already at 75, it would be foolish to train her solely as a swordsman.
“But the swordsmanship school won’t teach me magic.”
“I’ll find a teacher for that. I was planning to learn magic myself, so I’ll just find a teacher for both of us.”
Of course, that was a lie. I’d find a teacher specifically for her.
Fortunately, I already had someone in mind—a traveler likely wandering the countryside at this time.
Don’t worry about finding him. My father will take care of that.
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