Five years ago, ever since Do-gyeon-woo defeated him at the evaluation assembly of the Divine Sword Do Clan.
The appraisal of Do-seung-woo, once hailed as a promising prodigy, plummeted without mercy.
As Do-gyeon-woo began to shine brighter and brighter, Seung-woo found himself compared to him at every turn.
“This time, you said you’d really show us something. And this is all you had? I’m disappointed. I thought you’d learned some unheard-of sword art, maybe a unique form or a special technique.”
“Do-gyeon-woo…”
“But magic? You learned magic? I learned magic too, and I’m way better at it than you. How did you think you’d win like that? And you were bragging about learning first-tier magic, of all things.”
“Stop laughing… Stop laughing, I said…”
Whenever he competed with Do-gyeon-woo, defeat alone was not enough. He always ended up disgracing himself as well.
From that point on, there was no longer any moment when Do-seung-woo was lifted up or showered with honor.
The attention of the clan completely drifted away from him.
Once called the genius of the Divine Sword Do Clan, he fell into decline just like that.
The one who now carried the clan’s expectations was no longer him but Do-gyeon-woo.
Even now, it was obvious.
He could clearly read the clan’s intention to push Do-gyeon-woo forward.
‘Si-eun noona being glued to his side means exactly that.’
On the surface, this unity gathering was meant to foster cohesion and recognition for the first-year representative.
But the real reason Byeorakkkot Do Si-eun, a third-year representative and the trusted student council president, was personally overseeing Do-gyeon-woo was simple.
She was, and the Divine Sword Do Clan was, backing him as their representative.
“Of course he’s something special… no, wait, Rabbit… no, second place at entrance, right?!”
“Gyeon-woo! That was seriously nice!”
“We’ll find the Rank 3 targets for you!”
Meanwhile, the person assigned to oversee Do-seung-woo was a second-year representative with far less influence than Do Si-eun.
His role amounted to little more than managing the interim period until Si-eun graduated and Do-gyeon-woo became the third-year representative.
There was no way students raised in prestigious families, educated differently from the rest, failed to notice this.
In reality, they sniffed out the scent of power and busied themselves currying favor with Do-gyeon-woo.
Do-seung-woo, despite being from the same direct line, was treated as though he barely existed.
He had been pushed aside.
‘Damn it…’
As he fully grasped his situation, his molars clenched on their own.
Resentment, hatred, deprivation, rivalry, defeat, humiliation—all of it surged up at once.
Do-seung-woo hated this stage that had been prepared solely for Do-gyeon-woo.
‘If only you weren’t here…’
That place should have been his.
Consumed by hostility toward Do-gyeon-woo, Do-seung-woo refused to bow his head just yet.
There was still a chance.
The first-year representative had not been decided.
If he could prove himself superior to Do-gyeon-woo during the unity gathering, he could seize the spotlight.
He could become the representative.
For Do-seung-woo, who had lost everything to Do-gyeon-woo, only inferiority and stubborn grit remained.
Driven to desperation, he threw himself into the gathering.
[You have encountered a monster.]
[Blood Bison (Rank 03) x1]
“…There it is.”
“Do-seung-woo! What do you think you’re doing? Get back here! I told you not to rush ahead!”
The moment he spotted the Blood Bison.
Do-seung-woo kicked off the ground and charged straight at it.
The second-year representative, who had warned him just moments earlier, cursed under his breath and had no choice but to follow.
But the second-year representative was not the only one in Do-seung-woo’s party.
“Seung-woo! Leave this side to us!”
“We’ll pull its aggro, so you finish it off!”
“We’ve got you, don’t worry!”
“…Thanks.”
Even if Do-gyeon-woo stood higher, Do-seung-woo was still a direct descendant of the Divine Sword Do Clan.
Among those clinging to the clan’s prestige, there were some who chose to support him, even if only on the faintest chance.
Most of them were low-ranking, sitting at the very bottom of the hierarchy among sword clans.
Kim Il-sik, Kim I-sik, Kim Sam-sik.
The triplets born on the same day fell squarely into that category.
“Wow, Seung-woo, you’re no joke.”
“Didn’t you basically take it down by yourself?”
“We barely did anything. Sorry about that, man.”
Among those who followed him, the Kim triplets were quick-witted, reasonably skilled, and clever.
That was why he kept them close, using them like hands and feet, much as he once did with the Woo triplets.
“If you hadn’t kept it in check, I probably couldn’t have handled it alone. Thanks for the help.”
“Seung-woo…”
“Good looks, real skill, and even a good personality.”
“What exactly are you bad at?”
Of course, Do-seung-woo was not a fool.
There was no way he failed to understand what the Kim triplets truly wanted.
And they knew it as well.
Their relationship was a calculated alliance, each side getting what they needed from the other.
That was why, after subjugating the Blood Bison, he did not get swept up in their flattery and kept his composure.
At that moment, the second-year representative approached, his face twisted in frustration.
“Do-seung-woo. Are you really going to keep acting like this? I told you not to rush out because it’s dangerous.”
The second-year representative assigned to him looked genuinely angry at having his orders ignored.
But Do-seung-woo responded calmly and brushed past him.
“I get what you’re saying, but still, you and the others—”
“Our swords aren’t the kind you only swing when it’s safe.”
“What did you just—”
“I understand what you mean, hyung. But you don’t need to worry about me. I only jump in when I know I can handle it alone. I’ll make sure no one else gets hurt.”
“You think that makes any sense?”
“…A Rank 3 has appeared. I’m going. If it looks too dangerous, you don’t have to follow. You three—”
“Of course we’re coming!”
“Where the needle goes, the thread follows!”
“Where Seung-woo goes, we go!”
“Hey! I told you not to run off alone! You seriously never listen…”
He had to find the gate key before Do-gyeon-woo did.
Just like before, Do-seung-woo left his party behind and sprinted across the grassland toward another Blood Bison.
The Kim triplets chased after him, and the second-year representative and his faction followed along, resigned.
Like that.
‘Just which one of them has it?’
Do-seung-woo hunted Blood Bisons without rest alongside them.
Then, a message appeared before his eyes.
[The gate has been cleared.]
As he read the message.
His expression stiffened visibly.
He did not need to check who the clearer was.
There was only one possibility.
“Do-gyeon-woo…”
That rabbit brat, Do-gyeon-woo.
In the end, he had lost again.
Do-seung-woo bit down hard on his lip.
‘Do-gyeon-woo, I really hate you.’
“That concludes the unity gathering. Thank you all for taking the time today. By now, there should be a casual after-party prepared back in reality. Those who plan to join, please wait outside instead of returning right away.”
As the clearance message appeared.
Do Si-eun gathered everyone inside the gate and officially declared the gathering closed.
Behind her and me, the gate shimmered into existence.
“As the hosts of the Noble House Gathering, we’ll leave after confirming that everyone else has exited.”
“Okay, got it.”
The gate key was in my possession.
If I left first under these circumstances, the gate’s location would become fixed, and after twenty-four hours, it would disappear.
Anyone left inside would be unable to escape and remain trapped forever.
That was why, following Do Si-eun’s advice, I decided to wait until everyone had gone out.
“You worked hard today, Gyeon-woo.”
“That last fight was incredible.”
“I hope you’ll lead the others just as well as Si-eun did.”
“You know I’m calling you later, right?”
“Have a drink at the after-party.”
Standing in front of the gate, I exchanged pleasantries with them.
After fighting together for hours, they treated me with easy familiarity.
Unlike our first meeting, I felt comfortable around them, too.
It was around then that I met Noh Hyo-won and the members of the Crimson Noh Clan.
“That last battle, breaking through their encirclement and turning the tide, was impressive. I wondered if I should go help, but I never expected you to pull off something like that. You did great today.”
“That was only possible because of Si-eun noona’s commands. You worked hard, too, Hyo-won.”
“She may have led the group like you said, but you were the one at the front, breaking through the encirclement. Your role can’t be ignored either.”
Noh Hyo-won took my outstretched hand as she spoke.
She looked genuinely pleased, her gaze warm and open.
I asked her directly.
“So, have you made your decision?”
“My decision?”
“To support me instead of Do-seung-woo. To join my faction.”
“…So you knew.”
“More or less.”
Considering Do-seung-woo’s personality, there was no way he would welcome me being acknowledged as the first-year representative.
As if confirming my expectations, Noh Hyo-won made an awkward expression.
She had been weighing her options, deciding whether to support Do-seung-woo or me based on the outcome of the unity gathering.
‘If I were her, I’d probably do the same.’
I found her attitude slightly irritating, but it was understandable.
I chose to let it go magnanimously.
After all, I had already been recognized as the representative. There was no need to be petty about it.
Top of Form
Bottom of Form
At that moment, she nodded.
“Alright. I’ll let myself be conquered by you. I’ll devote myself to supporting you properly.”
“I look forward to working with you.”
It was the answer I had been hoping for.
Satisfied with successfully bringing Noh Hyo-won into my faction, I felt a quiet sense of fulfilment.
Then, as if it had just occurred to her, she spoke again.
“So.”
“Hm? What is it?”
“When can you spare some time? I want to cross swords with you.”
“If you mean sparring with me, it wouldn’t be hard to make time. We could meet whenever—”
“I might not be able to conquer you as a representative, but as one swordsman to another, I want to conquer you.”
“…”
“So next time, make time and cross swords with me.”
“Uh… yeah. Alright.”
“Good. It’s a promise, then. I’ll be looking forward to it.”
Noh Hyo-won brushed her flowing red hair back with an easy motion and smiled.
After exchanging a few more words with me, she stepped through the gate.
I stood there for a moment, staring blankly at the gate she had just excited.
‘I think this every now and then, but…’
Maybe every character in this game was flawed in terms of personality.
Just like in the game, Noh Hyo-won would probably challenge me to duels every chance she got, declaring she would conquer me.
At least she was more gentlemanly than Yong Hae-rang, so maybe I should count myself lucky.
Still, she was definitely eccentric.
‘There’s not a single normal person, seriously.’
Aside from myself, who had changed compared to the game, and Do Si-eun, Yeon-ha-neul, and Lisa, everyone else seemed questionable.
I would be meeting more characters in the future and forming cooperative relationships with them, and the thought alone already felt exhausting.
Letting out a sigh, I decided to see the remaining people off.
That was when I naturally ran into Do-seung-woo, who was about to leave through the gate.
“Do-gyeon-woo…”
“Do-gyeon-woo…”
“…?”
“I figured that’s what you’d say when you saw me, and you actually did.”
“Tch. Are you making fun of me right now?”
“Yeah, I am. How many did you catch?”
Do-seung-woo looked anything but clean.
It was as if he had been tearing across the grassland recklessly, his clothes smeared with mud and even stained with monster blood.
It was easy to imagine him pushing himself desperately somewhere I could not see, all to try and beat me.
I shrugged and mocked him as he scowled.
I did not forget to show a bit of magnanimity, either.
“You must’ve worked yourself pretty hard trying to come at me. Once you’re outside, get some good rest. Or have a drink at the after-party. Want to share one with me? Just one glass.”
“Shut up. You’ll regret looking down on me like that someday.”
“Sure. Take care.”
“Damn it…”
Do-seung-woo slapped my hand away.
After giving Do Si-eun a perfunctory greeting, he passed through the gate with his party.
“Do-gyeon-woo, you saw them, right?”
“Those were his lackeys.”
“Those triplets with the half-assed names.”
“…You guys should head out too.”
There were not many people left on the grassland anymore.
I spoke to the triplets, who were busy badmouthing Do-seung-woo’s followers.
Just having them nearby was tiring.
After sending them off while they continued grumbling, I finished seeing off the remaining people.
Before I knew it, there was no one left on the grassland except Do Si-eun and me.
“Looks like everyone’s gone. Noona, let’s head out too.”
“Yeah. You worked hard right up to the end. Just keep doing things like this from now on.”
“But noona, I should attend the after-party no matter what, right?”
“It’s not mandatory, but as a representative, it’s good to show your face and mingle a bit. Why? Do you have something else scheduled?”
“I got a message from Ha-neul earlier. She said she’s coming to the exchange gathering with the others, so I was thinking of hanging out with them if I had time.”
I could not skip the after-party, so it was unfortunate but unavoidable.
I decided I would at least take a moment to see Yeon-ha-neul before leaving.
Just as I was thinking that.
Do Si-eun blinked her blue eyes and replied casually.
“The after-party will be held at the exchange hall. So you can mingle a bit and still spend time with them.”
“Oh, really? Is that okay?”
“Yeah, it’s fine.”
Perfect.
I would be able to spend time with Yeon-ha-neul.
At Do Si-eun’s nodding reply, the corners of my mouth lifted.
The Divine Sword Do Clan’s exchange gathering.
Dressed to suit the occasion, Yeon-ha-neul, Go Eun-bi, Kang Han-byeol, and Park Sa-gun wandered around the banquet hall in high spirits.
The hall was filled with food, entertainment, and plenty to see.
“Wow, Ha-neul! They even have a sommelier pouring wine over there. Let’s go drink wine!”
“You’re not supposed to mix drinks, though. Eun-bi, can you handle it?”
“It’s fine, it’s fine! If not now, when will we ever have the chance to try wine like this? It’s probably expensive, too!”
“Well… that’s true.”
With lively music drifting through the hall and delicious food and alcohol flowing freely, it was impossible not to feel excited.
People laughed, chatted, and mingled with strangers, forming new connections.
The four of them joined in the atmosphere, occasionally talking with people they had never met before.
Thanks to Go Eun-bi’s friendly personality, she acted as the perfect lubricant, helping conversations flow easily.
Eventually, slightly tipsy and in high spirits, she suddenly suggested getting wine.
Dragged along by her, Yeon-ha-neul had no choice but to head to the wine bar.
“Wow… there are so many kinds. I only knew red and white wine, but there’s a lot more than I thought. Ha-neul, do you know any of these?”
“No. It’s my first time drinking wine too, so there’s no way I’d know… Oh, wait. There was a wine that came up in a drama I’ve been watching lately.”
“What was it?”
“Château… Poireferé, I think? The female lead was always chugging it straight from the bottle.”
“…We’re not going to chug it like that, right. Fine, let’s ask for that one!”
Go Eun-bi strode up to the sommelier to order the wine.
Following behind her, Yeon-ha-neul checked her smartphone.
It was a message she had sent to Do-gyeon-woo earlier.
[Me]: We arrived!
[Me]: When do you think you’ll be done?
[Me]: We’ll be hanging out on our own, so come when you can~
The number “1” next to the messages still had not disappeared.
He was probably inside the gate and unable to check his phone.
‘When is it going to end…’
She wanted to enjoy the exchange gathering with Do-gyeon-woo, but it seemed she would have to wait a bit longer.
Setting aside her disappointment, Yeon-ha-neul accepted the wine handed to her by the sommelier.
Following his instructions, Go Eun-bi swirled her glass dramatically and inhaled the aroma.
“Mmm, smell.”
“….”
How embarrassing.
Without a word, Yeon-ha-neul took a few steps away from her.
Then she brought the glass to her own nose and smelled the wine.
‘The fruity scent is strong, but…’
The sommelier had said wine should be enjoyed with the eyes, savored with the nose, and read with the tongue.
But to Yeon-ha-neul, who was drinking wine for the first time, it honestly did not quite click.
After observing it for a moment, she finally took a sip.
“Wow, it’s good. It feels like walking through a vineyard.”
“Ah, yeah… it is good. But it’s not sharp, so I guess the alcohol content isn’t that high. I think soju suits me better.”
“Ha-neul, you’re becoming a real drinker…”
Go Eun-bi clicked her tongue in disbelief.
Yeon-ha-neul let out a small giggle.
She remembered Do-gyeon-woo making the exact same expression not long ago.
“No, seriously… there are so many delicious drinks in the world. Why soju, of all things?”
Unlike Yeon-ha-neul, who loved soju, Do-gyeon-woo always looked dubious about it.
Even so, whenever she drank, he would still join her as her drinking companion, despite clearly disliking it.
He really was a considerate childhood friend.
And she was the mischievous one, getting him drunk on soju and subtly leaning against his shoulder.
Just thinking about him made a smile creep onto her lips.
That was when it happened.
“You’re first-years, right?”
“Huh? Y-yes…”
While walking around with Go Eun-bi, wine glasses in hand.
Two men who looked like upperclassmen suddenly approached them.
Yeon-ha-neul instinctively hid behind Go Eun-bi, wary, but the men approached calmly.
“Ah, so you are first-years. We’re second-years. One year above you, so we can speak casually, right?”
“You already were.”
“To be honest, we’ve had our eyes on you two for a while.”
“I thought dolls were walking around.”
“Ah… thank you, sunbaenims.”
“…”
The men showered them with flattering words.
Of course, Yeon-ha-neul and Go Eun-bi were well aware that they were being hit on.
They had no particular interest in them, so while they appreciated the sentiment, it was awkward.
Go Eun-bi tried to turn them down as naturally and gently as possible, not wanting to hurt their feelings.
But the men pretended not to understand and continued pressing forward with shameless persistence.
“If there’s anything you don’t know, just ask us. We’ll tell you how to live comfortably at the academy.”
“We’re close with the Divine Sword Do Clan, you know. We’re basically best friends with the kid who’s the second-year representative right now.”
“You look like you can handle your alcohol. Want to drink with us? It’s crowded in here with all these people. How about we step outside instead?”
“There’s a bar nearby that’s famous among academy students. Since you’ve only just enrolled, you probably don’t even know where it is. You have to go into an alley to get there. So? How about drinking with us there?”
“Ah… thank you for the offer, but we’re with our group right now. So, um…”
“…Yes, that’s right. We should get going.”
“Come on, don’t be like that…”
“Ha-neul, let’s go.”
“Yeah.”
They were unbelievably persistent.
Even when she turned them down indirectly, the conversation kept circling back to the beginning, again and again.
The men looked like they would keep following until the two of them agreed.
In moments like this, you had to cut it off decisively.
Go Eun-bi abruptly ended the conversation and tried to leave, taking Yeon-ha-neul with her.
But that seemed to irritate them.
“Hey, wait. We’re talking. Where do you think you’re going? You think you can do that to your sunbae or not?”
“Yeah. You can’t be rude like that. It’s not like you’re allowed to ignore us…”
“Did we ask for anything unreasonable? We just said, let’s drink and have fun.”
In the end, one of them even reached out and grabbed Yeon-ha-neul by the wrist.
She felt the strength of his grip and frowned.
“Ugh… let go of me.”
“What do you think you’re doing?!”
“I’ll let go if you come with us.”
“What, did we ask you for money? We said we’d buy.”
This was an exchange gathering hosted by the clan that housed Do-gyeon-woo, the Divine Sword Do Clan.
They could not cause a scene for no reason.
Even while irritated on the inside, Yeon-ha-neul tried to shake them off as calmly as she could.
But the man gripping her wrist tightened his hold, making sure she could not pull away.
That was when someone suddenly clamped down on the man’s wrist.
“She told you to let go. Let go.”
“And who are you supposed to be?”
“…”
It was Kang Han-byeol, who had witnessed the struggle and rushed over.
He stepped in front of Yeon-ha-neul as if shielding her, glaring at the men.
“I said, let go. Are you really going to keep holding her like that?”
“Who the hell are you?”
“Her friend.”
“H-han-byeol…”
At Kang Han-byeol’s sudden appearance, the men were startled, yet they did not back down.
Their pride would not allow it, and by now, people were starting to stare.
If they turned around and retreated like this, the humiliation would be obvious.
“Let go.”
“You let go first.”
“Are you speaking informally to me right now?”
“My master told me not to bother being polite to people who aren’t worth it.”
“What? What did you just say?”
The men tried to intimidate Kang Han-byeol, thickening the air with menace.
Even so, he did not flinch, locking eyes with them in a silent battle.
Neither side would yield. The staring match quickly became a contest of pressure, and soon enough, mana began to stir.
They even reached for their devices.
‘No… this is bad.’
Yeon-ha-neul could only panic.
She was grateful that Kang Han-byeol had stepped in to help her, but the commotion was getting bigger by the second.
She wanted to stop it.
More than anything—
‘Gyeon-woo asked me…’
Do-gyeon-woo had warned her beforehand.
He had asked her to make sure Kang Han-byeol did not get into conflict with anyone.
If the disciple of the Fighting Fiend caused trouble here with people tied to sword clans, it would become a headache on a whole different level.
‘Ugh…’
But she could not exactly restrain Kang Han-byeol when he was acting to protect her.
Yeon-ha-neul wavered, torn inside.
That was when it happened.
“Take your hand off her, unless you want it cut off.”
A low, pressed tone and a voice that sounded thoroughly displeased.
It was not a voice she had ever heard like this before, but there was no way she could mistake its owner.
The person she had been aching to see.
Yeon-ha-neul snapped her head toward the sound.
“…”
From across the room.
Do-gyeon-woo was pushing through the crowd, walking forward with steady confidence.
Yeon-ha-neul’s face brightened instantly.
Delighted, she called out to him.
“Gyeon-woo!”
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