The Angel Who Drew the Holy Sword (3)
So, what was Refri's next plan?
He'd secured an alibi through Soya and earned the professors' favor. Now it was time to intervene in the Dalgoyang clan's operation through Hongwol.
'And in doing so...'
Knowing the future, he would step in and turn an operation that was destined to fail into a success. That way, he could prevent the Dalgoyang clan and Gumyo Fortress from falling to the Demon King's army.
'And by saving one clan from corruption, I'll gain a massive amount of Angel Power...!'
That was Refri's plan.
But a plan was just a plan until it succeeded. A dangerous box brimming with countless possibilities. No one knew if it held treasure or a trap.
Still, that was the psychology of humans—they opened it anyway.
'The best time for me to talk to Hongwol... swordsmanship class seems the most suitable.'
Hongwol was a celebrity in the swordsmanship department.
She had the looks to stand out from the crowd, pink hair, cat ears and tail that made her unique, and skills so exceptional that even in sparring, a teaching assistant—not a fellow first-year—had to step in as her opponent.
Those were the traits that made her famous... or so one might think. That wasn't the real reason.
Hongwol was famous because she was a beastkin, the next chieftain of the Dalgoyang clan.
A culture of comparing beastkin to animals and discriminating against them lingered subtly among superhumans. After all, many beastkin were still colluding with the Demon King's army to invade humanity.
So, treating them like monsters was inevitable—that logic held sway.
Of course, beastkin races hostile to the Demon King would be furious at such baseless assumptions.
But the Dalgoyang clan was ambiguous. They hadn't knelt to the Demon King, but their actions were those of outright criminals. Assassination and theft were their clan's livelihood.
Heirs from families and guilds who already looked down on beastkin used the clan's villainy as fodder to slander Hongwol.
"Look at how she handles that sword. How many people has she killed to get that good?"
"All those skills are probably stolen anyway."
Slander? Well, it was pretty factual violence.
Hongwol ignored whatever nonsense the others spouted and focused on her sparring.
In the end, the match ended in Hongwol's victory.
"Urgh... you win."
"...Good work."
And another student muttered,
"Ugh, my eyes are rotting from watching that filthy beastkin swordplay."
"Right?"
...Hongwol didn't care. She knew humans feared her Dalgoyang clan anyway.
She had no intention of sticking around this academy long-term. Once she stole the holy sword, whatever those idiots said wouldn't matter to her.
'So it's fine.'
In truth, Hongwol cared quite a bit.
A girl trained her whole life as an assassin and thief, who'd never set foot in anything resembling a school. Born in the worst slum on Earth, Gumyo Fortress, she had no clue how a school operated.
The only schools she'd seen were from movies and dramas.
She'd envied those schools. She'd rewatched famous youth dramas multiple times out of longing.
Studying and hanging out with classmates, without the heavy burdens of clan survival or assassinations...
And even romance...
'I don't need a school like this...'
When longing shattered, people felt pathetic. Hongwol was feeling that pathetic sensation again after so long.
"Refri."
"What?"
A male student who'd been teasing her nonstop called out to Refri, who had just finished his match.
Hongwol watched the scene in horror.
"Don't go over there right now. The beast stench is overpowering."
Of course, she knew he wouldn't. But what if... what if that boy mocked her as a beast too, called her a thief, accused her of murder?
The boy who'd gently petted her just yesterday...
'If he insults me...'
Then Hongwol might not be able to endure it.
And the boy's questioning began.
"Beast?"
"Yeah, look at that sweaty thief bitch over there. She's a feline beast, right?"
Refri looked at the girl beyond the student's gaze. Taller than her peers, with the model-like curves befitting a Dalgoyang clan member—just as he'd always seen her.
But something was different... She seemed lost in sorrow, staring downward. And her tail, which usually swished lively, hung limp.
'These kids... aren't they scared? What if Hongwol becomes chieftain and retaliates?'
Daring to tease Hongwol, the next chieftain of the Dalgoyang clan? They really had guts.
'Kids, play among yourselves. I need to get along with Hongwol for my future plans... I'll just ignore them. Wait...'
Refri thought it was actually a good opportunity. A chance to earn Angel Power.
"Crawling into our academy without shame, stealing swordsmanship too..."
"Cut it out."
"What?"
Refri muttered while wiping his sweat. At that moment, the pink cat's ears perked up.
"Hongwol didn't steal any swordsmanship. She said it's a secret clan technique."
"Ha, kid. You've got that naive look going. You believe that?"
"Yeah, I believe Hongwol."
Refri declared firmly.
'Hongwol wouldn't steal your lame swordsmanship. The Dalgoyang clan's Moonlit Shadow Swordsmanship rivals True Cheonggu Swordsmanship.'
His expression brimmed with conviction because of that thought. Of course, to a certain pink girl, it looked like he truly believed in someone named Hongwol.
"So don't mock people carelessly."
"...People? That's not a person, it's a beast."
"If it's not a person, what is it? I've never seen anyone as beautiful as Hongwol."
Dalgoyang clan hearing was exceptional. Though Refri didn't know it, a certain pink girl far away heard every word.
"What, you a beast lover too?"
"Keep calling her a beast? If a beauty like Hongwol is a beast, what does that make you guys? Pill bugs or something?"
Pill bugs. Hongwol laughed for the first time that day.
"Y-you keep this up, you'll regret it. Hanging with that beast bitch..."
"What're you saying, you cowardly punks ganging up on one person? Your thug threats don't scare me at all. Idiot. Pill bug!"
Pfft— The people around started laughing too.
Due to his angelic nature, Refri couldn't swear, so even when angry, his sad tone came off as cute.
Even Park Jinho chuckled, "Pill bugs? Heh heh. Fitting nickname."
And he shouted,
"Ganging up to bully one girl? You lot have no shame! Teaching assistant!"
"Yes, Professor."
"Award Refri extra points, and deduct points from those students."
"Applying immediately."
The sudden decree scattered the Hongwol-bashers, faces red with shame.
"You..."
"L-let's go for now."
Saving an individual from group bullying is an angelic deed!
Standing against the majority to uphold justice is an angelic deed!
Lifting a future hero from despair to hope is a truly angelic deed!
Unaware that Hongwol had heard every word, Refri beamed at the Angel Power he'd just earned.
'I didn't expect this much. Maybe I can finally raise one stat.'
Refri's current stats were Strength: 10, Agility: 10, Magic Power: 12, Superhuman Ability: 5.
His goal was to get every stat above 10. That would unlock a special perk.
'At this point, people usually focus on one stat. Spreading it out is just wasting money and time.'
Raising a single stat required immense effort and cash. So why waste precious points? Focus on what mattered—basic strategy.
'That's why no one's discovered that perk. The achievement for getting all stats above 10...'
So Refri spent Angel Power to raise his Superhuman Ability by one. Four more, and he'd claim that perk.
'I need more Angel Power...'
In the end, it all boiled down to needing more Angel Power.
Hongwol had already slipped away. He was the first to say she wasn't a beast, not a murderer, not a thief—that he believed her.
An indescribable emotion welled up. Hongwol had to flee the scene quickly.
Only now did someone notice Hongwol was gone. Refri.
'Wait... huh, where'd Hongwol go?'
To think he'd forgotten the most important part of today's class while farming Angel Power...
...A mistake worthy of the dimwit angel Refri.
* * *
Hongwol sought a place to rest with a complicated heart.
Ideally, a box she could curl up in... No boxes in sight, but she found a shady corner where people wouldn't pass.
Like pheasant swapped for chicken, Hongwol claimed the spot naturally. Tight spaces calmed her.
With a settled mind, she quietly sorted her thoughts.
'Once I steal the holy sword... I won't be able to come back to this academy.'
She'd thought it wouldn't matter. An academy built by defeated heroes—what could she learn from failures?
She'd volunteered for the mission out of curiosity about what a real academy was like, like the ones on TV.
'Then I won't take classes with that boy anymore...'
There was such a thing as attachment. Hongwol was learning it now.
'He said he believes me...'
Her mother's teachings. Clan rules. What Hongwol really wanted...
'What if I said I wanted to keep going to school? Mom would beat me senseless. Probably strip me naked and hang me in the punishment room.'
She'd endured it plenty as a kid. Sometimes those memories made deep sleep hard.
And if she said she wanted to stay for a boy's sake...
'I'd probably die...'
Hongwol had no choices left. The young girl's thoughts deepened as the moon that led cats rose high in the sky.
* * *
The cat-leading moon rose high, drawing one or two cats at a time to a certain cathedral.
Refri thought,
'Today's the day to negotiate with the Dalgoyang clan. Who'll show? Hongwol, probably?'
Beside Refri stood a slightly trembling Soya. She'd always been a bit timid.
"Th-this is... because of the black magic-hating chill."
Soya pulled down her hat brim and made excuses.
Refri silently rubbed scented oil onto Soya's hand. Aromatherapy, right? Heavenly aromatherapy at that—it should calm her now.
"Warmer now?"
"Yeah..."
Reassuring a future hero is an angelic deed!
Refri collected Angel Power as easily as breathing.
And at that moment...
"So, witch. You came out instead of running."
"...Hmph, black mages keep promises unlike thieving cats."
Hongwol appeared. She glared coldly at Soya, then couldn't hide her shock at the boy beside her.
"B-boy... why are you here...?"
"As expected, it's you, Hongwol."
Their gazes crossed.