Chapter 83
Chapter 83
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: Forming the Team
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‘Why seolleongtang, of all things?’
Rice submerged in milky broth.
It was just as Kang Jae-hyeok grumbled at the dish’s appearance, reminiscent of the porridge Butler Hwang had boiled.
“How did you know?”
Hae-rin asked.
A faint wariness tinged her face as she stared straight at Jae-hyeok.
She seemed to be belatedly questioning the whole situation.
Jae-hyeok answered honestly.
“I just took one look and could tell that guy was bullying you.”
“…….”
Hae-rin wasn’t an idiot.
Jeong Ru-han had always taken such gentle, kind care of her.
Even Hae-rin herself had felt grateful toward him.
Only today did she realize it had all been clever gaslighting.
In any case, it meant that no matter how sharp Jae-hyeok’s eyes were, it would’ve been hard to see through their relationship.
Yet he had seen right through it.
There was only one implication.
‘You’ve been watching me this whole time.’
Why…?
Hae-rin kept shrinking back.
She couldn’t accept his inscrutable attitude as simple goodwill and instead piled on the suspicion.
Memories resurfaced—her father’s health, the guild being taken over by her uncle.
She snapped out of it to find every situation at its worst.
The more she reflected on her past life, the more reality seemed utterly merciless to her.
The girl was no longer pure enough to trust kindness without strings attached.
“I hear the credits you earn at Lion’s Castle are worth just as much as community points.”
Reading Hae-rin’s mind, Jae-hyeok laid it all out plainly.
“That’s why I’m planning to form the best team possible. I took an interest in you while scouting for a supporter.”
His expression softened a bit as he scooped up a spoonful of seolleongtang.
The broth was surprisingly excellent.
Wow, it’s like they just boiled meat and nothing else, but it’s so good?
How utterly talentless at cooking must Butler Hwang be to throw every ingredient under the sun into that slop?
“Then yesterday, I happened to overhear your conversation with Jeong Ru-han in the forest, which led to today’s outcome. That’s the whole story.”
“…….”
Hae-rin readily let go of her suspicions.
To begin with, Kang Jae-hyeok wasn’t the type to scheme using his status or position as Guardian Guild heir.
The influence of a fallen noble house wasn’t that great, after all.
“Supporter… I can’t use my powers recklessly.”
Even so, Hae-rin couldn’t join Jae-hyeok’s team.
She confessed honestly.
“My father’s been recovering from a major injury he sustained on an expedition a few months ago. If I show I’m unfit as heir again, it might worsen his condition.”
Lion’s Castle was full of Guardian Guild eyes and ears.
The moment Hae-rin acted as a supporter, word would reach her father immediately.
‘I doubt it.’
Jae-hyeok thought differently.
If Hae-rin shone using supporter powers instead of tanking…
It would be the perfect chance to remind the Guardian Guild—obsessed with needless meaning in a mere shield as if it were everything—what “guardian” truly meant.
But that was something for Park Hae-rin and her father to realize on their own.
“Then just act as a tank.”
“…Didn’t you need a supporter?”
“You seem more necessary than a supporter.”
A meaningful remark.
Hae-rin’s ears flushed slightly beneath her long hair.
But her expression showed no hint of agitation.
“Park Hae-rin, join our team. I guarantee that if we work together, we won’t have any regrets.”
Jae-hyeok extended his hand.
A hand covered in calluses and scars.
Proof that he’d trained his body even before becoming a Player. A symbol of trust.
“Yeah.”
After a brief hesitation, Hae-rin grasped it.
***
“Awesomeeee!!”
“It’s finally over, fuck! You all worked too hard!!”
The first-year Class B students, having completed the final phase of snowfield adaptation training, hugged each other and reveled in joy.
It was training they weren’t even supposed to attempt until the second semester.
But a Death Knight had suddenly appeared and slaughtered the Troll Lord, spiking the difficulty midway.
Even their supervising teacher, Kim Jin-myeong, had considered giving up several times, so the students’ successful completion moved him deeply.
“I’m proud of you all!”
“It’s all thanks to your guidance, sir!”
Kim Jin-myeong and a few students even shed tears.
Amid the emotional atmosphere, hot camaraderie was blooming—when.
“A whole week behind Class A, and you’re celebrating like you did something great?”
Jae-hyeok doused their spirits with a sour face.
“Class A started volcano climbing this week, and you’re not embarrassed? No pride?”
“…Can’t we just be happy today? Besides, didn’t Class C give up on snowfield training altogether? Aren’t we amazing for making it this far?”
“Happy you beat Class C, but sulking over losing to Class A? That’s pathetic. Why compete if you’re just gonna mentally win by comparing to those worse off? Don’t make it a habit.”
“…….”
The students, bristling, turned to Kim Jin-myeong.
A gesture begging him to shut the rude guy up.
But Kim Jin-myeong just gazed at the distant sky, whistling.
Eyes narrowing, the students shifted to Lee Jin-seong, Du Bae-su, and Cheon Hye-ji’s trio.
Hoping the ones who unflaggingly challenged Jae-hyeok would save them.
Sure enough.
The trio’s faces were already flushed with rage.
“Jae-hyeok’s right. This isn’t the time to celebrate.”
“You know what Class A says every time Jae-hyeok beats them in spars? ‘Doesn’t count—rest of Class B is trash anyway.’ They’re convinced they’ll dominate the class competition!”
“…….”
They’re mad for different reasons than us.
‘This… the mood’s turning scary.’
Hope dashed, the students swallowed dryly.
Worried Jae-hyeok would drill them even harder.
After barely surviving grueling training, the thought of no rest and more abuse filled them with despair.
Unable to watch his dejected students, Kim Jin-myeong stepped up.
“Y-yeah, of course Jae-hyeok’s right. No more celebrating—let’s focus on beating Class A with even more effort. Of course, you all worked hard today, so rest up for now…”
He clamped his mouth shut mid-sentence about resting.
Jae-hyeok’s glare was murderously intense.
Sweat beading, he stepped back, earning baffled looks from the instructors.
‘Who’s the teacher here?’
Clap clap!
Jae-hyeok clapped to draw attention.
“Dozens of instructors joined to help with our final training phase, and thanks to them, we made it here safely.”
The snowfield center.
Countless perils lined the path here.
Without faith in the instructors guarding their backs, many students would’ve quit from fear.
In other words.
“Who knows when we’ll return? Better make the most of it, right?”
Jae-hyeok had no intention of wasting the chance.
The elite monsters swarming the snowfield center were too tempting.
“It’s only 3 p.m., plenty of time till midnight…”
After midnight to 7 a.m., temperatures plunged.
Even a B-rank like Kim Jin-myeong couldn’t endure it.
Students protested Jae-hyeok’s easy concession.
“You’re not saying stay till midnight? Cafeteria closes at 10…”
“Convenience store’s 24 hours.”
“W-we can rough it, but what about teacher and instructors?”
“Why? You think they’re petty enough to begrudge skipping one meal for students?”
“…….”
Instructors who’d silently rooted for the students also stepped back beside Kim Jin-myeong.
Best to stay quiet lest they look childish refusing.
As students and instructors exchanged pleading glances to handle “that guy”—
“Um.”
Quiet Hae-rin slowly raised her hand.
The girl who always silently gave her all to her role.
The one even thuggish Jae-hyeok couldn’t touch.
She naturally had more sway than regular students.
‘Ooh, Park Hae-rin!’
‘Always clutch, like in training.’
‘Jae-hyeok’s sole counter!’
Students desperate to leave the echoing elite monster roars cheered her on.
“I think Kang Jae-hyeok is absolutely right.”
Park Hae-rin handed Jae-hyeok all their cosmic energy.
“…Why’s she like that too?”
Another one? Kim Jin-myeong groaned inwardly.
Class B despaired, but Jae-hyeok ignored their moods.
Striding off like every minute counted, he pulled monster aggro.
“C-crazy…! Everyone, stay sharp!”
Horrified instructors shielded students from the horde.
Letting Jae-hyeok focus purely on hunting.
Surging EXP gladdened him.
***
“Our new teammate. Introduce yourselves.”
“Hi! First-year Class A, Chae Da-hee!”
“I’m second-year Baek Do-jin, your ‘senpai.’ Let’s get along.”
“…Park Hae-rin.”
Finally, four members.
Qualified to launch the team.
But surveying them sobered Jae-hyeok.
‘I’m the only normal one here.’
Da-hee and Do-jin were too simpleminded, prone to mishaps; Hae-rin too quiet, risking communication issues.
As the sole sane one, he’d have to stay sharp or they’d be in trouble.
Steeling himself, Jae-hyeok took a deep breath.
“We’re gathered to discuss the most important issue before officially launching the team.”
“Finally picking a leader?”
“Team leader’s obviously you, Jae-hyeok. You made the team.”
“I’m second-year?”
“What’s that matter? You saying a senpai’s stronger than Jae-hyeok?”
“N-no, but he might feel burdened.”
“…We’re here to discuss the team name.”
Worried they’d stall forever, Jae-hyeok cut to the chase.
“How about Red Flag? My hair’s red.”
“What about Kang-Chae-Baek-Park, one letter from each name?”
“Hey, then it’s Kang-Baek-Chae-Park.”
Of course, broaching the topic didn’t speed things up.
Jae-hyeok, exasperated, turned to Hae-rin.
“Got any ideas?”
“Nope.”
“…….”
These guys are useless.
Exhausted from all-day hunting, Jae-hyeok blanked out—when a jab came from the side.
“Why hold your team meeting in the Archery Club room?”
It was former club president No Jun-yeop.
“Kang Jae-hyeok, didn’t you say you didn’t want to flaunt taking over Archery Club?”
Clap clap clap.
Hae-rin’s eyes sparkled faintly as she clapped.
She’d wondered why here, but now understood and admired it.
“Jae-hyeok deserves applause.”
“Yeah. Beating the Archery Club president with swordsmanship is one of Lion’s Castle’s greatest feats.”
Chae Da-hee and Baek Do-jin joined the applause, swept up.
Even thumbs-upping, drawing No Jun-yeop’s glare.
“Is that how you treat the victim?”
That was when.
“Oh, Jae-hyeok’s here?”
Arriving late to the meeting room, Jang Yeon-ju held out a document envelope.
“These are commission requests that came to Archery Club over the weekend. There’s something I really want you to check out.”