Chapter 37
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Translator: Xrecker
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Interior (1)
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After watching the first duel of the practical sparring class, the students, inspired by the duel between Ishihan and Atsval Zenedik, began to spar actively.
The duel between the two had a brutal feel to it, but in the end, it had ended safely. And all those who took this class were confident in their skills.
Ordinary people would have just said it was amazing or been horrified, but the students burned with passion, determined not to be outdone.
And so, after the first practical sparring class ended successfully and the students left the classroom.
Delt stayed behind alone in the classroom and looked down at the floor of the sparring ring where Ishihan and Atsval Zenedik had dueled. To be precise, it was the scar on the floor of the sparring ring that had been created when Ishihan had used Severing Spear.
'To destroy the sparring ring to this extent.'
The sparring rings at Lucadia Academy used magic tools to create the barrier that marked the boundaries.
And to prevent damage to those magic tools, the floor was also specially made to be extremely difficult to break.
In fact, even when Atsval Zenedik's Thunder of Judgment had struck, or when other students had unleashed their skills, not a single proper scratch had been made on the floor.
But Ishihan's skill.
Severing Spear had pierced through and embedded itself in the floor of the sparring ring.
To Delt, the sight of Severing Spear stuck in the ground was more shocking than the slightly brutal duel.
"Ha. This time, a truly absurd guy has appeared."
Delt suddenly recalled the nickname that had been given to Ishihan at the Adventurer's Guild two days ago.
"The Academy's Divine Star..."
Delt thought that a talent worthy of that nickname, not just an exaggerated one, had appeared.
But when such a talented person appeared, it was as if fate had willed it, and turmoil was bound to arise.
Thinking of the turmoil that might come in the future, the corners of Delt's lips curved upward.
"Hmph, it's going to be noisy for a while."
After the sparring class ended, Ishihan immediately approached Atsval Zenedik and demanded that he sign the group establishment application form.
Since he had already given his word, Atsval Zenedik.
"Th-this is just to keep an eye on you, since you're trying to get ahead of me! It's not because I lost!"
He said this and wrote his name on the application form.
Ishihan told him that he would let him know once the group's club room was decided, and then parted ways with Atsval Zenedik.
"Pamela, I have some business to attend to, so please go back first."
"Y-yes!"
Then he sent Pamela back to the inn first.
Shu Yeon-hwa had been watching all this from a distance.
'Now he's coming to me!'
As Shu Yeon-hwa had thought, Ishihan approached her.
"By any chance, after watching that duel, did you feel like joining the group?"
A scene that was a bit too brutal to be called a duel.
That scene had certainly shown that Ishihan possessed unusual skills.
But it was still lacking for her to give up the connections of the Flame Dragon Society.
"I can see that your skills are outstanding, Mr. Ishihan. But... it's still not enough."
"I see."
Ishihan was not particularly disappointed. In fact, he had expected this reaction, which was why he had said he would prove himself after the duel at the Luong-style café.
"So what kind of proof will you show me, Mr. Ishihan? I've been looking forward to it since yesterday."
"There are too many eyes here to show you. Let's go to a place with fewer people."
"In that case, I know a good place!"
Shu Yeon-hwa took Ishihan outside the academy, and.
"Here it is!"
"Where is this?"
"This is the Shu family's villa where I'm staying!"
She had taken Ishihan to the Shu family's villa.
"There's no one here but me and Kyeong-hu, who takes care of me! If you prove it inside the villa, no one else will see!"
"That's certainly true."
'I never thought she'd guide me directly to the villa where she lives.'
Ishihan was inwardly surprised by Shu Yeon-hwa's uninhibited actions.
"Now! Let's go in, Mr. Ishihan!"
Shu Yeon-hwa went inside the villa, and Ishihan followed behind her.
"Kyeong-hu!"
"Yes, welcome back, Young Lady Yeon-hwa... huh? The person behind you is..."
"It's Mr. Ishihan! I invited him to the villa briefly on business!"
"I see. Understood."
Kyeong-hu did not show much reaction even when Ishihan entered the villa.
First, because Shu Yeon-hwa had personally brought him inside the villa.
Second, it was an extension of his misunderstanding from yesterday.
'You're just going to refuse him formally inside the villa so as not to hurt his pride! Ah! How merciful you are, Young Lady Yeon-hwa!'
Shu Yeon-hwa looked at Ishihan and asked.
"Mr. Ishihan! So how are you going to prove it? Are you going to praise me like yesterday and explain what benefits I would get if I joined your group?"
"No, I know that no matter how much I say, it won't be proper proof."
"Oh my, is that so?"
'Then I guess I won't be hearing any compliments for now.'
Shu Yeon-hwa was disappointed.
"Then what kind of proof will you show me?"
At Shu Yeon-hwa's question, Ishihan said.
"I... will show you a possibility."
"A possibility?"
"Yes. I will prove the possibility that being by my side will be more helpful to you in the future than joining the Flame Dragon Society."
"That's... a very interesting answer. What kind of possibility is it?"
"Shu Yeon-hwa. What are you... no, what is the Shu family most confident in?"
"For the Shu family, you say? If I had to pick one... hehe."
Shu Yeon-hwa took out a talisman from her subspace ring and used a skill that cast a protective barrier.
"Protection Talisman! Ohohohoho! The proof that the Shu family is called the Iron Wall! This Protection Talisman is what we are most confident in!"
"I see. Then how much confidence do you have in that Protection Talisman?"
"Of course, as much as my family does! I am also confident in this Protection Talisman! And in my skill at casting it! I'm confident that I'm not inferior to my father!"
Shu Yeon-hwa's words were sincere.
Shu Yeon-hwa, who was born as the only daughter of the Shu family and was raised with great care.
But since she was also the heir to the Shu family, while being raised preciously, Shu Yeon-hwa also received thorough education to inherit the family.
Among that education, she was thoroughly trained in casting the Protection Talisman so that she could fight safely in actual combat.
The power of the Protection Talisman that Shu Yeon-hwa cast was at a level that even the head of the Shu family—
Shu Yeon-hwa's father—praised as excellent, aside from the fact that she was his beloved daughter.
"Then how about I break that protective barrier?"
"My Protection Talisman, you say?"
"Yes. By breaking the protective barrier you cast with your Protection Talisman, I will prove my potential by directly confronting the technique your family is proud of."
"Hmm..."
Shu Yeon-hwa recalled the skills Ishihan had displayed today.
An appearance that lacked the impact to make her join the group Ishihan had created instead of the Flame Dragon Society.
But it was an appearance that could by no means be taken lightly.
What if Ishihan were to break the protective barrier that the Shu family was so proud of?
And what if Ishihan, who had just entered the academy, were to break it?
She would be able to make her father understand and accept the potential and possibilities of Ishihan as an individual.
That was how much the Protection Talisman, the core of the Shu family's fame as the Iron Wall, meant to the Shu family.
'Of course, that's only if Mr. Ishihan breaks the Protection Talisman. But still, if it's Mr. Ishihan...'
"Alright. Then... seven times. If you can break the Protection Talisman within seven attacks, I will join the group you've created."
"Understood."
Listening from the side, Kyeong-hu thought Shu Yeon-hwa was handling the situation well, not letting herself be swayed by the fact that Ishihan was her benefactor.
'Young Lady Yeon-hwa's Protection Talisman has been acknowledged even by the head of the family. Even the skilled members of the family have to use a powerful skill at least 13 times to break the Young Lady's Protection Talisman.
Even if he annihilated a bandit gang by himself, it's impossible to break the Young Lady's Protection Talisman within seven attacks.'
When Ishihan had proposed breaking the protective barrier as a condition, Kyeong-hu had thought it was arrogant, but he was also a member serving the Shu family.
Since he knew the power of the Shu family's Protection Talisman well and had firm belief in it, his initial thought of arrogance immediately gave way to grudging respect for Ishihan's spirit.
"Shu Yeon-hwa."
"Yes, Mr. Ishihan."
"I will definitely make you join my group."
"Ohohohoho! I'll be cheering for you in my heart! Ah, if you fail, by any chance, would you like to be my bodyguard? I'll pay you handsomely!"
"Y-Young Lady Yeon-hwa!? What are you saying! A bodyguard!"
"Kyeong-hu, please be quiet. Seeing him in the duel today, Mr. Ishihan's skills are quite good."
"I appreciate the offer, but that won't be necessary. Because you will be joining my group today."
"Ohohohoho! I don't dislike that confident look of yours! Of course, reality is not so easy! But I'll be looking forward to it."
Shu Yeon-hwa spread her arms wide and welcomed Ishihan's challenge.
"Now! Mr. Ishihan, please begin! That heart of yours that wants me! I will see it clearly with these two eyes..."
Craaack!
"Huh?"
"What?!"
Shu Yeon-hwa couldn't immediately process what had just happened before her eyes.
Kyeong-hu, who had been watching from the side, was also bewildered, as if something impossible had occurred.
The moment Shu Yeon-hwa had said "that heart!" Ishihan had taken out his spear, assumed his stance, and in a straight line—
He had thrust his spear at the empty space 7cm away from Shu Yeon-hwa's face.
And the extended spear, so easily.
The pride of the Shu family. The core of what was called the Iron Wall. The Protection Talisman of Shu Yeon-hwa, which had been acknowledged even by the head of the family.
It was broken, not in seven strikes, but in a single thrust.
[You have pierced through the Protection Talisman.]
While listening to the pleasant notification sound, Ishihan withdrew his spear and said, filled with the joy of having gained a new group member.
"Shu Yeon-hwa... you are my group member."