Chapter 100
Chapter 100
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: Protagonist and Protagonist
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***
“Leonhardt. That cadet in the park. Isn't that Han Cheon-seong?”
“Han Cheon-seong?”
At Yumia's sudden words, Leonhardt blankly turned his head and looked toward the park.
He could see a park bench in the distance. The faint outlines of two cadets were visible. With the black uniform symbolizing a Class C cadet and the characteristic black hair. Though he was only seeing their backs, it certainly looked like Han Cheon-seong.
“It looks like he's with another girl right now.”
“...She's probably a cadet from the same class.”
Even as he answered, a strong sense of curiosity welled up inside him.
Today, a strange rumor about Han Cheon-seong had swept through the Class A lecture hall.
The unbelievable rumor that Han Cheon-seong had found a clue to a skill. The other cadets had all voiced their disbelief, and I, too, had thought the rumor about the skill was just baseless gossip.
No matter how outstanding Han Cheon-seong's talent was, finding a clue to a skill at Trait Level 4 was something that defied all common sense.
However.
Afterward, I heard the truth about the rumor from Instructor Avalanche when he entered the lecture hall.
—The rumor you heard is true. I'm told Han Cheon-seong has found a clue to a skill. I couldn't believe it myself until I heard it directly from Instructor Kalli.
The instructor himself had revealed that the baseless rumor... was true.
Even as I looked at Han Cheon-seong in the distance, my heart was troubled.
While I was just beginning to grasp the clues for my next level, Han Cheon-seong had already surpassed my expectations by a wide margin and was standing far ahead.
“Leonhardt. Since we ran into Han Cheon-seong by chance, why don't we just go and ask him directly?”
As Yumia showed her curiosity, my heart wavered greatly.
But I soon shook my head.
“We might be interrupting them for no reason.”
“We'll find that out when we go talk to them. If we are interrupting, we can just leave. A quick chat should be fine, right? Honestly, I still can't believe it. Is it really possible to find a clue to a skill at Trait Level 4...?”
Even Yumia, who had been indifferent to Han Cheon-seong, was now showing such great interest.
...And I, too, felt a growing desire to confirm it with my own eyes.
I was filled with doubt, wondering if Han Cheon-seong had truly achieved such astonishing growth and if it was even possible.
“Leonhardt. You're curious too, aren't you? Let's just go have a word with him.”
With a tug.
Yumia grabbed my arm and started pulling me along. I couldn't refuse.
…
“Han Cheon-seong. Hello?”
As Yumia offered a rare bright greeting, Han Cheon-seong, whose gaze met theirs, blinked before opening his mouth.
“...Yeah. Yumia, and Leonhardt is with you. What brings you two to the park?”
“We just happened to see you as we were passing by.”
As I responded, Han Cheon-seong looked at me as if he found it strange.
My words might have sounded funny, but that was the truth. Yumia had spotted Han Cheon-seong while we were walking, and now we had approached him to talk.
*Tap.*
Just then, Yumia smiled brightly and took a step forward.
“So, Han Cheon-seong. Who's the cadet you're with? Could you introduce us first, if you don't mind?”
“Alright. She's not in my class, but she's a cadet I met during the Class C Trait training. Her name is Karite.”
As he said that and gestured carefully toward the female cadet, the woman with sky-blue hair peeked at us cautiously, as if hiding behind Han Cheon-seong's back.
For a moment, I found the scene itself fascinating.
“It's just that Karite is a bit shy around strangers...”
As Han Cheon-seong awkwardly spoke for her, I replied casually.
“No, it's fine. It's understandable since we approached so suddenly.”
*'Karite.'*
While etching the woman's name into my memory, I spoke carefully.
“Han Cheon-seong. Sorry to bother you, but could we talk for a moment?”
“Now…?”
“Yes, now. There's something I really need to confirm. It'll only take a moment.”
As I spoke, I couldn't help but give Karite an apologetic look.
I didn't know why she was with Han Cheon-seong, but it was true that I was interrupting them.
Fortunately, Karite responded to my gaze.
“...Han Cheon-seong. I'm fine. You can talk with them.”
“Are you sure?”
”Yes. It's fine.“
”...If you say so.“
Once I had their permission, I looked directly at Yumia.
As our eyes met, with a hint of pleading in mine, Yumia burst out laughing as if she found it absurd.
“Haa. I know exactly what you want. So, Leonhardt, stop looking at me like that.”
“Thanks. I'll leave it to you for a bit, then.”
“Alright. But you'll have to tell me what this is all about later. Got it?”
“Okay. I'll make time.”
As Yumia naturally approached Karite, we ended up splitting into two groups.
Because I wanted to talk with Han Cheon-seong, Yumia had agreed to spend a little time with the female cadet named Karite.
*Tap.*
As the light sound of footsteps faded and Yumia and Karite slowly moved away, I looked straight at Han Cheon-seong.
“Leonhardt. What is it you wanted to talk about?”
Despite his calm question, I felt a strange sense of unease.
*'He doesn't seem to have changed that much.'*
I had expected Han Cheon-seong to have made tremendous progress after finding a clue to a skill, but looking at him closely, there was no significant outward change.
“It's about the rumor going around about you.”
“A rumor about me?”
Seeing Han Cheon-seong furrow his brow, I got straight to the point.
“It's not a bad rumor, just a rather unbelievable one. Since we've met like this, I wanted to get confirmation directly from you. I'll be blunt. The rumor that you've found a clue to a skill. Is it true?”
Even though I already knew the answer, I still had to ask about the truth.
The fact was so unbelievable that I couldn't help but ask.
“If even you've heard the rumor about me... To answer your question, yes. The rumor is true.”
Seeing Han Cheon-seong admit it so calmly, I was momentarily at a loss for words.
*'So it was true.'*
As I thought blankly, I unknowingly clenched my fists.
I wanted to ask how on earth he had found a clue to a skill and if it was even possible, but I couldn't bring myself to say the words.
“So, you came looking for me to confirm that rumor?”
“...I didn't exactly come looking for you. It really was a coincidence. But I wanted to confirm the rumor one way or another. Still, for answering me like this... thank you.”
Even as I replied, I felt like my mind was floating.
Confronting the reality of it directly, the shock I felt was on another level.
It felt as if my heart had suddenly become empty. A phrase I had heard in the past suddenly echoed in my ears.
—Kid. I don't know how high your Trait will be, but the talent you possess is definitely that of a genius. A very rare talent, at that. But you're not the only genius in this world. You must not become complacent.
The voice of my master, who used to say those words to me like a habit. I thought I hadn't been complacent back then.
Because I viewed myself from a position befitting my strength and didn't discriminate against others.
...But.
It felt like my master's words were only now truly reaching my heart.
I had thought that, of course, I wasn't the only genius in this world.
So, beings who surpassed me must also exist. But to experience it like this, now... the feeling was completely different.
“Leonhardt? Why are you suddenly spacing out like that?”
At Han Cheon-seong's words, a hollow laugh escaped me. But that was only for a moment before I shook my head.
“It's just... I'm a little surprised. Han Cheon-seong, I knew your talent was exceptional, but I never imagined it was so incredible that you could already grasp a skill. Anyway, congratulations.”
Even as I offered my congratulations, the emptiness in my heart wouldn't fill.
And I took in the sight of Han Cheon-seong standing before me.
With a Common Trait, he was shining this brilliantly, asserting his presence. It made me start to imagine an impossible scenario.
*'What if......'*
If Han Cheon-seong had been granted a higher Trait than Common, then.... how much more brightly would he be able to shine?
“Thanks for saying so. Still, hearing you talk about talent feels strange. To hear the word 'talent' come from your mouth."
“...Is that strange?”
“Strange? Of course, it's strange. After all, if you think about it, the reason I found a clue to a skill is all thanks to you.”
At his following words, my thoughts seemed to stop.
*'The clue to gaining a skill... came from me?'*
I was unconsciously opening my mouth.
“Han Cheon-seong. What do you mean by that?”
“I learned a lot from my duel with you. And among those things, I felt a strong conviction that I couldn't stay as I was. Looking back, that thought became a major catalyst for me to realize a skill.”
Hearing the words that flowed from his mouth, my mind was just blank.
And as for the duel Han Cheon-seong mentioned, I couldn't count how many times I had thought back to it.
If I had been more careful,
If I had assessed the situation more calmly,
If I had been a little more wary of Han Cheon-seong....
Thinking about that duel, I had been filled with so many regrets.
It was a duel I could have easily won, and it made me re-evaluate my entire mindset.
But.
...it seemed Han Cheon-seong had taken that duel in a completely different way.
—I felt that I couldn't stay as I was.
I couldn't completely understand what Han Cheon-seong's words meant.
But I instinctively understood the broader meaning of his words.
“...Han Cheon-seong. You were looking at what came next.”
“Next?”
“Yes. While I was constantly regretting our last duel, you were looking ahead... to what came next.”
As I spoke, an entirely different thought came to mind.
Perhaps Han Cheon-seong had also thought about how he could have won the last duel, just like me. But I was certain he hadn't regretted it as much as I had.
Compared to me, who dwelled on the past with regret, Han Cheon-seong must have been looking directly at the future.
He poured all his effort into becoming stronger, thinking of the more developed version of himself that would come later.
“......”
As I thought about it, a reasonless laugh escaped me.
'Different.'
He was definitely different from me.
Compared to me, who regretted and reflected on my shortcomings and mindset, Han Cheon-seong's very way of thinking was different.
“Haa.”
I let out a deep sigh and nodded.
The heavy emotions that had filled my chest scattered futilely like dust in the wind, and a refreshing feeling filled the empty space.
“...I think I've seen the path I must take in you.”
As I said it, I felt like I had seen the path to how I should become stronger.
***
*Thud. Tap.*
The distinct footsteps of two people slowly faded into the distance.
Watching Leonhardt and Yumia walk away, Cheon-seong's mind, on the contrary, was a mess.
The recent conversation with Leonhardt.
The guy had kept spouting nonsensical things and then acted as if he'd had an epiphany.
*'He saw his path in me?'*
No matter how many times I thought about it, I couldn't figure out what that ridiculous statement meant.
Leonhardt was the protagonist of this world. So, he shouldn't be finding his path in me.
He was supposed to walk his own path....
“...Han Cheon-seong?”
“Oh. Karite.”
“I didn't know you were close with Class A cadets.”
Looking at Karite, who had finally relaxed after the two had left, I gave an awkward nod.
“Not that... close."
I felt like there were almost no Class A cadets left that I could understand.
In fact, Yumia, who treated me bluntly, seemed easier to understand than Leonhardt and Glacia...
It really felt that way.