The End of Lies (1)
The mock battle that followed was against Team 2-B, led by Setia. Because Team 2-A's roster had been almost entirely overhauled, Team 2-B's lineup didn't look much different from before. As expected, the only cadet of note was Wilhelm. However, unlike last time, when we were rendered completely helpless by Wilhelm's suppression fire, the dynamic was entirely different this time.
On the "tank" side, we could simply ignore Wilhelm's ranged harassment thanks to our support mage's Magic Shield. As for the mages, it was impossible for him to suppress them because I stayed glued to their side, constantly active with my Wind Authority. Naturally, the result was our victory.
"Still, it seemed the enemy had analyzed the characteristics of our tactics and prepared for them."
I pointed to the chess pieces arranged on the tactical board to review the flow of today's battle.
Based on the last mock battle—where their two clustered mages were wiped out instantly by Yoo Seora's attack, and the rest fell to the siege defense mounted by Bell and me—they had devised a strategy of their own. They had dispersed their forces across different sectors to avoid being annihilated all at once by Yoo Seora.
But that was not a wise choice. Even without Yoo Seora, Elsie alone was more than capable of defeating such scattered enemies one by one. Although Wilhelm did manage to take down the Three Idiots all by himself with his godlike marksmanship, it wasn't a significant loss to our overall combat power.
"Damn it, we want protection from the archer too," they grumbled.
To their complaints, I replied calmly.
"In a standard battle, ordinary swordsmen or spearmen don't receive constant protection from archers. They constantly monitor the enemy archer's position and move from cover to cover."
"But those two..."
"If you can develop one-on-one combat skills on par with Elsie, or one-versus-many capabilities like Yoo Seora, then I'll consider it."
That shut them up. Of course, they were probably the ones feeling the most frustrated. I knew that all too well.
I wasn't always as strong as Elsie or Yoo Seora either.
I understood how they felt. But I couldn't expect them to grow the way I did. Looking back, the path of growth I had walked was utterly absurd. Therefore, the best advice I could offer them was strictly fundamental.
"The three of you should start by practicing how to coordinate your movements. Just doing that will make you a decent force."
Calling them the Three Idiots was half-jest. No matter how foolishly they acted, they still possessed enough strength to gain admission to the prestigious Hero Academy. In the first place, they were born with far better physical specs than I ever was.
"Of course, our next and final mock battle is against Team 1-A. I don't expect you to defeat their elites in direct combat. But if you can achieve even a basic level of coordination..."
I moved my hand across the tactical board.
"True..."
"Maybe we can actually pull this off?"
They seemed convinced by my strategy. Ultimately, the crucial part was whether they could coordinate well enough to execute it. Fortunately, there was still plenty of time left before the next mock battle.
I can only hope they manage to sync up in the meantime.
Our current composition, characterized by a "tank" and a "two-person artillery," was certainly not bad. But that alone didn't guarantee a win against the absolute elite of Team 1-A. In fact, the odds of us losing were much higher.
Team 1-A has been undefeated so far.
Team 1-A was the cream of the crop, a gathering of the most exceptionally talented cadets. This had been a tradition ever since Sigrid took over as their instructor. To defeat them...
I have no choice but to rely on the Three Idiots.
And if my calculations were correct, there was definitely a role they could play.
The mock battle against Team 1-A...
It was practically the most important match of all. Evaluation points weren't awarded solely based on victory or defeat; they scaled depending on the caliber of the opponent. If we won, we might be able to propel Yoo Seora's rank to the absolute top tier, and Elsie's to the upper tier.
"By the way, Sung Yu-rang, how are you so incredibly skilled at tactics?"
The sudden question came from Bell, our mage.
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
It was a thought that had never crossed my mind. Me, skilled at tactics?
"How should I put it? It's like... you're meticulous at times, yet incredibly bold at others. It feels highly professional."
At those words, I looked around at the other team members. I saw Yoo Seora quietly nodding. The others seemed to agree as well.
Me, skilled at tactics?
There was a clear reason why I had never thought of myself that way. Throughout my journey, even when operating alone, I had made countless misjudgments. Starting from my very first encounter with the wolves, to the incident with the 71st Demon King, and most recently, my failure to save Libero. The thought of whether I could have made a better decision back then always haunted my mind.
And yet...
Right now, I was making tactical decisions with considerable boldness. It was a stark contrast to my usual, overly cautious self. And the reason this was possible was obvious.
Is it because the space where these mock battles take place isn't reality?
Without realizing it, I had begun treating these mock battles as if I were playing a game. The flow of the mock battles was highly reminiscent of the team-based competitive games Sung Yu-rang used to play, so in a way, it was only natural to feel that way. That was the key difference between the other cadets and me.
While it's fair to view this as an advantage for now...
I doubted whether I could maintain this edge outside of mock battles. After all, the only reason I could make such bold, cold-blooded decisions was because there were no real stakes. On the other hand, in reality, where failure directly translated to the deaths of my comrades... honestly, I didn't want to make such daring calls.
That was exactly why...
I had always chosen to act alone.
After the debriefing of today's mock battle and the strategy meeting for the next one concluded, I was left alone in the meeting room. Yes, I had always been more accustomed to this than team play.
Though, strictly speaking, I'm not actually alone right now.
I spoke in a quiet voice.
"Elsie, how long do you plan on hiding?"
At my words, Elsie materialized from a dark corner of the meeting room. She must have been concealing herself with Optical Modification. However, because she was hiding too close, she had been picked up by my Wind Authority.
"How did you notice me?"
There was no reason not to tell her. It was an ability I hadn't revealed to Elsie even when I was Alan. Sharing it now wouldn't help her deduce my true identity anyway.
"You know that ability of mine that deflects arrows? I detected you with that."
"Is that ability of yours some kind of cheat-all?"
Considering it could even accelerate my sword strikes, it practically was a cheat-all. But that wasn't the point right now.
"So, why have you been following me around like this?"
For the past few months, she had seized every opportunity to stalk me, hiding her presence with Optical Modification. I had done my best to ignore her until now, but I had a feeling I couldn't let it slide any longer. The time had come for a proper conversation.
I need to make it clear that I am not Alan.
Because I trusted Gwen, she was the only one I had revealed my identity to. While I had been forced to show Yoo Seora my swordsmanship, we had subsequently struck a deal to ensure she kept it a secret. But to Elsie...
I cannot tell her.
It wasn't a matter of trusting Elsie. I simply didn't want her getting involved in what I had to do. If she realized who I was, she would undoubtedly try to follow me.
"Answer me. Why are you following me?"
But Elsie did not answer. She merely stared at me, her eyes locked onto mine. A sudden chill of fear washed over me at her uncharacteristically cold gaze.
"If you don't have a reason, could you please stop following me?"
I turned around. I took a step forward, trying to escape the room. It was at that exact moment.
"Ugh...!"
Something pressed against my back. Then, a sudden pressure wrapped around my waist. I didn't even need to look back.
"Elsie?"
She was hugging me from behind. Startled, I tried to pry her arms off, but her strength stat had already far surpassed mine.
"Um, what are you doing..."
"I knew it. It really is you."
"What?"
I felt a warmth pressing against my back. Judging by the sensation, it was her face.
"This scent... I knew I was right."
"What on earth are you..."
Then, a small, muffled, yet clearly agonizing shriek escaped her throat. It was a sound so painful to hear that it cut straight to the heart.
"Please, stop this already!"
Faced with that desperate cry, I could no longer run away. I gave up trying to pry her arms off and let my hands drop limply to my sides. It was a silent sign of surrender. Left with no other choice, I spoke.
"Yes. It's me."
At that moment, a quiet sobbing began to echo from behind me. I felt my back gradually growing damp. To be honest, I had picked up on subtle hints here and there, and I had expected this day to come eventually. But still...
It happened much faster than I thought.
My original plan was to keep her in the dark until graduation. But she had pierced through my disguise far sooner than anticipated. And... even though I hadn't been deceiving her for that long, the weight of my guilt was immense. It hurt far more than I had ever imagined. Even though I knew this lie was meant to protect her, the tears soaking into my back filled me with agonizing pain.
"Why... why did you have to deceive even me?"
It was perhaps a bit too early, but it seemed the time had come to explain the reasons behind my deception. It would have been ideal if she had remained fooled, but it wasn't too late. I had to explain my circumstances and convince her.