Next Holy Emperor (1)
The female students in the Combat Department had realized they didn't stand a chance and given up, but that didn't mean Seong Hyun-jin could wander around without drawing attention. Only the Combat Department students had witnessed him dating both Serena and Siela, and it wasn't common knowledge among students from other departments. As such, women kept approaching him wherever he went, and while Serena and Siela stayed vigilant, they couldn't stick to him every single moment of the day. Every time he returned to the dorm, his arms were overflowing with letters and gifts, leaving the two girls with no choice but to feel dissatisfied.
"Honey, that stuff..."
"Don't worry. I'm just gonna toss it all. I didn't wanna dump it right in front of them, so I brought it back, but no need to fret."
Seong Hyun-jin always said the same thing, and he did dispose of everything. But that didn't mean they could just sit back and watch girls keep flocking to him. He seemed to be holding it together for now, but if his self-control slipped at some point and he caused an incident, that would be a real problem. The girls targeting him wouldn't back off just because his condition was off—they'd exploit it. They needed some kind of countermeasure.
When Seong Hyun-jin headed to his room to study, Serena and Siela gathered in the lobby, their faces sullen as they talked.
"...Those shameless bitches keep coming onto my man."
"...Your wording's a bit harsh, but I get the feeling."
The nearest enemy could become the closest ally at any moment, or so they said. To resolve the situation, Serena and Siela put their heads together.
"We need an alternative."
"Yeah."
Not long ago, these two had argued so fiercely their relationship had grown awkward, but now they were united in protecting Seong Hyun-jin.
"The best way would be to swat away any girls who approach him while we're by his side."
"Set up a perimeter, right?"
Serena nodded and continued.
"I'll stick close during classes. Our department girls seem to have gotten the hint and backed off, but..."
"The real issue is after classes... Neither I nor you can hover around Hyunjin 24/7."
It was tough for Siela and Serena to always be glued to him—he had his personal time, and boyfriends naturally spent moments apart from their girlfriends. That's when the lusty hyenas eyed those opportunities, leading to all the love letters and gifts piling up.
"We need a solid solution..."
Serena muttered, then suddenly remembered something and spoke up.
"...What if we report Hyunjin's current condition to the Dean?"
"Huh?"
"Then the academy would step in to prevent any potential scandals. The simplest way: they could issue an official temporary school rule barring female students from approaching Seong Hyun-jin."
"...That's actually a good idea?"
Siela said.
"We can just hang out together back at the dorm anyway."
"Right. It's a shame we can't walk around outside together, but..."
"I'll talk to Master about it."
"Let's go together. If I back you up as a witness, the Dean might take it more seriously."
"Yeah, more mouths can't hurt in a case like this."
Serena and Siela nodded, left the dorm, and headed for the dean's office.
"Master, it's me."
"Ah, come in. I was just about to call for you."
"Pardon?"
Siela tilted her head, and Serena glanced at her curiously. Siela shook her head to indicate nothing was wrong, so Serena tilted her own head and asked.
"Did something happen?"
"Who knows."
We'll find out once we go in, Siela thought as she opened the door. Both she and Serena were a bit taken aback.
There were three people in the dean's office. Eleonora, the dean herself, and Hakodate Karin, who was staying there. And seated boldly at the head of the table was a kindly old man. His long, snow-white beard and gentle face gave him the air of a wise, neighborhood grandpa, but his sharply angled shoulders and sturdy build evoked a veteran warrior who had stormed battlefields for decades. His distinctive appearance, combined with the pristine white holy robes marking his status, made his identity crystal clear.
"...Your Holiness the Holy Emperor?"
"May the Father's blessings be with you. Nice to meet you, little stars."
Holy Emperor Jerónimo VIII. For some inexplicable reason, he had shown up in the Terastial Academy dean's office.
Knock knock.
While Serena and Siela were away at the dean's office, Seong Hyun-jin, deep in his studies, looked up at the knock. Assuming it was one of the two girls, he opened the door casually—and was mildly surprised.
"Whoa, why... Clarice?"
"Greetings, Seong Hyun-jin."
It wasn't Serena or Siela at the door, but Clarice Levatein.
"I'm here too, junior."
"Oh, Elena-senior's here as well."
And beside her stood Elena Apocalipse.
"What's up?"
Seong Hyun-jin asked while carefully ensuring his body didn't act on its own in front of them.
"We haven't sparred lately because of your condition, right?"
"Yeah. It's still a bit risky..."
"Even now?"
"Seems okay for the moment."
Whether because Siela and Serena had helped relieve his urges recently, the involuntary hand movements hadn't happened lately. Thanks to that, he could focus on studying even with girls approaching constantly.
"Glad to hear it. We actually need your help, junior."
"My help?"
"Final exams are coming up, and Clarice wants to tweak something before then."
Clarice gave a slight nod and said.
"There's a sword technique I want to perfect before the finals."
"A new one?"
"Not new. I was trying to improve our family's sword style, but it's not working out..."
Seong Hyun-jin nodded in understanding, but wondered why she needed to show him specifically.
"Couldn't Elena-senior look at it?"
"Even I couldn't figure it out."
Elena said with an awkward smile. Then she met Seong Hyun-jin's eyes directly.
"But you could give Clarice a clear answer. So, could you help out a bit?"
"Please."
Clarice bowed her head politely, and Seong Hyun-jin naturally agreed to help. He had studying to do, but there was no reason to refuse looking over Clarice's sword as originally planned.
"Sure. Shall we head to the training grounds then?"
"Yes."
Seong Hyun-jin set aside his books and followed the two out of the dorm. The maids watching quietly gossiped among themselves.
"He's always surrounded by girls..."
"And they're all beauties."
Of course, Clarice and Elena hadn't taken Seong Hyun-jin out for that reason. But having seen him return daily with armfuls of gifts and letters, the maids couldn't help but misunderstand.
"Wasn't he already dating Siela and Serena?"
"Where do you find a guy like that? They're all swooning over him."
"And he's accepting it."
"...Gotta be that face."
Unbeknownst to him, Seong Hyun-jin was turning into a playboy casanova in the eyes of the dorm maids.
Oblivious to it all, he arrived at the training grounds and told Clarice.
"Show me once. Generate a demon beast that looks human-like."
"Understood."
Sword techniques were easiest to evaluate against bipedal foes resembling humans. If he had time, he'd spar directly to feel it out and advise, but as the department top student, he needed to study. So he'd come to the training grounds for a simulation instead.
Clarice activated the training room's simulation system and raised her hefty greatsword. A virtual demon beast, a frost giant, appeared before her.
"...A frost giant?"
It was a monster only formal Levatein knights could handle. Clarice was exceptional, of course, but it seemed mismatched for testing a practice technique—when suddenly.
"Levatein Ancient Sword Style Second Form: Modified."
Along the blade of the greatsword Clarice gripped with both hands, flames like molten lava surged up.
BOOM────!!
Time elapsed: 0 min 22 sec
With a powerful surge of lava flames, her sword strike cleanly bisected the frost giant, ending the simulation. Before the virtual beast vanished, the deep gash from Clarice's strike was visible—nearly cleaving its body in half.
Seong Hyun-jin commented.
"...You did change something."
"Yes."
"But is this the max power it normally reaches?"
"You saw right away."
Clarice sighed and explained.
"The power has increased, but not to a satisfying level. I think it needs to be even stronger."
"Yeah, it looks that way."
"Yes, but no matter how I tweak it, it won't go beyond this..."
"Lemme see the sword."
Seong Hyun-jin extended his hand to Clarice.
"I'll try it my way once."
Clarice blinked in surprise.
"...You only saw it once?"
"I've seen it before. When you fought."
"That was in the middle of war..."
Clarice stared at him blankly, then handed over her sword when he didn't withdraw his hand. He gripped the greatsword lightly in one hand, swung it experimentally, and assumed a similar stance. The difference was two hands versus one, but the power output was comparable.
"Watch closely."
Seong Hyun-jin activated the simulation.
"Levatein Ancient Sword Style Second Form: Modified."
He couldn't replicate the lava, but without relying on any special powers—like Sword Star Hakodate Karin—he was confident he could unleash a strike stronger than hers.
CRACK────!!
Clarice's eyes widened. The frost giant's body, which her strike had only half-cleaved, was now fully split in two. She couldn't easily grasp how he'd done it.
"See that, Clarice?"
"N-No. Once more..."
"...Whoa, so that's it."
Clarice hadn't understood, but the genius beside her instantly grasped the change and her eyes sparkled.
"You twisted your wrist inward more when swinging, right? Seemed more inward than yours, Clarice."
"Exactly."
"And your step width affects it too."
"One finger joint less than yours. Even minor stance differences create massive power gaps in any sword art."
Seong Hyun-jin explained more specifically to Clarice.
"Use wrist rotation. No need to heft a greatsword like dead weight—that lets you put way more force into the swing."
Clarice dazedly watched the two geniuses. She hadn't pinpointed her own issue or the difference in Seong Hyun-jin's strike... yet one spotted the flaw instantly, and the other deduced the tweak on sight. In swordsmanship, they were untouchable beings from another realm—she felt it in her bones.
But.
"...Yes, I'll try it."
She wouldn't break. Even knowing they were leagues beyond her, the heir to the Levatein blade stood firm—like a winter tree enduring heavy snow and biting cold without bending.
Seong Hyun-jin smiled in satisfaction and handed back the sword.
"Good. Keep at it till you get it yourself. Hit me up anytime you get stuck. I'll check in occasionally."
"Thank you."
Clarice took the sword and returned to the training area. Seong Hyun-jin turned to Elena.
"Then I'll head back. Got studying left."
"Ah, yes. Thanks, junior. Could you maybe look at mine sometime too?"
"Anytime."
Seong Hyun-jin gladly promised and turned to leave.