Chapter 102
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: Erina Esnatia's Wedding
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After a brief commotion, I finally made it into the classroom.
-Isn't that Kim Si-woo over there?
-Heard he just got back from the Ghoul Field.
The students whispering among themselves.
Not many people approached me first.
'I wasn't expecting it anyway.'
Just a few months ago, I had been E3 class. There was no way these A-class students would welcome someone like me getting this kind of treatment.
I was thinking that as I moved to take my seat.
"Kim Si-woo, as expected of the rival I acknowledge."
A guy approached me, his eyes gleaming.
"Kim Shony?"
"What's with that black-haired foreigner name? Can't you even remember your rival's name properly, Kim Si-woo? It's Kim Shun!"
"Sorry, Kim Sean."
"You're doing it on purpose, aren't you?"
Kim Shun bristled at my words.
But soon enough, he seemed to give up and changed the subject.
"I knew you were great as my rival, but honestly, your performance this time is on another level—hard to top. Still, claiming to be your rival is out of admiration. Don't take it the wrong way."
I had no memory of becoming his rival.
But arguing would just drag this out forever.
"Thanks."
What was this? Kim Shun suddenly showering me with praise and recognition.
He had sharp eyes like Lee Seong-hyeon, giving him a somewhat unpleasant vibe. But his words were straight out of a likable character.
The disconnect was giving me cognitive dissonance.
'Did he hit his head back then or something?'
I wasn't responsible. It was a fair match.
Besides, I'd steered him in a better direction, so it wasn't all bad.
I was suppressing a flicker of guilt when Kim Shun grinned and clapped me on the shoulder.
"No need to be shy. You can have a bit more confidence, Kim Si-woo."
"It's not that."
Kim Shun nodded as if he'd misunderstood my response on his own.
"Acting humble, huh. Word is, most of the swordsmanship faction cheered for your performance? They say you honed your sword skills to the peak without relying on ranged or magic skills."
Memories flashed by of Erina tanking for me and Baek A-rin's skills helping out.
"...What the hell are you talking about?"
I'd noticed the physical class students using sword skills staring a bit differently earlier. So that's what it was.
Honestly, their attention felt a little overwhelming.
It was embarrassing.
As I stayed quiet, Kim Shun smirked and continued.
"I see. Not humility, then—the weight of carrying the title of Sword Emperor."
"Sword... what?"
"Sword Emperor."
"..."
Embarrassing. Sword Emperor? What kind of ridiculous nickname was that?
It felt like increasingly weird titles were sticking to me.
Still, he might be the only one in this class showing me pure goodwill.
Me, Kang Hwa-yeon, and Baek A-rin were tied together by about 98% self-interest, if not a full 100%.
The remaining 2% was sentiment.
Compared to that, this guy had turned over a new leaf after I beat him a few times at the start.
Kim Shun kept treating me with kindness.
It wouldn't be polite to be too cold to him.
Thinking that, I smiled and said,
"Shuntaro. Looking forward to more in the future. Just don't spread that weird nickname around."
Kim Shun rubbed his nose, looking flustered.
"Wh-what's that all of a sudden? Yeah, this must be what youth is about. But my name's not Shuntaro—it's Kim Shun. Don't pin some weird name on a pure Korean like me."
"Same difference."
He stood there with his mouth open in a daze for a moment before sighing with a laugh and offering his fist.
"Fine, names aren't what matter. What counts is passion, youth, and friendship."
Yeah, maybe turning off your brain sometimes isn't so bad.
I bumped my fist against his in a show of friendship and shouted,
"Friendship, Shuntaclaus!"
"Youth, Kim Si-woo!"
That's when a familiar voice came from behind.
"...What kind of idiot talk are you two spouting?"
Baek A-rin, cringing like she'd seen something she shouldn't have. And beside her was Kang Hwa-yeon.
At their appearance, Kim Shoon grinned and said,
"Well, well, as expected of the man I acknowledge. You've got two peerless beauties. I, Kim Shun, the quick-eyed and quick-handed, will take my leave. See you later, Kim Si-woo!"
He spouted nonsense and vanished from sight in an instant—Kim Shuntaein.
No matter how I looked at it, this guy didn't belong in a hunter story. Was he going to possess someone in a wuxia novel soon?
As I marveled, Kang Hwa-yeon turned to me indignantly.
"What happened, Si-woo?!"
"What do you mean, Hwa-yeon?"
Caught off guard by her intensity, I averted my eyes as I responded, and she pressed even harder.
"The Ghoul Field this time! You said nothing would happen. Is a quasi-S-rank dungeon 'nothing'? I should've gone with you!"
Did she think clearing an S-rank dungeon would earn her father's approval?
Kang Hwa-yeon unleashed her fiery complaints.
'That's exactly why I didn't bring her.'
Kang Hwa-yeon had her own schedule to begin with.
I couldn't drag her along just because I had a bad feeling about the Ghoul Field.
Besides, unlike Erina or Baek A-rin, I couldn't fully control her.
Erina griped but listened to me well enough, and Baek A-rin trusted my instincts.
That meant I could persuade them, but Kang Hwa-yeon would flat-out refuse if she felt like it.
But I couldn't exactly explain that.
I looked at Kang Hwa-yeon and said,
"I'm bummed too. How was I supposed to know a quasi-S-rank dungeon would pop up?"
"You knew, Si-woo! I can tell just from that look on your face—super suspicious!"
"..."
"See? Not saying anything!"
Was Kang Hwa-yeon picking up Erina's habits after Baek A-rin? Was this what they meant by bad influences from friends?
As I averted my eyes and stayed silent, Kang Hwa-yeon shook her head and said,
"Well, you and everyone else came back safe, so that's a relief at least."
"Yeah. Body's still in one piece."
Kang Hwa-yeon sighed as she looked at me.
"Still, you clearing a quasi-S-rank all by yourself? I couldn't believe the report. I knew you were strong, but I never imagined you'd catch up to my hunter rank in such a short time."
"How'd you find out?"
"They wouldn't just let the guy who cleared a quasi-S-rank dungeon slide. For public eyes and to tie you to the academy, they'll rush to bump up your hunter rank."
I was impressed by Kang Hwa-yeon's insight.
The investigation wasn't fully complete yet, but I'd heard that for contributing to clearing a quasi-S-rank dungeon, my rank would be upgraded to C-class.
Enrolled as E3, and in just half a year, I'd surpassed Baek A-rin at D-rank and reached the same level as top student Kang Hwa-yeon at C-rank.
'This is gonna be ridiculously noisy.'
Even my unprecedented jump from 3rd to D-rank before had caused a stir. Who knew what commotion this would bring.
Guess I'd just have to humbly accept it.
Then Kang Hwa-yeon asked slyly,
"So, how did you really clear it? What skill?"
"Only one. [Poor Strike]"
Kang Hwa-yeon snorted in disbelief.
"Tell me the truth, Si-woo."
"It is the truth."
It really was.
I'd cleared it by cleverly using Bunny Hop illusions, Fate Intervention, Dark Screen, and True Form, but the biggest contributions were probably [Poor Strike] and [Bunny Hop].
Kang Hwa-yeon eyed me sharply.
"You fight pretty flashy, Si-woo. Think I wouldn't know?"
"Why are you threatening me all of a sudden?"
"'Cause I'm curious about you."
"Fine, it's a bit complicated to explain here, so when we all meet up in the club room later, I'll tell you then."
"Deal, Si-woo."
Kang Hwa-yeon smiled, satisfied.
Skills, huh.
Hiding my skills was impossible with traces from the investigation and testimonies from the other students inside 'Night of Ameris'.
'Lucky part is that Professor Kang Geom-seon and Instructor Lee Dok-sa pulled strings.'
Under the pretext that my having skills beyond my registered skillbook could cause a social uproar, it was agreed to treat the matter as top secret.
They added something about protecting my personal life, but that was probably bullshit.
The academy likely wanted the advantage of exclusively controlling info on me.
In the end, nothing had really changed from before.
Publicly, I was known as the disciple who'd inherited Professor Kang Geom-seon's 'Flash Strike' techniques.
'No need to worry until I get magic skills.'
Then Baek A-rin, who'd been standing beside Kang Hwa-yeon, approached me.
"Kim Si-woo, about what you asked."
"Ah, you looked into it."
Baek A-rin leaned in and whispered,
"Lee Seong-hyeon came back fine."
"Figured as much."
"Looks like he's not telling anyone he was in the dungeon. Even the academy doesn't know he was there."
Yeah, figured.
Lee Seong-hyeon had recovered from his injuries and returned safely.
After Night of Ameris appeared, nearby communication devices had glitched out, unreliable for info.
In that situation, the victim's word—Lee Seong-hyeon's—would carry more weight. He was pretending he hadn't been there at all.
I looked at Baek A-rin and said,
"Thanks for letting me know."
"No big deal."
Baek A-rin brushed her hair back like a fantasy noble lady.
Then, as if something occurred to her, she asked,
"By the way, haven't seen Erina?"
"Erina?"