The Silver Ring
The appointment ceremony for the disciple. Lee Seonghyun's vessel was closer to that of a dullard. His unique skill was mediocre, and his other skills were pitiful. But.
A genius.
A combat genius. He instinctively sensed the flow of battle and turned it to his advantage. Yet the limits of the abilities he possessed were unavoidable. No matter how much he racked his brain or wove schemes, a single Meteor from Han Yuri or Eternal Snow from Lee Seol would end everything.
Then Thunder God was given to him. Power had come to the once-pathetic man.
"What the hell is that……."
"I never thought Lee Seonghyun could be at that level……."
Lee Seonghyun was fending off Lee Seol's attacks with Thunder God. The monstrous activation speed of her skill. And its versatility.
Honestly, that ability is better in her hands than mine.
A woman who was the complete opposite of herself. Yet Han Yuri thought,
Lee Seonghyun is no pushover either.
Thunder God. A skill specialized in ensnaring the mind and soul.
"Professor Jeong, can you see that……?"
"W-well……."
Even the A-rank professors could only chase after blurry afterimages. Monsters. Lee Seonghyun, who moved at such speed, was a monster, but Lee Seol, who responded to it, was no less of one.
As Lee Seonghyun's speed gradually increased, Lee Seol's ice vines accelerated to match. A clash between monsters. This was already—
"This isn't a student-level duel anymore……."
A professor's muttered words. All the other professors closed their mouths as if in agreement.
Before long, Lee Seonghyun accelerated once more.
The match was decided.
In a single instant.
Lee Seonghyun's sword was touching Lee Seol's palm.
"I-is it over……?"
"Haha. Well, this is……"
The outcome had been decided in a single exchange. The professors let out hollow laughs. Yet every face was filled with admiration.
One professor smacked his lips as though he wanted to claim Lee Seonghyun as his own disciple. Another even offered Irena congratulations.
But Han Yuri knew. Lee Seol had gone easy on him. She was the girl who blamed herself for Lee Seonghyun being trapped in a dungeon and nearly dying. Now that a chance to repay that debt had come, she would never let it slip by.
So she had approached Lee Seonghyun. To obtain that one card called a favor.
It's cowardly, but……this is my way.
Lee Seonghyun had fought well. Well enough to draw admiration from everyone. But Lee Seol was in a league of her own. The power of absolute zero that seemed to freeze even time.
Among the videos she had sent Lee Seonghyun, she had deliberately omitted only those. If he saw them, he would surely fall into despair and give up.
I turned my gaze toward the training grounds. Compared to this festive atmosphere, the other side looked grim.
"H-Hyun-ah, why are you crying?"
Lee Seonghyun was crying. Head lowered toward the floor, he quietly shed tears. His expression was heartbreaking, as though he had achieved the greatest wish of his life. I didn't know what those tears were for. But—
If even a little of the hatred in your heart has been eased……
That was enough for me.
***
The disciple appointment ceremony. Today, Irena's long-vacant position of disciple would finally be announced. At the news, reporters and guild officials flocked to the Academy. The students still didn't know who the disciple would be, but the reporters already knew from the press materials distributed in advance.
Perhaps because of that, the reporters were scrambling to secure the best spots.
While Reporter Kim fiddled with his laptop, his friend Reporter Choi sat down beside him.
"It hasn't started yet, right?"
"Can't you tell by looking?"
Reporter Kim answered curtly, still tapping away at his laptop. Reporter Choi nudged him.
"Hey, why are you so lifeless? Something happen?"
"I don't know why I have to be covering some brats' disciple appointment ceremony. I doubt this'll even make a decent article."
"Oh, you idiot. You've been chasing only rankers so long you've lost your sense."
"What are you talking about?"
Reporter Choi continued while setting up his camera.
"You know how the Baekho Guild got wrecked, right?"
"Who doesn't know that?"
"The one who destroyed them was Lee Seonghyun."
"What?! Has that been fact-checked?"
At Reporter Kim's shock, Reporter Choi's lips curled into a smirk.
"Everyone who needs to know already knows. There's this girl named Shin Suyeon who's close to Lee Seonghyun. Kim Seongho messed with her. And a week later, everything went to hell. Kim Seongho and the Baekho Guild both."
"A twenty-year-old kid with no connections whatsoever……"
"No connections, my ass."
Reporter Choi let out a dry laugh and handed her three photos. They showed Lee Seol, Han Yuri, and Irena.
"In just one hour, both the Academy and the Association tore into the Baekho Guild. You get what that means, right?"
Only then did the slow-witted Reporter Kim grasp the outline.
"Then that recent outbreak-type dungeon was connected too?"
"Yeah. Rumor has it Han Yuri went wild at the scene and the retired Irena used her abilities, though I don't know the details."
"Insane. Seriously……."
Only then did Reporter Kim understand why so many people had gathered for what was supposedly just a disciple appointment ceremony—and how far he had drifted from the real field.
"We will now begin the disciple appointment ceremony."
Reporter Kim's previously listless eyes began to sparkle.
***
Irena's office. Before the ceremony, she had called me separately, so I came here. Knock? I didn't bother. I simply turned the handle and walked in.
"What about knocking?"
"I did it in my heart."
"Ha……Understood."
When I sat down, she brought out an etiquette tea set. Then, with a serious expression, she spoke.
"The reason I called you is regarding the appointment ceremony congratulations."
"……."
"Usually, during the ceremony, parents or other relatives present a bouquet of flowers as congratulations. However……"
Irena hesitated for a moment before taking my hand.
"I looked at the family register you submitted at enrollment and saw that both your parents have passed away. It seems you have no other siblings either…… Do you have any other relatives?"
"No."
"Even a cousin would be fine. Or a more distant relative……"
"There isn't anyone. No one at all."
The sharp tone slipped out before I realized it. Irena's hand, holding mine, trembled slightly.
"I don't care about family congratulations or anything like that. Just proceed with the ceremony."
"Understood……"
From the beginning, the people listed on the family register were nothing more than stand-ins. My real family would surely be celebrating me from the sky. Yes. They definitely would.
Wanting to steer away from the unfavorable topic before Irena could bring it up again, I changed the subject.
"Professor, may I ask a favor regarding our contract?"
The contract. The one agreement we had made in the hospital room. At my words, Irena's expression grew even more serious.
"What is it?"
"Please open the Hall of Challenge."
"……"
Ever since Yeon Hyoju's death, the Hall of Challenge had remained closed. At first, I thought it would open eventually if I waited, but—
Damn it, it's been almost a month. How is it still not open?
At my request, Irena bowed her head apologetically.
"I'm sorry. That is beyond my authority."
"Even as acting principal?"
"I am the acting principal, but the Hall of Challenge requires approval from the entire faculty. Especially when students' lives are at stake."
She explained why opening the Hall was so difficult.
"It's truly shameful, but we still haven't been able to determine the exact cause of Yeon Hyoju's death."
"Wasn't it a teleportation error?"
"We couldn't confirm it. The teleportation artifact itself that connects to that area was completely destroyed. We're still testing whether only that one was affected or if all of them were, so we've suspended any decision."
Even so, she nodded as if there was still hope.
"We're inspecting all the teleporters right now. Once the inspection is complete, the professors who were opposed should change their minds. So please wait just a little longer."
"Yes, I understand."
"Thank you for understanding. Then let's head out. It's time to begin the ceremony."
"Yes."
As I stood up, I noticed a bottle on the shelf I hadn't seen before. A small container filled with white capsules.
"Is that medicine?"
"……No. It's just vitamins."
"Right, you're at the age where you need to manage your health……"
"What did you say?"
"Nothing."
She hurriedly put the bottle from the shelf into a drawer.
"Let's go."
"Yes."
***
All the first-year students had gathered in the auditorium because of the disciple appointment ceremony. Small sparks of anticipation lit their faces. It was that feeling—knowing it wouldn't be them, yet still secretly hoping.
"I'm voting for Lee Seol."
"Nah, I'd rather have the D-rank Han Yuri."
"Han Yuri's got a bad attitude, so the professor probably won't pick her."
The prevailing opinion was split between Han Yuri and Lee Seol. As the two most outstanding first-years, there was no other contention.
Han Yuri, the very subject of discussion, poked my side and chuckled.
"You must be disappointed that no one thinks it's you?"
"Disappointed, my ass."
"Liar. It's written all over your face."
Han Yuri's scanner must be broken.
"Seonghyun could've been a candidate too…… These kids have no eye for talent."
"There you go again, siding with your friend."
"Yuri, you should cheer for him now so he'll buy you drinks later!"
I could only manage a bitter smile at their conversation.
Ten minutes later, Irena stepped onto the stage.
"We will now begin the disciple appointment ceremony."
A hush fell over the auditorium. A strange tension. Some students fidgeted anxiously with their hands, others tapped their feet restlessly. Deep down, they all wished it would be them.
"First-year Class A, Lee Seonghyun. Please come up to the stage."
The crowd stirred.
"What? Lee Seonghyun? Oh, if it's that Lee Seonghyun, then……"
"It's unexpected, but Lee Seonghyun is acceptable."
Though the outcome was surprising, no one thought Irena's choice was strange.
Beating up Kim Seongho was worth it.
Thanks to that, I was able to ascend the stage without a single objection.
Click, click, click.
The sound of camera shutters echoed from all directions. As I stood on the stage, Irena approached me with a complicated expression.
"I hereby appoint you as my disciple."
She slipped a ring onto the index finger of my right hand. Proof that I was Irena's disciple—a silver ring the same color as her hair.
Irena clasped the hand wearing the ring. Her eyes, gazing at me, held a wistful look. For the second time, she was seeing Lee Seongyul through me. Tears gently welled in her eyes. Those tears contained all her emotions compressed within them.
"If you cry here, you'll be buying drinks for the rest of your life, you know?"
"……I didn't cry."
She looked up at the sky to hold back her tears, then smiled brightly at me.
"We've come this far, haven't we?"
"We have."
The words were short, yet carried many meanings. When we first met, I never imagined I would become her disciple. In fact, I never thought we could even get along. Someone who wanted to move forward and someone who wanted to stop—two people who could never coexist. In the end, it had concluded with Irena being cursed. But now—
She wants to push me forward.
To help me advance more safely, to leap even higher. She embraced me tightly, wearing the most beautiful smile I had ever seen from her.
"Please take care of me from now on."
Today, I became her disciple.