Chapter 55
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Wol Family (1)
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Sophia and I wrapped up a simple celebration party the next day, which was Friday.
Due to Yoon Seo-rin's message that she couldn't help with my Mana Bullet training because she had something to do today, I had started swordsmanship training with Wol Ha-yeon early in the morning.
"What did you do yesterday? You look really tired."
Wol Ha-yeon, who had once again mercilessly sliced through the golems and training dummies, tilted her head curiously as she looked at my hollow-eyed face.
I pondered for a moment how to explain it before plopping down on the training ground floor and slowly opening my mouth.
"I had some good news yesterday, so I drank a bit... Maybe that's why? I feel kinda wiped out."
"Drank? What good news made you go drinking?"
Wol Ha-yeon naturally squatted down beside me, meeting my gaze, and continued her questions.
"What was the good news?"
"Nothing big... I finally reached 2nd Circle yesterday."
"...Really? How is that nothing big? That's amazing."
"Right? I'm pretty awesome."
With my body heavy from fatigue, I just flopped straight onto the floor.
"More importantly, didn't you say earlier you had something to tell me? Tell me that. I'll listen while resting."
"Oh, that? Nothing much..."
"...?"
Wol Ha-yeon, about to say something, stared blankly at me lying sprawled out, then flopped down beside me in the same way and continued.
"An announcement will go out to the whole school soon anyway, but I wanted to tell you first."
"...What is it?"
"Demons suddenly appeared in the artificial dungeon evaluation last time, right? And they were elite-level dangerous bugs."
"Yeah, so?"
"Because of that, the academy and association made a decision. They're doing a full internal sweep."
Wol Ha-yeon lay with her arms behind her head, gazing at the sky as she spoke.
"Starting next Monday for a week, the academy will be closed, and classes will switch to online lectures.
They'll probably inspect all the practical buildings, detect unidentified barriers or magic circles,
reactivate the defense systems, stabilize the artificial dungeons and real dungeons inside the academy, and finally have hunter security teams patrol. Something like that?"
"...Hmm. Yeah, makes sense. Even soldier-grade demons popping up would cause a stir for a while, but a fully descended elite-grade demon? No wonder."
'Games and reality really are different.'
Honestly, I hadn't expected the academy to make such a decision at all.
Normally, the moment word got out about demons appearing, it'd be a huge hit to their image,
so they'd probably want to quietly cover it up and pretend nothing happened while carrying on with the schedule.
Looks like the higher-ups actually use their brains in the real world.
"Yeah. Of course, publicly, it'll be announced as safety enhancements."
Wol Ha-yeon lifted the corner of her mouth just a tiny bit.
"No point in letting word about demons get out, right?"
"Well... yeah."
"But—"
She continued in a perfectly casual, nonchalant tone.
"That's not the main point."
"...That's not the main point?"
"Yeah. That's just side info."
"Side info like that...?"
"Why? It's not a big deal."
"You really..."
Closing the academy for a whole week because of an elite-grade demon isn't a big deal?
I couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh.
As if seeing my reaction, Wol Ha-yeon grinned and turned her head toward me.
"Anyway, the real main point is separate."
"What is it?"
"This weekend~"
A brief pause.
Her voice dropped just a tiny bit.
"If you're free, wanna come to my house for a bit?"
"......Huh?"
What? Did I hear that wrong? Inviting me to her house? Her, Wol Ha-yeon?
Me? Why? Is this really Wol Ha-yeon?
In this incomprehensible situation, I half-lost my mind and just stared blankly at her face without any reaction.
Wol Ha-yeon simply smiled with her eyes and stared right back at me.
"Nothing big~ My grandpa wants to see you."
"Your... grandpa?"
"Yeah."
I instinctively sat up straight, adjusting my posture.
"Wait. Your grandpa... so—"
"Wol Cheon-mu."
"Ri... right, I know Wol Cheon-mu."
The number one hunter in the world rankings, the living strongest, the final Sword Star.
The only human to simultaneously awaken two S-Rank unique traits.
A figure from the game I never even got to see once, let alone meet.
And he wants to see me?
"...Why would he want to see me?"
"Well—"
Wol Ha-yeon, still lying on the floor gazing at the sky, continued indifferently.
"Because I talked about you?"
"......"
"Training stories. Stories about fighting together. How fun it is watching you grow. Stuff like that, whenever I had a chance."
"......"
"So he wants to see you himself... but that's too ordinary, right?"
She closed her eyes.
And said it very calmly.
"You probably already have a sense of it, so I'll be honest: Grandpa suspects you."
"......"
"Your unclear past actions and bizarre traits. And that day,
in the artificial dungeon when demons appeared, it was like you anticipated it,
not even flinching at the bugs. No, more precisely, your reaction of surprise at me killing those bugs. All of it seems to have poked at Grandpa's nerves."
"......"
A moment of silence.
Wol Ha-yeon finished her explanation completely nonchalantly, as if she didn't care at all, but I could instinctively feel it.
This wasn't a joke.
"Sorry for handing over your story and the camera footage from back then without your permission. But I had no choice."
Wol Ha-yeon's voice remained serene.
Not lacking guilt, but like someone who had already resolved herself to something.
I slowly inhaled, closing my eyes.
'The situation itself isn't bad.'
If this were the Wol Ha-yeon from the game I knew, the moment suspicion arose, she wouldn't ask like this—she'd subdue me and drag me there by force.
But the Wol Ha-yeon lying next to me now is different.
One living in actual reality, even subtly checking my mood and looking apologetic for some reason.
"It's fine."
I finally answered that way.
"Not your fault. Honestly... I already knew my past was kinda suspicious to a degree, and I figured you'd do that."
I felt Wol Ha-yeon's gaze from beside me.
"...Really?"
"Of course. Not all of it, but I get the responsibility and burden you carry to some extent.
The sole existing SS-Rank Awakener, destined to fight demons on the front lines,
one person with an absolutely unforgiving future ahead."
To my explanation, Wol Ha-yeon said nothing, just staring intently into my eyes.
Silently, like a breeze passing, only our breaths mingled quietly.
"...Thanks."
A sincere voice, trembling very faintly and small.
A moment later, she returned to her usual nonchalant tone.
She twisted her body slightly while lying down, smiling toward me.
"So, this weekend. You'll come to the main house with me, right?"
I nodded.
"Yeah. I'll go."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Not scared?"
"Terrified."
"Then why come?"
"You asked me to."
"......"
Wol Ha-yeon blanked out for a second, then her lips slowly curved up.
And that smile clearly said, without words:
I like that. That's enough.
"Then, Saturday morning at the main gate. Got it?"
"Got it."
I answered, then carefully lay back down beside her, and we gazed at the training room ceiling side by side.
No words, no sounds, just lying together.
In this moment, the fatigue, worries, demons, Oath of Indulgence, Vow of Purity—everything seemed to quiet down.
Peaceful. A very brief peace.
But we both knew how precious that peace was.
The next day, Saturday morning.
In front of the academy main gate.
Unlike usual, hardly any people around, just the light sound of wind brushing past.
I stood there blankly, hands in my pockets.
With a bit of regret.
'...I'm really going. To meet that Wol Cheon-mu~'
If I could, I'd avoid meeting someone with barely any info.
But my mouth had already made the promise, and my feet had brought me here.
"Sorry, did I keep you waiting long?"
I reflexively turned toward the voice.
Wol Ha-yeon wasn't in her usual training clothes but a simple yet stylish coat for going out.
Her hair was softly tied up,
her eyes a bit calmer than usual.
And above all, her expression looked incredibly bright.
"...No. I just got here too."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Sounds like a lie?"
"......"
Ha-yeon chuckled playfully and gave a light chin gesture.
"Let's go. Get in that car."
Only then did I notice the car parked right outside the main gate.
A black, fully armored luxury sedan. License plate: military/association special duty code.
Looks ordinary, but obviously not.
The driver's door opened, and a man in his early 30s got out to greet us.
"Hello! I'm Lee Kang-hyuk, A-Rank hunter from the Wol Family Guard Division!"
His voice was super energetic from the start.
"Uh... um, yes, hello."
"Haha! I've heard a lot about you, Hyun-sol! You look way better than I imagined!"
'Better how?'
I glanced at Wol Ha-yeon.
She said flatly,
"He's always like that. Just ignore him."
"Okay."
"That's right! I'm naturally nosy! Anyway, please get in."
Lee Kang-hyuk familiarly opened the passenger door and the back door.
Me in the passenger seat, Wol Ha-yeon in the back.
Once we were seated and buckled up, he started the engine and pulled away from the academy.
And started small talk super naturally.
"How's academy life? Settling in okay?"
"Ah, yeah... it's... fine."
"Haha! Good to hear! By the way, I heard... you two are pretty close~?"
Thud—!
Wol Ha-yeon in the back kicked the driver's seat.
A silent threat: Don't say useless crap.
Of course, Lee Kang-hyuk ignored it completely, looking at me expectantly.
"Uh... well, training together made us close naturally."
"Ooh~ That's not easy! Wol Ha-yeon is famous for keeping distance from everyone!"
"Oh... is that so."
"But lately, her expressions are so... bright? Hehe, all thanks to Hyun-sol, right? Hahaha!"
"Kang-hyuk."
"Yes?"
"Too much talk."
"Sorryyyy...."
One warning laced with killing intent from Wol Ha-yeon, and Lee Kang-hyuk zipped his lips with a gesture, focusing solely on driving.
Watching him, Wol Ha-yeon pondered briefly, then muttered very quietly.
"...But, is it that obvious?"
"Yes, super bright! Looks great."
"......"
Wol Ha-yeon, as if her question answered, fell silent again.
After that, we chatted lightly here and there for 40 minutes of travel.
"We're here!"
With Kang-hyuk's shout, the car stopped.
I looked out the window.
A mansion surrounded by massive granite walls.
To my eyes, trained in barrier arts, even a protective barrier vast enough to cover the sky was visible.
"This is..."
Wol Ha-yeon's main home.
The Wol Family.
A place only visible after piercing extreme odds to max her affection at 100.
Wol Ha-yeon, seeing me staring blankly up at the house, quietly said,
"Welcome to our home, Hyun-sol."