Chapter 82: Exchange Match (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 82: Exchange Match (5)
Yoon Chae-ha had gobbled up the Remains of the Evil God.
Therefore, I needed to check on her.
Any interference from demonic energy would undoubtedly leave a trace in the system.
Heroes could view each other’s systems with mutual consent.
“I think I need to check something. This could be a little dangerous.”
On the pretext of checking her status, I gave her a brief explanation and requested she share her system with me.
Normally, such a request would be refused. For a hero, it was tantamount to baring their very soul.
At the very least, it was rare for someone to agree so readily from the start.
However.
“Ah, uh… just a moment.”
Yoon Chae-ha quickly turned her head away, her face flushed red all the way to her earlobes as she quietly nodded.
A moment later, a system window appeared.
====
[Authority: A Priori]
① Piercing Eye
— You cannot hide, nor can you be hidden.
② A Priori Knowledge
— The essence is already determined.
③ Seeker of Hunger
— Devours, analyzes, and absorbs all that exists.
====
I already knew about the first two.
They were Yoon Chae-ha’s unique traits, which she had unlocked as a child.
But the third one…
What is this?
In the original story, if Yoon Chae-ha failed to connect with the protagonist, she would hit a wall and never attain her third sub-authority.
But if she succeeded, she would gain an epiphany from the protagonist and unlock it.
The problem was, the name of that sub-authority was supposed to be [Inferno].
A scorching flame that suited her attribute perfectly.
But the name floating before my eyes was…
Seeker of Hunger?
What the hell is this?
Just then.
“Is something… wrong?”
As I was staring intently at the system window in mid-air, Yoon Chae-ha leaned in close.
Her eyes were wide and bright, her breath just a hair's breadth away.
I instinctively pulled my head back.
She tilted her head, gazing at me.
I took a small breath and shook my head.
“No. Nothing.”
Surprisingly, I meant it.
After mobilizing both All-Encompassing Perception and the state of a True Person, I found no trace of external interference within her.
To be precise, there had been traces, but they were now completely blocked.
I could feel only one thing.
A colossal energy that had taken root inside her.
She accepted it too well.
I never imagined she could absorb it at such a speed.
What mattered now was how well she could handle that energy.
The energy from the Remains was vast and powerful.
If she didn't tune it perfectly, it would soon run rampant or become hopelessly tangled.
A colossal energy that even I couldn't fully grasp.
My original plan had been to share my knowledge, offer her direction, and work with her to interpret and absorb it step by step.
Slowly, over a long period of time, by her side.
But the situation now…
I might not be of any help here.
It would have been different if she had absorbed it slowly with me from the beginning.
But to think I could control this energy, which had already settled inside her in a single instant, with my own methods was pure arrogance.
Interfering half-heartedly would only disrupt the flow.
It would be better to keep my hands off entirely.
She would manage just fine on her own.
In her own way. At her own pace.
No intensive care or guidance.
Just elixirs, equipment, and other material support.
When it came to magical thinking, her Authority was superior to mine.
There was no need to confine her magical creativity within the framework of my methods.
She stared at me, her eyes wide.
Then, she carefully opened her mouth.
“Um, if there’s no problem… then… I’ll be in your care?”
I nodded.
My direction for Yoon Chae-ha was set.
A hands-off approach.
And observation.
I would watch over her, but not from up close, correcting every little thing as I had been.
“Yeah. Okay.”
This was the best way.
*
The top floor of Glory.
A space where elegant lighting cast a soft glow.
A faint, pleasant scent lingered in the air, and beyond the transparent glass walls, the city’s nightscape unfolded.
This was Kang A-rin’s office.
The very atmosphere of the place was enough to put anyone on edge.
Indeed, countless employees who had been summoned here had been forced to swallow their tears in secret before Kang A-rin’s icy gaze.
However.
“Hee-hee~ ♪ Hmm~ ♫”
That had nothing to do with Cheon Yeo-wool.
She twirled in front of the glass wall, humming a little tune.
A light spin, her toes tapping the floor.
Kang A-rin glanced at the source of the noise before her eyes returned to the document on her desk.
“Get out.”
A single, cold command.
But Yeo-wool didn't even pretend to listen.
Her reason for being here was clear.
Ostensibly, she was attending as the representative of the Arcadia Cult to discuss the Association’s reward assessment and negotiations with Glory, but…
Look at her glow.
Kang A-rin narrowed her eyes.
The change in her complexion, the clear overflow of holy power—it was obvious at a glance.
She couldn't hide it even if she tried. Not that she was trying.
She’d clearly managed to squeeze something else out of Hae-in.
And now she was here to rub it in.
Eventually, Cheon Yeo-wool perched herself on the corner of Kang A-rin’s desk.
Then she began to chirp like a lark.
“He personally placed the crown on my head with his own hands, in front of everyone. Honestly, even I was a little surprised. It was my first time.”
“……”
“But, you know, it felt good to receive it. It was like he was declaring that I was his, or maybe like I was being possessed… I was this close to just… right then and there…”
Cheon Yeo-wool trailed off, clenching her fists tightly before letting them fall limp.
“When the hell is this restriction going to be lifted… It’s so frustrating…”
Here we go again.
Kang A-rin felt her stomach slowly churn.
She held back her irritation and quietly turned a page.
And in that moment.
An idea struck her.
“Anyway, with the cross, the ring, and now the tiara, he’s already given me so many things…”
Just as Cheon Yeo-wool was proudly counting on her fingers, boasting.
“Then I suppose you’re about to be neglected?”
Heh.
Kang A-rin spoke with a placid smile.
The smile on Cheon Yeo-wool’s face slowly faded.
Her expression hardened as she tilted her head slightly and asked back.
“…What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“What do you mean? You know what Hae-in is like.”
Kang A-rin put down her pen and looked up.
She met Cheon Yeo-wool’s eyes directly.
“Look at Yu Hana. She got the Dongbaek Sword, got all excited showing off her skills, and now that he thinks she’s grown enough, she’s being neglected. She’s practically dying over it, and it’ll probably stay that way for a while.”
“…She’s her own person.”
Cheon Yeo-wool bit her lip, forcing a smile as she retorted, but her voice trembled slightly.
Kang A-rin shrugged.
“Now that you’ve been officially appointed as the Saintess and your divine power is all filled up… Oh my? Is it your turn to be thrown away, Saintess…?”
“Shut up.”
Thwack.
Yeo-wool slapped the corner of the desk lightly with her palm.
Somewhere along the line, Kang A-rin had seized control of the conversation.
Finding the reaction amusing, she placed both hands on the desk and rested her chin on them.
“I knew this would happen, which is why I haven’t done anything yet.”
“What?”
Cheon Yeo-wool’s eyes wavered.
Until now, she had never received anything from Jung Hae-in.
It was partly out of consideration for him, and partly a line she had drawn for herself.
But those other pigs weren't the same.
From now on, she wouldn't hold back either.
Kang A-rin spoke with delight.
“I guess it’s my turn to be doted on by Hae-in?”
Then, her lips slowly curled into a smile.
*
The Exchange Match was just around the corner.
This morning, for the first time in a while, I woke up a little earlier than usual. My head felt clear.
A black-covered notebook lay on my desk.
I opened it absently. It was time to organize my thoughts for a change.
“Let’s see.”
For the time being, I would have fewer things to worry about, be it people or events.
I had a feeling it was time to start focusing on the next person’s growth.
Yu Hana was diligently honing her swordsmanship.
Cheon Yeo-wool had been reborn as the Saintess.
Yoon Chae-ha had absorbed the Remains.
Everyone had taken a leap forward and was using it as a stepping stone to advance.
And so, the last name the notebook pointed to.
Kang A-rin.
Muttering her name quietly, I picked up a pen and wrote it in the corner of the notebook.
“This one’s a bit tricky.”
Truthfully, there were things I could give Kang A-rin.
Just like with the others, I had a plan prepared for her.
The problem was…
She’s already done it all.
If I tried to give her an elixir, she had already taken one on her own.
Giving her equipment was even more difficult.
She was a precious daughter of Glory. There was no way she wasn't well-equipped.
In the end, if there was anything I could provide her…
A Fragment.
The most valuable and rarest of resources.
But that was impossible right now.
I pondered for a few more minutes, but there wasn't much I could do for Kang A-rin at this point.
She was the type to handle things well on her own from the start, and above all, she was too smart.
Ultimately, this was something that required more thought.
I closed the notebook.
Then I got up from my seat.
It was already time to go to school.
Gaon was beginning to prepare its grounds for the Exchange Match.
Ostensibly, it was a festival, and for those not participating, it was simply an enjoyable spectacle.
I quietly opened the back door of the classroom and entered.
And as always, I made my way toward my designated seat.
Cheon Yeo-wool was sitting there.
“Good morning.”
“You too.”
She returned my greeting with a faint smile.
There would be almost no classes today.
We’d probably just do some simple training as a warm-up before the Exchange Match.
I sat down quietly and waited for the instructor.
Just then, I heard a small voice from the seat next to me.
“Um… Hae-in…”
“Yeah?”
Her tone was hesitant.
I looked to my side and saw Cheon Yeo-wool looking at me cautiously.
“I, uh, I really became the Saintess this time…”
“You did.”
She was now the official Saintess of Arcadia.
It hadn't been reported to the media yet, but that was only a matter of time.
“So, I learned a Holy Method that’s only permitted for the Saintess…”
“Oh, that’s great.”
This was good news.
A Holy Method exclusive to the Saintess would likely be very difficult, but it was something she had to master.
Before continuing, Cheon Yeo-wool lowered her gaze slightly.
“But it’s so hard… I was wondering if you could help me a little?”
I answered immediately.
“Of course. Pull it out now. We can take a quick look before the instructor gets here.”
“Okay!”
Her face brightened.
Her hands busily rummaged through her bag, and she was about to pull out a high-quality scroll when—
…Wait a minute.
I froze.
Is it right for me to teach her this?
I could teach her.
My knowledge was shallow, but I had enough of the basics.
I could certainly offer her some direction.
But from high-level Holy Methods onward, it wasn't just about casting the spell.
It couldn't be treated as a simple technique.
To use it perfectly, one had to fully understand and accept it, to make it a part of oneself.
That was where the difference began.
If I stepped in and helped her understand it quickly, she might only learn the shell of it without grasping its true depth.
It meant she might never be able to unleash its true power.
No.
That was absolutely unacceptable. Maybe later, but not now.
Her first step as a Saintess was one she had to take on her own.
“Hold on.”
I reached out and gently placed my fingertips on the scroll she was about to take out.
Cheon Yeo-wool looked at me with surprised eyes.
I pressed down on the scroll lightly and said.
“That’s something you’ll have to do on your own.”
There are things I can teach, and things I can’t.
“Huh…?”
Her eyes wavered.
Unfortunately, this was one of the latter.