The Jealousy of the Lonely Sword Saint
“Ugh! I didn't expect to get rejected by Jiyeon.”
After being rejected, a bitter taste filled my mouth.
This was my mistake in thinking too easily.
Thinking about it, Jiyeon was originally a character with only a sword in her head.
I thought that if I asked her to get closer, she'd listen to anything.
The problem is who do I ask Jiyeon to ask instead?
In this plan, Cheok Jiyeon was a key figure.
I needed someone with overwhelming power to defeat anomalies instead of me.
In that sense, Yoo Yeonhwa was out.
Yoo Yeonhwa, a barrier master, was excellent at defense but relatively low in attack power.
Originally, Jiyeon was the strongest in martial prowess this round. If I were to replace her...
Only one person came to mind.
Go Juyeong.
The successor of the Go family, who uses a bow.
Originally, she would have taken first place instead of me, a genius among geniuses.
In this round, she was a character running neck and neck with Cheok Jiyeon in martial prowess.
The archery of Korea was already the world's best level.
In a country like that, what the successor of a family with 'bow as a specialty' meant needed no further explanation.
“Still, I didn't want to get entangled if possible.”
Go Juyeong was a character with significant presence even in the original story.
One of the main heroines alongside Mi Nahye.
She was deeply connected to the protagonist and played a big role in the story.
I was worried about the butterfly effect that would occur if I got involved with such a person, so I didn't want to get close.
...But there was no other choice.
No one else had the martial prowess of Go Juyeong.
No matter how you looked at it, we were going to hunt anomalies.
I wanted to bring someone as strong as possible.
Yeah, for my safety, Go Juyeong was essential.
After all, this was a side story that didn't exist in the original.
It wouldn't have a big impact if we went together once.
Having decided, I immediately went to find Go Juyeong.
Since she was so famous, it wasn't hard to find her.
“Special instruction from Instructor Lee Jae-hak?”
“Yes. If I do well, it's a chance to get a score for joining. I thought it would be nice if we went together.”
“Ho~”
Go Juyeong's expression showed interest after hearing the story.
Anyone as an education trainee would be interested if there was a score for joining.
I’m glad I explained it seriously.
Go Juyeong had a very straightforward personality.
Fundamentally cool, and overflowing with a sense of justice, she was popular.
Perhaps because of that personality, she got along well with the protagonist Kang Suho.
“This is unexpected. You're offering this to your rival.”
“Rival?”
“When I look at it, I think I was third place. So, you, the first place, and I are rivals.”
...Indeed, Go Juyeong was first in the original story.
Including me and Cheok Jiyeon, we would be exactly third.
“I don't think someone like that would be a rival to the successor of the Go family.”
“Wow. Hearing that from your mouth is really annoying?”
No, what did I do?
It seemed my image among the colleagues was quite ruined.
“Or is that it? Instead of fighting, let's team up with the elites?”
“I need Go Juyeong's martial prowess.”
I calmly stated why I chose her.
“I'm not confident alone. I wanted someone who could fight if a dangerous anomaly appeared.”
“Is that me?”
“Her bow is reliable.”
“What about Cheok Jiyeon, who always went with me? She might be similar to me, though she's excited.”
I hesitated what to say, then just said it honestly.
“I've already asked her and she rejected me.”
“Ah~ So I'm the substitute for Cheok Jiyeon?”
Go Juyeong laughed as if it was fun.
“Well, I like it. I wasn't interested in the joining score, but hearing the story, it sounds like an interesting job.”
Not interested in the joining score.
It meant she was confident in passing.
Yeah, there's no way someone like Go Juyeong would fail.
She was a woman who would later be called the divine archer.
Unlike me, passing was almost certain.
“You said the three of you are going? Who is the remaining one?”
“Yu Eunhye.”
“...Who is that?”
“A close joining colleague of mine. Probably no one knows her.”
Cheok Jiyeon and Yoo Yeonhwa were famous, so I'd know, but Yu Eunhye didn't stand out.
She wasn't a strong enough person to make a name for herself.
“She's a friend picked as a detection type. It won't be much help in combat.”
“What? You seem to have picked her out of friendship.”
“Yes. That's what being friends is about.”
“Hmm~ Even if it's a friend, I don't think you'd go that far to take care of her.”
Go Juyeong looked at me with narrowed eyes.
“Or is it something more? Are you getting a score this time?”
“Well, let's say it's like that.”
It was a bit hard to explain in detail.
Honestly, besides Eunhye, there's no one else I can recruit!
My image among the colleagues was a bit destructive.
Among the women, some ran away when they saw me.
“Wow~ Everyone is in love. It's enviable, enviable. Some people have someone even now.”
“If it's Go Juyeong, there would be many men who like you.”
“Really? Do you have interest in me too?”
“I'm not.”
“What? Who's teasing who.”
Go Juyeong laughed and extended her hand.
“Anyway, please take care of me. I'll show you why our family is the best with the bow.”
“I'll be counting on you too.”
I let out an inner sigh of relief.
The martial prowess I lacked was filled.
With Go Juyeong's level, she was a one-person army.
With this, the joining score is free for me.
When Cheok Jiyeon rejected me, it was dark before my eyes.
Thinking that the plan would proceed safely, a smile came to my face.
Cheok Jiyeon walked down the corridor weakly.
She had missed the opportunity to go with Nam Dohyeong stupidly.
Who would have known that the result of the flirting would be like this.
...I should have properly talked to Nam Dohyeong.
I didn't want to regret such a foolish mistake.
Above all, I was worried about his safety.
Although it was true that he was much stronger than me, he might still be in danger alone.
There wouldn't be any other suitable person to take.
Even though I looked like this, I had some confidence in the sword.
It would be difficult to find someone to replace myself.
“Great! I should talk to him properly and clear up the misunderstanding!”
Cheok Jiyeon, having decided, immediately went to find Nam Dohyeong.
I wandered around for a long time because I didn't know where he went.
“Ah! Nam Do...!”
The Nam Dohyeong I found was... happily talking with Go Juyeong.
“Ah...”
Cheok Jiyeon stopped talking without realizing, and hid behind.
She was shocked by the scene just now.
Because I rejected him... I went to ask Go Juyeong.
Indeed, Go Juyeong was a reliable person.
She didn't lose in martial prowess at all.
She was a woman who could replace herself at any time...
“Ha ha... That's right. I could have been someone else. Idiot.”
Cheok Jiyeon muttered with a dazed face.
She was pretending to be okay, but her voice was trembling.
Even if it wasn't me... it was okay.
Yeah, Nam Dohyeong was different from herself originally.
She had only Nam Dohyeong, but he had many people he could ask for help.
The thought that there was no one to replace herself was arrogance and a misunderstanding.
Yeah, it's not like there are no men around Nam Dohyeong like him.
There was Yoo Yeonhwa besides Go Juyeong.
There were many colleagues who could go with him besides that.
She was just someone who happened to meet him and first suggested it.
She was the one who rejected it at the same time.
“Ugh...”
Cheok Jiyeon, who had never cried since her family was destroyed by her brother.
No matter how lonely and hard it was, she had endured by strengthening her will.
But now, tears were welling up in her eyes.
“...What an idiot.”
If she hadn't clumsily rejected him, this wouldn't have happened.
Why was she so depressed here?
“Anyway, please take care of me. I'll show you why our family is the best with the bow.”
“I'll be counting on you too.”
From afar, the conversation between the two was heard.
Glancing, the two were smiling amicably and shaking hands.
They had the expression of having found a good colleague or partner.
Originally, that spot was mine...
Cheok Jiyeon clenched her fist.
Anxiety rose.
Cheok Jiyeon had been alone since her family died.
At first, she thought it was enough.
But now it wasn't.
She had learned the joy of being with someone.
It was not someone else, but the man she liked who told her that.
Losing such a Nam Dohyeong... terrified her just by imagining.
She didn't want to be alone again.
She was a woman who only had the sword.
A human who was pointed at as a cursed sword saint.
Nam Dohyeong, who looked at her without prejudice, was more precious than anything.
She didn't want anyone to replace her.
That happiness, that joy.
She couldn't let others take it away, occupy it.
Losing precious people anymore was out of the question.
Go Juyeong...
Her eyes were directed at Go Juyeong, who was smiling comfortably.
When she saw the two people's hands that she didn't know why they were holding for so long, her stomach twisted.
Thinking about it, she didn't really like that woman to begin with.
From a proper noble family, unlike herself.
A woman raised receiving expectations from those around her.
In such a blessed environment, she could smile like that.
She had everything unlike herself.
Why was she trying to take Nam Dohyeong too.
Wasn't it okay to compromise to that extent.
The bitterness and sadness turned into anger and injustice in an instant.
Everything is not to my liking.
She couldn't stand the things that irritated her together.
This situation too.
Her own position hidden behind.
That Go Juyeong woman with Nam Dohyeong.
Me... I am stronger. I can fight better.
Cheok Jiyeon started walking with a gloomy expression.
The sword at her waist trembled faintly.
She wanted to swing the sword madly.
The precious sword that Nam Dohyeong had given her.