Episode 82: Exchange Battle (5)
Yoon Chae-ha had devoured the remnants of the evil god.
Thus, a check was necessary.
If there was any interference from dark energy, the system would surely indicate it.
Heroes could open their systems to each other by mutual agreement.
“I think we need to check. This could be a bit dangerous.”
Under the pretext of a status check, I briefly explained the situation and requested Yoon Chae-ha to reveal her system.
Such a request was akin to exposing one’s entire being as a hero, so it was usually declined.
At the very least, it was rare for someone to agree right away.
However—
“Ah, uh… hold on a moment.”
Yoon Chae-ha turned her head for a moment, then nodded quietly, her face flushed red all the way to her earlobes.
A moment later, the system window appeared.
[Authority: A Priori]
① Piercing Eyes
— Nothing can be hidden, and nothing can hide.
② A Priori Knowledge
— The essence is already determined.
③ Seeker of Hunger
— Consumes, analyzes, and assimilate everything.
I was already familiar with the first and second abilities.
They were unique traits of Yoon Chae-ha, unlocked since childhood.
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 reach her third subordinate authority.
However, if she succeeded in making that connection, she would gain insight from the protagonist and unlock the third ability.
The problem was that the name of this ability was supposed to be [Inferno].
A blazing flame that perfectly matched her attribute.
Yet, the name that appeared before me was—
Seeker of Hunger?
What the hell is this?
At that moment—
“Is there… a problem?”
Yoon Chae-ha leaned in, her face close to mine as I stared intently at the system window.
Her wide, clear eyes gazed at me, and her breath was just within reach.
I instinctively leaned back.
She tilted her head slightly and kept looking at me.
Taking a quiet breath, I shook my head.
“No. There’s nothing.”
Surprisingly, I meant it.
After mobilizing every perception skill I had, even True Insight, I found no traces of external interference within her.
Or rather, there had been interference—but it had been completely blocked.
The only thing I could sense was an enormous energy residing within her.
‘She absorbed it too well.’
I never expected her to assimilate it at such an astonishing speed.
What mattered now was how well she could handle that power.
The remnants’ energy was vast and powerful.
Without perfect control, it would soon spiral out of control or become entangled.
Even I couldn’t fully grasp the sheer scale of it.
Originally, I had planned to share my knowledge, guide her in the right direction, and help her gradually interpret and absorb the power—
Slowly, over a long period, by her side.
But now…
‘I might not even be of help.’
If she had been absorbing it step by step with me from the beginning, it would have been different.
But now, the power had already settled firmly within her.
Trying to control it my way would be arrogance.
If I interfered recklessly, I might disrupt her natural flow.
It would be better to step back.
She would handle it herself.
In her own way. At her own pace.
I wouldn’t provide direct guidance or interference.
Only support through elixirs, equipment, and material resources.
In magical thought processes, her authority surpassed mine.
There was no need to confine her creativity within my framework.
Yoon Chae-ha widened her eyes and stared at me.
Then, cautiously, she spoke.
“Um, if there’s no big issue… from now on… I’ll be in your care, okay?”
I nodded.
The course of action regarding Yoon Chae-ha was decided.
‘Leave her alone.’
And observe.
I would watch over her, but I wouldn’t interfere closely and make adjustments one by one.
“Yeah. Got it.”
That was the best approach.
***
The Top Floor of Glory
A space where luxurious lighting gently descended.
A subtle fragrance lingered in the air, and beyond the transparent glass walls, the city’s nightscape unfolded.
This was Kang Arin’s office.
The atmosphere alone was enough to make people tense.
Many employees who had been summoned here had to swallow their tears in secret under her cold gaze.
But.
“Hmph~ ♪ Hmm~ ♫”
That had nothing to do with Cheon Yeoul.
She spun lightly in front of the glass wall, humming a tune.
With a slight bounce at the tips of her toes, she twirled in place.
Kang Arin glanced at the source of the noise before lowering her gaze back to the documents.
“Get lost.”
A cold, single remark.
But Yeoul didn’t even pretend to hear it.
Her reason for being here was clear.
Officially, she was attending as a representative of the Arcadia Church to discuss compensation assessment and cooperation with Glory.
But.
‘Look at her complexion.’
Kang Arin narrowed her eyes.
Her changed expression, the radiant, overflowing sacred energy—she could tell immediately.
Even if she tried to hide it, it was impossible. Not that she was even trying.
It was obvious she had received something else from Haein.
And now, she was probably here to rub it in.
Eventually, Cheon Yeoul casually perched herself on the edge of Kang Arin’s desk.
Then, in a voice as cheerful as a lark’s, she chirped,
“He personally placed the crown on my head in front of everyone. Honestly, even I was surprised. It was my first time experiencing something like that.”
“…….”
“But you know, once I actually received it, it felt pretty good? Kind of like he were declaring that I was his. Like I was being claimed… I almost just—right then and there….”
Yeoul trailed off mid-sentence, clenching her hands tightly before letting them go.
“When is this restriction going to be lifted…? It’s so frustrating….”
Here we go again.
Kang Arin felt her patience slowly wearing thin.
She gritted her teeth and quietly flipped through the documents.
Then, at that moment—
An idea popped into her head.
“Anyway, with the cross, the ring, and now the tiara… How many of these do I have already….”
As Yeoul smugly counted on her fingers—
“Then you’re about to be left alone.”
A small smirk.
Kang Arin spoke with an amused grin.
Yeoul’s smile gradually faded.
She straightened her expression and tilted her head slightly, asking,
“… What are you talking about?”
“What else? You know Haein’s personality, don’t you?”
Kang Arin set her pen down and looked up.
She met Yeoul’s eyes squarely.
“Look at Yu Hana. She was thrilled after getting the Dongbaek Sword, showing off her swordsmanship—until Haein decided she had grown enough and left her alone. She’s practically dying now, and I doubt that’ll change anytime soon.”
“… She’s her own case.”
Yeoul bit her lip, forcing a smile as she tried to argue back, but her voice trembled slightly.
Kang Arin shrugged.
“And now, you’ve been officially appointed as a Saintess. Your holy power has been replenished. Oh my, could it be that our dear Saintess is next in line to be discarded…?”
“Shut up.”
Thud.
Yeoul lightly smacked the edge of the desk with her palm.
At some point, the flow of the conversation had shifted to Kang Arin.
Resting both hands on the desk and propping her chin up, she smirked as if thoroughly entertained by the reaction in front of her.
“I knew this would happen, so I haven’t done anything yet.”
“What?”
Cheon Yeoul’s eyes wavered slightly.
Until now, she had never received anything from Jung Haein.
It was partly out of consideration for him, but also a line she had drawn for herself.
But the other greedy women were different.
And now, she was done yielding.
Kang Arin spoke with delight.
“Looks like it’s my turn to get Haein’s affection.”
She slowly lifted the corners of her mouth into a smile.
***
The exchange competition was just around the corner.
That morning, I woke up a little earlier than usual for the first time in a while. My mind felt refreshed.
A black-covered notebook lay idly on my desk.
I opened it without much thought, taking some time to organize my thoughts for the first time in a while.
“Let’s take a look.”
For now, there were fewer things to worry about—whether it was people or incidents.
It felt like it was time to focus on the growth of the next person.
Yu Hana was diligently honing her swordsmanship.
Cheon Yeoul had been reborn as a saintess.
Yoon Chae-ha had absorbed the remnants.
Everyone had taken a step forward, using it as a stepping stone for their progress.
And now, the final name in the notebook.
Kang Arin.
I quietly repeated the name in my mind before picking up my pen and writing it down in the corner of the notebook.
“She’s a tough one.”
In truth, there was definitely something I could give to Kang Arin.
Just like the others, I had a plan prepared for her.
The problem, however…
‘I already did everything.’
If I tried to give her an elixir, she had already taken one on her own.
If I wanted to offer her equipment, that was even more difficult.
She was a treasured member of Glory. There was no way she wasn’t already wearing the best gear.
In the end, if there was anything I could provide her with…
‘Fragment.’
The most valuable and rarest resource of all.
But that wasn’t something I could give her right away.
I pondered the issue for a few more minutes, but at this point, there wasn’t much I could do for Kang Arin.
She had always been the type to handle things on her own, and more than anything, she was just too smart.
In the end, this required more thought.
I closed the notebook.
Then I stood up.
It was time to head to school.
Gaon Academy was busy preparing for the exchange competition.
Officially, it was called a festival, and for those who weren’t participants, it was nothing more than a spectacle to enjoy.
I quietly opened the back door of the classroom and stepped inside.
And as always, I walked toward my usual seat.
There, sitting in my spot, was Cheon Yeoul.
“Good morning.”
“You too.”
She returned my greeting with a faint smile.
There wouldn’t be many classes today.
Most likely, we’d just do some light training as a warm-up before the exchange competition.
I quietly took my seat and waited for the instructor.
Then, a small voice came from beside me.
“Hey… Haein….”
“Hm?”
A hesitant tone.
When I turned my head, I saw Cheon Yeoul looking at me cautiously.
“I… I’ve officially become a saintess now….”
“You have.”
She was now the official Saintess of Arcadia.
The media hadn’t reported it yet, but it was only a matter of time.
“So, I learned a sacred technique that’s only allowed for saints….”
“Oh, that’s great.”
That was good news.
Saint-exclusive techniques were probably quite difficult, but they were essential for her to master.
Before continuing, Cheon Yeoul dropped her gaze slightly.
“But it’s really hard… Could you help me out a little?”
I answered immediately.
“Of course. Take it out now—we can go over it before the instructor gets here.”
“Okay!”
Her face lit up.
She quickly dug through her bag, her hands moving busily.
Just as she was about to pull out a high-quality scroll—
‘…Wait.’
I suddenly hesitated.
‘Am I the right person to teach this?’
I could teach her.
I had some knowledge of it—enough to give her basic guidance.
I could at least point her in the right direction.
But advanced sacred techniques weren’t something you could just learn by reading.
They weren’t mere skills that could be memorized.
To wield them properly, one had to fully comprehend them, internalize them, and make them their own.
That’s where the difference lay.
If I stepped in and explained everything too quickly, she might end up learning only the surface of it—without grasping its true depth.
She might never be able to draw out its full potential.
‘No.’
That was unacceptable.
Maybe later, but—
Her first step as a saintess had to be taken on her own.
“Wait a second.”
I reached out and gently placed my fingertips on the scroll she was about to take out.
Cheon Yeoul looked at me with wide eyes.
Pressing down lightly on the scroll, I spoke.
“You need to figure this one out yourself.”
There were things I could teach and things I couldn’t.
“…Huh?”
Her eyes wavered.
Unfortunately, this was closer to the latter.
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