Confession 1

The Hunter Academy principal’s office.

Unusually, the owner was sitting in the usually empty seat.

“…Oh ho.”

Lee Yeon closely examined a document placed on the table.

“Interesting.”

It contained not only the personal information of Han Joon-hyuk, the chairman of the Firefly Group, but also details of politicians and some military personnel associated with him.

Of course, their resident registration numbers, as well as recent events and conversation records.

“The Homunculus Project.”

Lee Yeon smiled softly.

The Homunculus Project.

One of the plans considered as a countermeasure against monsters during the darkest times this country was going through.

It was a groundbreaking idea at the time, but after considering the risks and returns, it was ultimately scrapped.

In today’s world, where a certain level of hunter forces have been established, the need for such a plan has disappeared.

Lee Yeon didn’t want unnecessarily inhumane research.

Above all, she had long since obtained it.

The supreme experimental subject.

Even if weakened by betrayal and conspiracy, without a shadow of doubt.

Even if only the shell of the flesh remains, the radiant Star Queen.

With that, the completion of ‘Spear’ is not far off.

The day of revenge is near.

“…Now, how should we handle this?”

She could keep this inhumane plan as leverage.

She could expose it and cause their downfall.

Everything was only for the benefit of the country.

There was no other direction.

“But before that.”

Lee Yeon put down the document, stood up from her seat, and headed to the window.

The streets were bustling with crowds.

“Let’s enjoy this peace for a brief moment.”

Citizens who never lose their smile.

It was a beautiful country with a five-thousand-year history that she protected and her comrades led together.

The Hero Festival.

An event that replaces the Academy’s final exams.

If the Complete Victory Festival is an event named after General Kim Wan-seung, who is practically the only participating soldier, then the Hero Festival is naturally an event named after the Hero.

The content itself isn’t much different from the Complete Victory Festival.

Thus, the Academy’s first semester consists entirely of student festivals.

Conversely, from the second semester, the midterm and final exams are combined, and teams are formed to take tests in practical hunting grounds.

And according to the original work, during the Hero Festival of the protagonist’s first year, second semester.

The conflict between Lee Ha-yul and the protagonist deepens further.

“Is this okay if I do it like this?”

“Yeah. That’s enough.”

However.

“You don’t have to come help like this.”

“…It’s just, my conscience was bothering me a bit.”

At this point, it wasn’t really something she cared much about.

“You’re also short-handed, aren’t you? With the Hero Festival coming up soon.”

“That’s true. I won’t deny it.”

The Complete Victory Festival and the Hero Festival.

Naturally, the scale of the Hero Festival is overwhelmingly larger.

Even if he’s like an adoptive father to the Hero, it doesn’t make sense to put a mere soldier on the same level as the Hero, does that?

It’s a time when Ha-yul would be accumulating stress from intense work.

In that sense, Han Seoyeon decided to help Ha-yul a little.

There was also a part of her that felt a bit guilty.

Hadn’t she turned a blind eye to her unauthorized absences twice?

Han Seoyeon chatted about various things while working.

“…What?”

She paused for a moment.

“Is that really true?”

“Yeah. What benefit would I get from lying about something like this?”

It was a development unimaginable in the original work.

“I’m thinking of not participating in this Hero Festival.”

The Hero Festival is an event where Ha-yul is the main focus.

“After experiencing the terrorist attack before, I’ve been thinking. The student council president is the representative of the Academy. But for someone in such a position to use all their strength in the event and fail to properly respond to a terrorist attack.”

She says she won’t participate in such an event.

“How ridiculous is that?”

“…”

Han Seoyeon held her tongue.

After all, to some extent, the cause was with her.

Lee Ha-yul is a fucking racist.

But if you remove the element of discrimination, her values were surprisingly normal.

The charisma to become a leader of a group.

She has drive and decisiveness.

Her strength is also impeccable.

The problem was that only when these qualities combined with the ideology of despising the weak, a serious backlash occurred.

“Then, what about the exhibition match?”

“Well…”

The exhibition match.

An event-style matchup that takes place before the start of the tournament.

As it’s an event to elicit audience response, it’s standard for students with top-tier skills among the students to participate in this event.

Usually, it would be conducted by having the professors hold meetings to select the student council president, who is the Academy’s top performer, and other high-achieving students.

“For now, I do have some people in mind. They’re hoping for it too.”

“…I see.”

Unfortunately, Han Seoyeon doesn’t know much about other Academy students.

Sadly, she wasn’t an insider.

“Maybe it could be one of your acquaintances.”

“…?”

Han Seoyeon tilted her head.

Her acquaintances in this Academy were only about three people in total.

“…No. That can’t be, right?”

And those three, no matter how you look at it, were far from having aggressive personalities.

“You’re dense. As always.”

“I don’t think that’s it either!”

Strictly.

Solemnly.

Seriously.

Han Seoyeon declared.

She’s not that kind of dense trash novel protagonist!

The security was incomparably more desolate than before.

There was good reason for this.

Security breached not once, but twice.

The Academy’s prestige had been damaged.

No matter how superficial the security of the Academy in a trash novel might be, they weren’t foolish enough to be lax in their vigilance three times.

To spoil it, they do get breached once more later on.

Amazing, Academy!

Well, this part is unavoidable due to the convenience of the novel’s plot progression.

If all the villains were dealt with at the security line, wouldn’t the title have to be changed from ‘The Academy’s Falling Star Swordsman’ to ‘The Academy’s Security Guards Are Too Strong’?

Anyway.

Han Seoyeon took the written exam.

Regardless of the security, such things weren’t important to students.

“Sis, did you do well on the exam?”

“Yeah. How about you?”

“Of course I did, since you taught me well.”

As usual, Han Seoyeon achieved excellent scores in the written exam.

The same was true for her twin sister.

Even though one had an adult’s mind inside.

“…All I did was shuttle your homework, was there anything else?”

“I could study more in the time I saved from not doing homework.”

“You really…”

Shake shake.

Han Seoyeon shook her head.

There’s no older sister who can win against her younger sister.

“By the way.”

As they entered the corridor, Han Seoyeon chatted.

“Who do you think will be in the exhibition match this time?”

The exhibition match,

That was the talk of the town.

The practical part of the Hero Festival, conducted in tournament style, is a proper exam.

It’s reflected in the grades.

Especially since the Hero personally observes the Hero Festival and awards medals to those who achieve excellent results.

Until now, only Lee Ha-yul had received that medal.

The exhibition match is an honorable position.

It was also proof of being the strongest student in the Academy.

But at the same time, it demands consumption.

It was disadvantageous for the upcoming tournament.

The advantage was that you could get top grades without participating in the main tournament, as it guaranteed a certain level of credits.

They arrived at the second-year classroom.

Lee Ha-yul comes into view.

“What are first-year students doing here?”

“We came to see the senior.”

“You mean Wittelsbach?”

Michaela is weak in written exams.

Although they had been studying together recently, she didn’t look to be in good condition.

“If you mean Wittelsbach, she left as soon as the exam ended.”

“What…?”

Did they perhaps miss each other on the way?

Just as Han Seoyeon came to the second-year classroom right after the exam ended, did Michaela also go to the first-year classroom to meet Han Seoyeon?

In the end, Han Seoyeon couldn’t find Michaela.

“Sis, the exhibition match is about to start soon.”

Reluctantly holding her sister’s hand, she heads towards the Grand Martial Arts Arena.

Michaela might be sitting in the audience seats.

“Huh…?”

And what they witnessed there was.

“I look forward to working with you.”

“Likewise. Miss Michaela.”

Pink hair fluttering like cherry blossoms.

Eyes sparkling like emeralds.

Silver hair flowing like silk waves.

Eyes of unwavering blue.

“Both sides, ready.”

The two girls face each other.

Then, as soon as the command falls.

“Begin!”

The flow of mana scattered violently like a storm.

Wind and cold.

Both are S-class, rare elemental abilities in the world.

It wouldn’t be strange for either side to win in this matchup.

Baek Da-eun took the initiative.

Her mana boils.

The wind condensed like blades.

Invisible to the eye.

Soundless, formless blades.

Without warning, they were fired at Michaela.

Clang.

What returned was not the sound of skin being cut and torn, but the bursting sound of steel clashing.

Michaela, who had drawn her artifact from her waist, deflected the wind blades.

Reading even the slightest flow of air.

Without delay, Michaela dives into that gap.

At that moment, a localized storm raged around Baek Da-eun.

Not a metaphor, but a real storm.

Blocked by the wind barrier, Michaela’s body was pushed back.

No, she retreated.

For a more certain attack.

What begins to dwell in Balmung, the long sword-type artifact, was a blizzard.

It was a storm like Baek Da-eun’s.

No, it was a natural disaster surpassing Baek Da-eun’s storm.

Michaela swung the wind dwelling in her sword.

The wind barrier protecting Baek Da-eun is cleared in one strike.

Beyond the dispersing wind barrier, Michaela leaps again.

The difference between one with a weapon and one without.

The gap in close combat ability is clear.

Just before the sword tip reaches the neck.

Baek Da-eun flew into the sky.

The sky, out of reach of the sword.

Baek Da-eun was at its center.

At first glance, it seems like she’s gained an absolute advantage against a swordsman.

However, in some ways, it was a bad move.

Mana condenses around Michaela.

What eventually appears are icy spears, fierce like hunting dogs.

“Fall.”

At Michaela’s command, the spears were launched to hunt their target.

“No!”

Intercepting with wind blades would be a poor strategy.

So, Baek Da-eun grasped the flow of the atmosphere.

She controlled the direction the spears were flying, not the spears themselves.

“Not yet!”

The spears, maintaining their power, changed direction and turned their tips towards Michaela.

The hunting dogs rushed to bite their master.

“You controlled the direction. It’s an admirable trick, but…”

Michaela swung her sword with some force.

A single strike.

With one slash, the ice spears shattered like toys.

“…!”

“That’s all there is to it.”

Michaela was suddenly flying with Baek Da-eun.

More precisely, she was floating in the air.

By partially freezing space, she used it as a foothold to rise to the sky.

What made this possible was not just the strength of her ability, but her absolute physical prowess as a swordsman.

“You’re cornered.”

Before she could say anything, Michaela’s sword face struck Baek Da-eun’s body.

Without any resistance, Baek Da-eun’s body crashed into the ground.

Drip.

Drops of blood flowed out.

Without a single scratch, Michaela descended.

“The match is decided.”

“Yes. It is.”

The exhibition match is ultimately an event-style game.

There was no obligation to give it their all.

“It’s my loss. This time.”

Baek Da-eun obediently acknowledged her current defeat.

“But next time, it won’t be like this, right?”

“No.”

It was a strange thing.

Although it was the two girls who had competed.

“I will win next time too. Absolutely. I will never lose. That’s all there is to it.”

The gazes of the two girls turned towards the black-haired girl sitting in the audience seats, still unaware of what was happening.