Utilization

Perhaps it was summer, but the wind blowing into the training grounds felt hot. Was this the start of the goddamn heat?

Luckily, I hate both the cold and the heat, so I set up temperature control magic inside the academy building.

I feel quite grateful to my past self, but unfortunately, the training ground is outside the building.

I was supposed to meet Lykan-ssi at 12 o’clock. I ate an early lunch and arrived at the training ground about 10 minutes early.

Thinking that there was no need to waste energy in advance when I didn’t know what kind of training I would suddenly be doing, I looked for shade.

After sitting on a chair, resting my chin on my hand, and waiting for a long time, I got up.

Thirty minutes is understandable. It’s a socially acceptable amount of time to wait with a smile.

But if it’s been an hour, they’ve either forgotten the appointment or something has happened.

A person who shows up on time is given the legitimate right to be angry.

Thinking that, I got up from the chair.

Even sitting in the shade, I couldn’t escape the summer heat. Unlike my heated body, my head was coolly cooled by a bit of annoyance and anger.

Wiping the sweat from my chin with my hand, I headed to the faculty office.

Just entering the academy’s main building, the cool air welcomed me.

I knocked on the faculty office door and went inside, noticing that there were fewer professors guarding their desks because it was vacation.

I bowed to an unknown professor who made eye contact with me and headed to Professor Lykan’s desk.

Fixing my gaze on my destination, even as I moved my steps, I was secretly thinking, ‘No way.’ As expected, no one was there.

With a hollow sigh, I was about to turn away when an envelope on Lykan’s desk caught my eye. On the envelope, neat writing was written largely.

[To My Disciple]

My name isn’t written, but I’m probably the only one Lykan-ssi would call a disciple. Even if my guess is wrong, I wanted to get something out of coming all the way here. I glanced around and took out the letter.

To my disciple,

If you’re reading this letter, I haven’t returned from the family yet. Come to the training ground at 12 o’clock every day, and if I’m not there, train alone.

Just in case, I left armor under the desk. You can use the armor if you need it.

– Lykan –

I pretended I didn’t see the letter and put it back in its place. To wear armor again in this heat, just thinking about it is terrible.

***

After finishing my physical training alone, I washed my body in the shower room next to the training ground. After pushing my wet bangs back, I was heading back to the club room when I changed my path to Bella-ssi’s lab.

I wasn’t planning on meeting Bella-ssi today, but I thought it would be better to have a conversation in advance when I had time, so I did it. I had been there a few times, so I wouldn’t get lost.

As soon as I knocked on the lab door, it opened right away as if she had been waiting. It was such perfect timing that I didn’t even have time to lower my knocking hand, so I guarded against the strange man who appeared before my eyes with my arm still raised.

“Who are you?”

The man asked, scanning me up and down as if observing me. I’m the one who wants to ask that. Who the hell are you?

We glared at each other in silence with furrowed brows for a moment, then suddenly the man’s eyes widened and he pointed at my face as if scolding me.

“Oh, you’re that!!!”

For some reason, the man seemed to recognize me. But I didn’t remember someone with such easy-to-remember features like gray curly hair and a swaggering look.

“Did you come to see the Imperial Princess-nim?”

Since that was the purpose of my visit, I nodded obediently. The man nodded with a smile as if he understood and guided me into the lab.

I glanced at the man as I went inside. A solid body, a sword at his waist. Is he a new guard who was chosen to replace Claire-ssi?

I thought I would meet Bella-ssi right away, but for some reason, I was guided by the man and sat in an empty chair in the corner of the lab. Unlike his swaggering appearance, he was kind, and he explained why he brought me here without me even asking.

“There’s someone who came before you, so please wait here for a moment. I’ll bring you something cool to drink while you wait.”

I was thirsty because of the heat anyway. I nodded in satisfaction and looked around Bella-ssi’s lab. I had visited the lab several times, but I never had the chance to look around at ease.

I even held a spear, saying I would kill Bella-ssi, during my last visit.

While I was admiring the strange painting on the wall, the gray-haired man brought cold barley tea with ice in a beer glass.

I don’t know why he brought a beer glass to a guest… I don’t know his intentions, but I thanked the man, who was giving me an awkward look, and drank it.

I couldn’t ignore the gaze that was staring at me, who was deliberately fixing my gaze on the painting out of awkwardness, so I turned my head and asked.

“Do you perhaps know me?”

“Of course! Aren’t you the one who saved the Imperial Princess-nim who fell into the Order’s trap? You were unconscious so you might not know, but I personally took you to the Imperial Palace at that time.”

I didn’t expect such a specific answer. And I might have to thank him again.

He must have been one of the reinforcements who appeared late in the fight with Professor Drewin. I bowed my head to express my gratitude.

“I see. Thank you.”

The man waved his hand, hiding his excited expression at my greeting.

“No, we should be the ones thanking you. Ah, I’m late with my introduction. I’m Leo, the adjutant of the Second Imperial Knights.”

I shook hands with Leo, who held out his hand, and said.

“I’m Ross. I’m a first-year in the Academy’s Combat Department.”

For some reason, the man named Leo made a suspicious expression at my answer, then suddenly clapped his hands with a look of realization.

“Ah, so that’s the disguise! I understand.”

“…?”

I realized that the conversation wasn’t going smoothly, but before I had time to clear up the misunderstanding, Bella-ssi appeared. Bella-ssi, who was heading to the door to leave the lab with a light step, glanced at me.

Then, wearing a kind expression that she had never shown me before, she exchanged greetings with an unknown man who looked like a nobleman.

“Then let’s have another pleasant conversation next time.”

“I also had a great time today. I’ll bring you a better story next time. Then.”

After bowing her head, the man left the lab, and Bella-ssi turned around and looked at me.

“Ross, I didn’t expect you to come here yourself.”

Is she planning to keep wearing the mask? Seeing Bella-ssi with a gentle smile made me feel nauseous. I furrowed my brows, and her smile deepened, so I guess she’s doing it on purpose.

At Bella-ssi’s gesture to follow her, I got up from my seat. A maid, who had cleared the table before we arrived, pulled out Bella-ssi’s chair.

“Prepare some drinks and desserts.”

At Bella-ssi’s words, the maid disappeared quietly without a sound.

“Did you have something to order me to do? Ah, should I call you Master when we’re alone?”

I frowned at Bella-ssi, who started with such words.

“I feel nauseous, so please don’t make such jokes in the future.”

Knowing that I was serious, Bella-ssi made a slightly hurt expression. Before I could reveal the purpose of my visit, the maid who had disappeared appeared with an expensive-looking tray.

“Lemon Charlotte, macarons, and cheese tart. The drink is a strawberry smoothie.”

The maid carefully placed the dishes on the table and kindly explained each one. However, I was distracted by the strawberry smoothie placed in front of me.

The scent of strawberries reminded me of Ellie-yang. I reflexively felt a sense of rejection to the sweet strawberry scent. I felt nauseous, so I deliberately kept the glass away.

Perhaps wondering about my reaction, Bella-ssi, who had drunk the strawberry smoothie, asked.

“Do you dislike strawberries?”

When I nodded silently, I saw the maid standing next to me become greatly embarrassed. I scratched my head lightly and said.

“I’ll take ice water.”

With a relieved expression at my words, the maid nodded and left.

When I turned my head slightly, Bella-ssi gave a strange smile.

“That’s strange. You definitely used to… like strawberries, didn’t you?”

Her golden eyes shine like a snake. I sighed and said in a low voice.

“Don’t test me. Before you regret it again.”

At my words, Bella-ssi shrugged with a smile.

“I’m just kidding. I promised not to do that anymore.”

I raised one corner of my mouth in a sneer at Bella-ssi, who spoke as if she was disappointed.

“Don’t worry. I have no intention of wasting your abilities.”

Our conversation was briefly interrupted by the maid who reappeared. Unlike before, the maid brought barley tea with ice in an expensive-looking crystal glass instead of a beer glass, and she disappeared right away, as if not to disturb our conversation.

Bella-ssi picked up a macaron and ate it, pursing her eyebrows very slightly.

“Are you planning to take revenge for abandoning you? That’s a bit difficult… Roel-gun told me to get along well with each other as much as he made a mistake.”

The way she nodded her head as if Roel-gun’s words were a priority felt a bit annoying.

“That’s not it. And treat Ellie-yang well, like hyung said. Ellie-yang is a genius, so she’ll be a great help to hyung later.”

Bella-ssi silently reached for the smoothie. Was she hungry? She eats quite heartily.

Bella-ssi took a spoonful of Charlotte and seemed to shudder very slightly. Suddenly, I was reminded of Aria-yang, who makes a fuss over anything delicious.

Is it because they’re both women? I wondered if Luna-yang would react the same way. I’ll have to buy her some later.

“If it’s not that, then what is it?”

I deliberately didn’t answer and leisurely reached for the cheese tart. It was quite delicious. I drank the barley tea and said briefly.

“Ian, the Red Paladin.”

“Ian…? I’ve heard of him. The lord who guards the sacred gate. I heard that he destroyed the gate himself to block the entrance to the canyon after the Order’s attack this time… Why that person?”

“Because I need a hunting dog to move for you when Roel-gun isn’t around.”

Ian, the Red Paladin. He is dragged to the Church’s interrogation room for failing to protect the sacred gate and is brainwashed by Benedicto.

In the second half of the novel, Ian was one of the people that Roel-gun, who was in conflict with the Church, often clashed with, as he was the Church’s hunting dog.

The vanguard of fanatics, and a faithful hunting dog of the Church. The person who buried tens of thousands of people alive without a second thought in the name of heretics.

I’m going to change Ian into Bella-ssi’s hunting dog before he becomes the Church’s hunting dog.

I continued in a calm voice.

“It’s the paladin’s duty to guard the gate. Although he kept the secret of the Great Forest, Ian-gun has probably been dragged to the interrogation room now because the gate was destroyed. Make that Ian-gun your hunting dog no matter what.”

Bella-ssi, who listened to my explanation, moved her spoon and asked in a strange voice.

“Is this information you got from Modest?”

I smiled at Bella-ssi’s gaze, which was stealing a glance at my expression. Bella-ssi is suspicious of the source of the information.

She knows that I have a relationship with Modest, but she lied when she talked to Roel-gun, saying that Modest approached me.

Bella-ssi didn’t miss the awkwardness of the story that started with a lie and ended with the truth.

She would outwardly follow orders, but Bella-ssi was the type to not miss the awkwardness and take out insurance. Before any unnecessary misunderstandings arose, I told the truth.

“No, it’s information I found out. And the statement that Modest approached me was a lie. In fact, the guild leader of Modest and I are…”

I deliberately paused. I felt a strange satisfaction at the sight of Bella-ssi, who had stopped moving her spoon and was staring intently at the Charlotte-yang with tension, and said.

“We’re in the same boat.”

Bella-ssi, who flinched as if she had hiccuped, slowly raised her head. Realizing that my words were true with her ability, she stared at me for a moment, then put down her spoon and said.

“Even if it’s possible to get Ian-gun out of the interrogation room by using Benedicto, it’ll be hard to persuade him. You know how dedicated paladins are to the Church…”

I twisted the corners of my mouth at the sight of Bella-ssi, who was trailing off and looking at me with hopeful eyes.

I’ve already made up my mind. There’s no need to weigh the options. Roel-gun is the hero, not me.

Rather, I’m in the same category as Bella-ssi. A trashy type who would do anything for love.

“Are you testing me again? Okay, I’ll give you a hint. Ian-gun is from the Church’s orphanage. But he wasn’t alone. He has a younger sister who grew up in the same orphanage. Her name is Irene, and she’s living as a nun in the orphanage in the city of Rellen. She’ll be a great leash for Ian-gun.”

I added with a smile and an expectant expression.

“Make the most of your strengths, Bella-ssi.”

Bella-ssi, who met my gaze, gave a pure smile like a child.