Ch.11Blue Wing

Late in the evening, an official approached Seo-rin, who was preparing for her next match.

“Seo-rin, you’ve passed the second test. Move to the next location.”

“What…?”

Seo-rin tilted her head in confusion. She was certain that the second test was supposed to be a tournament format. Matches would continue until a final winner emerged.

“Although we called it a tournament, the passing criteria for the second test isn’t victory. You pass when you’re judged to have exceeded a certain standard.”

“So I don’t have to fight anymore?”

“That’s right. However, if you wish, you can continue competing until the end. Though you won’t gain anything from it.”

After brief consideration, Seo-rin stood up. There was no need to fight a battle with nothing to gain. Besides, hadn’t they just told her she’d already received a passing score for the second test?

Seo-rin gathered her belongings.

The place she arrived at, guided by the official, was a simply furnished reception room. Before entering, Seo-rin’s gaze quickly scanned her surroundings.

The room appeared designed solely for conversation, with no notable furniture. All that was present was a narrow table and what looked like a comfortable chair.

Seo-rin observed the man sitting across the table. With his eyes closed and arms crossed, he wore a dark blue uniform. Judging by the sword leaning against the table, he was certainly a swordsman, yet he emitted no aura.

Had she passed by without paying attention, she might not have even noticed his presence.

‘Just like the predators of the snowy plains.’

“Come in.”

The man, who had been tightly closed off, spoke while Seo-rin was still observing him. She glanced around.

She wondered if perhaps he was calling someone else.

But that didn’t seem to be the case. There was no one else around besides her. Even the official who had guided her here had disappeared.

Seo-rin slowly walked into the room.

The man opened his eyes as Seo-rin entered. Picking up documents from the table, he said:

“Sit down, make yourself comfortable.”

Seo-rin didn’t follow his instruction. Approaching someone who deliberately concealed their aura was tantamount to suicide. At least, that’s how it was in the freezing plains where Seo-rin had lived.

“I prefer standing.”

“Hmm. Suit yourself.”

The man began his business, regardless of whether Seo-rin stood or not.

“So, Seo-rin. Place of origin: beyond the mountain range, name of sword technique used: none…”

The document the man was reading contained Seo-rin’s basic information. It was the same form she had filled out at the entrance before taking the admission test.

“Can use mana and has good talent… Concern: barbarian origin… I told them they didn’t need to write this down, but they insisted…”

The man frowned, displeased with what was written on the document. He picked up a pen from the table and crossed out several lines on the paper.

“Not bad. Well, Seo-rin, this is a formality, but I have to ask. Why did you apply to Cheong-ik? For revenge, obviously.”

He nodded to himself after asking and answering his own question. Seeing the man provide her expected answer, Seo-rin could only nod in agreement.

“Given the nature of Cheong-ik’s work, most applicants have similar backgrounds. That’s why I guessed.”

“Then, have you perhaps experienced something similar?”

The man raised his head at Seo-rin’s question. He looked slightly taken aback, as if he hadn’t expected such a question.

“Ah, something like that.”

After that, the man continued to ask simple questions. Topics included family relationships and preferences. Seo-rin answered sincerely within the limits of what she could share.

“Good. Last question. Seo-rin, what blessing did you receive at birth?”

“Blessing…?”

“I mean the special talent that only you possess. Well, if it’s difficult to answer, you don’t have to.”

A blessing received at birth. He was referring to her ability to read the memories of swords. Seo-rin asked in surprise:

“How do civilized people know about that…?”

Her talent was a gift bestowed by the sacred wolf deity. At least, that’s what everyone in her tribe, including Seo-rin, believed.

“The world’s blessings aren’t exclusive to you Astrins. We whom you call ‘civilized people’ are also born with such blessings.”

Seo-rin nodded blankly. The common knowledge she had held was being denied. It was confusing, but not impossible to accept.

The man observed Seo-rin and added a short note to the document.

“Unlike typical Astrins, open-minded and quick to accept… Good. Then let me ask again. Can you tell me about your talent?”

Seo-rin kept her mouth shut. Since coming down here, she had realized one thing while reading the memories of many swords: civilized swordsmen greatly disliked the external leakage of sword techniques.

Those who leaked their family’s secret sword techniques were treated as traitors. In severe cases, they had their arms cut off or were beheaded on the execution platform. It couldn’t be helped. Leaking sword techniques was equivalent to revealing one’s weaknesses to all future opponents.

In that sense, Seo-rin’s blessing was a talent that all swordsmen would both envy and fear. Seo-rin naturally chose silence as her answer.

The man nodded. A blessing could also serve as a secret weapon. It wasn’t strange for Seo-rin to choose not to reveal her blessing to others.

The man stood up and picked up a sword that was leaning against the wall. The heavy sword emitted a clear scent of metal and oil simultaneously.

He threw it to Seo-rin.

“Catch. This is the standard sword given to those who join Cheong-ik.”

Seo-rin caught the flying sword without difficulty.

The man said it was the standard sword given to those who join Cheong-ik. That meant she had been accepted into Cheong-ik.

The corners of Seo-rin’s mouth turned up slightly, then fell.

‘It has no memories.’

It wasn’t a used sword. The sword Seo-rin received was brand new.

Seo-rin was disappointed. She would have preferred to receive a sword that others had used. A sword without memories was of no help to her.

However, she didn’t show it outwardly. Seo-rin turned and placed the new sword in the scabbard on her back. The longsword took the place of the tribal chief’s sword that had broken during the match.

“If you have a preferred type of sword, I can arrange for an exchange later. For now, just keep that one.”

“Yes…”

“Since you’ve joined Cheong-ik, let me formally introduce myself. I’m Kanok, the vice-captain of the Imperial Knights’ Cheong-ik division.”

After introducing himself, Kanok pointed behind him. There was a door that hadn’t been visible when she first arrived.

Seo-rin obediently followed Kanok’s order. She was familiar with such hierarchical relationships. In the White Frost tribe, the word of the strong was law.

Entering the room, Seo-rin passed the time eating bread and jerky prepared on the table. She stuffed all the jerky into her pocket in case of unforeseen circumstances.

Seo-rin’s pockets bulged with jerky.

When Seo-rin had eaten about half of the prepared bread, the closed door opened and a boy walked in. A familiar face. It was Theo. Seo-rin didn’t bother to greet him.

Rather than being glad to see Theo, she saw him as a competitor for the bread in front of her. Seo-rin focused more on eating her bread.

“Oh, you…!”

In contrast, Theo jumped up when he saw Seo-rin. At a glance, he seemed pleased, but his expression was strange enough that he also appeared angry.

Still, Seo-rin just kept eating her bread.

“Seo-rin, so you passed too…”

Seo-rin glanced briefly at Theo’s words. He too had a sword with a special seal at his waist.

It meant that Theo had also passed Cheong-ik’s entrance test.

“Ah, um. Say something…”

Theo sat down across from Seo-rin with an awkward expression. It was a seat choice meant for comfortable conversation, but Seo-rin only felt uncomfortable.

“So, is the bread good…?”

Seo-rin didn’t bother to answer. If it hadn’t been delicious, she wouldn’t have been eating it so eagerly. The bread she was now stuffing into her mouth was the most delicious bread she had ever tasted in her life.

It was fluffy and soft. The moment it entered her mouth, it melted like warm snow.

‘This is the technology of civilized people…’

Seo-rin made a decision. When she returned to her homeland after finishing everything, she would definitely take the recipe for this bread with her.

Just as Seo-rin finished eating all the prepared bread, the closed door opened once more. The person who entered was a girl who appeared to be about the same age as Seo-rin.

The girl’s face was somewhat unusual. It was swollen as if someone had beaten her badly. Seeing this, Seo-rin could easily identify who she was.

The girl’s name was Pel Flora.

“You…!”

Just as Seo-rin recognized Flora, Flora also recognized Seo-rin.

Seo-rin immediately stood up and extended her hand. The White Frost tribe always respected the strong. Pel Flora was an opponent worthy of respect.

“It was a good fight, Pel Flora.”

“Uh…”

Flora was taken aback. When Seo-rin extended her hand, Flora flinched and stepped back, thinking she was being attacked. But that wasn’t the case. Seo-rin was simply offering a handshake.

With a bewildered expression, Flora shook hands with Seo-rin.

As the two were shaking hands, the closed door opened again.

It was Kanok who entered through the door.

“Have you all introduced yourselves? You’re the last ones, so get along well. Gather your belongings and follow me.”