Chapter 55

Chapter 55

I Installed a Dating App and Girls from Another World Became Obsessed with Me.

Episode 55: Back To That Place

For humanity, gates were both a disaster and a blessing.

New territories, various resources including iron ore and rare earth elements, and a massive amount of mana stones.

Even with the constant loss of life, it was the reason why numerous countries did not completely close the gates.

And there was a rare reward that came from destroying the gate’s boss or core.

“This is…”

What appeared from the box was a sword boasting a beautiful blue blade.

Compared to the straight sword I was currently using, the size and shape were similar, but there was a difference in the overall design.

The mana stone attached to the pommel especially stood out.

“It’s an artificial artifact, ‘Gillenium’.”

Thanks to the magic revolution that occurred in Europe in the past, humanity was able to utilize the mana contained within mana stones, and the general term for the tools created as a result was magic tools.

Compared to such magic tools, artifacts could only be obtained from gates or boss-level magic beasts, making them extremely expensive and very rare.

About 100 years ago, some magic engineers and blacksmiths, lamenting this, joined hands to create the first artificial artifact in human history.

Of course, its performance was somewhat inferior to that of ordinary artifacts, but it was also true that it had far superior performance compared to existing magic tools.

“It was originally an item stored in the family’s warehouse, but as you know, no one in our family uses a sword. I heard from Hye-na that you used swordsmanship and magic in parallel within the gate, so do you like it?”

“…”

As soon as I grabbed the sword hilt, a grip that was incomparably better than the straight sword I had been using welcomed me.

It was a bit heavier than the straight sword, but not to the point of being burdensome.

Rather, this level of heaviness was to my taste.

“It seems you like it.”

Choi Yeong-ok smiled contentedly as she watched Kang Hyeon-u, who was absorbed in examining the sword.

If she were to put that sword up for auction right now, it would easily fetch tens of billions.

Nevertheless, Choi Yeong-ok did not think it was a waste at all.

Rather, she was willing to give him anything more expensive if it meant she could repay him for saving her granddaughter.

However, the reason she decided to give Gillenium to Kang Hyeon-u was because his talent for swordsmanship was too precious to waste.

It was virtually impossible for a 2nd circle mage to stand in the vanguard in a B-class gate.

He had accomplished something that even C-class warrior-type hunters would struggle with.

Even though the burden of the vanguard was less because it wasn’t a normal raid party, it was still an achievement comparable to him reaching the 2nd circle in just two weeks.

Showing such talent in both swordsmanship and magic was extremely rare.

In the first place, even if one had talent, trying to build up one’s skill while juggling another was an extremely arrogant act.

With ordinary talent, one would only end up as a failure, neither here nor there.

Yet, Kang Hyeon-u not only achieved the feat of reaching the 2nd circle in a short period but also showed talent and skill as a swordsman.

It was impossible for a 2nd circle mage to defeat a C-class magic beast alone, and conversely, a swordsman of a similar level could not fight a C-class magic beast on their own.

However, the reason he was able to hunt C-class magic beasts alone was that magic and swordsmanship synergized with each other.

It was safe to say that he had already taken a step as a magic swordsman.

“Thanks to the mana stone embedded in the pommel, Gillenium will serve as an excellent medium, better than most wands. Moreover, the blade made of mithril is sharp and hard enough to cut through the bones of C-class or higher magic beasts. Its performance as a sword alone is not inferior to any famous sword.”

However, magic swordsmen were practically an extinct profession.

Trying to master swordsmanship and magic at the same time with ordinary talent was no different from digging one’s own grave.

Therefore, following the trend of the times, which emphasized choice and focus, proper magic swordsmen naturally disappeared.

“Hyeon-u.”

There was something she had to tell him, who was about to walk a thorny path.

Even if it was meddling, she had to tell him in order to repay even a little of the favor she had received.

“Becoming a magic swordsman is a very arduous path.”

Finding a teacher for magic and a teacher for swordsmanship was not easy, but it was not impossible.

However, finding a teacher as a magic swordsman was close to impossible.

First of all, there was no one in the country who had reached a high level as a magic swordsman. Moreover, magic swordsmen overseas had built their own closed society, so it would be difficult for him, who had no connections, to even obtain proper information, let alone a teacher.

If that were the case, Kang Hyeon-u would have to become a magic swordsman by reaching the level of integrating magic and swordsmanship on his own without a proper teacher, which was, to put it bluntly, impossible.

“Even if you dedicate your whole life to magic, only a very few reach the 6th circle. The same goes for swordsmanship. Those who can use aura blades are not treated well for no reason.”

Choi Yeong-ok wanted to stop him.

She wanted to tell him how important choice and focus were.

To exaggerate a little, he was born with the talent to become a great mage and the talent to become a sword master.

She didn’t want him to waste his talent.

Even if he gave up magic and became a swordsman.

Contrary to her sincere concerns, Kang Hyeon-u, who had heard everything, did not change his expression.

“…I’m going to be a mage though?”

What was this old woman talking about?

Why a magic swordsman all of a sudden?

Was I crazy to choose a job that only middle schoolers with chuunibyou would want?

Mages had the huge backing of the Magic Tower, while swordsmen and magic swordsmen had none of that.

‘There’s a big company called the Magic Tower right in front of me, am I crazy?’

If you gave it a nice packaging, it was a loner, but in reality, it was just a jobless person whose only affiliation was the Hunter Association.

“Is that really so?”

“I’m a mage to the bone.”

Swordsmanship was just for self-defense.

As I said before, my fate was definitely not to sit comfortably in the back and just cast magic.

Considering the underground dungeon and this gate incident, I decided to learn swordsmanship because I needed to be able to handle the vanguard to some extent on my own, but I’m not thinking beyond that.

Of course, if I could draw out sword ki like the director, I would seriously consider it, but well?

Choi Yeong-ok smiled, unable to hide her feelings at Kang Hyeon-u’s reaction.

In fact, whether he chose the path of a mage, the path of a swordsman, or even if he stubbornly declared that he would walk the path of a magic swordsman, Choi Yeong-ok was willing to support Kang Hyeon-u.

In the end, nothing was as important as one’s own thoughts.

However, apart from those thoughts, she couldn’t help but feel good at the confident voice of her prospective grandson-in-law, who confidently declared that he would aim to be a mage.

“Hyeon-u, can you wait a moment?”

It was a grandmother’s heart that wanted to give something more to this admirable grandson-in-law.

As the chaotic banquet of the Seongbuk Choi family faded into a week-old memory, I was once again swinging my sword at the dojo.

A lot had happened in the past week.

The media, which had been churning out articles about isolated gates almost daily, had suddenly gone silent.

I didn’t know the reason, but I cautiously speculated that the upper echelons, including the Seongbuk Choi family, might have intervened.

As the news went quiet, public interest naturally waned, and the eventful week I had spent in that intense gate felt like nothing.

I had done everything I could to survive, and now that it was over, I felt a little bittersweet, but more than that, I was worried that Choi Hye-na hadn’t contacted me for a week.

-I’m pregnant, so take responsibility.

She had shocked me with a sudden pregnancy attack, but now that she had been quiet for a week, I was uneasy.

However, I didn’t have the courage to contact her, so I was left waiting for her call.

Thanks to that, it had been a week of mental turmoil, but I felt relatively at ease when I was swinging my sword or meditating, like now.

Perhaps because of that, I naturally spent the past week focusing on magic and swordsmanship training.

Clang!

“Your wrist is getting stiff again.”

As time passed, my stamina and muscles improved, and the time it took to swing the sword ten thousand times also shortened.

Of course, since I had to incorporate cutting and stabbing, it was practically thirty thousand times, which now took me a little over six hours.

As a result, my hands were a mess of blisters.

However, perhaps because calluses formed as the blisters burst, gripping the sword became much easier than before.

Moreover, as my stamina increased, I could concentrate much better during meditation.

Although I hadn’t found a clue to reach the 3rd circle, my overall skill seemed to have nearly doubled compared to when I escaped the gate.

‘At this rate…’

I was confident that I could easily take on the Lizard Warrior, the gatekeeper of the first floor of the underground dungeon.

As that confidence grew, I couldn’t help but smile.

Just like in games, where your character’s strength motivates you to play harder, the same was true in reality.

“…Did I push you too hard? You’re the first one I’ve seen smile while training.”

“I’m smiling because my teacher is too beautiful.”

Jeon Seo-ha sighed inwardly at the sight of Kang Hyeon-u, who was grinning and swinging his wooden sword.

Jeon Seo-ha’s assessment of Kang Hyeon-u over the past week was that he was clearly talented, but overall, he was a strange guy.

No matter how much she hit him, he immediately called her teacher, so hitting him more would only hurt her arm.

“Thirty thousand swings done! I’m leaving now?”

Jeon Seo-ha simply waved her hand instead of answering.

Kang Hyeon-u, who had become accustomed to her indifferent reaction over the past week, didn’t say anything more and quickly headed to the changing room.

Even after changing his clothes and coming out, Jeon Seo-ha was still leaning against the corner of the dojo, staring blankly.

She was always like that except when she was teaching him.

She didn’t seem to use her phone or have any hobbies like other people.

She was just guarding the dojo aimlessly.

She didn’t even seem to have any intention of attracting students by handing out flyers.

Kang Hyeon-u, who had been watching Jeon Seo-ha like that for a week, felt a sense of kinship with her.

He saw his past self in Jeon Seo-ha’s eyes.

She looked like someone who was living just because she was breathing, without any particular goals or desires in life.

Although they had never had a private conversation, it was undeniable that they had developed a bond over the past week.

“Anyone would think you’re a stray dog trapped in a shelter.”

Jeon Seo-ha looked up at Kang Hyeon-u.

Jeon Seo-ha’s lifeless eyes, which he saw up close, stirred up memories of his own past.

“Here.”

“…?”

Something wrapped in paper fell in front of Jeon Seo-ha, who was looking at Kang Hyeon-u with a look that asked why he wasn’t leaving and was still lingering around.

It was dog jerky.

Not the cheap kind, but a relatively high-end brand sold at department stores.

“You don’t seem to eat properly, so I bought it for you.”

“I don’t need it.”

“No refunds, so throw it away if you don’t want it.”

With those words, Kang Hyeon-u turned around and left.

Left alone, Jeon Seo-ha stared intently at the jerky.

It smelled good.

“…Always doing unnecessary things.”

Jeon Seo-ha, who had been extremely laconic except when teaching him, rarely murmured to herself as she examined the jerky.

Most of her murmurs were about her impressions of Kang Hyeon-u and the jerky.

Nevertheless, the dojo, now that Kang Hyeon-u had left, was too quiet to be filled with her murmurs.

It was strange.

It had already been a week since he registered at the dojo, but she had never felt like this before.

With a frown at the strange feeling, Jeon Seo-ha quietly put the jerky in her mouth.

Crunch-

It was salty and delicious.

Rushing home, I took out the sword I had neatly stored in my inventory, as usual.

‘Wow, look at that shine.’

It was Gillenium, the artificial artifact that Choi Yeong-ok had given me as a reward a week ago.

[Information on the newly acquired item is being collected.]

[Gillenium]

[Grade: Epic]

[Swordsmanship effects increased.]

[Swordsmanship power increased.]

[Cutting power increased.]

[Contains a faint demonic banishing aura.]

[Magic power increased.]

[Magic casting speed decreased.]

I saw it every day, but I never got tired of it.

It was always new.

I wondered if I was always this belligerent, but holding Gillenium always made me want to fight.

To be honest, even though it was a reward, I never expected to receive something this expensive.

I knew how big of a merit it was to be able to use magic while wielding a sword, even though I hadn’t tried it yet.

This was what they called item power.

“You’re dead.”

[Name: Iris Remeria Bayart Pelledia

Age: 524 years old

Race: High Elf

Affiliation: EB-17

Occupation: Archmage

Disposition: Saintly Ruler, Non-killing, Devoted, Vegetarian…]

[Rematch?]

[Y/N]

My mind was filled with only one thought.

Let’s get rid of that damn lizard and go see Iris as soon as possible.