episode_0014

Cheok Jiyeon had confidence in her sword, and with it, exceptional talent.

Her family had been renowned for their swordsmanship from the start.

No—they had gone beyond mere renown, establishing an unrivaled position in the exorcism world through their blade work.

At least, they had, until her older brother, the heir, became obsessed with the sword and massacred their entire clan.

Even after her family’s downfall, Cheok Jiyeon’s talent remained genuine.

Through relentless effort, she had grown into an outstanding swordswoman.

Naturally, she had her own ambitions when it came to swords.

If anything, she believed a swordswoman should desire nothing but the sword.

For someone like Cheok Jiyeon, who devoted herself solely to training, the sword was the only thing that held her interest.

That’s why she knew the moment she saw that sword in Cheonjihae’s display.

This is an absurdly magnificent blade.

‘I want it…’

For once, she even entertained such a thought.

But unfortunately, Cheok Jiyeon was the second-place candidate.

The first pick belonged to Nam Dohyeong.

‘So he really was the top scorer…’

If he hadn’t been, she would’ve suspected foul play.

The skill to take down such a powerful monster in a single strike—

There was no way an organization like Cheonjihae would overlook that.

‘He’s definitely going to choose that sword.’

All the equipment Cheonjihae had displayed was exceptional.

Yet, the presence and power of that sword were in a league of their own.

She didn’t know whether the man even used a sword.

But even if he didn’t, there was no reason not to pick it.

“Hmm.”

Just as expected, the man’s gaze went straight to the sword.

Even though she had anticipated it, a feeling of dread bubbled up—what if he took it away?

“Ah…”

Without realizing it, she let out a sigh.

Hearing it, Nam Dohyeong turned his head to look at her.

‘Ugh… I can’t believe I’m making such a scene…’

The moment she met his eyes, an inexplicable wave of shame washed over her.

It felt like she was throwing a tantrum, begging him not to take the sword.

“I won’t be taking any weapon.”

‘!!’

So when the man made that declaration, she was more shocked than anyone.

Others might not have noticed, but Cheok Jiyeon knew.

That sword was the only thing he had shown any interest in.

Then, as soon as she reacted, he averted his gaze.

‘Don’t tell me… for my sake?’

The only weapon worth taking here was that sword.

But by yielding it to Cheok Jiyeong, he had effectively given up his right to choose altogether.

‘But why?’

She couldn’t understand his reasoning.

She and Nam Dohyeong had only happened to take the practical exam together.

They had no prior connection, nor had they ever spoken before.

And yet, he was giving up his weapon for her?

It made no logical sense.

‘Well, I’m grateful, but…’

Even as she accepted the sword, it weighed on her conscience.

Why would he go out of his way to accommodate her like this?

For the first time, a man other than her brother had caught her attention.

With her limited social experience, Cheok Jiyeon had no idea how to process this.

“Wait a second!”

She had no choice but to ask him directly.

She needed to know the reason, no matter what.

If she let this moment pass, she might never get another chance.

“Why did you give the sword to me?”

The man—no, Nam Dohyeong—tilted his head as if confused by the question.

Was yielding such a magnificent sword something he could forget within minutes?

‘Just how vast is his mindset…?’

She had been called a genius herself, but—

Nam Dohyeong’s thought process was utterly incomprehensible.

“You could’ve taken that sword for yourself. So why give it up and forfeit your weapon choice?”

“Ah—”

Only then did Nam Dohyeong nod in understanding.

“Did you not hear me earlier because you were nervous? I said it’d be meaningless for me to take it.”

“Meaningless…?”

Did he mean that, given his ability to wield such powerful incantations, he had no need to covet a sword like this?

“It’s not like I specifically yielded it to you. It’s just that, as the second-place candidate, the choice naturally fell to you.”

“Well… I suppose, but…”

“Even if I had that sword, I wouldn’t have been able to use it properly. Wouldn’t it be better for a skilled swordswoman from a prestigious family to take it? The sword itself would be happier that way.”

Cheok Jiyeon’s eyes widened at Nam Dohyeong’s words.

“You… knew about my family?”

“Huh? Of course. It’s not like it was some big secret.”

The incident where the heir of the Cheok family went mad and annihilated his own clan—

It had sent shockwaves through the exorcism world.

At the same time, people began to fear Cheok Jiyeon, the sole survivor.

If her brother had gone berserk and slaughtered his entire family—

Who was to say she wouldn’t do the same?

‘And there was no shortage of harassment from those gloomy bastards.’

It wasn’t just fear, either.

A once-prominent family had fallen overnight.

For those who had always envied them, it was the perfect opportunity to mock and belittle.

Because of this, the Cheok family’s reputation had hit rock bottom.

Many openly pointed fingers, while others avoided her entirely—

Afraid that associating with her might bring them misfortune.

‘So… he knew all along.’

Yet, Nam Dohyeong had treated her no differently.

She had assumed it was because he didn’t know about the Cheok family’s history.

But he had known.

And despite that, he had treated her just like anyone else.

‘…Even the friends and families I was once close to turned their backs the moment it no longer benefited them.’

A different kind of shame crept over her.

Unconsciously, she had been judging him with the same prejudice others held against her.

“Do your best with that sword. You’ve got talent.”

Perhaps it was because she realized he saw her for who she truly was.

She had grown tired of being called a genius, but his words lingered in her ears.

“W-wait!”

Cheok Jiyeon hurriedly called out to Nam Dohyeong as he turned to leave.

It was a reflexive reaction—she didn’t even know why she did it.

Fortunately, her mind quickly found a reason, even as her heart pounded.

“Ahem! Hmm! Anyway, it’s true that I got this sword thanks to you. And I owe you my life from the practical exam, too.”

Now that she said it, she really had gained a lot because of him.

Letting this slide would be unforgivable as the head of the Cheok family.

Yes, that’s right. This was purely about that.

“I’ll repay this debt, no matter what it takes.”

“How do you plan to repay it?”

“Eh? Uh—”

Caught off guard by the counter-question, Cheok Jiyeon stammered.

How would she repay it?

Fight in his stead?

The man before her was far stronger than she was.

Offer compensation?

What could she possibly give someone who had yielded such a magnificent sword?

“Um… anything… you ask…”

The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them.

No matter how impressive he was, he was still a man.

If she said she’d do anything, who knew what he might demand?

‘I-I messed up. What if he asks for something indecent? I…’

As Cheok Jiyeon panicked over her own words,

Nam Dohyeong chuckled and waved his hand dismissively.

“Hey, relax. I was just asking. If you’re really grateful, just buy me a meal sometime.”

“A… meal?”

Cheok Jiyeon blinked in confusion.

Was that really all he was asking for?

‘…Now that I think about it, when was the last time I ate with someone else?’

After losing her family, she had eaten alone for a long time.

She had grown used to it, but as a child, those moments had felt unbearably lonely.

“…Understood. I’ll treat you without fail.”

“Good. Then I’ll be going. See you at the company.”

Cheok Jiyeon gave a firm nod.

She would keep this promise perfectly—

Even if it cost her life.

As I’d heard during the orientation, Cheonjihae’s recruitment and training methods were quite unique.

First, passing the exam didn’t automatically make you an employee.

New hires were given the status of “trainees” and had to attend classes on urban legends and exorcism.

Only after completing this training could they become “interns.”

And only after accumulating enough achievements as interns would they be promoted to full-time employees.

‘It might seem excessive, but Cheonjihae has its reasons.’

For one, exorcising urban legends was an extremely dangerous job.

Even if someone passed the exam, Cheonjihae still saw most of them as greenhorns.

So this was their way of equipping them with at least some armor before sending them on official missions.

In a way, it was Cheonjihae’s own form of consideration—to reduce casualties.

‘I heard they once sent new hires straight into missions without a second thought, and over half of them died. That’s why they introduced this system.’

So even as the top scorer, I wasn’t an official employee yet.

As proof, my chest bore a nametag that read .

Most new hires found this incredibly embarrassing.

“Ugh, ‘trainee’? Seriously?”

“I’ve been working as an exorcist outside, you know.”

“We’re not kids—why do we need classes?”

Honestly, I didn’t get their complaints.

They were in a hurry to throw themselves into urban legends and die?

Were all exorcists masochists or something?

‘And they’re even paying us!’

Being a trainee or intern didn’t mean reduced pay, either.

Cheonjihae provided proper salaries even to trainees.

Where else in this harsh world would you find a place that paid you and taught you how to survive?

‘Ahh! This is why they say even servants should serve in a noble household!’

Such thoughtful welfare naturally fostered loyalty.

Satisfied, I smiled as I walked down the hallway.

Cheonjihae’s training followed a structure similar to university lectures.

We just had to attend the assigned classes based on our curriculum.

‘First class is the Combat Team’s lecture, huh? Well, not really my field.’

Not that any of them were.

Combat Team, Curse Team, Necromancy Team, and so on—

There were many specialties, but none where a “one instant-death per day” guy like me could shine.

Not that I had talent in any other area, either.

‘I’ll just muddle through whatever class I’m in.’

With that thought, I took my seat in the lecture hall—

Only to feel the weight of numerous sharp gazes.

“Wow, the top scorer’s in our class.”

“That’s the guy who openly dissed Cheonjihae’s equipment, right?”

“He’s something else. But since Cheonjihae’s the one evaluating him, is that really okay?”

…I knew taking first place was a mistake.

This felt like some loner suddenly becoming the class topper and drawing unwanted attention.

‘And it’s not like I refused their weapon—I just took the box instead.’

For the record, I sold the box.

Turns out, the Cheonjihae premium brand made it surprisingly valuable.

Thanks to that, I could treat my little sister to some delicious beef.

‘Well, whatever. I’ll just focus on the lecture.’

I had no intention of getting close to anyone anyway.

If I did, they’d just find out I was a “one instant-death per day” guy.

A seasoned loner like me was already used to solitude…

“Mind if I sit here?”

Suddenly, someone spoke up beside me.

When I turned, there stood Cheok Jiyeon, proudly wearing her sword at her waist.

…What do you say when a swordswoman asks to sit next to you?

‘Wait, more importantly—why does she keep getting involved with me?’

When a named character is this proactive, it’s just stressful for an extra like me.