episode_0039

“Do you know about that? Rumor has it that you did something during the practical training.”

Her water-like hair shimmered under the ceiling’s light, reflecting a sparkling radiance. It was as if a blue sea bathed in sunlight was emerging.

Baek Arin’s popularity in the social circle might stem from her unique bright and gentle aura, coupled with her exceptional beauty that few could match.

She moved her cooling fingertips.

[Rumor, you say?]

“Yes, was it the training room? Stories shared by Ha Yul’s classmates are spreading around.”

The training room. Wasn’t that where Aidan and Nam Yeonjoong were said to have fought directly to determine the superiority between sword and spear? How did my story come out there? By chance?

“Oh, it wasn’t a detailed explanation. Just a few words about how amazing Ha Yul’s sensing ability is.”

Reading my doubts, Baek Arin explained with a smile.

“If you think of it as a rumor about how excellent Ha Yul is, it might put you at ease.”

[I see.]

“Yes, that’s right… Oh.”

Speaking in a teasing tone, Baek Arin suddenly remembered something.

“Come to think of it, there was such talk.”

Her gaze fixed on the doorplate of the room I had just exited.

[Magic Practice Room]

“There’s also talk that Ha Yul wields magic. May I ask about it?”

Even after seeing the doorplate for the magic practice room, why this reaction? Was she just curious and wanted to ask for confirmation?

I nodded hesitantly. Baek Arin clapped her hands together with excitement.

“Magic! It’s a wonderful discipline once mastered. It can be used in combat and everyday life. I’ve learned it myself, and it truly changes your life before and after mastering it.”

Baek Arin had also mastered magic. In the original work, Baek Arin handles magic at an advanced level.

“So Ha Yul has embarked on learning magic too! Since magic can be so versatile in both offense and support, you won’t regret learning it.”

Her main weapon is the spear. When in combat, she engages in battles utilizing the spear. However, she doesn’t rely solely on the spear.

Her innate ability, “Changhae,” freely manipulates two attributes—water and ice.

Water is responsible for healing and adjustment, while ice manages defense and offense. Utilizing these two, she can pressure enemies, heal allies, and provide protection without necessarily using the spear.

Close combat through martial arts, protecting and healing allies with her innate abilities, pressuring and attacking enemies, and even adding various spells on top of that.

In the original work, Baek Arin’s concept is that of an all-rounder, excelling in various fields and serving as a solid core of the party.

In other words—

“The advantage of magic lies in the broad range of choices it offers once learned, wouldn’t you agree? Since it can be effectively used for both offense and support, you won’t regret learning magic.”

—Jack-of-all-trades.

When setting characters in the previous world and choosing Jack-of-all-trades, Baek Arin was the role model for using Jack-of-all-trades effectively.

…

…

Searching for materials in the library and testing magic in the practice room made time fly by quickly.

By the time I left the practice room, the sun had already set.

Walking down a path illuminated only by faint moonlight, with even the evening glow vanished, I heard repetitive footsteps beside me.

“Hehe~”

The cause was Baek Arin. As I mentioned it was time to head back, she also intended to return, suggesting we go together.

Observing Baek Arin sticking close to me with spatial awareness, I walked calmly.

Baek Arin carried herself confidently, taking brisk steps. Her humming added a whimsical touch.

The rhythmic footsteps and humming, blending with the moonlight, created an unintentional charm.

If only the night sky had been visible, it would have been even more enchanting. Unfortunately, it remained hidden from view.

Seeing Baek Arin’s smiling face, I felt a mix of emotions within me.

Hong Yeonhwa was someone entirely different from the character in the original work for me.

There was a gentle Hong Yeon-hwa who would give up her life if I were to get hurt, despite her violent tendencies.

Though it was just a fleeting connection of about a month, I had never formed a bond as deep as the one with Hong Yeon-hwa in all my life.

In contrast, Baek Ah-rin… was almost identical to the original character.

“Curious why I’m approaching you so familiarly?” Baek Ah-rin suddenly asked as I walked quietly.

Taking a few steps ahead and then turning back to face me, she had a mischievous smile on her lips.

“There’s nothing particularly special about the reason.”

Almost every time, Baek Ah-rin approached the special admission students. And she did so with a friendly attitude.

“I believe that someday, Hwayul will succeed. I don’t care what others say; that’s just my opinion.”

Special admission. Though still met with subtle glances, there was an air of anticipation akin to winning the lottery.

Baek Ah-rin approached with a similar stance.

[It’s simpler than I thought.]

“Hahaha. If you call it materialistic, well, I can’t argue with that… But it’s not necessarily a bad thing, right?”

Her echoing steps sounded particularly loud.

“Special admission… It’s surprising to see someone like me appearing in the same class as a student from a prestigious family like the Siyoram founders, but… it’s not as bad as one might think.”

Before we knew it, we had arrived at the dormitory building. A luxurious facility resembling a high-rise building.

“Since there’s no harm in getting closer to the promising Hwayul, starting with these small interactions could lead to a mutually supportive relationship in the future, don’t you think?”

Standing at the entrance, Baek Ah-rin turned around. Our faces met directly. Her face still carried a playful yet gentle smile.

“It seems I’ve been rambling. In summary… Yes, let’s be close from now on!”

Saying so, she extended her hand. With a bright expression, Baek Ah-rin looked at me. After a moment of hesitation, I reached out and shook her hand.

As our hands clasped, a solemn yet cool sensation passed through our palms.

At that moment, Baek Ah-rin leaned forward. Her faint breath brushed against my ear.

In a whisper-like tone, she said, “Please don’t just be close with Yeon-hwa due to jealousy. Lately, she’s been excluding her friends. Play together instead of just the two of you.”

With a wink and releasing my hand, Baek Ah-rin took a few steps back.

“I’m sorry for holding you when you must be tired. I’ll really go now. Have sweet dreams!”

With those words, she turned around. According to the original work or what I heard from Yeon-hwa, she didn’t stay in the dormitory building but received a separate house.

Baek Ah-rin approached players each time. As explained earlier, it was to form a bond with a player who would eventually succeed.

First round. She didn’t achieve much success. It was a time when hidden quests and stories were unknown.

By the time Siyoram graduated, she hadn’t shown any remarkable uniqueness.

Thanks to the growth correction from the special admission, she managed to maintain relatively high grades, but they were still not at a level comparable to other students.

She wasn’t the talent Baek Ah-rin would be satisfied with.

Nevertheless, she showed kindness to the first-round players. When chaos returned to the world and the first round fought desperately, Baek Ah-rin fought alongside them.

One thing was certain: until the end of the first round, Baek Ah-rin remained a reliable ally.

Episode 8, “Thunderous Roar”

Not reaching the maximum potential in each position like “Golden Warrior” or “Hybrid Summoner,” she managed to survive while rubbing shoulders with the strongest figures in the world.

Her specialty was long-range sniping.

Maximizing her archery skills and evolving her brain-based unique abilities through hidden quests, she unleashed a rain of arrows and thunderous baptisms from unreachable places, dodging enemy attacks effortlessly.

Utilizing artifacts of the spatial element, there was a strategy to channel power into attacks and teleport them directly onto the enemy’s face.

It was a very well-developed round. Particularly advantageous for survival due to its long-range capabilities, it was thought that Round 8 would be able to survive for a long time.

Contrary to expectations, they exited early.

Round 8 was different from Round 1.

Thanks to efficient nurturing, they achieved the feat of conquering the 3rd rank before graduating from Siyolam.

After graduation, they roamed the Maekyung, sniping high-level monsters with pinpoint accuracy, and took down renegades from all over the world, raising their reputation.

The lottery win Baek Arin had anticipated turned out to be a betrayal. Round 8 was supposed to be one where she could reap the benefits of her early investments.

However.

Round 8 ended with Baek Arin’s betrayal leading to her death.

* * *

Silently, Baek Arin walked beneath the night sky. No sound of footsteps could be felt from her legs stretching out step by step.

At some point, even her humming ceased. The surroundings, once filled with bustling noises and chatter, were now enveloped in the typical chill of dawn.

It was unlike the usual lively atmosphere. A calm and composed demeanor.

She hesitated for a moment before turning her head. The dormitory building she had just arrived at. Yihayul was nowhere to be seen entering the building.

“Hmm…”

Lost in thought, she pondered with a flick of her head. Recalling her recent actions and the stuttering process of information processing in her mind.

The sequence of thoughts was quickly processed. She pressed her index finger against her lips.

“Why would they fear me?”

Baek Arin tilted her head as if questioning.