The next day.
As week six began, a special training session was scheduled. More precisely, it was a training I had requested from Shin Jaeryong.
While regular instructors conduct routine, scheduled training, special instructors handle—just as the name suggests—specialized training. Of course, since the User Academy prioritizes regular classes, special sessions are somewhat irregular. But the perk is that special instructors can handpick trainees and set their own schedules.
Two years ago, special instructors were mostly honorary positions, so it didn’t really matter if they skipped training. But now, acting like that would earn a ton of criticism, so at least the minimum training hours had to be met. Not that I ever planned to slack off.
The first session I led went fairly smoothly.
Two things stood out while training the rookies.
First, they definitely left a different impression compared to other rookies. They were very eager to participate, asking and answering questions without hesitation.
But there was one downside: the higher my expectations, the greater the disappointment.
Ninety-one rookies attended the first session, all with a similar “inspector” class to mine. I’d hoped to spot a potential successor, but no one really stood out. They were just… above average.
Second, I was surprised by how well-known Ahn Hyun was.
Every now and then, someone would ask, “Instructor, are you the clan lord of Instructor Ahn Hyun?” or something similar. It seemed the good word about Ahn Hyun had spread after the recent incident. (Most of the rookies asking about Ahn Hyun were women.)
Despite the mixed feelings and disappointments from the first session, I decided to take it easy.
There were 483 rookies in total, so about 400 still remained. Since I planned to use my “third eye” on each one, I figured I’d find at least one promising candidate eventually.
While focusing on scouting potential users during training, I wasn’t ignoring everything else.
In fact, the user I was most concerned about was someone else entirely.
Cha Heeyoung.
Setting aside her user profile, the fact that Cha Heeyoung was currently in the whole plain was a disaster—or a ticking time bomb.
What if she suddenly flipped out like in the first round and summoned the Hell Grand Duke?
Just thinking about it was terrifying.
The future changes, but it also doesn’t. Still, if there’s even a 1% chance to avoid summoning the Hell Grand Duke, I’d pay any price to steer clear of it. Even more than avoiding a demon.
That’s why Cha Heeyoung had to be watched closely. No amount of caution would ever be enough.
That was the reason I told Ahn Hyun to bring her over.
“Hyung, I brought her. Heeyoung, say hello.”
“…Hello.”
By the time the sun was high in the sky, Ahn Hyun had successfully brought Cha Heeyoung to the dormitory, just as instructed.
At first glance, Cha Heeyoung—with her hair curling at the ends—looked like a pure, innocent princess who didn’t know the ways of the world.
But after what happened, something seemed to have changed. Her eyes had grown sharp and twitchy, her gaze clouded. The innocence she once had quietly faded, replaced by a faintly seductive, almost tawdry decadence.
Worried it might be a sign of a witch’s awakening, I smiled gently and invited her to sit.
“I heard your training just ended. Sorry for calling you here like this.”
“Oh, no. Thank you for inviting me.”
“Ha. It’s nothing special. I just wanted to check in and see how you’re doing. Have you heard about the outcome of the incident?”
“……”
Cha Heeyoung fell silent for a moment. I tilted my head in curiosity.
All users involved in that incident had been severely punished.
First, Han Chaehyuk and Kim Minseo were both expelled from the Goryeo clan.
The key point: they didn’t leave voluntarily—they were kicked out. This meant the central management agency took full control over their punishment, and Goryeo clan no longer cared what happened to them.
Without the Goryeo shield, they were effectively finished as users. At least, the punishments for crimes committed at the User Academy were known to be harsh.
The three users who assaulted Cha Heeyoung faced similar fates—if anything, worse.
Long story short, all three were expelled from the User Academy. And that kind of punishment was no light matter.
For a rookie to become a proper user, passing through the User Academy was essential. But these three were kicked out mid-training, never completing the course or receiving the 4-point graduation reward.
And since the central agency officially announced their expulsion, the stigma of being criminals would follow them everywhere.
I could only guess they’d end up wandering aimlessly, eventually starving or falling prey to monsters.
Given all that—
“Yes, I’ve heard about it…”
Cha Heeyoung finally spoke, trailing off quietly. Was she worried about something?
“Is there something bothering you?”
“It’s not that it’s suspicious… it’s just…”
“Yes?”
“I’m a little worried. What if those people come looking for me later and try to harm me?”
But as soon as she said that, I chuckled softly. What was she thinking?
“You don’t have to worry about that at all. The chance of that happening is practically zero.”
“Really?”
She asked cautiously. I nodded firmly and spoke with conviction.
“Yes. I understand your concern, but even if they tried, they wouldn’t be able to lay a finger on you. Other users around you wouldn’t stand for it. I guarantee that.”
“But—”
“Even if no one else helps, at least the mercenaries, including Ahn Hyun and me, will protect you no matter what.”
“……”
“It must be confusing—falling into a strange world and going through bad experiences. But try to trust the users… no, the people here a little more. The whole plain isn’t as bad a place as it seems.”
“…Thank you. I’ll try.”
Cha Heeyoung nodded quietly, then looked at me with awkward eyes.
Don’t look at me like that. I’m just as awkward as you are.
Finally hearing the answer I wanted, I smiled warmly. Suddenly, Cha Heeyoung’s eyes widened, and she quickly looked away.
I felt a bit puzzled. Her face seemed a little flushed… Was she feeling unwell? Why was she glancing back and forth between me and Ahn Hyun?
Then she fixed her gaze on Ahn Hyun, bit her lip hard as if making up her mind. Ahn Hyun looked uncomfortable, staring off into the distance, trembling.
I wondered what was going on between them, but I spoke again. My priority was to guide Cha Heeyoung in the right direction.
“Anyway, I’m glad you’re willing to try. Is there anything else you need? As an instructor, I can arrange some conveniences for you.”
“Oh, no. I don’t need anything.”
“Hmm. Is that so?”
“Well… it’s not really a request, but I do have one question…”
“A question? Go ahead.”
“Yes. It’s just… Instructor Kim Soohyun is, um, Hyun’s older brother’s clan lord, right?”
Hyun’s… older brother…?
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Then… um…”
The more she spoke, the quieter her voice became, as if sinking into a bottomless hole. Meanwhile, Ahn Hyun kept staring off into the distance, his jaw trembling. It looked… really strange.
Suddenly, Cha Heeyoung bowed her head deeply, clasped her hands tightly, and shouted in a flushed voice:
“Does Hyun’s older brother have a girlfriend?!”
…What?
It took me exactly three seconds to process what she’d just said.
I quietly glanced at Ahn Hyun.
A moment later, I saw him squeeze his eyes shut, his face contorted in agony.
After sending Ahn Hyun and Cha Heeyoung off, my mind was a mess. Walking down the hallway lined with classrooms, I replayed the recent events.
The moment I said “No, he doesn’t,”
Cha Heeyoung smiled genuinely for the first time since we met, and Ahn Hyun shed a single tear.
Why did Ahn Hyun cry? And why did he look at me with such resentment?
Honestly, I felt a bit of regret. I should have thought more carefully before speaking.
After all, it was only week six, and the line between instructor and rookie had to be strictly maintained. If rumors spread about us being involved, the worst-case scenario could be Ahn Hyun’s expulsion.
Next time I see them, I’ll firmly advise them to keep their distance—or at least not show anything until the User Academy ends.
With that in mind, I continued down the sunlit corridor.
There was no additional special training scheduled that afternoon, but I was patrolling and checking out how the other rookies were being trained.
That’s when I heard it.
“From now on, what you’ll be learning from me is the application of mana activation. In other words, going beyond the basic circuit operation…”
Suddenly, a familiar voice drifted into my ear, and as if spellbound, I found myself moving forward.
If it was a theory about mana, it was likely part of the wizard class’s curriculum. Personally, I had high hopes for the wizard class training.
That was mainly because of the secret class—the Soul Commander. According to Hayun, he was quite the eccentric character with an unusually broad sense of involvement. And that was despite being a rookie just starting out.
Hayun said he had thrown out some bizarre questions during training more than once, causing her quite a headache. Either way, I was definitely someone who wanted to meet this user at least once.
But the moment I arrived at the classroom where the lecture was taking place, all thoughts of the Soul Commander completely slipped from my mind.
Standing at the front of the room was a woman with eyes like black crystals, a cold, expressionless face, and—surprisingly—a rather ample chest, which she was modestly covering by crossing her arms. It was none other than Han So-young.
Since Han So-young had also come in as a special instructor, she was giving the afternoon lecture to the rookies with magical talent.
“This part is important for a simple reason. Because among the abilities a wizard can develop…?”
She suddenly stopped speaking, as if sensing my gaze. Calmly, Han So-young turned to look at me. Several men who had been focused on the lecture—or rather, on Han So-young—also turned to look.
But it was only for a moment. After a brief, steady look, Han So-young averted her eyes and resumed speaking to the rookies.
“It’s because of the ability to apply mana circuits. Whether you master this ability or not determines the value of a wizard…”
Come to think of it, wasn’t Han So-young still sulking?
I felt a bit uncertain. On one hand, it made sense that she was focused on the lecture like this, but on the other, I had hoped she might at least give me a casual nod.
Well, she was a master of poker face, so this was just like her—but still, why did I feel a little hurt?
I sighed quietly, but there was nothing I could do. If I barged in now, it would only make things worse. Thinking that, I forced a bitter smile and passed by the classroom hallway.
No—just as I was about to pass by—
“Instructor Han So-young! I have a question!”
A youthful voice, still carrying a hint of childishness, suddenly rang out, echoing through the classroom. It was so loud it even reverberated faintly in the hallway where I stood.
I instinctively turned my ear toward the door.
Immediately, a calm, quiet voice responded.
“Questions are fine, but please lower your voice, trainee.”
“Sorry!”
“…What’s your question?”
“Well, um! The person passing by outside—isn’t that the new special instructor, Mercenary Lord! Instructor Kim Su-hyun?”
Wait, that guy?
A short sigh from Han So-young drifted through the door.
“That’s right. But why are you asking that? It has nothing to do with the lesson.”
“Sorry! But, you see—”
“I told you to keep your voice down. Quiet, please.”
“…Yes.”
Murmurs spread.
The classroom quickly grew noisy.
Ah, this wasn’t what I wanted.
I really hadn’t meant to cause a disruption, but unintentionally, I had interrupted Han So-young’s lesson.
Feeling apologetic inside, I quickened my pace. It was better to get out of here for now.
Meanwhile, the back-and-forth continued.
“Also, that person is a sword-class user, so you won’t have much chance to meet him. And the instructor standing here is me. Focus on your training.”
“I know that, but—”
And then—
“When Instructor Kim Su-hyun passed by, didn’t Instructor Han So-young keep sneaking glances at him out of the corner of her eye?”
I—
“Y-yeah…? Ah, ah! P-please be quiet…!”
Before I knew it—
“That’s why I’m saying, Instructor, please focus on us.”
Reflexively—
“…”
Han So-young turned around.
And I saw it.
Her hand, which had been gently clasping her left arm, suddenly clenched tightly.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Phew. I barely managed to upload this today. I think I only got an hour or two of sleep. Last night at 11 PM, I honestly thought I was going to die, but after a little rest, my head feels clearer. I guess I should do some stretching after posting. My body’s all stiff and sore… haha.
I deleted the part I wrote yesterday because, in today’s draft, there was a line early on: “And the first training session went fairly smoothly.” At first, I wrote a detailed account of the training, but when I looked back, that section alone was over 3,000 characters. I kept a bit of it, though, since it felt a shame to lose it all.
[Original Text Excerpt]
According to Hayun, among the melee classes, there weren’t any rookies with outstanding grades. Of course, everyone was above average, but compared to the ranged classes, they lagged a bit. In other words, this batch had some exceptional users in the ranged classes.
Still, I chose the melee class first—not just because of the training schedule, but because appearances can be deceiving. Besides, there’s still plenty of time. At least for this batch, I planned to use my Third Eye ability on everyone.
“Alright, quiet down! The special instructor will be here soon!”
Before entering the classroom, I peeked through the window and saw An Sol banging on the desk, shouting orders. Honestly, even as an assistant, there was no need to be so loud. It would be better if she just stayed quiet, but An Sol was acting on her own, probably feeling a sense of superiority over the rookies.
Despite her efforts, the classroom was still chaotic. When things didn’t go her way, An Sol puffed up her cheeks in frustration. But she looked so cute doing it that the rookies just giggled. I sighed quietly and pushed the door open.
The noise died down instantly as I walked to the desk. I could feel dozens of eyes on me.
An Sol glanced around with a “How’s that?” expression and stepped back confidently. I stopped in the center and looked around as well. Everyone’s gaze was filled with strong curiosity. They were definitely different from the usual rookies.
After a moment of eye contact, I spoke quietly.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Kim Su-hyun, and I’ll be your special instructor starting week six.”
“…”
“To introduce myself briefly… I’ve been a user for three years and currently lead the Mercenary clan.”
“…”
No response. Not ignoring me, but more like they already knew. I wondered how, but figured it must have come up during previous lessons. I looked at the rookies and rested one hand on the desk.
“I can see you have questions. For this session, I’ll allow all questions. If you’re curious about anything, please ask.”
They just looked at each other, hesitant to speak.
“No questions? If not, then—”
“Actually, I have one.”
Just as I was about to start the lesson, a deep male voice interrupted. I turned to see a serious-looking man raising his hand.
“I heard you’re in charge of special training. What exactly does that entail?”
Good question. I was about to begin the lesson anyway. Better to show than tell. I gestured for him to come forward. He blinked in surprise but stood up and walked forward, though a bit hesitantly. At least he wasn’t overdoing it.
In the User Academy, training is crucial. It’s about trust. Naturally, users trust instructors who provide high-quality training over those who don’t.
Facing the man, I glanced at the rookies.
“From what I’ve heard from other instructors, this batch is quite skilled. By week six, you should have learned the basics of the whole plane and how to activate mana circuits.”
“…”
“What I’ll teach you now is practical training. Do any of you have a sword?”
“Huh? No, not today. This training was scheduled suddenly…”
The man who was called out trailed off. I expected that, so I wasn’t bothered. He removed an earring, which immediately glowed bright white and transformed into a beautiful sword—the Glory of Victoria.
A soft gasp filled the room. They were probably surprised to see a sword that looked so impressive compared to the usual ones.
“Hold on a moment.”
I muttered quietly to myself, then tossed the Glory of Victoria to the man standing stiffly like a straw doll. He fumbled but caught it, and I spoke immediately.
“From now on, trainees, strike me with all your strength.”
“W-what?”
“I mean, hit me with the sword you’re holding. Anywhere is fine.”
“B-but… how can I…?”
Just in case, I used my Third Eye to check his user stats. As expected, I said,
“Don’t worry. With your current strength stats, you won’t be able to pierce my durability or cause any harm.”
Despite everything, the man still couldn’t shake his hesitation. No matter how adaptable he was supposed to be, it seemed he was reluctant to actually harm a fellow user. I waited and waited, but there was no sign of him moving. In the end, I added one more condition.
“That sword is called ‘Victoria’s Glory.’ I can guarantee it’s the finest blade currently in the whole Plain. To put it in modern gaming terms, it’s legendary-tier equipment. If any trainee manages to land even a scratch on me, I’ll gift that sword to them.”
At that moment, the man stared at me with a blank expression.
『The End.』
Usually, such an ending would make sense if a key character appeared or a major event took place, but none of that happened here. In other words, it was meaningless content. Above all, I found it boring to reread.
Time was ticking, storage space was tight, and my head hurt… I was just pacing around, so I decided to delete it cleanly. I simply couldn’t bring myself to share something like that. ㅜ.ㅠ
I ask for your kind understanding, dear readers. Now, I’m off to do some stretching and get some sleep.
Wishing you all a peaceful night! :D