“Ansol? You’re saying Ansol is the main cause?”
“Yes. Think about it carefully. Consider the similarities between User Ansol and User Maeng Ara.”
Similarities, huh.
Now that I think about it, when I first met Maeng Ara, I definitely thought of Ansol. It wasn’t just their similar way of speaking or mannerisms—there was something deeper.
First, their natural… no, that’s not quite right.
Their extraordinary luck.
The same true name.
And an awakened presence that’s almost indescribable, as if they’d been touched by a divine blessing.
Seeing it that way, it starts to make a bit more sense. I glanced at the altar, and Seraph gave a slight nod.
“When User Maeng Ara first set foot in the Whole Plain, every angel’s attention was on her. From the start, the Hero Development Plan heavily referenced User Kim Suhyun’s progress, but no proxy for User Ansol could be found anywhere.”
“That’s when Maeng Ara, who could have been the second Ansol, entered the Whole Plain, and they decided to attach her to Jin Suhyun.”
“Exactly. We believed that Maeng Ara would give the Hero Development Plan a significant boost. That’s why we even granted her the status of Guardian, to take things more seriously.”
“I see.”
I accepted this calmly, but Seraph continued.
“However, not even half a year later, our expectations were completely off.”
“In what way?”
“We believed that User Ansol had the greatest influence on User Kim Suhyun’s achievements. That’s why Maeng Ara’s existence was considered indispensable. But to cut to the chase, neither Jin Suhyun nor Maeng Ara could become Kim Suhyun or Ansol. Over time, the gap only widened—so much so that catching up became impossible. In the end, no matter how you look at it, both users were a downgrade.”
“Hmm… I might disagree a bit on the first part. I’ll admit Ansol’s contribution was significant, but I think Hwajeong had the biggest impact as a supporter.”
I immediately objected here. While the angels’ assessment of Ansol was a bit over the top, I felt they were overlooking Hwajeong’s role.
But Seraph slowly shook their head.
“Hwajeong’s power is indeed strong, but every time it’s used, it comes with an enormous burden. User Ansol, however, is different. Just being beside User Kim Suhyun unleashes a terrifying power that even we find hard to judge. And User Kim Suhyun knows this better than anyone.”
“…Now that you mention it, that’s true.”
“The only weakness is that it doesn’t activate in every situation. In other words, the activation rate is very low. But that’s more of a minor inconvenience than a real flaw.”
“Hmm… Well, that’s fine. But I still have two questions.”
Seraph silently nodded, inviting me to ask.
After gathering my thoughts, I spoke quietly.
“First: You said the Hero Development Plan referenced my progress a lot. How is that possible? I’ve never even heard of Jin Suhyun’s actions until now.”
“I did mention that this plan was carried out quietly, beneath the surface.”
“So, does that mean Jin Suhyun didn’t even attend the User Academy?”
“Yes. The initial training for User Jin Suhyun was conducted through special methods, and their main activities took place not in the Northern Continent’s core, but in unexplored northern regions. We cannot disclose detailed information about this. However, User Jin Suhyun earned rewards far greater than the standard 4-point User Academy completion bonus.”
That makes sense.
They didn’t go through the User Academy but were trained differently, focusing on unexplored areas.
Thinking back, it fits. I, too, initially tried hard to keep myself hidden.
And heading into unexplored regions probably had to do with the lack of promising places in the Northern Continent, plus it was perfect for staying under the radar.
“Second: What exactly did Maeng Ara mean by ‘abandonment’? Is it about the plan being scrapped? And why did she come to tell me?”
“That’s simple. As I mentioned earlier, a new plan was proposed. With the permanent termination of the Hero Development Project, the support that was going to User Jin Suhyun has been redirected to User Kim Suhyun.”
“To me? …Ah. So, does that mean the Mercenary Academy too?”
“Exactly. The newly granted authority to establish an academy is part of that support process.”
I roughly understood the situation and let out a short breath, pressing my hands against the cold floor. I felt a strange emptiness.
“Again, just because you heard the word ‘abandoned’ doesn’t mean User Kim Suhyun has anything to worry about. In fact, it’s not really abandonment. It’s just that support you didn’t even know about has been cut off, and various unassigned privileges are being reclaimed. And the achievements they’re not reclaiming are still considerable.”
“That’s true from your perspective, but from Maeng Ara’s point of view, she can’t help but feel like a discarded duck egg. One more thing—based on what you said, Jin Suhyun seems unaware of the situation, but Maeng Ara knows. So why is Maeng Ara so desperate? Strictly speaking, she’s a third party, right?”
“No comment on that. Just know that discussions about User Maeng Ara’s Guardian status are ongoing.”
“Huh.”
Though Seraph said no comment, I immediately understood what that meant. Guardians are supposed to remain neutral. If there’s debate about her status… well, you can guess what that implies.
After a brief silence, Seraph spoke again.
“That’s all the information I can disclose, User Kim Suhyun.”
The long explanation finally came to an end.
“I see… Alright.”
I stood up abruptly, and Seraph’s gaze slowly followed me.
“So, do you understand now?”
“Completely. I get the whole situation and why you brought up the User Academy just now.”
“…?”
“Honestly, before coming here, I didn’t understand why this User Academy was such a big deal. But now I do. Yeah, there’s no rule that you have to recruit only rookies… right?”
I looked at Seraph, seeking agreement. But Seraph tilted their head slightly, then, with a somewhat puzzled expression, rubbed their chin and calmly shrugged. What was that about?
“Recruiting User Jin Suhyun… It’s not a bad idea, but it won’t be easy.”
“Why? They’re basically a discarded duck egg now, right? Even if they don’t know it themselves. You don’t care anymore, do you?”
“That’s true, but User Jin Suhyun has been at the center of everything they’ve experienced. In other words, they were the captain of the ship sailing the sea of the Whole Plain. Do you understand what that means?”
“That’s for me to figure out. Anyway, got it. Thanks for the info.”
What Seraph meant was that Jin Suhyun wasn’t the type of user to fall under someone else’s control.
Honestly, when I first saw Maeng Ara, I thought recruiting Jin Suhyun was a lost cause, especially since a clan had already been formed.
But not anymore. With the Hero Development Plan halted, Jin Suhyun is just another user with decent information—still without a foothold in the Northern Continent.
Knowing Jin Suhyun’s potential, I couldn’t just let it go.
Having resolved my questions and with new ideas forming, I turned to leave.
That’s when it happened.
“User Kim Suhyun.”
Just as I was about to step through the portal, Seraph’s voice stopped me.
I turned slowly to see Seraph still seated at the central altar, staring intently.
“Look Before You Leap.”
“…Huh? Look before you leap?”
“Yes. It’s a proverb sometimes used by users from the Western Continent.”
“I know it’s an American saying. It means to consider all circumstances before acting. But why bring it up now?”
Seraph fell silent, then after a brief pause, spoke softly.
“Recruiting Jin Suhyun is only one option. Please don’t forget the true nature of the User Academy.”
Don’t forget the true nature of the User Academy…?
“Of course, I plan to check every rookie one by one.”
“That’s the right choice.”
It felt like an odd thing to say out of the blue, but Seraph had nothing more to add. They bowed calmly as if to say goodbye. Watching Seraph slowly raise their head again, I quietly stepped into the portal.
Exiting the Summoning Room and stepping outside the temple, I spotted Ansol standing alone on the stairs. She must have been waiting for me all this time.
“Ora-beoni! Did everything go well?”
Seeing Ansol’s bright smile, I scanned the area and asked. Maeng Ara was nowhere in sight.
“Yeah, thanks. But where’s Maeng Ara?”
“Huh? Maeng Ara?”
“You know, the one who’s kind of like you.”
“Oh~ She left early… Wait, Ora-beoni? What do you mean by ‘like me’?”
Ansol’s tone shifted instantly from a ‘Did I do well?’ kind of vibe to a fierce glare. But even that looked cute, so I responded by gently running my hand through her glossy hair.
“Hehe.”
Ansol’s face immediately softened, and she smiled innocently. Watching her, I couldn’t help but chuckle quietly myself.
So this kid is actually a highly regarded user among the angels.
Before long, Ansol grasped my hand tightly, and the two of us slowly and amicably descended the stairs together.
Then, a thought struck me, and I quietly spoke up.
“Ansol, are you hungry? Want to stop by a restaurant for a bit before we head back?”
“Yes! That sounds great!”
Ansol replied with a bright smile.
“Ugh! Ughhh! O-older brother! I-it’s hot…! Y-you can’t do this…!”
“Sol, it’s your sister. Are you okay? Does it hurt a lot?”
sob sniff “I’ve always thought about it, but… I’m just not ready yet…! Huff… huff…”
“Sol, Sol! What are you talking about? Huh?”
I silently stared at Ansol lying on the bed.
Her face was flushed so deeply red it looked like it might burst, and she was panting, her small shoulders bare as if she were burning up. Meanwhile, Hayun was gently wiping her down with a damp cloth.
…Honestly, I don’t really understand why Ansol suddenly started acting like this.
After finishing our business at the temple, we stopped by a restaurant and had a good meal. But on the way back, Ansol suddenly seemed dazed, and as soon as we got to the dorm, she collapsed—her whole body radiating heat.
Some time passed, and as her nasal voice gradually weakened, Su-ma came to visit.
Hayun, wiping the sweat from her forehead, struggled to sit up and approached me.
“Phew. She seems to have finally fallen asleep, barely.”
“I-I see.”
“This is really serious. The priest checked her over but didn’t find anything wrong. Yet her fever keeps rising… Suhyun, do you have any idea why Sol is like this? You went out together today, right?”
“…Huh?”
I answered reluctantly. Personally, I have no shame looking up at the sky (?), but something was bothering me enough that I couldn’t say nothing was wrong.
In truth, it wasn’t anything major—we just had a simple conversation at the restaurant.
“Older brother. Older brother. I really like you. Do you like me too?”
“Of course.”
“Ugh. That’s such a simple answer. I don’t believe you. Show me proof.”
“Proof? How?”
“Simple! A big, sweet kiss right here on these lips… Mwah~”
“Alright then. kiss”
“Ah?!”
“Ansol? Ansol!”
Of course, I didn’t actually kiss her lips—just a quick peck on the forehead. And it wasn’t meant to be anything serious. I partly thought of her as a little sister, and also, I wanted to strengthen my strongest weapon.
Strictly speaking, it was no different from the kiss Yujeong gave me on the forehead in the dragon-sleeping mountain range.
Given all that…
“Aaah… Aaaah… How… I… I’ve been… defeated… finally…”
From that moment on, she completely lost it and started babbling nonsense like that.
Hayun, having heard the same thing, gave me a suspicious look.
“I don’t know either. She ate well and everything, so why is she like this… Really, why?”
In the end, I could only shrug.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Royujin.
Sorry for the late update today.
Honestly, I couldn’t focus on writing because the comments on the previous chapter kept bothering me. Even after 200 or 300 chapters, I rarely get hurt by comments, but today was unusually tough.
I did finish this chapter, but the content feels a bit jumbled. The latter part was supposed to be something else, but it was difficult to write, so I replaced it with something easier. I guess I’m a bit shaken.
I understand the feedback directed at the content. If the story is good, praise is natural; if not, criticism is expected.
But the exchanges between readers—not directed at me—especially yesterday, I honestly couldn’t make much sense of them no matter how many times I read.
I don’t expect everyone to think the same way; naturally, opinions differ.
No matter the situation or interpretation, I wonder if it really needs to become such a divisive issue.
Looking back at the early comments, I thought it could have passed smoothly, but the spark grew and grew until it overheated unnecessarily. Later, harsh insults were exchanged.
After some thought, I realize that a few readers and I simply have very different standards.
I’m truly grateful to those who understood my intentions and read the story as I hoped.
But at the same time, I can’t shake the feeling that some of the criticism was excessive. Among those people, I’m sure some just wanted to say, “Wouldn’t it be better if it were like this?” and I feel sorry thinking about the hurt they might have caused.
I recall a comment from someone long ago saying that no matter what, disputes among readers will never end.
It’s late at night.
To everyone who’s waited, I sincerely apologize.
Please have a peaceful night.