The vast majority of the prestigious magic families considered Min Arin of the Mado Min family the most likely candidate to enter Geumgang Academy at the top of the class.
Her abilities were excellent, and the competitors regarded as her rivals all had various flaws.
First, Yong Haerang of the Uihyeop Yong family excelled in matters involving the body, but fell behind in matters involving the mind.
Second, according to rumors, Nam Yuri of the Yeonseong Nam family possessed well-rounded talent in many fields, but with her unpredictable personality, the possibility of her becoming top entrant was low.
Third, Cha Eunsol of the Sunhwan Cha family fell into the same category as Nam Yuri.
Known to possess talent far surpassing that of every spirit master alive in the current era, she was also equally well known for her lazy disposition.
Unless she underwent some change of heart, there was no way she would do her utmost to seize the top entrance position.
Lastly, Do Gyeonu of the Singeom Do family had many unclear aspects to his ability.
Rabbit and Lion Cub.
Because the origins of those two epithets were so contradictory, people could not help but question his true skill.
How much could a person really change?
Even if the rumors were true, in an exam that assessed comprehensive aptitude, a swordsman was at a disadvantage compared to a mage.
The advantage clearly lay with Min Arin.
For that reason, the people of the prestigious magic families predicted that Min Arin would take the top entrance position.
But their expectations were wrong.
She did not become the top entrant.
“Looks like that girl didn’t come. Was she not invited to the Prestigious Family Assembly? She should be in the same magic line as us….”
“She isn’t from a prestigious family, and she’s being sponsored by the Seven-Colored Witch and the Singeom Do family.”
“She would be awkward to invite.”
“….”
The disciple of the Seven-Colored Witch, Yeon Haneul.
The top entrance position had, contrary to everyone’s expectations, been awarded to her.
On top of that, since they belonged to the same field, Min Arin had even lost the top position in the magic line.
She had not even managed to place within the top ten entrance scores….
“….”
The Prestigious Family Assembly hosted by the Mado Min family.
Originally, it should have been an occasion to praise Min Arin and raise their pride as a prestigious magic family.
Yet the atmosphere in the banquet hall was not warm, but somewhat sunken.
The people, watching Min Arin’s mood, kept their words to a minimum and whispered among themselves.
‘…This is so uncomfortable I could die.’
Min Arin, who had been forced to attend the Assembly despite knowing full well what position she was in, was not in a particularly good mood either.
She was simply embarrassed that she had spent all this time carrying herself as though she would become the top entrant.
No, it was humiliating.
Just imagining what the people present might be thinking of her made shame choke her throat.
It was hard to maintain her composure.
Her self-esteem, her pride, was wounded.
If this had not been a gathering hosted by her own family, she would have made an excuse not to attend.
“If you ever need my help in the future, don’t hesitate and just tell me. When the time comes, I’ll be sure to help you. I look forward to working with you.”
“Ah… thank you, senior. I hope I can be of help to you as well.”
If there was one saving grace, it was that the people who came to greet her were not entirely tactless.
They restrained themselves from saying anything unnecessary that might offend Min Arin.
Even so, Min Arin’s feelings remained complicated.
‘Even them being considerate is uncomfortable….’
She knew it was a spoiled thing to say.
But for Min Arin, whose pride pierced the heavens, the fact that people were being considerate of her felt unpleasant.
She, who was supposed to stand above others, felt as though she were beneath them.
It felt as if they were looking down on her.
‘They’re saying kind things to my face, but they aren’t criticizing me in their hearts, are they?’
At times, even persecutory delusions arose.
Because she could no longer stand proudly before herself, she began to suspect the goodwill of others.
She knew she should not be like this, but as someone who had lived flaunting her honor until now, it was not something she could easily correct.
Especially in a place like this, where she was participating as a representative of her family and where one another’s words and actions had ample room to be interpreted politically.
‘I wonder what they’re doing right now…. I want this to end quickly so I can go back.’
Because of that, she unconsciously thought of the people who put her heart at ease.
Do Gyeonu and his friends.
‘Dinner… I probably can’t eat with them today, can I?’
At first, she had only approached Do Gyeonu to get under Yeon Haneul’s skin.
It had been nothing more than a simple outlet for her anger.
And so she had spent time with them not as Min Arin of the Mado Min family, but as Min Arin, Do Gyeonu’s classmate.
Yet before she knew it, without even realizing it herself, she had grown comfortable around them.
To the point that the thought naturally occurred to her that this kind of relationship might be called friendship.
Except for Yeon Haneul.
‘I guess I have no choice but to eat here. Though because of everyone watching, I’ll probably only be able to eat a bird’s portion at most….’
It was truly strange that she had come to like them.
Pushing away the thoughts that surfaced in her mind, she decided to focus on her role.
It was then.
“Oh my, Arin! I’m a little late, aren’t I? Sorry I’m late. There was a bit of traffic on the way here, you know?”
“….”
All of a sudden, the crowd split in half.
A female student dressed to the nines walked out with the clicking sound of her heels.
Students who appeared to be attendants followed close around her.
“You’ll understand with your generous heart, won’t you, Arin? Just like how you generously conceded the top entrance position.”
“Yang Jihui….”
Including the Mado Min family,
there were five great prestigious magic families, and among them was the Sinbi Yang family.
Yang Jihui, a direct descendant of that family.
Min Arin and she had known each other since childhood as ill-fated acquaintances.
At her attitude of openly provoking her, Min Arin ground her teeth.
Seeing that reaction, Yang Jihui grinned and added,
“In any case, I’m happy I get to enter the same Academy as you. Now we’ll be able to compete properly and see who’s superior. Or maybe not? Should I be competing with that Yeon Haneul girl instead of you?”
“Hmph, do you think she’d even know who you are? With your skills, Yang Jihui, you won’t be a match for either me or her.”
Having flared up at Yang Jihui’s provocation,
Min Arin sneered while glaring at her with yellow eyes.
The girl was simply unbearably irritating.
At the same time, she was angry at herself.
‘This is annoying.’
At herself for being looked down on by Yang Jihui.
At herself for failing to become the top entrant and standing here in shame.
Her pride was wounded.
It lit a fire beneath an emotion that seemed ill-suited to Min Arin: an inferiority complex.
That emotion slowly gnawed away at her heart.
* * *
She could not defy her family’s orders, and more than anything, it seemed like it would be fun.
So Nam Yuri attended the Prestigious Family Assembly hosted by the Yeonseong Nam family with an impulsive heart.
However, what awaited her was not an experience that made her feel alive, but the duty of representing the collective will of the first-year alchemy-line students, and boring formal greetings.
‘…This isn’t fun.’
Nam Yuri, who had shown interest at first, grew tired of the activity that offered no stimulation and was merely repetitive.
She could no longer endure it.
After all, her family’s order had only been to attend the Prestigious Family Assembly, so she decided to act as she pleased.
She secretly slipped away from the third-year representative who had been stuck beside her teaching her, and entrusted herself to whatever her mood cried out for in each moment.
Eating food that looked delicious, tasting alcohol, ignoring the hierarchy and talking to a uniquely dressed student, suddenly bringing up the shameful secrets of the families the students belonged to….
“The music feels a little boring, doesn’t it? Can I try playing for a bit?”
Or snatching the violin from a band performing in one corner of the banquet hall.
Nam Yuri rested her cheek against the violin and moved the bow dynamically.
Ddan-ddara-ra—
“….”
Nam Yuri was deeply versed in music.
Not only music, but alchemy, herbology, chemistry, art, magic, and many other fields—she had been designed to possess talent in all of them.
Playing the violin was not difficult for her.
She even rearranged a song she had only briefly heard and presented a performance beyond a respectable level.
“Ah, that was fun. Here, I’ll give it back. Thanks for letting me use the violin!”
“Ah….”
Not only the people present, but even the band had been completely captivated by the music she played.
The performer who received the violin back from her was almost dazed.
He was still reeling from the shock that such a fantastical sound had come from his own violin.
And when he gradually came to his senses, the performer realized the gap in talent—that even if he lived his entire life, he would never be able to produce a sound like hers—and fell into despair.
From her, who was merely a student aspiring to become a hunter, he felt the limits of his own ability and lost his passion for music.
“Should I… look into another path?”
To Nam Yuri, it had been nothing more than a diversion to satisfy her emotions, but to someone else, it was a talent they could not obtain no matter how hard they strove for their entire life.
Today, too, without even realizing it, she had crushed someone’s dream.
Demonic.
An English word meaning both genius-like and devil-like.
To some, she was a genius, and to others, she was like a demon.
Meanwhile, in order to stop her rampage, the third-year representative hurriedly moved.
“Got you.”
“Ah! You caught me? Am I it now?”
“Do I look like I’m playing around right now?”
“….”
“I told you to behave, because you’re going to become the first-year representative.”
Grabbing one of Nam Yuri’s shoulders so she could no longer run away,
the third-year representative scolded her sharply with a face that seemed to be suppressing anger.
Nam Yuri flinched at the representative’s reaction and lowered her head.
Her gray hair, falling downward, covered her face.
“You really have no tact at all…. Do you not understand what this occasion means?”
“….”
“This is your debut. Your first full-fledged public activity after stepping out into the world. And yet you think it’s fine to act without dignity? You’re the first-year representative, and when you become a third-year, you’ll be the person representing the collective will of everyone here. Do you understand? No matter how much you think your faction will handle everything for you….”
The third-year representative, thinking she had found an opportunity, did not stop lecturing her.
She intended to use this chance to firmly establish the hierarchy between herself and Nam Yuri.
But contrary to her thoughts, Nam Yuri had not been listening from the start.
‘Ah, how boring.’
For now, she was the third-year representative.
Nam Yuri merely pretended to listen in front of the watching crowd.
That was why, when the third-year representative grew excited and was about to cross the line,
“So don’t cause trouble, and act as I tell you. I’m doing this for your own good. Come on, hurry. We don’t have time, so let’s finish making the rest of the greet—”
“Are you giving me orders?”
Nam Yuri reacted immediately.
As she raised her head, her purple eyes shone with a terrifying light.
“I asked if you’re giving me orders.”
“….”
“What are you, unnie? Are you the family head?”
A childish yet sharp tone.
The representative, startled by Nam Yuri’s force, only then realized that she had made a mistake.
A two-year age difference did not determine the hierarchy between the two of them.
What truly determined hierarchy was how much one was valued by the family.
In that sense, Nam Yuri was valued more highly than the representative.
No, not only more than the representative—there was no one in her generation who was valued more highly than her.
The Artificial Girl, Nam Yuri.
Because she had spoken politely as a mere formality, and because she herself was the third-year representative, the representative had forgotten reality. Trembling with anxiety, she carefully opened her mouth.
“If… if you don’t want to do it, then don’t.”
“….”
“Yuri, you can just be the face of us. The things you have to do will be handled by me, the second-year representative, and your faction. You can just… stay comfortable. As long as you don’t cause trouble for the family.”
“Really? Got it.”
Her pride was hurt, but she had no choice.
Nam Yuri was a dangerous person.
The third-year representative recalled the stories surrounding Nam Yuri, swallowed her pride, and chose to take a step back.
Meanwhile, at the satisfactory answer, Nam Yuri smiled brightly as if nothing had happened.
“Then I can go play, right? Thanks! I look forward to working with you.”
“Yes, sure….”
It was Nam Yuri’s warning.
Never cross the line again.
* * *
The bison hunt began.
Since the gathering’s purpose was unity, the people each formed parties and tried to face the beasts.
I, too, joined the bison hunt together with Do Sieun and the triplets.
[You have encountered a monster.]
[Tear Bison (Rank. 01) x 1]
The Tear Bison was a monster of black hide, its bulky frame calling to mind a massive wild ox.
I faced the creature, tears streaming down its furious face.
Moooooo!
‘Standing face-to-face with it like this, its muscles are seriously huge.’
I hadn’t realized when I was looking at it from the side.
Its neck and foreleg muscles were so developed that, from the front, it created the illusion of filling my entire field of vision.
Its large, long horns were threatening as well.
The creature snorted, then lowered its horns toward me and charged.
‘No need to get scared.’
Among Rank 1 monsters, it was classified as one of the stronger ones.
But it was still no match for me.
There was no need to be frightened by its momentum.
Without getting worked up, I gauged the distance between us.
And when it finally entered the range I had estimated—
Lion Claw
I kicked off the ground in a single step, avoided its horns, and drove the Ultramarine Sword deep into its flank.
Unable to stop its own momentum, the creature’s body was split in half by my sword.
Moooooo….
After passing behind me, it lost its strength and collapsed heavily to the ground.
Its flank, disintegrating into mana, was torn open in ragged strips.
I collected the fallen mana stone and looked around.
‘Everyone’s working hard.’
We had formed a party, but the bison inhabiting the area were only Rank 1.
So we were acting individually while maintaining enough distance not to be too far apart.
It was possible because we all had the skill to take down Rank 1 monsters without overexerting ourselves.
No Hyowon’s party, which was operating nearby, was following the same policy.
Moooooo!
No Hyowon faced off against a Tear Bison.
Holding a greatsword in her hand, she kicked off the ground as if responding to the creature charging recklessly at her.
The internal mana dwelling in her sword rubbed against the ambient mana, transforming into flame.
Whoosh!
Crimson flames blazed in midair.
Before long, they enveloped her greatsword.
Sacred Bird Fire Sword
No Hyowon brought her flame-wreathed greatsword down on the creature’s nape.
The crimson flames spread to it, incinerating the corpse.
‘So that’s what they call Crimson Flame.’
Just as the Divine Sword Do Clan had Blue Thunder,
the Crimson No Clan had Crimson Flame.
It was my first time seeing Crimson Flame directly in this world rather than in the game, so I briefly admired the sparks fluttering around her.
Then, my vision flashed on the opposite side.
Crackle!
Blue lightning surged up.
It was the sign of Blue Thunder.
I set my eyes on Do Seungu, who was generating Blue Thunder in the distance.
Lion Returning Needle
While receiving cover from his party members,
Do Seungu delivered a blow to the Rank 2 monster, Sweat Bison.
His sword thrust through the air, pierced the creature’s eyeball, and fried its brain with Blue Thunder.
Moooooo….
The Sweat Bison sank to its knees before Do Seungu and fell.
It was the first Rank 2 monster to be subjugated since the bonding event had begun.
‘Looks like he’s gotten more stable with Blue Thunder than when I saw him at the evaluation last time. Though even so, he still doesn’t measure up to me.’
Do Sieun and I had awakened Blue Thunder at twelve and fourteen respectively, so it didn’t feel all that impressive, but Do Seungu awakening Blue Thunder at sixteen was also fairly early in its own right.
If I hadn’t remembered my past life, he probably would have been evaluated as the family’s next promising talent after Do Sieun.
I stared at him.
‘Our eyes met.’
Do Seungu must have noticed my gaze as well, because he turned his head toward me.
We looked at each other for quite a while, until he turned his back and broke eye contact.
That was when the triplets butted in.
“Do Gyeonu, did you see those twin guys who were with Do Seungu earlier?”
“They made eye contact with us.”
“They were laughing at us. With their eyes, they were looking down on us, saying they’d taken down a Rank 2 first!”
“They’re nothing but Do Seungu’s lackeys.”
“Aren’t you guys my lackeys?”
“The lackeys of you, who are expected great things from the Divine Sword Do Clan, and Do Seungu’s lackeys are treated differently!”
“We’re above them!”
“And yet they dared look down on us? Those guys whose names sound like they were slapped together!”
“What are their names?”
“We overheard earlier, and their names are super weird, you know?”
“Don’t laugh after you hear them!”
“They’re Gim Ilsik, Gim Isik, and Gim Samsik!”
“Aren’t those totally lackey-like names, the kind that would suit minor extras?”
“Their parents must have found it really annoying to name them!”
“Uh… hmm…. Right….”
U Geumdong, U Eundong, U Dongdong.
In my opinion, they didn’t seem all that different from the triplets’ names.
Gold, silver, and copper.
Somehow, those also sounded like names their parents might have slapped together.
‘Well, as for me, I like that they’re easy to say and easy to remember. Lackey Gold, Silver, and Copper.’
Even so, I couldn’t bring myself to nitpick the triplets’ names.
The triplets may have wronged me, but their parents had treated me well.
I couldn’t speak ill of them.
“Anyway! We have to show them that we can take down a Rank 2 monster too!”
“This is a competition we can’t lose!”
“Gyeonu, you wait right there! As your lackeys, we’ll lure in a Rank 2 monster!”
The triplets burned with enthusiasm.
The three of them displayed excellent coordination and eliminated the bison around them.
And so—
“I-It’s here! It’s Rank 2!”
“Do Gyeonu! Hurry up and come! Let’s fight it!”
“We’re going to show off our skills!”
As the number of Tear Bison decreased, a Sweat Bison appeared.
As if they had been waiting for it, the triplets stepped forward and swung their swords at the creature.
Moooooo!
But the creature was a Rank 2, too much for the triplets to handle with their strength alone.
They were using a tactic of wearing down its stamina through the three of them coordinating together, but as fatigue piled up, their movements began to slow as well.
“Hyaaaah! I’m telling you, help us a little!?”
“Why are you just standing there watching!?”
“Hurry up and come already! Please!”
Whether the triplets called me or not,
I simply stood still and watched them fight.
Do Sieun, who had finished her own battle and come over beside me, tilted her head.
“Is it okay not to go help?”
“I’m going to help, but I’m going to watch a little longer. They may look like that, but they’re exaggerating. Even without me, the three of them have the skill to defeat it.”
“Hmm…. It does seem that way. Their swords are shaking a lot, but they’re still properly watching the places they need to aim for and block. Their coordination is excellent too.”
“Their coordination alone is impressive, right?”
“Yeah. It’s like watching the hunting method of hyenas… no, like watching lionesses form a pride and fight together.”
Lions are animals that live in groups, and those groups are called prides.
Surprisingly, in a pride, it is mainly the lionesses who do the hunting.
After being worked under me for five years, the triplets had mastered the tactics of lionesses.
They were still mutts, sure, but it meant they had at least become fairly ferocious mutts.
If they committed themselves to coordinating properly, it wouldn’t be impossible for them to bring down a Sweat Bison, which was among the stronger Rank 2 monsters.
In fact, the creature was dying.
Its body swayed heavily.
‘Looks like it’s about time I intervened.’
I had seen enough of the triplets’ coordination.
Giving their skills a passing mark, I joined the battle.
Crackle!
Blue Thunder dwelled in the Ultramarine Sword.
The Sweat Bison noticed me.
[You have encountered a monster.]
[Sweat Bison (Rank. 02) x 1]
Lion’s Onslaught
At the same time the message appeared,
I brought down my sword, flashing with blue lightning, in a diagonal slash.
Blue Thunder struck.
The sword strike and lightning severed the last breath remaining in the creature.
“Hey! What do you think you’re doing!?”
“Why do you only show up when it’s almost dead, after not coming when we called you!?”
“We had almost killed it!”
Ignoring the triplets’ protests,
I picked up the fallen mana stone.
Then I replied as if it were only natural.
“Shouldn’t you guys obviously yield the last hit to me, your master? I should be the one to take the last hit.”
“Wow….”
“Do Gyeonu’s personality….”
“He really is one crazy bas—”
What was wrong with my personality?
I had no idea.
I Became the Childhood Friend of the Mid-Boss