“Because of me… This happened because of me. Someone who did nothing wrong died.”
“No one’s dead yet, you know?”
“Someone like me would be better off dead. How am I supposed to hold my head up when I’m so sorry to everyone…? I’m so scared I won’t be able to live with a clear conscience after this.”
Min Arin spoke through sobs from within the thorn vines.
Once the tears had burst out, they would not stop, streaming down her cheeks.
Her lines, her appearance—she looked exactly like a tragic heroine.
As someone who was tearing away thorn vines to save her, I found it absurd.
There were limits to misunderstanding.
To correct her delusion, I clicked my tongue and replied.
“Hey, Min Arin. Stop whining.”
“What? Whining? How is this whining…?”
Min Arin, riled up by my provocation, put strength into her reddened eyes.
She tried to glare at me and argue.
It seemed she still had some pride left, at least.
But I had no intention of listening, so I cut her off at once.
“If this isn’t whining, then what is it? You seem to be misunderstanding something. We didn’t come to save you because you’re a member of the Mado Min Clan. We came to save you because you’re the prime suspect behind this whole mess.”
“…”
“And right now, you just confessed with your own mouth that you’re the culprit. But you want us to not even arrest and interrogate you, and just let you die like this? Who would that benefit? Are you telling me to become a murderer in the first place?”
“No… That’s not…”
“You don’t have a choice, so just shut up and do as you’re told. If you did something wrong, you should be begging for forgiveness and taking your punishment, and even that wouldn’t be enough. Where do you get off trying to run away through death?”
“…”
“For someone who cared so terribly much about honor, I’m sure that would be a very honorable death.”
Min Arin, who knew she had done wrong, could not refute my sarcasm.
Having stopped crying, she looked up at me with anxious eyes.
Since she no longer seemed like she would struggle, I ignored her gaze and decided to continue working.
Then, in a voice so faint it seemed to crawl out of her, she muttered.
“But… I’m scared… What if they curse me…? Wh-what if apologizing to them doesn’t work?”
“…”
“To begin with, I’ve never apologized for anything even once in my life!”
As if searching for an answer, Min Arin laid bare what was in her heart.
It was quite different from her usual self, who could not stand having her pride wounded and refused to show weakness.
That meant she had been driven to her mental limit.
So I did not answer immediately, and chose my words for a moment.
“What, is never having apologized something to be proud of?”
“…”
In truth, every line Min Arin had spoken after coming to her senses had also appeared in the game.
In the game, Kang Hanbyeol, after facing what lay in her heart, saved her by saying the following.
「Kang Hanbyeol」
―It’s okay if you’ve never apologized before! You can start now! It’s not too late yet! It might be your first time, but if it’s you, Arin, I’m sure you can do it well!
―But if you still feel like you can’t apologize… then I’ll do it with you! It’ll be less burdensome with two people than alone! So don’t cry.
They were exactly the sort of lines Kang Hanbyeol, who could never ignore someone in trouble and was positive about everything, would say.
If he had been here instead of me, he would surely have said them with conviction.
And Min Arin would have fallen for his fortitude, and obediently given him her heart.
“That’s perfect, then. You can take this chance to learn how to apologize.”
But I am not the protagonist.
I am not the kind of person who can flash a refreshing smile like Kang Hanbyeol and say something cool.
Even if I pretend to be him on the outside, my heart cannot become sincere as well.
It would not reach Min Arin.
So I had no choice but to act in my own way.
“You’re Min Arin, aren’t you? The little griffin of the Mado Min Clan.”
“…”
“Weren’t you proud of yourself? But now, just because you’re scared to apologize, you’re going to throw that pride away like this? If you have pride, then keep that pride to the very end and take responsibility.”
“Responsibility…?”
“Yeah, responsibility. Take responsibility for causing this mess. Bow to me and thank me for saving you, be grateful to the people who worked hard to save you in the middle of the night, and apologize to the people who suffered because of you. I don’t know if you’ll be able to ask for forgiveness, but ask for it anyway. Accept whatever punishment or disciplinary action comes your way. As for dying, do that on your own when the time comes. I won’t stop you whether you die or not.”
I deliberately provoked Min Arin’s personality.
At the same time, I steadily cut away the thorn vines binding her.
There was not much left now.
“Still, you know.”
“…”
“I want you to live. I want us to graduate together.”
Min Arin would surely be useful in the countless incidents awaiting us from now on.
I had no intention of letting someone as talented as her as a mage leave as she pleased.
In order to prevent this world’s destruction, I intended to draw her in as a comrade and make full use of her again and again.
‘Arin, let’s suffer together.’
At last, Min Arin was freed from the thorn vines’ restraints.
I reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist.
Her yellow eyes stared blankly at me.
“Ah, that works too. If you plan to die when the time comes anyway, then use that life you’re going to throw away for my sake. I’ll work you like Dobby, like a slave, until the day you die.”
“Whaaat!?”
“If you don’t want that, then don’t think about dying in the first place.”
Min Arin’s eyes opened wide, and her voice rose.
As I pulled her out, aghast as she was, I let out a snicker.
Soon, entrusting herself to my hands, she wrapped both arms around my neck.
“Hmph. And who would that benefit? Because of you, I don’t want to die anymore.”
“That so.”
Min Arin, her face buried in my shoulder, grumbled as if I were hateful.
Taking her mild complaint in stride, I supported her with one hand so she would not shake loose.
With my other hand, I held the Ultramarine Sword and kept watch of our surroundings.
The thorn vines, robbed of her, were surrounding us from every direction.
“So what are you going to do now? I’m in no state to use magic right now, so I can’t help…”
“What else? We run around avoiding those things. You might fall, so just hold on tight.”
They were thorn vines that had taken Min Arin’s mana as their source.
In order to maintain their existence, the thorn vines would desperately try to reclaim her.
Mindful of what was about to happen, I secured her firmly and caught my breath.
Meanwhile, strength entered her arms.
“Here we go.”
“Okay.”
We had to get as far from the thorn vines as possible.
In that sense, going down to the rooftop, which was no different from the thorn vines’ lair, was not a good option.
Having made my decision, I fixed my eyes on one stem stretching toward the ground.
Tap!
Using the trick of running along a wall.
Defying the direction of gravity, I sprinted up the thorn-vine spire.
The thorn vines writhing on all sides were trying to pounce on me.
Crackle!
I entrusted my body to the appeal of Evasion Instinct.
Running with only the night sky in my eyes, I dodged or cut down the approaching attacks.
Even without deliberately looking around, I instinctively knew the way forward.
Not long after that…
‘Now.’
I was able to leap onto the stem I had marked just moments ago.
The instant I landed, I unleashed a technique.
Azure lightning rose from the tips of my feet.
When I kicked off the ground just like that, the azure lightning instantly flared up fiercely.
The thorn vines tried to seize me without the slightest hint of hesitation.
Lion’s Onslaught
Drawing a blue trajectory as I advanced.
I cut down the charging thorn vines and reached the point where the stem ended.
At once, without hesitation, I threw myself into the night sky.
A sensation of falling soon seized us.
We were falling toward the ground.
“Kyaaaaaah!”
As Min Arin’s scream struck my ears.
Forcing myself not to close my eyes, I looked down beneath the night sky.
Evasion Instinct reacted violently, guiding my body to assume a stable posture in midair.
* * *
The clearing team was attacking the rooftop.
Everyone who heard the news instinctively sensed that the long, long night in which no one had been able to sleep was coming to an end.
While feeling relieved in their hearts, they poured their strength into doing their best until the very end.
And all the while, they frequently looked up at the night sky.
“…”
Beneath the full moon that lit the night sky, the towering thorn-vine spire came into view.
The stems branching from the spire were still trying to extend their influence.
It was a sight reminiscent of a demon reaching its hands into the world.
It felt as though they would be swallowed whole.
Looking at the stems covering the sky overhead, the students felt a certain fear.
They wished for the thorn vines, which were multiplying their anxiety, to disappear quickly.
It was then that the anomaly occurred.
Kwa-kwa-kwang!
“Wh-what is that!?”
“…It’s shining?”
All of a sudden, the night sky flashed blue.
It was a savage, rough blue light, completely different in nature from the gentle moonlight.
The light made a sound like thunder and drove away the darkness over the area.
“…”
The people on the ground could not turn their eyes away from that intense presence.
Though their eyes were dazzled, they stared blankly up at the blue light, as if their souls had left them.
And darkness was not the only thing the light was driving away.
“Ah…”
“They’re d-disappearing!”
The stems that tried to touch the blue light were turning into particles of mana and vanishing.
That phenomenon spread along the stems to the spire, and at some point, it affected all the thorn vines that had been stretching out over the area.
The thorn vines that had been rampaging violently were losing their existence.
What that meant was clear.
“…They cleared it?”
“Th-they cleared it! They cleared it! It’s all over!”
At last, the clearing of the thorn-vine spire had succeeded.
After confirming the particles of mana melting into the atmosphere, no one could doubt that fact.
They cheered as they looked at the blue light, which must have been the greatest contributor to the clearing.
Soon, the light radiating in every direction began to take on a certain form.
Grrrr!
“…A lion?”
“If it’s a lion, then surely…”
As if commanding every being beneath the night sky.
A blue lion that made the vast night sky its own grassland and exuded a dignified presence.
Seeing the form of the blue light, the people could guess its identity.
“The Divine Sword Do Clan… The only people who could create light like that are from the Divine Sword Do Clan.”
“The Divine Sword Do Clan? Then are you saying the person up there is the student council president!?”
“Who else is there from the Divine Sword Do Clan besides the Lightning Flower?”
“…”
Currently, several members of the Divine Sword Do Clan, both direct and branch family members, were attending Geumgang Academy.
Among them, only two members of the Divine Sword Do Clan had participated in the clearing team.
The student council president, a direct descendant of the third year called the Lightning Flower, Do Sieun.
The first-year direct descendant called Rabbit, or the Lion Cub, or the entrance runner-up, Do Gyeonu.
People brought up the names of the two.
Before long, word came from the clearing team, and the greatest contributor to the clearing was revealed.
“They say it’s Do Gyeonu of the Divine Sword Do Clan! The situation ended because Do Gyeonu rescued Min Arin of the Mado Min Clan!”
“Rabbit… no, the Lion Cub did that?”
“They said he entered as the runner-up… Looks like he’s quite skilled.”
“So the rumor that the head of the Divine Sword Do Clan has high expectations for Do Gyeonu was true.”
“Lion Cub wasn’t an insult…”
Amid the fluttering particles of mana.
As they looked at the fading blue light, people each voiced their impressions.
And thus, their impressions had a meaningful influence on the will of the world.
[You have achieved a feat that left an impression on the students of Geumgang Academy.]
[You have obtained the alias “Blue Lion.”]
[It has a high similarity to your existing alias, “Lion Cub.”]
[Synthesizing “Blue Lion” and “Lion Cub.”]
[… .]
[You have obtained the alias “Blue Cub.”]
[Blue Cub]
◆ Alias Origin
―Praise sent by Do Yeik, the current head of the Divine Sword Do Clan, to Do Gyeonu, who displayed skill befitting the Divine Sword Do Clan.
―Also praise sent by the students of Geumgang Academy to Do Gyeonu, who displayed the majesty of the Divine Sword Do Clan.
◆ Effects
―You receive great attention from those who know the alias.
―Increases the effects of skills with the name “Beast King Style” by 15%.
―Reduces the mana consumption of skills with the name “Beast King Style” by 15%.
―When fighting in Geumgang Academy, all physical abilities increase by 3.
―Skill 「Dignity of the Blue Cub」
* * *
It was not as though I had never done anything wrong from the day I was born until now.
No matter how perfect a person may be, they are bound to make mistakes in life.
Min Arin was no exception.
Up until now, she had committed her fair share of errors.
Yet the reason she was so unaccustomed to apologizing was that she had never once been reprimanded for them.
—Don’t do that again.
—That sort of thing can happen at your age. You didn’t get hurt, did you?
—Who was it!? Who dared…? As expected of our Arin! Even your accidents are genius-level!
Born with innate talent as a mage, Min Arin had lived a life doted upon by her clan.
The head of the Min Clan of the Magical Arts had favored her above all his other grandchildren.
Because of that, there was no one who could speak a harsh word to her.
Fearing they might offend the patriarch’s sensibilities, they indulged her every whim.
That was precisely why she had developed no immunity to taking responsibility for her mistakes.
—I-I’d rather just die. How could I hold my head up when I feel so sorry toward everyone…? I’m so scared that I won’t be able to live with my head held high like this.
It was a situation she had never once experienced, one that she couldn’t even handle.
Out of her mind and not knowing what to do, Min Arin had foolishly tried to take responsibility through death.
No, it would be more accurate to say she had tried to run away through death.
That was how mentally immature, how weak she was.
—That’s good. You can take this chance to learn how to apologize.
To her, Do Gyeonu’s advice not only pointed her in the right direction but also gave her strength.
At the same time, she was startled to be scolded by him.
‘Even Grandfather never scolded me…’
She had sensed it from the moment they first met, but Do Gyeonu was unlike anyone Min Arin had ever known.
He was unpredictable, rude, absurd, and above all, strange.
Yet he was also subtly thoughtful, considerate, and mature in his own way.
Because of that dual nature, by the time she came to her senses, she was already entangled with him.
To her, he was a fascinating existence she couldn’t quite figure out.
“Here we go.”
“Yeah.”
That very existence was right beside her now.
With her arms wrapped around Do Gyeonu’s neck and her face buried in his shoulder, Min Arin became aware of her senses.
‘…So firm.’
Was it because he was a man?
Pressed tightly against him, she could feel Do Gyeonu’s frame against her.
She marveled at his broad, solid body, and felt an inexplicable sense of stability in the strength gripping her waist tightly.
Immediately after, her admiration turned into a scream.
“Kyaah!”
Do Gyeonu jumped from the Thorn Tower.
Clinging to him, Min Arin couldn’t help but scream at the sensation of falling.
Unable to use magic, the feeling of plummeting toward the ground was utterly terrifying.
Then, Do Gyeonu’s voice echoed in her ear.
“Stay still.”
A firm resolve could be felt in his low, subdued voice.
Min Arin sealed her lips at the sound of his reassuring voice.
Then, she slowly lifted her eyelids.
She saw his face, eyes intensely focused as he looked down at the ground.
‘Was he… always like this?’
Unexpectedly, he had a high nose bridge and long eyelashes.
His concentrating gaze was intense enough to suck her in, and a sense of masculinity peeked through his face as his hair fluttered in the wind.
“Just trust me.”
“….”
The corners of Do Gyeonu’s mouth curved into a smile.
Min Arin couldn’t take her eyes off him.
‘What is with him…? Why am I…?’
He was mature. Reliable. She wanted to lean on him.
It was unfair.
Min Arin couldn’t control the emotions that suddenly welled up within her.
She had long since forgotten the sensation of falling.
Captivated by her own feelings, she could only continue gazing at him.
Her heart pounded as if it would burst, and she felt heat rising inside her.
Whoosh!
It was then that the sound of the wind changed.
Coming to her senses, Min Arin directed her gaze toward the ground.
Their falling speed was decreasing.
Someone below had cast a spell, halting their descent.
Soon, the two landed safely on the ground.
“You saved my life. Thanks.”
“Mmhmm.”
“Ah…”
Do Gyeonu lowered Min Arin, whom he had been holding with one arm.
The moment her feet touched the ground, strength left her legs and she slumped down.
He glanced at her condition, then expressed his gratitude to Cha Eunsol, who had helped them.
Soon, Cha Eunsol opened her mouth.
“You looked like you were falling without a plan. If it weren’t for me, you’d be dead.”
Cha Eunsol spoke flatly, munching on a sausage.
Do Gyeonu shrugged his shoulders and replied.
“We caused such a commotion up there; I figured someone below would notice us falling and respond. Most of all, I knew you’d help.”
“Hmm… How cheeky.”
Cha Eunsol made a sullen face.
She was someone who wanted to move as little as possible and laze about.
But because of Do Gyeonu’s intentions, she had ended up doing something completely unplanned, so she couldn’t help but feel displeased.
It went against the aesthetics of a slacker.
Still, if she could get what she wanted in return, she was willing to not hold it against him.
She demanded in a deadpan voice.
“So, the card?”
“Ah, that? Arin should have it.”
“…Huh?”
Do Gyeonu pointed at Min Arin, who was sitting slumped on the ground.
Cha Eunsol turned her head toward her, who had a face showing she had no idea what was going on.
And then, unusually, she showed emotion.
“I’m really glad you’re safe.”
“Huh? Uhh?”
Cha Eunsol smiled softly.
Min Arin, who wasn’t very close to her, couldn’t help but be bewildered.
Still, apparently she didn’t dislike receiving her concern.
She had become the mid-boss’s childhood friend.