Arin Card
The thornvine spire was disappearing.
Amid the fluttering particles of blue-tinged mana, I looked up at the library.
The library was revealing the form that had been buried beneath the thornvines.
It was a sight that made everything that had happened overnight feel like a dream.
But as if denying that it had been a dream, traces of battle could be seen on the building’s outer walls and around the windows.
The inside was probably in even worse shape.
‘So this means we prevented destruction….’
Taking in the sight, I was swept up in emotion.
Before I knew it, the moonlit night had passed, and the night sky was brightening with a bluish hue.
Beyond the library, bright light rippled along the horizon.
It looked just like the boundary between night and dawn.
That was when Cha Eunsol spoke to me.
“I ordered. The place that’s open at this hour is kind of far away, so they said it’ll take a while to get here.”
“…Is that so. Good job.”
“They had pizza, hamburgers, and whelks too, so I ordered them all.”
“Yeah, you picked whatever you wanted well.”
“Mm, I’m hungry. Munch.”
As if she felt nothing in particular about the approaching dawn.
Cha Eunsol, who had been staring intently at her smartphone, explained with an indifferent face.
Then, while peeling and eating a sausage, she rubbed her stomach.
“…I lost weight.”
‘…What am I supposed to do about that?’
Cha Eunsol suddenly looked at me with a sullen gaze.
It almost seemed like a resentful look.
Unable to understand her feelings, I tilted my head.
Around then, voices began to reach us from afar.
“Gyeonwoo! Arin! Oh, Eunsol’s here too?”
A little while ago, Min Arin and I had fallen noisily from the sky while unleashing azure lightning in midair.
There was no way people wouldn’t have found us after we had made our presence known to that extent.
Sure enough, people were approaching from the direction of the library.
Among them were Go Eunbi, Yeon Haneul, and others who had struggled alongside us.
“Arin! I’m so glad you’re alive. Do you know how worried we were?”
“Exactly. Are you feeling all right? You must have had a lot of mana drained while you were caught in the thornvines. Are you dizzy or feeling anything strange?”
“Ah, I’m….”
“Gyeonwoo, are you okay?”
The moment they found us, they ran over and checked on our condition.
Min Arin, who had seemed to be on guard in case she was scolded, soon relaxed.
Judging by the twitching corners of her mouth, she seemed pleased to receive their concern.
Meanwhile, Yeon Haneul focused not on her, but only on me.
“Do you know how shocked I was when I heard you jumped down? How could you do something so dangerous?”
“Sorry. Still, I thought I’d be able to land without any trouble.”
“Good grief…. Does anything hurt? Look at you! You’re walking around with blood on your face….”
Yeon Haneul looked up at me with eyes that seemed to say I was hopeless.
After puffing out one cheek, she took out a handkerchief and wiped the blood from my face.
“Stay still.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Yeon Haneul spoke in a deliberately stern tone.
Letting out a faint laugh, I lowered my posture so she could wipe my face more comfortably.
Her face, as if holding crimson jewels, came closer.
“You’re one to talk. You’ve got some on you too.”
“Hm? I do?”
“Yeah, stay still.”
“Wait, it’s dirty, so use this towel….”
“I can just wipe it off.”
“….”
I carefully placed my hand on Yeon Haneul’s cheek.
Then, making sure not to dirty her for no reason, I wiped away the blood on her cheek with my thumb.
When I used cleaning magic, it disappeared without leaving even a trace.
“There.”
“…Thanks. Ah! Come back here.”
Yeon Haneul lowered her head slightly and flicked her rabbit ears.
After watching her reaction, I offered her my face again.
It was then.
“Student Min Arin.”
“….”
A group wearing armbands surrounded us at a distance.
They appeared to be members of the student council, and their gazes were fixed on Min Arin at the center.
One male student among them stepped forward and introduced himself.
“I’m Shin Joyun, head of the Public Security Department under the student council. We’d like your cooperation in investigating this incident…. You can come with us, right?”
“….”
The head of the Public Security Department seemed convinced that Min Arin was the culprit who had caused the incident.
He was also showing his intent to drag her away by force if she refused.
In the end, Min Arin, who had been under our protection, answered as though she had made up her mind.
“Yes, I understand.”
* * *
The Public Security Department had no need to search for various methods to interrogate Min Arin.
She complied with the investigation without resistance, and in her statement, she confessed everything she had done in full detail.
She also did not forget to show an attitude of sincere remorse.
“I’m truly… sorry.”
They were probably words she had never spoken even once since she was born.
At first, the words would not come easily, and they only felt awkward, but gradually she grew used to them.
Once she acknowledged her wrongdoings and faced what was inside her, they came out naturally.
Min Arin bowed her head and apologized to the people participating in the statement.
Moved by her attitude, they did not doubt her testimony or press her harshly.
Thus, the investigation was concluded quickly.
Until her punishment was finalized, she was sentenced to solitary confinement.
‘…This is tedious.’
Unable to use her smartphone or the internet, and unable to go outside.
Min Arin had to live in a space where the wall facing the corridor was made of iron bars.
The routine given to her there was exceedingly monotonous.
When the reveille bugle sounded, she woke up and folded her blanket; washed in the partitioned bathroom; ate three meals a day; and went to sleep when the national anthem and school song played. It was a repetition of that.
Also, while awake, she had to sit cross-legged without leaning her back against the wall.
Time spent meaninglessly like that, as though alive and yet dead, could only be boring.
‘How much time has passed….’
She could no longer tell how many days had passed since she had been locked in solitary, or whether time was even passing at all.
If she was careless, she felt as though she might go insane.
It was that bad of a place for the mind the longer one stayed.
To steady her mind, Min Arin assumed a meditative posture.
Since her internal mana had been sealed while she was in solitary confinement, it was the only cultivation she could do.
However, because she could not concentrate well, her thoughts drifted elsewhere.
‘I wonder what everyone is doing….’
In truth, while living in solitary confinement, Min Arin was receiving certain conveniences as someone from a prestigious family.
They were conveniences that made life in solitary just a little more comfortable, such as being assigned a cell with good sunlight, being permitted to write, and eating fried dumplings as a snack.
Sometimes the guards also became conversation partners for her.
—Did you know? Apparently, among the graduates, there was someone who didn’t become a hunter and instead changed careers to become a famous author. They say that while enrolled, he would deliberately cause trouble so he could get thrown into solitary confinement.
—Why?
—The reason is really absurd, you know? Well, apparently, the writing he did after entering solitary came out the best….
—Ah….
—But it seems there are quite a lot of people like that. From what I hear from the seniors, there are people who come in to write every now and then. Is there some superstition that if they write here, they’ll hit it big? Ah, sometimes authors come in crying too.
—Why that author?
—That’s the case where they didn’t want to, but were put in by someone else. Sometimes editors put them in, and apparently, sometimes devoted readers confine them too.
—Ah… poor thing….
Thanks to that, the students whose cells were near Min Arin’s could also hear the guards’ witty stories.
Though the environments they were born into differed, they soon grew close as they felt a sense of kinship from sharing the same life.
For Min Arin, who had mostly associated with people from prestigious families, it was quite a refreshing experience.
In any case, the stories the guards told sometimes included news from outside as well.
For her, unable to leave, it was the most interesting information of all.
—Ah, things might actually work out well. Since she’s from the Mado Min family, won’t she avoid expulsion?
—Pardon?
—She was lucky. You see….
According to what she heard from them, although there had been injuries due to the incident Min Arin had caused, there had been no fatalities.
For her, who had been feeling guilt in her heart, it was at least fortunate news.
She felt as though she could worry a little less.
Aside from that, she was able to hear various updates stemming from the incident.
However, she rarely received news about Do Gyeonwoo or her other friends.
‘I wonder what they’re doing….’
Normally, she had thought of them as noisy kids who did whatever they wanted.
But now that she was living stifled in solitary confinement, she found herself missing them without realizing it.
It seemed she had no choice but to admit it now.
She regarded them as friends.
Closing her eyes and thinking of them, Min Arin smiled softly.
And when she thought of Do Gyeonwoo, she felt her heart flutter.
‘What… is he doing…?’
Was it a side effect of forcibly trying to raise her rank?
Ever since that day, whenever she thought of Do Gyeonwoo, she could not control her racing heart.
And yet she did not simply dislike it.
The sensation that made her realize she was an insufficient being seemed to grant her some sort of enlightenment.
‘Well, they’re probably all studying for midterms.’
Min Arin pulled herself out of the kind of thoughts that were hard to escape once she fell into them.
She did not know exactly how many days had passed since she entered solitary confinement, but by now her friends were surely busy preparing for midterms.
Compared to them, it seemed she would have to give up on the midterms.
Once she was released, she would have to take them in a rush without any time to properly prepare.
‘…It can’t be helped.’
She had brought it upon herself.
There was no one she could blame.
Min Arin once again gave a bitter smile at her foolish self.
Then she changed her mood.
“Well, whatever.”
Just because she failed once did not mean her life was over.
There would be more chances next time.
There was no need to be needlessly impatient.
Even so, if she became frustrated and despaired of life, then at that time….
‘Living as his Dobby wouldn’t be bad either. He doesn’t seem like the type to work someone like a real slave.’
Remembering the words Do Gyeonwoo had said so confidently that night.
Min Arin was able to shake off her worries.
‘I’ll just do what I can.’
She did not know how long she would have to stay in solitary confinement.
She did not know what kind of disciplinary action would fall upon her, and in the worst case, she might be expelled.
Even so, Min Arin, having steeled herself, decided to accept her punishment willingly.
A few days after that….
“It’s been a while since I came to the Academy.”
Min Hwiseong, head of the Mado Min family, entered Academy City.
He held a meeting with So Hyeyul, the chairwoman of Geumgang Academy, and requested a visit with Min Arin.
* * *
The disturbance that had thrown the Academy into turmoil overnight was safely brought to an end.
The role of dealing with the aftermath fell under the jurisdiction of the student council and the instructors.
There was no need for us to get any more involved.
As outsiders, we watched the morning sun while enjoying a belated late-night meal.
“I’m sleepy…. But it’s delicious…. I’m… alive….”
“I’m going to eat this and go straight to sleep. It’s been a while since I played that hard, so I’m dying of sleepiness!”
“I’m tired…. Do we have to go to class today? Should we just skip?”
“Until morning classes… there are 3 hours, 22 minutes, and 13 seconds left…. If we take into account the time needed to get ready for school….”
“I think I’ll doze off during class….”
“Yum….”
“Eunsol, don’t sleep while eating. You too, Gyeonwoo.”
“You… can still drink beer?”
Everyone, without exception, ate while exhausted.
With faces worn out from not being able to sleep, they bit into chicken like zombies.
I probably looked about the same as they did.
Fortunately, we were able to rest comfortably.
It was thanks to the Academy’s consideration for the students who had struggled all night dealing with the thornvines.
“Ah! A message came! They say there won’t be classes today! They’ll make it up by setting aside a separate time sometime soon!”
“…!”
At the school closure notice sent to all students.
Not only us, but everyone cheered and rejoiced.
From there, we returned to the dormitory and slept sprawled out all day, and from the next day onward, we returned to our daily lives.
Daily lives with midterms scheduled….
‘Already next week?’
Time truly passed quickly.
I and the others had to stay up all night, clinging to our exam studies.
In the meantime, I was able to hear about the progress through Do Sieun.
From what I heard, there had been no fatalities.
It was just as in the game.
‘With this, I don’t have to worry about Arin being expelled.’
Min Arin's disposition would conclude with receiving demerits and disciplinary action.
As a veteran player of the game in my previous life, I could infer how things would unfold from here.
That aside….
"…Nuna, are you okay? You are sleeping, right?"
"I'm… fine. As for sleep, I've been catching it whenever I have a moment…."
"Don't do that. Make time to sleep properly. Share the work with others too."
"Even after sharing, it's still at this level…."
Do Sieun's face was full of fatigue.
Between the basic duties as student council president, midterm preparations, managing the swordsmanship-track students, managing the ranking matches, and cleaning up after the incident….
She seemed unable to rest properly, burdened with one weighty responsibility after another.
It was a completely different sight from the Do Sieun in the game, who had endured crushing workloads without showing it.
I couldn't help but worry about her; I felt far more affection for her than I had in the game.
'Later, I should ask Haerang for an elixir good for her health or something. Or maybe work out a trade with Yuri to get some potions….'
It was Do Sieun's fate to continue suffering in the days ahead.
I couldn't let her collapse when the story had just barely begun.
I decided to gift her a fatigue recovery potion as she staggered away.
Meanwhile, it was almost time for my appointment.
"Haneul must be waiting."
I had to go study for exams with my friends.
Yeon Haneul and I, who happened to have matching schedules, had arranged to go to the meeting place together.
I moved my steps to meet her.
She was waiting in front of the dormitory.
"You're here? How was Sieun unni?"
"She didn't seem to be getting any sleep at all…. It was my first time seeing that nuna so haggard."
"Ah…. She must really be having a hard time…."
Yeon Haneul said she hadn't dressed up, but to my eyes, she looked like she had.
Conversing with her in her casual clothes, I walked toward the main gate.
Because the meeting place was a nearby hotel.
'It couldn't be helped….'
Due to the incident caused by Min Arin.
The library, which would normally have become a sacred ground for exam studying, was currently undergoing remodeling.
Until the construction was finished, the library was unusable for the time being.
Accordingly, the Mado Min clan not only arranged the remodeling as compensation but also decided to lend hotels and other lodging establishments owned by the clan as substitutes for the library.
Naturally, there were also cafes, reading rooms, and PC bangs.
They also helped students gain access to the libraries of institutions, clans, and partner companies under the Mado Min clan.
It was possible precisely because the Mado Min clan possessed a vast collection of books.
Thanks to that, we were able to study in a comfortable environment.
"For dinner… shall we order room service at the hotel?"
"That would be better. We rented two rooms, a women's room and a men's room, so we'll use one as a study room and one for eating and drinking…."
"We're going there to study, right?"
"How can a person live only studying? You have to play after working hard."
"Hm… I'll give you that. Ah, then should we buy soju and some snacks at a convenience store on the way?"
"We can just order room service at the hotel. It's not like we're paying for it anyway."
"Huh? I heard the Mado Min clan isn't covering meal expenses…."
"I have Arin's card. With her card, we'd probably get almost a hundred-percent discount?"
"Ah… Gyeonu, that's a crime."
"I just borrowed it for a while. I'll return it once Arin gets out, so it's not a crime."
"Ah, I see…."
Min Arin, who had been shut away in solitary confinement without a word, was alive and breathing inside my wallet.
I snickered at Yeon Haneul's dumbfounded reaction.
It was around then that I felt the students' gazes.
"Aren't those them? Yeon Haneul and Do Gyeonu."
"Huh? It really is them! Bunny and Rabbit!"
"…."
While clearing the Thorn Vine Spire this time, we had gained some fame.
Especially in the cases of me, Yeon Haneul, and Gang Hanbyeol, we had received unique Titles.
In Yeon Haneul's case, it was Bunny.
It was a nickname given because the sight of her fluttering rabbit ears and creating clones to fight was impressive.
[Bunny]
◆ Title Origin
—A designation referring to Yeon Haneul, disciple of the Seven-Colored Witch, whose contributions were recognized in the Thorn Vine Spire conquest.
◆ Effects
—Recognition increases primarily among Geumgang Academy affiliates.
—Learning efficiency at Geumgang Academy increases slightly.
—When creating dependent entities with Gift, the dependents' mana efficiency increases slightly.
—For all elemental magic skills, gains an additional 10% correction effect.
—When engaging in combat at Geumgang Academy, all physical abilities increase by 2.
It was a Title that hadn't existed in the game, possessing effects that strengthened Yeon Haneul even further.
It was also a Title that suited her well.
On the other hand, I….
"Look, it's the Blue Cub."
"The Blue Cub is over there."
"Where are those two going?"
"Shh! You should figure that out tactfully!"
"…."
Regarded as the primary contributor to the conquest, I obtained the Title 'Blue Cub.'
To be exact, the previously held 'Lion Cub' and the newly obtained 'Blue Lion' merged into one, becoming the 'Blue Cub.'
'Seriously, even after merging, why of all things did it have to be Blue Cub?'
I was in the mood to curse at the system.
They could have just made it 'Blue Lion Cub,' so did they really have to abbreviate it to 'Blue Cub'?
The system's naming sense was truly disastrous.
"I want to get a proper-sounding Title too…."
"That again?"
"You just don't know because it didn't happen to you."
Gang Hanbyeol was no longer called the disciple of the Tugwi, but the Young Tugwi.
Through this conquest, his skills had been verified, and he was recognized as a proper promising talent rather than merely a lucky person who had met a good master.
It was also a Title given to him upon clearing the Min Arin episode in the game.
The others obtained the Title 'Conquerors of the Spire,' which raised their recognition.
'Conquerors of the Spire, huh…. The effects are trivial, but compared to Blue Cub, it sounds cool.'
The more I thought about it, the more my stomach churned.
I sighed and glared at the people yapping about my Title.
They startled, shutting their mouths or averting their gazes.
Meanwhile, Yeon Haneul was beaming, seemingly delighted about something.
"Are you that happy about being called Bunny?"
"Yeah! It's embarrassing but joyful that people recognize me. It also means I've finally escaped my master's shadow and established my own style. And also…."
"And also what?"
"Don't you think Bunny and Rabbit make a well-matched pair?"
"…That's true."
There was no way I could deny the words of Yeon Haneul, who was smiling softly.
It seemed like a Title that suited us childhood friends perfectly.
I nodded in agreement.
Then I quietly opened my status window and changed my Title.
[Would you like to replace the Title 'Blue Cub' with the Title 'Rabbit'?]
[Yes (Selected) / No]
When Haneul was by my side, I should use Rabbit as much as possible.
Having changed my Title, I headed to the hotel with her.
I had become the childhood friend of the mid-boss.