Unique Style
When a member of the Divine Sword Do Family turned eight, they had to participate in evaluation assemblies until they obtained their Hunter license.
There were no exceptions, unless one was so unhealthy that they could not even swing a sword.
At this point, it was generally stipulated that those aged seventeen and older—old enough to have entered Academy City and no longer be able to freely visit the main house—would hold their evaluation assembly separately among themselves.
Having entered the academy this year, I now belonged to that group.
[Haneul]: I guess we won’t be able to see each other for a while starting today ㅜㅜ
[Haneul]: Don’t push yourself too hard and get hurt... Take care of yourself.
[Haneul]: No one’s picking a fight with you there, right?
[Haneul]: You’re the youngest there, so that makes you the baby of the group.
It was finally summer vacation, yet I had to spend my precious time on the evaluation assembly. What a shame.
But if I wanted to be acknowledged as a member of the family and carry the family name on my back, I couldn’t refuse.
Putting my regrets behind me, I had no choice but to leave for the main house early in the morning to attend the evaluation assembly.
Yeon Haneul, who had heard about my situation, seemed to have remembered it and sent me messages right on time.
I had been blankly staring out the bus window, and the corners of my mouth rose on their own.
Thanks to her, I felt a little more energized.
[Me]: They’re all people I know anyway.
[Me]: Even if I end up being the youngest, they won’t be able to haze me.
[Me]: I’m ahead of them in skill, too...
[Me]: If there’s anyone who’d try to pull rank on me, it’d only be Sieun noona at most?
[Haneul]: Sieun unni wouldn’t do that, so I guess no one will pick a fight with you.
[Haneul]: Right?
[Me]: Right lololol
[Me]: So don’t worry.
[Haneul]: Okay hehe
[Haneul]: Are you going into a Gate again this time?
[Haneul]: For a whole week???
I want to see Yeon Haneul.
Why doesn’t she set her profile picture to a photo showing her face?
It wasn’t as if I didn’t understand her not wanting to reveal her face on social media, but sometimes I found it dissatisfying.
I didn’t expect her to take selfies and change her profile at the drop of a hat like Go Eunbi, but it would be nice if I could at least see her face a little to soothe my heart.
That said, I couldn’t force her.
Instead, I decided to admire the selfies she had sent me.
At the same time, I sighed.
Because this evaluation assembly was scheduled to last a whole week.
[Me]: Nothing’s been confirmed yet, but judging by the signs, I think we’ll go into a Gate and do some kind of training camp.
[Me]: I’ll know once I get there...
[Haneul]: Then we won’t be able to contact each other for the entire week ㅜㅜ
[Haneul]: Call me before you go into the Gate.
[Me]: Of course :)
[Me]: Make sure you pick up later! If you don’t, we won’t be able to talk for a week.
[Haneul]: Okay, okay!
According to what I had heard from Do Sieun before.
Grandfather, enraged at Do Seungwoo for committing misconduct during the midterms, seemed to be sharpening his blade to inspect our character.
In that sense, it looked like he intended to use this evaluation assembly as an opportunity.
The actual troublemaker, Do Seungwoo himself, would probably be treated as if he didn’t exist and wouldn’t even be allowed to attend the evaluation assembly, yet those of us who hadn’t done anything wrong were the ones stuck taking the blame.
‘Looks like I’m going to waste an entire precious week of summer vacation for nothing….’
It would have been strange if I hadn’t sighed.
By then, it was time to get off the bus.
I pressed the stop button and stood up, then soon got off at a stop close to the main house.
From there, I dragged my suitcase up the hill.
Before long, I arrived at the main house.
“Good day, Young Master Do Gyeonu. It has been a long time. I heard you have been achieving excellent results at Geumgang Academy.”
“Hello, Chief. It’s been a while.”
“Please leave your luggage to me. I will show you to your room. Is there any room you would prefer?”
“No. Just any… Please give me a room with good soundproofing for phone calls.”
“Every room is well soundproofed, but… I will arrange one with especially thick walls.”
As if they had been waiting, the family servants came out through the main gate right on time, even before I could ring the bell.
I entrusted my luggage to them and stepped onto the grounds of the main house, following the chief, who was acquainted with my father.
Then, in the main building, I ran into Do Sieun.
“Gyeonu.”
“Looks like you just got here too, noona. How’s your vacation going? Though I guess we’ll end up wasting a week coming here.”
“It’s a shame, but there’s nothing we can do…. Still, you shouldn’t say it like that.”
Do Sieun brightened when she saw me.
I walked to the center of the lobby and chatted warmly with her, catching up on recent events.
That was when Grandfather appeared.
“Sieun, Gyeonu… You’re both here. You did well coming all this way from the morning.”
Grandfather came down the stairs, wearing clothes that seemed to serve as pajamas.
Do Sieun and I greeted him politely.
“We greet the Family Head.”
“Yes. Have you achieved much? I have great expectations for you both. I hope you will show me something good at the evaluation assembly shortly as well. Before that, you must be hungry, so you should fill your stomachs first. Once the others arrive, let us all have lunch together. Rest comfortably until then.”
The difference in height between Grandfather and me was no longer that great.
And yet Grandfather still made me feel as though I were facing a great mountain as he patted my shoulder.
* * *
With all his friends having gone home, Gang Hanbyeol’s daily life during vacation was particularly dull.
The thought that he could use this opportunity to relieve the fatigue that had built up only lasted a few days.
Spending the whole day alone didn’t particularly appeal to him.
There was even a day when he regretted not accepting Yong Haerang’s invitation and going to visit the Righteous Yong Family.
‘I really did spend a lot of time with the others.’
He felt empty and lonely.
That feeling only grew stronger in particular when he had to take care of his three meals a day.
It was a feeling he had never felt when he had lived on Mount Taebaek with only his master, Seo Jeongjin.
That was how attached he had become to his friends.
Though Gang Hanbyeol did not deliberately show it in the group chat where they had all gathered, inwardly, he missed them.
Still, it wasn’t as if he had no plans at all during summer vacation.
He could train comfortably in the quiet training hall with few people around, and he also had appointments to spar with students who had not returned home and had remained behind.
‘If I could do what I wanted, I’d like to eat with those people too and get closer to them… But that’s probably impossible.’
Unless he didn’t take their armaments, common sense said there was no way anyone would cheerfully eat with someone after having their armament taken by them.
Even if such people existed, they would not be common.
At any rate, Gang Hanbyeol did not simply remain depressed. In his own way, he strove to live each day to the fullest.
Above all, the visit to Academy City by the older childhood friend he had liked since he was young was a great comfort.
[I’m on a ship from Jeju Island to Academy City right now. I’ll send you the arrival time by message.]
“Okay, noona. Then I’ll go to the harbor to meet you at the right time. You have a lot of luggage, right?”
[It’s fine. Why would you come all the way to meet me? We can just meet at the place we first agreed on. As for my luggage, I can just put it in a taxi.]
“Still, you’re coming from far away, so I should go out to see you. And it’s been a long time since we last saw each other. I just want to see your face as soon as possible.”
[…You’re Gang Hanbyeol, right? These days, it feels like you say things without hesitation that would embarrass anyone listening…. Anyway, okay. I’d be happy if you came! I won’t refuse. Thank you!]
He would be meeting her soon.
Ever since summer vacation began, Gang Hanbyeol had been looking forward to this day, and he was brimming with excitement.
For today, he had received help from Do Gyeonu, Go Eunbi, and Yeon Haneul, and had looked up all kinds of tourist attractions and good restaurants in Academy City.
He had also followed Gyeonu’s advice to reserve seats in advance at crowded and popular places.
He even made plans for the two of them to go to Heartland.
‘Gyeonu said to pay close attention to what shoes the other person is wearing and be mindful of how much we move around. He also said to walk on the side closer to the road when walking together. And also….’
—Keep in mind that the most important thing isn’t manners, but Haneul… no, the heart of consideration for the other person. Be considerate so that noona doesn’t feel burdened and can be comfortable. If you’re too conscious of trying to act mannerly for no reason, you’ll end up thinking from your own perspective instead of the other person’s, and it’ll look unnatural.
‘Right, that’s what he said. Consider the other person naturally from the bottom of your heart.’
Though he claimed they were childhood friends, Do Gyeonu, who was practically dating Yeon Haneul, had many things to learn from when it came to dealing with women.
Gang Hanbyeol had not forgotten his teachings and had clearly committed them to memory.
‘I wonder if noona will like it. I hope she has fun being with me….’
The corners of his mouth rose just from imagining it.
Having been contacted by his older childhood friend, Sin Seora, Gang Hanbyeol left the dormitory to go meet her.
He came out onto the main road to catch a taxi, and then….
“…”
He felt gazes targeting him.
The emotions contained in those gazes were too intense to dismiss it as his imagination.
‘It’s not just one person.’
So that he could draw his sword at any time.
Gang Hanbyeol quietly took his device out of his pocket, then put his hand into the pocket as it was.
In order to identify the owners of those gazes, he pretended not to have noticed their presence and walked into an alley with few people around.
Then several people followed him.
‘What are they targeting me for?’
He had no clue.
However, once there were no people around, Gang Hanbyeol merely fought back against the enemies who revealed their true colors and launched a surprise attack.
“Waiting around all that time paid off!”
“Wasn’t this kid supposed to be a Triple Number next semester? Making an opportunity for us with his own two feet—what an idiot!”
“He’s only a first-year, but there’s a big bounty on him. We’ve really struck gold.”
Thus, completely out of nowhere and against his will.
Gang Hanbyeol was forced to become entangled in the darkness of Academy City.
* * *
“Sieun, you don’t have much time left until graduation now. Have you decided what you will do once you become a Hunter?”
“Yes, Family Head. I wish to join the Regulus Clan and contribute to the glory of the family.”
“As the family head, that is an answer that makes me proud. With your skill, Sieun, you should be able to join any branch. If there is a branch you would like to enter, be sure to tell me. I will contact them in advance.”
“Thank you for your consideration, Family Head.”
Including both the direct and branch lines of the Divine Sword Do Family, there were at least more than ten people participating in the evaluation assembly.
I had lunch with them, who had come from all over the country, and with Grandfather.
The seating arrangement for the luncheon followed the family’s etiquette, starting with Grandfather in the seat of honor, then proceeding by age, from the direct line to the branch lines.
As a result, Do Sieun, who was of the direct line and the oldest, was assigned the seat closest to the seat of honor, while I, the youngest among the direct line, was assigned a middle seat that divided the direct line from the branch lines.
Originally, Grandfather should have asked after us in this order, but….
“Now then, Gyeonu, how has academy life been? I heard not long ago that you made a great contribution to resolving the incident caused by the child of the O Family. Thanks to you, I was able to straighten my shoulders in front of the head of the O Family this time.”
“…”
Grandfather skipped over the direct-line members in the middle and spoke to me directly.
As for me, while my nose secretly rose with pride at Grandfather’s attention, I couldn’t help but feel somewhat self-conscious.
But it wasn’t the first time this had happened.
Ever since five years ago, when I became aware of the memories of my previous life, I had experienced this time and time again.
Now somewhat used to it, I answered in a calm tone.
“It wasn’t just me there at the time. My friends were with me too. If my friends hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t have been able to stop the situation on my own. Still, thank you for praising me.”
“Yes, I heard your friends helped as well. It seems you have met many good friends at the academy. A child of the Yong Family, a child of the Min Family, a child of the Nam Family, a child of the Cha Family, and even the princess of the Empire…. On top of that, I heard you became friends with the disciple of the Fighting Demon. They say you even fought that child and won. You are the pride of the family. Well done. I look forward to the day I meet that Fighting Demon bastard later.”
“Haha…”
“In any case, those children will become good connections for your future. Continue to get along with them from now on.”
“Yes, Family Head.”
Grandfather burst into hearty laughter, enough for his feelings to be clearly known.
It seemed he was pleased that I had met friends from the Ten Great Families, and especially that I had beaten Gang Hanbyeol in a spar.
However, feeling burdened by his fervent praise, I did not speak at length.
Just then, Grandfather lightly broached the subject, as if in passing.
“So, is there a woman your heart has turned toward?”
“…”
“You are seventeen now. That is old enough to take an interest in women. I hear all your friends are quite lovely… Surely there must be at least one girl among them you have feelings for. If there is, tell me. If I can arrange the match, I will.”
“…No, they’re just my friends. Female friends. Friends who are girls.”
“A man and a woman may become lovers, but they cannot become friends.”
“Haha…”
“What about the princess of the Grace Empire? Her background goes without saying, and since she is not high in the line of succession, we could bring her in as a daughter-in-law of the Divine Sword Do Clan with relatively little friction.”
“Lisa and I are friends…”
“You little rascal, did I not just tell you that friendship between a man and a woman does not exist?”
“…I’m still not really interested in the opposite sex. Right now, I want to hone my sword further.”
“If you put it that way, then it cannot be helped.”
Grandfather was subtly probing my heart.
Knowing full well what he intended, I sidestepped the answer to avoid landing myself in a needlessly troublesome situation.
At that, Grandfather clicked his tongue as if disappointed.
“It is good to devote yourself tirelessly to improvement, but at times you must also know how to look around and give yourself some leisure. Do not seek to know only the sword; seek to know women as well. The duty of the Divine Sword Do Clan does not lie solely in tempering the sword, but also in siring many children who inherit the blood of the Do Clan.”
“Isn’t that still a little early for me…”
“I took my first wife when I was your age. This is not something early—it is something that now applies to you as well. A lion is, by nature, a beast that forms a pride. If you wish to prove you are an outstanding lion, you must know how to keep several lionesses at your side.”
“…”
“So take an interest in that direction as well. If you set your mind to it, there are many women who would approach you at once. In fact, various families have been contacting me, asking me to arrange meetings with you. Your father seems not to have told you, but I understand he has received no small number of such requests himself.”
“I… see…”
“Of course. So if you ever find yourself interested, speak to me at any time. If you wish to find someone yourself, that is not bad either. However.”
“…”
“Meet a woman from a solid family.”
You know what I mean.
Grandfather ended his lecture with that implication in his tone.
Then, withdrawing his gaze from me when I gave no answer, he spoke to another direct descendant.
My feelings could not help but become complicated.
‘This is why I can’t bring up Haneul…’
It was something I had known even before I realized my past life.
After all, before marrying Father, Mother had been an ordinary person.
And because of that, I had watched from up close how Mother was treated in the clan, even if things were not that way now.
‘I want to see Haneul.’
The mountain I had to cross was high.
I realized it once again.
I Became the Childhood Friend of the Mid-Boss