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Chapter 229 – The Logic of Balance (4)

“Ah.”

Eleanor, who was waiting for Kang Shin-hyuk in front of the Blackwood Training Center, felt embarrassed as soon as she saw him.

“Your sword… where did it go?”

“I lostit.”

Eleanor’s eyes were filled with complicated emotions at his calm reply. She knew well that his sword was unusual and that he cherished it closely. Therefore, she couldn’t easily ask what had happened.

“Well, uh…”

“Thank you for worrying about me, senior. But it’s okay; I will find it againsomeday.”

Kang Shin-hyuk had a bitter smile as he replied, taking out the spear he had made this time from his inventory.

“For the time being, I’m going to practice with the spear.”

“It’s the same asme.”

“Yes.”

Eleanor, still confused, lifted her spear with a smile.

“No matter what, I am stronger with a spear.”

“I will learn a lot then.”

“Yes.”

The two clashed. In the first place, he often conversed with Eleanor more through battle than through actual conversation. Her spear was growing sharper and faster by the day. In particular, after working with Masked Bacchus, her growth had accelerated. She was looking much better now than she had been when she was worried about hiding herabilities.

“Whoo…”

Kang Shin-hyuk, who stepped down after the fierce battle, smiled at her.

“You’ve improved again, senior. With this, you’ll be a hard competition for the title.”

“The TwoCrowns?”

“Yes, I’ll be competing thisyear.”

“You can try.”

Eleanor smiled mischievously and struck out again. Her ability to accelerate was surprisingly fast, and the spear that flew with that momentum was no joke. Kang Shin-hyuk captured all of her movements in his mind and tried to reinterpret them into his movements. His spiritual power flowed between attack and defense as he contacted her source and analyzed the principles behind her movements. However, because his skill was not yet perfect, and he was focused on reading her movements, his reaction slowed down. Thus, Kang Shin-hyuk was blown away.

“Once more?”

“Yes, today, I’m going to fight until Icollapse.”

Even though Shin-hyuk pretended to be calm, he hadn’t been able to resist her properly, and he had yet to resolve the resentment he felt over losing his sword. In fact, this dimensional quest hadn’t been very active (although the reward was sizable and the furniture in his My Room had increased), so his stress had been piling up. Fighting Eleanor was putting him in a better mood by the second, though.

“Does this help?”

“Yeah? Of course, it is.”

“…Ah.”

Seeing the pride on Eleanor’s face, Kang Shin-hyuk felt slightly guilty. At that moment, he could see Lee Na-hee heading their way along the forest trail.

“Oh, you’re heretoo!”

“Why did you come,Na-hee?”

“I wanted to see you.”

Lee Na-hee declared so with confidence and sat down on a nearby stump. Seeing Eleanor laugh, Kang Shin-hyuk was convinced this was the best timing to speak what had been on his mind.

“Seniors, I have decided to officially go out with Claire.”

But the two who heard him looked at him with the same expression that said, ‘Sowhat?’

“I know.”

“Oh, Iheard.”

“You’ve heard italready?!”

What sort of chat room were they in? As long as it didn’t include Shin Eunah, it wasfine!

“If you’ve heard, then no flirting with me.”

“We haven’tflirted?”

“Yes. I’m notflirting.”

The two women nodded calmly as if they had this planned out.

“But that doesn’t mean I can suddenly hateyou.”

“Shin-hyuk is the man I trust most.”

What could he do in response to such a reaction even though he had already clearly communicated his intent? As Kang Shin-hyuk wracked his mind, the two spoke up again.

“Honestly, it’s not like you’re marrying her; you’re just dating alittle.”

“The age difference is a lot,too.”

“It sounds like you’re waiting for us to breakup?!”

When Kang Shin-hyuk shouted, Lee Na-hee approached him with a smile and patted his shoulder.

“Don’t get so angry because I’ve been complaining a little.”

“Don’t act so charming; it’s creepy.”

“Anyway, you have such a sincere personality despite your face.”

Kang Shin-hyuk shouted again at that.

“What’s wrong with myface?!”

“It’s the face of one who seems to play well with girls.”

“…A face of a man with five girlfriends.”

“Senior Eleanor.”

However, Kang Shin-hyuk didn’t refute them anymore. His intention had been clearly delivered, so he decided to be satisfied with that for today.

“When will the duel end? I’m thinking of having a commemorative consolation party with Ellie and you today.”

“Ah.”

“I’m notgoing!”

In the end, Kang Shin-hyuk dueled with Eleanor until they had no more strength to stand, effectively destroying the two’s party. After escaping from Lee Na-hee to the safety of his dorm, he ran into Baek In-ha.

“You’re here? It’s vacation, but you’re not going anyway?”

Shinyoung’s dorm was a free space, even during vacation. Rather, only those who applied in advance could return home during the vacation, but it was hard to believe that Baekyang’s successor was still staying in the dorm. And also in Kang Shin-hyuk’sroom!

“Shinyuk, I have the request of a lifetime.”

It felt like he was seeing a lot of Baek’s serious face thesedays.

“How many times have you said such a line?”

“Please be Hye-na’s swordsmanship master.”

“Are you her nanny? Did you raise her?” Kang Shin-hyuk’s face was serious.

“No, you’d be bothered too if a kid who was like your younger sister groaned at you like a puppy.”

“Then, you have to take care of her yourself; why do you keep trying to get me to intervene?”

“There is a picture of Na-hee and Eleanor having a catfight posted on the free bulletin board of theschool.”

“What?!”

He urgently took out his phone and accessed the bulletin board. Someone had really posted a picture of him and the two at the Blackwood Training Center earlier today; the title was [The Rookie King Conflict.jpg].

“Oh no, no, this is an aggro-level joke… yeah…”

The picture had been taken so exquisitely to make it look like the two were fighting over him, even though they were only talking. The post even had a lot of commentsalready.

[Nahee.Marion – Wow, I’m so pretty. Don’t we get along very well?]

[Do Woojin – Why am I weaker than such aguy?]

[Rladbwns – Kill KangShin-hyuk!]

[Article Dept. 2nd Grade Jeon Woo-Jun – Try it, and you’ll be the one to die.]

[British Beauty – Our captain is so pretty, and Shin-hyuk is the vice-captain.]

[Algiers – Please take it down. I’m ashamed. And Na-hee already confessed to the vice-captain once and wasrejected.]

[Nahee.Marion – Hey!]

[D. Payne –…]

“Oh…” Kang Shin-hyuk lamented as Baek laughed besidehim.

“But didn’t the picture come out really well?”

“No, Douglas Payne is even looking at the freeboard though he’s graduatingsoon.”

“I don’t know anything about that.”

“Ah…”

Kang Shin-hyuk wondered if he should make a drone that detected machines to prevent voyeurs like Claire. For now, he decided to report to Claire about his actions today thoroughly.

“Baek In-ha, think carefully. In the midst of this, imagine what would happen if I’m in charge of teaching Oh Hye-na. I bet you, me, and she would be in a triangle at the start of the newsemester.”

“Why me?”

Baek asked so blankly. Kang Shin-hyuk was considering stabbing him with his new spear. Was he really not aware of how psychologically dependent Oh Hye-na was on him? Besides, she would undoubtedly suffer a lot of trouble because of Baek.

“Anyway, you take care of Oh Hye-na. If possible, take care of her all the way to thegrave.”

“Shinyuk, please. I don’t know anyone who handles a sword better than you.”

“Wow, really.”

You could see how clever he was by how efficiently he gave praise as he asked for a favor. However, even though Kang Shin-hyuk knew it happened, he couldn’t easily beat it. He had his own sense of debt to Oh Hye-na, and Baek was one of his precious friends, though it was embarrassing to admitopenly.

“I’ll take her on, in exchange for something.” Kang Shin-hyuk decided to take the chance for a deal.

“What, what can I do? Is there anything more embarrassing for me to do aside from MaskedBacchus?”

“…I can’t think of anything right now.”

What he wanted most was a new sword, but was that something he could ask for? Honestly, he felt it was a bit presumptuous, but he was convinced no craftsman on Earth could make one better thanhim.

“Then, how about a rain-check?”

“Yes, then I’ll do whatever I can. Oh, but I can’t give you the position of student councilpresident.”

“I’ve no intention of asking for it.”

“I’ll give you the vice-chair instead.”

“I don’t needit.”

Kang Shin-hyuk instructed Baek to take Oh Hye-na to the designated place in a few days. Baek was so thrilled that he tried to hug Kang Shin-hyuk, but he was pushed away. That evening, he met Claire for a date and, over the next few days, devoted himself to making a new sword. In the meanwhile, Shin Eunah contacted him.

-Eunah’s whisper: I miss you. I’m too busy, but I miss you somuch…

-Sorry, I’m at a training camp at the gate for the timingbeing.

-Eunah’s whisper: Ah… Shinyoung’s tasks, huh…

Shin Eunah’s message felt so sad that Kang Shin-hyuk made a suggestion before he knew what he wasdoing.

-Let’s work together after I return. Not just as Masked Bacchus, but under the SuperhumanAssociation.

-Eunah’s whisper:Really?

-Yes. Let’s move together.

-Eunah’s whisper: Ah… oh,yes.

-Eunah’s whisper: I loveit.

-Yes. Then, don’t overdoit.

-Eunah’s whisper: Yes. I really love my junior!

Compared to her initial message, she sounded a lot more energetic. Kang Shin-hyuk laughed happily as he read it, then realized he was making an expression like a grandfather who was looking at his granddaughter.

-The current synchronization rate has exceeded 67%; it is no wonder that you think of her as a granddaughter.

“She still seems to think of me as her grandfather, so it’s still a bitcomplicated.”

-…Well, the administrator seems to see a catastrophe on thehorizon.

He felt as if he could hear the administrator sigh for just a brief moment. Kang Shin-hyuk tilted his head and then raised his hammer. It was impossible to replace the Godslayer, but he intended to create a sword that wouldn’t be put toshame.

***

A few days passed, and the promised day arrived. Baek In-ha brought Oh Hye-na to meet with Kang Shin-hyuk.

“Oh, you’rehere.”

“Hey, why are they here?Really?”

“Ah… Shinyuk, it’s too much.”

“Complaining isbanned.”

There was Kang Shin-hyuk, Lee Na-hee, who was exhaling a sigh, and Eleanor, who was pouting with a disappointed look.