She’s gone mad.
Indeed, Yoo Hana truly was a genius.
Before they knew it, the time had reached 11 PM.
“Is it like this?”
-Pwababak!
The slash she swung drew a sharp curve and hit the training ground wall.
Her power, speed, and flow were all perfect.
Yoo Hana had somehow completely mastered the basics of the Huajeom Sword Technique I taught her, in just a few hours.
When she first received the sword, there was a moment of confusion as she began to tear up, but once we exchanged a few strikes, thankfully she quickly became spirited again.
“Hmph….”
Yoo Hana sheathed the sword and calmed her breath.
The symphony of mana swirling, like flowers and butterflies in dance, gently seeped into the scabbard with it.
However.
Suddenly, she approached me and bowed her head.
-Tak.
This wasn’t just a simple greeting.
With her knees on the floor and her hands neatly folded, she bowed so low her forehead touched the ground.
A perfect prostration.
I was momentarily struck with confusion.
“Hey, hey, what’s this about?”
Her head remained bowed as she continued in a low voice.
“Your teaching has deeply moved me. Master, I kindly ask for your continued guidance.”
The politeness and solemnity in her voice felt strange.
Even the honorifics were understandable, but her tone and posture were excessively submissive.
Yoo Hana was the daughter of a warrior family.
Thus, showing respect to someone who taught her swordsmanship was natural.
But in the original story, she had initially used honorifics only briefly before quickly abandoning them.
‘This is a bit extreme.’
We were fortunate it happened in solitude; had someone witnessed it, strange rumors might have spread.
“Just get up already…”
Realizing she wouldn’t rise even if I told her to—she has an incredible stubborn streak—, I knew there was only one simple way to get her up.
“Rise, as it is the master’s order.”
-Umchil
And I added:
“Just act like you normally would.”
Despite keeping her forehead planted on the ground, her shoulders visibly trembled slightly.
Finally, Yoo Hana slowly stood up.
Even as she was pushed to rise, she looked as though she was reluctantly swallowing her reluctance.
‘Why is she doing this?’
It wasn’t something I needed to concern myself with.
It was nearly time to wrap up the training session.
“Here.”
She handed the Tongbaek Sword to me, perhaps to return it.
After pondering for a moment, I spoke.
“Keep it with you for now.”
Truthfully, even if I wanted to carry it, I couldn’t.
I conspicuously grabbed the sword she offered me.
-Woooom!
The moment I touched it, it violently vibrated as if rejecting me.
What a pain.
“See that?”
I nonchalantly shrugged and said,
“It’s troublesome for me to take it.”
Upon seeing this, she smirked slightly.
Then she re-sheathed the sword at her waist.
“Understood, thank you. I’ll surely repay this favor.”
“So be it.”
As I responded indifferently, she gave a faint smile and followed behind me.
After tidying up the room, we walked into the internal auditorium.
Despite the late evening, it was still crowded. Must be because the exams are approaching.
The students were deeply focused on their training.
I lightly stretched and looked around.
The midterm exams were approaching too.
Though training daily would have been ideal, I somewhat hesitated to bring it up directly.
So, I carefully inquired,
“Could you let me know on which days you’ll be free this week? It’d be good to meet one or two more times.”
“…”
There was no response from Yoo Hana.
I turned my head to look at her.
But she was gazing at me expressionlessly.
As if my question was too obvious to answer.
“Every day.”
She stepped closer and cautiously added,
“Isn’t it already everyday?”
Nice.
Internally, I rejoiced.
Her drive for achievement was much stronger than expected.
Without a word, I nodded.
Then, naturally, we both headed to our respective accommodations.
The night sky was already dotted with stars gradually rising.
-Ding
A message arrived.
[Luke]: Master Jung Hae-in, the pricing proposal for Iano’s cross has been prepared. Please visit the denomination at your convenience, and we’d be grateful.
Good news.
It appeared the pricing for the previously entrusted cross was now ready.
This could be done tomorrow when I only have morning classes.
However, something else was more pressing at the moment.
-Drrrlek, Drrrlek
“Damn it!”
Late in the evening, in a corner of the dormitory, I couldn’t sleep, scrolling through the Hero Auction site.
-Drrrlek, Drrrlek
“Where in the world is it?”
I was searching for items to prepare against the Demon’s attack anticipated for next week’s midterm exams, but the desired items were nowhere to be found yet.
After searching endlessly for about two hours, I finally found it.
Buried deeply at the bottom; it seemed unrefreshed or overlooked.
[Stone Scythe]
“Hahh.”
Just the name alone caused me to burst into laughter.
The picture on the page was blurry, with chaotic lighting.
It was messy, almost suggesting the seller wasn’t serious about selling.
I checked the description.
[Obtained Location: Central Africa]
[Seller’s Note: It’s a scythe made of stone. I got it from a dungeon while on a mission in Africa. Honestly, I have no idea what it’s used for. No refunds possible.]
[Selling Price: 1,000,000 KRW]
With a single glance, it was apparent to be aged and rough.
The blade was worn like a toothless wolf and looked incredibly heavy.
His lack of selling intent was also evident in both the price and the item description.
To note, one million won is the minimum price on the auction.
Nevertheless, it was this scythe that I had to buy.
This was not simply a lump of rock.
It was the Harpe.
This indeed matched Perseus’s weapon from mythology.
Though it wasn’t an artifact of great combat prowess, it had a specific purpose.
In essence, it was a one-time use item.
However, that one-time use was quite significant.
-Click
Without hesitation, I hit the purchase button.
[‘Stone Scythe’ is scheduled for delivery.]
The seller must have woken up startled, thrilled about someone buying such an item.
Probably wondering what kind of fool bought it.
Though, it seems they were mistaken.
A towering building in the middle of the city, styled in medieval architecture.
This was my second visit.
As soon as classes ended, I rushed over here, since I happened to also need some cash.
I quietly entered the Arcadia denomination headquarters.
The moment I did, our eyes met with a priest sitting at the counter. She quickly stood up and rushed over to me.
“This way, please.”
It seemed like the communication had already been made. She cheerfully guided me to the same receiving room from the previous visit.
There, the middle-aged priest, Luke, was waiting for me.
“Brother Hae-in!”
The middle-aged man stood up from his seat, extending a welcoming hand.
I lightly shook it with him.
“Haha, I’m a bit late. There was some friction during the price adjustment.”
“Yes, don’t worry.”
He appeared quite pleased.
Between the cross matter and various other things, it seemed the influence of Cheon Yeoul within the church was rapidly expanding.
Luke retrieved a gilded and ink-etched document from the leather bag and handed it over.
“Please let me know if the price poses any issues. We can always make adjustments.”
I glanced into his eyes briefly before lowering my gaze to the contract.
And at the moment I saw the sum written on it,
‘What in the hell?’
How many zeros was this?
While I hadn’t intended to inflate expectations greatly, neither did I plan to give it away for free. If the price was excessively high, I intended to make some adjustments.
But this… was far more than I expected.
I blinked repeatedly while scanning the contract again.
Luke subtly smiled, carefully observing my reaction.
“You seem to have put a lot of thought into this.”
His smile deepened in response to my comment.
Clearly, he appreciated my recognition.
“Thanks to you, things have improved on various fronts.”
Already, he was addressing me as “Brother,” marking a shift in our relationship.
I closed my eyes and tapped my fingers lightly on the table, mulling it over.
I could take it all, certainly.
However…
I folded the contract slowly and said,
“Could I donate this to the Arcadia Foundation?”
Luke widened his eyes and leaned forward slightly.
“Ah, yes… it is, of course, possible but…”
“In that case, let’s do this amount.”
I scribbled a figure on the back of the folded contract.
1 billion won.
Only a portion of the total payment, but it was by no means a trivial sum as a donation.
His hand visibly trembled as he took the paper.
“…Are you sure you wish to donate? Additionally, to whom would you like the donation addressed?”
His voice wavered subtly.
“To Cheon Yeoul.”
At this single phrase, Luke’s expression visibly shifted.
A blend of astonishment and deep appreciation.
Standing up, he bowed deeply.
“Thank you ever so much.”
His voice was filled with sincerity.
This donation would certainly amplify Cheon Yeoul’s influence, and Luke clearly grasped its value.
Moreover, donating to the denomination comes with several benefits.
I had this in mind from much earlier.
Watching him courteously bow, I deemed it appropriate to reciprocate.
Extending my hand lightly, Luke reciprocated, firmly gripping it with both hands.
“May the blessings of the goddess be with you, Brother.”
He sincerely prayed.
I smirked slightly.
“Once you’ve reviewed it, I’ll take my leave.”
With a polite nod, I rose and exited the room.
