Chapter 68

Near the Aaronha Beach forest.

I barely caught Hanon by using Sharine.

This evasive guy is impossible to catch otherwise.

‘I might be the one in the wrong here, but…’

Having wreaked havoc at Jerion Academy while stealing his identity, I have to admit, I caused him quite the reputation damage.

Sorry about that, Hanon.

But regardless, I couldn’t just let things go haywire like this.

I had to live as Hanon until I graduated from Jerion Academy.

So, I wanted to compromise with him as much as possible.

“Is that really your face?”

“Fake.”

Hanon, smirking but holding back, asked me the same question Sharine did.

My face belonged to someone who doesn’t exist in this world.

So, it’s fake.

“That’s disappointing.”

Hanon seemed completely uninterested that I was using his identity freely.

He tossed aside worldly concerns and was just a guy chasing relics and legends from around the world.

“I apologize for using your identity like that. But our goals aren’t that different.”

I sighed, pinning Hanon down.

“So, let’s talk.”

“In this situation?”

Hanon waved his arms in protest as I kept him restrained.

“Sorry, but you’re just going to run away.”

“Wow, you’re quick on the uptake.”

It’s way more frustrating than it is with me.

“I don’t have the confidence to catch you again. I know well that if you run at full power, no one can catch you.”

I pulled on the veil’s bandage.

Suddenly, my appearance transformed into Hanon’s.

Now that I caught Hanon, there was no need to stay in another form anymore.

Hanon looked at me again, his face showing sheer amazement.

“The 1st Prince sent you, didn’t he?”

Hanon grinned weakly at my question.

“Interesting. Shouldn’t I first assume that I was sent by the 3rd Princess faction since I’m a relative of Iris?”

“You’re not even affiliated with the Duke of Robliju, so why would that make any sense?”

Hanon’s Ailey name belonged to a small noble family on the outskirts.

He was just a blood relative of the Duke of Robliju.

He had no ties to Robliju.

Hanon was originally meant to be used as a spy for the 1st Prince.

That meant he had a lot of secrets by nature.

But who am I?

I’m a seasoned player who has cleared the Flame Butterfly side story a whopping 29 times.

No matter how hidden and secretive Hanon is, I know this character inside out.

“On the contrary.”

I also knew what would make Hanon sensitive.

“You resent the Duke of Robliju.”

For the first time, Hanon’s face shifted in a direction I’d never seen before.

The guy, who usually had a relaxed demeanor, stopped fidgeting and stared at me.

“Who are you, really?”

Surprisingly, Hanon threw the question back at me.

The situation flipped in an instant.

Now Hanon had to pry into my identity.

“I…”

Time to take the lead.

Hanon’s existence was a weakness for me.

If he suddenly dashed out and revealed my identity, my position would become severely troublesome.

It could lead to getting kicked out of the academy or even jail for impersonation.

If that happens, it would be the end for me.

‘And the end for this world too.’

After all the struggles, I barely helped the world advance towards the main plot.

At this point, the factions of the 1st Prince and 3rd Princess were about to heat up.

No matter what the process was, the script was moving towards the main love story.

Hanon’s past experiences wouldn’t change.

“Depending on how you approach this, I could be your ally or your enemy.”

To Hanon, I was an unknown entity copying his appearance.

It must have raised a lot of suspicions about me too.

‘The character with a secret attribute now is not Hanon, but me.’

The more doubt brewed in Hanon’s mind, the more leverage I could have.

“Hanon, you want to take revenge on the Duke of Robliju, right?”

The reason he teamed up with the 1st Prince was solely out of hatred for the Duke of Robliju.

As a result, Hanon also despised his daughter, Iris.

‘Hanon is a character uncovering the story of how the Duke of Robliju allied with the Evil Zone, but he also increases the overall difficulty of the game.’

His presence complicates clearing episodes.

So, I had to prevent the real Hanon from sticking his nose into the main plot.

“I’ll help you with your revenge. If you help me, I can ensure your vengeance more effectively than the 1st Prince.”

Hanon gazed at me intently.

His expression mixed disbelief and a hint of embarrassment.

“…The Duke of Robliju is not that easy to deal with. You can’t take him down as just one individual.”

“Right, and that’s why you partnered with the 1st Prince.”

Knowing the Duke of Robliju couldn’t be handled alone, Hanon willingly teamed up with the 1st Prince.

The strongest ally among individuals.

However, he’s not the only candidate for such an ally.

“You don’t completely trust the 1st Prince, do you? Wouldn’t it be wiser to keep an alternative option open at least?”

I’m also someone who can help Hanon achieve exactly what he wants.

Right now, it’s a matter of suspicion, but I can prove it better than anyone.

“Heh.”

At that moment, a strange laugh escaped from Hanon.

He let out a chuckle and then stared me down seriously.

“As you said, I was ordered by the 1st Prince to find out your identity.”

I saved Nia and Nikita, who are by the 1st Prince’s side.

Nikita knows my true identity, but due to her personality, she’d likely keep mum even to Nia.

‘From the perspective of the 1st Prince, who already knows about Hanon, I must look like an odd character.’

The 1st Prince values the present highly.

Naturally, he wouldn’t want any unexpected variables to surface.

That means I must be an unwelcome character for him.

‘But considering I spared Nia, he couldn’t just remove me either.’

That’s why he casually tossed Hanon my way.

Unless I specify exactly what I’m up to, using Hanon to unveil my identity would be his warning-laden action.

“But talking to you, I realized you’re a more troublesome friend than I expected, huh?”

Hanon tilted his head to look at me.

Then, he let out a careless laugh.

“But I’m not really the trusting type.”

As expected, this isn’t going to work for persuasion, huh?

“Well then, I’m done with my pitch, so I’m leaving.”

Just then, Hanon began to disperse.

He was using one of the tools he collected while wandering various ruins.

Hanon’s unique tool.

Winds of Concealment.

A mystic tool that lets him escape to any location at will.

Hanon’s confidence came from having this in his possession.

I anticipated this.

So, just as I was about to react immediately…

Thud!

A fierce pain shot through my right eye.

Realizing who the pain’s owner was, I hurriedly pressed my hand to my eye.

But it was too late.

Whoooosh!

A gust of icy energy erupted from me, spreading rapidly throughout the forest.

The undergrowth froze, and the trees were encased in ice.

The issue was Hanon, who was beneath me.

“Aargh?”

Hanon, frozen solid from the cold, flapped his lips.

It seems the Remnants of the Ice Dragon responded suddenly.

‘Did it react to the mystery?’

Just as I was about to awaken the fire’s flame at this unforeseen struggle, Sharine landed in front of me.

She had descended after observing the situation from above.

“Naughty boy.”

Sharine brandished her staff and spun it playfully.

“You need a lesson!”

Sharine’s eyes gleamed with the light of the Milky Way, her staff radiating light into her eyes.

The presence of the Ice Dragon that had been constricting my vision was struck by the light and fled inward in shock.

The chilling aura of the Ice Dragon that had been tossing around faded away.

The icy scales that had emerged on my face shattered and vanished.

“Looks like it reacts to the mystery.”

Sharine, too, seemed to think the sudden response of the Ice Dragon remnants was due to the mystery.

But the bigger problem was Hanon, whom I had pinned down.

He was directly hit by the Ice Dragon’s chilling avalanche and froze solid, unconscious.

He isn’t that bad a guy, but still.

Sorry, Hanon.

…Why does it keep adding up that I owe Hanon apologies?

It’s not easy to have a conversation here.

“Sharine, can you take him to a warm place?”

“Sure, I’ll do that.”

Sharine erased the traces left by the Ice Dragon and lifted the fainted Hanon.

“Hanon, I want to eat ice cream.”

Time to pay off that debt to her.

“I’ll buy two.”

“Make it three.”

“You’ll get a stomachache at this rate.”

“One for Hanon.”

“Alright, I’ll buy you four.”

“I’ll head out first.”

Sharine waved her hand and soared into the air.

Just as I was about to follow her out of the forest, I sensed a presence beyond the trees.

Simultaneously reacting to the murderous intent aimed at me, I quickly pulled back.

Whoosh!

At that moment, a sword swung out in front of me.

Honey blond hair swayed in the wind.

It was Isabel.

Isabel, pulling back her foot, tried to follow up with her attack instantly.

I squinted at her as she aimed for me.

“Isabel, what are you doing?”

“Huh?”

Isabel, startled by her attack, widened her eyes.

As she hurriedly tried to retract her swinging sword, her stance faltered.

“Oops.”

Isabel stumbled, leaning forward.

If it went on like this, she’d fall to the ground face first.

I quickly reached out and caught her in my arms.

Thud!

Holding Isabel, I barely steadied myself and took a deep breath.

Then I looked down at Isabel, who had a displeased expression.

“Planning to take me down with an ambush now?”

In response to my question, Isabel squirmed in my grasp.

“Ah, no! It’s just that someone who looks like you appeared and… Well, you see.”

So, Hanon went to find her after all.

No matter what he said, it clearly agitated Isabel.

‘If he dropped even a hint about me, that would be disastrous.’

It’s a pain if Isabel starts to doubt my identity.

She’s been dealing with a rather complicated situation lately.

Shaking her up like this isn’t good.

“What nonsense are you spouting? Did you see something?”

So I denied it for now.

“Nonsense? It’s the truth.”

Isabel retorted with a frown, looking disappointed that I didn’t believe her.

“I traced his trail all the way here, and you were everywhere.”

“So how long are you planning to hang around?”

When I raised my shoulders dismissively at her slightly sulky reaction, she suddenly looked surprised and lifted her head.

Her face blushing red to her ears was a sight to see.

“I-I’m grateful for catching me, but…!”

At the same time, Isabel winced, feeling pain in her ankle.

It was the price she paid for twisting her body excessively while swinging the sword.

Isabel collapsed to the ground, clutching her ankle.

Sighing at her state, I felt bad for Sharine, but I couldn’t leave Isabel behind like this.

“Hop on.”

“No, I’m fine. I can walk.”

“What are you going to do if you exacerbate a potential injury?”

It seemed like a minor sprain, but it was better not to push it.

“Isabel, would you just leave me behind if I sprained my ankle?”

“…Of course I would support or carry you.”

When I pointed out that it would likely be the same for her, she seemed to get it.

Isabel was surprisingly light.

It’s fascinating that after training every day, she’s this light.

From my back, I caught a zesty citrus scent emanating from Isabel.

And inadvertently, I realized her figure was remarkably toned.

I shook my head, trying to dismiss those thoughts and moved onward.

After being carried, Isabel fell silent.

Since she was on my back, I couldn’t see her face, so I didn’t know what she was thinking.

“…Why did you enroll at Jerion Academy?”

It was then that Isabel suddenly threw a question at me.

Quite an unexpected sort of question.

Is there a change in her mindset?

I was a bit worried but answered easily.

“I told you when I first got here, I said I’d clear the name of Jerion Academy.”

I reminded her of the day I criticized Lucas.

But unlike usual, Isabel remained silent in response to my words.

“…Does that mean you came because of Lucas?”

The next question went in an entirely different direction.

“I guess it wouldn’t have no impact.”

What on earth was igniting this change in her thoughts?

I couldn’t figure it out, but to avoid unnecessary suspicion, I replied.

“Yeah, that’s right…”

Isabel didn’t press further and buried her face in my shoulder.

The summer breeze flowed gently past the two of us.

In that moment, I couldn’t grasp what conclusion Isabel might have reached.