Juyun got up from her seat after seeing Rohan’s face on the camera.
Opening the door for guests is enough by just operating the device inside.
*”I’m here!”*
With a clank, the door opened, and a confident voice echoed into the living room, causing Clara to instinctively jump up from her chair.
Juyun gestured to Clara with a chin flick, urging her to go quickly.
“Oppa…!”
Clara, now permitted, headed to the entrance like a puppy waiting for its owner.
Soon, the sound of conversation followed.
Juyun stayed by the table, wanting to give the troubled girl some fresh, youthful time.
Holding the cooled mug, she channeled her magic, and the coffee regained its warmth.
Juyun lightly pressed her lips to the mug, pondering over the topic Clara had brought up again.
*’Love.’*
The more she thought about the word, the more her parents back in Samhwakuk came to mind. They often brought up such topics when she returned home.
While she somewhat understood their longing for a grandchild, Juyun had no intention of putting down her weapons.
Too many responsibilities had piled up for her to enjoy an ordinary life. She had come too far to turn back now.
*’I’m neither a qualified instructor nor a filial daughter…’*
Even if she gave up her position as an instructor at Orion Academy and returned to Samhwakuk, Juyun would continue to protect her homeland on the battlefield.
As long as she led such a perilous life, the fear of possibly causing someone the pain of loss was blocking her from forming deep relationships.
She knew from experience how quickly such shocks could consume a person.
*”Did you get along well with the instructor?”*
*”Yes…! Juyun was really kind to me…”*
The sound of footsteps approaching.
Juyun cut off her sticky thoughts.
“Instructor! Excuse me!”
“Come on in.”
Rohan, stepping into the living room, greeted her and showed off a colorful paper bag in his hand.
If Juyun’s memory served her right, it was from an ice cream franchise that had moved from Tigroba to the academy city.
“I didn’t want to come empty-handed, so I brought some dessert for after the meal.”
“What kind of cadet brings something like this to the instructor’s house…?”
Juyun cut herself off after noticing Clara’s gaze fixed on the ice cream.
She simply nodded with a soft laugh at Rohan’s question about whether it was okay to put it in the fridge.
*’Hmm?’*
Rohan opened the freezer, his back turned to her.
Juyun’s eyes narrowed as she quietly observed him. If she wasn’t mistaken, the energy she felt from Rohan had changed.
A subtle transformation, so slight that even someone as busy as her at the Security Bureau might not have noticed. A change so minor that most people wouldn’t even detect it.
As Juyun focused on Rohan, she saw something familiar yet strange.
*’Light…? No, flames?’*
Juyun was aware that Rohan, like her, had an affinity for fire.
The Scorching Flame…
Being able to use the “Blazing Blade” means just that. But that light was way too small to judge its nature.
However, now it feels like it’s grown in size.
‘Did I gain some enlightenment through hardship?’
If Rohan used his magic to handle fire, it might become a bit clearer.
Right now, all I feel is that something has changed and grown.
···
···
After the three finished their meal and even had dessert.
Rohan, expressing his regret for missing the afternoon class due to unforeseen circumstances, asked Juyun if she could spare a moment to take a look at his sword.
Juyun, who had also been curious about Rohan’s changes, handed him one of her swords, and the three stepped outside to digest their food.
Rohan gave his coat to Clara, who had followed him out, and the girl seemed particularly happy about it.
···
At the park in front of Juyun’s house.
Since it’s a spot only accessible to residents of the mansion where Juyun lives, it’s quiet.
Under the bright streetlights, Rohan, who had been stretching to warm up, suddenly remembered something and announced:
“Ah! Instructor. My friends asked where I’d been, so I just told them something came up and I had to leave early.”
“Hmm, good job. Once the information is sorted and the discussions are done, the instructor will personally spread the word. It won’t take long.”
The information has already been relayed to the three countries running the Academy City.
Though it’s unclear what conclusions each country will draw, it’s highly likely that some of the high-ranking students at the Academy have already heard about it.
···
In a T-shirt and cotton pants.
Rohan, lightly dressed, hopped around a bit, seemingly satisfied with his physical condition, and drew the sword Juyun had lent him.
**Swoosh──!**
He respectfully placed the scabbard on the ground and took his stance.
Clara stepped back to avoid getting in the way and watched the two closely.
Juyun, who was to receive Rohan’s sword, stood bare-handed.
She was ready to engage at any moment, just like in class.
Before using his monumental sword technique for the first time, Rohan organized his thoughts.
‘The Heavenly Sun Judgment Sword is currently at Level 1.’
He can use two swords.
The first sword, Flame Sever, and the second sword, Dawn’s Sunset.
His experience and intuition from observing various unique skills tell him that as his level increases and he gains the corresponding physical and magical abilities, new swords will unlock.
“Huuuuu···.”
He exhaled deeply, spread his legs, and lowered his stance.
The blade, imbued with the Blazing Blade, turned a bright red.
‘It’s tough even before swinging.’
Sword techniques aren’t something your body just automatically follows when you use them.
Only the basic movements and the flow of magic are vaguely outlined in his mind.
In Abyss City, pressing a button would unleash a flurry of dazzling sword techniques, but now it’s all active…
It’s kinda hard to call it a skill, and calling it a passive skill feels a bit vague too.
The contraction and relaxation of muscles used, breathing, the moment of gripping the sword to deliver impact, and the trajectory the blade must follow after receiving force—complex and geometric movements of magical energy.
A landslide of various conditions pours into the consciousness.
“Meeting the requirements is the first step of the basics.”
How much practice would it take to go beyond that and execute the ideal sword technique?
Rohan began to look forward to the training he would have to endure until his mind was completely drained.
“For now, I’ll give it a shot, even if it’s clumsy.”
He gripped the sword tightly.
**──Swoosh!** Rohan’s foot pushed off the ground, closing the distance between him and Juyun.
“Let it all out.”
“Thank you.”
Juyun waits without reaching out first, giving Rohan the best possible conditions.
“Ha!”
At the distance where the blade could reach, Rohan moved like lightning, channeling his magical energy.
[One Sword – Flame Sever]
Juyun stepped back, avoiding Rohan’s sword strike, all while observing closely.
‘Unique.’
There wasn’t any flashy flame, but Juyun could see it clearly.
The heat rippled along the blade’s trajectory, compressing as if ready to explode.
It was a way of using magical energy that Juyun had never seen before.
‘And this sword…’
It wasn’t the ruthless slashing Rohan had shown during class.
There was a sense of some system behind it. Interesting.
The potential for growth was palpable.
[Two Swords – Dawn’s Sunset]
Another downward strike.
The blade was caught in Juyun’s hand.
Though the searing heat was neutralized, it wasn’t over yet. The ground rumbled as if ready to burst into flames.
Reading the heat, Juyun stomped on the flames, preventing them from erupting.
After all, even if only three people were here now, this park was a shared space.
Having dealt with the situation, Juyun’s curiosity was piqued.
‘What kind of sword technique is this?’
It seemed like Rohan had learned some kind of sword technique.
Was it something he originally had? Maybe a southern sword technique? If this flame grows and becomes more distinct, what kind of spectacle would it show?
Just seeing the unique usage made her curious about what he could achieve.
‘But as for his stance…’
There was a lot to critique. It was utterly clumsy.
Rohan himself didn’t seem satisfied with the sword he had swung.
He seemed to deeply feel the lack of practice.
Juyun couldn’t guide him on the ideal sword technique since she didn’t know what kind of sword this was.
But at the very least, she could help refine the basics and point out minimal improvements.
“Start again from the first sword you showed.”
Juyun spoke up, extending her hand and moving her magical energy.
Rohan’s scabbard, left on the floor, was swiftly snatched up by Juyun’s hand.
“Understood!”
Once again, the Flame Cut.
*Thud!*
Before the sword could even be swung, Juyun’s scabbard intercepted it at the hilt.
The blade was stuck, unable to move.
“The starting point where the heat gathers is obvious. The problem is the time it takes to condense.”
Seeing the start is literally like a telegraph punch.
“Think about when an ordinary person throws a punch. You can read the signal from their shoulder before the punch is even thrown.”
“Yes.”
“Based on that, dodging becomes much easier.”
“Instructor, you’re absolutely right.”
“Just like with the sword earlier. The process of heat gathering before the swing isn’t concise, so it’s similar to the shoulder twitch before a punch is thrown.”
Rohan nodded at Juyun’s words, establishing a clear direction.
“Of course, against a quick-witted opponent, it could serve as a decoy to trick them once or twice.”
“Thank you.”
With gratitude, Rohan adjusted his stance with a serious expression.
Juyun commanded.
“Alright, next. Try the downward strike again.”
The time meant for digestion started to stretch considerably.
As Rohan’s mana was teetering on the edge, the late-night training session came to an end.
Clara had been staring blankly at Rohan’s face the whole time.
When Juyun asked if she was bored, Clara replied that she wasn’t bored at all.
—
A day later.
Rohan purchased a longsword on installments. And thanks to Juyun’s intervention, Clara was able to obtain an Academy City ID.
They were asked to vacate the small room provided to them within three months.
Rohan decided that, as a way of repaying Clara for her help, he would find her a place to live on her own once the reward money from the Security Bureau came through.
As time passed, Rohan’s sword began to find its place.
In April, with midterms just around the corner, Sion’s well-being was weighing heavily on Rohan’s mind.
Finally, the prelude to the main story appeared before his eyes.
—
