“……”
“……”
Seo Ye-in generally didn’t talk too much and Song Cheon-hye seemed slightly uncomfortable and awkward around her.
And so, the two mostly ate their bagel sandwiches in silence while Han So-mi and I who were unconcerned with such matters led the conversation.
A trivial question emerged.
“Are you enjoying the sweets?”
“Yes, they’re delicious! Really! Where did you buy them?”
“I risked my life by entering a very dangerous place to get these. A lot of people were sacrificed because of it.”
“No way!”
Han So-mi feigned shock and then giggled immediately.
She seemed to take my comment as a joke.
After all, how could she guess I had gone into the Black Death dungeon to get them?
“They’re not only tasty but also plentiful, right?”
“Yeah, I haven’t even eaten half of them yet!”
“That’s actually on purpose. It’s a bribe. Maybe it’ll earn me a pass if I break the school rules later?”
“That won’t work.”
“No luck there. Too bad.”
“I’ll spar with Go Hyeon-woo occasionally!”
“That’ll do.”
I was only half joking about the bribe, and since I had already achieved my goal of getting Han So-mi to spar with Go Hyeon-woo, I was satisfied with that.
Trivial question number two.
I gestured towards Song Cheon-hye and asked.
“I’m curious about something else. Between you and Song Cheon-hye, who ate more sweets?”
“……!”
Just then, Song Cheon-hye who was taking a big bite of her bagel sandwich looked up and her pupils darted around dramatically after hearing my question.
She hurriedly started chewing to clear her mouth but Han So-mi did not wait for her to finish.
“Cheon-hye ate more.”
“Really? By how much?”
“I don’t know, just a lot!”
I nodded as if convinced.
“I knew it from the moment she said, ‘Just give it to me instead’. There was always an ulterior motive.”
“Cheon-hye really likes sweet things!”
“……!”
Overwhelmed by the combined pressure from Han So-mi and me, Song Cheon-hye struggled to regain her composure.
She had just managed to swallow what was in her mouth and was about to argue her point but the conversation had long since moved on to another topic.
Making excuses now would just make her sound more guilty.
She sighed softly, visibly frustrated and with a sense of defeat.
Anyway, I felt it was time to discuss strategy so I turned to Song Cheon-hye.
“Did you review yesterday’s strategy battle?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Since we failed with just a minute to spare, it seems we might stick with the same broad approach.”
“I think so too.”
Given that we had nearly completed the full 10 minutes, there was no immediate need to change our strategy.
Repeating the same setup and improving our proficiency seemed like a better choice.
After only two attempts, there was still considerable room for improvement.
“Maybe focusing on just the Beheader Goblin would do?”
“……”
At the mention of the “Beheader Goblin” Song Cheon-hye’s body flinched.
It seemed that the scene from yesterday had flashed before her eyes for a moment.
The cleaver filled with mana spun through the air and cleaved the statue’s waist with a loud crack.
“After it was over, I asked Senior Dang Gyu-young, and she said it wasn’t intentional.”
“It was too elaborate to have been intentional.”
Song Cheon-hye spoke in a calm tone as if she had already guessed as much.
However, her expression relaxed to the point where it was visible that she was relieved by my words.
“But similar incidents could happen anytime in the future.”
“……”
Song Cheon-hye’s expression that began to relax tensed up again.
From what I understood last week, Dang Gyu-young is merciless only when it comes to mentoring.
If a weakness is exposed, she ruthlessly drills into it until it’s improved.
In other words, she believes in tough training.
So, if a similar situation popped up again, she would undoubtedly give the same order.
That meant the Beheader Goblin would definitely throw the cleaver again.
“It doesn’t seem like you brought up the Beheader Goblin just casually, it sounds like you have an alternative plan.”
“Of course, there is one.”
“……”
Song Cheon-hye waited for the next words with serious eyes.
I spoke as if revealing a major secret with a gravely serious tone.
“Just watch it carefully and block it.”
“……Huh?”
“Just watch it and block it, that’s all.”
“Is that the alternative plan?”
“It’s a very traditional solution, but it’s effective, right?”
When I sought agreement from Han So-mi, she immediately chimed in.
She moved her hands quickly and said,
“Right! Just watch it like thiis, and then, block like this!”
“……”
Song Cheon-hye’s face soured.
It was clear she was thinking, “I shouldn’t have expected much from this bunch…”
But then she shifted her gaze between Han So-mi and me before she seemed to realize that our words were not just a joke and returned to a serious expression to ask,
“Can you explain in more detail instead of just ‘watch and block’?”
“Do you remember? What the Beheader Goblin did before throwing the cleaver.”
Song Cheon-hye paused to recall as she stared down at her bagel sandwich.
She might have replayed the scene of the statue breaking dozens of times, but she hadn’t deeply considered what had happened before that.
Her furrowed brows slowly began to rise as she thought.
“Now that I think about it…”
– Aaaaaaahhh!
In her memory, the Beheader Goblin roared.
And then after gathering all the remaining mana into the cleaver in its hand, it threw it with all its might at the statue.
This meant the advice to “watch and block” had this implication.
“There was a preparatory action.”
“That’s right.”
There was a significant movement just before the cleaver was thrown.
Recognizing and responding to that could prevent mishaps like yesterday’s one.
“Alright. Let’s try that approach in our next attempt.”
Song Cheon-hye checked the time and exchanged glances with Han So-mi.
And they simultaneously rose from their seats.
“We have a disciplinary committee’s duty, so we’ll head out first. See you in class.”
“Bye! See you later!”
Han So-mi waved cheerfully as she left just as she did when she first came.
“…….”
Seo Ye-in had been silently focusing on her breakfast all this while.
The bagel sandwich wasn’t stacked as plumply as usual, and despite eating quietly and steadily, it seemed like she wasn’t making much progress.
Watching the two figures drift further away, she turned towards me and asked,
“Who do you think will win?”
“If Song Cheon-hye and you face off again?”
“Mhmm.”
“Hmm…”
I couldn’t definitively say who would win this time.
In terms of skills and traits, Song Cheon-hye was far ahead.
Seo Ye-in was rapidly growing stronger but Song Cheon-hye’s talent was also of a level that could definitely be considered genius.
Thus, the gap between the two wouldn’t close overnight.
“That’s why you won’t know until you try.”
“Mhmm…”
“One thing is certain, though. If you keep training hard, you’ll eventually win.”
Even if it wasn’t possible overnight, as long as she didn’t stop and kept moving forward, she would surely surpass Song Cheon-hye someday.
Seo Ye-in met my gaze and then nodded her head slightly.
“I’ll work hard, I understand.”
Although there was no sign of Ahn Jeong-mi nearby, it seemed as if someone was wiping away tears in a touching moment somewhere.
***
Song Cheon-hye was deep in thought even as she moved.
She repeated the words she had just heard to herself like a mantra.
“Watch it and block it…?”
“It’s waatch, it, and blooock, it!”
Han So-mi corrected it as if something was slightly off.
That didn’t seem very helpful.
Song Cheon-hye recalled Kim Ho’s advice.
Watch the preparatory action and block it.
It was an unexpected blind spot that the Beheader Goblin’s movements grew larger right before throwing the cleaver.
It was such simple information that it was surprising how she had missed it, and if Kim Ho hadn’t mentioned it, it would have taken much longer for her to realize.
However, seeing the preparatory action and blocking it was only theoretical, and how it would pan out in actual combat was uncertain.
“Watch, it, and block…”
The concept sounded simple, but could it really be done?
To be honest, Song Cheon-hye’s mind had not been fully present throughout this entire battle.
There were just too many things to worry about.
She had to continuously inject mana into the magic circle, cast one spell after another, ensure those spells accurately hit their targets, prevent any goblins from getting through, and exchange blows with the executioner…
Trying to manage all these tasks at once was overwhelming.
And now, she had to add “read and respond to the Beheader Goblin’s patterns” to her list of objectives.
The movements might be large, but catching that brief moment during a frantic battle was not going to be easy.
…It’s tough, but I have to try. No, I have to do it.
Song Cheon-hye made up her mind.
Do your best in any situation.
That was the way of the Thunder Lord and it was also the way of Song Cheon-hye who had inherited his will.
Her numerous experiences so far have proven that the method wasn’t wrong, and it will be the same this time as well.
That aside…
Song Cheon-hye shifted her gaze to the right.
What is she so excited about? Han So-mi hummed a tune and walked with light steps as if she was flying.
Song Cheon-hye’s gaze turned sharply colder as she looked at her.
This was because she remembered being suddenly attacked by Kim Ho and Han So-mi in a combined assault just as she had taken a big bite of her bagel sandwich.
– Between you and Song Cheon-hye, who ate more sweets?
– Cheon-hye ate more.
– I thought so, there was always an ulterior motive.
– Cheon-hye really likes sweet things!
Song Cheon-hye herself knew better than anyone else that Han So-mi was an untainted and pure soul.
But even so, aren’t there things you should and shouldn’t say in front of someone you’re not even close with?
Are you trying to make me look like I’m obsessed with sweets?
There may have been no malice behind her words but it was certainly an issue that needed to be addressed at least once.
“Just now, you—”
Just as Song Cheon-hye was about to start nagging,
Han So-mi rummaged through her inventory and pulled out a snack she had received from Kim Ho.
A dried fruit gift set.
“Cheon-hye, want some dried peach?”
“—I’ll have some.”
Upon reflection, it seemed that the nagging could wait.
Song Cheon-hye was infinitely generous when it came to sweets.
***
After school.
Just like the day before, we gathered at the dungeon building.
Today, the pair of Kwak Ji-cheol and Hong Yeon-hwa had entered the temple first and were currently attempting the challenge, while Song Cheon-hye and I were in a waiting position.
Since we had already somewhat decided on our course of action in the morning, there was no need to discuss further, and it wasn’t as if we were on terms to engage in friendly everyday conversation.
So, while waiting aimlessly and casting glances here and there,
“Waatch—”
Song Cheon-hye who was lost in deep thought muttered to herself.
It seemed that what had been merely in her head had inadvertently slipped out.
When I subtly turned my head to look at her, she pressed her lips tightly together and maintained a poker face.
As I continued to stare, she seemed puzzled and asked,
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“—and block it. That’s exactly it.”
“…….”
Song Cheon-hye continued to keep a poker face as if she didn’t understand what I just said.
However, her face gradually turned redder as if she couldn’t help it.
Fortunately, the embarrassing moment quickly passed.
The portal opened, and Kwak Ji-cheol and Hong Yeon-hwa emerged.
They seemed much happier than usual which meant their strategy battle went well.
The typically tense atmosphere between them had also become much more friendly.
I threw a short question to Kwak Ji-cheol to confirm,
“Success?”
“That’s right.”
This guy who didn’t talk much last week answered confidently.
It seemed he had gained some confidence, perhaps certain they were ahead of us.
Hong Yeon-hwa, though she said nothing, clearly carried an air of heightened pride.
When our eyes met, she momentarily turned humble, then looked at Song Cheon-hye with a triumphant expression.
“…….”
Song Cheon-hye’s reaction remained indifferent as ever.
Yet, to my eyes, it seemed she was straining not to let her poker face slip.
“Shall we go in too? It’s about time we succeeded, isn’t it?”
I casually asked,
“Yes. Let’s ensure success this time.”
Song Cheon-hye seemed to want to get out of this place as quickly as possible and she dragged me along before entering the dungeon together.
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