Chapter 372: Graduate Program at Joaquin (1)
SpXThe Heavenly Sword brandished his blade.uAoE1A
GMXZfBut only against empty air.EnFH
H7dly2That was it.WuqOSby
UqKL6WwCreak.rxu
sMpwCbpThe groan echoed repeatedly in Garyeon’s ears. She swallowed dryly.rBNa
e7H4NfShe didn’t need to see it—she could imagine the emperor clutching his eyes and groaning. (After all, he always wore a patch, so one tends to imagine a certain image.)8Aagc
AJqj9LbGaryeon felt a strange sensation. She’d served the emperor for more than ten years.HPc
84WWNIn all that time, had he ever shown such clear signs of life? He was a man so mechanical, it seemed he didn’t even blink.Z7Ns1
3YkdBut now, he was panting. Even though his breath traveled across the sea through the “Transmission Blessing,” his agitation was palpable.inUXe
Ttj“It’s nothing important. I just severed the connection between this knowledge and the Infinite Library.”DG0x
JRmx“…Ah, uh… hmm.”TW3d
2Pgne7qWhat is he talking about? Garyeon looked bewildered, her cracked lips moving wordlessly.Kr3
xChl4i9Kang Geom-Ma offered no further explanation. He knew that no matter what he said, she wouldn’t understand.mxP
HGWGaryeon shifted the focus. She had deliberately revealed the conversion of the Black Dogs to the light to the Heavenly Sword.BPy3Pz
KMfj‘She must have wagered her life.’CKLx4EA
fQBzt4CSo, if he gave no explanation…GWrh
siJHmm.wiQWc
TyFE46How to put it?Swo
A80uZe8‘Wouldn’t that be a bit too rude?’eKy
ovcA slight twinge of guilt struck her chest. So she subtly filtered the effect of the Sword God’s blessing.nSBY5VB
0FpKk‘Whether he accepts it or not is up to him.’HRN
UkFViOKang Geom-Ma sheathed Murasame at his waist.P051d
HiCPYp“Just in case… what’s the code to these suitcases?”vDz
3IQV“It’s… 0000.”Mcll
NJX7GH“I knew it.”pQoRG4x
rlOt“…!”xB8bXc
ljmGaryeon shivered. Unfamiliar with the concept of a “default password,” she was genuinely startled.tWX
GpvYLater, upon reflection, she would realize it wasn’t such a big deal.DBArrC
SAJKzNNBut under the circumstances…ryas
6akwVk‘The Heavenly Sword is a hero who, with a single slash, struck His Majesty across the continent…’l5F
Fc2o8She could only peek at that thought as if stealing a bite of someone else’s ramen.JuW
5c3MMV‘Can such a person even be called human?’lygPS
MYZCePeople revered and feared the Heavenly Sword like a demigod. In terms of sheer strength, he truly was one.D6Ea
BmCO5RQGaryeon wanted to add her own reflection.uub
aq9OKang Geom-Ma wasn’t “tough on the outside, soft inside.”0OC
qpS33es‘He’s tough inside and out (5 mm each).’rL5H
U60T3JA perfect embodiment of his name!Epoh
sHwGaryeon sighed with admiration, trying not to show it. Her mind started sparking with wrong ideas triggered by that “0000.”YC6brMU
i2YShe even subtly removed her patch.otv
pTG‘To hide anything from the Heavenly Sword is blasphemy.’fLxm6K
GJ8ieInternally, Garyeon began seriously considering joining the Heavenly Divine Cult—devoted to worshiping the Heavenly Sword.PDaC
GOQ0Whether he cared or not.tUUt
yA4f0LClack, clack.uIeSp
sSEKang Geom-Ma was opening the suitcases one by one. The smell of mold hit his face.OxcXnsx
eOyHe pulled out a book and dusted it off. Opening it at random, it contained exactly the knowledge he had requested.cmvLU
WDt0Flap, flap.NQYcX
HZYWMHgThe pages turned smoothly. As they were dry prose records, they would need additional processing.bIXszFx
yFfI‘Editing these books will also be part of the graduate prep work.’uB05
WA1Naturally, the job of organizing this information into textbooks would fall to Choi Seol-Ah. There was no other reason.emFbn
u8KHAAfter all, wasn’t Seol-Ah an expert on NouTube?mrwdAx
XjSPt‘Choi Seol-Ah, accept your original sin.’WdG
UF6Y9Once a grad student, always a grad student. She had muttered that with a scowl just before parting with Yu Sein.gJlD
jMybAl***GNA1cu
VrfI was deeply immersed in reading, which was unusual for me.9xgq
BZ7iY0I’m aware that I’ve possessed another’s body. Even though this world isn’t strictly just a video game, it still follows a timeline based on one.Ks7dAY
ipFAnd my advantage still stands—basic knowledge of Miracle Blessing M. Though I quit the game halfway, I’d read all the endings and lore on Kkamuwiki out of curiosity.GcnZzV
2QrLYJ2“This magic here is part of that too.”f7CJNvO
gppb—————ALNlYPu
7bA8. ConfigurationnNP5cZa
5KOUyzT◈ For more details, see the configuration page of Miracle Blessing M.YEC
ImIe5I used to read it before bed. It was my favorite game, so I was interested in its lore.IWv
qgySwEa‘Though it wasn’t fully written in detail.’t1a3x
rCeuBy the way, heroes have no training in magic. Institutions like Joaquin Academy don’t teach it.voIQ0YG
tfaWOBecause it’s considered unnecessary—or even if explained, there’s no effective way to counter it.4DPilw6
TwiF“And those few who supposedly know it…”VYuup
3PYE6Turned out to be villains. But due to their awful personalities, they became critically endangered.aCjYs7G
nIwxHWho? Me.BXn2
YTrThe only survivor is Choi Seol-Ah. Maybe there are others hiding like rats, but no one matches her level.5YEO
c0Hpt“All the corps commanders died, except Lycan. There are virtually no demons left to form contracts. And dragons—the highest-ranked demons—have no interest in the human world, except for Horntail.”Um28WGE
HzotdFKThere’s no one to replace that information. It’s clear Seol-Ah is the best one to verify it.FTj
KWnegEven so, I thought it’d be good to check some things myself first.qyj
UOVtzZfAnd in the end, that judgment proved correct.BEYk
vy0L“This is pretty good.”BeyhNL
bPnI closed the book and looked at Garyeon. She stood with her hands neatly folded.LCumdXn
FFMVKXj“Why did you take off your patch?”SaKv
X5OQ“Because I don’t want to hide anything—not even what’s on the ceiling. And if you’d like me to show more…”6PGze
Sf90MV0“Please stop saying things like that!”hBZctcE
2dRIt was just then the reception room door opened. The sound of high heels echoed ominously.awH6Iq
cCoW6Ryozo, with her petite face and eyes glittering like crystals carved from ice, blue as silence itself. Abel, her skin pale and translucent, with visible veins.lypk
NQ3My two wives entered quietly.e2zrn
kHEdGI4Garyeon froze. Her body stiffened in shock.Vp3M
LAEU7eIFirst, because of their appearance. Then, because of their status. And they weren’t even using their personal licenses!jI3n
XPAaStill, Garyeon had served the emperor for a decade. Her twitching eyelids quickly settled.cpLOP3
Pbn“It’s an honor to meet Director Saki Ryozo of Joaquin Academy, daughter of the Absolute Archer, and Lady Abel von Nibelung, flower of the hero society.”NDo
t4wh2xJGaryeon used the most refined formal speech possible.XXWA
oQH“……”gJ9Lj
q870Ft“……”zJmuP4
SBrEven so, Ryozo and Abel kept their expressions cold. Garyeon grew uneasy, wondering if she had made a misstep.NIqUH
5HgKThe two scrutinized Garyeon as if assessing her. Then, at my signal, they shifted their demeanor. I, out of habit, took a sip of pear juice.By2k
A7iRx0“How nice. You’re from the Imperial Palace, right? It must’ve been a long journey.”uX2ULD
1TiES6IRyozo extended her hand for a handshake. Garyeon accepted it, slightly awkwardly.aQSuEj7
RWs6“It’s not something the Director should worry about, but I appreciate the hospitality. Thanks to your kindness, Joaquin’s future seems even brighter.”i93K
ckw“The honor is yours as well, Officer Garyeon. I’m sure the Palace recognizes your talents. As Director, I apologize for not offering a more proper welcome.”ORLgg9
pW6h6XQAbel chimed in.Kq8HK0
PjMCIIU“Ryozo, shouldn’t we offer her something special? According to noble etiquette, it would be shameful to treat a Palace guest coldly.”OhHFm
2HxdD“Indeed, very true.”PZQG0
UeLhbURyozo nodded like a wooden doll.QxoX
V32j“We can’t let such a remarkable guest stay in an ordinary room. Why don’t we go to our favorite seafood restaurant?”76P7
3EaKDg“U-um… I…”8esD
esTH6Faced with such excessive kindness, Garyeon didn’t know where to look. She smiled awkwardly and glanced at me—only for me to look away. I was also mentally parched.Evnc
j1I“I sincerely appreciate it, but… I’m afraid I must return to the Imperial Palace at dawn. I apologize…”GQXrepw
pQNTof“Oh, I see. No worries at all.”uUM
eWu“Of course, Ryozo. She works for the Palace. She must have many pending matters.”IOX
xA9tY1wWow. I could taste the charcoal in the air.fFRpL
gZ3RWThey say even hell has hierarchy. My sashimi skills can’t compete with this.1C4
bPE“I sincerely thank you. Every member of Joaquin seems to embody the spirit of a hero. I must reinforce training at the palace when I return.”OqIIOT
SisGaryeon subtly adjusted the ribbon of her patch. The gazes fixed on her now turned toward me with intensity.CGQ9Es
SsTFAnd the one who broke the silence was—oqQfOd
0offtZX“I’m really curious… how exactly did we set an example as heroes?”JPb
fbUOf course, it was Ryozo, in her usual sarcastic tone.56aKO
VCQ“The Heavenly Sword displayed extremely aggressive behavior… in the best sense, of course.”fmkTcm6
52x3cLhGaryeon responded calmly. Covering her eyes gave her a certain advantage when speaking.cuf2
O3x“How kind of you to interpret it that way.”2j9U00W
uVlWB0Abel commented disdainfully.CF6g
52Yhxg2“The strange thing would be for someone to speak ill of the Heavenly Sword. I know there’ve been rumors lately, but those who think like that are simply shortsighted.”Gcddz5q
NSbThe official’s sharp tongue wasn’t adorned with gold, but with pure survival instinct. Garyeon continued.hQasXT
Ctb“And, well… what can I say? The Heavenly Sword possesses all the virtues a true hero should have. So perhaps there was a bit of involuntary admiration…”AvmwdIv
wEAW“Virtues like a passion for women?”5Uob
hYP“That too… huh?”8ZmO9
mKlu0Q“Eh?”AX06mB6
1orUOh no! Garyeon had stepped on the hidden mine in Ryozo’s comment.zxJD
S6TJ“Ah, n-no, that’s not what I meant…”aV5
KlUvoR“Just kidding, just kidding. Hahahaha.”eRDeJ
fMieMi“Ha-ha…”ZEIpp
exUaOOO“Does it seem like a joke to you?”eGZkkb
9xc3“…”hi1wz5S
JbXDYRThe interrogation, full of subtle jabs, lasted about another hour.2W7bLie
ouOhGGAAlthough she’d said she’d stay nearby for the night, Garyeon ended up calling for the imperial emergency aircraft. Night flying was dangerous—but less so than the aura of Ryozo and Abel.pu8Lmgq
Fctg6CTOnce Garyeon left, I was detained for another five hours in that room for what was essentially a hearing.Ycij
ngANCIAt least, since I hadn’t done anything blameworthy in the eyes of the “Palace,” I was granted absolution.tkNGY
vYRey2“You know I love you, right, Geom-Ma?”Tif9
K220t“My Geom-Ma would never do such a thing.”aIbOc
O0Qpz“…Yeah…”uyS9aX3
cXcWRyozo and Abel clung to my arms on either side, resting their heads on my shoulders. In that moment, I thought:6uGp
8E4‘So this is what it feels like to be a grad student trapped by their advisor…’HS0ImjC
GQT9OPI finally understood why Choi Seol-Ah fled so desperately from that life.xN4Jzgy
Mqu1N8Gulp.E4Cir
wAXFA shiver ran down my spine to my glutes—a zone of intense nerve concentration.jlb
opQ‘What if…?’Pf3
ADQDCWhat if my name ended up recorded among the greatest criminals in the kingdom?SXB
eV6nXXAccused of a single crime: contributing to the founding of the graduate program.cfJ9
mCqI could already hear the wails of future modern-day slaves, wandering through the afterlife.QbZG7VY
wbzlcHq***30wP
9JNURdI had already secured the most important resource.vni
u3PJjfTFrom there, everything flowed smoothly. The next day, Abel summoned the president of one of Korea’s top construction firms to the academy.ieROhyX
BCd4Just like on Earth, Korea is a global leader in the construction industry. That’s an undeniable fact.z6Ez
SeOib“What an honor for us!”f8Xc
WpP6ZjOUpon hearing the basic plan, the president was moved to the brink of tears.FjJvxBP
RygeGHe felt proud to be part of a historic moment.CpYUk
IBpFtKG“And about the construction costs…”N2RNz0W
lWLwJP“Hmm, roughly… this much?”C28j
dWUpfEPride was one thing, but negotiations were another. There were no discounts.4B6uqGU
lt3jf“It’s not a favor, but we’ll provide all our manpower.”DCub
OlvkN“Will you charge the same?” Abel asked.dQO6Ua
AhMF“We’ll cover any extra charges ourselves. After all, investing in educational institutions isn’t something we skimp on.”zvhati
R3dAlthough, based on what they said, the figures were dizzyingly high.MhI1
rfbn‘They really don’t care?’Kj2IYTJ
oKKWell, either way, the idea was to take the money from the emperor’s pocket, so the hit to the budget wouldn’t be too bad.gUin
Sr6“We’ll use the best construction materials. Of course, I promise the buildings won’t ruin Joaquin Academy’s beautiful landscape.”oSC5gng
C6oIzVjWhile biting into a piece of yokan, Ryozo said.9D0Eci
ElbONl“We’ll also ensure that the invoices are written in a way that your company can receive favorable tax benefits. So please, prioritize safety, safety, and again—safety in the design.”52tB
e5xi0K“Of course. And we’ll also take aesthetics into account. If you’d like, I can present a design proposal right now.”PLfc8
mNH2ju7“Please do.”R1V
92W7PThe president moved his teacup aside and placed a tablet on the table. With a tap, it emitted a glow.gVy
vGOA 3D model floated above our heads. The president asked for opinions. Ideas were exchanged, and as they were incorporated, the building’s form took shape.NPsMFu
430I“Do you have any particular building in mind as a reference, Director? You can say anything. We’ll calculate the budget—so don’t hold back.”HnU
HlW“…Hmm. Considering Joaquin Academy is located here, I’d like it to have some Korean elements. But I’m not sure it would fit well with the Western-style architecture typical of an academy.”TB6
K0Upui“No problem. The architectural styles of Greek temples and traditional Korean houses actually share some similarities. For example…”VWF7
nggMIzThe pile of raw data began to take on a more defined shape. Like clay being molded on a potter’s wheel.z4ZRG
YjKI crossed my arms and simply observed.oKH0h
KI8sOEThough I was physically present, mentally I felt separated from the other three.6zXam
EDGRL8X‘How curious.’KeGGPs
YosFDrAI suppose the right word is strange.6CCq06Z
fRqTen years ago, in this same place, I was the one being lectured by Media.dpVv
389S2AAnd now, here I am, imagining Joaquin’s future alongside Ryozo and Abel. All to honor the legacy of my adoptive father, Balor Joaquin.bk1CWJ6
sf0x8MK‘If he could see this… what would he say?’25k51
HKWS3The man I knew—he’d probably grunt for no reason, like always.wD2y
CYMAnd in the end, he’d drop a dry, emotionless compliment. He was the typical patriarch unable to be honest with his feelings.4AYo
npRMaybe that’s why.xwxYG
hsSXI…TWACjPz
Y8V8WI longed for a reunion I knew would never happen. I had so much to tell him. And things I wanted to hear.NTq
WZS1dAbove all, I wanted to tell him how I feel now. That thanks to him, my life has meaning. If I ever get the chance, I must say it.26Vja
njn‘If that chance ever comes…’h1kJ3
uS3BAs I listened to the adults’ conversation, I glanced out the window. The weather was a bit cloudy today.xow
z9dL5Even so, planes streaked across the sky. Contrails tore through the dark clouds.12HXGO
Zf24pinAnd the sunlight, pooled behind them, spilled down on our home.U3I
fJ43oW‘Glory to the founding hero.’kQWk
a5FYwMy heart beat loudly. For some reason, even dimples formed on my cheeks.3FTHO7
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