Chapter 376: Graduate Program at Joaquin (5)
CXjTWI can dress myself. Obviously. I’m already an adult.sQ71
SY6BcUU“Geom-Ma, the coat.”Q5jzN
11XT5Y“Oh, the tie first.”gWhIl
nk0QWOA“Which one do you think looks better?”sSB
Y00“The black one.”YHX6o
3zqAKcFrom my point of view, they’re both equally black.6w9cRB3
t7Gz7I“Urgh. Abel, I’m choking.”OeEp47
fwKRG“Sorry. But bear with it a bit longer. Today is an important day. If you wear your tie loose, people might say weird things.”4DLT
V6oyZGlup, I’m suffocating. Abel, unfazed, tightened the tie knot even more.v4Xirhi
MuR‘I know what Abel means.’hZcX
dHuGc2Normally, I dress quite sloppily. I barely wear a tie, and if it weren’t for Abel or Ryozo buying me clothes, I wouldn’t even bother. I’m too lazy.w9UC
dt8‘That’s why I always wear the same coat from the Seven Stars.’sizGN
XngmyvHFor someone like me to appear in public in formal attire? The inaugural event of Joaquin’s graduate school will feel even more solemn.xp13Y
cZjkEBut even keeping that in mind—RRaoI
LxKNjq“There’s no choice, Geom-Ma. You’re an adult, right? There are things you don’t like, but you have to do them.”Xbh5Cm
8OM1“True.”OrtZ
AkPnLFH“Still, this is way too fun.”0N5C0
0QB…She really said it.G9aJZwf
EhTf‘She’s enjoying this way too much.’LDMO
ciDWI wonder if these two people really understand that today is a symbolic day. They seem to be using this important occasion as an excuse to play dress-up with dolls.qgM
E6Rf“Ugh.”eAL
J0J“Huh?”Oh6o
KESv7“M-my crotch.”2Ct
59SoAA9It’s too tight.60jEhhR
AKk0o4If they pull it up any more, it’s going to burst!KQ07fkA
wXcXrwG“It’s fine. These things don’t rip for that.”oEEo
ytq5“And how do you know that, Abel?”WyAt2pL
GSde62“I don’t know, isn’t it obvious? I’m your wife.”OC7sq2I
WoXLbua“……”10BAkt
omPThe adult world is very deep.xrue
NPgCjI still have a long way to go…Qhbms8
DGQDlU‘Abel’s joke level keeps rising.’JuKSRxp
QyY6pNlIs she taking private lessons with Shail? Now that I think about it, I haven’t seen her in the afternoons lately.hz5R1WO
8GB0T‘The Sword Master uses internet memes, and his granddaughter makes racy jokes… Descendants of the Sword Master. I don’t know why the Nibelung family is so vulnerable in these areas.’F7s
s8kTPEtAs I thought that, I glanced inside.VW5qzZ
jGFA dressing room full of full-length mirrors, arranged like a fan. To me, it’s a torture chamber you’d only find in an amusement park.AnLZGw
FeBO69After hours of adjustments in there, Ryozo and Abel stepped back a bit to make the final inspection. “Final” only from my wish, of course.ng0
7uEBck“It’s not perfect, but I think this’ll do.”7ms
OVzq“Want to turn a little?”NBu
tSS“No reason to refuse.”PV8
Q7BI spin in place as instructed.yzfDq8k
STFGAThe hem of the coat flares out in a triangle and falls behind my calves. As soon as they smile, Ryozo and Abel go serious instantly.ZWXIa
93nFM7Their previously radiant faces now reflect pure dissatisfaction. Ryozo spoke first.fowHLH
Vgi6Q6u“What a shame…”eVf
4fc“Right? I feel the same.”vuAPcei
ODgan4Tsk.WS1
A7VfTmqAs if they genuinely regretted it.zrqe
x4tkA4R‘Save me.’tzHlG
m02cpI don’t know if they noticed, but they looked at each other and let out a mischievous giggle.GIrd7pC
BIy49“Since Geom-Ma is already suffering, should we stop here?”lER
Jpi4J“Hmm. I’d feel bad leaving it like this.”ExvUfL
IHyK“True. Opportunities like this don’t come often.”uDk
DQfdZaThey approach again slowly. I step back like a rat cornered by cats. But the room is small.X7lsAs
LeQo1Just three steps back and the cold mirror grazes my nape.oda
vDKJ“Hehehe…”jyzYo5S
tR9“It won’t hurt.”WzrBK
BqnxA shadow looms over me. The corner of the eye in that shadow curves slightly, mischievously.5f2
rVSmJThen, the dressing room door opened. An unexpected savior—Shail and Choi Seol-Ah entered.09g
ww67“Hey!”xaKGDz
QeaSChoi Seol-Ah stepped forward, snorting. Her footsteps echoed, shaking our reflections in the mirrors.1IyGQrQ
MfY“Now’s not the time to be wasting it, you know?”rQ42L
lOdN7Someone might wonder where this girl gets so much confidence. Honestly, she’s pretty bold.uFS
yjKRJEBut recently, Choi Seol-Ah has gained quite a bit of authority. Her name appears as an editor in the book Fundamentals of Magic.eW7Hfqg
pUHqThough thanks to the dragons, the initiative was hers.fYH
0mjPFqGWhen someone gets an authority bracelet, they change.wjlx
WsucOelChoi Seol-Ah, who used to crawl around in fear, is now fully committed to founding Joaquin’s graduate school.kbkx0f
kXPde4Students will study from a book she helped edit. Just thinking about it fills her with emotion.Iy4ABLC
bbonxyWith that enthusiasm, excitement, and a sense of responsibility, she now dares to yell even at Ryozo and Abel. Is she nuts?7N6
GPGf“Excuse me… Instructor Kim.”3Z4
v74kShail couldn’t help but intervene, placing a hand on her shoulder.lB1iO2
Lp1RhqF“I understand how you feel, but you’re going a bit overboard.”6LKsmo
gSc4Q9“…”4jb
UqaUd2LChoi Seol-Ah stared at her. Then she snorted so hard her nostrils flared, and walked back to the door.I7P
AT9O“Everyone’s waiting! Hurry up!”fc8w
dJhgaThe door closed. Our dumbfounded faces were reflected in the mirrors.bFGLD
0U3After a moment, Ryozo let out a chuckle.dvTuYb8
O2u“Well, the director herself came to scold us.”jULOI
2d21X8b“Cut her some slack. Instructor Kim has worked more than anyone this time.”SqtR
8PiOKCC“Yeah, well…”rmK
dhtTxRyozo let it go with a resigned smile.G8TY6F
cVuL“She’s not wrong, but she’s not exactly right either. It’s time. Let’s go.”mpej
0Zfn“Yeah.”x8InCl
e4yIHAgRyozo and Abel went ahead. I walked awkwardly, as if my crotch were tied with ropes.RZ6Sm
OPru4rVShail approached and, only with her lips, spoke to me in secret.q6H426
rOrP— In about ten minutes, you’ll get used to it.U9cJC5
3MTjaIf Garyeon has the Blessing of Transmission, Shail’s style is talking without moving her lips.iAImH
sSjDL2f‘Shail doesn’t know what this pain feels like.’PL3
Ct62I glanced at her in response, and as always, she instantly understood.LTbfEzO
GIoEjCShe had once said that maids rarely go hungry because they’re well-fed with “intuition food.”3hmnaXG
96s8T8— It may not be the same pain, but I always deal with a similar one.BH1Na
8GKQux‘Similar pain?’Qib2kl
W7WPJEgShe didn’t respond. Only when Ryozo and Abel crossed the doorway did she show me something.E4Dn
R2grouERustle.cGiWK64
oHIrvWHer clothes brushed her skin. Not on my side, but the other. The fabric of her skirt rose to her hips. From the outside, you couldn’t tell the exact texture of the fabric.UFLMJ0
x3oZkEven so, my pupils trembled.lvS1
hGiMbMy eyes were frozen in winter.i32hU
EzgkA crisscrossed plaid pattern up to the thigh, a pair of ribbons connecting her shirt to the lower part.7zLY
X1fKA garter belt. It was my first time seeing one in person.Z0ZRG8U
Tj5V— That’s how I store my weapons.vvHMOa
ggUOiX8She had expertly used the mirror’s reflection angle. Even if Ryozo or Abel turned their heads, they wouldn’t see a thing.Wu32c
8BOpCr‘….’UAjTe
Kz5rC— This is our little secret.Nc4f
T3MeFThe original is the original for a reason.ggaCE1
zLZZWNo matter how many racy jokes Abel makes, she can’t beat Shail.NIQtjCO
oGWRThat’s not learned. It’s natural talent.wpsW10B
i33uU***C05r8oZ
3P9The event venue was packed. Joaquin was surrounded by journalists who had come from all over the world.HSVHFe
LZz2y‘So exhausting.’eTj2eg
JeYWfKang Geom-Ma had never gotten along with journalists. Not because they didn’t write praise articles about him. Not at all.95T
Z6M‘It’s because they make up things that never happened.’0S2M3c0
ueeaOIMost of his loyal readers often harshly criticized the press.1OyC
1U6NwB— Such nerve towards a hero who saved humanity!R2s
sU6QHowever, public opinion is like a balloon—where there’s high tide, there’s also low tide. Even if they were a minority, there were always those who supported the journalists.csb
5zmM2qQThey were what people called “irrational critics,” born from fools. Since everyone else treated Kang Geom-Ma like a god, these people felt an automatic rejection. For example.TDhS
YhF6zX✶ Title: The Heavenly Sword’s indiscriminate violence. No control measures?ZKVvQ05
IaKa……Comment……7NUcI
iC5o4【Doesn’t he have a point?】TB3YY1H
mCEl6aHonestly, did this journalist say anything wrong? From my perspective, he’s right about everything. If the CS gets serious and starts cutting, several countries could vanish. Are we supposed to just stand by? Am I the only one thinking this?2Cim
AJGㄴre:[HeavenlySwordFan♥]
Sure, another whiner.0FIeiqX
W4MyOBmㄴre:[HeavenlySwordFan ♥*******]
That topic is so played out.8HSDJd
DP6R0【ImNotASlave*******】
I agree with the above. There are so many precedents I can’t even count them. Because of him, the nobles can’t move a finger and only tremble. And how is that different from a one-man dictatorship?9kv9
1kl3m0ㄴre:[MmAbungf*******]
That’s what we call cleaning up corruption.sdx
VMt4QKjㄴre:[MmAbungf*******]
Did you already forget everything the nobles did to us? lolyDgG
OB7gmnvㄴre:[HeavenlySwordFan ♥*******]
How convenient your selective amnesia is, hahaauiSzre
tusjl1【Doesn’t he have a point?】
In the end, just mindless fans.VoeUY
Sg9yFuIㄴre:[ImNotASlave]
Just from the way you write, we can tell your level.HPEagd
ek4ㄴre:[ImNotASlave*******]
Sure, the nobles were tax thieves. But before the CS came along, they were also the ones maintaining the continent.ygR
I07uOAㄴre:[Doesn’t he have a point?*******]
And now, if we don’t do it, they’ll be the ones to ruin it, lolAr8L
P9uThe confrontation between both sides intensified. When ceremonies ended, journalists would throw bait to reignite the flames.h2Xpj1
WVAThe funny thing was, of all the journalists he’d met, not a single one failed to show respect for Kang Geom-Ma.34JqA
QVtIt would have been better if they had just spit in his face. At least that would have been brave. Kang Geom-Ma never wanted to crush the spirit of journalism.PhFsgX
rskH6ZEven though they praised him as a savior hero, behind his back they used the three syllables “Kang Geom-Ma” to make profit off misfortune.rQn
qO43vk‘I can’t keep tolerating this.’mcSU5b
A4OEven using a little force in front of someone made them collapse. He couldn’t even properly adjust his strength anymore. Kang Geom-Ma’s sincerity had become more intense over time.LHpBX
7uWG5“We have to ignore them. What else can we do?”tivXTdE
SgJAKang Geom-Ma sighed in resignation. He worried that, because of this constant siege, he might truly lose his humanity.L4FX
WWXHe slightly lowered his head and stopped in front of a new building. Its name Joaquin Graduate Institute.2cZv2Q
kZgWl7Its structure resembled a traditional Korean palace, but made of stone in the style of an ancient Greek temple.58j
dixfAAn impressive tower, a seamless fusion of East and West. Under the eyes of the world, Ryozo gave the inaugural speech.2eP
j1GVuf“Before we begin, I would like to thank everyone who has supported us…”Faz72iz
xpUbThe journalists clapped mechanically. Ryozo didn’t give them a chance to derail the speech with provocative phrases.Mg6GE8
0crJ“Education is entering a new stage. We once again express our sincerest gratitude to all the members of Joaquin for allowing us to be here in this glorious moment.”Gib3
b144AdoShe then gave the floor to the president of the Sacred Studies Association. The journalists remained silent. It was boring.uJJt00
r0kAfter a suitable amount of time had passed, Kang Geom-Ma stood up. The journalists’ eyes regained their shine.nw9Ix
9Xf3c99“Thank you for attending.”lkp
5P3In truth, that was all he came to say. The questions would all be the same.dO6NS
SMftSJust as he was about to sit down after that greeting, a firm voice grabbed him by the ankle.3WYyD
9ISd8“I heard that ‘magic’ will be taught at the Joaquin Graduate Institute. They say it was your idea, Heavenly Sword. Is that true?”gyw7ES0
3gaoHq9Interesting.7edOEnp
zEZ“Since it’s an extension of the Joaquin Academy, whose purpose is to train heroes, teaching a technique used by demons might seem unsettling to many.”Vpa3H
h5KI glanced toward a calm-faced woman holding her pen up.IiCkU
I4H5D“If it’s true, could you give us your opinion?”vKLvns
spmsgMurmurs.N1EY
k2uXM0“Who’s she? Thinks she’s the only journalist here?”95b
PDTuM“She’s clearly new. Doesn’t know time or place.”rvJ1r
oZLg“She’ll only learn after her boss scolds her badly.”cq7V3
8OupKD“The most important thing in this job is tact. She won’t last long.”0QfcV
FM51Ignoring the accusatory glances, the woman pressed on.stnO2mo
v9OI3Amid the murmuring that rose like steam, our eyes met. Kang Geom-Ma spoke first.sZb
7ps“For a long time, demons were an object of fear for humanity. And what caused that fear was their technique—magic.”ZfCJm
onuJtThe journalists held their breath. No one expected him to answer such a disrespectful question from a rookie.jiLm7
rRYW“But demons are no longer something to be feared by humanity. Nor is magic.”L2vL
ceJ6i4“Are you saying it no longer needs to be treated as taboo?”Pehh3W
LtYCzCEKang Geom-Ma nodded.Hpmu0UL
3iNRXXo“Ten years is a long time. Of course, for centuries, magic and demons have been a thorny subject for humans. You can’t break a centuries-old prejudice in just a decade.”yLCT
LctThe journalist eagerly took notes. The others finally turned on their recorders.MIxkrzp
5uO“Still, we must move forward. We must try to break them. And I believe that change should begin with educational institutions.”PvYR
peMj“Why do you think that?”DUgykQB
jCnUzy0“I’ll return the question to you. Why did the Founding Hero create Joaquin Academy? He was the one who ended the First Great Human-Demon War, wasn’t he?”MtL
eXX“It was to prepare for the conflicts that would come afterward.”qXr
Zb34The journalist responded without hesitation.O7arWl
Ti5zjrY“But back then, demons were still a threat. As you said yourself, currently humanity doesn’t have a clear enemy like the demons…”ULr0
ZGF“The Parsy Incident.”ugPa
e4EcThat single phrase changed everything. The atmosphere turned solemn.n5w
fBAG“Is there any guarantee something like that won’t happen again? I think differently.”bFTL1
dgH“…”OiFfI2o
TQy“Let’s suppose, just for a moment, that I wasn’t here. Shouldn’t we be prepared to survive on our own?”E3a
h4aBdThe journalists swallowed like gulping down ice. One of them, bald on top, asked tremblingly.vUDeaMG
oSM“Does that mean… you could give up your duties as a hero?”jDnt1
PVN“That won’t happen. I just wanted to emphasize how important it is not to look away from the current situation. And also…”2vLWpk
K7N“And also?”f3kzelB
REis1SKang Geom-Ma tilted his head slightly. The Joaquin Graduate Institute shone brightly.GxsN
Uy26wHe looked back at the journalists and said.umJZvn
m5Y“The Joaquin Graduate Institute will be the institution that keeps me in check.”SbBle
qOWS“I see.”3LhKK
QepThe journalist closed her notebook.SEfnm
jwnAe“Excuse me, what’s your name?”n3A
NnQomBShe replied with a smile.77CI
k9DI“San Ha-na.”FdoJ2
muDI see. So that’s what it was.c3LgYuC
xb7fVlEKang Geom-Ma turned his gaze toward Ryozo and Abel, who stood behind.yfE5
Sz6wYxBoth pretended to look straight ahead with indifference.mjCE3W
Xl4XA moment later—LL0Xx
mwy5They let out a quiet chuckle.FYVJF
oBmeZrb“With me,”WzZ
rkNVsaid Kang Geom-Ma,QIhzaxx
oZOFWD“All of us at Joaquin will give it our all to make it happen.”PJjhQ8Q
le1vfHA radiant smile spread across his face.LWjhgG
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Shadow Monarch
MortalIsn’t sa hana actually mean poison sister of medea poison