Two weeks had passed since the group exam ended.
During that time, not much had happened. Everything flowed steadily.
Leon, with his striking talent, had gained a great deal of attention.
But of course, the spotlight still centered on Sierin—
The girl who single-handedly overwhelmed the dark knight.
It had surprised me at first.
The power of that corrupted knight wasn't something to scoff at…
Yet Sierin crushed him without breaking a sweat.
Even now, thinking back on that day, I can feel my heart racing.
That's the level I need to reach—
Or perhaps even surpass—
If I truly want to survive in this world.
"Haaah…!"
I exhaled deeply.
My body was drenched in sweat after morning training.
I wiped my face with the hem of my shirt.
The fatigue was brutal—
But somehow, I'd begun to adapt to this pain.
Almost grow used to it.
That was a good sign.
Lately, I'd been training harder than ever—
Even through the nights.
The results were decent, though…
I did collapse once from pushing myself too far.
A bit embarrassing.
A student found me that night and brought me to the infirmary.
I still don't know who it was.
They never said a word about it, and kept it a secret.
I owe them one.
I took a deep breath.
Thankfully, the academy's grounds were vast.
There were quiet corners perfect for training in solitude.
Like this place—
Where the breeze always flowed gently, cooling the sweat after long practice.
I followed a narrow path until I reached a neatly carved wooden bench.
A water bottle sat waiting there.
I picked it up, uncapped it, and drank.
Cold water rushed down my throat—
Refreshing and relieving my aching body.
I downed the whole bottle, then tossed it in a nearby bin.
"Huft…"
My eyes drifted toward the cafeteria.
"It should've started by now."
Well, it wouldn't be wise to go there drenched in sweat.
I gave a tired smile.
Guess I should take a quick shower.
I headed back to the dormitory.
Inside the bathroom, I stared into the mirror.
Compared to how I looked a month ago…
I'd definitely changed.
My body was tougher—
More filled out.
With the proper foundation, maybe I could start learning swordsmanship soon.
As I thought that, my mind drifted somewhere else.
"Maybe… I could reach that place too, someday."
I paused, then sighed quietly.
Well…
That was a dream for the distant future.
Right now, I needed to focus on the present.
I stepped into the bath.
The cold water stung my wounds—
But I ignored the pain and allowed myself to relax.
"Huuu…"
I combed back my wet hair with my fingers.
Right about now…
It must've already begun.
***
After finishing my bath, I got dressed and rushed to the cafeteria.
I might be a little late—
But at the very least, I had to see it, even if just for a moment.
As I opened the cafeteria doors, I immediately noticed—
Everyone was looking in the same direction.
I followed their gaze…
And there he was: Leon, standing across from another student, who clearly looked down on him with disdain.
"I challenge you to a duel!"
Looks like I arrived too late, huh?
That student—with silver hair and lazy eyes—
That was Liezen Richilde.
One of the side villains, who in the original story, was supposed to always be around Farley.
In the original timeline, this duel was meant to happen.
Unlike Farley, whose conflict with Leon stemmed from… women—
Liezen's hatred was born from pure envy.
He couldn't accept someone like Leon—
A fallen noble, someone from a "low lineage"—
Suddenly rising with such blinding talent.
And so, Liezen confronted him.
Argued with him.
And ultimately, challenged him to a duel—
Which Leon accepted without hesitation.
It was all playing out just like the original story.
And then—
I felt a gaze on me.
I turned my head and instantly spotted her.
Sierin.
Even after two weeks… she never once approached me.
But every time we crossed paths,
Every time we shared a space—
Her eyes would find me.
I never knew what she meant by that look.
But it kept happening.
And now, I saw her glancing around—
As if confirming no one was paying attention.
Then… she stood up.
Oh?
She was walking—
Right toward me.
No one noticed her movements.
They were too focused on Leon and Liezen.
Her steps were soft, measured—
Until she stood before me.
"Come with me."
Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked out of the cafeteria.
I paused for a second…
Then followed.
We walked quietly,
Stopping at a quiet hallway.
No one else was around.
I wondered why she brought me here—
But I already had an idea.
"About what you said," she began, finally facing me.
"I checked."
Our eyes met.
"And?" I asked.
She smiled faintly—
A rare moment.
One I wished I could capture in a photo…
But since this world had no cameras,
I carved it into my memory.
"It really wasn't Ulphas's Core."
Yeah—
I exhaled softly.
Even though I already knew it was fake,
I'd still been terrified of the possibility that—
What if Sierin couldn't tell?
So many 'what ifs.'
But luckily, that didn't happen.
"So… what will you do now?" I asked.
She didn't break eye contact.
Instead, she reached into her coat—
And pulled out a small vial filled with glowing liquid.
"I've seen how hard you've been training," she said.
"This might help. It enhances your mana, and strengthens the body."
"This...? Uh… thank you."
I accepted it gratefully.
She gave a small nod.
Then, after a brief pause, she looked at me again.
"You're not really Farley. I want to know—what's your goal?"
My goal?
I've trained like hell.
Studied to the brink of collapse.
I've pushed my body and my mind to the edge.
If you ask what my goal is—
Then I'll answer without hesitation:
"To survive. In a body I don't even understand."
She held my gaze for a moment longer, then nodded once more.
"I owe you," she said.
"So come to me—whenever you need help."
With that, she turned and walked away.
I looked at the vial in my hand, then smiled bitterly.
"This thing would've been much more useful in Leon's hands…"
Of course, I could use it.
I should use it, and become stronger.
But originally, this potion was meant for Leon.
Not me.
I didn't mind diverging from the original plot,
But if Leon became too weak,
What would happen to this world's balance?
I let out a long breath.
Then, a thought crossed my mind.
Maybe I couldn't have this particular potion…
But that didn't mean I couldn't find something else—
Something of equal value.
I turned my gaze toward the window.
In that case, let's go see the duel first.