Since the plan had hit a snag, I couldn’t help but glare at Reysir, the very cause of it all.
I wasn’t remotely displeased that he showed up while I was in the middle of the exam.
In the last chapter, I mentioned that the poor results of the second attempt were probably due to a broken flow.
But what if I had used the time Skadi spent out in the hallway to analyze the section where I messed up in the first attempt and ran a simulation in my head?
I might have actually succeeded in hitting all the targets.
‘So, all that talk about flow was basically just an excuse.’
Still, it was a shame to have missed the chance to talk with Skadi.
I wanted to resolve her problem quickly so I could be at ease, but now I had to wait a whole week.
Unable to let go of this regret, I scanned the inside of the classroom once more.
‘The door’s blocked by Reysir, and all the windows are shut, so she can’t have gone outside. Did she hide using a stealth skill?’
The only explanation I could guess was…
That she simply didn’t want to talk to me.
If that’s the case, even if Reysir hadn’t appeared here, Skadi probably would have refused to speak to me and gone into hiding anyway.
‘Looks like even if I wait until next week, a conversation might still be impossible…?’
Naturally, I came to that conclusion, and I started to think that maybe this situation was actually an opportunity.
No doubt Reysir didn’t intend it, but since he was blocking Skadi’s exit…
At least I was certain Skadi was somewhere inside this classroom.
‘I can’t talk to her directly, but I should still be able to send my words to her unilaterally!’
They say misfortune can turn into fortune, and that was certainly the case here.
The remaining issue was how to let my words flow naturally to Skadi.
While I was reconstructing sentences in my head, Reysir called me again.
“Karvald, are you going to stay here?”
A faint trace of anxiety lingered in his voice.
If I said yes, he’d probably come inside and drag me out.
If Reysir moved away from the door, Skadi could seize that chance to slip outside.
I took a step forward and approached Reysir.
Then I grabbed the arm of the one standing in front of the door as if to block the exit, pulled him inside, shut the door, and leaned against it.
Reysir’s expression quickly turned to one of embarrassment at my sudden action.
“W-What are you doing?”
“You wouldn’t have come all this way just to hang out, would you? You’ve got something to say to me about Professor Skadi, right?”
Though I had achieved my initial goal of confirming Skadi’s skill window, the reason Reysir waited for me in the hallway was obvious.
That slight anxiety in his voice just now made it clear.
‘He’s probably worried that the former assassin might try to harm me!’
I needed to explain to Reysir that Skadi wasn’t an enemy, and I might as well settle it here and now.
With that decision made, I looked him straight in the eyes.
Then I saw seriousness dawning on his face.
“Right, that’s why I came to find you today.”
For some reason, he stressed the words ‘today’ in a strange way.
‘Could he be hinting that next time he really would come just to hang out?’
That thought bothered me, but it wasn’t the time to dwell on it, especially since Reysir was about to speak again.
“That person, Professor Skadi, is someone you don’t need to worry about.”
“Why? Because she’s a criminal?”
“She’s not just any criminal. She’s an assassin—a highly skilled one… She must have fought countless real battles. It’s not a level you can reach with mere training.”
Reysir said this while locking eyes with me.
It felt like he was saying, ‘You understand what I mean, don’t you?’
“How do you know that?”
“That’s something I can’t tell you. But I want you to believe me.”
I expected that kind of answer.
There’s no benefit in broadcasting the fact that he can steal others’ stats and skills.
Even in the original story, Reysir was honest about his [Truth-Reading Eye] with only a select few.
Aside from those few, he either said he could read information about monsters or objects, or stayed silent altogether.
Since I had declared I didn’t want to be his friend, it wasn’t information he could share.
More importantly, since Reysir must have realized Skadi was hiding somewhere inside, it was only natural he couldn’t say more.
Even so, asking him how he knew was a formality.
If I accepted Reysir confidently discussing Skadi’s past and abilities, it would seem strange.
“I know you’re not lying. You’re not the type to slander others by fabricating stories.”
“You actually believe me?!”
“Just to clarify so you don’t misunderstand—I’m not trusting you. I’m trusting my analysis.”
“All right, all right. I’ll believe you then.”
“……”
He clearly didn’t believe me at all.
From his expression, it was obvious: ‘This tsundere is at it again.’
“Anyway, that settles it, right? Let’s get out of here.”
“What are you talking about? The conversation is just beginning.”
“You have more to say? You said that professor is incredibly dangerous, even weird. She killed people but got mad at you for bothering me last semester? I already forgave you, so what right does she have to get angry?”
I reminded him again that Reysir must know Skadi was eavesdropping on our conversation while hiding.
Still, he said those words to reprimand her.
‘Does she really think she has the right to scold Karvald when she’s a killer herself? Isn’t that shameless?’
‘Isn’t that too realistic for a fantasy novel protagonist…? Maybe Reysir thinks this world is reality?’
In real life, such heinous crimes are unforgivable.
But in web novels—especially in fantasy or martial arts genres—there are crimes that are often overlooked.
That crime is ‘murder.’
Readers generally don’t care if a former assassin comrade has killed people in the past.
What readers cannot forgive is anything that obstructs or harms the protagonist.
‘But for the original protagonist to defend Karvald, who tormented him, and blame Skadi, who will later become a comrade…’
It felt awkward and contradictory to see Reysir treat murder as a grave sin and make such statements.
In web novels, even protagonists who embody absolute justice often kill people frequently.
The protagonist of , Reysir himself, was no exception.
He hasn’t killed anyone yet but will experience many events that eventually lead to murder.
‘And quite often, too….’
Of course, those who die by his hand are villains, and most cases are close to self-defense.
Still, a murder is a murder.
The feeling was strange, and I pitied the one before me who did not yet know his future.
“He’s someone who might do anything at any time. So it’s better not to get deeply involved.”
Reysir said that to me, who wanted to avoid entanglement and misfortune.
If he knew that I was ignoring the great misfortune heading his way but had stepped up to help Skadi with her troubles…
‘How great a betrayal would he feel?’
“There’s a flaw in your logic. If Professor Skadi really could secretly kill people anytime, she wouldn’t just be letting those who harass her go unpunished. That means she’s actually safe and unlikely to do anything.”
“Didn’t you say it was just speculation that she’s being bullied by her colleagues?”
“It was speculation. But now it’s a confirmed fact.”
Though my mind was heavy and complicated, my lips moved steadily, defending Skadi.
“So, combining your information that Skadi is a highly skilled assassin, I’ll form a new hypothesis. She was probably assigned to this academy because she no longer wanted to kill. Otherwise, why would the royal family entrust a top-tier assassin to teach students instead of using her to eliminate enemies?”
“……!”
Reysir’s expression showed he realized something he hadn’t known before.
It made sense—he had just confirmed Skadi’s abilities and was mostly worried about my safety.
He probably hadn’t considered why Skadi became a professor here.
“I even suspect she refuses not only to kill personally but also to train assassins. Today’s exam was throwing daggers at ten targets while passing various obstacles. That’s not assassination training. It’s training for evading and escaping while surrounded by multiple enemies.”
“So… She was once an assassin but now values human life. She’s teaching students how to protect themselves, not how to harm others?”
“You understood correctly.”
“……”
Reysir looked oddly choked up as he stared at me.
Then suddenly let out a long, deep sigh.
“You said she got mad without even trying to understand you, right? Yet here you are, trying so hard to understand her heart and even defending her.”
“As I said before, it’s not because I like Professor Skadi or anything.”
“Are you denying it again without reason?”
“I’m not denying it; it’s true.”
Last time, I couldn’t explain why I stopped defending Karvald, so I had no response.
But this time, I could clearly state why I was defending Skadi and helping her.
“I can’t be a bystander after being a perpetrator. That’s why I just want Professor Skadi to be free from harassment.”
“I knew you sincerely regretted the past, but I didn’t expect this much. You’re still carrying that guilt, huh? You can probably put it down now….”
“Mind your own business.”
“If it’s about that guilt, isn’t it my business too?”
He wasn’t about to lose this verbal battle at all.
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