How To Survive Clichés

Chapter 17

“Yoo Suho, let’s have a study group,” I said.

“…Oh? Okay.”

I signaled to Ian to confirm that she was indeed the person I was referring to from our conversation yesterday. Yoo Suho looked momentarily flustered but then nodded.

It was a relief that he wasn’t completely clueless. It wouldn’t make sense for a stranger to come over and offer comfort. Creating a common group was a good start, and from there, it would be Yoo Suho’s responsibility.

I needed to set things up and then step back.

I turned to Ian and spoke as naturally as possible. “Would you like to join us too?”

Ian pointed to herself with her finger and then looked at me with a confused expression, as if trying to confirm that I was talking about her.

I nodded silently.

This was her response:

“I-I’m a repeat student, so I probably won’t be much help.”

It was the reaction I expected. Ian shook her head gloomily, worried that she might be a burden.

People like this should not be pushed too much. If you do, you’ll get an even worse reaction.

I needed to make her feel that her wishes were respected. I pretended to ponder for a moment, then spoke with a tone of reluctant disappointment.

“I haven’t been here long either, so I won’t be much help. If you’re not interested, there’s nothing we can do.”

“Oh, no, that’s not it. I’m just worried I might cause trouble.”

“Hmm, that’s unlikely. I’m the one who’s more lacking, actually.”

I smiled at Ian, making it seem sincere.

In reality, her acceptance was almost a certainty.

If she refused, it would imply that Damian was lacking, which would constitute an insult to the nobility. Though Ian probably wouldn’t have understood the implications.

‘She’ll likely just think I’m reassuring her.’

After some hesitation, Ian spoke in a hesitant voice.

“C-Can I join too?”

“Of course.”

“Then I’ll do it.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

I gave Ian a genuinely pleased smile.

It was a relief, as I felt that Yoo Suho’s companion recruitment quest was likely to go well.

‘Now it’s up to you.’

I looked at Yoo Suho with a sense of relief.

However, the timing wasn’t ideal.

“A study group? That’s unfair. Damian, you’re not doing it without me, are you?”

Teo, with his big eyes shining, pretended to wipe away a tear, looking sad. Seeing that, I felt a bit put off.

But I had no real options.

I had anticipated this situation from the moment Teo sat next to me and from when Yoo Suho started walking over.

I thought there was no benefit in involving someone from the Demon Manufacturing family, but I decided it was better to keep him close and discreetly hint to Yoo Suho.

I said in a low voice, “You should join too.”

“Awesome!”

Teo’s sudden change in attitude made me narrow my eyes and watch him.

However, Tio seemed oblivious to my gaze and cheerfully greeted Yoo Suho.

“Nice to meet you, Yoo Suho, right?”

“…Yeah, nice to meet you.”

It was impressive how easily he could get along with others. I suddenly wondered:

‘Why hasn’t he talked to Yoo Suho until now?’

But I quickly understood.

They hadn’t had any common interactions like being in the same group, and Tio seemed good at distinguishing who was friendly to him.

To put it positively, he was good at reading the room.

Moreover, in the original story, Yoo Suho was hesitant to get close to anyone.

‘It must have been hard for him to approach.’

But now that I thought about it, it seemed ridiculous.

‘I don’t think I was very friendly to him either.’

I looked at Tio with a disapproving gaze, but he continued chatting with Yoo Suho.

“Did you know Damian before?”

“No, we just happened to meet yesterday.”

“Oh, really? And now you’re joining a study group together. Damian, you’re quite friendly.”

Teo looked at me with an expression of surprise.

“……”

I ignored him and alternated my gaze between Yoo Suho and Ian.

“How about starting today?”

“Sure.”

“Uh, okay!”

“Damian, I’m on board too.”

Teo slyly chimed in.

“…Then let’s meet at the training ground after the Magic Swordsmanship class.”

Everyone nodded, and Yoo Suho went back to his seat.

I sighed inwardly. I began to regret maintaining this arrangement until Yoo Suho and Ian grew closer and until Ian became Yoo Suho’s ally.

‘Just hold on a little longer.’

At least I had managed to get Yoo Suho involved in the companion recruitment quest without getting hit. Of course, I needed to observe Ian a bit longer.

Anyway, it was good that Yoo Suho was starting to focus on the quest.

Just as I thought I might get a moment to rest, the bell for the next class rang.

* * *

Without a moment’s pause, the second class began.

“Everyone, stand up.”

Red eyes. A tall woman with white skin and long black hair tied up in a half-bun. Her loosely hanging hair was red.

It was Professor Harpe, who taught Magic Swordsmanship.

Though from a common background, she was a genius swordswoman. By her late teens, she had achieved an extraordinary level as a Magic Swordsman and became the commander of the imperial knights. However, disillusioned by the strict and closed system, she resigned and decided to travel the continent.

During her travels, she practiced Magic Swordsmanship and met Principal Wenemir, who offered her a position as a professor starting this semester. She also became Yoo Suho’s mentor in the Art of Swordsmanship.

Unlike Yoo Suho, who had been using skills given by the system, he would now learn and grow through direct training with her.

“Why aren’t you up yet?”

However, she was not known for her pleasant demeanor. Not that she was as twisted as the professor of Spirit Studies, but more like a strict disciplinarian. Despite being from a common background, her no-nonsense attitude towards students was a testament to her skill and close ties with Principal Wenemir.

Students from the White Guardian Tower, who had heard of her notorious reputation, quickly stood up and assumed proper postures. The rest of the students hesitated and slowly got up.

As for me…

I stood up first among the students from the Blue Abyss Tower, drawing attention. It was better not to anger her.

But there were always exceptions.

Like this one.

“Hey, who are you?”

It was Rathio and his faction.

The students who had been chatting and dismissive because the professor was from a common background finally stood up slowly, smiling, and began introducing their family names one by one.

“I am Rathio Dens from the Dens family.”

“Is that so? You’ll have double the training time.”

Rathio and his faction frowned.

He was still smiling but with a tone of confusion, introduced his family name again.

“Professor, I am Rathio Dens from the Dens family.”

“And?”

Professor Harpe looked at him as if to say, “So what?”

“Do you think this is still a home-based swordsmanship class? Does mentioning your family name mean you won’t be punished?”

Commoner students snickered and laughed.

“Do you dislike the class? Or is it that you don’t like being taught by a commoner?”

Neither answer was easy. Saying the former would imply doubts about basic qualifications for becoming a mage, while the latter would challenge the teacher’s authority.

Rathio’s face grew increasingly crumpled.

“This class isn’t just for students dreaming of becoming Magic Swordsmen. What if a battle drags on and your mana runs out? Or if you’re in a long-range combat situation, will you just die on the spot when your mana is depleted?”

The important thing isn’t the rank of the teacher but the essence of the class. This was a reminder of that fact.

“You should know, being from the Dens family, what happens to mages who use up all their mana on the battlefield.”

At the professor’s words, Rathio finally clenched his lips. His faction looked on, confused, not understanding what was happening.

In the quiet atmosphere, students whispered to each other.

“Can’t you just use a portal?”

“Yeah, hasn’t magic developed a lot?”

Students were still new to practical exercises after spending a semester studying theory, so their sense of reality was lacking.

Professor Harpe looked at these students and sighed.

“To put it simply, it’s useless.”

She said flatly.

“You’ll end up sitting there, unable to escape, doing nothing and getting eaten by monsters.”

Some perceptive students nodded as if they already knew this fact. However, the following words made them swallow hard.

“That’s actually a lucky case. If not, you might be captured by demons and tortured to death, losing your legs, having your waist pierced, or becoming a tortured body with only your head left, wandering the continent unable to die.”

A heavy silence settled in the classroom.

From a distance, Yoo Suho’s expression looked somewhat bitter and sorrowful.

It was no different from the dimensions he had experienced so far.

“So, you need to train and train again.”

Students shivered in various places.

But the professor had no intention of giving them a break.

“If you understand, run to the training ground.”

* * *

Following Professor Harpe to the training ground, which was supposed to take 10 minutes by walking, took over an hour due to her deliberately choosing an uphill route.

“…Huff.”

As intended by her, students were gasping for breath.

The ones who were fine were mostly students from the White Guardian Tower, except for those who had received rigorous training since childhood or those who had put in considerable effort themselves.

As for me… I barely arrived and took a breath.

Although my stamina had improved, it was still only at E-.

Ian, who had run right beside me, looked at me as if to ask if I was okay.

‘I’m not okay.’

Despite my inner feelings, I nodded to indicate that I was fine and then turned my gaze.

I was starting to feel the need to distribute my stats.

Before checking the status window, I looked at Yoo Suho. His eyes were fixed on Professor Harpe.

Yoo Suho was probably feeling a strong interest in Professor Harpe as a fellow swordsman.

‘She must feel a different level of caliber.’

And he might be thinking of a mentor who sacrificed himself in the second dimension.

Of course, Professor Harpe also felt interest in Yoo Suho. Her eyes shone with a distinct light.

Her gaze sparkled partly due to Yoo Suho’s handsome face.

‘She must feel that he possesses similar combat prowess.’

And she might be thinking, ‘It would be very interesting to spar with him.’

‘Just as the scenario dictates.’

This was a crucial event, as it was their first meeting before she accepted Yoo Suho as her disciple.

Watching the situation unfold as expected, I felt a refreshing sense of satisfaction for the first time in a while.

Before the class officially began, I quickly called up the status window.

‘Status window.’