I Became a Genius Swordsman in the Pretty Girl Game

The Sword Emperor looked at Baek Seol-hee with a silent expression. She knelt down and bowed her head to the ground in front of Baek Seol-hee.

“It was my fault.”

“…Sword Emperor.”

Baek Seol-hee’s eyes were emotionless as she looked at her.

“You need to properly explain why you put my disciple in such danger. If you don’t…”

Baek Seol-hee trailed off, her eyes lowering. The Sword Emperor, still bowing, opened her lips.

“So, this training was─”

“I know what the training was intended for. That’s not what I’m asking. Why didn’t you save my disciple until the very last moment?”

The purpose of the training was clear: to instill fear of death.

However, what Baek Seol-hee truly questioned was why, despite the dangerous nature of the training, the Sword Emperor didn’t watch over Jin Yuha until the end. If this part couldn’t be properly explained, Baek Seol-hee was prepared to engage in a life-and-death duel with the Sword Emperor.

“…That’s because.”

The Sword Emperor spoke with difficulty.

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18 days ago.

After the Sword Emperor had dropped Jin Yuha into the pit, day and night, she stood guard in front of it.

Since this was a severe training that put life on the line, she had to ensure Jin Yuha’s safety.

One day, two days, and then a week passed.

“Give me Jin Yuha!”

“Sword Emperor, get out of the way.”

Yoo-ri and Kang Do-hee couldn’t bear it any longer and insisted on meeting Jin Yuha.

“I refuse.”

Of course, each time, the Sword Emperor shook her head.

As their patience ran out, Yoo-ri and Kang Do-hee even began launching deadly attacks aimed at the Sword Emperor.

However, no matter what they did, they couldn’t defeat her.

“Haah, haah…”

“Haah, haah…”

Covered in dirt and with exhausted faces, Kang Do-hee and Yoo-ri struggled to stand up. But the Sword Emperor still hadn’t moved a single step.

“Hah, give me Jin Yuha…”

“Move aside, Sword Emperor…”

What on earth did that child mean to them that they would go to such lengths?

At this point, the Sword Emperor had no choice but to explain the significance of the training. If things went any further, they would undoubtedly cross the line and do something dangerous.

“Jin Yuha’s sword is a sword that kills its wielder.”

“What… what do you mean? How can Jin Yuha’s sword be one that kills him…”

“Even without that, Jin Yuha wouldn’t─”

The Sword Emperor sighed deeply as she spoke.

“Have you never thought it was strange?”

“…What?”

“This child… didn’t he always lead the way into the most dangerous situations? Into places where he might easily die, as if he had several lives?”

The Sword Emperor continued with a languid expression.

“This child… even when facing an opponent he couldn’t possibly handle at his current level, or when he should have definitely escaped, he never did, right?”

“…”

“…”

Yoo-ri and Kang Do-hee fell silent at the same time. They couldn’t deny there was something to that.

Even to their eyes, Jin Yuha was someone who always rushed forward first.

He always planned for safety, but when things went wrong, or in truly dangerous moments, he was the first to throw himself into danger.

“That’s why this child has shattered his limits and grown at an astonishing rate. But this can’t continue. He’s been incredibly lucky until now. If he had been just a little unlucky…”

Yoo-ri and Kang Do-hee’s pupils trembled as if struck by an earthquake. It wasn’t hard to guess what would come next.

“If this isn’t corrected, someday, you will be the ones left behind, and Jin Yuha will be the first to go.”

The Sword Emperor clicked her tongue as she listened to the helpless voices from the ground.

“This training is necessary to fix that.”

Kang Do-hee and Yoo-ri clenched their fists as they looked at the ground where Jin Yuha was trapped. But to just stand by and watch him endure without eating anything…

The Sword Emperor, watching them silently, drew her sword from her waist. It was an old, worn-out iron sword, seemingly uncared for over the years.

However, this sword had been with her throughout her entire life.

“I swear on this sword. No matter what happens, I will be responsible for Jin Yuha’s safety and return him to you unharmed.”

Wooong─

Her old iron sword began to emit a blue light.

“So, you two should go and become stronger. Strong enough that this child can no longer throw himself into such dangerous places alone.”

When she said this, Yoo-ri and Kang Do-hee nodded, biting their lips.

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Another week passed.

The Sword Emperor continued to stand guard over Jin Yuha. Yoo-ri and Kang Do-hee gritted their teeth and trained even more fiercely.

Then, Yoo-ri and Kang Do-hee came to find the Sword Emperor again. Her brow furrowed.

“…It’s only been a week since I told you that─”

“Alice has disappeared.”

“What…?”

“She was watching over my training and said she was going to check on Kang Do-hee…”

Kang Do-hee shook her head.

“She didn’t come to me either. When she didn’t show up after a while, I came to report it.”

Despite hearing this, the Sword Emperor didn’t initially think much of it.

‘Did she go to train by herself?’

Her granddaughter had always been somewhat naive. Perhaps she got fired up after watching the two of them train.

“Then, can I ask you two to find her and bring her back? She’s probably training at the back of the mountain.”

With that, Kang Do-hee and Yoo-ri nodded and left.

But even after three days, they couldn’t find her granddaughter.

“Where did she go…?”

The Sword Emperor was bewildered.

There were only so many places her granddaughter could go. She hadn’t returned home in three days. But she wasn’t the type to go out alone.

So, the Sword Emperor decided to leave her post for just a moment. She naively thought there wouldn’t be any problem as long as she quickly found her granddaughter and returned.

The Sword Emperor glanced at the ground where she had been standing.

‘Hmm… considering the strength he has, his natural stamina should hold. He’ll be able to last another week.’

That was her mistake.

Her granddaughter was nowhere to be found.

And while searching for her granddaughter, her instincts began to sharply warn her that Jin Yuha was in danger.

With her expression stiffening, the Sword Emperor hurried back and opened the chamber.

What she saw then was Baek Seol-hee and Jin Yuha, both collapsed on the ground.

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A throbbing pain radiated through her head.

Baek Seol-Hee had to put all her effort into suppressing the murderous intent that was welling up inside her.

So, in the end, this was all because of the careless judgment of this woman, the Sword Emperor. And because of her negligence, her one and only disciple nearly lost their life.

“…So, did you find that granddaughter of yours?”

The Sword Emperor shook her head.

“The others are still searching… but, not yet…”

Her voice trembled with anxiety as she spoke.

“You foolish woman.”

Baek Seol-Hee spat out her words with a sharp edge, causing the Sword Emperor to look up.

“Then why are you here instead of searching for your granddaughter?”

“Still, I thought it was more important to explain to you first, so I waited until you woke up. I made a vow on my sword—”

Baek Seol-Hee was genuinely furious, her anger boiling over.

Kim Malsook.

She knew that the Sword Emperor’s so-called disciple was her granddaughter.

And yet, this foolish woman was spewing nonsense instead of finding her missing disciple.

If she intended to atone with her life, shouldn’t she first find her disciple and then do so?

What did that vow on her sword even mean? Just like in the past, she remained a woman who never sat well with her.

At that moment.

“What… what do you mean? Alice is missing…?”

Jin Yuha, who had just woken up, sat up with wide, startled eyes.

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“Disciple, the Sword Emperor and I will handle this, so you—”

As Baek Seol-Hee tried to dissuade her, Jin Yuha narrowed her eyes and looked at her.

“I don’t think this is the time for you to say that, Master. You were trapped with me, weren’t you?”

“But, you—”

“Well, my mana has recovered to some extent now.”

With a still-exhausted expression, Jin Yuha opened his spatial tattoo and took out a calorie bar. He unwrapped it and handed it to Baek Seol-Hee.

“Eat it, Master. You haven’t had anything yet, right?”

“…”

“Hurry up. Who told you to give me all of your food?”

Baek Seol-Hee had a calorie bar shoved into her mouth. Seeing this, Jin Yuha smiled.

“Master, thank you. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be alive right now.”

“…”

Baek Seol-Hee swallowed her words.

‘I am not worthy to be your master.’

But now wasn’t the right time to say such things. They could discuss it after they found the Sword Emperor’s granddaughter. Then, they could talk about it slowly.

Baek Seol-Hee opened her spatial tattoo again and pulled out a syringe.

“What’s that?”

“It’s a shot that temporarily restores stamina.”

“There’s something like that?”

“It’s an item supplied only to the Demon-Slaying Unit. It pulls strength from the future, so for ten days after, you won’t be able to move at all. It’s illegal.”

“Give me one too.”

“No.”

“Come on, Master.”

Jin Yuha pleaded, extending her arm toward Baek Seol-Hee.

“…”

“I don’t want to send you off alone, Master. Besides, I’ll be helpful this time.”

Jin Yuha said this while staring straight at Baek Seol-Hee.

That was right.

Jin Yuha had already grasped the situation.

He had gone over the story of Velvets, the game, countless times while he was in that pit. Even recalling the small remarks made by the game characters during their interactions.