No Dark Secrets In This Book

Episode 15

‘This is crazy.’

Ryuseong was confused whether that described himself or Cassice.

‘It’s definitely crazy.’

No matter how much cold water he faced, he couldn’t come to his senses.

Ryuseong choked Cassice. Up until here, he could do that. Because Cassice was the one who destroyed his world. Because he was a hateful being who made everything meaningless.

No, actually he couldn’t do that, he shouldn’t, but at least he could insist that he might be able to. But Cassice was different.

Did he have no sense of self-preservation? Why did he accept the sensation of being choked with such an innocently uncharacteristic face…? 

With such a beautiful and noble face.

“…”

Crumble as if you might die right now, why.

Suddenly, Cassice from the moment of facing trauma came to mind. Although it was an illusion, a mere outer layer, why did you at that moment come to mind?

You, who were nobly indifferent even upon death.

The you I knew wasn’t like that.

You seemed to have less leisure and were sharper.

For some reason, the you I found in the trauma was as docile as someone who infinitely yearned for death. As if designed that way, you fought against it, but persistently held yourself in the trauma.

What if your moment of death is so indifferently hot? And what if that appearance overlaps with the living person?

If I say I sympathized with you like that. Would you despise me?

Water poured over his head. But the heat didn’t subside. Ryuseong just faced the cold water like that for dozens of minutes. 

Frankly, he was afraid. Even after finishing the shower, if he made similar remarks, if he did something to you using that as an excuse. There was that fear.

If he tried to forcefully commit an unforgivable sin against you now, under the pretext of charging you with unforgivable crimes, it seemed he would forever curse himself who couldn’t forgive himself anyway.

But fortunately, Cassice Demillang didn’t say anything special after that. There was nothing provocative, only a plain greeting of good night. The breathing sound of falling asleep followed.

Ryuseong listened to the evidence of Cassice Demillang being alive and watched beyond the break of dawn.

***

I slept soundly, but it seems he didn’t. His eyes are sunken. Tsk tsk. He must have stayed up all night. Pitifully. If he had gone all the way, he would have slept well.

I genuinely pitied him. Because…

“The basic policy of Areah Academy is to improve skills through sparring and real combat! But we can’t roll newborn chicks! Theory classes will be conducted for a month! Fill your heads with knowledge, you rookies!”

…in accordance with the principal’s reckless instructions, theory classes poured down hard starting the next day.

“It’s not unconditional, but people often say that those who awaken abilities are Awakeners, and those who awaken True Names are Conquerors. A True Name is a name and role bestowed by the slumbering World Tree to an individual. Perhaps a True Name is a concept that acts similarly to the Joker, the Empress, and the Pope symbolized by tarot cards. It differs vastly depending on interpretation and can even change depending on one’s mindset while living. Therefore, receiving a True Name means being an existence that can influence the world. So there is some degree of credibility to saying that one must receive a True Name to be a Conqueror.”

“Yes, yes, teacher…”

“We call it a ‘Unique Name’ when such a True Name blooms ‘uniquely’ in an individual, but it’s a topic that doesn’t suit your level, so let’s leave it for future discussion. There is one student in our class who has awakened a True Name. Ryuseong, would you stand up?”

…There was no room for competition between the four dormitories to intensify in this section. Because it was just a barrage of memorization, memorization, memorization.

They brought a full-body anatomical chart saying we need to know the enemy’s circuits and energy paths, and told us to memorize all the meridians and acupuncture points. Memorize mana circuits. Memorize 99 types of magic circles. Memorize 108 formations. They were even teaching how to grip swords, blades, and spears, at least on paper.

It was truly like heaven for me. I had to absorb all theories like a sponge on this opportunity. Because that’s how I would be like ‘Cassice Demillang’.

“Young Master Cassice, you are very outstanding.”

A very small number of non-family, non-faction students were panting, trying to catch up with the progress, wondering what nonsense this was, but the students from families and factions were different. They often showed off or enjoyed naps, saying they had already learned the content.

Was that why the teachers praised me for sitting upright and listening to the class, unlike the children of prestigious families?

‘Actually, the ones who aren’t listening to the class are the idiots.’

Among the teachers who taught theory, many seemed to be influenced by the Demillang family, so they only knew how to give uniform praise. If asked whether it’s a character breakdown, in the original work, Cassice also attentively listened to classes. It’s just the difference between having knowledge in your head or having none at all.

But my desperate struggling seemed to look heavenly to others.

“You’re working hard today as well.”

One day, Logan Esteban said to me as he brought me coffee while I was focused on studying. Around that time, I had heard the news that the Bongtang family of George Bongtang had become a kite with a broken string, and George had barely remained in the academy since he had already been admitted.

Diedrich Vinckel, who had only followed me to the study room, sat crookedly and turned pages while smirking at me, but Capone Jones had a serious face because he lost at rock-paper-scissors and had his right to deliver coffee to me taken away. He was clearly sulking.

I genuinely smiled, happy to have obedient good friends. Then Diedrich shuddered as if creeped out.

Oh my, I think my smile is pretty, but I guess it’s not to your eyes?

“Being faithful to the basics is the foundation of learning.”

“Indeed, Demillang is certainly different.”

I don’t know. What do I care about Demillang or whatever. I’m just reproducing the study tips of Korean high school students.

Even now, there were hardly any children of prestigious families in the library. Rather, it was full of Koreans. But they praise me as Demillang.

“I’m just properly facing what shouldn’t be neglected.”

I was just babbling something I didn’t even know the meaning of. But starting the next day, the students from prestigious families who were playing around, boasting that they had already learned everything, flocked to the study room. What, what is it? Go away. Don’t ruin the studying atmosphere.

But they were smiling at me.

“Truly, I respect you!”

“As expected of Demillang! Even your attitude towards learning is different!”

“We will also diligently engage in review, following your example!”

…My head hurts. I pressed my forehead with my fingers and spoke softly.

“If you don’t even know the basics of being quiet in the study room, how are you going to build a foundation?”

Everyone became quiet at those words. It was a pleasant thing.

Of course, not everything was pleasant. Vinckel, Esteban, and Jones each approached me individually, as if they were pressured, arguing that they were on my side, not the patriarch’s. I nodded in front of them, then said something when everyone gathered.

“Your true intentions must be proven through actions, not words.”

“…”

When I patted their shoulders, everyone closed their mouths tight and nodded.

That’s right. You probably think you’re on the patriarch’s side too. You’re scared because I won’t let it slide even if you say the right things.

I had to be prepared for the fact that my news was essentially all being conveyed to the patriarch. It wasn’t very pleasant news when I was busy studying.

But the most unpleasant thing was something else.

“Ryuseong?”

“…”

Ryuseong was avoiding me!

And blatantly at that!

“Excuse me, but did you two break up? If so, how about preparing a media response accordingly…?”

“…”

“…I’m sorry.”

He avoided me so blatantly that even the gentlemanly yet slightly tactless Logan said such things. Seeing Ryuseong, who would make a U-turn and run away just from encountering me while walking down the hallway, as if I was a plague, made me furious.

The first week was nice because I could freely review theories in the room without worrying about being caught.

‘Then why did you suggest being roommates in the first place?’

Once this question started arising, it became uncontrollable. Moreover, he always came in at dawn and left before sunrise, so I had no idea if he was even coming to the room.

So one day, I pretended to sleep and pinched my thigh to stay awake, but when our eyes met as he came in late, he immediately turned around and left. At this point, I wasn’t just getting heated, I was furious.

‘He clearly feels desire for me, so why is he like that?’

Hey, you punk!

Still, I didn’t want to get entangled with the protagonist as an enemy and end up being executed. I thought I should at least build up my skills to match him before attempting seduction again.

‘Moderately, just enough to look plausible to others.’

Once I had a goal, I became more passionate about studying, which was already intense.

‘For a pleasant first night!’