After finishing up the magic communication with Kim Yu-Sohn, Sae-Jin shared breakfast with Yu Sae-Jung.
"Ah, right. Oppa, a few days ago, I saw a person who looked strangely like you."
Although his head was still aching due to the serious nature of the communication he had just now, those words coming out of Yu Sae-Jung’s mouth held more than enough power to make him pay close attention.
"What do you mean by that...?" (Sae-Jin)
Feeling guilty, Sae-Jin responded as quick as the flash of light as soon as she finished saying her words.
"Ah, well, the thing is, I took on the job of an instructor for the Knight evaluation exams’ duels. That’s where I saw that person." (Yu Sae-Jung)
"...Really?"
"Mm. On top of that, even though he was supposed to be a cadet, I was really surprised because he was so much stronger than any other cadets there. Maybe it’s true that there’s a doppelganger resembling each of us out there somewhere. With Oppa, and that guy, it was really strange, you know? It was su~per interesting."
While speaking, Yu Sae-Jung took a sneaky glance at Sae-Jin’s direction to see his reaction, whether he’d show some form of jealousy with this... However, all he did was put the spoon down rather coldly without showing an expression.
"...What’s the matter? It doesn’t taste good again?" (Yu Sae-Jung)
Seeing this, Yu Sae-Jung asked, slightly worried.
"Ah, no. It’s not that, just.... Kinda curious, since you say he resembles me. So, what happened to that cadet?" (Sae-Jin)
"Oh, that. Well, even I’m unhappy regarding that part. I was planning to persuade him at the completion ceremony, you know? But it turns out, he had already refused invitations from all the other Knights Orders, including the Raven. I asked around, and apparently, he’s applying to enter Eden." (Yu Sae-Jung)
"Really?"
She then nodded her head.
"Ng, right. Eden’s entry barrier is uselessly tough, but then, their treatment of the members is lots worse when compared to the Dawn... Sure, your ranks might rise nice and easy during the evaluation exams since there’s the special consideration applied when working for Eden, but still, I can’t understand why he made a choice like that."
She began to sing like a canary all on her own. But she still hadn’t spoken about the most important part yet.
"...So, does that mean Eden is going to drop him, then?" (Sae-Jin)
"Huh? What have you been listening to, Oppa? I said, even I was surprised by him, you know? He’s obviously been accepted." (Yu Sae-Jung)
"For real?"
"Yeah. I asked directly, via my dad. I was planning to snag him after a half year’s wait if he got dropped, but, oh well." (Yu Sae-Jung)
Maintaining the best poker-face he could make, Sae-Jin nodded.
It was done. As soon as he displayed an almighty growth without restraint and reach the upper Mid Tier, then...
"Oppa, you weren’t listening to me again just now, were you? What were you thinking about? Is it another woman?" (Yu Sae-Jung)
"...Huh?! What are talking about?"
"Didn’t you say you are going somewhere with Hazeline Unni soon? Weren’t you thinking about the trip?" (Yu Sae-Jung)
She was making a joke, but her words still contained a slight amount of her true feelings and a bit of worry.
"No way. Besides, that’s just for business. You know, related to Alchemy..."
And so, at the sudden and swift change in the topic of conversation, Sae-Jin began hastily giving away his best excuses.
*
One week later.
Just like the Yu Sae-Jung’s spoiler, Kim Sae-Jin could become an honoured Knight of Eden as Jin Seh-Hahn. It seemed that the Eden’s insignia, made out of pure platinum, possessed a certain magnetic charm that made Knights of other top Orders take envious glances at its wearers.
"Ahjussi, let’s do a good job."
Standing right next to him during the accolade, the knighting ceremony,
was Yi Yu-Jin. He still could clearly remember that after getting defeated at the duels, she cried her eyes out with the thought of failing to enter Eden taking a toll on her. However, her sole aim for the past six years studying in the Academy was just to enter Eden and it seemed such a conviction was rated highly enough by the management of Eden in the end.
"...." (Sae-Jin)
"We’ll be seeing each other lots more in the future, so I don’t think it’s okay to not say anything to your colleague, though?" (Yi Yu-Jin)
During the accolade as well as after its end, when they were walking out of the Tower, Yi Yu-Jin yapped on and on nonstop.
But her chattiness couldn’t continue on forever.
"They are coming out!"
The matter of two Knights emerging from a single exam who got accepted by Eden, was a great source of pride for the whole country, especially considering that there was only one successful entrant in the last three years.
"...What the hell is this?" (Yi Yu-Jin)
Already, countless reporters were camping out in front of the Tower. Yi Yu-Jin and Kim Sae-Jin both narrowed their brows at the same time as the camera flashes exploded all around the two and loud shouts disguised as questions were thrown at them.
"But they never entered the Tower’s grounds before..." (Yi Yu-Jin)
"Both of you! We’d like to hear your thoughts on becoming Eden’s Knights!!" (Unnamed reporter 1)
"We heard that the Knight Jin Seh-Hahn was originally a homeless..." (Unnamed reporter 2)
"Knight Yi Yu-Jin, please turn your pretty face this way!!" (Unnamed reporter 3)
...Sae-Jin had always felt this, but the people from the station MBS who asked that last question were truly a swarm of smelly houseflies.
"Wow, just what is the heck this?" (Yi Yu-Jin)
Yi Yu-Jin panicked and stopped moving as the huge wave of people descended down on her. It was then, Kim Sae-Jin, as Jin Seh-Hahn, sent a meaningful gaze towards her and bravely stepped forward. In all honesty, though, there was no bravery involved here. He had done so many press conferences already, it was like they had become a part of his life at this point in time.
"He’s coming!" (Another unnamed reporter)
The waves of reporters then diverted towards Jin Seh-Hahn instead.
"Please tell us your thoughts!!"
"Are you satisfied with becoming an Eden’s Knight?"
"What are your goals, hey move aside, man!! Now that you’ve become an Eden’s Knight... your goal.... Eu ark!! Help!"
"My goal is... Let’s rescue that guy first before he’s crushed to death." (Sae-Jin)
"Whew-woo. T, thank you very much." (Unnamed reporter)
"My goal is quite simple. It’s to rise to upper Mid Tier within the next six months." (Sae-Jin)
Kim Sae-Jin had no need to lie, nor did he feel like lying in the first place. That was why, on this occasion, he replied truthfully with words that were honest from his perspective, but from the views of the gathered reporters, rather gallant and arrogant.
For a short moment - for about one second or so, the stillness ruled the world. But soon enough, countless camera flashes went off once more. While busy snapping Sae-Jin’s pictures, these reporters were already cooking up headlines that could cause the maximum amount of controversy.
An Eden’s Knight received more advantages in comparison to other Knights within the same Tier. After all, successfully entering Eden meant that one’s abilities and future potential were greater than the others.
But still, becoming a upper Mid Tier Knight within six months? Even a Knight possessing heaven-defying talent and Trait could not hope to achieve such a feat.
"Hahaha. That is quite a bold declaration!! What will follow after that? The world’s greatest Knight? Or better still, the King of the Knights?" (Reporter)
"I aim to become a High Tier Knight within one year. Ah, right. When I say one year, I didn’t mean one year after the six months spent in becoming a upper Mid Tier. It’s one year from now." (Sae-Jin)
Seemingly unaffected by the sarcastic tone of the reporter’s question, Sae-Jin boldly replied. And the intensity of the camera flashes and questions only increased afterwards.
"Uh-whew..."
Using the gap created by the attention of reporters drawn towards Jin Seh-Hahn, Yi Yu-Jin could finally escape the human barrier.
Fin.
(TL: $45 out of $50 left for this week’s gasp fourth sponsored chapter goal.)