When Yohan withdrew his sword, the scene that had been hidden by the curtain of shadow slowly came back into view.
A shadow formed beneath him again.
When everything had returned, Do-cheol opened his mouth.
"You both possess good swords."
"Thank you, sir."
"Judging by the shape of your Ego Swords, you must have S-grade abilities.... What Academy do you intend to enter?"
Neither of them answered.
Yohan did not step forward first because he was curious how Seo-yun would respond in the first place, and Seo-yun hesitated, perhaps for reasons of her own.
At that, Seo-yun's father, Gyeom-ha, opened his mouth.
"What are you doing? Answer him at once!"
At Gyeom-ha's forceful words, Seo-yun's body trembled slightly.
Then she gripped her sword tightly and lowered her head a little.
"My brother.... I intend to attempt entering the same Swordsmanship Academy as my elder brother."
Do-cheol nodded at Seo-yun's words.
"Is that your will?"
"That is...."
It was not Seo-yun's will.
Seo-yun wanted to say that she wished to enter Pluton Academy, but she could not.
If she was to inherit the family's swordsmanship and stand behind Byeong-yun, she had to attend the same Academy, the Swordsmanship Academy.
'Tsk. If she enters the Swordsmanship Academy, nothing changes from before. But if the Ice Witch enters Pluton and learns magic?'
Yohan could understand why Seo-yun, who would become the Ice Witch, had to remain the Hangeom Family's number two.
'I absolutely can't let that happen. Somehow, I'll raise her into a witch specialized in magic and devour her.'
While Seo-yun trailed off for a moment, Yohan stepped in front of her and patted her shoulder.
"Go on chasing your elder brother's tail for the rest of your life."
It was a small spark meant to take advantage of Seo-yun's fiery personality.
She resented Yohan for saying that without knowing anything.
'What does a branch line like you know...?'
Originally, her older brother Byeong-yun had also made countless efforts to enter Pluton Academy.
Because Pluton Academy taught every technique related to the Ego Weapons of the Twelve Family Heads, Byeong-yun had wanted to enter Pluton Academy and learn magic.
However, because he had to inherit the Family's sword, he had chosen the Swordsmanship Academy and had to polish his sword.
Byeong-yun was not someone whose emotions showed easily on his face, but when his dream had collapsed, his expression had twisted so clearly that even others could see it.
'My brother gave up so much to choose the Family's sword....'
She wanted to rush at Yohan right then and demand what he knew.
Whether he knew the pressure carried by the direct line, the weight of the Family.
Of course, Yohan also knew that story about Byeong-yun.
At one point, he had even asked Byeong-yun after he became the Sword God.
―Is swinging only a sword fun?
―No. How could it be?
―Then why are you doing it?
―Because I am an adult.
The time when one had to distinguish between what one wanted to do and what one knew how to do.
At that time, Byeong-yun had made his choice.
The current Byeong-yun would probably think he had been forced into that choice without knowing it, but he would soon realize.
That this was something only he could do.
Yohan stepped forward before Seo-yun.
"I intend to go to Pluton Academy."
At Yohan's words, people began murmuring.
Do these people start murmuring every time I say a word?
"A branch line ignoring the direct line's custom and entering Pluton to accept the sorcery of other Families...."
"This makes no sense. Family Head! At Pluton, he cannot learn the pure swordsmanship of the Hangeom Family!"
"That child, too, should enter the Swordsmanship Academy under Byeong-yun and learn swordsmanship!"
The noisy people soon quieted when Do-cheol cleared his throat.
"Is that your will?"
"Yes, it is my will."
"Why do you intend to enter Pluton?"
"Pluton is a place where only the best of the best among Hunter trainees gather."
"And?"
"I belong among those high flyers, so I intend to enter. To put it bluntly, I am trying to find a place suited to my level."
I have to recruit people from now on, so if possible, a place where only skilled people gather would be better, wouldn't it?
The people, dumbfounded by Yohan's words, criticized him.
"You ignorant branch line!"
"Foolish boy! Who are your parents?!"
"Enter the Swordsmanship Academy and carry on the Family's will!"
Yohan frowned as he looked at the direct-line members who were running their mouths.
For a moment, goosebumps rose on the direct-line members' skin, and they began to feel a shuddering chill.
When they sensed Yohan's killing intent, the direct-line members could not calm their anger, but they closed their mouths.
"I merely asked whether that was your will."
"It is my will and my choice."
"Very well...."
Do-cheol looked at Seo-yun.
"Seo-yun."
At his call, Seo-yun immediately knelt on one knee and answered.
"Yes, sir."
"The Swordsmanship Academy. Is that truly your will?"
"That is...."
Seo-yun watched the eyes of the direct-line members.
All of them were signaling to Seo-yun to say yes.
Then what Yohan had just said flashed through her mind.
A small spark lit a fire and burned away the knot in Seo-yun's heart.
―Go on chasing your elder brother's tail for the rest of your life.
Seo-yun squeezed her eyes shut.
'My goal isn't to inherit my brother's path. My goal is to surpass him and be recognized by the Family!'
Then Seo-yun answered in a trembling voice.
"No, sir."
"What is your will?"
"I, I want to enter Pluton Academy!"
"Why is that?"
"Because I want to enter and become a Hunter even greater than my elder brother!"
Do-cheol listened to Seo-yun's words and nodded.
At that, the direct-line members looked at Do-cheol and carefully opened their mouths.
"Family Head, this makes no sense. The second daughter surpassing the eldest son?"
"Leaving that aside, her attitude of refusing to inherit the Family's swordsmanship cannot be recognized in one of the direct line."
"That is correct. It may be one thing for an ignorant branch line, but...."
Do-cheol struck the armrest of his chair once.
"Think about what benefits our Family! Is it beneficial to trample growing sprouts?"
The direct-line members began glancing at one another.
"No, sir."
"If you understand, then the Awakening Ceremony will end here. Seo-yun and Yohan, the two of you shall apply to Pluton Academy."
"U-Understood."
"Understood."
Then Do-cheol rose from his seat, laughing heartily as if satisfied.
"Ha ha! This batch of children is worth looking forward to! The Awakening Ceremony ends here!"
When Do-cheol moved, the other direct-line members began following after him.
"The branch line muddied all the water!"
"What on earth did he do to Seo-yun?!"
"I thought she was an obedient child...."
Each leaving one comment behind, they exited the main house.
As if her strength had given out, Seo-yun sank to the floor where she was.
Leaving Seo-yun there, Yohan went outside the main house.
When he went outside, Byeong-yun was there.
As soon as Byeong-yun saw Yohan, he bowed at the waist.
"Thank you."
"You heard everything?"
"Yeah. I didn't want Seo-yun to walk the same path as me. And she should live her own life. Not just look only at me."
"Oh, really?"
Yohan called Mi-suk and headed home.
Byeong-yun looked at Yohan as he left, then immediately went inside the main house.
There, Seo-yun was still drained of strength.
"Brother...."
When Seo-yun saw Byeong-yun, she began to tear up, then fell into his arms.
"Did I do the right thing?"
Byeong-yun stroked Seo-yun's hair.
"Yes. You did well. You did what I couldn't."
At that, the main house filled with the sound of Seo-yun crying.
***
Yohan and Mi-suk returned home in a Hangeom Family vehicle.
"Yo-Yohan, welcome. Yo-Yohan, welco...."
When he opened the front door, the grotesque-looking jointed doll welcomed him.
"Yeah, I'm back. Mother."
Yohan looked at the Hangeom Family member standing by the door and Mi-suk.
"What are you doing? Send Mother to the place where she will receive treatment."
"U-Understood."
The driver in a black suit could not hide his flustered expression.
Calling that grotesque jointed doll his mother?
When Mi-suk nudged him with her elbow, only then did he begin to move.
"This way, please...."
"Th-Thank you. Th-Thank you."
When the driver loaded the jointed doll into the car, Yohan waved and went inside the house.
Yohan took Mi-suk to the living room.
Then he sat on the sofa.
Perhaps because she had grown comfortable around him now, Mi-suk also sat in front of him.
"You really did it. The Awakening Ceremony."
"What did I tell you? I told you to choose well, didn't I?"
"Yes, that is true."
"What do you think? Does it seem like you made a good choice now?"
"Yes. I will continue watching you, but for now, I will assist you and provide information."
Yohan nodded.
"Pluton Academy.... Will it be possible?"
"Why even ask? Of course it's possible."
Looking at Yohan speaking so casually, Mi-suk sighed.
"I thought one burden had finally been lifted, but you are creating more work again."
"Work is something you have to keep doing without rest."
"That is not what I meant."
Yohan guessed what Mi-suk was worried about.
Pluton Academy.
That place was different from other Academies.
The first difference was its enrollment quota.
Basically, Academies divided students into martial and academic tracks, then divided them even further within those tracks.
Because of that, it was normal for them to accommodate more than 1,000 people, but Pluton was not like that.
Only 200 people. It accepted only the members from Class S to Class F.
Because it was a place entered by a select few elites, all the skilled people in the country gathered there, and even students from overseas came to study there.
As much as that, the prestige of the Academy established by the Twelve Families pierced the sky, and its educational results were as clear as that prestige.
'Those who graduated from the Academy were A-grade at worst.'
Pluton Academy, which was meritocracy in the truest sense, had an expulsion system.
If there was someone whose skill fell behind, whether they were in Class S or Class F, they were expelled on the spot without question.
That became the foundation for raising a select few elite, the finest Hunters.
Because it was a place where Class S could become Class F, and Class F could become Class S, it was not necessarily good even if one started in Class S and maintained top grades.
"Now then, shall we get moving?"
Yohan rose from his seat and loosened up.
Then he headed to the second floor, where his room was.
"Mi-suk, you come along too."
"Why should I?"
"What do you mean, why? You need to teach me."
Mi-suk did not know what she was supposed to teach him, but for now, she followed Yohan to his room.
As soon as Yohan entered the room, he opened the book he had and abruptly began reading it.
Then he began asking Mi-suk about the book's contents.
"Mi-suk, what is this hat-looking thing?"
"That is called a root."
"A root? Why is there English in math?"
"Well, because foreign mathematicians discovered it...."
There was no need for things like roots or limits when killing people.
Did he need math in the first place?
As long as he knew addition and subtraction, he could count people's heads.
Yohan stroked his chin and began turning the book one page at a time.
"What are you doing right now? Surely...."
"What else would I be doing? I need to study. I'm trying to enter Pluton."
Mi-suk placed a hand on her forehead as if her head were throbbing and looked at Yohan.
"The thing is... the exam day is tomorrow."
"I know. That's why I started moving on February 15, isn't it?"