Chapter 7: Revealing Abilities (1)

 

After easily clearing the 10th stage, which I thought would be challenging.

 

I watched the others take their tests with a much lighter heart.

 

…Sitting close to Alice.

 

“Yujin, how can you fight so well? Just thinking about it scares me….”

 

-Squish. Squish.

 

‘Wow, her skin is really firm… No, what am I thinking, this is like sexual harassment.’

 

My rational mind shouted.

 

Your body may be twenty, but your mind is thirty-five.

 

And you’re getting aroused by someone much younger? Are you out of your mind?

 

She’s still in her early twenties. Get a grip.

 

But my instincts were honest.

 

Wow, this is Alice, and she’s my wife.

 

It was a big problem that my lower body kept reacting.

 

“Yujin… Yujin? What’s wrong?”

 

“Oh, ah, no. It’s just, um… I enjoy fighting….”

 

Despite showing a cool side, I fumbled awkwardly.

 

Alice, unaware of my feelings, chattered on.

 

In the distance…

 

-Mumble mumble.

 

“I can’t believe it. Who does she think she is?”

 

‘I’m sorry, Shia…!!!’

 

My second wife, Yu Shia, was standing with her arms crossed, glaring this way.

 

…I knew how she felt.

 

I finally found a perfect candidate for my dad’s guild.

 

So I even dealt with the rampaging reporters.

 

But now I’m chatting with this pink-haired girl, not even glancing her way.

 

Ah, so annoying. When will this conversation end?

 

She must be feeling irritated.

 

Feeling a bit sorry, I glanced at her cautiously.

 

“Hmm. Yujin, do you know that girl?”

 

“Uh, yeah?”

 

“You keep looking elsewhere instead of at me.”

 

“…….”

 

Alice pouted.

 

I had delayed my response while gauging the situation, and it seemed that even she felt a bit hurt.

 

I had no choice but to explain.

 

“You know the Cheonhwa Clan, right? She’s the clan leader’s daughter. Yu Shia.”

 

“…Really?!”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Alice’s eyes widened at the mention of Cheonhwa.

 

It was a natural reaction.

 

The Cheonhwa Clan, the strongest in South Korea, was renowned even overseas.

 

Being the third daughter of the clan leader was akin to being a second-generation chaebol.

 

“See that outfit? It probably costs a few billion won.”

 

“A few billion won!?”

 

The clothes she was wearing were top-tier luxury.

 

Made from fabrics rarely found in gates.

 

An ‘artifact’ that enhanced abilities, a special gear for the awakened.

 

…Though she felt embarrassed by the scantiness every time she wore it, anyway.

 

Only then did Alice look at me with renewed eyes.

 

“I thought Yujin was looking because she was sexy.”

 

“…….”

 

‘That’s partly true too.’

 

For various reasons, she wears it, but…

 

She always ends up throwing it into the closet out of embarrassment.

 

Seeing her dressed like that was a rare sight.

 

So, of course, my eyes were drawn to her.

 

But I couldn’t explain that, so I just laughed it off.

 

“Anyway. So, Alice, how far do you think you’ll go?”

 

“I…”

 

“Number 23, Cadet Alice Littenwood. Step forward.”

 

“Ah.”

 

As we were talking, it was Alice’s turn.

 

She stood up, smiling as if reluctant.

 

“I’ll show you directly. Actually, I’m quite strong.”

 

“……?”

 

‘She wasn’t this confident in the first round.’

 

* * *

 

After being laughed at by Alice.

 

Yu Shia was biding her time.

 

When that vixen went to take her test, she would steal the seat next to the future S-rank.

 

When she returned from her test, Yu Shia wanted to be sitting next to him, making her grind her teeth just like she was doing now.

 

The opportunity came quickly.

 

“Cadet Alice Littenwood….”

 

‘Now’s the time!’

 

“Sis, I’m heading back now.”

 

As soon as Alice left, Yu Shia made a beeline for Yujin.

 

Yujin’s eyes met hers.

 

-Smirk.

 

‘As expected. She came right over.’

 

“What’s a celebrity want with me?”

 

“…!!!?”

 

‘Wow… this is amazing.’

 

Her anger subsided with just one smile from him.

 

She hadn’t realized from a distance, but seeing him up close?

 

Even someone with her high standards was momentarily taken aback by how handsome he was.

 

Moreover,

 

-Heartbeat.

 

‘But he looks strangely familiar….’

 

Déjà vu.

 

Although it was her first time meeting him, she felt a welcoming familiarity as if she had known him for decades.

 

Her fierce expression softened with embarrassment.

 

‘Does my outfit look weird? Ugh, what if he thinks I’m the kind of girl who wears this sort of thing?’

 

“So, um, I watched your fight earlier….”

 

“Yeah. Oh, right. The fact that the reporters didn’t cause a commotion was thanks to you, right? Thanks.”

 

“…Yeah.”

 

‘He’s kind too!’

 

Her voice grew quieter.

 

She had planned to stick close and enchant him like that vixen just did.

 

But feeling embarrassed, she twisted her legs and covered her open chest with her hands.

 

The plain nature of Yu Shia, an inherently simple character, showed through.

 

Contrary to the confident persona she had put on as the youngest daughter of the strongest guild.

 

Yujin smiled ambiguously.

 

“……?”

 

‘What is this? She should be clinging to me like before, but why is she acting the opposite of Alice?’

 

She was behaving completely differently from how she had in the first round.

 

He had expected her to boast about her guild and be overconfident since he had helped her out.

 

But there was no sign of that.

 

‘Could it be… She doesn’t like it when things are too easy!?’

 

A misunderstanding bloomed.

 

The difference between the first and second rounds lay in how he cleared the tenth stage.

 

In the first round, where he struggled and barely succeeded, she had shown favor.

 

In the second round, where he easily overpowered it, things were awkward…

 

Ah! She likes it when victory comes with struggle!

 

On the other hand, Alice prefers overwhelming power!

 

He had no idea his wives had such preferences.

 

He hadn’t realized this in the first round due to hypnosis.

 

It was a big misunderstanding.

 

‘I expected to get along well with Shia from day one… I really didn’t understand these girls.’

 

“Do you want to sit down? You came because you had something to say, right?”

 

“Yeah….”

 

Yu Shia sat down gently.

 

She sat more than 70 centimeters away from Yujin.

 

Unlike Alice, who had clung to him so closely that their skin touched.

 

‘Uh… what should I say first? Ask her to join the Cheonhwa Clan? No, that sounds too cheap. Um, well….’

 

“…….”

 

‘I can’t believe he didn’t even ask my name… This is so awkward.’

 

One side was too embarrassed, and the other felt too awkward, leading to silence.

 

Nearly 30 seconds of silence passed between them.

 

———That silence was shattered by a powerful explosion.

 

-KABOOM!!!!

 

“…Ah!!?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

Both of their gazes turned to the same place.

 

The center of the training ground where the cadets were taking their entrance exams, inside the barrier.

 

Alice, who had just left, was holding a staff and flashing a V-sign at Yujin.

 

‘Trying to make a move on Yujin while I’m gone? Not a chance.’

 

“…What is that?”

 

‘That vixen really uses fire magic!?’

 

Yu Shia’s face flashed with astonishment.

 

The flames swirling around Alice and the staff in her hand made it clear that her abilities belonged to the rare and precious category of magic users among the awakened. And they were very powerful.

 

‘Damn, I don’t like her… but do I have to be friends with her too?’

 

As a clan executive, she was an invaluable recruit.

 

But personally, she was an infuriating nuisance.

 

For the first time, the tongue that had been stuttering out of embarrassment moved properly.

 

“She’s pretty good.”

 

“Yeah, right…? I didn’t know she was that strong.”

 

‘What the hell. Why is she so strong?’

 

On the other hand, Yujin was bewildered.

 

He knew Alice’s innate abilities and their level.

 

『Fiery Master (A Rank) – Reduces mana consumption and casting time when using fire-based magic. Enhances power and range.』

 

‘An A-rank skill with that level of destructive power, and from the entrance exam? This doesn’t make sense.’

 

The difference was the firepower.

 

With his rich experience, he could tell just by the sound that the magic Alice used was extraordinary.

 

As a result, both of them focused their attention on Alice.

 

“You were amazing, but she’s also incredible. To annihilate everything with firepower.”

 

‘I don’t like her, though.’

 

“Yeah. It’s unbelievable.”

 

‘What’s going on? This is completely different from before the regression. I’d believe it if someone said she had an S-rank skill.’

 

Breaking away from the awkward atmosphere, they continued their conversation.

 

Meanwhile, Alice steadily advanced through the stages.

 

Stage 2, Stage 3. Stage 4. Stage 5.

 

Stage 6.

 

‘In the first round, she gave up at Stage 7 because she couldn’t overpower it in one blow and got scared….’

 

-BOOM!!!

 

‘Another one-hit? That’s not A-rank!’

 

Alice easily passed the stage she had struggled with before the regression.

 

Finally, she stopped at Stage 8.

 

“This is enough for me.”

 

“Aren’t you going to challenge Stage 9?”

 

“I don’t think I can handle that one.”

 

Alice Littenwood.

 

Final score: Forfeited at Stage 9.

 

Yu Shia’s expression showed disappointment.

 

‘She’s on par with me? Why her, of all people!?’

 

“…….”

 

‘What’s going on? Could Alice have regressed too…? No, that’s not possible. If she had regressed, she would have clung to me immediately.’

 

Yujin was also visibly perplexed.

 

Only Alice, who had finished her test, remained calm.

 

And then…

 

“Yujin, how did I do?”

 

“Yeah. You were strong….”

 

“Of course. You couldn’t take your eyes off me.”

 

-Smirk.

 

‘Sorry, Yu Shia.’

 

———Alice immediately went into tea-bagging mode.

 

Her relaxed smile reignited the fading fury in Yu Shia.

 

“…Huh?”

 

‘Is this vixen serious? There are limits to being sneaky.’

 

Every nuance in her gaze was crystal clear.

 

When men and women are together, Yujin only looked at me. How unattractive must you be for that to happen?

 

Well. Even when you walk around so scantily dressed, all you show is the typical flat Asian body, so it’s no wonder.

 

Oops. My chest feels heavy. Better support it with my arms.

 

The sound of teeth grinding filled the air.

 

“Whew. Hey, you. Alice Littenwood, right? I saw your test. You’re pretty good.”

 

“Haha. Thanks for the compliment.”

 

“…But, I’m stronger.”

 

The two stood face to face.

 

Alice’s confident smile clashed sharply with Yu Shia’s challenging eyes.

 

Only Yujin was flustered.

 

‘What is this, some kind of battle manga scenario…? This didn’t happen in the first round. Huh?’

 

“Number 24, Cadet Yu Shia. Step forward.”

 

“I’ll show you. Yujin. Watch carefully.”

 

Yu Shia’s eyes burned with anger and determination.

 

“I’ll make it so you can’t take your eyes off me.”