Liana is fond of drinking. However, she isn’t one to get drunk easily. As a result, she ends up drinking large amounts to reach a state of inebriation.

It wouldn’t be accurate to label her as an alcohol addict, but it is true that she enjoys her  drinks.

Furthermore, as one of the top class heroes, the fortune she amassed over the years at the African front is staggering.

Such that even after splurging on millions worth of  drinks, it hardly makes a dent in her bank account.

“Ha ha ha…!”

That’s why incidents of her drinking excessively and becoming half-drunk occur.

Her face is flushed red. Her complexion loudly announces ‘I have been drinking’ as if it were written in big letters.

And the corners of her mouth are playfully turned up. Despite usually maintaining a pleasant smile for the sake of her image, right now, she seems preoccupied with giggling away.

“Here, have a drink! Wearysila’s Droplets, this one is in my top 10 favorite liquors!”

Liana offered a glass containing a blue liquid to the side. There Atra sat, soothing her insides by sipping warm milk with a greenish complexion.

“No thanks. You drink it.”

“Aww, came all this way to drink just a few glasses then stop? No matter how weak to alcohol our Atra is, that’s a bit…”

“Just shut up and drink it yourself.”

Liana let out a quiet laugh at the rather curt response. Perhaps she found it ridiculous how she always paraded around with a kind expression for image management?

‘Keek, how pathetic.’

Even if Atra pretends otherwise, her expression is flushed too. Always prancing around with raised eyebrows acting superior, Atra is weak to alcohol.

There’s proof in how her manner of speech has changed.

‘No’, ‘Yes’, ‘I don’t want to’ – her usually stiff and formal tone has given way to much more ordinary speech.

Meaning, her true feelings are beginning to show. It was intentional. Atra is so guarded that unless she’s drunk, she’ll just wear a strange mask and repeat formal answers like a parrot.

“Student Lee Hayul, aren’t you being a little too harsh on him?”

Now that the mood was ripe, Liana delved into the heart of the matter. Atra’s hand abruptly stopped.

“You could be a little kinder to him, couldn’t you? Do you have to press him so hard?”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Atra frowned deeply, slamming the glass containing warmed milk onto the table with a thud.

“Kinder? Pressuring? Hell, do I have the luxury to do that?”

“Hmm…”

Liana looked taken aback. She had merely meant to prod a little before getting to the main point, but Atra’s reaction was quite vehement.

Rolling her eyes, Liana began to speak.

“…I know the situation isn’t all that rosy.”

Lee Hayul is a special admissions student. The first of his kind in Shio-ram, without precedent.

If you ask about the origins of the current top-ranking heroes, eight or nine out of ten are from the cradle, Shio-ram.

The blessing of growth granted there is monstrous, and Shio-ram is unparalleled as an institution for breeding superhumans.

There being no equal, Shio-ram yearns for diverse human resources. It’s a sort of virtuous cycle.

For such a place, Lee Hayul is a first.

It draws attention. Naturally.

The problem is not all of this attention is benevolent.

“The Principal, this crazy bastard. What the hell is he thinking…”

Atra clasped her throbbing head. The thought of it alone made her dizzy.

Positive attention… what level of potential did he have for the Principal to admit him with special admissions? Could he be brought over to our faction later? It would be nice if he could participate in the future purification operation of Mara…

Negative attention… what level of potential did he have for the Principal to admit him with special admissions?

Let’s nip the bud early.

Even after the great cataclysm 200 years ago, there have been countless changes in the world, but humanity as a species – emotions and desires – have immutable aspects.

In short, there are always bastards beyond common moral judgment regardless of place or time.

Atra had received help from the previous Principal in the past. Although it wasn’t exactly a salvation for her life, it was enough to be considered a debt.

Of course, even that help was only through the Vice-Principal.

Anyway, using that debt as grounds, the Principal requested that Atra take responsibility for teaching the special admissions student.

The problem is that there’s been nothing further to say since then. That was the end of it. Suddenly, the Vice-Principal shows up in an internal Shio-ram meeting saying ‘we’ve selected a special admissions student’ but there was no follow-up.

“Damn it. Shouldn’t there be more measures?”

Just bringing him over, and that’s it?

Shouldn’t there be something like ‘we selected him for this reason as a special admission student. He’s a student I brought in, so please look after him. Educate him well from now on. He’s under my protection, so you’ll be in trouble if you cross him’… and so on?

Why are there no further measures? The lack of proper action caused Atra a great deal of stress and confusion.

Everyone knows that the Principal has virtually stopped being active for the past few decades. The Vice-Principal is the one who handles activities within Shio-ram.

According to the Vice-Principal, the final decisions rest with the Principal, and all he does is follow those decisions, but the Principal hasn’t been seen in public, formal or informal, for decades.

After so many years of silence, they broke it. The Vice-Principal directly mentioned ‘a decision made by the Principal after deep contemplation.’ And so, they selected the special admissions student.

End.

This delicate handling made people harbor various suspicions.

It also attracts unfortunate interest.

Within Shio-ram, it’s fine. The Tower of Growth is here, and although silent, the Principal is still present.

Shio-ram, which has existed for over a hundred and twenty years, has never allowed a single invasion or let its students be harmed.

“Damn it…”

But what about outside? The Principal’s protection does not extend beyond our walls. Cases have proven it. Outside the cradle lies a harsh reality. There is nothing to be done about unfavorable events happening outside.

If Lee Hayul is alone and cannot solve a problem for himself outside, it’s the end.

You can’t keep protecting him forever. It’s not feasible to stick with him for life.

Assign a guard? What level of guard, and can that guard truly protect him in all circumstances? If Hayul doesn’t overcome a crisis beyond the guard’s ability, when danger looms over his throat…

Gritting her teeth, Atra became overwhelmed with emotion, as if ignited with fire.

– Stop worrying! It’s not like we’re going alone, but in a party! You’re too concerned! Am I that worthless to you?

An annoying memory resurfaced. It always happened when with Lee Hayul.

That’s why she aimed to rapidly enhance his power. At least to the extent that he could protect himself if misfortune struck.

From the second day on, she had him hold a weapon and sparred with him. From the perspective of an active superhuman, it wasn’t particularly harsh.

Still, she knew it was a demanding schedule for Lee Hayul, who had only recently awakened and was still a freshman.

Typically, you elevate the basic physical level first. Jamming techniques into a weak body is exceedingly inefficient.

You bring the body up to the standards of a superhuman first, then teach skills appropriate for a superhuman.

But Lee Hayul was different.

The basic blessing of growth provided, the amplified performance due to the special admissions, the steep curve of growth from a recent awakening, the absorbing capacity for lecture materials that was almost suspicious.

Based on her rough assessment, Lee Hayul had the potential to handle the schedule. He could simultaneously improve his physical level and his skills. As time went by, she was more and more certain of this.

“Ugh…”

Liana intermittently waved away the waves of Atra’s grumbling. The reaction was more intense than she imagined. It seemed Atra had quite a lot of pent-up frustrations.

Liana knew a bit about Atra’s past too.

She once had a disciple. They met by chance. At that time, Atra was a high-ranking hero, and the disciple was just a normal academy student.

Despite being prickly, Atra had a soft heart. She’s the type who doesn’t stand out much because of her physical weakness, like someone strong outwardly but gentle at heart.

And she once gave that disciple all her earnest affection. As her first disciple, she tried to teach as much as possible even though her methods were unskilled.

The disciple, aware of that dedication, followed Atra like an elder sister, bonding like a family.

─She had a disciple. Now she doesn’t.

“I don’t know what the Principal is thinking, but you’re right – we need to get stronger as quickly as possible. If we get complacent because we think there’s time, it may be irreversible.”

The political situation had been strange nowadays. The number of monsters emerging from Mara had been steadily increasing. Villains escaping into Mara and causing havoc worldwide were also on the rise. While not yet prominent, the frequency of dungeon formations has been gradually increasing too.

It feels as though a significant event will happen soon. That’s the mood going around these days.

“…and during such times, it makes no sense to be at leisure…”

Atra sprawled her body onto the table as she muttered, her voice slurred as if the alcohol had suddenly hit her.

“I get it. The situation is tough, so get stronger quickly, I get that… but you can still say kind words, can’t you?”

Atra might not have been entirely coherent, but she said what needed to be said.

“If you carry on like this, student Lee Hayul might end up resenting you. That’s not good for either of you, right? Wouldn’t it be better to just explain the situation?”

Liana patted Atra’s back as she spoke, but Atra shook her head.

Resentment? What an absurd notion. For Atra, it might have been for the better.

No more disciples ever again. Her current education duties were only temporary due to the Principal’s request.

She’d only teach Lee Hayul enough so he wouldn’t end up swept away and perish senselessly. After that, it was none of her concern.

“It doesn’t matter. Let him resent me. That’s actually better…”

Watching Atra, broken-record-like in her repetition, Liana sighed deeply.

‘What a mess.’

She understood the sentiment. Atra didn’t want to get emotionally attached. She disliked the idea of becoming close due to past wounds, yet she couldn’t stand the thought of Lee Hayul getting hurt in some trouble.

The situation being what it was, it’s best to drive him hard to grow as fast as possible. Being treated harshly, naturally, the resentment would be directed at her, which, in her mind, was preferable.

“Better to be resented than to die…”

‘So stubborn…’

There was no answer to this. At least for Liana, there seemed no further room to press.

She sighed heavily once more.

* * *

The next day.

Waking up late in the morning, Atra opened the curtains to the sunlight and spoke.

“Damn…”

It’s difficult for a superhuman of the highest category to get drunk. Though there are liquors suited for superhumans, for someone whose body has evolved to the extreme like Atra, getting drunk is tough.

If she willingly accepts the sensation of intoxication, she can indeed get drunk. That’s what happened yesterday. Somehow, her emotions became heightened, and she fully gave in to the drunkenness.

It happens that you may drink too much and lose the memory of the night before. Not so with Atra. Yesterday’s memories are vividly recalled.

What a shitty morning. Like spitting out bile, Atra stood up, her mood tainted.

Atra lived in housing within the Shio-ram premises. She wasn’t the only one; most professors did so.

As she straightened out her attire, the scent of alcohol that had seeped into her clothing and even her skin deeply furrowed her brow. Just how much had she imbibed the night before…

Stepping out onto the balcony connected to her second-floor bedroom, she took a deep breath. The crisp morning air filled her lungs.

But the memories of the previous day soiled her mood once again.

– Sszztt.

“Phew…”

As a result, she reached for a cigarette she hadn’t touched in a while. She would always have one in her mouth on the front, but she’d grown so sick of it that she had chucked them aside.

Now a spontaneous urge made her pick it up. She plucked out a cigarette, ignited it with a flick of her fingers, and inhaled the coarse yet refreshing smoke.

It was a blend known for its excellent calming effects, a go-to product for Atra.

Suddenly recalling the date, she checked her smartwatch.

[ Tuesday AM 10:32 ]

Tuesday. The day when the freshmen return from the dungeon practice.

“……”

Atra looked at the time with a complex expression. Starting tomorrow, she needed to resume Lee Hayul’s training.

Dressed in casual clothes, she left the house. The gloomy mood motivated her to get her body moving.

At an appropriate pace… given her physical capabilities, she traversed the premises rapidly. It wasn’t long before the training facilities came into view in the distance.

As well as a small male student near them.

‘Ah.’

The Shio-ram uniform with a robe thrown over it. A large backpack was strapped to his back, with two daggers and several pouches hung around his waist.

It was equipment provided by Atra. Though The Tower of Growth may not be aware, it’s permissible to carry such equipment for dungeon practices.

And the magic wand hanging alongside the backpack looked almost comical. Yet due to its owner’s appearance, it seemed more charming than ridiculous.

He must have just come out of the dungeon.

“……”

With a complex look, Atra stepped forward. Her destination was the training facility behind Lee Hayul.

She considered turning back for a moment, but since he was already right at the entrance, and it felt silly to detour, she continued straight on.

– Trudge trudge.

Suddenly, Lee Hayul turned sharply in her direction. This reaction made Atra narrow her eyes slightly.

‘The distance…’

It had increased. Nearly 300 meters remained between them. Yet, he sensed her presence. Even against her, who always minimizes her own presence.

‘…Has his perception improved?’

The speed of his growth was steep. On the first day of class, he wouldn’t notice her until she was right up close. Now, from this distance, he was immediately aware.

She hadn’t reduced her presence as much as that time, but nonetheless, it was a remarkable development.

While it was heartening, it stirred an indescribable feeling.

The distance closed.

Lee Hayul approached too, seemingly intending to exchange greetings now that they had met.

“Have you finished with all your schedules?”

Atra initiated conversation as a matter of form. With such a reduced distance, Lee Hayul began to manipulate his smartwatch.

Actually, he tried to. The hand set to move stopped. His stepping feet halted.

“Hmm?”

Lee Hayul stood frozen, not showing any sign of movement. After a moment, his head tilted. His response suggested something puzzled him.

– Sniff sniff.

Lee Hayul’s nose twitched. At that instant, his body jerked once.

‘What’s that?’

The reaction was puzzling.

However, it was far from as violent as his subsequent actions.

Lee Hayul had not protested against the harsh training.

He hadn’t asked why. He had never inquired why such a schedule was set up. He hadn’t shown any resentment towards the cold and rigid Atra.

Even when Atra absentmindedly forgot to bring him water due to being preoccupied, he showed no signs of sulking.

Even when there was an occasion provoking a blunt query, he simply followed her instructions dutifully, as if trusting in Atra.

That Lee Hayul.

“Ugh…”

He grimaced in every way possible, stepping back. Overt disgust passed over his face. His withdrawal had the appearance of someone distancing themselves from repulsion.

– Thump!

“……”

It was a dizzying sensation, like a heavy boulder slamming down.

Atra’s eyes trembled tremulously.