Within the grounds of Shio-ram, there are many buildings collectively referred to as ‘banquet halls.’

As the name ‘banquet hall’ suggests, these facilities are constructed for the enjoyment of food and drink, and given their purpose, they are primarily filled with amenities for entertainment.

I arrived at the Third Banquet Hall.

It possesses an exterior reminiscent of an old-fashioned, grand mansion that you might find secluded in the woods, away from the well-trodden paths.

The lush bushes covering the walls didn’t look untended or messy; instead, they lent an even more antique charm.

Inside the walls, a verdant green garden unfolded, with colorful fountains spraying water that brightened the dim surroundings.

‘The facilities are impressive…’

I fine-tuned my spatial perception. The banquet hall’s visage came into view within a moderately extended range. Its sheer size made me tongue-tied.

It was smaller overall compared to the First Banquet Hall, where the freshman welcoming party was held.

The First Banquet Hall is utilized for more significant events, which is why it was constructed with such special attention.

It hosted the welcoming party, and many events inviting external dignitaries are often held there.

Other banquet halls are available for cadets to book, subject to review and approval.

Of course, this doesn’t mean the facilities are subpar. From my perspective, both are absurdly luxurious.

I couldn’t get a proper look at the First Banquet Hall since my spatial perception was like a radar at that time, but I imagine it has a similar ambiance to this one.

Crossing the garden, I entered through the wide-open main gate.

The interior was spacious and open.

On a broad stage set up along one wall, several cadets were busily moving around, and tables laden with food and drinks were scattered throughout.

I had heard about how the after-party would roughly proceed through the chat room.

Nothing special. Just enjoying good food and drinks, hanging out.

Friends sitting together at each table, eating and drinking.

Those wanting to become friends gather to eat and drink…

Occasionally, some events would take place on stage, showcasing various talents while eating, drinking, and playing…

Even just imagining it was exhausting.

‘There are quite a few people.’

Despite my early arrival, the inside was bustling.

Many had arrived early and were chatting with acquaintances. The attire seemed as free-form as announced beforehand.

Unlike me, dressed in my cadet uniform, most were in casual clothes.

As I scanned the area with my spatial perception, lively conversations filled my ears, but other unnecessary noise did not.

I touched my ears, checking their condition.

‘Do I still need to refine it?’

Even after restoring spatial perception, I haven’t discarded my other senses.

If I choose to, I could shut down hearing and touch. I might not go to extremes but can dull them to a level similar to that of the average person.

But I chose not to.

The betrayal I felt entering The Tower of Growth was too fresh; the shock still raw.

Had I not come up with a solution right then, I could have been rendered useless.

That would have been fine if confined to the tower, considering it was part of the trial, but in a real situation, it could have been a disastrous end for me.

To prevent that, I need to analyze why spatial perception malfunctioned and build resistance against it.

Moreover, I should take out insurance, so to speak, to ensure I won’t be incapacitated should it happen again.

Spatial perception has been restored for only a day, but I’ve been consistently adjusting my other senses.

I’ve become quite adept at selectively processing information using my heightened hearing and touch.

Amplifying what’s necessary with enhanced senses, while filtering out what’s not necessary altogether.

It’s a result of applying techniques learned from spatial perception.

The days when Lee Hayul would flinch at a breath on the ear or flop like a fish at a touch are gone.

If I’m put in that situation again… uh… I’ll probably endure.

“Hey, when’s the next entry into The Tower?”

“Dude, you’re high on the thrill. Wake up, it’s at least a couple of months away.”

“I broke through the intermediate strength threshold yesterday.”

“Whoa, crazy gorilla, you already broke through that… But you got wrecked in the tower, right?”

“Dammit…”

Listening to these conversations, it was apparent that most were about the tower entry.

Since this gathering was an after-party for that event, the topic of conversation was more or less set.

Some seemed to be quite friendly, conversing amicably.

Compared to the welcoming party, it looked like many had become closer.

Among them, two male cadets near the entrance appeared particularly friendly.

One cadet had a sturdy build, and the other had a lean, muscular frame.

“If only I hadn’t been wiped out on the first day…”

“That’s your karma. Who told you to pick a fight with a special admissions student on the first day…”

…were they saying?

The one who had been in sync with the disdainful tone trailed off. His speech petered out.

For a moment, his blinking eyes fixated in one direction – my location. His complexion turned pale.

Special admissions student… the cadet who had challenged me turned his head, his shoulders twitching when he saw me.

An awkward silence spread between us.

I had intended to pass by without incident, but we ended up face to face.

After a moment of silence, they tentatively spoke up.

“…Hello?”

“Ah, greetings to you.”

Their awkward salutation was met with my own reticence, and I gave a slight nod.

I took a closer look at them with my spatial perception. They weren’t familiar to me. Both belonged to a different class of cadets.

‘Those guys?’

But it wasn’t that I had never met them.

I pondered for a moment, and then the memory surfaced.

If I was correct, I had encountered these two during the chaos of being chased in The Tower of Growth.

I met the burly one on the first day.

Wielding a massive shield and club, he charged at me, so I quietly unleashed a mana blade strike at his ankles, snatched the club away, and smashed his head.

The lean cadet was the following day.

His spear play was remarkably troublesome to counter.

So I committed to engaging him closely and drove my elbow into his solar plexus, caving it in. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to eliminate him.

…This is awkward enough.

Their evasive attitude became understandable. Regardless of the trials faced in the tower, it’s hard to just smile and greet someone after such an experience.

After exchanging greetings, I moved on. They seemed uncomfortable and graciously cleared the way.

As I walked, memories of the tower flooded back.

The recollection of how I indiscriminately slashed at faces with mana blade strikes without restraint.

The memory of gouging out eyes and tearing throats barehanded when I couldn’t retrieve my weapons.

And various other memories…

At the time, I was too swarmed to care, but thinking about it now, it was… something.

Was I too violent? Of course, I don’t regret using every possible means in a desperate struggle, but…

I sneakily glanced around. There were focused glances coming from all around.

Ever since I entered, an increasing amount of attention was fixed on me, and by now, quite a few glances were directed my way.

While the focus was the same as usual, the emotions behind it seemed to have shifted…

Despite feeling this, I maintained an expressionless facade.

On the day of the welcoming party, my body would have instinctively recoiled, but now it did not. It was a leap of progress.

Of course, I still wanted to get away from it all, but getting this far was something, wasn’t it?

As I headed towards an out-of-the-way table…

A chilly gaze swept across my face.

It was like rubbing ice all over my skin. I shuddered involuntarily.

“Oh? Hayul?”

A sense of familiarity enveloped me, confirmed by the unique presence that had become well-known to my ears.

The owner of the presence was Baek Ahrin.

Busy preparing something on stage, she saw me and her eyes widened in surprise, puzzled as to why I was there.

She passed a few words to the cadets nearby and then came towards me with quick steps.

“Are you feeling alright? You were supposed to rest all weekend…”

Her blue eyes blinked, conveying genuine concern. She examined me up and down.

Presumably, Baek Ahrin was worried because she had directly witnessed me spilling blood immediately after exiting the tower. She and Elia were the first to pour healing energy into me.

As I tapped on my smartwatch, a hologram appeared. The projected hologram in mid-air was a welcome sight.

Life would be easier once I got the Confession Necklace.

[I’m fine. After a good sleep, I woke up feeling refreshed.]

The professor who examined me said it wasn’t serious, just a minor hemorrhage.

I too had felt slightly dizzy for a moment, but could quickly regain control over the spatial perception’s burden.

“It’s a relief if you say so, but please let me know if you feel any discomfort, okay?”

[I’ll be careful. I’ll stay quiet and leave soon.]

Looking at the drinks accumulating around, I could easily imagine the cadets partying hard until the wee hours.

The thought of staying up till dawn, drinking and partying… just the thought made me queasy.

I wasn’t mad enough to join them to that extent, so the plan was to mingle a bit at the start and then naturally make my exit.

As I was thinking this, Baek Ahrin made a strange expression.

“Quietly…? Hmm…”

“?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

Why was she reacting like that?

As I tilted my head in confusion, Baek Ahrin just muddled her response and made that strange expression, her lips twitching slightly.

“Oh dear, look at the time… I need to get back to preparing. See you in a bit, okay?”

Before I could ask for a reason again, Baek Ahrin turned around. Her sky-blue hair tied in a ponytail swayed as she moved away.

‘What’s that about?’

What was that expression earlier?

Something feels off…

.
.
.

I would soon come to understand the reason behind Baek Ahrin’s expression.

“Wow, your skin… might I inquire about the products used by your esteemed self?”

‘?’

“Do you like board games? Want to come hang at our table? Some from Ipchun class are gathered here too…”

‘?’

“Recruiting for a live-action drinking game! If you like booze, come over here too. We’re short on people, so everyone’s welcome!”

‘I really don’t want that.’

For some reason, there was a surge of positive interest.

My head spun with the overwhelming attention from all sides.