Chapter 7. A Way to Understand

***

“Simple?”

Looking at Grecia who asked back, Chunsung took a moment to gather his thoughts.

‘This is an opportunity.’

And one that won’t come again.

Right now, I had nothing.

Low Talent grade, no family to rely on, or connections and funds…

I truly had nothing.

And as Grecia said, even if I, who am merely common, enter the Academy, there’s no rosy future or bright tomorrow waiting for me.

No matter how hard I try, it was clear as day that I would struggle at the bottom.

‘But what if.’

If I could become friends with Grecia, who has a Unique Talent…
If we could become close enough for me to rely on her?

Then my Academy life would completely change.

I clearly remembered that among the Royal High Academy’s teaching methods, there was ‘joint training’.

A and B classes, classified as upper classes within the Academy.
And C and D classes, classified as lower classes, must take tests in groups.

I could recall even the detailed test content of the joint training episode where the protagonist Leonhardt experiences his first awakening.

And the outward purpose of joint training is harmony, unity, equality.

To prevent those in upper classes from becoming arrogant and proud. It’s a test to develop a kind of social skills, but.

If Grecia, who’s certain to be in A class, and I could form a team and perform well…

It would be like already securing a higher score than other tests.

Because I have almost all the knowledge about the tests.

Essentially, my head was like an Academy cheat sheet.

Although I know all the test answers, I lack the strength to implement them directly.

That… Grecia could fill in all of that now.

Gulp.

This seemed like the greatest opportunity now, and another crossroads in my life.
I have to do well here.

Organizing my thoughts, I met Grecia’s eyes as she waited for my answer.

“Grecia. First, let me tell you that trying to understand me in a short time is nearly impossible.”
“Understanding in a short time is impossible…”
“That’s right. Instead, the method is simple. Just spend time with me. Whether you like it or not, if you increase the time you spend with me, you’ll naturally come to understand me.”

…Even as I spoke, my heart was pounding.

Will my words get through?
Or will they not?

Even now, as I continue the conversation with Grecia, whom I thought was dismissing me until just a moment ago, I realized her thoughts were different from what I imagined.

Although there’s certainly some dismissive attitude, beyond that, Grecia had a great ‘curiosity’ about me.

I don’t know why she’s curious about my confidence and tries to understand me, but she clearly expresses abnormal interest and wants to understand me.

Having a Unique Talent, yet approaching me first and wanting to talk, showing such great interest.

“……”

Grecia staring at me after my words.

The statement about needing to be together. It was a kind of groundwork laid because I couldn’t become close to her immediately.

Words to increase the time I would spend with her in the future.

So, to understand me, she needs to associate with me.

If we spend more time together, opportunities to become close to her will naturally arise.

“I have to… be with you?”

But as Grecia gave a strange answer, I smiled, lifting the corners of my mouth as if creaking.

“I understand that you might not be pleased because I’m common grade. But if you want to understand me, spending time with me is the closest thing to an answer.”

Even as I spoke, it felt like I was gambling.

The probability is too low.

The possibility that this hand might turn out high.
Relying on that really slim possibility.

To somehow maintain a connection by associating a woman with a Unique Talent with myself.

Yet, I couldn’t appear pathetic.

Even if my Talent is common grade, if I became pathetic, everything would be over.

Right now, Grecia is showing interest in my ‘attitude’.

“Then how long do I have to be with you?”

Grecia’s answer that came again was close to a green light.

“I can’t decide how long it will take. That’s not for me to decide. Grecia. How long it takes for you to understand me while being with me is entirely up to you. And if you want to spend time with me, well, I’ll try to make time.”

Even as I spoke, I modulated my voice to avoid sounding desperate.

I had to emphasize that it’s not me wanting Grecia.
But Grecia wanting to be with me.

“……”

Grecia didn’t give any answer to my words.

A strange look. And then she stared at me intently with eyes that couldn’t reveal her inner thoughts.

Thump.

Even as I received her gaze, my heart kept pounding.

‘Accept it!’

Please.

On the outside, as if nothing was wrong. Maintaining composure under her gaze, but inside, it felt like I was burning up.

It was to the point where I felt as desperate as when I took the Talent test two months ago.

And soon I could hear the answer.

And that, not through voice but action.

Rustle.

Grecia’s head moving slowly up and down.
It was affirmation.

I barely managed to hold back from speaking first.

Grecia accepted that she needed to be with me.

Then, the time I would spend with Grecia from now on was more important than ever.

If I now answered excitedly to her response, the meaning of the attitude I had maintained until now would disappear.

“Alright. Han Chunsung. I understand that to understand you, I need to spend time with you… I’ll do that.”
“Grecia. When you answer like that, it sounds like I’m asking you for a favor. That’s not the case, right?”

I continued speaking, feeling like I was gambling again.

I wasn’t getting permission to be with Grecia now.

For some reason, as if doing a favor to Grecia who’s trying to understand me, I’m in the position of allowing it.
And I had to emphasize that and make Grecia clearly aware of it.

At that moment of the second gamble.

Grecia looked at me very calmly.

“You. You’re a bit arrogant.”

Then she said with a slight smile, but contrary to those words, I could feel that Grecia wasn’t in a bad mood.

Feeling relieved that the gamble had succeeded, I smiled back and answered.

“Me, arrogant? That’s strange. Even if I associate with you, there’s nothing for me to gain, right? Isn’t that so?”

In fact, there’s really a lot to gain, but.
As I answered without changing my expression, Grecia nodded as if understanding.

“Well, I guess that’s true. Right now, I’m the one who wants to know you… Alright then. I’ll cover all the costs that come with spending time with you from now on. Is that enough?”

…I couldn’t help but be surprised by Grecia’s subsequent words.

“You really mean that?”
“Yes.”

Even as I looked at Grecia answering promptly, I wondered what kind of luck this was.

‘She’s probably saying this because she doesn’t know how much expenses there are at the Academy.’

…It was really an extraordinary statement.

I don’t know how often Grecia and I will meet in the future, but living in the Academy costs a lot of money.

Except for dormitory life, the Academy only provides very basic living expenses.

Everything else is performance-based bonuses given according to grades.

The ‘Royal High Academy’ discriminates to the bone with a thorough meritocracy and talent-based system.

So whether I buy equipment or basic food expenses, whatever I do, it costs an enormous amount of money.

Grecia just said she would cover all costs when meeting with me.

Gulp.

I swallowed unconsciously and struggled to maintain my composure, trying not to let the corners of my mouth rise.

‘…This is crazy.’

Thinking to myself, Grecia suddenly looked much prettier.

I thought she was a woman with a really terrible personality, but.

She even makes such a good offer on her own, so I couldn’t help but look again at how pretty Grecia was.
And I thought.

‘I must secure Grecia.’

At the same time, I must make sure she never understands me.

I decided at this moment.

***

“Then Grecia. See you at the exam hall tomorrow.”
“Alright.”

With Grecia’s short answer, the two parted at the café.

Step.
Step…

As Grecia watched Chunsung disappear down the opposite road, she slightly furrowed her brow.

‘Why is that man common?’

Even that, she couldn’t understand.

Rustle.

As she turned and headed towards her inn, she felt strange.

She had solved her biggest question first.

But it felt like her heart was full of even more incomprehensible things.

A person completely contradictory to her own values.

That was the man named Han Chunsung.

In this world, the grade of one’s Talent usually represents that ‘person’s value’.

I had always thought so.

My sister was like that, most people I’ve seen were like that, and I too possessed a Unique grade Talent.

Moreover, in reality, high-ranking nobles or the rarely seen royal family members often had high Talents.

Conversely, commoners typically were born with common Talents.

Of course, even commoners could receive high Talents.

They could be seen as those who would rise to high positions later. The chosen ones.

But the man I just parted with.

The man named Han Chunsung was too strange.

His way of speaking and behavior, even though we were together for just a moment, felt completely different from typical common grade people.

Even the depth of his thoughts was different.

Yet the Talent given to this man valued him far too low.

ー Common.

The lowest grade among Talents.

“…”

…Digging deeper, the Spearmanship Talent doesn’t even have high potential.

There are ‘extremely few individuals’ who have gained fame with the low common grade, but. The fact that none of them possessed Spearmanship was proof of this.

“…I understand even less.”

Why that man possessed a common grade Talent.

Has my belief that the grade of one’s Talent represents a person’s value been shaken?

Even as I thought this, I looked forward to meeting again tomorrow.

Tomorrow, when the results of which class each of us will be assigned to will be revealed.

‘I wonder which class that man will be assigned to.’