Sharon's Regret

TL/ED: Lolz

A personal training ground prepared by the Knight Department.

A square-shaped line, drawn with a length of 3 meters on each side, surrounded the training ground, with training dummies placed at each corner.

And right in the center.

A woman with endlessly cool-colored hair closed her eyes and focused silently.

Eyelids drawing a long, blue crescent line like a frost-covered crescent moon.

Sharon Pierce's training routine began by swiftly cutting down the dummies arranged in all directions.

As Sharon wielded her circle, her surroundings glowed with a halo.

The crystallized mana droplets flowing from her body reflected the surrounding light, creating a phenomenon.

“Hmph.”

With a light exhale.

— Ssaaack!

The sword gracefully carved through the dummies, one by one.

No, it had to be carved.

— Kkigigigik!

Chilling sounds of metal cracking echoed, and soon after.

— Jjaeng!

The sword shattered.

Fragments of the sword scattered like an explosion.

Sharon quickly turned to avoid them.

But long streaks of blood were engraved on her white arms.

— Jebuk.

Sharon looked down at the floor.

A shattered sword, like broken pieces of glass.

It was the best sword she could currently obtain.

But still, it couldn't withstand her magic.

While the type of mana element is fixed, its characteristics vary depending on the person absorbing and using it. The deeper the talent and personality of the user, the more pronounced these traits become.

Sharon's frost mana element was endlessly cold and sharp.

A regular sword couldn't handle her mana.

"..."

Brushing away visible droplets of blood.

Sharon surveyed the training dummies.

One was completely cut down,

The one next to it was roughly severed and lying down.

The third dummy stood diagonally, cut halfway,

And the last one remained unscathed.

"..."

Originally, all the dummies around her should have been cleanly cut.

This was just the beginning of her training, a warm-up.

She felt the need to add more training dolls.

...But why was there a dummy, partially cut, staring at her crookedly?

"Ugh."

A small groan escaped from Sharon's lips.

Her hands, clenched tightly.

Sharon lowered her head.

The fist she unconsciously gripped slowly unfolded.

A sharp piece of sword embedded in her palm.

The flowing blood, dropping steadily from her hand.

"…Impossible."

Sharon murmured unconsciously.

With a sword like this, it was simply impossible.

It couldn't contain her endlessly sharp frost mana.

Dozens, hundreds of such swords would yield the same result.

But this was the best sword she could currently obtain.

"Ah..."

Sharon's expression, which had remained impassive until now, finally changed.

Her cold face cracked for the first time.

She bit her lower lip.

Regret, because of a foolish decision.

"Why did I do such a stupid thing?"

Why did she bet the sword on Ian Blackangers' failure in that situation?

Why couldn't she keep her composure?

If Ian's words were lies, he would collapse on his own.

But she couldn't stand his arrogant expression.

Ian was a man who treated Sharon well on the outside, but secretly practiced the dark arts of cursing her growth.

She wanted to suppress him somehow.

"It was a stupid idea."

A foolish thought.

She was foolish and pathetic.

She believed that Ian was hiding his power.

But she shouldn't have bet the only sword she had.

There was nothing to gain.

— Kkaduk

Ian Blackangers was always like that.

Whenever she looked at him, her composure shattered.

The icy calm rationality lost its edge.

What seeped through the cracks was fear.

Fear of what would happen if she couldn't find a sword.

Fear of what would happen if she messed up the grade assessment.

The fear of ridicule from siblings when the news reached the family.

Fear of deep disappointment from the head of the family.

And...

The fear of being cast aside, with growth broken, sinking once again into the deep darkness.

— Shivering

Lips trembling slightly.

Sharon bit them, barely suppressing the tremor.

A thick streak of blood flowed down her lower lip.

"Help..."

Should she ask for help?

But from whom?

Naturally, there was a name that came to mind first.

Ian Blackangers.

For the first time in her life, someone who genuinely helped her.

And within that warm kindness that melted her, there was something elusive, a mystery revealed by the man.

— Thud

Blood dripped from Sharon's wounded fist as she clenched it again.

Apart from him, she had never received help.

She didn't even know how to ask for help in this way.

One day.

There was only one day left until the final grade assessment.

She had to find a solution before that.

Without a sword, she couldn't produce proper mana.

"To the family..."

Should she make a plea?

She had never done such a thing before, but now, there was no other option.

Even when her mother passed away, the head of the family had never shown kindness to Sharon.

But just this once, please forgive her.

With such futile hope, Sharon picked up a quill.

Shivering hands, dripping blood, continuously wrote on the paper.

◆

The last day of the grade assessment.

As Ian expected, the assessment was mobility.

The location was a vast courtyard located on the outskirts of the Academy.

The assessment method comprehensively measured mobility, acceleration, speed, landing, and usability.

"Student Ian Blackangers' mobility assessment will now begin."

Of course, the preparations were perfectly completed.

However, there was a slight difference from before.

"Hey, Ian's up there!"

"We definitely need to watch this!"

The anticipation from the students had changed.

Amidst occasional grumbles like 'What's so good about that guy,' people tended to prefer fun over complaints.

Ian clenched his fist immediately.

The rings on his fingers disappeared.

Simultaneously, he infused magnetism into the ground.

"Levitate!"

Cheers erupted even before his body completely lifted.

'...Feels like I've joined a circus.'

Ian, who let out a light sigh, took out a capacitor from his pocket this time.

— When you apply current to a levitating stone film, the levitational force instantly increases by several hundred times. In other words... like a cannon.

'In the end, it's a cannon.'

Although he hesitated as much as being shot out, in the end, it circled back to being a cannon.

Still, the consolation was that the likelihood of each arm, leg, and head arriving separately was significantly low.

"Life."

A muttered soliloquy drowned in cheers.

an held the capacitor against the levitating film and let the electric current flow.

For a moment, his entire body tingled.

— Roaaar!

The surrounding scenery flashed by in an instant.

There was no time to feel the speed; it was time to prepare for landing.

'Extraction, Transformation!'

Extending his fingers, Ian created a magnetic field at the destination.

In a sense, it was a kind of magnetic net.

As soon as his soaring body reached the destination,

— Whooosh!

Instantaneously, the body was fixed.

"Dashing distance 100m! Speed... under 1 second!"

"... Wow!"

“You crazy b*stard Ian, you crazy b*stard!”

Cheers poured down along with the shouts of the instructor.

It was like swearing or being amazed, but it was hard to concentrate.

"...Ugh!"

Ian felt a surge of nausea.

The feeling of organs shifting was overwhelming.

He had lowered the speed, but...

This was no joke.

'Let's think of a way to stop more smoothly.'

While contemplating how to outsmart Christina, and calming his stomach,

— Clang!

"Kyaaaack!"

"Miss Sharon, are you okay?!"

Far away.

The sound of a sword breaking reached them.

'Seems like the sword couldn't withstand the mana.'

Sharon Pierce, who was treated as an end-game character in the game, had the same conditions. Customized equipment. In other words, the more money spent, the better the performance.

Even in reality, that fact did not change.

One side was cheering.

The other side was screaming.

The landscape had changed with the grade assessment.

◆

After the grade assessment.

Although there was a brief moment to enjoy some leisure, unfortunately, there was no time for that.

—「Disciplinary Committee Summon Notice」—

We hope you respond to the disciplinary committee summon.

- Disciplinary target: Ian Von Pong Istan Blackangers

- Reason: Threats and s*xual harassment against fellow students.

.......

——

Two days later, at the decision of the disciplinary committee.

— See you at my place.

Somehow, Silvia got wind of it and immediately contacted Ian, suggesting a strategy meeting.

Ian had already prepared some countermeasures, but advice from someone of Silvia's caliber would undoubtedly be helpful.

"Excuse me..."

Unexpectedly, Silvia hesitated for a moment.

After fidgeting with her lips, she cautiously spoke.

"Is there someone who could be of significant help?"

Silvia's voice sounded cautious, as if she was about to share something challenging.

Thanks to that, curiosity intensified.

"Is there someone who could be of significant help?"

Silvia's voice sounded cautious, as if she was about to share something challenging.

Thanks to that, curiosity intensified.

Who could it be?

"... Of course, it might seem unsettling, but in my opinion, it's wise to use every available resource considering your situation. Her proposal isn't bad."

By this point, Ian had a rough idea.

A cautious gesture came from behind.

Following Silvia's gaze, Ian turned his head.

"I-Ian."

Green eyes that seemed to contain forest leaves.

A white neck adorned with a black handkerchief like a choker.

And red hair.

"Uh, hey there..."

Lina Rosewell stood there, holding her hand up awkwardly.

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