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Chapter 195

Starting today, they had two months of freedom. Of course, many would be participating in internships or professor-led projects even during the break. Still, the mere absence of lectures gave everyone a relieved feeling. And since today also marked the end of exams, every student had a bright expression on their face.

“Vacation...”

Observing the jubilant dispersing students, Se-Hoon began to think over the agenda items he had postponed due to the exams.

Forging a piece of equipment with Nimbus Steel... starting the mass production of sword aura equipment... visiting the Visionary...

At first, he thought there wasn’t much, but he kept recalling a seemingly endless amount of tasks. Among them, the most challenging and difficult ones were subduing the Dream Demon and dealing with the Pleasure District, both tasks that required a lot of preparation.

At least I somehow managed to come up with a rough picture of what’s going on.

The Puppeteer waiting for Lea in the Pleasure District, the Marionette Factory, the Dream Demon’s expansion project, the Dream Demon’s missing eye, and Amir—who was set to be appointed as a zone chief while acting as his double agent—his knowledge on those would serve as the groundwork for the plans.

Now the only remaining task was how well he could utilize it to deliver the “bomb” he had prepared inside the Pleasure District.

And to do so, he had to steel himself to not lose any upcoming opportunities.

Whoosh!

His reflexes kicked in. Twisting his body, he jabbed his hand at the person who had approached him without making a sound.

Thwack!

But his hand was lightly caught by the woman with golden, wavy hair. She was grasping his hand with her pale white one, smiling.

“You don’t hesitate anymore.”

Aria, the woman with wavy golden hair, found it amusing that he had aimed directly for her head.

“I mean, you told me to do so before.”

“Huh, I didn’t think you would listen to my words so well.... Then, are you also willing to listen to my other requests?”

“No. That’s a different matter.”

“Psh, you’re no fun.”

With a sly smile on her face, Aria released his hand.

“So, why are you here?” Se-Hoon asked, glancing at Aria. Like always, she appeared relaxed.

“Now, that’s quite a mean thing to ask. Do we always need a special reason to meet?”

“Yes.”

Seeing Se-Hoon nodding without a moment’s hesitation, Aria softly laughed at his consistency.

“Haha. I guess that is the kind of relationship we have. Well, it’s nothing special; I just want to discuss the mass production project.”

“If it’s about that—”

“But before we discuss that further...” Aria looked straight at Se-Hoo with a twinkle in her eyes. “What was the get-well-soon gift you mentioned during the closing ceremony? It seemed like some kind of code.”

Se-Hoon recalled his message to Wurgen, who was probably watching the broadcast.

“It\'s not some kind of code. There’s no deeper meaning behind it.”

In actuality, it meant: “You were so confident but couldn’t even manage to subdue a student. Whatever you’re planning, start over from the beginning.”

“Hmm...”

Staring at Se-Hoon intently, Aria seemed to have realized something as her eyes began shining.

“Now that I’m looking at you from up close, you’ve gained quite a unique power. It feels like the Chairman’s... no, it’s related to another Perfect One, isn’t it?”

Rather than a guess, her tone was one of near-certainity. It made Se-Hoon observe her curiously, seeing as how she was able to notice his change after just briefly observing him.

Could her intuition really be the sole reason she noticed my change?

Even he could distinguish that his mana had changed from before, but immediately recognizing that the power of a Perfect One was within his body was another story.

Maybe there’s something only Perfect Ones can sense.

She hadn’t become a Perfect One yet, but in his memories, Aria was the Holy Swordsman who had successfully climbed a Tower of Heroes. With such talent, it wouldn’t be surprising if she already had a similar perception or sense as them.

“Well, let’s end this conversation here. It’s not that important.”

“...I’d appreciate that.”

“Back to the main point, do you remember how our family had an event planned around summer?”

Se-Hoon nodded, saying, “Yes. That’s why we expedited the development of the prototype.”

After the unveiling of the prototype for the mass-produced sword aura equipment at the expo, Se-Hoon sent them the blueprints for production facilities through Jake.

A while had passed, so by now they should have reached a certain level of completion, and the full-scale production would likely soon commence. The final stages had finally been reached for his long-time project.

“The confirmation of the date is imminent, and my father has expressed his desire to extend an official invitation to you. Are you willing to accept his invitation?”

It was an official invitation from the Myers family, renowned worldwide for their swordsmanship. It didn’t take long for him to come to a decision.

“Well, alright. I have to visit once anyway for the promised reward.”

In return for advancing the production schedule to match the event, the Myers family had agreed to give him one item from their warehouse. But to receive it, he had to visit their home, so attending the event on the side didn’t seem like a disastrous idea.

“You\'re being more agreeable than I expected.”

“Well, attending something like that shouldn’t be too difficult. What is the event about, anyway?”

“It\'s an engagement ceremony.”

“I see... wait, an engagement ceremony?”

At the sight of Se-Hoon’s surprise, Aria smiled broadly.

“Why? Is it that unexpected?”

“No, it’s just that...”

Se-Hoon couldn’t hide his surprise. He had never heard of Aria getting engaged before he regressed.

Did it get called off back then? Or is this a result of my butterfly effect...

Considering the immense value of the mass-produced sword aura equipment business given exclusively to the Myers family, it wasn’t surprising that there were significant changes.

Calming his fluster, Se-Hoon was soon able to accept it.

“Okay, got it. Let me know the schedule when it’s set.”

“Alright. Oh, and about the reward I promised last time, when do you think you are—”

“Ah, here you guys were.”

Turning his gaze toward the voice that had cut Aria off, Se-Hoon saw two people naturally approaching. With jet-black hair and rimless glasses, the young man who owned the voice exuded a typical elite aura, complete with a cold and sticky unease aura despite his smile.

It was Ren Inoue, Erika\'s brother and the third-year year-wide honor student. Gazing at him, Se-Hoon asked, “Do you need anything here?”

“The Chairman asked me to gather all of the year-wide honor students. Oh... were you discussing something important?”

Ren smiled and conversed only with Se-Hoon, completely ignoring Aria.

“Hmph...”

In response, Aria’s smile deepened, and a strange tension began to form around them. The Inoues and the Myers were famously at odds within Babel, which was undoubtedly because of the two individuals before Se-Hoon.

But despite the tense atmosphere, which seemed ready to explode, Se-Hoon’s eyes sparkled.

Are they going to fight? Are they finally fighting?

Whether they knew it or not, Se-Hoon was wary of both Aria and Ren. If they fought over him, it would be a welcome development since he could observe their hidden strengths and, more importantly, intervene at the right moment to gain an advantage.

It’s almost time to tell them to stop fighting over me.

Before the regression, the Three Dogs had once argued about who would get their equipment forged first, resulting in the destruction of the city they used as a base. Though it was an abandoned city, the Three Dogs learned to be more compliant afterward.

If I can make these two behave like them... Se-Hoon thought, watching intently as the situation developed.

“Hey.”

But then, Manuel Ortega, the second-year honor student with brown hair and a weary expression, spoke up from behind Ren.

“Isn’t the Chairman waiting? Whatever it is, let’s wrap it up quickly.”

His tired-sounding words immediately defused the tension between the two, causing Ren to sigh softly.

“Right. We should really get going. We will head off first, then.”

Spinning on his heel, Ren briskly walked away, and Manuel followed after giving them a slight bow. At the way Manuel quickly deflated the atmosphere, Se-Hoon clicked his tongue.

What a dull bastard...

If Ludwig was actually in a hurry, he would have used his spatial magic to summon them. Clearly, Manuel just didn’t want to wait around.

I guess some people haven’t changed from before.

Manuel was one of the new transfer students for the second semester, and later, he would be known as the S-rank hero Weapon Master.

At the sight of the familiar figure, Se-Hoon narrowed his eyes.

I need to keep an eye on him too.

Adding it to his list, Se-Hoon turned to Aria.

“Shall we get going too?”

“Hm, sure.”

Following Ren, they soon all arrived below the podium, where Ludwig was currently conversing with the deans.

“Ah, you’re all here. You may go now.”

At Ludwig’s words, the deans dispersed, and Eun-Ha, who passed by Se-Hoon, silently mouthed, “Be cautious.”

Se-Hoon nodded slightly, understanding what she was trying to convey.

With the deans gone, the four year-wide honor students stood before Ludwig.

“The reason I called you all here is to discuss the ‘Special Lesson’ benefit that I’ve promised you guys—an opportunity to receive personal teachings from Perfect Ones.”

The air became tense. The opportunity to learn from a Perfect One wasn\'t something to take lightly. If they could make the most out of it, they could grow beyond simply conquering a Tower of Heroes.

As the four honor students’ eyes were filled with hope, Ludwig continued calmly, “Although I mentioned that you can choose whichever Perfect One you wish to receive lessons from, I must admit that I cannot guarantee it. As you might already know, high-ranking heroes often do as they please.”

Ludwig smiled, looking like he was excluding himself from them. He then essentially removed three Perfect Ones from the list at once.

“The Seeker has been out of contact for a long time; the Sacred Craftsman refused, saying he had no reason to do so; and the Trailblazer said to do as I please, but given his personality, he’s unlikely to offer proper lessons.”

With only seven of them in total, there were only four left.

“So, you can choose from the Visionary, the Eternal Nocturne, the Pilgrim, and myself. Once you select one, we’ll arrange the schedule.”

After some thought, Manuel chose first.

“I’d like to be taught by you, Chairman.”

Once Ludwig nodded, Ren chose second.

“I’d like to be taught by the Visionary Ha Baek-Yeon.”

“Hmm... alright,” Ludwig replied, interested.

Then Aria also made her decision: “I want to be paired with the Pilgrim.”

“That’s not a bad choice. Now, the last one...”

Ludwig turned to Se-Hoon.

“Who would you like to learn from? It’s okay to overlap with others.”

Also interested, Aria and Ren turned to Se-Hoon. And under their gazes, Se-Hoon pondered deeply.

Who would benefit him the most right now? Thinking like that, he quickly made his decision.

“I would like to learn from...”

***

A robed figure entered an old, dilapidated house adjacent to the desert in the Middle East, which was a mess of sand and dust.

“Whew...”

Removing his hood, the robed figure, Amir, exhaled lightly and looked around the derelict house. He then moved further inside and sat down on the dust-covered floor, taking out a small vial from his pocket. Swallowing the special sleeping pill within, he gently closed his eyes and bowed his head slightly.

Whoosh!

The moment when his body slightly wavered, the surrounding scenery completely changed. Scanning the neatly decorated reception room he was now in, Amir naturally realized he had entered a dream.

Creak.

The door to the reception room soon opened, and the master of the dream, the Dream Demon, walked in.

“You must be worn out after your long journey,” she said gently, taking a seat across from him.

In response, Amir slightly bowed his head.

“Thank you for your kind words.”

At Amir’s extremely polite behavior, the Dream Demon smiled.

“You’re always so courteous. I remember how you responded the same way when we first met...”

In contrast to her nostalgic words, Amir\'s eyes turned cold. He could still vividly recall how she turned the elders of his family into idiots, brainwashed his family members, slaughtered the servants, and transformed his father, the head of the family, into hundreds of butterflies.

And... how he had been the one who innocently guided her to his family, smiling without knowing anything. The memories made Amir’s emotions surge.

No, not yet... I need to hold on for now.

Knowing that the right opportunity hadn’t come yet, he forcefully calmed his emotions.

“It\'s simply proper etiquette to show respect to those who deserve it.”

“Haha. I know it’s all flattery, but it\'s still music to my ears.”

Smiling softly, the Dream Demon looked at Amir and got to the point.

“I think that’s enough for pleasantries... I\'d like to hear how the plan has failed. Can you explain yourself?”

Instead of a report on the execution of the plan, she was asking him to recount his failures. It indicated that she was willing to execute him at any moment.

I was told she would be really angry... and it seems like he was right.

Knowing how much damage Se-Hoon had inflicted on her, Amir was able to remain calm and could explain what had happened during the exam.

“So the plan proceeded as intended, but Lee Se-Hoon came out unharmed... and the Emperor of Ascension showed no response whatsoever...”

It was as if nothing had ever happened. However, the Dream Demon knew for a fact that her avatar had assaulted Se-Hoon and failed.

Then does this mean that Lee Se-Hoon managed to handle it himself and didn’t inform the Emperor of Ascension...?

It was as if Se-Hoon and the Emperor of Ascension had no relationship whatsoever. In the past, she would have thought it was some form of deception, but now, her thoughts have changed.

If the Emperor of Ascension had sealed it, I wouldn’t have ended up like this...

Touching her right eye, The Dream Demon, made a subtle expression. She was sure that Se-Hoon had another hidden ace up his sleeve. However, whether it was her sought-after Ethereal Vision or something entirely different, she could only wait for a response or look for another opportunity.

Having sorted out her thoughts, the Dream Demon opened her mouth, “Sigh. There’s nothing we can do, then. But since you managed to establish a contract with Lee Se-Hoon, try to focus on getting closer to him from now on.”

“Yes.”

“And as for appointing you as a Zone Chief... regardless of the reason, you failed to execute the plan in the end, so let’s consider it void.”

Quietly accepting it, Amir observed her before cautiously asking, “Ma’am, if it’s not too much trouble, may I ask one question?”

“What is it?”

Amir composed himself.

“Was I being used as bait to lure out the person under the Emperor of... no, who is suspected to be under the Emperor of Ascension that uses dream mana?”

“...”

The Dream Demon silently stared at him. Then, with no expression at all, she posed a question: “What are you exactly trying to get out of this question?”

“At first, I thought my role was to get close to Lee Se-Hoon and present him to you personally. But if that was your sole objective, you wouldn’t have shown me such mercy.”

Though he was using the information that he received from Se-Hoon, that what the Dream Demon truly sought was the individual with Ethereal Vision, Amir intentionally phrased his words as if he had intuitively grasped it.

“And due to this incident, Lee Se-Hoon is likely to be wary of me. According to your usual methods, you would have either outright excluded me from the plan or eliminated me.”

“...”

“Yet you hadn’t. Therefore, I believe that you sent me without caring whether the enemy had already discovered or suspected me.”

Perhaps her avatar was sent not to suppress Se-Hoon, but to identify him when he subdued Amir—he had been sent as a discardable piece from the very beginning.

“...”

Having heard Amir out, the Dream Demon slowly asked, “Even if that’s the case, what will you do?”

Would he beg to not be discarded or for a chance to prove his worth? Amir chose neither.

“I need a reliable means of delivering accurate information to you.”

He chose to give in completely.

“Right now, the best I can do is only leave traces behind if I get apprehended. That’s why I need a precise way to accurately deliver my findings to you, ma\'am.”

“...”

“And if we’re against the one I encountered on Black Arms’ passenger ship, they’re likely already keeping a close watch on me...”

“Pfft.”

The Dream Demon’s body shook slightly, and then she covered her mouth, bursting into laughter.

“HAHAHAHA!”

Her laughter was genuine and jovial. A long while later, calmed down and wiped the tears from her eyes.

“Ah... I really am pathetic. If I knew you were this useful, I wouldn’t have used you this way.”

“It’s all due to my foolishness.”

“No, it’s good that you allowed me to discover your capability, even belatedly. I’ll prepare a tool for delivering information as you suggested. And...”

Pausing to contemplate, the Dream Demon finished her thought after a moment.

“From today, you’ll be assigned as my direct secretary. It’s more fitting than assigning you as a Zone Chief.”

Unlike how the Zone Chiefs were given autonomy in their respective zones, direct secretaries were used like tools under the Dream Demon’s direct command. It was a clear demotion with an uncertain fate, but Amir accepted it without complaint.

“Thank you for your kindness.”

“Hmm... you really do show no hesitation at all. Is it because of your family?”

At her words, Amir bit his lip and bowed deeply.

“Please show mercy to a lowlife like me.”

Even if he disappeared, he begged her not to harm his remaining family. At his sincerity, the Dream Demon smiled and agreed.

“Alright. If you succeed next time, I’ll release your family along with the successor of your family head. That way, they should be able to rebuild without much problem.”

“...”

The supposed next family head, Amir’s cousin Zayed, was also taken as a hostage by the Dream Demon. Remembering his last appearance, Amir suppressed his rising emotions and bowed again.

“I will surely make it work.”

“Good. Anything else you need from me?”

Noticing her now amiable attitude, Amir remembered Se-Hoon’s request and cautiously asked, “Can you fill me in about the synesthetic mindscape or the inner realm of the target?”

“Ah, yes. You do have that ability, don’t you?”

Recalling Amir’s unique skill, Winter Sky Eyes, the Dream Demon thought for a moment before smiling gently.

“He’s probably insane.”

“...Pardon?”

“The person you are trying to find knows, like me, that this place is a dream.”

Amir made a confused expression. By “this place,” did she mean the reception room or the outside world?

Just what was she talking about?

Seeing the clearly confused look on his face, the Dream Demon smiled.

“I’ve lifted the barrier on my synesthetic mindscape, so see it with your eyes. Then you’ll understand.”

“...Understood.”

Promptly activating his Winter Sky Eyes, Amir looked at the Dream Demon.

She was made of a purple mist with holes throughout her body, with an especially large one through her right eye. He was completely taken aback by the unstable and ready-to-collapse grotesque sight.

She has deteriorated this much...?

Had her condition worsened just by sealing one eye? Astonished, he continued staring.

“Others may not know.”

He focused again on the Dream Demon who was smiling more softly than ever.

“But he and I do: what we believe to be reality is just a dream.”

“...”

Though most would dismiss it as nonsense, Amir trembled and sweated at her words.

The woman in front of him, the monster known as Dream Demon, genuinely believed those words.

“So, he must be insane, just like me.”

She was certain that Se-Hoon could not distinguish between dream and reality, a necessary talent to use dream mana and a prerequisite for acquiring Ethereal Vision.

“Because he also wants to wake from this dreadful dream.”

At those sincere words, Amir realized one thing: the one with Ethereal Vision was twisted all the way to their inner guts, just like the monster in front of him.