A massive, ultra-luxurious mansion in London, England.
In the 3rd-floor conference room of that mansion, where the Beak Mask symbol representing Ventric was carved everywhere:
"The disposal of the Labyrinth on the outskirts of Reading is complete."
A man in a neat suit was reporting to the woman sitting at the head of the table.
A woman with long golden hair and golden eyes shining vividly enough to be distinct.
She was a direct descendant of the family and the current Head of the Ventric Family, 'Adelia Ventric.'
No, strictly speaking, her title was 'Vice Head,' and there was definitely a Family Head above her. However, ever since Adelia Ventric became an adult, the Family Head had handed over all substantial power to her.
Why did the Head suddenly hand power to Adelia?
No one knew.
The Head simply transferred the family's Holy Relic and all authority to Adelia one day, and she accepted it.
Thus, despite being Vice Head, Adelia Ventric held power no different from the Head. In the four years this situation had persisted, no one in the Ventric Family dared to oppose her.
Because over the last four years, she had made the family completely hers.
"Good work. Anything else?"
"I found two useful fellows during this Labyrinth exploration, so I'm thinking of recruiting them."
"...Is that so?"
"They seem at least capable enough to be run as part of the Labyrinth exploration team."
At the man's words, she nodded slightly and spoke.
"So they aren't just riffraff?"
"Both are A-rank Contractors. They are survivors of the Robert Family, which fell due to a Labyrinth recently."
"Hmm, if they are at that level, it wouldn't be unreasonable for them to receive Ventric's blessing."
"Yes."
"Still, just in case, have them undergo a qualification test before bringing them to me."
"Understood."
"Is that the end of the report?"
"First, everything regarding Reading is finished. However, I have something to report regarding Lokdil."
"...Tsk."
Adelia Ventric clicked her tongue as if it was pathetic the moment that name popped out of the man's mouth.
Lokdil Ventric.
Adelia Ventric didn't particularly like him.
After all, Lokdil Ventric was an idiot who used the family's prestige to fill his own selfish greed.
Of course, she didn't dislike him because he filled his own greed.
He uses the family's power but is of absolutely no help to the family.
The reason Adelia disliked him was strictly because Lokdil was useless to the Ventric Family.
No, rather, Lokdil Ventric had recently committed an act at the British Academy that drew everyone's condemnation, scratching the Ventric Family's reputation.
Although they stopped the rumors from spreading using the family's power, it was a fact that the Ventric Family's reputation had been scratched.
If he had shown enough dedication to the family to cover up what he did, Adelia wouldn't have particularly disliked him.
From the start, Adelia's criteria for like and dislike were divided by 'Is it helpful to the family, or not?'
"What did he do this time?"
"It's not that he did anything yet... but it seems he is about to commit something."
"Why?"
"I heard Lokdil summoned Disera to Korea."
"...Disera?"
At those words, Adelia frowned openly.
Disera Ventric, who 'used to be' a collateral of the Ventric Family.
Currently 20 years old, he was a stain on the family who had been expelled and was the worst kind of prodigal son.
The trashy deeds he committed while wearing the Ventric name amounted to dozens.
Above all, with talent superior to others, at the mere age of 19, he killed five Contractors from the British Academy alone just because they picked a fight.
Thanks to that, Disera was banished from the family. But because the Ventric Family had to superficially bow their heads due to his actions, Adelia hated him immensely.
No, beyond hate, she loathed him.
Therefore, Adelia frowned but soon sighed as if it couldn't be helped.
"...Put him under surveillance. And convey this to Lokdil too. Tell him if he gets caught doing something strange this time as well, I will excommunicate him."
"Understood."
Having heard Adelia's order, the man bowed, turned, and left the room. She sighed.
Why do this guy and that guy swing around power that isn't even theirs however they please?
Thinking this, she raised her gaze and repeated the crest hanging above the door in her mind.
All for One.
That was the motto the Beak Mask, the Guardian Constellation of Ventric, had bestowed upon them.
All for One.
The Beak Mask never once voiced who that 'One' was, but she had identified that person without difficulty from long ago.
That is me.
Only she, the de facto Head of the Ventric Family and inheritor of the direct bloodline, fit that word 'One.'
Thus, she murmured those sweet words once more.
"All is, for one."
❋ ❋ ❋
For Kim Joohyuk, good things and bad things were currently happening.
The good thing was that Kim Joohyuk's body was developing rapidly.
Of course, this wasn't about things like height or weight, but strictly about physical training levels.
Certainly, just a few weeks ago, his body was so frail and weak he wondered if he could even swing a sword properly.
However, now, thanks to a few weeks of intense training, his body had risen to the level of somewhat average students.
What he felt from this was that this body, Kim Joohyuk's body, wasn't a massive genius, but it seemed to have naturally good physical performance.
If not for that, that frail body wouldn't have changed this quickly in just a few weeks.
He knew very well that originally, a human body only changed little by little after repeated training over a long time, so he hadn't thought urgently about it.
...It's beyond my expectations.
Kim Joohyuk checked the mana circulating in his body noticeably better than before and wore a satisfied expression.
At this rate, I think I can start practicing the martial arts I've been burying for a while.
Thinking this, Kim Joohyuk decided that after today's classes ended, he would start earnest martial arts cultivation instead of just physical training.
Yes, that was definitely a good thing.
Then, what was the bad thing Kim Joohyuk was experiencing?
It was exactly this.
"Joohyuk, do you happen to have time after school today? Wouldn't you like to have an in-depth discussion about Labyrinth Monsters together?"
"Not buying."
"Ah, don't tell me you want me to buy you something? I'm a bit short on cash this month because I did something... but if it's not too expensive, I can buy it for you!"
"No... I said I'm not doing it."
"Why? I'm telling you this is really good for you too! Do you know how many benefits you can get if you come in as my assistant?"
"Don't need it."
The number of people bothering Kim Joohyuk had increased.
No, what the hell is wrong with this woman?
He looked at Liliya, whose eyes were sparkling in front of him, with a reluctant expression.
When he first saw her, she definitely had the image of a viper that would devour her surroundings just with her atmosphere.
Kim Joohyuk thought he would continue to see that side of her as long as he was at the academy.
After all, it was a fact that Kim Joohyuk had defied Liliya and humiliated her.
But.
"Hmm? Hmm? Want to be an assistant? Be my assistant~"
The woman he thought would unconditionally grind her teeth at him was now circling Kim Joohyuk like a frantic Samoyed ever since that incident.
Watching her white bob cut move ceaselessly around his eyes, Kim Joohyuk looked at her as if he couldn't understand at all.
"No, why are you suddenly acting like this to me? Honestly, I thought you would hate me, Instructor?"
"Huh? Why me?"
"Because I humiliated you?"
At Kim Joohyuk's words, Liliya puffed out her chest, pretending to be mature, and spoke.
"Something like that doesn't matter!"
"Ah, really?"
"Do you know how many papers I have to write with you if you come in as an assistant? Let's move past such trivial things!"
"..."
Is she crazy too?
Kim Joohyuk pondered with a serious expression for a moment, but soon waved his hand.
"Anyway, I have no intention of doing it."
"Ah, whyyy~"
"...Aren't you embarrassed to drag out your words like that to a student?"
"What's embarrassing? I'm only 22, you know?"
"I'm 17, though?"
"A 5-year difference means we don't even need to check marital compatibility~"
...Is she actually crazy?
Having the initiative of the conversation stolen more than he expected, Kim Joohyuk waved his hand as if annoyed.
"I got it, so please go. I'll think about it."
Honestly, he wanted to curse at her, but he had to stay until the end of the first semester anyway. Thinking about that, there was no need to make an enemy of an instructor.
"You have to think positively! Got it!?"
Shaking her white bob cut back and forth several times with incredibly high tension, she soon disappeared, saying she had to conduct supplementary classes for failing students after school.
"...Hey."
"Ah..."
As soon as Liliya disappeared, Kim Joohyuk turned his gaze to the voice calling him and looked at Yoo So-yeon standing behind him.
"What."
Kim Joohyuk's answer.
At that, Yoo So-yeon shut her mouth and seemed to hesitate about something.
"...Never mind."
"..."
Then she turned around again.
These two were the source of the bad things happening to Kim Joohyuk.
Liliya, who sought out Kim Joohyuk regardless of break time, lunch time, or after school to mess with his mind.
And Yoo So-yeon, who initiated conversation like this only to say nothing at the end and turn her head away again.
Actually, in terms of annoyance, Yoo So-yeon was much less bothersome from Kim Joohyuk's perspective.
However, the problem was what Yoo So-yeon was currently doing to Kim Joohyuk.
'Hey.'
'What?'
'...Never mind.'
No joke, Kim Joohyuk felt like he had this exact exchange with Yoo So-yeon over ten times.
First, she starts a conversation, and when he answers, she groans alone as if pondering something for a moment, then eventually says never mind and avoids the situation.
Of course, once or twice could be overlooked, but when it becomes five times, then ten times, naturally, one gets pissed off.
Thanks to Yoo So-yeon strictly adhering to 'There are two ways to make a person angry: one is to stop speaking mid-sentence, and the second is—', curses were slowly surfacing in Kim Joohyuk's mind.
"Phew."
"Hey."
A voice heard just as he was sighing.
When he turned his gaze, Yoo So-yeon, who had disappeared somewhere earlier, appeared in front of him again.
Seeing that, Kim Joohyuk sighed 'Phew' and answered.
"What."
"Uhm..."
"?"
"...Hmm."
"..."
"No, never mind."
At Kim Joohyuk and Yoo So-yeon's exactly fifteenth conversation.
"What the hell do you mean 'never mind,' you psycho!!"
In the end, Kim Joohyuk couldn't hold back his anger in the classroom hallway and cursed at Yoo So-yeon.
(End of Chapter 14)
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