A few days had passed since the rather... unexpected conclusion to Riley’s practical test and training with Beon.
The sun hung lazily above the snow-covered mountains, casting a soft light across the frozen landscape.
Hoo...
A faint puff of steam escaped Riley’s lips as he exhaled into the cold air.
His breath ca slow and steady, no longer clouded by fatigue—just calm.
With both hands firmly on the hilt, he brought his sword down in one smooth motion.
Foosh—!
The blade cut through the air like a whisper, carving a clean arc through the silence.
Though there was no mana, no skill technique added to it, the effect was still undeniable.
A sharp gust of wind followed the swing, slicing through the snowy ground ahead of him.
A shallow line was etched neatly into the earth, as if a blade had sliced through silk—precise, controlled, and clean.
It was his thousandth slash of the day.
The final piece of his training quota.
Standing beside him, arms crossed and eyes slightly narrowed, was Beon.
The old master let out a small breath through his nose, watching the trail left by the strike.
"...Looks like I’ve got nothing more to teach you," Beon muttered, his voice calm. "At least—not in the basics."
Riley glanced over, smiling slightly.
Coming from soone like Beon, that was about as close to high praise as it got.
"So, does that an I pass your personal evaluation?" Riley asked, lowering his sword.
Beon grunted. "You passed long ago, brat."
Riley raised a brow. "Then why keep pushing through all this?"
Beon gave him a sideways look. "Because raw talent without polish is just a rock. All you needed was a little refinent. A few adjustnts to bring out what’s already there."
He paused, then added with a small shrug, "Whether or not it sticks with your style—that’s up to you in the end."
Riley blinked. "What the heck does that an?"
Beon didn’t even hesitate. "It ans you’re dumb."
"...How cruel," Riley muttered with a flat expression.
Beon smirked.
"That’s how a proper teacher builds character."
A proper teacher wouldn’t be so smug, arrogant, or stubborn all the damn ti... Riley thought to himself.
He didn’t say it out loud, of course.
Not because he was scared of Beon—but because he’d already figured out by now it wouldn’t matter.
Still, the thought lingered in the back of his mind as he looked at the old man, who was now pretending not to be proud of him.
Spending ti with Beon was, honestly, kind of annoying.
The man was sharp, blunt, and often impossible to reason with. But despite all that, his way of teaching was... practical. Efficient.
No wasted words.
No flashy explanations.
He just showed you how to swing, and if you didn’t get it, he made you do it until you did.
And sohow, that worked.
Because it was during this relentless, repetitive training that Riley finally recognized what had been missing from the [Hidden Blade Technique] all along.
It wasn’t just a matter of slashing quickly or with precision.
It was sothing subtle—an adjustnt in timing, a shift in his stance, the exact pressure to apply at the final mont.
That tiny missing piece he’d been chasing ever since picking up the technique finally clicked into place.
And all it took was a few days with a grumpy old man in the mountains.
Barely two weeks had passed since he t Beon and agreed to beco his student.
He’d expected the winter vacation to be a break—maybe grind through a few dungeons, raise his stats, defeat so monsters, and call it growth.
But in reality?
He’d gained far more than he could’ve through pure combat.
Beon’s thods were rough, and mostly theoretical at best.... but effective.
Even if the man refused to explain anything properly, Riley learned. He adapted. He sharpened not just his sword—but his understanding of combat.
And though he didn’t get the stat gains he usually expected from monster hunting, he knew sothing had changed.
He was stronger.
Not just on paper.
In real terms, in pure capability, he could now probably go toe to toe with most S-rankers—and co out on top.
And technically, the system had recognized his growth. His soul’s resonance, his divine energy, even his physical refinent—it had all subtly evolved under Beon’s watch.
Not that Beon would ever admit it.
Of course... there was also that one little "accident."
Killing Beon—montarily, at least.
Riley shrugged that off in his head, brushing the mory aside. It wasn’t really a big deal. He fixed it quickly.
Although many unexpected things had happened during this short, snow-covered winter break, Riley couldn’t exactly say it was a waste.
Not even close.
Sure, things got ssy. Complicated even.
But when he thought about it clearly, he’d gained a lot more than he’d lost.
His relationships with the girls had grown tighter—even if a few monts along the way nearly spiraled out of control.
He’d gotten stronger—not just in raw numbers or flashy combat skills, but in awareness, refinent, and technique.
He’d gained a new master, annoyingly stubborn as he was.
And more importantly...
He’d gained an asset he could make use of in the future.
Soone valuable.
And maybe even take on Liyana.
Right now, she was being completely out of character.... Which made her look tad and trustworthy.
Though she wasn’t exactly "tad," she had at least grown attached—enough to listen, to bend, to act a little more reserved around him.
Whether that would last as ti passed and her strange fate tied to his own death began to play out... that remained to be seen.
But for now, things were stable.
And all in all, for a break that barely lasted two weeks, Riley had walked away with far more than he expected.
"Are you returning to the academy tomorrow?" Beon asked, settling himself onto a large, flat boulder he had sliced cleanly earlier that day.
Riley exhaled lightly, finishing his stretch. "No, probably the next day. I want to spend more ti with the girls before that. You already took most of my hours this entire break."
"Hah." Beon snorted. "If you really wanted to be around your girls, you could’ve just brought them here. This mountain’s big enough, and they might’ve actually made the days less boring."
Riley gave him a look. "Yeah, and cause you even more trouble?"
Beon raised an eyebrow.
"Trust ," Riley said flatly, "bringing them here would’ve done more damage to you than to . You don’t know the kind of chaos that follows when they’re all in one place. And besides—"
He stretched his arms over his head with a small sigh before continuing.
"—as for the academy, it’s true they’re strict with schedules. But there are a few exceptions to their little punctuality rules. Like... top students. Or certain individuals the academy can’t exactly control. It’s usually the first-years who are forced to return early."
Beon clicked his tongue in irritation, but he didn’t deny it.
Now that he thought about it, Riley really was soone of significant standing—despite his deadpan expressions and soft-spoken presence.
A princess, two daughters of high-ranking nobles, a genius on track to beco an Archon... and even Seo.
Beon clicked his tongue and looked away, annoyed.
He didn’t need to glance to know Riley was grinning slightly. The smugness was practically radiating from the brat’s face. He could already tell Riley had noticed his irritation—and was enjoying every second of it.
Cheeky bastard...
Still, Beon said nothing.
anwhile, Riley found himself glancing at the snowy mountain path beyond their little training spot, letting the cold breeze brush past his skin.
The thought of returning to the academy wasn’t exactly dreadful. In fact, it felt kind of peaceful.
Maybe even exciting, in a weird way.
He turned back to Beon, thoughtful.
"...Is there really nothing more you can teach , Master?"
Beon raised a brow, leaning back slightly as he crossed his arms.
"Practical and theory-wise? You’re already perfect. There wasn’t much for to teach to begin with," he said bluntly. "So... no. Maybe not."
Riley blinked at the honesty.
"...That sounds almost like a complint."
"Don’t get ahead of yourself," Beon scoffed. "Just because you’ve filled the gaps doesn’t an your training is over. You’re still lacking in a few important areas."
Riley tilted his head. "Lacking what?"
Beon looked at him straight, expression more serious now.
"Originality."
"Huh?"
"The essence you lacked in your sword—it’s been fixed. Your foundation is solid. Your execution is precise. But your sword... it still isn’t yours."
Riley frowned slightly, confused.
Beon continued, "Your style’s still influenced too heavily by outside sources—worlds you’ve touched, teachers like . You haven’t created anything of your own yet. Your essence is borrowed."
"I see..." Riley muttered.
"Though in your case, once I use that unknown hidden strength of yours... I doubt it matters anymore. When you tap into that power, yeah, your enemies probably won’t care if your technique is borrowed or yours. But you should still find it anyway," Beon said, tone softer this ti. "Your own essence. Your own world. Your sword will never be complete until you do."
Riley looked at him for a mont, then asked, "So you’re still going to teach ?"
"Tch." Beon rolled his eyes. "You should’ve figured it out by now—I don’t teach, brat. I just guide. Whether or not you learn is up to you."
He paused, then added with a low grunt, "I probably won’t be able to visit you during your ti back at the academy. Got my own problems to deal with."
"That so?" Riley asked casually.
"Yeah," Beon said, then smirked faintly. "But... the mont you carve out your own essence—your own sword—I’ll know."
He pointed a finger lazily at Riley.
"So don’t you dare slack off."
Riley sighed with a faint chuckle.
"Yes, yes..."
The two stood in silence for a mont, both glancing up at the sky.
The clouds had started to thin just enough for the sun’s light to peek through, casting a soft glow over the snowy landscape.
Looking back, their first encounter wasn’t exactly what you’d call harmonious. Beon had been distant, critical, and rigid.
Riley, on the other hand, had been guarded, cautious—and mildly annoyed by the old man’s arrogance.
But sohow, despite their clashing personalities, things worked out.
They didn’t talk much about it, but the mutual understanding between them had grown—quietly, steadily.
And now, standing here side by side, it was almost strange how naturally they got along.
Well... almost.
As the sun began climbing toward its noon peak, Riley quietly stepped back, sensing it was about ti to head down. There were still people waiting for him, after all.
He turned toward Beon one last ti.
"...Master."
"Hm?" Beon responded without looking.
"Can I ask you sothing?"
Beon grunted. "What now?"
"If I ever ask for your help again in the future..." Riley said slowly, "would you accept it?"
There was a short pause. Then a scoff.
"Tch. What kind of dumb question is that?"
Beon turned to him with a half-smirk, half-scowl.
"Of course I would, brat. I don’t want my dear Seo crying over your corpse."
Riley blinked. Then let out a short laugh.
"That’s not exactly the answer I was hoping for..."
"But it’s the only one you’re getting," Beon added, crossing his arms. "Besides, I doubt you’ll ever co across sothing that’d need my help."
Still smiling faintly, Riley nodded. It wasn’t a grand promise or emotional send-off, but in Beon’s own way, it was the best kind of reassurance Riley could ask for.
Because Beon wasn’t the type to break his word.
And that... was enough.
"I’ll be going now," Riley said, adjusting the sword on his back.
Beon gave a single nod in response, silent but firm.
They both knew this was probably the last ti they’d see each other for a while.
But until their paths crossed again, Riley had one quiet goal in the back of his mind—he wanted to make sure that, when that day ca, he’d have sothing real to show him.
His true essence.
"You should probably get going before Bom cos back here and starts nagging," Beon muttered with a sigh.
"Haha... yeah. Good point."
Riley turned, walking off toward the edge of the ridge with a casual wave.
"Still—say goodbye to big sis for , will you?"
"...Tch. Get lost already."
Riley smiled.
And without another word, he left.
....
Returning back to his ho, Riley was imdiately greeted by a sight that never failed to warm sothing inside him.
The sa lovely smiles.
The sa expectant gazes.
All pointed at him.
Despite the chilly air still clinging to his coat, the mont he stepped through the door, it felt like he’d entered a different world—a softer one.
The girls, already gathered in the living room, looked up the second they noticed him.
"You’re late again..." Rose muttered softly, arms crossed, her voice calm but unmistakably pouty.
"...Sorry," Riley replied with a light smile, rubbing the back of his neck.
Before he could say anything more, Liyana swooped in, grabbing hold of his arm with practiced boldness.
"Now then~ Let’s go, shall we?" she said with a bright grin. "As we agreed earlier—you’ll be doting on today, darling!"
"H-Hey! That’s not fair!" Alice huffed, rising from her seat. "This is supposed to be our date day! With everyone!"
"Hehe~ Well," Liyana chuckled smugly, placing a hand on her hip like a victor claiming her prize, "we already decided on the dote-days schedule, didn’t we? Sundays are mine~"
"Only because you rigged the vote," Alice grumbled under her breath.
Snow simply stared at the two of them, then quietly reached out to hold Riley’s hand without a word, as if staking her silent claim.
Riley let out a small laugh.
He stood there for a mont, watching them bicker and tease, their familiar voices overlapping one another like a lody he never got tired of hearing.
There was no tension. No weight. Just... peace.
A clear, gentle harmony.
He took it all in quietly, every expression, every smile, and locked it sowhere deep in his heart.
Even as winter slowly ca to an end... even as the break wound down and responsibilities returned... he couldn’t help but think:
I don’t want this to end.
He looked at them again—at the warmth in their eyes, at the chaotic affection they always gave so freely.
I want these smiles to last until the very end.
No matter what it takes.
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