The Heroine Stole My Regression

35 – Midterms (5)

At long last, the midterm exams had begun.

The first two days were written tests.

Every subject crammed into those two days, all at once.

And just now, I’d finished the final exam.

“Ugh, my neck.”

Having hunched over exam papers for so long, my whole body felt stiff.

I cracked my neck a few times, loosening it, and stretched lightly as I walked out of the building.

Gaon was in the middle of a flurry of activity, bustling with exam aftermath and preparations for the coming events.

Because from tomorrow, the visits from external figures would truly begin.

“Where does the professor live?”

“Give us the answers… what kind of hero has a written exam.”

Students, having finished their exams, crossed the plaza, each voicing their complaints.

Amidst that noise, I sat on a bench, watching the electronic billboard that stood at the center of the plaza.

On the large screen floating in the air, the names of the students being nominated were displayed in rotation, in real-time.

[Alert: Interpersonal Combat Nomination]

[Ranking 2nd, Johann] -＞ [Unknown Jeong Hae-in]

[Alert: Interpersonal Combat Nomination]

[Ranking 42nd, Seong Si-woo] -＞ [Unknown Jeong Hae-in]

And even my name was there.

“… What to do.”

Honestly, I didn’t care about either of them.

In Johann’s case, I’d actually sensed it yesterday at the cafe.

Johann, well, I could understand that.

But Seong Si-woo…

Just what is this b*stard playing at?

Usually treating me like I’m invisible, and now, out of the blue, he calls me out for single combat?

Did he hole himself up in some secluded training retreat or something?

‘…Can he even manage it?’

But something even more crucial occupied my thoughts.

I never intended to participate in all the duels in the first place.

I was only planning to fight in the first round, then forfeit the second and third, getting myself disqualified.

Because, during that time, I needed to depart to stop the demonkin raid.

There were matters far more important than some exam scores.

Therefore, now I had to choose.

Which of the two I would duel.

‘Seong Si-woo, or Yohan?’

The electronic display rotated once, displaying my name again.

“Tch.”

I clicked my tongue and retrieved my watch.

And I used the ‘Challenge Rejection Right,’ given to each student, only one per person.

[Challenge Rejection Right] used on ‘Rank 42 Seong Si-woo’.

My honest feelings are these.

I had fought Seong Si-woo once before, in a weapon-based duel.

He was weak back then. Moreover, he hasn’t received any support or care from me since, and it hasn’t even been a month yet.

It’s difficult to imagine that he would have shown any noticeable improvement in that short time.

This world is crueler than you think when it comes to talent, a protagonist can’t just get enlightenment from practicing a few times.

So, to put it another way,

You are incredibly weak.

I didn’t want to use my one and only duel on Seong Si-woo.

It didn’t sound like it would be any fun.

So, in the end, my choice was.

[Due to Challenge Rejection Right use, the duel with ‘Rank 2 Yohan’ is automatically scheduled.]

It was Yohan.

I thought there were a lot of people yesterday…

I was wrong.

Today’s plaza was on a different scale entirely. The highlight of the midterm exams: the mass duels.

All sorts of banners and flags fluttered, and the murmuring crowd resonated like a hive.

It felt like a festival ground.

No, wait, I have to compete.

I sighed and, with effort, pushed my way through the throng.

There were three duel arenas: A, B, and C.

Since the matches were happening simultaneously, people were moving to find the arena where the student they were supporting was competing.

Mine was Arena A. So, I needed to head to Arena A, but…

There were just too many people.

Rank 2, Johan. And they say Rank 1, Kang Arin, is also in this arena. Of course, everyone would be drawn here.

I barely managed to navigate the crowds and climb into the stands.

-Waaahhh!!

The cheers of the audience shook the arena. I flinched.

The colossal arena; the battle was already in full swing.

Kang Arin, and an unknown female student’s fight.

The opponent seemed to have challenged Kang Arin without knowing what she was getting into. Driven by competitive spirit, I’d wager.

Something like, ‘You think you’re so strong?’

I found a suitable empty seat and started watching the match.

It felt rather one-sided. The match was going as expected. Kang Arin was strong.

An archer who uses ranged attacks, allowing a brawler to get close.

That meant the battle’s outcome was already decided.

This is the third time I’ve seen this happen.

But—

Kang Arin wasn’t ending the fight she could have finished a while ago.

She kept turning her gaze, looking at the stands. Searching for someone.

Then, her eyes finally landed on me. Her eyes widened, and…

In an instant, her form disappeared.

And then.

– *Kwang!!*

A-rin Kang’s fist connected, a clean strike to the archer’s gut.

One hit. A single, devastating blow brought her opponent down.

The female student crumpled without so much as a scream.

Gasping, she clutched at her abdomen.

“Winner—A-rin Kang!!!”

The announcer’s cry unleashed a storm of cheers.

-Waaah!

A-rin, basking in the roar, waved back at the crowd.

But her gaze remained locked on mine.

“Not bad,”

That was my assessment.

I wasn’t sure why, but she could have ended it sooner if she’d truly wanted to.

Her opponent seemed to know it too, judging by the frustrated expression twisting her face as she cradled her stomach.

The electronic board flashed, displaying the upcoming match order.

My turn was next.

Immediately, my name began to ripple through the crowd.

“Hae-in Jung…? Who is Hae-in Jung?”

“Ah, another one-sided match, is it? Johann can start scouting from the second round.”

The comments floated from the stands, mostly the casual chatter of guild scouts.

And understandably so. Guild scouts were the ones hoping to see a promising talent truly shine.

If the opponent was too weak, that was unlikely to happen, and they hated that.

I quietly rose from my seat.

‘Time to head over, I suppose.’

Considering the time they needed to prep the stage, now was just right.

I slipped out of the stands and made my way towards the player’s entrance tunnel.

As I walked the tunnel, the cheers faded, replaced by the low, muffled echo of my own footsteps.

After verifying my identity, I waited just before the entrance.

“Please wait three minutes, then you may enter.”

“Yes, yes.”

Guided by the attendant, and after waiting a few more minutes,

I slowly ascended into the arena.

–Waaah!!

Emerging from the tunnel, a roar pierced my ears.

Even more fiercely erupting cheers than before.

Though, most of it was likely for Johan standing before me.

Johan, as if savoring the clamor, flashed a radiant smile and waved.

A presence as if he had taken over the solo stage.

We stood facing each other.

“You accepted?”

He opened his mouth with a smile.

Here, no matter how loud you shout, it wouldn’t reach the stands.

“I thought you’d be frightened and refuse.”

I deliberately did not answer.

There was no real need to say anything.

I simply loosened my wrists slowly, awaiting the countdown.

Then, on Johan’s face, a very subtle crack appeared. Of course, it soon returned to his original gentle smile.

“We even went to dungeons together.”

He said.

“I know you’ve been hanging out with the Saintess a lot lately.”

It seemed he had even done a background check on Cheon Yeo-ul.

I still didn’t react.

But Johan, for a moment, slightly raised the corner of his lips, then approached even closer.

“I’ll ask you just one thing.”

His smile deepened further.

“The Saintess…”

He took a short breath, then, very lightlyㅡposed the question.

“Did you sleep with her?”

“Ha…”

I sighed.

Passing through the tunnel, the lukewarm emotions that had been building up vanished in an instant.

Like a clinging fog lifting, the unnecessary feelings disappeared from within me.

This… I can’t even manage a hollow laugh. My face hardened into a cold mask.

“So, you’re more serious than I thought.”

Hero Johan.

What would happen if everyone knew that his true nature, packaged as a friendly and kind image to the outside world, was this utterly pathetic?

-3! 2! 1!

The countdown echoed.

Slowly, I raised my spear.

I looked at Johan one last time.

He was still smiling.

But behind that smile, a terribly twisted obsession flickered.

“Get a grip.”

*

Typical guilds watched the students’ battles from the stands, offering their assessments.

However, things were a little different here.

Gaon’s arena was divided into three sections, A, B, and C, and at the center was a special viewing box – a kind of VIP room – offering a panoramic view of the entire arena.

Key figures from organizations known as ‘Majors’ could observe any arena they desired from this vantage point.

-Click.

The sound of a glass being set down on the polished wood table echoed quietly.

“Lady Arin’s performance was quite impressive.”

Officially recognized as ‘Gaon’s Ranked #1.’

Naturally, her match was the first topic of discussion.

Kang Yun-hyeok, guild leader of the Glory’s affiliated guild, Mainstay, became the center of attention.

“Guild Leader Kang Yun-hyeok. Lady Arin’s growth rate is truly astounding.”

“At this rate, she might become an S-rank as soon as she graduates.”

Kang Yun-hyeok nodded, wearing a relaxed smile.

It was the reaction he had anticipated.

Kang Arin.

His niece, and the most powerful talent nurtured by Glory.

Though a crisis seemed imminent after the death of Kang Yu-seong, the rightful heir, Yeonggwang blossomed anew, defiant.

His gaze drifted toward the electronic display.

The roster for the next battles flickered to life.

‘Hmm…’

The arena A clash was imminent.

As Yohan was participating, the Order and other prominent factions naturally gravitated toward his section of the stands.

“Haha, Bishop. The warrior Yohan’s battle is about to commence. This warrior… he truly is remarkable.”

The old man, draped in white priestly robes, was besieged by people.

All vying to curry favor.

“That child… he will become a new light for the Order.”

“Haha, indeed, indeed.”

Anticipation for Yohan’s battle swelled.

Even the VIP rooms teemed with figures eager to witness his performance.

Most conversations revolved around Yohan.

However, Kang Yoon-hyuk’s interest lay elsewhere.

‘Uncle, I’m putting him in Glory.’

One day, Kang Ah-rin abruptly recommended someone for Glory, the Vanguard team of the Guild Master.

Not just a recommendation, she was trying to register him directly, which he’d blocked using his Guild Master authority.

‘Jeong Hae-in.’

A name he had never heard before. But the investigation revealed a hero known by the epithet Muk-gwi, the Silent Demon.

He’d shown decent promise for his young age, but.

Glory was not a place for just any hero.

Therefore, he chose to observe the match from Jeong Hae-in’s side of the stands, rather than Yohan’s.

He wanted to understand why his niece had recommended him.

But arriving at Jeong Hae-in’s section, Kang Yoon-hyuk wore a puzzled expression.

“What is this?”

He’d expected the area around Jeong Hae-in to be empty, as everyone flocked to Yohan, but a considerable number of people were already seated.

Arcadia, Lotus, and… Vanquisher.

‘Vanquisher…?’

He had been surprised when they decided to particpate in this bid but their choice here was even more of an unexpected choice.

Kang Yun-hyeok turned his gaze towards Arcadia, the group he had at least some acquaintance with.

And quietly, he addressed one of them.

“Bishop Luke, have you come to see student Yohan?”

Luke shook his head.

“No, the Saintess recommended him. She strongly requested Mister Jeong Hae-in.”

“As for me… I am merely one who moves according to the Saintess’s will, and so I have come to fulfill it.”

Kang Yun-hyeok’s expression tightened, subtly.

‘…Even the Saintess?’

Something felt amiss.

Looking closer, the faces watching Jeong Hae-in’s match were hardly ordinary.

The Yu family’s bodyguard. The Lotus Guild. The Arcadia Order. Vanquisher.

‘…And even myself?’

He had taken his seat out of simple curiosity,

but Kang Yun-hyeok decided to settle in deeper, more deliberately, to observe the match.

And at the heart of that viewing gallery…

-Crunch.

“Hae-in’s quite popular~”

A man spoke, calmly munching on a snack.

Park Gwang-cheol.

He occupied his seat with complete composure, utterly devoid of tension.

“Ooh, Hae-in’s angry.”

-Crunch.

“You are so screwed~”

Taking another bite of his snack, Park Gwang-cheol began to enjoy the match.