Episode 4
A bunch of wyverns fell to the ground with a crash.
‘Who is that?’
Someone mysterious stood in their place.
Their whole body, including their face, was hidden by mana.
Maybe they didn’t want their identity known—or couldn’t afford to let it be.
Because of that, it was impossible to fully let down one’s guard.
‘They did save us, so they’re probably not an enemy… but still.’
Someone hiding their identity with mana usually had something to hide.
No matter if they were a savior—it was too early to relax.
“Stay alert. There’s no proof they’re not an enemy yet.”
The vice-captain warned the knights to stay sharp, gripping his sword tightly—ready to act in case anything happened.
He focused all his senses on the mysterious swordsman.
“Put your sword away. You’re being rude to our savior.”
A voice came from the carriage.
The door opened, and a woman stepped out.
“Princess! It’s dangerous out here—please go back inside!”
It was the 3rd princess of the Canary Kingdom.
Aris Vel Canaryan.
“Inside or outside—it makes no difference now.”
Aris calmly stopped the vice-captain from blocking her path.
“The captain is not here. No one else can stop that swordsman.”
“That’s…”
She was right.
Even with all the knights on guard, they couldn’t stop someone that powerful.
“Whether you’re here or not—it doesn’t change anything. Am I wrong?”
“…Tch.”
“If you understand, stand down.”
“…Yes, ma’am.”
The vice-captain obeyed and stepped back.
Aris slowly approached the mysterious swordsman.
“Princess, please, at least don’t get too close…!”
“I told you to stand down.”
The vice-captain flinched and stepped back under the weight of her presence.
“First, I should thank you—for saving us.”
Just as the princess gracefully bowed to thank the swordsman…
KIEEEEEEK!
Suddenly, a wyvern near her moved.
‘It was still alive?!’
It roared and shot fire straight at the princess.
“Princess!!”
The vice-captain tried to block it, but he was too far away.
‘Damn it…!’
Just as he braced for the worst—the mysterious swordsman moved in front of the princess.
BOOM!
He held the princess and blocked the flames with his back.
The knights were shocked.
‘That mana barrier… it’s insanely strong.’
Even at that close distance, the flames didn’t affect him at all.
It was a truly overwhelming display of mana control.
‘He’s hiding his identity with mana, yet not even a flicker of weakness…’
This person might be stronger than their own captain.
The vice-captain stared at the swordsman holding the princess, his heart trembling in awe.
“….”
Oddly enough, the princess was calm.
You’d expect her to collapse or panic after almost dying, but she was perfectly composed—coolly analyzing everything.
‘Hmm. He has an Adam’s apple. So he’s male.’
When he blocked the flames, his mana flickered just a bit, and Aris caught a glimpse of his lower face and neck.
His skin was smooth—he couldn’t be more than in his early twenties.
‘Do we have any swordsmen that powerful at that age?’
Not a single name came to mind.
If he was that skilled at such a young age, his name would’ve been known by now.
‘Is he from the underworld? Or maybe…’
While she was lost in thought, the man suddenly looked to the left.
Then, he let go of Aris, took a brief glance at her for about two seconds—and vanished.
“W-Wait! You can’t just leave like this!”
He disappeared before her words were even finished—so fast that he was completely gone in a flash.
“I didn’t even get to properly thank him…”
Not being able to thank him properly was bad enough,
but it hurt more to lose someone with that kind of talent.
‘He was like a bolt of lightning…’
Aris stared wistfully at where he had stood.
There, she noticed something unexpected.
“This button…”
It was a button from the Garam Academy uniform.
If it was on the ground here…
‘Don’t tell me… he’s also an incoming student at Garam Academy?’
Back with me, Reaper was staring at me like he just saw a god.
‘What’s with him?’
His eyes were intense—like he was looking at the person who saved his life.
Seriously uncomfortable.
“You truly are the Master.”
Reaper said, nearly crying.
“Despite changing bodies and losing all your abilities, your mana control is still that precise… It’s amazing.”
…What’s he even talking about?
“You once said to Yodala when he made a mistake:
‘A plan must always change in real battle.’”
I didn’t remember saying that,
but it did sound like something Jairaon would say.
“I used to think that was just something you said to comfort him. I thought anyone who didn’t follow the plan exactly was just a loser making excuses.”
He looked like he was about to cry.
‘Seriously, what is wrong with him?’
I literally did nothing.
All I did was let Reaper control my body.
And he’s acting like I pulled off some brilliant strategy?
“The real genius part was not showing your face.
Showing it directly would have only made her more suspicious.”
Not showing my face?
What is he going on about?
“By only showing a glimpse of your lower face and neck,
you avoided suspicion and sparked curiosity.
A masterful move.”
My lower face? I showed that?
“Most impressive of all—you overrode my puppet control with your mana.
Even in a new body!”
I didn’t override anything.
I was just letting Reaper control me the whole time—
‘…Wait. Was it then?’
When I protected the princess from the fireball.
I did instinctively turn to look at it.
‘So if I think about Reaper’s original plan—
maybe his goal was to reveal my face at that moment.’
But because I turned slightly, only my chin and neck were exposed.
That… actually sounds believable.
And I do have EX-rank mental resistance,
so I could resist his control even without meaning to.
I guess I unknowingly resisted a bit.
“But one thing confuses me.
If you’re hiding your identity now, how will you reveal it to her later?”
She wouldn’t recognize me just from seeing my chin.
Reaper can’t show off that same power at the academy either.
‘He’s right. There’s no natural way for her to realize I’m the same person.’
As I was wondering what to say to him—
Reaper’s eyes suddenly went wide.
“The uniform button…”
He was staring at my collar.
‘It fell off.’
Must’ve happened during the fight.
‘Ugh… That means I’ll get penalized for dress code.’
I’d have to ask Reaper to get me a new one—
“So that was the plan…”
Reaper’s eyes sparkled.
He looked like he was struck by lightning in the best possible way.
“I understand now. Yes… I understand everything!”
He dropped to one knee and bowed.
“You accounted for the princess’s suspicious nature,
the absence of her knight captain,
and even his aggressive personality—
and used that button to leave a trace.
It’s all part of the master plan!”
This was getting ridiculous.
‘…Whatever.’
Better not to think too much. Good for my mental health.
“Then we should delay your entry to the city, right?”
By that, he meant he’d get me a new button.
Which I definitely needed.
“Yeah. Let’s do that.”
I walked into the carriage.
“Then, Master, I’ll take my leave now.”
‘…Huh?’
Just 20 minutes away from Garam Academy’s capital city—
Reaper suddenly said he was leaving.
“Take care.”
And he vanished before I could even stop him.
‘…You’re leaving now?!’
I mean, it made sense.
The capital was full of dangerous people,
and the risk of getting discovered was high.
I wasn’t surprised that he left.
I was surprised that—
‘He didn’t give me the new button!’
He knew I’d get penalized without it!
How could he just leave?
‘Wait—does he not know there’s a demerit system at Garam Academy?’
Does he think a missing button is no big deal?
That’s nuts.
‘Ugh.’
Why delay the entry at all, then?
This makes no sense.
‘And penalties are really hard to fix at that school…’
Starting with one on day one is just depressing.
‘Sigh.’
But what can I do?
He’s already gone.
‘I’ll just have to deal with it.’
They’re hard to fix,
but not impossible.
If I work hard, I can make up for it.
With that mindset, I joined the immigration line.
20 minutes later, it was finally my turn.
“Please show your entry permit.”
I took out my acceptance letter and was about to hand it over—
“Excuse me a moment.”
A huge man walked up from the capital side of the gate.
‘Lionel of the Wildfang Knights…?’
Over 2 meters tall.
A massive sword.
A long scar on his cheek.
No doubt about it.
He was Lionel, captain of the 7th knights, who served the 3rd princess Aris.
“I need to check something.”
“Even a royal knight captain can’t interrupt immigration like this—”
“Haha, it’ll only take a second.”
He brushed aside the guards and came right up to me.
Then he stared at me for a few seconds.
“Hmm. Even your bone structure stands out.
No doubt about it.”
He looked amused, then smiled.
“Sorry to bother you. But the young lady said she has something to return to you.”
“Huh? Why would she—”
He looked straight at my collar,
where the button was missing.
“…Oh.”
And then, I understood everything.
