Chapter 60-1: - Masquerade (4)

Chapter 60-1: - Masquerade (4)

The pace of progress for Team Baek Yu-Seol was quite rapid. They had never encountered any significant obstacles thus far, and most of the riddles were quickly solved.

Despite encountering Gates that seemed impossible to interpret, their breakthrough speed was remarkably fast.

But the question remained, would other teams fare the same?

With a determined expression, Hong Bi-Yeon trailed after Baek Yu-Seol.

"That way. You can lean against that statue. This stage seems to detect weight. The statue's dance is a waltz performed by two people. Since you're alone, the weight won't match."

"Ah! I'll do that!" Upon Baek Yu-Seols suggestion, other students followed suit and approached the statue, taking their positions.

When Baek Yu-Seol spoke, everyone agreed.

Hong Bi-Yeon herself was no exception.

Even now, wasnt she resonating with his words without needing to think twice? There was no fault in his words, and she found herself in harmony with them before even pondering over them.

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't understand this aspect. It wasn't in her nature to seek attention so conspicuously.

If she had wanted to stand out, she could have done so anytime in ordinary circumstances, and if she had wanted to receive good grades, she could have always scored a perfect score.

Yet, Baek Yu-Seol consistently maintained grades just above failing in most subjects. He didn't bother answering exams properly, never submitted assignments on time, and had a messy attitude in class.

But, anyone who had come face to face with him could quickly realize it.

The knowledge in his mind was not at the level of a first-year student.

The moment he opened his mouth, specialized terminology poured out, and he effortlessly solved problems that even prestigious Stella students couldn't comprehend, and devising strategies that others couldn't even conceive.

How was that possible?

Even in Stella, where geniuses gathered, how could someone possess such exceptional experience and knowledge?

... It wasn't in her character to ponder alone.

"Hey, do you know your place? I'll go that way."

As Baek Yu-Seol tried to head towards his place, she quickly grabbed hold of him.

"Wait, Commoner."

"Yeah?"

"There's something I'm curious about."

Hong Bi-Yeons red eyes settled calmly like a lake.

"You, where did that knowledge and experience come from?"

Upon hearing that, Baek Yu-Seol visibly flinched, and his expression wavered.

<em class="chakra-text css-0">Oh damn, did I rush too much?

He thought it would catch her attention, but he didn't expect to hear it so directly. He averted his gaze and spoke.

"Well, it's just... I've had these kinds of experiences... for a long time."

It wasn't a lie.

He was actually acting based on his experiences.

"I see."

Hong Bi-Yeon took it in a slightly different way.

His appearance made him look younger than the average 17-year-old student, but from his actions, speech, and knowledge, he didn't behave like a typical 17-year-old boy.

However, hiding his age and enrolling in Stella was impossible. Transformation magic, except for special species, could never be used to change one's appearance.

Although there was a legend of "time regression", it was quickly dismissed as an absurd and fantastical imagination.

Among those casualties, Hong Bi-Yeon herself might have been included.

That was why it was like that.

Whenever Baek Yu-Seol moved properly, he always had a reason.

"Well then, let's hurry."

There are things we need to confirm, so let's go quickly.

On the other hand, the other three teams weren't in a favorable situation.

Edna roughly untangled her black frilled dress that was in disarray. The top part above her knees was slightly torn, but there was nothing she could do.

"Phew, this dress is getting in the way of the fight."

"... I'm sorry."

One girl who was sitting in a corner apologized, lowering her head in a crouched position.

Edna weakly smiled and shook her head.

"It's okay. It got resolved, didn't it?"

During the strategy, something went wrong.

Edna had some knowledge of the strategy for this gate and was well aware that the keyword was 'dance,' so she continued giving orders.

Figuring out the strategy itself wasn't particularly difficult.

However, one of the team members, who had to achieve their own score, disregarded Ednas strategy, causing a hitch.

When the strategy failed, the knight statues suddenly started moving without any reason. At first, the students didn't think much of it, but the moment they were struck by the sharp blades of those statues, chaos ensued.

Real pain.

Real wounds.

"What... What is this..."

Even after the battle was over, one male student sniffled and stammered through tears.

They thought it was just training.

They even thought this complicated situation was the professor's intention.

This Persona Gate was supposed to be fake.

"But why... Why does it hurt so much, damn it..."

Edna couldn't hide her own mixed emotions while treating the students' wounds.

In the end, she knew it would come to this. How much effort she had put into making them aware of the truth, that it was supposed to be 'real.'

All of that effort was rendered futile because of a single girl named Jecky.

Jeckys words, which had sounded like the truth, turned out to be lies, and Ednas words, which were thought to be nonsensical assumptions, were true.

Only after experiencing it firsthand did the students realize.

<em class="chakra-text css-0">... Let's consider it fortunate that they know now, even at this moment.

<em class="chakra-text css-0">From now on, I have to be careful. The difficulty level is higher than the average student's, but as long as Eisel is present, we can clear it without any problems.

"Come on, calm down. Isn't this way easier than you thought? I've been working on the strategy and did some interpretation. I roughly estimated the solution."

What? Really?"

"Yes, I've been fooling you all this time. Hurry up and get up. We need to move on to the next stage."

Edna stood the students up and waved her staff in the air. As she did, modifiers that penetrated the essence of the Persona Gate appeared one after another, forming a message in the air.