Chapter 5: Adaptation

Yoo Soha failed to contract a Guardian Star again!

The rumor spread like wildfire within Hwanryeong.

Everyone knew Yoo Soha had been preparing extensively to summon a Guardian Star that day.

But judging by her deeply furrowed expression, she had clearly failed.

All ten out of ten Hwanryeong members couldn’t help but think so.

In her office, buried in paperwork, Yoo Danha also heard the news about her sister.

“Soha failed to summon a Guardian Star again?”

“Yes. They say she came out of the summoning ritual room with a terribly sour face, and everyone in Hwanryeong saw it clearly.”

A quiet sigh escaped Yoo Danha’s lips.

Worry for her sister mixed with a bad feeling that Soha’s outbursts would only worsen.

“What kind of grudge does the Guardian Star linked to Soha have? Alright, you can go.”

“Yes, Team Leader.”

Team Leader of Hwanryeong’s Awakener Team 1—that was Yoo Danha’s position.

Despite her young age, being the daughter of the chairman allowed her to lead a team, and she had proven her skills, earning positive responses from her team members.

Unlike Yoo Soha, she never took out her frustrations on subordinates unnecessarily and treated them with respect, solidifying her standing within Hwanryeong.

But even someone as secure as Yoo Danha couldn’t help feeling troubled when her sister’s antics spread elsewhere.

They were sisters, after all.

She hoped Soha would stay quiet, but scolding her wasn’t an option.

Soha might mistreat those she deemed unworthy, but she always executed her missions flawlessly.

“Sigh.”

[You seem troubled.]

“Oh, Hidelixus.”

It was Yoo Danha’s Guardian Star, Hidelixus.

Remaining invisible, he looked at Yoo Danha, who was clutching her head over her sister, with concern.

“No need to worry. It’s not like it directly affects me. Though… I am worried about how Soha will express her anger as public opinion tears into her.”

[I see.]

“Yes. So for now, I just need to stay out of her sight. She’s not the type to take it out on me.”

[That’s a relief.]

“By the way, the Hwanryeong Grand Tournament is coming up soon. Should we start preparing?”

[That annual event, you mean?]

“Yes. The stage where the Hwanryeong family proves their skills. I hope we get good results this time too.”

[It will surely happen.]

“Anyway, I should head home soon. I’m always sorry, Hidelixus. There’s nowhere for you to roam freely. It bothers me that you became a Guardian Star but can’t move about as you please.”

[I’m well aware of my size. Don’t worry about it.]

As Yoo Danha said, Hidelixus was a giant.

Yoo Danha, specialized in long-range attacks, could stand tall among formidable opponents thanks to Hidelixus’s support.

“Thanks for understanding.”

Yoo Danha gave Hidelixus a small smile and began thinking about the Hwanryeong Grand Tournament.

[Fascinating.]

Meanwhile, Yoo Soha, out on the streets, was getting a headache from Eclipse’s constant exclamations of wonder.

The irritation she’d faked before leaving Hwanryeong had now become real.

Cars on the street must be fascinating.

Tall skyscrapers must be fascinating.

The occasional airplane flying overhead must be fascinating.

Even with injected knowledge, seeing things in person was a different experience.

“Eclipse.”

[Hm?]

“Can you be quiet for a bit?”

Her voice was clearly laced with irritation.

Eclipse realized she was genuinely annoyed.

[Was I too loud?]

“Good thing you noticed. You’re so loud my head’s ringing. If something catches your eye, I’ll explain it later, so just be quiet for now.”

[Understood.]

Though he agreed, Eclipse’s eyes still drank in this marvelous world.

He knew what these things were from his injected knowledge, but seeing them was a first.

The concept of carriages had long faded, replaced by cars.

There were even vehicles that flew in the sky, making Earth feel like another world to Eclipse.

The only things he’d seen flying before were birds or terrifying beings that roamed the skies, slaughtering people.

It didn’t take long for Yoo Soha to reach her home.

Befitting her status as a chaebol heiress, she lived in an enormous, splendid mansion.

As luxurious as the noble estates Eclipse had seen, it made him truly grasp the weight of Yoo Soha’s status.

Upon arriving at her mansion, Yoo Soha spoke to Eclipse without hesitation.

“You can show yourself now.”

[Understood.]

Smoke swirled in the air, and Eclipse’s form materialized, landing on the ground.

Thud!

With a rather loud noise.

“Sigh.”

The problem was that Eclipse landed right in the middle of a beautifully maintained garden.

It didn’t take long for the well-kept garden to become a mess.

Flowers were crushed, dirt scattered, and the garden’s beauty was ruined in an instant, mirroring Yoo Soha’s mood.

She pressed her fingers to her temples.

She realized teaching common sense to this incredibly strong but clumsy knight would be quite a task.

What good was knowledge if he couldn’t apply it properly?

Teaching Eclipse common sense was like reprocessing raw knowledge and showing him how to use it in daily life.

It would be tough, but Yoo Soha figured it’d be the same with any Guardian Star.

With a determined nod, she steeled herself.

“Alright. Starting today, you’re getting common sense lessons from me. Got it? I’ll teach you what to watch out for, how to behave—everything. So listen carefully.”

“…Understood.”

“And the people in this mansion are all friendly to me, so if you have questions, ask them.”

“Alright.”

Seeing Eclipse nod silently, Yoo Soha resolved to have everything ready by the Hwanryeong Grand Tournament in a month.

Training Eclipse went surprisingly smoothly.

Yoo Soha’s delighted staff, thrilled she’d gained a Guardian Star, eagerly taught Eclipse various things, helping him internalize knowledge quickly.

Of course, this was possible because of Eclipse’s intelligence.

The old tin-can knight, whom she’d thought rigid, turned out to be remarkably adept at absorbing and applying knowledge.

“I see. So it works like this?”

He skillfully operated a smartphone.

A knight in worn armor using a smartphone—what a bizarre sight.

Even Yoo Soha and her staff couldn’t help but chuckle.

He quickly adapted to the modern tools of awakener society, and Yoo Soha was inwardly pleased.

Her Guardian Star had no issues with intelligence.

To Yoo Soha, who considered stupidity a sin, Eclipse’s sharpness was a welcome trait.

Noticing this, she looked at Eclipse with satisfaction, then her gaze fell on his worn armor.

He hadn’t taken it off once during training, making her wonder.

Why was he so attached to that shabby, worn-out armor?

There were plenty of finely crafted armors made by artisans.

Yoo Soha cared about aesthetics.

Most people like her would be swarmed with detractors in the media, but she also had many supporters.

The reason was simple: she was strikingly beautiful.

On top of that, her skills and pride drew a fair number of admirers.

To her, Eclipse’s aesthetic was rock bottom.

She planned to gift him an artisan-crafted armor artifact once training was done.

But Eclipse rejected her offer outright.

‘So, when are you going to take off that beat-up armor?’

‘I’m not.’

‘What? Why?’

‘It’s my master’s keepsake. I swore never to take it off.’

‘Didn’t you attend banquets or something? Back in your time, nobles had those, right?’

‘By the time I inherited my master’s keepsake, my world was on the brink of collapse. Doing something that foolish would’ve put my life at risk.’

‘…What kind of world did you come from?’

‘I’d rather not talk about it. Sorry.’

‘Sigh. Fine. So you’re going to keep wearing that old armor?’

‘It doesn’t matter, does it?’

‘It looks dirty.’

‘It’s not dirty. I maintain it daily and keep it clean.’

‘…Do whatever you want.’

Since then, slightly hurt, Yoo Soha had stashed the armor artifact she’d planned to give him in her room.

“It’s really fascinating.”

Eclipse, still fiddling with the smartphone, was engrossed like a child seeing one for the first time.

“I’ll get you your own smartphone later, so focus on training for now. Got it?”

“Alright. Next is learning about etiquette, including how to avoid media backlash, right?”

His expression was full of doubt as he spoke.

To him, Yoo Soha didn’t seem like someone who cared about such things.

“Exactly.”

“I didn’t think you’d care about that stuff.”

“Public image is about how others perceive me.”

Yoo Soha explained.

Her image being tarnished meant society thought she was wrong.

She hated the very idea of being wrong.

She’d lived with that belief.

Because she had proven herself with her abilities.

But people were no better than blind.

They ignored her achievements, focusing only on her harsh reactions to trivial matters to tear her down.

And none of those people ever stepped up to prove they were right.

That’s why she despised the media.

They were skilled at twisting stories to fit their narratives.

“So I’ve heard.”

“Do you know why I hate them the most?”

“Why?”

“They always say I’m wrong. That I’m at fault. Usually, they call it ‘abusing power.’”

“Abusing power?”

“When someone in a higher position mistreats those below them, that’s called abusing power.”

“I see.”

“I swear I’ve never done that. Why is it abusing power to refuse to tolerate someone who made a mistake and won’t face the consequences? They’re the ones who are wrong, and I’m right.”

“Is that so?”

“That’s why I’m telling you to care about your public image. You’ll be exposed to the media eventually. When that happens, you need to be perfect. Why? Because people will definitely tie you to me. If you’re not perfect? They’ll write all sorts of nonsense about me. Like I’m an awakener who can’t even manage her Guardian Star.”

“…I understand.”

“I absolutely hate being treated like a failure. I’ve successfully completed everything I’ve done and proven myself. If I’d caused problems without results in Hwanryeong, my father would’ve kicked me out.”

“I see.”

“But those people, who know nothing about the context, hide behind anonymity and spout that nonsense. It makes me so furious I want to ram a lance through their heads.”

Venom crept into her expression—a natural arrogance, with no consideration that she might be wrong.

Eclipse nodded as he watched her anger.

“I understand. I’ll be careful.”

“Good.”

Seeing Eclipse nod obediently, Yoo Soha calmed her rising anger and resumed his training.

“Oh, and speaking of smartphones.”

“Hm?”

“Don’t go leaving comments on weird places online. Anonymous or not, persistent creeps can track you down and make trouble, and that’s annoying.”

“…Got it.”