“Commander, can you tell me how the exam will proceed?”
“Yes! The selection test will be conducted over two days through a fortified battle.”
The fortified battle was a kind of mock battle. The exam room was set up with various terrain features, and each team was given a base and a flag.
“There are three main victory conditions. First, if the number of members in your unit drops to five or fewer, it will be considered a complete defeat, and the match will end. Second, if you place your unit’s emblem on the opponent’s base, you win. Lastly, if one person holds both your team’s and the opponent’s emblems in each hand and survives for a set time, you win.”
“Wow, the ways to win are quite diverse.”
“Yes! Therefore, we can assess not only the abilities of each team member but also the tactics and judgments at the unit level all at once.”
“Very interesting. Then how are the rankings decided?”
“The three teams that make it to the second round will automatically pass. The remaining nine teams that lose in the second round will be selected through re-evaluations. Today, three teams are confirmed to pass, and tomorrow’s re-matches for the nine will result in three more teams passing.”
“That makes sense.”
Song An-seong thought to himself.
‘Honestly, going to the losing bracket isn’t a bad choice either.’
Depending on the luck of the draw, teams with average strength might strategically choose to drop into the losing bracket. Rather than exposing all their stamina and strategy in the winner’s bracket and then falling to the stronger teams, they could simply lose to those powerful teams and preserve their stamina and strength to win in the losing bracket.
However, in this selection test, it was unlikely any team would make such a choice.
Because Princess Yuya was visiting.
‘It’s highly likely that the three teams that passed today will be personally congratulated by Princess Yuya.’
It wouldn’t make sense for the Golden Guards to visit and observe the trainees’ exams and not honor the winners. And there would certainly be gifts following the royal congratulations. That meant the chance to receive gifts from the princess.
Who would want to miss that opportunity?
‘Everyone will be fighting for their lives to secure a spot in the winner’s bracket.’
As if to prove Song Chang-sik’s prediction right, each squad was passionately engaged in fierce battles.
“Victory or death!”
“Annihilate them all!”
In an overheated atmosphere, the units unleashed their secret strategies, stamina, and inner power right from the first round. Strategies to steal emblems, occupy the opponent’s base, and eliminate the opposition were all brought into play.
“The performance of the No. 1 trainee from Squad 4 is outstanding.”
Although the fortified battle was a team effort, individual capabilities shone through as well. The outcome of small skirmishes often led directly to the unit’s victory or defeat.
The instructors, waiting on the hillside alongside the princess and the commander, were cheering for the trainees with their hearts in their mouths.
Ho Cheon-an stood by, observing the constantly changing expressions of the instructors with interest. They couldn’t speak loudly or make big movements and instead expressed their feelings with facial muscles in the presence of the princess, which was quite the spectacle.
The ones most excited by Princess Yuya’s appearance were undoubtedly the instructors. The instructor was the one leading the training unit, and if gifts were awarded to the unit, it would naturally include the instructor as well.
“Winner! Squad 6!”
As winners and losers were determined, two instructors clenched their fists. The instructor from Squad 6 had a body language that suggested he wanted to jump for joy and throw punches in the air, while the instructor from the defeated Squad 8’s fist trembled as if swallowing frustration.
“Next is the match between Squad 7 and Squad 12.”
“Oh, isn’t Squad 12 led by the external advisor?”
“Yes!”
Princess Yuya naturally glanced at Ho Cheon-an. Where on earth had he found such a costume? A sharp-edged hat and an outfit that was overwhelmingly red, something you wouldn’t see in the Central Plains. With striped green pants and thick boots, it was very peculiar.
“The trainees’ spirits are fierce. It seems like they’ve put in a lot of effort over the past month.”
“I’ve just fulfilled my responsibilities.”
“Is that so…”
What was he plotting this time? What was the reason for appointing Ho Cheon-an as an external advisor? To suppress the rumors that he could provide insights? To do that, he needed not only to refrain from giving insights to the trainees but also to make them believe that he couldn’t.
In reality, there’s no correlation between facts and a person’s reputation, but people’s expectations can change based on that reputation.
Is it the most ideal outcome for them to think a person who can’t even properly train the Golden Guards would be able to enlighten others? Why, then, did Ho Cheon-an train his trainees so rigorously?
“This is truly exciting.”
Listening to all this, Song An-seong swallowed hard. Ho Cheon-an becoming a Golden Guards instructor reflected the emperor’s will. Saying that it was exciting, was he mocking Ho Cheon-an’s actions of training the trainees hard? If so, what would happen to Ho Cheon-an?
‘Please, please lose!’
With his eyes closed and fists clenched, Song An-seong prayed for a miracle. If Squad 7 miraculously knocked out Squad 12, everything would go smoothly!
As Song An-seong fervently wished, Princess Yuya could only smirk quietly at him.
‘Is it Song An-seong who is burning with anxiousness this time?’
Why not just act ordinary? If he just acted average, wouldn’t things have turned out fine?
Princess Yuya believed that Ho Cheon-an had something up his sleeve. Having experienced how he resolved situations several times before.
‘No wonder Black Cat’s sighs never cease.’
The methods of Ho Cheon-an, which would leave even someone with experience perplexed and sighing!
Song An-seong had heard that he got involved in the major events during the group test on behalf of Song Chang-sik.
If even Princess Yuya was feeling a slight sense of anxiety, what about Song An-seong, who was experiencing Ho Cheon-an for the first time?
Seeing him offering last prayers for fear of failing to respond to the emperor’s will, it was easy to imagine his feelings.
Princess Yuya looked at Song Chang-sik standing beside her. His fixated gaze ahead showed a clear contrast to Song An-seong, whose deep emotions were fully displayed.
‘You’re pretty strict in your son’s education, Commander.’
Princess Yuya redirected her attention forward. Instead of a direct confrontation with Squad 12, which had powerful ranged artillery, Squad 7 chose to disperse forces down all paths.
It was a choice to disrupt the opponent’s organization through sudden attacks in a complicated terrain, but…
“Charge!!!”
Squad 12’s tactic against Squad 7 was a bold charge down the central street. A daring choice by Kang Chumo-ru, completely reading the opponent’s strategy.
Song An-seong’s desperate prayers were rendered meaningless.
“Squad 12 wins!”
Squad 12 achieved a light and decisive victory.
An excellent strategist.
High fundamental capability.
Trained stamina.
Creative defensive capacity.
Ranged attacking means.
Even with one less member and a peak expert’s diminished power, they had enough advantages to overcome those disadvantages.
“Winner, Squad 12!”
“Woaaaaah!!!”
“Yayyyyy!!!”
Once again, Song An-seong’s desperate prayers fell flat as Squad 12 crushingly passed the second round!
The trainees hugged each other in joy.
“Thank you so much!”
“We really owe it to you! Great job, Jo Ga-ju!”
From mid-way through, perhaps the tears stemming from four weeks of hardship overflowed, and some trainees were crying, but despite the tears, smiles never left their faces.
Jo Ga-ju felt the hands of his teammates patting his shoulders and tightened his grip on his spear.
‘…I did it.’
The anxiety he felt when he first picked up the spear was indescribable.
It was true he sensed a limit with the sword. However, Jo Ga-ju was a peak expert. Feeling limited? How many could claim the peak while devoting their lives to mastering the sword?
Though he felt a strong pull towards the spear he just happened to grab, he lacked confidence. Having achieved peak through the sword, would he truly be able to progress to beyond that by switching to the spear? And could he endure the long period of patience needed to reach levels above his current abilities?
‘I can do it.’
Now, he felt he could do it. He saw the possibilities of the spear and felt its advantages.
And he proved it with results.
“Thank you!”
“No, we should be grateful! Great work, Jo Ga-ju!”
Jo Ga-ju sincerely conveyed his gratitude to his teammates. Had they not believed in him, had they not backed him up, would that steadfast word of ‘spear’ ever become established in his heart?
Jo Ga-ju became one with Squad 12, swaying this way and that while looking towards the distant viewing stands.
[What would it be like to challenge?]
Jo Ga-ju felt a deep sense of regret. Ho Cheon-an, who had an appearance that screamed out and could be identified from a ten-mile distance, couldn’t be seen in his sight. Likely due to the elevation of the terrain, he couldn’t make out Ho Cheon-an.
‘Thank you, Instructor…’
For that reason, Jo Ga-ju repeated his gratitude silently.
“Whine!”)
“Waaaaah!!”
With tears of emotion and cries, the group training and the examination of Squad 12 reached its end.
*
The selection test had concluded, but not everything had ended yet.
“The princess intends to congratulate the trainees at each of their dormitories.”
“While it would be convenient to award the prizes in one official setting, please remember that since the tests are still ongoing and only half the passers have been selected, she will visit each unit’s dormitories.”
Of course, the princess’s entourage would follow her. The court ladies assigned to accompany the princess made rounds across dormitories to apply pressure.
Ho Cheon-an recognized familiar faces from visits to the public training hall several times.
‘It seems they know the identity of Hyeok Gi-rin, so perhaps they’ve changed their affiliation to maintain secrecy.’
The trainees in Squad 12, with tense expressions, were washing up and changing clothes.
“Looks like these clothes are in a horrible state…”
“They’ve been rolling around like crazy…”
The two outfits provided looked so dirty that one could hardly believe they had been worn for the past four weeks. This was despite the fact that they had been washed several times because the princess was coming.
“The princess is currently visiting Squad 11, so please prepare yourselves.”
“Unit, attention!”
“Whoa!”
“Also, let’s unify our shout to ‘Yes!’”
The middle-aged court lady serving as the head lady of the training hall held her forehead, as if suffering from a headache. Why did it smell like chicken in this dormitory? Had they only eaten chicken for a month? And why did the Squad 12’s uniforms look so filthy? Had they rolled around like a ludicrous top in the training hall?
There were many things that caught her eye, but the real urgent matter was different, so the middle-aged court lady approached Ho Cheon-an.
What was the true reason for Princess Yuya’s visit to such a cramped dormitory?
‘I believe I showed only the cross-dressing appearance before him.’
Princess Yuya wanted to show Ho Cheon-an a fully dressed-up version of herself, not as the cross-dressing woman Hyeok Gi-rin.
‘Yet, how does he appear…’
What was Ho Cheon-an’s attire like when welcoming Princess Yuya, who had invested so much time in her morning preparations? It was a strange costume that could hardly be put into words.
No, the costume didn’t really matter.
During the period of stay at the public training hall, the middle-aged court lady had acutely felt Ho Cheon-an’s obliviousness and quickly began monitoring his reactions.
The princess had made a great effort to present herself beautifully since early morning. It was necessary to make Ho Cheon-an aware of that beforehand.
“This is a glorious occasion to meet the princess. How shall the External Advisor greet the princess?”
“Well, I must thoroughly uphold the etiquette.”
“Yes. That’s true. But wouldn’t that alone be a bit lacking?”
“Hmm, then maybe I should have the trainees introduce themselves?”
Ho Cheon-an’s bombshell proposal turned the trainees’ complexions pale. The court lady bit her lip in frustration and continued.
“…Not that, you know. The princess has garnered a grand amount of preparations since early morning for today’s event.”
“Oh, would you like me to prepare a chair, considering she might be tired?”
The middle-aged court lady internally lamented upon seeing Ho Cheon-an still utterly clueless. The princess has such a dimwit like him in her heart…!
“The princess is entering now!”
As the middle-aged court lady and Ho Cheon-an were quarreling, everyone in the dormitory bowed down in unison.
“Everyone, lift your heads.”
The trainees, raising their heads after two rounds of bowing, were in awe of Princess Yuya’s appearance. The feeling was drastically different from seeing her from afar. With her beautiful appearance and an air of steadfastness, her transparent eyes sparkled warmly, creating smiles that irresistibly penetrated the trainees’ hearts.
“I closely observed your performances today.”
“Yes!”
“Over the past month, I had the opportunity to indirectly feel how hard you have all worked. It must have been a grueling period.”
With a wave of Princess Yuya’s hand, the court ladies moved swiftly. In the trainees’ hands were belts.
“This belt serves as both a reward and a symbol demonstrating your hard work.”
“Thank youuuuu!”
Who would have thought there would be such warmth within a person? The trainees were immersed in emotion, raising their voices.
“Ho Cheon-an, you come forward.”
Ho Cheon-an bowed in front of Princess Yuya. Princess Yuya took the object given by the court lady beside her.
The Hero Badge.
‘The Hero Badge you created has become a symbol of the heroes from Sacheon.’
Princess Yuya, or rather Hyeok Gi-rin, remembered that Ho Cheon-an was undeniably the central figure who drove away the darkness of Sacheon.
But Ho Cheon-an didn’t have a Hero Badge. When every person in Sacheon joyfully received Hero Badges for their contributions, Ho Cheon-an had an empty forehead.
Was that image perhaps lingering in her memory?
When she thought of the gift meant for Ho Cheon-an, the Hero Badge clearly came to mind.
Did Ho Cheon-an understand its significance?
Princess Yuya didn’t know.
Ho Cheon-an only removed his octagonal hat and wore the Hero Badge in silence.
“It looks good on you.”
“Thank you, Princess.”
Ho Cheon-an spoke.
“Just seeing the beautiful princess so close is a three-lifetime honor. I will treasure the gift you have bestowed upon me.”
“Hehe, hearing that makes the effort of getting ready worthwhile.”
The trainees blinked in surprise as they observed Princess Yuya, who covered her mouth and laughed. Saying such openly to royalty? What they said was irreproachable and yet was an audacious statement, but Princess Yuya, upon hearing it, genuinely appeared delighted.
‘…Why?’
It wasn’t that he had a nice face, nor was his outfit anything to gawk at either. Was he pleasant to be around? That wasn’t it either. So why did the instructor Ho Cheon-an have a beautiful princess as a girlfriend, and why did Princess Yuya brighten up at those words?
The trainees exchanged curious glances, subtly communicating with one another.
The court ladies breathed hidden sighs of relief.
Finally, Princess Yuya, smiling upon having shown Ho Cheon-an her feminine side.
And thus, with Princess Yuya’s smile, the official schedule of Squad 12 came to an end.
