Abel was quite exhausted when he got off Gigant after the two tails.

I had to deal with a large number of people using various armaments and skills while maintaining the maximum synchronization rate, and then I had to deal with a strong player with a marked difference.

So even Abel was tired.

‘If you don’t get tired after doing this, it’s just a monster… … .’

While thinking about that, Abel suddenly remembered something and turned his head to the side.

“huh? why?”

Then Daniel handed me a question with a bright face.

“monster.”

“uh? what?”

“It is a monster.”

“suddenly?”

“no.”

Abel took his gaze away from Daniel’s bewildered face and looked towards Claire’s Gigant.

She got off the gigant and was talking to the engineer.

I was going to say hello briefly, but Claire walked towards the building after a while.

And then.

“now! Class isn’t over yet! Concentrate everyone!”

Kaul drew attention in a loud voice.

As said, the class was still in progress.

Except for Daniel, everyone seemed exhausted physically and mentally, but Kaul didn’t care and continued.

“Aren’t all of them having a hard time except for the three of us? I had a good rest while waiting.”

If it’s three, you’re probably referring to Abel, Daniel, and May.

The rest of the cadets hesitated, unable to answer right away.

Then Kaul tilted his head and spoke again.

“I just said it, but is it really not hard? Then, riding on a gigant and running… … .”

“It’s hard-!!”

This time, a loud reply came back that surprised even Kaul.

Kaul opened his eyes wide and continued with a smile.

“Yes, it will be difficult. No wonder. It’s not fatigue that can be recovered by resting for ten minutes. In this class, there will be people who have already gone through actual battles or something like that.”

As he was talking, Kaul’s gaze passed over Abel and Daniel.

“But most of you probably haven’t.”

As if this wasn’t a question he was expecting a separate answer from, Kaul immediately continued.

“Real combat requires a lot of stamina. Everyone gets exhausted after one real fight. Why? Abel?”

“Because simply moving the body is not the end, it also consumes mental power.”

“That is correct. When it comes to practice, you get very nervous. Most of these are no exceptions. Even those who have been on the battlefield for over 10 years.”

Kaul said with a serious expression that had taken away the playfulness.

“It was the same for me too. My nerves were always on edge, and when I chewed and swallowed food, it felt like it was stuck in my throat. When I slept, I woke up several times drenched in sweat.”

The cadets, who had been exhausted from listening to the story, immersed themselves in the story of Kaul as if it had never happened.

His story of having lived on the precarious line of battle for decades had a lot of suction power.

“Pressure. It can destroy people.”

After talking that far, Kaul paused for a moment before opening his mouth.

“That’s why the academy teaches more than just finesse and wants students to learn.”

The academy’s curriculum was superfluous to train riders who can handle Gigant very simply.

However, if you think of making a great ‘Gigant Rider’, there is no such thing as superfluity.

“Gigant Rider has excellent stamina and great piloting skills. Must have a certain level of mana and operational ability. Of course, you have to fight well. But the most important thing is different.”

Kaul briefly concluded the end of a long story.

“You have to be able to withstand the pressure. Got it?”

“yes!”

Unlike before, the answer came out loud, not forced, but heartfelt.

Kaul finally loosened his stiff expression and said with a smile.

“Today’s catch-up is in the same context. I’ve distinguished winners and losers before, but the important thing is what I learned from it. And don’t dwell on the present.”

Kaul immediately spoke.

“Because winning and losing always change. Even if it’s not necessarily tailgating, there are many opportunities for you guys to check each other’s skills. Now, let’s end this boring story.”

After checking the time for a while, Kaul said something that made the cadets happy.

“Everyone will be tired, so let’s finish class early today. From tomorrow, we will start running as usual, so be prepared.”

“yes!”

Everyone was delighted at the unexpected quick end of class and answered in a loud voice.

Kaul watched the cadets get up and looked at Abel belatedly.

“Oh, and Abel, let me see you for a second.”

Abel also got up from his seat and answered.

“All right.”

* * *

The place he followed Kaul to was used as his office.

Unexpectedly, there were passengers in the office.

It was none other than Claire.

Kaul noticed Abel’s gaze and spoke first.

“He said he wanted to say a few words.”

“Ah, is that so?”

It wasn’t particularly strange, so Abel looked at Claire.

Claire stared at Abel before opening her mouth.

“It exceeded my expectations.”

“yes?”

“Last time I thought it was great, but this time it’s more than that. You are developing at a really amazing rate.”

Claire confided in her candidly, as if she didn’t mind Kaul’s presence.

“Honestly, I was a little jealous, and I was also sad.”

“yes?”

Abel asked again, surprised.

Claire paused for a moment before opening her mouth.

“If we were in the same grade, we would have watched from the side and learned more, tried harder, and tried to excel.”

I didn’t even know how to respond to such an honest comment.

Fortunately, Claire spoke again with a light smile, as if she hadn’t said it in hopes of an answer or appreciation.

“So I’ll look forward to it. If you have any questions or need any help, just let me know.”

“… … All right.”

Claire nodded, bowed politely to Kaul, and left the office.

Kaul opened his mouth only after the door closed and the sound of footsteps faded.

“Keuheum, Claire has been honest since before and tended to bump into anything. So you don’t have to misunderstand that it has other meanings.”

“yes. All right.”

“Would you like some tea?”

“Oh, a glass of cool water is enough.”

Abel had no intention of misinterpreting Claire’s words, even if they weren’t necessarily Kaul’s.

If anyone else had said the same thing as her, I would have doubted her intentions.

Because words that are too sweet always have ulterior motives.

Strangely enough, Claire didn’t feel that way.

Although the message related to the bond gauge of the system also played a role.

‘And it doesn’t matter if I have other plans.’

Originally, there is no such thing as unreasonable favor.

And the reasons can be positive or negative.

As long as Claire didn’t make unreasonable favors or have negative ulterior motives, being close to her was an unconditional benefit to Abel.

Because he is promising and has a good background.

‘That’s why I’m so snobbish.’

Wasn’t there a time when… … .

“here. It is cool water.”

While thinking about that, Kaul put down the glass of water in front of Abel and sat down.

The cowl was holding a cup with hot steam rising from the cowl stand.

It’s a cowl with a very strong impression, but he was surprisingly well versed in cars. To be precise, it was to the extent that my eyes rolled over when I saw a good car.

‘It would be nice to give a car as a gift when the opportunity arises.’

After taking a sip of tea, Kaul started talking in earnest.

“The fact that I called you separately is nothing else, it is about this reward.”

“You mean compensation?”

“So, is there a martial art you want to learn?”

Abel paused for a moment at the question.

Kaul saw it and added a few words.

“There is nothing to worry about too deeply. Umm… … For example, defensive if defensive. Aggressive if aggressive. You can just say that type. There must be some things you have learned before.”

“Could I ask you a reverse question?”

“of course.”

“then… … In your eyes, what do you think I lack?”

At Abel’s question, Kaul stroked his chin and said.

“A lot.”

Speaking briefly and firmly, Kaul continued with a more detailed explanation.

“To be precise, limited to taijutsu, obviously some visions are very high level. But it feels like there is no comprehensive taijutsu. Am I right?”

“That’s right. It’s all because I learned it through eye exams or handed down only a few visions briefly.”

“Hmm. Right.”

Kaul immediately showed signs of understanding.

Perhaps it was because he knew Abel’s background.

A cadet who grew up as an orphan and wandered the streets, but was lucky enough to be sponsored by Count Klein’s family and enter the school.

It was a life very far from the systematic and framed taijutsu.

Instead of commenting on it, Kaul went back to the original chess story.

“The reason I asked that question was probably because I wasn’t sure yet. Just do it. Because it’s just the beginning.”

“yes.”

Abel nodded softly.

As Kaul said, it wasn’t that I wasn’t completely sure, but I had decided to do this from the beginning.

The reason was simple.

When it comes to taijutsu, Kaul is an expert.

Of course, I could have pointed out that I wanted to learn this as much as I wanted.

What skills should I acquire? Get some armament, upgrade your Gigant… … .

Because such a grandiose plan was already in my head.

However, that was only a plan based on knowledge of the game.

This is not a game, it is a living, breathing world. It is right to receive help from others, if you can get help from an expert.

‘Because that’s the way to go higher and faster.’

Abel waited for Caul’s next words with a serious expression.

Kaul, who had kept his mouth shut as if worried, spoke up after a while.

“There is an easy road and a hard road.”

Kaul spread two fingers.

“The easy way is simple. You tend to be very aggressive. On the other hand, in terms of defense, there are some regrets. So, it will be helpful if you learn martial arts specialized for that area.”

Cowl folded one of his two fingers and continued talking.

“The second way is harder than that. It’s just sharpening and polishing that aggressive side. It’s risky and it’s going to be difficult in many ways until you’ve mastered it. And it’s difficult to learn from other things.”

Cowl, who folded both of his fingers, raised one corner of his mouth as if jokingly said.

“If you choose the second, it will be difficult compared to physical training. To the point where I regret my choice. Think about it once… … .”

“I’ll do it for the second time.”

Abel answered before Kaul had finished speaking.

Kaul tried to ask if he was being too hasty, but shut his mouth when he saw Abel’s eyes.

A spark of intense confidence and passion burned in those eyes.

It was a look that could never belong to someone who made a hasty decision.

Kaul met those eyes and said.

“It will be difficult. When other cadets see it, they won’t see it as a privilege, but rather pity it.”

“I am prepared.”

Kaul asked as if he couldn’t understand the answer that was so calm.

“Why did you choose the second one? Is it because it suits your personality better?”

“You said the second was much more difficult… … .”

Abel replied.

“If it was simply difficult and less effective, you wouldn’t have suggested two paths from the beginning.”

He spoke as if he could see right through Kaul.

“Didn’t the instructor think that the second would suit me better?”

At Abel’s logical answer, Kaul stared blankly for a moment, then smiled.

“okay.”

His head moved up and down.

“If you say it that way, it’s like drying it. Don’t expect it.”

Abel answered with his eyes shining.

“yes. I will do my best.”

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