Chapter 154

It felt like the stage’s protagonist had changed in an instant.

Such a thought crossed Ihan’s mind as the mage chick’s presence proved to be more overwhelming than he had expected.

‘Wow, she’s completely dominating the stage with her looks.’

Honestly, Ihan wasn’t particularly interested in the chick’s appearance.

Sure, he could admit she was pretty, but since he tended to assess people based on their bones and skeletal structure rather than their faces, outward beauty didn’t hold much interest for him.

There had been a recent moment when a certain maid had made his heart flutter, but aside from that, Ihan rarely felt attracted to women.

Yet, this time felt different.

Not that he felt romantic attraction—

But…

‘So this is what it means to be a walking work of art.’

He couldn’t help but feel admiration.

It felt like looking at a stunning sculpture or painting.

Even in his past life, he’d heard stories about how seeing famous statues could leave people awestruck and dazed. The mage chick’s beauty and aura evoked a similar feeling—like appreciating a piece of art.

“Bong Soon, I think I’m starting to feel distant from her.”

“M-Me too…”

Even women were mesmerized by her charm.

If Ihan hadn’t already encountered a real dream demon, he might have suspected the mage chick of being one.

‘A half-elf, huh? Her mother’s blood must be strong.’

Only Ihan knew that Irene was the biological daughter of Duke Blake and had inherited strong elven blood.

Legends spoke of elves whose beauty rivaled goddesses and angels, often appearing as deities of beauty in mythology.

‘I can see why they said that.’

Even though he had grown used to her appearance, seeing her all dressed up made it painfully clear why elves had been worshiped by people in the past.

This must be why people say a woman’s transformation is practically criminal.

‘The scary part is that she’s still growing.’

Surprisingly, the chick was still in her growth phase—just at the beginning.

Once she matured, Ihan figured people would finally understand the meaning of the phrase “a beauty that topples nations.”

…Considering how stunning she already was, the thought of her future beauty was almost terrifying.

Ihan wasn’t sure who would end up with her, but he prayed it wouldn’t be him.

‘I don’t want to be that duke’s son-in-law, and more importantly….’

Ssst.

Zap!

‘I don’t want to deal with jealous men.’

Even when Ihan stood next to Bong Soon, he’d felt some prickling stares.

But now that the mage chick was hovering around him, the intensity of those jealous glares was on an entirely different level.

If looks could kill, he’d already have died a few hundred times.

Hmm…

‘So this is why they say fortune favors the bold.’

Only someone with nerves of steel could endure this kind of envy.

But—

“…This is annoying.”

Tsk!

Ihan clicked his tongue in irritation.

Jealousy wasn’t inherently bad, but the sheer number of stares was undeniably distracting.

As Ihan quietly muttered his discontent—

[…………]

“…Huh?”

—he suddenly noticed that the entire area had fallen eerily silent.

It was like someone had muted the world, and Ihan blinked in confusion as he glanced around.

All the men who had been glaring daggers at him just moments ago had gone deathly quiet and were looking away.

Why were they acting like that all of a sudden?

As Ihan blinked in confusion—

“…Instructor, why do you seem less and less human?”

“What are you talking about?”

Kunta looked at him in disbelief, but Ihan tilted his head, still puzzled.

He had no idea why they were acting this way.

…It was likely that the men who had been glaring at him had suddenly felt chills—or perhaps even outright terror.

‘Lion’s Roar, huh?’

Drip…

Lion’s Roar.

It was said to be a technique that infused one’s voice with overwhelming presence and Qi.

Arno and Garan had been subdued by it during their first sparring match with him.

They call it Lion’s Roar.

Ihan’s aura back then had felt like a lion or tiger roaring right in front of them.

It was a memory they would never forget.

But this time, it was different.

He hadn’t consciously released his aura—it had naturally radiated from him.

Because Ihan had felt irritated, his subconscious had released [threat] toward the men who had been hostile to him.

And those men had likely hallucinated something terrifying—

—like a tiger the size of an elephant growling right in front of them.

Even though Ihan hadn’t harbored any real hostility, his sheer strength had triggered their survival instincts, leaving the three cadets trembling as if they had been burned by stray sparks near a campfire.

“I think I’ve gone crazy. My body was paralyzed for about five seconds.”

“K-Kunta was paralyzed for ten…”

“…That’s not human anymore.”

The three, who had momentarily lost control of their bodies, were visibly shaken.

This wasn’t just skill.

For someone’s anger to naturally manifest as a Lion’s Roar—

“Instructor, you’ve turned into a beast.”

“…Could you put that another way?”

“It’s not wrong, though.”

“Maybe calling him a wild beast is better.”

“That’s a bit more fitting. …Wait, Lord Roen? When did you get here?”

“Just now. I thought a monster had appeared. What’s going on here?”

“…Haha.”

Even the arrival of Lionel’s heir couldn’t overshadow Ihan’s overwhelming presence.

Arno let out a dry laugh.

Garan looked visibly drained, and Kunta—

“Oh! Is this what they call ‘Beauty and the Beast’?”

Without realizing it, the barbarian had just named a fairy tale that didn’t exist in this world—an event he would only understand much later.

*****

Without realizing it might be a historic moment where a Grimm Barbarian could be born instead of the Brothers Grimm, Ihan simply enjoyed how the surroundings had quieted down.

‘Finally, the surroundings feel less irritating.’

For some reason, people kept looking away whenever their eyes met his.

Why were they acting like that?

“Why are those people acting like that?”

“Who knows?”

Those who hadn’t been exposed to his intimidation simply tilted their heads in confusion. At that moment—

[[~♪.]]

The sound of musical instruments quietly began to play.

Violins, cellos, pianos, and euphoniums started performing a magnificent piece.

It was the academy’s music department students performing.

“One reason the academy holds balls and parties is for this. It’s also a chance for music and art students to showcase their skills. If they impress the nobles here, they might even get scouted.”

“Really? First time hearing about that.”

“Hm… Looks like you left everything to Instructor Damian. The faculty should’ve received a memo about it.”

“…Why didn’t that punk tell me something so important? Irresponsible brat.”

“……”

Ihan shamelessly blamed the assistant instructor, showing no hesitation in his criticism.

…If Damian were here, he would have protested, claiming he’d definitely sent the report and that Ihan had just ignored it.

Unfortunately, Damian had been working night shifts for three days straight and was now sound asleep at home, completely unaware of the unfair scolding he was receiving.

Still, Damian could be dealt with later. The more pressing matter was—

Ssst.

“Let’s do our best.”

“Y-Yes, sir….”

He needed to show proper etiquette for the occasion.

As the music swelled, couples naturally paired up and began dancing.

It looked like a staged performance, almost like a play, but surprisingly—

‘This really is a performance.’

If someone thought that, they wouldn’t be wrong.

Balls like this weren’t just for fun.

They were an extension of exams for the arts and music students and a practice run for future social gatherings in high society.

That’s why, to an outsider, the atmosphere felt slightly stiff and staged—almost like a play.

Still—

“Am I doing this right?”

“You’re doing great. Yes, just like that, Bear No. 8.”

“…Chick No. 12, can you stop calling me a bear already?”

“Then how about Bald No. 8?”

“…Just call me Bear.”

“Ehehe.”

For commoners and lower nobles attending such an event for the first time, everything felt new and exciting.

Even just dancing with a partner was a valuable and enjoyable experience.

‘Well, what’s not fun about school days?’

After all, youth is a time when people laugh at the smallest things, even a falling leaf.

‘Memories and experiences—they’re assets.’

Ihan suddenly recalled stories from his past life—friends in college who would reminisce about their school days over drinks or coffee, laughing, chatting, and even ranting about those times.

People loved to share those stories, reliving their memories.

So this wasn’t just a party or a test.

For these young people, this moment would likely become an unforgettable memory, even 10 or 20 years later.

A fleeting romance that could only be experienced in one’s youth.

Even if it seemed like a clumsy stage play, there was a certain charm and romance in this setting.

His student, dancing with him, was no different.

Her flushed cheeks and bright smile showed just how happy she was.

“Are you enjoying this?”

“…No.”

“?”

“I’m happy.”

“…Good.”

Ihan said nothing more and simply danced.

He didn’t push himself too hard.

He just focused on making sure his student could enjoy the moment.

Though rough around the edges, he felt proud of managing to dance at all after just four days of practice.

He silently thanked the maid with honey-colored eyes who had taught him.

But—

‘…Why are there so many idiots trying to ruin this?’

Ihan couldn’t just stand by and let these youths’ moment be spoiled.

He wasn’t the only one who had noticed.

The Black Dog and the other three cadets must have picked up on it, too.

‘There are some shady bastards here.’

People with questionable auras.

And then—

-“They’re Assashins, Instructor.”

“…….”

-“Assassins from the western continent. They undergo brutal training and are known to be ruthless. But I never expected the Sultan to bring them here…”

“…Hmm.”

Ihan was more surprised by the voice in his head than the assassins.

It was transmitted through Whispering Voice Technique, a skill that allowed one to send their voice directly to a target without being overheard.

The fact that the Black Dog could do such a thing left Ihan speechless.

How the hell did he learn that?

But Ihan set aside his curiosity for now.

Instead—

“Bong Soon, I need to step out for a bit.”

“Huh?”

“There are some rats I need to deal with.”

“……”

“Sorry for being such a lousy partner.”

“…Hehe, no. That’s just like you, Instructor.”

“Thanks for understanding.”

He was going to teach those troublemakers a lesson.

As long as the students didn’t notice, it would be fine.

Ihan gently let go of his partner’s hand.

Levi looked a little disappointed, but—

“Stay safe.”

“Thanks.”

—she let him go with a smile.

Ihan turned to the Black Dog and mouthed his instructions.

He couldn’t use Whispering Voice Technique, but—

-I’ll be back. Keep an eye out.

His message was clear enough, and the clenched fist he raised emphasized his point.

If anything happened, he wouldn’t let it slide.

-“If any suspicious person approaches, I’ll cut them down immediately.”

The Black Dog’s reply was satisfactory.

Fwoosh!

Ihan disappeared into the crowd as if he had never been there.

“…How does he even do that?”

Roen, scanning the area for any trace of Ihan, couldn’t help but voice his disbelief.

Ihan had been impressed by the Whispering Voice Technique, but for Roen, Ihan’s seamless disappearance was even more astonishing.

No matter how much Roen tried to rationalize it—

“You’re the real anomaly here.”

It was an honest confession.

Coming from a regressor who had experienced countless improbable events, even Roen had to admit that Ihan’s existence defied common sense.