I Became a Genius Swordsman in the Pretty Girl Game

“Wow─ What is this…?”

Everyone widened their eyes and gaped at the Winter Palace.

Squeak─

I chuckled at their reactions and confidently opened the door, stepping inside.

“Come, come!”

The inside was warm, and the biting cold was no longer felt. The furniture, made of colorless, transparent ice, beautifully decorated the interior.

“How is this place here?”

Shin Se-hee brushed off the snow from her body, looking intrigued.

“It’s strange. It’s ice, but it’s not cold.”

Ichika fearlessly touched the furniture.

“Hmm, is this an artificial structure in a dungeon? Are there monsters here? Or perhaps intelligent undead monsters…”

“Hiccup──!”

Yoo-ri looked around the interior with a stiff expression, wondering if she should raise her shield. Lim Ga-eul, who had no tolerance for horror, screamed at the mention of undead.

“No, I said we’re here to rest. There won’t be any of that.”

I waved away their concerns with a light shake of my head.

It was true. This was a magical space, but it wasn’t a place where monsters would appear.

“….Then why is this place here?”

“Guess.”

“Hmm, it’s Lina, right? I recognize her magical aura.”

My teacher was the fastest to guess the correct answer.

Who else could have created such an absurd space?

Only one person—the magical essence, the Magic Emperor, Lina.

As you go further inside, there are clues that this is Lina’s work. There’s a mini-game-style event where you can guess and there aren’t really any rewards.

‘But you immediately figured it out with your magic. As expected, Master.’

Hmm.

It was still a fun event to try and figure out, but my teacher, who was close to Lina, had already revealed the secret.

Of course, I didn’t know why Lina had created this or why she had made it in this place. That part wasn’t explained in the game either.

‘Maybe I’ll ask Lina about it later.’

Since this wasn’t a game, maybe she would answer if I went and asked her directly.

As I was thinking this, my teacher opened her mouth again.

“Ah, this place. I didn’t recognize it at first because it’s changed so much, but I know this place.

“Huh?!”

Everyone’s gaze turned to my teacher.

“This used to be an SSS-class gate, the Fire Dragon’s Nest. Hmm, I remember her saying that it had too much magic after dealing with it, so she didn’t tell anyone outside for a while… I guess it was forgotten after that.”

“….Huh?”

An unexpected behind-the-scenes story suddenly came out!

What’s the Fire Dragon’s Nest?

I’ve never heard of it.

“Master, can you explain it in more detail?”

“I came here when I was very young, so my memory is a bit hazy…”

According to my teacher, this place used to be a dungeon where a fire dragon, a fire monster, had settled.

Lina had taken almost a year to conquer this dungeon, and even she had consumed a considerable amount of energy during that time.

“….Was the fire dragon here stronger than Lina could handle?”

“No, it wasn’t the monster, but the environment of this dungeon that was the problem.”

Unlike the snowstorm that was blowing now, the entire dungeon used to be a boiling lava zone where ordinary hunters couldn’t last even ten minutes. It was difficult to even approach the fire dragon, which had made its nest in the middle of the dungeon. So, Lina came up with a plan.

‘If the heat is the problem, why don’t I freeze the entire dungeon and then deal with the fire dragon?’

That’s why it took a year!

“So, is this… a lodge that Lina made inside the dungeon during that year?”

“Hmm, I used to come here sometimes when I was working, and I’d stay the night. It’s highly likely that this place was made by her.”

Freezing the entire dungeon with magic… This showed why Lina was praised as the undisputed number one in the world rankings.

“….Then, Master. Is the hot spring here made from the remains of the fire dragon?”

“Hmm, if there’s a hot spring here, then yes.”

My teacher nodded in response to my question.

“But don’t worry. I clearly remember that Lina definitely defeated the fire dragon at that time.”

My teacher said so, but…

‘Hmm, this doesn’t feel like a good omen. I came here to rest, and now I’m worried about accidentally unsealing the fire dragon and having to fight it. It’s a typical flag, but…’

Even in the game, I never once triggered the hot spring cutscene, no matter how many times I brought my characters here to rest.

Could it really happen this time?

Eh, no way…

‘But the fire dragon… Is it similar to the water dragon?’

In Velvets, the dragon race was known to be a valuable catch, with no part of them going to waste. They gave experience, buffs, and materials. The ring obtained from the Zuka Forest was famous as an exceptional hunting item.

They were also quite rare, and it was common to finish the game without ever encountering them.

‘The fire dragon… With Master here, who is overpowered even in the real world, and Kang Do-hee and Shin Se-hee, who have strong fire resistance…

Unconsciously, I began to strategize for the possibility of the fire dragon appearing.

‘What if, just in case…’

Just in case!

‘What if our fire dragon suddenly appears and feels sad if we’re not prepared at all? We have to give it a proper welcome!’

As I rationalized this to myself, the look in Jin Yuha’s eyes was that of a greedy hunter.

.

.

.

I informed the party members that we would be resting here, and they all scattered to find their own rooms.

I did the same.

‘….Lina really goes all out, doesn’t she?’

I shook my head in disbelief as I looked around the room.

The bed was made of fluffy magical fabric, with a non-cold ice bed. The drawers contained clothes made from monster hides, and the refrigerator was stocked with food.

Lina… She really didn’t do things halfway.

She could have made something small and simple for herself, but instead, she built an entire castle.

The castle was probably created when she was much younger, as my teacher had mentioned, yet everything still looked brand new, sparkling as if it had just been built.

This meant that she had cast preservation magic on every item here.

Perhaps, after creating it…

‘Ah, I went too far again…’

She might have looked at the castle with dead eyes, thinking, ‘I went overboard again…’

Lina truly was a character with cheat-like abilities when it came to magic. In that regard, she was more of a Deus Ex Machina than a true overpowered character.

Despite the restrictions of cause and effect, she was still a huge help to me and my party, always going all out.

In the next episode, Lina’s existence becomes quite important. It’s time to repay the debts I’ve accumulated.

Just then…

“Jin Yuha~!”

I heard Sophia calling me from outside.

‘Hmm, I really need to stop thinking about these things when I’m supposed to be resting…’

I let out a bitter laugh and went outside.

.

.

.

Today is a day off!

In other words, it’s an officially recognized Utopia holiday.

To ensure the party members’ rest, only one person needs to be tired.

Who is that?

Me!

I proudly declared this to the party members.

“While we’re here, if you ask me for something I can do, I’ll do it for you if it’s within my power.”

“Anything?”

Sophia asked, sounding confused.

“Yes, anything. It’s also my apology.”

“….What are you apologizing for?”

“Hmm, I realized that since I became the leader of Utopia, I haven’t really given you guys proper rest. That’s not right as a party leader.”

As I said this…

“…..”

An awkward silence fell.

‘Huh?’

Something felt off.

‘Huh? Usually, when I say something like this, someone would say it’s okay or decline or at least make some sort of comment, right?’

But everyone remained silent, staring at me with dangerous, sparkling eyes.

‘….Have I really neglected their rest that much?’

It felt like I had sprinkled blood in front of a pack of hungry piranhas. I shivered, sensing an ominous premonition.