← Third life, this time I kill the traitor firstThe next morning, before heading to the training grounds, Cain visited the library again.
Iris was not there. In her place was a different record keeper, who stood up and left the moment he saw Cain. As if it were a predetermined signal.
Cain dug deeper into the aptitude assessment materials he had seen yesterday. This time was different. Not the surface, but the structure.
Training score sheet.
First week: Lucian 8.5, Maria 7.2, Henry 6.8, Thomas 5.9...
Two days later.
Lucian 8.5, Maria 7.8, Henry 7.1, Thomas 6.2...
And two days after that.
Lucian 8.5, Maria 8.1, Henry 7.4, Thomas 6.5...
Cain's finger stopped.
'Everyone's rising.'
Except for one person.
Lucian remained at 8.5. As if that were the ceiling. No, not the ceiling. The ceiling was higher. Lucian's score wasn't failing to rise due to technical limitations.
Cain turned to the next page.
Analysis by training category.
Technique: Lucian 8.5, other students average 5-7.
Physical ability: Lucian 6.5, other students average 6-7.
'Is this right?'
In physical ability, Lucian was actually below average. He was overwhelmingly superior only in the technique category.
Cain calculated in his head.
How was the aptitude assessment conducted?
They said that in the helicopter crash simulation, technique, physical ability, judgment, and survival instinct were comprehensively evaluated. Then why was Lucian excellent in only one category?
'The training is not fair.'
The moment this thought occurred to him, Cain's eyes changed. Cold.
On the way to the training grounds, Cain found Dominic Crow.
"Record keeper Red, what do you want?"
Dominic's voice was annoyed.
"Does the training method reflect individual differences?"
Cain asked.
Dominic laughed.
"What are you talking about?"
"Lucian's technique score is being maintained at a constant level. Other students keep rising."
Cain spoke directly.
Dominic's laughter stopped.
"A record keeper's job is only to record, Red."
"I know."
Cain replied.
"However, to keep accurate records, I need to understand the training structure."
Dominic looked Cain over once, from head to toe. Then he spoke.
"The students are designed to compete. That's all."
"Compete."
Cain repeated.
"That's right. The purpose of this academy is to find the best hunter. Without competition, that's impossible."
Dominic turned toward the training grounds.
"And the scores are... relative."
Those words struck the back of Cain's neck.
Relative.
Cain stood in the training grounds and watched the students.
Lucian was still receiving 8.5. In the technique category.
But in physical ability, he remained at 6.5. As other students rose, the gap widened.
'The scores are relative.'
In other words, Lucian's technique wasn't really 8.5; it was that level compared to other students.
Then what was the 8.5 technique score Lucian received in training?
Cain observed the training more carefully.
The task Dominic gives to Lucian.
"Change direction while falling. Three times."
Lucian executes it perfectly.
The task Dominic gives to Maria.
"Change direction while falling. Two times."
Maria also executes it perfectly.
'He gives different tasks.'
Cain made a note.
Lucian: More difficult task. Perfect execution. 8.5 points.
Maria: Easier task. Perfect execution. 7.8 points.
'The score is determined by the difficulty of the task.'
Then who decides the task?
Dominic.
Dominic Crow is individually setting different difficulty levels for each student.
Cain reviewed the records from other days.
The pattern of technique score increases.
Maria: 7.2 → 7.8 → 8.1
At each stage, she received more difficult tasks. And she succeeded at them.
Lucian: 8.5 → 8.5 → 8.5
He always received tasks of the same difficulty. And he always executed them perfectly.
'Lucian is being adjusted so he can't rise any further.'
This realization began to paint a clear picture in Cain's mind.
That evening, returning to the dormitory, Cain saw Lucian.
Lucian was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
"Lucian."
Cain spoke.
"Yeah?"
Lucian turned his head.
"Why does your physical ability score seem to not be going up?"
Cain asked.
Lucian's expression changed. Very subtly.
"That's... well, probably because my physical ability is lacking."
Lucian looked at the ceiling again.
"Since my technique is 8.5?"
"That's a field I'm good at."
Lucian's voice became slightly stiff.
"You're only receiving technique training."
Cain stated. Not a question, but a statement.
"Well... that could be the case."
Lucian sat up. His eyes met Cain's.
"Did you see something at the training grounds?"
"I saw the structure."
Cain answered.
"That the students are designed to compete."
Lucian sighed.
"That's right."
Lucian admitted.
"Here, scores are relative. The better I do, the more difficult training others receive. And... the reason I receive less physical ability training is..."
Lucian stopped speaking.
"Why?"
Cain asked.
"Because I have enough competitiveness through technique. Rather than supplementing my weaknesses, strengthening my strengths was judged to be more advantageous for me."
Lucian said.
"Who judged?"
"Dominic. Or someone above him."
Lucian stood and looked out the window.
"Everything in this academy is calculated. Even who will be the best."
At that moment, clarity came to Cain's mind.
The reason record keepers are excluded from training.
They are observers. Beings unaffected by this competitive structure.
And the fact that the number of record keepers was increasing meant...
Someone needed more observers.
It meant there were people who needed to know that what was happening in this academy wasn't simply an aptitude assessment.
Cain slowly lay down on his bed.
Shadows danced on the ceiling.
But now he could see the meaning of that dance.
That someone's fingers were moving.
Cain was killing time in the third-floor reading room of the library.
He heard footsteps passing between the bookshelves. A familiar rhythm. Lucian's stride. Another set of footsteps following behind him—hesitant, unsteady.
Cain picked up a book. He wasn't actually reading it. He was just hiding his gaze.
Through the gap in the bookshelf, he saw them.
Lucian and Theo Vine.
Theo stood uncomfortably beside Lucian. His shoulders hunched, his eyes constantly darting away. Lucian was the opposite. Perfect posture, comfortable smile. As if meeting an old friend.
"Did you see your recent training scores?" Lucian's voice flowed out in a low tone. It was filled with familiarity and interest.
"Yes. They went up." Theo answered with a cautious voice, the kind used when asked something sensitive.
"They went up quite a bit. You're catching up quickly. That's good."
Lucian took a step closer.
Theo's body stiffened. But he didn't run away. That was an important signal.
"What do you think of this academy?" Lucian asked.
"Um... I'm not really sure."
"Be honest. What do you think we're doing here?"
Theo stammered. "A selection process?"
"Do you think that's all?" Lucian laughed. It was a warm laugh, but with some intention behind it. "For a smart kid like you?"
Cain's eyes narrowed.
'He starts with praise.'
"Look at our class. Me, Iris, and you. Aren't we different from the others?" Lucian continued.
"Yes... because our scores are high."
"That's not it." Lucian raised his hand. It was a precise gesture. "Why are our scores high? Because we work harder? Or..."
Lucian paused. A dramatic silence.
"Because we were predetermined from the start?"
Theo's breathing became shallow. "Predetermined...?"
"Do you know what Dominic does?" Lucian threw another question instead of answering. "What do you think the criteria are for grading us?"
"Effort... skill..."
"Effort is relative. No matter how hard you try, you can't learn faster than Cain. No matter how hard I try, I can't be more precise than Iris. That's the design, Theo. Each of our ceilings."
Cain felt his breath catch. These were things Lucian hadn't shared in his first life. This was a new scenario.
Theo opened and closed his mouth repeatedly. "Then... why the scores?"
"To determine our relative value. Who's most useful. Who's easiest to control. Who's most dangerous."
Lucian placed his hand on Theo's shoulder.
Theo didn't flinch. That was even more important.
"You're going up right now. Your scores." Lucian's voice dropped lower. "Do you know what that means? It means they're watching you. It means they see potential in you."
"Potential for... what?"
Lucian burst out laughing. A short, toneless laugh.
"Or danger. When do we praise Cain? When we're both in it. When no one else can hear. But the Recorders?" Lucian lifted his gaze. "Those kids solving problems—what's different about them?"
Cain buried his face in the book.
"Have you ever thought about why the Recorders don't participate in training?"
"No..."
"They're watching us. To see who can be controlled, who's unpredictable, who can cooperate. Kids like you whose scores are going up—they're interesting subjects to them."
Theo's throat moved. A visible swallow. A sign of fear.
But Lucian fed on that fear.
"You're at a crossroads right now, Theo." Lucian said. "Are you going to live as just a student chasing scores? Or... are you going to find a different path?"
"A different path... what is it?"
"I can't say yet. But you need to remember. Everything we do in this academy is being observed. And just by receiving their attention, you've already become something."
Lucian took a step back.
"Did you find a good book?"
Theo shook his head.
"See you at training tomorrow. And Theo." Lucian turned back as he left. "Don't talk about this conversation to anyone. You know we're being recorded. Maybe not audio recordings, but... you need to be careful."
Theo was left alone.
Cain saw his face through the gap in the bookshelf. Paleness. Confusion. And something more dangerous—curiosity.
Lucian hadn't recruited Theo.
Lucian had planted him.
Seeds of doubt. Seeds of defiance. And above all, seeds of certainty that Lucian himself knew of another path.
Cain slowly lowered the book.
In his first life, when Lucian had proposed betrayal to Cain, he had approached him directly. They were close. There was trust.
This time was different.
Lucian was starting with Theo.
The weakest link. And through him, he planned to connect others. A loose network. An unofficial alliance. Something natural enough for even the Recorders to miss.
Cain stood up and shelved the book.
Lucian's beginning in this life was different from before, but his destination would be the same.
Eliminating Cain.
But this time, Cain knew too.
And more than anything, Cain was already moving.