Ch. 142 - Academy Battle (1)

Chapter 142: Academy Battle (1)

Sometimes, even utterly pointless stories could become a hot topic in the academy newspaper.

[The girl who fainted out of the happiness of meeting her idol?]

[Stella’s exchange student collapsed after meeting the famous mage, Baek Yu-Seol...]

Anella collapsed right after meeting Stella's famous mage, Baek Yu-Seol.

That was the exact story.

There were quite a few paparazzi waiting at the cafe where Baek Yu-Seol used to go frequently, and as Anella handed him a piece of paper for an autograph, she immediately fainted.

The scene was clearly captured by the cameras.

—

"Ugh..."

As Anella groggily opened her eyes, she winced as if suffering from a headache.

Soon, the whispers of chattering girls echoed softly.

"Hey, hey, Anella's awake."

"Huh? Really?"

"Oh~ The princess is awake~"

"..."

She slowly opened her eyes, and turned her head. She soon realized that the girls sitting around her seemed oddly familiar.

And belatedly, she remembered infiltrating Stella Academy as an exchange student, triggering the ‘Rebirth of Nightmare’ to confront Baek Yu-Seol…

"…Gasp!"

She hastily stood up, and despite the tearing pain, it didn't matter much to her.

"Where, where am I?"

"Relax. You don't need to get up so quickly."

"Yeah. Shouldn't you rest a bit more?"

"Hehe, do you remember why you fainted?"

Her friends looked at Anella with mischievous and teasing eyes.

"Have your wishes come true?”

“Your prince is waiting for you."

"What...?"

At that moment, a shiver ran down Anella's spine as she slowly turned her head.

This was a hospital room.

It was quite spacious, and in the corner, Baek Yu-Seol was reading a book while sitting on a chair.

After she woke up, Baek Yu-Seol closed the book and stared intently at her.

Anella felt both overwhelming fear and helplessness.

"I... I'm going to die..."

"Do you like him that much?"

"Is Baek Yu-Seol sweeter than you thought?"

"What I mean is he waited all day for you to wake up, saying you fainted because of him and didn't leave your side."

"W-What...?"

Around that time, Anella's complexion began to turn pale, yet no one noticed.

Though he might seem sweet to others, in her eyes, he felt like a predator eyeing its prey, slowly tightening the noose around her.

As Baek Yu-Seol got up, the girls made a commotion and fled from the hospital room.

"Go for it!"

They even made teasing gestures with clenched fists.

Usually, they were annoying and unlucky girls, but at that moment, Anella wanted to scream at them, and stop them from leaving.

—

When Baek Yu-Seol approached the bed and sat on the edge of a chair, Anella unconsciously made an unfamiliar noise.

"... Anella Di Polanche."

"Yes, yes...?"

"You're studying at Hanaleya Magic Academy in the Sevelon Kingdom, and currently attending Stella as an exchange student."

"Yes..."

"And, you're a dark mage."

“...!"

She shuddered all over.

What should she do?

Unlike other adept dark mages, she had no ability to unlock her sealed dark powers.

Furthermore, her main ability didn't work at all...

"What...?"

Moreover, she felt no mana throughout her body.

It was as if it had frozen.

This was the first time she had felt such helplessness.

Or rather, even if she had mana, could she even win against him in the first place?

"Uh, uh..."

As Anella trembled without saying a word, Baek Yu-Seol sighed.

It was true he intended to threaten her.

But he didn't expect her to be so terrified.

‘Anella Di Polanche…’

She infiltrated under her real name, not a pseudonym.

Honestly, Baek Yu-Seol didn't know much about her real name.

But in his Sentient Specs... 'Anella' was recorded.

[If you’re lucky, she appears as a supporting NPC sometimes]

[Initially, she’s an enemy, but with successful intervention, she can offer great help]

Anella was a hidden NPC, and in Aether World Online, the characters’ actions depended on numerous choices made by players.

There wasn't much known about the conditions for her appearance, but it was written that she appeared with a certain probability if players progressed through the character Ma Yu-Seong’s story.

In other words, Anella was infiltrating to monitor changes in character Ma Yu-Seong.

As if to prove his hypothesis, there was a phrase: [Infiltrated into Stella by the order of Dark Knight] mentioned in the Sentient Spec.

Of course, aside from such circumstances, the other party was attempting to exacerbate his trauma and destroy his mind. She had no intention to spare him at all..

"Anella."

"Yes?"

"Why did you try to kill me?"

But for now, it was best to dig up all the information that could be extracted.

As Baek Yu-Seol asked calmly, Anella moved her throat vigorously and swallowed her saliva.

"Well, that's..."

"If you don't tell me straight, I might really have to kill you right here."

"I don't want to do that. So, it would be nice if you could tell me properly."

Anella, who had been hesitating and pondering with her head lowered, slowly considered her priorities.

Surveillance of Ma Yu-Seong and execution of Baek Yu-Seol.

Having failed all missions, going back now would mean... she would die.

If not, she wouldn't even receive decent treatment while living.

But, she couldn't submit to him either, because she couldn't release the dark magic seal bound to her heart on her own.

‘What should I do... If I betray the Dark Knight, I'll have to live forever with a half-crippled body.’

"Speak."

"Gasp!"

Since she didn't have enough loyalty toward the Dark Knight to remain quiet and face Baek Yu-Seol, Anella, who considered her life important, opened her mouth and revealed the truth.

"I infiltrated Stella under the orders of the Dark Knight and received an order to kill you."

"I suspected as much."

Even though she intentionally didn't delve into the details, Baek Yu-Seol understood everything, and nodded in acknowledgment.

'Seems like even the dark mages are paying attention to my existence.'

That was... also the situation Baek Yu-Seol least desired.

If the dark mages' powers revealed their power earnestly, his frail body wouldn't be able to stop them.

He wanted to move quietly in the shadows as much as possible, but he somehow ended up becoming so famous alongside the protagonists that it wasn’t possible to avoid their attention.

"... That's enough."

"Yes..."

Rather than dark mages’ information, Baek Yu-Seol was more curious about Anella's abilities.

"I want to know about your ability, 'Rebirth of Nightmares.'"

"My ability...?"

"Yeah. What exactly does it do? Does it clearly show the traumas I've experienced in the past?"

She nodded repeatedly.

That was why Anella feared Baek Yu-Seol.

What kind of past experiences could possibly hide so many 'deaths' within his trauma?

Although she couldn't recall the details of that time because it was too shocking, she thought it might be the most terrible experience she had ever had in her life.

Yet, amidst those thoughts, she felt that throughout her life, she had considered herself the most pitiful, agonized, and miserable person alive.

There was a valid reason for that perception.

It was because of her ability, 'Rebirth of Nightmares,' which allowed her to peek into others' traumas, revealing who was the most unfortunate.

However, until then, not a single person had a trauma that could affect Anella.

Others' traumas... were just slightly painful and sad stories to her.

But after experiencing Baek Yu-Seol’s past, she had to reassess that belief.

His trauma... was a continuous series of agonizing experiences. It was burdensome to digest that with her mental abilities.

Death.

Followed by.

More deaths.

Therefore, even while being threatened by Baek Yu-Seol, Anella couldn't help but ask, "Who are you, really?"

However, without answering, Baek Yu-Seol silently looked into her eyes and then stood up.

"I'll let you go, from now on, figure it out on your own."

"... Yes?"

"Go back if you can."

"T-That's..."

Realizing she had completely lost her will to fight, he found that threatening her any more was futile.

Moreover, through the Sentient Specs, he had obtained information that stated [Harmless if sent back alive], and it was also a judgment he made knowing Anella's fragile heart.

She had never properly killed or devoured a human, and survived by occasionally drinking a bit of blood.

She worked as an intelligence agent, who invaded people’s minds, and extracted information using her only proven useful ability, 'Rebirth of Nightmares.’

So, her operations didn’t necessitate killing.

‘I don't know if she has enough guts to give up the mission to monitor Ma Yu-Seong and go back…’

Thinking so, Baek Yu-Seol left the hospital room.

‘... G-Go back if you can?’

Alone in the room, Anella tightly clutched her pounding heart.

It sounded almost like, 'Try going back, but you might really die.'

"If I try to return like this... it must mean he'll soon retaliate...?"

Trembling all over, Anella gulped hard.

It seemed she wouldn't be able to leave until she completed her training at Stella, and received the notification stating that she could officially return…

[Notification of Magic Survival Qualified Applicants]

——-

A few days later.

The assessment results were announced.

As expected, not a single one of the protagonists had participated in the sub-event.

It was an event in which Ma Yu-Seong, Flame, Hong Bi-Yeon, and Eisel always participated, while Hae Won-Ryang and Jeremy also participated occasionally.

There was only one person on the list of accepted first year students.

[First Year]

[Class S, Baek Yu-Seol]

"Did you hear? It seems there's a really talented freshman this year."

"Yeah, it's Baek Yu-Seol."

"Even as a freshman, his win rate against seniors is remarkable."

"Well, if it's him... I mean, he has faced Dark Mages a few times, so he has real combat experience, right?"

Rumors about Baek Yu-Seol spread throughout the academy.

Being the only freshman participant made his name shine even more.

It was quite absurd for Baek Yu-Seol.

He unintentionally gained attention by unexpectedly overshadowing the main characters, and stole all the limelight.

"Should I call this beginner's luck?... I don't feel good at all."

Especially since Ma Yu-Seong, the strongest contender for victory, was eliminated, Stella's win was practically out of reach.

‘The prize you get for winning could be quite useful in the next episode.’

It was unfortunate, but what could he do?

Even if it was impossible, one has to strive regardless.

Knowing that he couldn't win solely with his own abilities, Baek Yu-Seol was working on a slightly different plan.

"Um, excuse me..."

"Hmm?"

While quietly looking at the classroom bulletin board, a faint voice came from the side.

"Is there anything I can help with...?"

It was Anella.

Her face full of distress as sneakily glanced at Baek Yu-Seol. It was a pitiful sight which left him dumbfounded.

'Why is she here when I told her to leave?'

Or did headquarters cast her aside?

He had no intention of teaming up with someone who had once threatened his life.

Yet, he didn't want to directly harm Anella, who became a Dark Mage due to circumstances beyond her control.

She kept sticking around; he didn’t know what to do about it.

"Go back to the dorm and just stay quietly without doing anything."

"Okay!"

Anella, who was really thinking of heading back to the dormitory, paused.

"Wait, hey, just a moment."

"Yes?"

"I'll overlook you hanging out with your friends..."

"Okay!"

There really were various distinct characters here.

Well, in the original game, they were depicted as obedient subordinates.

It was said that if one raised the favorability just a little more, he might extract important information or even send her back as a double-agent to the dark mages.

It might be fine to just let things be as they are.

"Baek Yu-Seol."

"...Huh?"

Thinking someone else was there again, he glanced aside to find Hong Bi-Yeon leaning against the wall, looking this way.

Her expression appeared somewhat displeased.

"You seem to be having fun."

Her voice seemed to convey, 'I've been struggling all this while, and you look like you're having fun?'

'What's going on? What did I do wrong?'

Baek Yu-Seol wondered where she had suddenly disappeared to only appear now, but it would create awkwardness if he asked about it.

"What about that kid just now?"

"Huh? Umm..."

He felt uneasy about something.

He hurriedly spoke, feeling like if he didn't give an excuse, it would be a big problem.

"Just, errand... girl..."

She either didn't hear or chose to remain silent, and just stared intently at Baek Yu-Seol without saying a word.

"Baek Yu-Seol."

"Um, yes... speak."

Something felt off.

It definitely was not his first conversation, but he felt like she was not the Hong Bi-Yeon he knew.

It felt as if she had matured, and they were closer than before.

'What on earth...?'

’Did the future Hong Bi-Yeon regress and take over her mind without me realizing it?’

As he fought with delusional thoughts, she approached quietly and gently nudged Baek Yu-Seol's chest with her palm, making him lean against the wall.

And then, without a word.

She… simply stared into his eyes

As if she could read his thoughts.

...

Baek Yu-Seol felt as if his breath was caught in his throat.

No matter how much of an adult Baek Yu-Seol was, he couldn’t help but feel burdened by Hong Bi-Yeon, who had a mystical appearance akin to a fairy, standing so close to him.

"Hmm."

In the end, Baek Yu-Seol averted his gaze first, declaring defeat in this silent stare-off.

As Hong Bi-Yeon took two steps back, she spoke in a low voice, which hammered like a nail in his chest.

"Don't think about going anywhere alone."

Saying this, she disappeared into the hallway, her silhouette bathed in the warm sunlight.

"What on earth...?"

He touched his chest, feeling the remnant of warmth left behind by her touch.

A gaze filled with lots of questions traveled towards the far end of the corridor, which was now empty.

'Why is everyone acting like this lately...?'

With characters from the original story undergoing such drastic changes, he suddenly felt like he knew less about them than he did before.

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