“Adult or child, it doesn’t matter. But the younger, the better. Bring me an Awakened who can use a curse-type ability. Well? Can you?” Lee Sohyang asked.

“Before I answer, let me ask you one thing.” I stared straight at the Demon Alchemist.

“Why do you want someone like that?”

“You’ve realized I’ve been experimenting through the customers here, haven’t you?”

I nodded.

“Then you already know why. No need for me to explain further.”

“In other words, if I bring you one such test subject, you’ll accept Bella as your disciple?”

“Of course—if she passes her own trial. Refuse me, and she fails no matter what.”

“I understand.”

This time it wasn’t Bella being tested, but me.

“Will this experiment be dangerous?”

“Well…” Lee Sohyang folded her arms, a wry smile tugging at her lips, “For Awakened, I’d say not really. But the chance of something going wrong always exists.”

I nodded slowly.

“So. What’s your choice?” Her sharp gaze pierced into me.

“In that case… I refuse.”

Lee Sohyang froze.

“You mean, you don’t care if she never becomes my disciple?”

“I won’t endanger my friends just to achieve my own goals.”

“Even if the risk is negligible?”

“It’s not about risk.” My voice was firm, “The very act of putting my friends in danger for my own ends is wrong. That’s why I can’t accept.”

“Hm.”

She smiled faintly.

“I like that answer.”

Inside, I let out a sigh of relief.

I had passed.

Had I agreed to bring her a test subject, by tomorrow the Demon Alchemist would have vanished from the Hunter Market.

“But just now, you—”

“Enough. Stop calling me you in that rude way.” Lee Sohyang’s brow furrowed. “A brat who’s lived a third of my years, talking down to me?”

“Then… should I call you Granny? Or maybe Auntie?”

“…Do you want to die?”

She glared daggers at me.

“From now on, call me Big Sister.”

Calling a fifty-eight-year-old woman big sister when I wasn’t even an adult yet… I swallowed the retort that nearly escaped my throat.

“So, what were you about to say?”

“When I mentioned my friend earlier, you showed no reaction. Which means…”

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. I changed tack, “…Nuna already knows who my friends are, doesn’t she?”

“They’re famous. Nam Yein and the Black-and-White girls.”

“…What?”

“The only one who can communicate with the Mysterious Craftsman, from Gwangcheon. Walking around with the daughter of Crystal’s president and the daughter of Forward’s president. Rumor has it you’re the hidden key person who can influence both corporations.”

…What is this, some cheap tabloid article?

“And I know you and your friends are HAUT candidates too. No other first-years made it in.”

“How do you know that?”

“By now, every news outlet is digging into HAUT selections. Just because I hide here doesn’t mean I’m deaf and blind.”

Fine, HAUT coverage was in the game too. But this “key person” nonsense—what the hell.

I’m not some company man climbing the ladder by charming rich heiresses.

“Actually, I’ve been wondering something too.”

“What?”

“You’re not even surprised that I look so young.”

“I assumed it was a side effect of drugs or demonic materials. If you can identify ingredients just by tasting them, you must have swallowed all sorts of things. Even an Awakened would suffer side effects from that.”

“….”

Her eyes widened slightly.

“So I was right.”

“Really, you’re a strange one.”

At that moment, my smartwatch buzzed.

It was a message from Meiling: [Where are you? Why aren’t you here? You’re not with another girl, are you?]

Well, I was with a woman—but definitely not the kind she meant.

The whole “key person” rumor echoed unpleasantly in my head, and I frowned.

“Then I’ll be going. Please take care of Bella.”

“She hasn’t passed yet. Isn’t that premature?”

“You told her to call you teacher, gave her a hint, and even brewed another sample for her. If that’s not acceptance, what is?”

“…Tch. You’re too sharp.”

Lee Sohyang wrinkled her nose, but she didn’t stop me as I left.

Good. Bella’s safe now.

Her becoming Lee Sohyang’s disciple was the trigger for an important event later. If I helped them both in that event, I’d gain one of only two ultra-rare potions in the whole game.

I can’t wait for that day.

Humming inwardly, I made for the bus stop.

The next evening, my squad and I were deep in a “serious debate” about dinner as we walked toward the school gates.

“It’s still hot. How about cold noodles?” I suggested.

Meiling grimaced. “Noodles are for lunch. Dinner means rice.”

“What’s the difference? Both are carbs.”

“They’re completely different! Noodles leave you hungry, rice keeps you full!”

“You just want soondae soup.”

“…No, I don’t!”

She looked away, eyes darting.

“In this heat, you really want boiling soondae soup?”

“Ever heard of fighting fire with fire?”

“Both of you, calm down,” Lumina begged.

Seo Yui tilted her head up at the darkening sky in silence.

Correction: this wasn’t a discussion. It was a duel.

“Nam Yein!!”

A familiar voice rang out.

I turned, blinking.

“Bella?”

She came running, with the flustered security guard trailing behind her.

“I passed!” she shouted breathlessly.

“Wow…” Lumina gasped softly, eyes shining.

Bella skidded to a stop in front of me, cheeks flushed with excitement.

“I—I’ve become the teacher’s disciple!”

“Good for you.” I smiled. Predictable, but still satisfying news.

“From tomorrow, I’ll help her at the café every day, and after closing, I’ll study potions. It’s all thanks to you, Yein!”

“It’s your achievement. You passed the trial yourself.”

Though, let’s be real—without my help, Lee Sohyang wouldn’t even have tested her.

“I’ll repay this debt, I promise. See you soon!”

And with that, Bella spun around and dashed off.

Wait… she ran all the way here just to tell me that? What if I wasn’t even at school?

I let out a half-laugh, half-sigh.

“Nam. Ye. In.”

I turned back—and nearly flinched.

Meiling was glaring at me, eyes sharp as axes.

“Who’s that cow-girl supposed to be?”

…Cow-girl? Now that’s just rude.

“Bella Ball. A Hunter candidate from Ucheon Academy. I happened to run into her yesterday.”

“She kept saying becoming someone’s disciple was thanks to you. What was that about?”

“She was looking for someone who could teach her potions. Said the academy couldn’t teach her anything new anymore. So I introduced her to someone I knew. Looks like she got accepted today.”

“That’s it?”

I nodded.

“No hidden agenda?” Meiling narrowed her eyes at me.

What the— Could she have guessed I’m after the potion rewards?

No, impossible.

“She first asked me to introduce her to the Mysterious Craftsman. Since that would’ve been a pain, I pointed her elsewhere.”

“The Mysterious Craftsman? Who’s that?” Seo Yui tilted her head.

“The one who made the Weight of Fixed Phase. It’s a nickname.”

“Ohhh. So that was you, Yein.” Lumina smiled faintly.

“…Really. Then fine.”

Meiling snorted and turned away. “Let’s just eat. I’m starving.”

But the sharp edge in her face had softened.

“Hmmm…”

Gwangcheon Academy, girls’ dormitory.

Lumina stood before her wardrobe mirror, clad only in a sports bra and underwear.

The walls of her single room were lined with daggers, hung like decorations.

All of them were weapons Yein had crafted for her.

Each one gleamed as though freshly polished.

Outside, rain hammered the windows in sheets.

Mid-August.

After weeks of sweltering heat, the downpour had cooled the world at last.

“Hmmm…”

Her reflection frowned, lips pressed tight, caught somewhere between dissatisfaction and worry.

“…Bigger is better, right?”

The memory of Bella surfaced.

Those two ridiculous balloons, bouncing with every step, had stolen even Lumina’s eyes despite being the same gender.

“……”

She pressed her chest together with both hands.

For a moment, a faint line appeared where none had been before.

Her face flushed scarlet.

Snapping her hands away, she slammed the wardrobe shut.

“Ughhh…”

Palms pressed to her burning cheeks, she bowed her head—

Bzzzzt!

“Kyaah!”

Her shriek pierced the tiny room.

“…Ah.”

It was only her smartwatch buzzing.

She glanced down—and her lips curled upward.

Yein.

On the display was the very boy who’d been on her mind moments ago.

Yein: Lumina, are you busy today?

Me: No… why?

Yein: If you’re free, want to come somewhere with me?

Her hands froze above the holo-keyboard.

She swallowed hard, then tapped, fingers trembling.

Me: Where?

Yein: Porter Department Store. There’s a shop I wanted to check out.

Then he’ll invite Meiling and Seo Yui too…

She started typing—then stopped.

This was a private chat, not the group channel.

She bit her lip, erased the half-written words, and typed again.

Me: What about Meiling and Yui?

Yein: Meiling doesn’t want to go out in the rain, and Seo Yui has plans this afternoon. So I thought just the two of us. A bit much with this rain, huh?

Her heart thudded.

Then her fingers flew faster than ever.

Me: No! Rain’s fine! I’ll come with you!

Yein: Then thirty minutes from now?

Me: Yes!!!

Yein: Okay. Let’s meet at the dorm crossroads.

When she shut off the holo-screen, her face seemed to glow.

She threw open her wardrobe and dove into her clothes.

What to wear, what to wear…

Her smile wouldn’t fade.

Thirty minutes later.

Umbrella in hand, Lumina stepped out of the dorm.

“Hm hm hm~♬”

Her cheerful hum mingled with the steady patter of rain on her umbrella, like music.

She wore a light, flowing dress, cute sandals on her feet.

Her steps were light as she approached the crossroads.

“Ah!”

Her eyes widened.

Yein was already there, waving beneath his own umbrella.

“Yein~!”

She hurried toward him, looking every bit like an eager puppy wagging its tail.

“Sorry for calling you out so suddenly,” he said with a sheepish smile.

“No, it’s fine! I was bored anyway.”

“Good. Shall we go?”

“Mm!”

Side by side, under the summer rain, they walked toward the school gates.

(End of Chapter)

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