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“Did you have a good story?”

I nodded. Euna rushed out, but she had already given Kang Tae-jun a heads-up, so there was no worry about getting scolded. My thoughts were a bit scrambled, but thanks to Euna, things were sorted out. This meant there would be no more suspicion from Kang Tae-jun.

“I’m glad to hear that. I actually have something to tell you.”

“……?”

“The time for building trust… well, it’s about time we wrap it up.”

Kang Tae-jun nodded at my confused expression.

“A dungeon has appeared, and we are responsible for it. I’d like you to accompany us.”

“…Is the dungeon really that tough?”

Could there be a dungeon that even Euna couldn’t handle? Unless a boss monster like the Volcano Ceratops had appeared…

“I know what you’re thinking, but it’s unlikely you’ll have to act.”

“…Am I just supposed to supervise?”

“Exactly. But only step in if there’s a dangerous situation. If a monster like you goes into a dungeon without any incidents, that’ll be solid proof of your safety.”

So that was the wrap-up he mentioned. It didn’t sound too tough, so I nodded in agreement.

“However, one of the officers will accompany you.”

This was just a measure to reassure the clan members, so I wasn’t offended, and I responded that I understood. A measure to reassure me—that was true. If there were any doubts about me, it should have been Kang Tae-jun himself who came along.

“I don’t mind… But when?”

“In two days. By then, the favor you asked for will also be wrapped up.”

The information I requested— I slowly nodded. It’s faster than I expected, but not bad.

“Kyu kyu kyu!”

—Watching the flying fairy, I organized what I needed to do in my head. This peaceful time only has two days left.

***

“Sorry! Am I late…?”

“If you knew, you should’ve come in quicker, right?”

Just when I thought the yelling would start, surprisingly, there was none. Euna exchanged glances with Baek So-yul, whom she hadn’t seen in a while.

“…I knew it would be like this.”

After glancing at Euna briefly, Hong Yu-ri sniffed, then clicked her tongue and gestured for her to sit. Euna promptly took a seat, and Hong Yu-ri continued.

“You got the elixir, right? Take it out.”

At those words, Euna blinked blankly. She had received it, but how did she know?

“I’ll help you take it, so open it up.”

After some hesitation, Euna took out the elixir, and without missing a beat, Hong Yu-ri started boiling water in a kettle. —Though there were two other kettles nearby. It was obvious whose they were.

“Uh… you have yours?”

“I’m an officer.”

With her brief answer leaving the context unclear, Euna just brushed it off. If she pushed further, she might get yelled at. Instead, she turned her gaze to Baek So-yul. Hesitating, Baek So-yul slightly diverted her eyes and said.

“I took mine directly… “

Now that she thought about it, Alpha had saved her… Euna recalled, nodding reluctantly. She thought she had received it on her own, but it seemed that wasn’t the case. The realization that she had jumped to conclusions made her lose her appetite. It wasn’t that her gratitude had faded, but… there was still disappointment.

“But isn’t it a bit dodgy—!”

“What?”

Thinking it wouldn’t just be a gobble down, Euna hesitated to ask about boiling the kettle. But at the piercing gaze, she gulped.

“…Nothing at all.”

Soon, after drinking the brewed tea, Euna felt the rise in her magic power. It felt like it was burning… So this is what an elixir is.

As external magic infiltrated, the internal magic surged. The two powers clashed fiercely, causing pain each time. Just as a trickle of blood fell from her mouth, she overpowered the external magic, which began to seep into her body.

“…Ah.”

The sensation of power rising was more fascinating than the pain. When Euna opened her eyes, Hong Yu-ri was casually sipping tea as if nothing had happened.

“…You drank it all?”

“If you don’t like it, too bad for you. I’ll drink it anyway.”

Euna shook her head in denial, and it took about an hour to completely empty the kettle. At first, it was unfamiliar, but she got used to receiving the elixir. Now, she felt so full that it seemed nothing else could fit in… Even Hong Yu-ri had a distressed expression, perhaps feeling the same fullness.

In contrast…

“What’s wrong?”

It was hard not to be amazed at Baek So-yul, who looked perfectly fine. She had emptied her kettle long ago but was calm as ever.

“…So-yul, are you alright?”

“Yes?”

When Euna furrowed her brow as if asking what was wrong, she realized she might be a surprisingly voracious eater. Shaking her head, Euna reflected inwardly and admired the enhanced magic swirling within her. So this is the elixir, she thought.

“Ah.”

In awe, Euna clenched and released her fist. She was itching to use her magic right away… just as she was about to head to the training room, Hong Yu-ri stopped her.

“Oh right. There’s a dungeon in two days… You’ll be going there.”

At that, Euna tilted her head.

“A dungeon?”

“Yeah, a dungeon.”

“……?”

Her eyes blinked as if she didn’t understand. Before Euna could ask again, Hong Yu-ri frowned.

“Just shut up and go. I’ve already submitted your name.”

“Just telling me to go that suddenly…”

“Why? Should you just train forever? You need to build up some records to rank up.”

“That’s true but…”

“Ah. If I say go, just go, okay?”

As Hong Yu-ri seemed to lose her cool, Euna nodded hesitantly. After all, she had never lost anything by just following Hong Yu-ri’s orders.

“In two days, we’ll leave right away, so you know what you need to do, right?”

“Yep.”

“Good. Get ready now.”

Since they prepared together before heading to Neverland, Hong Yu-ri nodded without worry. As Euna hurriedly left the room, Hong Yu-ri spoke without turning around.

“Hey. You feel it too, right?”

“…Yeah.”

They had brewed the same elixir in the same way. Of course, there would be differences between people, but this was not something that could be explained in such a way. The amount of magic Euna and Hong Yu-ri accepted was not insignificant, but it couldn’t compare to Baek So-yul.

—It felt almost like they had taken in the elixir itself completely.

This was something that shouldn’t normally happen. To use external magic, one must assimilate it as their own. The blood Euna had spilled earlier was part of that process.

Hong Yu-ri hadn’t bled, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t affected. She simply suppressed it with her overwhelming power. Even if it was a decent elixir, resisting Hong Yu-ri’s magic was out of the question. Both lost magical energy as they clashed, regardless of which one.

While there were differences, it meant both Euna and Hong Yu-ri had spent their stamina and magic to accept the elixir. But in Baek So-yul’s case—

‘There’s no way it was completely effortless.’

No matter what, that would be impossible. Yet the efficiency surpassed what one could comprehend. Even Hong Yu-ri, who had lived in the magic’s cradle at Square, had never seen anything like it.

“Why just me…”

“I don’t know.”

She had no idea why. It was hard to explain it simply as a physical trait. Yet one thing she could conclude was that it must be the reason why the young heirs were after her.

“You got it from Alpha?”

“…Yeah.”

Thinking back, Alpha might have known this. No, it was highly likely he did. After all, he was the one who rescued Baek So-yul during that academy raid that no one else knew about.

Was it truly a coincidence that he gave her the elixir? She had heard he had some information about the heirs… Did he know about Baek So-yul? Hong Yu-ri bit her nails. The more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed. So did Alpha—

As she pondered that, Marang’s figure came to mind, and her breath caught in her throat. Yet paradoxically, it felt suffocating. When Baek So-yul saw Hong Yu-ri’s pale face, she hurriedly approached and patted her back.

“Teacher…”

When that didn’t work, Baek So-yul hugged Hong Yu-ri. Hong Yu-ri tried to clear her mind, but the more she did, the more thoughts came rushing in. It was just thinking… just that…

“…Are you okay?”

Instead of answering, Hong Yu-ri weakly shook her head.

—She couldn’t keep going like this. The Clan Leader’s words weren’t wrong. This fear, this terror must be overcome. Hong Yu-ri gritted her teeth and kept whispering to herself as if to hypnotize herself.

‘Alpha isn’t…’

Not scary. Wouldn’t harm her. In fact, was a help. There was no need to fight anymore. That’s what she repeated to herself. And with that, her trembling quieted down a bit. Hong Yu-ri wiped the tears welling in her eyes with her sleeve.

“I don’t want to anymore…”

I’m sick of it. I’m fed up. I can’t live like this forever. Shivering, clenching her lips, Hong Yu-ri clenched her fists. Just thinking about how that crazy guy Kang Tae-ho was acting was infuriating. How miserable it was to be the one on the floor each time. She felt like dying.

—Now, she didn’t want that. She didn’t want to feel like that any longer.

Gathering the remaining pride and broken defiance, Hong Yu-ri spoke up with a quaking voice.

“…Let’s go.”

Recalling the promise made at dawn, Baek So-yul smiled brightly as if she had been waiting and nodded.

“Yes!”

***

“You sure enjoy your food.”

Kang Tae-jun chuckled. When he had suddenly asked if he could have human food, he had accepted without hesitation but realized too late that he had miscalculated.

Right now, he looked like a little puppy, but his true form was Marang. The unique being known as the Devourer had overlooked the fact. He was currently munching on most of the cafeteria supplies. Of course, no matter how much he ate, it wouldn’t amount to the price of even a ginseng, let alone a reaper’s scythe…

The problem wasn’t the money but the attention. It wasn’t common to see a fairy-type monster and a black puppy eating together. Many clan members were peeking in through the window as rumors spread. Though they had been instructed to keep quiet, it was understandable. Seeing the piles of plates and bowls next to Alpha, Kang Tae-jun shook his head.

“Is it good?”

Instead of answering, he waved his tentacle in a circle. The fairy-type had sauce smeared all over its mouth… and that act caused a ruckus outside. Kang Tae-jun shook his head.

“I’ll head out first, so take your time.”

As he stood up and stepped away, a silence fell, but afterward, the situation only worsened. With Kang Tae-jun no longer around to keep things in check, people began to crowd around the wolf.

“Kyu~!!”

The fairy was startled. And the gaze from those around. No matter how much he enjoyed his food, facing this situation was too much, and he regretfully licked his lips.

‘It was really delicious after a long time…’

Thinking that, he momentarily saw the countless bowls next to him again and sighed. Just as he was about to completely empty the last bowl, someone shouted.

“Hey. Everyone, clear out. Aren’t you leaving?”

—A bold and irritable voice. However, somehow it sounded like a whiny tone approaching. Even just by the speech, I could tell who it was, and I tilted my head.

‘Wasn’t she scared?’

As I licked the sauce off my mouth, I nodded. After all, it was necessary to have a conversation with her at least once.

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