Hero Academy (4-15)
Seong Sua and I both stared in shock at the completely unexpected figure, our mouths opening in unison.
"Y-Yeriel?"
Yeriel, standing there demurely and looking up at us, asked with a gentle smile.
"I never imagined we'd run into each other here. So, what brings you two to a place like this?"
"W-Well..."
Seong Sua started fumbling, her face flushed with panic.
That kind of reaction was no good.
It was the exact response you give when you've been caught doing something you shouldn't.
I racked my brain for an excuse and blurted it out.
"Instructor Seong Sua was kind enough to make time for me."
"...Time?"
To the puzzled Yeriel, I spun the most convincing lie I could muster.
After my intriguing experience with VR at the Tower, Seong Sua had heard about it and brought me here.
It was a simple, logical fib.
Given Seong Sua's personality, she was the type to be helpful to colleagues, so no issues there.
Yeriel listened carefully, then smiled faintly and spoke.
"Well, Sua does have a reputation for being so considerate."
"Haha..."
Even with Yeriel's praise, Seong Sua could only wipe away her cold sweat.
I figured getting away from Yeriel was priority one, so I bowed my head to force the conversation to an end.
"Yeriel, we'll be on our way now. Take care..."
But Yeriel didn't fall for my clumsy ploy.
"Perfect timing, then. I happen to have some free time myself. Mind if I tag along?"
"..."
And just like that, Yeriel wedged herself between me and Seong Sua.
I didn't dislike Yeriel.
Seong Sua probably felt the same.
In terms of personality and looks, she was the type you'd instantly warm to.
But crashing a date? That changed everything.
Me, Yeriel, Seong Sua.
No matter how we walked, Yeriel always slipped right between us, tagging along like a shadow.
To an outsider, we might've looked like one big happy family.
But that was only skin deep.
In reality, Seong Sua and I were the ones tiptoeing around, watching Yeriel's every move.
Why the hell is she doing this...?
[I have no idea.]
Yeriel, walking slightly ahead, paused at a blue glass door and handed me something.
A blue card.
Obviously a keycard for the door ahead.
"Open it for me."
"Sure..."
I took her blue keycard, unlocked the door, and handed it back.
What was supposed to be a date had long since derailed, and following Yeriel led us to a room filled with glowing blue capsules.
Unlike the usual VR headset demo areas, this place had actual capsules lined up.
HQ, so of course they'd have the real deal.
[But these look different from the ones at the embassy or the Tower.]
Typical capsules were sleek silver and glass, but these shimmered with a blue metallic sheen.
As Seong Sua and I stared in fascination at the blue capsules, Yeriel smiled and said,
"These are prototypes we just developed."
Seong Sua, who had been moping until then, perked up at "prototype" and asked curiously,
"A prototype? Does it have new features? The current ones already seem perfect..."
I agreed completely.
The existing capsules recreated virtual reality so flawlessly it was mind-blowing.
But Yeriel's response blew away our doubts—and left us stunned.
"This prototype is designed for magic users."
"!?"
No further explanation needed.
Seong Sua's eyes lit up as she gently caressed the capsule, her voice breathless.
"For real?"
"Yeah. HQ's pretty confident about it."
"But why bring us here...?"
Even for a famous hero, this was a restricted area Seong Sua had no business entering.
Yet Yeriel had brought not just her, but me too.
Yeriel tapped the capsule playfully with her tiny hand, a faint smile on her lips.
"Help us test it out."
Seong Sua's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm at the request, her hands already stroking the capsule.
She wasn't jumping up and down like a kid, but she clearly didn't want to miss this chance.
Ironically, though, this tech wouldn't help her much.
She was already beyond needing practice.
Her excitement stemmed from being a magic department instructor.
[The prevailing opinion is that the Tower's losing ground to the Church because of fewer magic users.]
If these get fully tested and rolled out to the embassy, it'll be game-changing.
It could usher in an era where talent gaps are bridged by tech.
Cadets training safely in capsules—minimizing risks, maximizing efficiency.
Naturally, magic department graduation rates would skyrocket.
The Tower would benefit massively, and...
If Everica delivers, the Tower's status would soar.
Assuming they actually provide it, of course...
Yeriel looked at us and asked,
"Will you help?"
She was asking Seong Sua, but subtly glancing my way too.
She seemed to think my opinion mattered.
Glancing at Seong Sua, who was watching me nervously, I smiled and said,
"I'll wait outside while Instructor Seong Sua tries it."
"No, I brought you because I want you to join her."
"Me too?"
"Yes."
In the end, I couldn't refuse Yeriel's request. Seong Sua gave a wry smile beside me, then opened her capsule and started prepping.
As I opened mine to get ready, Yeriel stared up at me blankly from nearby.
She raised her arms slightly toward me and said softly,
"Carry me."
"...Pardon?"
"I'm too small to climb in easily. Put me inside."
Minus the refined tone, she was the picture of a child.
A kid with a touch of elegance...
I gently gripped her sides and lifted her, carefully settling her into the capsule.
Yeriel smoothed her cute skirt and looked up at me gratefully.
"Thank you."
"No trouble at all... But couldn't you just use magic to get in, Yeriel?"
During the labyrinth incident, she'd floated midair and zipped off like a bullet.
She could've magicked the keycard door open too, but here she was, having me do odd jobs.
But to my question, Yeriel chuckled softly, closed her eyes, and replied quietly,
"Using magic without permission inside Everica HQ? Even I'd get in trouble."
"Hahaha..."
Fair point.
Even minor spells could spark misunderstandings if used carelessly.
I settled Yeriel safely, closed her door, and glanced at Seong Sua prepping next to me.
She kept shooting me apologetic looks while getting ready.
I smiled reassuringly, climbed into an empty capsule, and initiated connection.
The space we logged into was a dark, enclosed arena.
I scanned around for Seong Sua and Yeriel, spotting Seong Sua right away.
Like me, she wore the default casual clothes provided by the system.
She looked around, saw me, and hurried over, whispering,
"Instructor Seong Su-ho... I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to put you in a tough spot..."
"Don't sweat it. Since we're here, let's treat it as a fun experience."
"Okay."
Seong Sua sighed in relief, then resumed scanning the area.
"Where's Yeriel...? Ah!"
Her exclamation made me turn—and what I saw wasn't the Yeriel I knew.
An elegant, poised woman approached us.
A total stranger, but Seong Sua smiled as if greeting an old acquaintance, no wariness in sight.
"Even here, you're in that form."
"Yeah, looks like Everica HQ had my avatar saved."
Around 170 cm tall, D-cup bust at least, curves that casual clothes couldn't hide.
Long hair cascading past her back, over firm hips, all the way to her thighs.
The witch-like beauty flashed a dreamy, seductive smile my way.
"Staring like that makes me shy."
Her voice confirmed it.
"Yeriel?"
"Hee hee..."
Actions inside the capsule were extremely limited.
You could tweak the environment or run combat sims—that was it.
Made sense, given the purpose.
I watched Seong Sua freely wielding magic in awe.
Damn, seeing it up close like this, she's seriously impressive.
[Not called an advanced hero for nothing.]
The Seong Sua who casually demoed spells for cadets was gone.
In her place: a force of nature, unleashing powers that whipped the air around her.
She mowed down charging enemies with every attribute under the sun.
At first, I fought alongside her.
But...
Mana shortage hitting hard... Gotta level up my magic soon.
[Magic circles are OP, but can't use 'em here. Shame.]
VR's fatal flaw for mages: no magic circles.
Silly to expect mana detection from cutting-edge tech, but still...
I was down to cadet-level spells and bailed early.
As I admired Seong Sua from the sidelines, footsteps approached, followed by a voice.
"All done?"
"Yeah. Wouldn't wanna end up like a wren next to Instructor Seong Sua's skill."
"Sua's no ordinary fighter."
Adult-form Yeriel gazed at me with that dreamy smile.
She'd explained before: this was her original look.
Some incident turned her childlike forever.
When Everica developed VR, she modeled an avatar after her old self.
Sensing my glances, she crossed her arms and smirked faintly.
"You prefer this form over my usual one, huh?"
"S-Sorry. Just caught off guard by the change..."
"It's fine. I get it. Even I don't want to be stuck as a kid in virtual space forever."
Totally understandable.
Whatever her backstory, a lifetime as a child would wear anyone down.
In this world at least, reclaiming her old form was probably her deepest wish.
Gazing at her, one woman came to mind.
Wonder if Luna at thirty will look like this?
[Definitely... similar vibe.]
So, sex with current Yeriel = future Luna? Nice.
[...No comment.]
Armonia was so stunned by my genius she clammed up.
Picture Luna naked, and I can guess Yeriel's figure pretty well.
[...]
That's when I was deep in my Yeriel nude fantasy.
Bang!
Yeriel thrust her palm forward, blasting a flying monster to bits with telekinetic force.
I flinched, watching the holographic beast dissolve.
Yeriel smiled.
"Mana recharges on relog. It's simulated based on measurements, not real usage."
"Ah... right."
For a second, I thought she'd read my mind—crisis averted.
Back to fantasizing about her naked...
Beep! Beep! Beep!!
A piercing alarm drowned out even the monsters' roars, echoing through virtual space.
INITIATING EMERGENCY EVAC
What the—!? What's happening!?
The thought had barely formed when...
Flash!
"What the hell!"
Blinding light assaulted my eyes, triggering violent nausea.
Only when the vertigo faded could I pry my eyes open and look ahead.
"What happened?"
My capsule was forcibly open.
I bolted up, checking Seong Sua and Yeriel.
Seeing them safely emerging, confused but unharmed, eased my mind—but scanning the room killed my relief with laughter.
This energy seeping into me... unforgettable.
Even a brief whiff eroded my mind, gnawing away.
This was...
...poison gas?
The room was filling with faint toxic miasma.