Making a Deal with the Devil
"Seha. Wake up."
"Mm…."
Seha opened his eyes at the sound of Dahong's voice. Instead of the warehouse ceiling, a blue sky stretched above him.
"……?"
He tried to sit up, but a heavy ache throbbed at the back of his head.
"You're awake?"
Dahong was crouched beside him, peering down with a perfectly nonchalant expression.
Seha slowly took in his surroundings. There he was, lying outside the warehouse—his own body.
He furrowed his brow. The spot where he'd been hit during the sparring match still pulsed with pain.
"…What happened?"
"They're all gone."
"……Huh?"
Seha blinked.
"Those people?"
"Yeah."
"Why'd they leave all of a sudden?"
"Seemed like a misunderstanding, so I cleared it up."
"……You cleared it up."
"Yep."
Dahong nodded lightly. Seha stared at her for a long moment before turning toward the warehouse.
The steel door stood slightly ajar. He slowly pushed himself up, staggering for a second but steadying himself against the wall. Peering through the gap, he looked inside.
"……."
It was completely empty. Spotless. No people, no weapons, no chairs—not even a speck of dust from all those who had crowded in earlier.
Seha stared blankly for a moment before speaking.
"How?"
"With words."
"……."
With words. Seha repeated the phrase in his mind. In a warehouse packed with Iron Claw Guild members. In front of armed people.
Words?
"Could you say that again?"
"I cleared it up with words."
Dahong answered without a flicker of change in her expression. Seha looked at her. There was no way to tell if she was lying. No hint of evasion, either.
"They thought they'd gotten the wrong guy. Said to tell you they're sorry."
"I see…."
Seha replied weakly. The Iron Claw Guild wanted him to pass on their apologies. They'd cleared up the misunderstanding with words. Everyone had gone home.
It made no sense. Seha had seen it clearly—that scarred man's glare. Even a first-year academy student could tell that wasn't a look that words could fix.
But….
Should I ask what really happened?
Seha glanced at Dahong. She seemed to have already lost interest in him, now peering at a faded sticker plastered to the warehouse's outer wall.
…Never mind.
He let out a sigh. This was Dahong, after all. If she didn't want to tell him the truth, no amount of prying would change that.
"Let's go, Dahong."
"Okay."
Seha stood and brushed the dirt off his pants. Dahong pulled her gaze from the sticker and came to his side.
"Seha."
"Yeah?"
"Let's get a cat."
"……A cat?"
"Yeah, a cat. They're cute."
A cat out of nowhere? Had she seen one while he was out cold?
Seha was dumbfounded but couldn't just brush it off. He knew by now that when Dahong brought up stuff like this, she meant it.
"…I'll think about it."
"Okay."
Dahong hummed a little tune as she took the lead. Seha followed slowly behind.
The next day, Sangjun didn't show up to school.
"He quit?"
"That's what I heard. Overheard it passing the office."
The classroom buzzed.
"That salamander one-trick pony—couldn't even summon it anymore, huh."
"Good riddance. He bullied everyone weaker than him."
"Always acted like his way was the only way. What's a summoner without a summon?"
Seha sat listening quietly.
…He quit.
It was complicated. Truth be told, he hated Sangjun. The guy had tormented him all semester; just hearing his voice made Seha's skin crawl. Even with his summoned beast now, that hadn't changed.
But.
Is it because of me?
Well, technically Dahong's fault. But he'd been the one to summon her.
Seha bit his lower lip.
"Yu Seha."
Isol's voice cut through.
"You worried?"
"……A little."
Isol looked at him for a moment.
"Not your fault."
"…I know."
He knew, but it didn't lighten the weight.
Ding-dong-dang—
The bell rang, signaling class start, and their homeroom teacher walked in.
"Sit down."
The murmurs died. Seoyeun set down the attendance book and spoke.
"One announcement before class. Some of you missed it yesterday, so I'll repeat."
Seha looked up.
Yesterday?
"First gate practical of the semester. Next Thursday."
Seha blinked. Gate practical. Pretty soon.
"Check the handouts for team assignments. Team goals, precautions—all there. Memorize ahead. Oh, and no entering unassigned gates. No extra points, and you'll get blocked at entry anyway. Remember, you're on provisional licenses, not full hunters."
The papers passed forward. Seha skimmed his.
Team 1: Han Isol, Yoon Harin, Park Jinho, Lee Sangjun, Yu Seha.
Seemed balanced by grades.
No Sangjun, so we'll go with four.
He read the gate details.
Dead Behemoth's Nest. C-rank gate. Behemoth itself was S-rank, but killed three years ago. High residual mana from its lair spawns monsters continuously. Now a training spot for academy students and apprentices—clear out the low-rank beasts that took over the nest.
"Was supposed to be Hellhound practice first, but accident a few days back, as you know. Switched to similar difficulty. No easier—probably tougher."
Seoyeun continued.
"Until practical day, focus on team sync training. Teamwork in limited time factors into scores. No skipping, no fighting. Got it?"
At that moment.
"Teacher?"
A girl with red hair in twin tails raised her hand. Yoon Harin, Seha's teammate.
"Yes… Yoon Harin?"
Seoyeun recalled the name.
Harin spoke with clear dissatisfaction.
"Our team's short one. And we've got dead last. Unfair."
Eyes turned to Seha. He ducked his head slightly.
Seoyeun eyed Harin.
"Han Isol on your team?"
"……Yes."
"One Isol covers more than one short. You're fine."
"But—"
"And."
Seoyeun cut her off.
"Party balance isn't always perfect in real combat. Short members, surprises. Can't reorganize every time."
Harin shut her mouth.
"Figuring out your given team is part of this. Objection denied."
"……."
Harin said no more, but her face screamed disagreement.
Seoyeun moved on. Seha exhaled quietly.
…Not easy even before the practical.
After school. Training ground.
Team 1 gathered for the first time.
"Self-intros first? I'm Han Isol. Frontline, sword. Nice to meet you."
Clap clap clap.
Two sets of applause—everyone but Harin.
"Yoon Harin, great axe."
She replied flatly. A massive iron axe hung on her back.
"Park Jinho here. Tenth place, tower shield tank."
"Hi, Yu Seha. Summoner. Rank is…."
"Who doesn't know? Dead last."
"……Haha."
Seha laughed awkwardly at Harin's prickly tone.
"Summon?"
Harin's gaze slid past him. To Dahong.
Dahong stood against the training ground wall, staring blankly at the sky.
"…That's the summon?"
"Uh, yeah."
"What's it doing?"
"Dunno…."
Harin scowled at Dahong for a while. Dahong didn't budge, oblivious.
"Whatever."
Harin crossed her arms.
"Isol."
"Yeah?"
"Be straight. Can our team clear a C-gate? One missing, one useless flunk-out who can't fight."
"Ahaha… Should be fine if we try hard."
"Means impossible now."
Clank.
Harin slung her axe over her shoulder, glaring at Seha.
"You. Admit it. Can't control your summon."
"……."
Seha turned silently to Dahong.
"Hey, Dahong…?"
Dahong turned.
"Could you come here a sec?"
Dahong walked over lightly.
"What?"
"……Ta-da."
Seha gestured at her like a magician. A vein popped on Harin's forehead.
"You messing with me?"
"S-sorry…."
"Dunno what trick you pulled on Sangjun's salamander, but no control means worthless in real fights."
Seha couldn't argue. She was right.
Harin pressed on.
"No summon control means you're dead weight. Dead weight collapsing in a gate drags us down."
"I'll do my best."
"Do your best."
Harin repeated it mockingly.
"Think monsters care about effort?"
"Harin."
Isol interjected softly.
"Seha's on our team. No piling on—get along."
"Han Isol."
Harin shot Isol a haughty glare.
"Don't order me just 'cause you beat me once. I haven't accepted it."
"Not ordering…."
Isol smiled bitterly anyway.
Harin had been one of the top prospects alongside Isol at entrance exams. They'd dueled, she'd lost, and now held a grudge.
"Anyway, no way I'm hauling baggage into a gate."
Harin turned to Seha.
"At least don't trip us up."
"……?"
Clank.
She gripped her axe properly. Gauntlet met axe with a metallic clang.
"Run."
"……Huh?"
"Ten laps. Now."
"Suddenly?"
"Can't control summon? At least your legs work. Gotta run in gates."
"Fair, but right now—"
Clang.
Harin took stance.
"Fifteen?"
"……."
"Ready."
"W-wait… warm-up at least!"
"Go!"
Bam!
The massive axe slammed between Seha's legs.
"Gyaaah!"
Seha bolted for the track.
Clank! Clank!
"…?"
He glanced back at the metal sounds. Harin chased with axe raised, terrifying momentum.
"Wh-what! Why are you following?!"
"Run faster!"
"No, why together—!"
"Slow! Faster!"
"Aaaah! Don't chase with an axe!"
Jinho watched from the side, chuckling wryly. Isol sighed quietly. Dahong observed silently.