Olivia's Desperate Injection
"Sorry, but I have something I need to take care of."
"Ah... okay. If you're busy, there's nothing I can do about it."
Latynia looked disappointed.
She must have had something in mind, after all.
I'd expected as much, but now wasn't the time to play along.
My mind was too unsettled for that; the whole mood was ruined.
"Tell me again later when there's a chance."
"...Sure."
It felt like I'd missed my shot entirely.
But there was no helping it.
I pushed aside the regret and headed toward Prism's main building.
Knock knock.
"Olivia. You in there?"
I knocked on the door to Olivia's workshop.
This seemed like the most likely spot, so I'd come straight here... but there was no answer.
The doorknob turned easily—it wasn't locked.
I stepped into Olivia's workshop.
It was empty.
She'd been here just last weekend, hadn't she?
Dust had gathered everywhere, like it hadn't been used in days.
No signs of anyone living here, either.
No way...
I headed straight for the dean's office.
"Did you find something?"
"Yeah. I have a hunch about a possible location. Just to check..."
I asked the dean about a certain place.
She answered without much thought.
"I haven't paid attention to it since then."
"No way to get in, right?"
"Exactly. Unless you force your way in with spatial magic, there's no entrance. And now it's reinforced with distortion magic circles—completely inaccessible."
"Got it. Have you already checked the instructors' dorms and everywhere else?"
"I searched everywhere I could think of. Nothing."
"Thanks. I appreciate it."
I left the dean's office.
Only one place left.
The dean called after me.
"...Take good care of Olivia."
"Don't worry."
I knew where she was hiding now.
Olivia was definitely in the underground workshop.
The dean said there was no way in anymore, but there had to be another method.
I pressed the back of my hand to my forehead.
The pattern on it had faded, but the stigma Olivia had carved was still working fine.
A sensation like my body being pulled in hit me, and I closed my eyes.
When I opened them, Olivia's secret workshop looked like a storm had torn through it—total wreckage.
And there, amid the debris, was Olivia.
She was studying the Thousand Changes I'd given her.
"Olivia. What are you doing here?"
"You..."
She turned at my voice.
Her eyes were sunken, hollow—face gaunt. Who knew how long she'd been awake?
"The dean's worried about you. You've been holed up here the whole time?"
"None of your business."
"How is it not? You're doing this research because of my request, aren't you?"
"...No."
Like hell it wasn't.
It was obvious.
She read my look and spoke up.
"I know."
"Know what?"
"All you want from me is the research results on this, right?"
"..."
"Just wait. A little longer, and I'll have more info."
"Olivia..."
She must have picked up on my attitude.
Of course she had.
No one but an idiot could miss it.
After hearing about witches from the dean, it all felt even clearer.
"You gave it to me without a second thought, and I was stupid enough to get all happy... getting excited all by myself..."
"..."
"While there's another girl desperately trying to protect you..."
I needed to say something, but the words wouldn't come.
It was true—I'd used her conveniently.
True that I'd only sought her out when I needed her.
True that I'd ignored info the dean could have given me easily, because my own stuff took priority.
As I tried to sort my tangled thoughts, Olivia approached me.
In her hand was that suspicious flask of liquid I'd seen before.
"Olivia?"
Just like the first time she'd come to the workshop, she tried to force it into my mouth.
But this time...
"Eek! Let go!"
Back then, it had been too fast to see. Now? Pathetically slow.
It wasn't that I'd gotten faster.
Olivia had slowed down. Obviously.
"Olivia... I'm sorry..."
"Don't apologize!"
She struggled to yank her arm free from my grip.
But the strength I felt from her was so weak—nothing like her usual self.
After a while of thrashing, she went still.
"...I have a favor to ask."
"What?"
"I know you don't feel anything for me."
"That's not—"
"Don't pity me!"
She looked anxious, fragile.
Right now, I should just give her what she wants.
"Just once..."
"Hold me... just once..."
"...Okay."
I gently pulled her into my arms.
She buried her face in my chest.
I felt her shoulders trembling.
Tears soaked through, wetting my shirt.
"I'm sorry, Olivia."
"..."
She shook her head.
Her red hair rippled like waves against me.
How much time passed?
The shaking in my arms finally stopped.
As I started to let go, something jabbed into my chest.
"Huh...?"
Olivia pulled away.
Looking down, a syringe filled with strange, glowing red liquid was plunged into my chest.
"You're... mine. No one else's..."
Those were her last words before I blacked out.
Beep.
"Phew..."
Lee Ji-ah sighed as she turned off her smartwatch.
Worry clouded her face.
'It's already been a week since Do-jun-ssi disappeared...'
The news said four days, but in reality, it had been over a week for her.
Actually, it had been four days since the disappearance, but Ji-ah hadn't seen Do-jun while he was caring for Vivian, so she couldn't know that.
She'd noticed something was wrong three days ago.
Worried about his absence, she'd gone to his dorm and found a silver-haired girl right as the door opened.
Vivian had rushed out at the sound but froze upon seeing Ji-ah.
Ji-ah brushed past her and entered Do-jun's room.
It felt unused—chilly air hanging in the stale space.
"Who are you?"
"..."
Vivian stayed silent at Ji-ah's question.
Undeterred, Ji-ah pressed.
"What's your relationship with Do-jun-ssi?"
"..."
Vivian remained mute.
"How long has it been since Do-jun-ssi came back?"
"...Dunno."
Vivian finally spoke.
Her voice was hoarse, cracked—like she hadn't said a word in ages.
"Want to come with me?"
"No. I'm waiting for Dojun here."
"You don't know when he'll be back. It's dangerous staying here alone."
"Still..."
Vivian started to say something but slumped.
Ji-ah caught her as she nearly collapsed.
'She's so light... Has this kid not eaten anything?'
Vivian squirmed to escape Ji-ah's arms.
But her struggles were feeble.
"Come with me."
"Nng... No."
"I don't care if you don't want to. It's not safe here."
Ji-ah hoisted Vivian onto her back and left the men's dorm.
As she exited with Vivian piggybacked, she ran into Ruphus.
He'd been suspiciously lurking around the dorm.
"Oh? You're..."
"Ruphus-ssi?"
"Ji-ah-ssi, right? What brings you here?"
"I was worried about Do-jun-ssi, so I came to his dorm."
"So the kid on your back is Shin Do-jun's secret lover?"
"It's not..."
Ji-ah faltered, about to deny it.
She couldn't be sure herself.
"So where are you taking Shin Do-jun's lover?"
"Not sure. My dorm for now, I guess..."
"Then follow me. Hand the kid over too."
Ruphus took Vivian smoothly, like he'd done this a hundred times.
Then he led Ji-ah somewhere.
"Where are we going?"
"To Lady Latynia's residence. We prepared a room for Shin Do-jun."
"Huh? What's that about?"
"He took over as her guard this time."
"Latynia-ssi's guard? Was he that important to her?"
"She's the third princess of Rasertia Kingdom. Didn't Shin Do-jun tell you?"
"No. First I've heard."
"Aigoo..."
Ruphus smacked his forehead like he'd slipped up.
"Shin Do-jun calls Lady Latynia 'princess' all the time. That's why."
"I thought he was just teasing her..."
"She actually hated it at first. Even after he lifted her curse, she stayed super proper about it."
"Ah..."
"Anyway, I never imagined. He said he had a kid he was protecting to bring along, and Latynia okayed it, but I figured not a girl, so we only prepped one room... Ah, here we are."
Ruphus stopped in front of an ornate mansion.
It looked out of place next to Prism.
"Latynia...-ssi lives here?"
"Yeah. Prism provided it for our kingdom. Come on in."
Ruphus entered casually.
Ji-ah was overwhelmed by the lavish, unfamiliar interior.
"Lady Latynia won't be back till evening. This way for now."
Ji-ah followed him up to the second floor.
Guest rooms lined the hall.
"Second floor's mostly empty. We planned the middle one for Shin Do-jun, so wait here."
"Can I stay?"
"Why not? Lady Latynia would approve."
"Okay, then... thank you."
Ruphus laid the now-sleeping Vivian on the bed and left.
Ji-ah looked around the room Latynia had prepared for Do-jun.
It had its own bathroom.
The closet was stocked with men's clothes in various styles.
Bookshelves overflowed with tomes on Imanitus continent culture.
As she browsed one, a knock snapped her back.
"Yes?"
"Guest. Lady Latynia requests you."
"Okay. Coming right now."
Ji-ah smoothed her rumpled clothes and left Do-jun's room.
That day, she talked at length with Latynia.
That was three days ago in Ji-ah's memory.
And now...