The Pain of Loss
“Suddenly appearing out of nowhere?”
I asked in surprise, staring at the professor who had materialized like a ghost.
“I wasn’t the one who just appeared. I’ve been watching the whole time. You simply didn’t notice because I concealed my presence.”
“Then what about the other students?”
“Of course I checked on them too.”
“It’s possible to be here like this?”
“I received help from the other professors. And more importantly, I’m not the original body—I’m a clone.”
A clone?
“Creating a solid clone is one of our kind’s abilities. I happen to be able to make several at once.”
Hearing that, I sighed inwardly.
Is there any ability in this world that’s this convenient?
‘At best, just lighting a match on a finger…’
The satisfaction of finally completing a successful hunt against the Demonic Beasts vanished in an instant, replaced by a wave of relative deprivation born from species differences.
“Anyway, congratulations on passing the test so well.”
Professor Meibao gave us a rare compliment and handed each of us a little envelope.
It was the one used to pair up students in the lecture hall.
Apparently it was the medium that triggered the Transfer Spell.
“If there’s anything else you want to ask, do it now.”
Professor Meibao turned to look at our group after handing out the envelopes.
The model student Karib raised his hand.
“How are the scores calculated?”
“Only two results for this test—pass or fail.”
“Then what about us…?”
“Of course you passed.”
The word “pass” made me glance at Nadia.
Coincidence or not, our eyes met. She clenched her fists and nodded vigorously.
Finding her adorable reaction almost made me smile like a father, but Scott asked the next question.
“But wasn’t it a problem that we four hunted together?”
His clueless question drew stares from the group, yet thankfully Professor Meibao shook her head.
“Combining forces against a common enemy was wise. Moreover, the prey you caught was a creature undergoing the Demonic Mutation process. Capturing one of those with four people deserves praise.”
“…Demonic Mutation?”
“What’s that?”
Nadia and Scott looked puzzled.
“You all seem to know what Demonic Monsters are?”
Professor Meibao looked at me and Karib, and we nodded.
Karib explained it to Nadia and Scott in his place.
“Some Demonic Beasts go through inexplicable mutations. Once they complete the process, the resulting mutated individuals far stronger than before are called Demonic Monsters.”
Most of the Demonic Beasts that had once caused massive damage to the Demon Realm were Demonic Monsters.
“If they’re so dangerous, why didn’t you tell us sooner?! What were we supposed to do if we got injured…”
Scott shot back at Professor Meibao without a trace of fear.
Sensitive to his own well-being just like any woman, he seemed to feel a deep betrayal from confronting the professor.
“You’re mistaken.”
Professor Meibao frowned, looking utterly unimpressed.
“It was only in the middle of the process. It was nowhere near becoming a Demonic Monster. Even if it had been a real one, what danger could there be when I was watching?”
“That’s…”
“Don’t ignore the professor. If you don’t know something, stay quiet and don’t make a fuss.”
Professor Meibao let out a small fart in annoyance and glanced at me.
“A guy who went on a dangerous mission stays put while an idiot raises his voice.”
“…”
Scott clamped his mouth shut, speechless, as Karib smirked like a strict teacher.
Professor Meibao sighed and wrapped up the story.
“Well, as I said, you little chicks actually did quite well. Most couldn’t even survive five days without hunting Demonic Beasts.”
“Are there few passers?”
I asked, and Professor Meibao nodded.
“Not many.”
During the test, countless students had collapsed from injuries or eating strange things, suffering food poisoning or dehydration.
“Don’t worry. The dropouts will be rescued and treated right away, and they’ll wait here in the lecture hall until the test ends.”
It seemed Professor Meibao had indeed taken proper care.
“If there’s nothing else to ask, you may go. You were almost the last group.”
“How do we go?”
“Rip open the envelope I gave you and the Transfer Spell will activate.”
We all tore open our envelopes together, and the Transfer Spell lit up beneath our feet like it had when we arrived at the mountains.
***
“…”
As the light of the Transfer Spell faded, the interior of the lecture hall came into view.
Students who had finished the test were sparsely seated, resting.
Being in a civilized space brought a wave of relief.
“Dorn!”
My classmate Yuli spotted me and waved, rushing over. After only five days apart, we exchanged pleasantries.
Fortunately she had also passed the test.
“My paired partner was incredible. His name is Elto… you know him?”
Since we were in the same class, I naturally knew his face.
He had a cold, blunt impression and always walked alone.
He wasn’t being bullied, but he simply preferred keeping distance from others.
“What was he like?”
“I didn’t know much, but his skill is insane. He froze a Demonic Beast that looked like a huge cat in one go!”
Yuli’s eyes sparkled as she recalled the event.
“He’s probably even stronger than Bogar.”
“That’s hard to believe.”
I couldn’t easily accept it.
I had been beaten by Gail and my stock had plummeted, but Bogar was the real deal—someone even decent students couldn’t touch.
‘But if he could take down a Demonic Beast in one hit, who knows what else he’s capable of?’
The current opposite of the strength-hiding male student in our class.
In betting terms, the latter would always win.
Hiding strength was a man’s fantasy, wasn’t it?
Even though it was childish, just imagining the fight with him lit a spark of curiosity in me.
‘He seems quiet, but he doesn’t look like he has a bad personality.’
Unlike the violent Bogar, befriending him would surely be beneficial.
“Everyone, pay attention!”
Professor Meibao ascended the stage, drawing the students’ gaze.
“You’ve suffered for five days. The test is over.”
A cheer and relieved sigh spread among all the students.
Professor Meibao continued.
“As announced beforehand, students who failed the test will receive two hours of supplementary lessons every day for the next month.”
A groan escaped most of the students’ mouths.
That meant the number of passers was indeed small.
It was only briefly countered by the next notice.
“Everyone worked hard. There will be no classes for both the first and second days of the new semester. This has been discussed with the other professors, so no need to worry.”
The days after that were two weekends, meaning four days of rest in total.
Only then did the students’ faces brighten slightly.
“Everyone looks terrible. Students with injuries or pain should go to the infirmary. The rest should head home and rest properly.”
With Professor Meibao’s shout of “Dismissed!”, the students filed out of the lecture hall in a wave.
I stayed behind for a moment, searching for my childhood friend Casher’s figure.
I wanted to confirm how the test had gone for her and whether she was hurt.
But even after scanning the hall, her figure was nowhere to be seen.
Had she left with the crowd?
‘…Maybe it’s for the best.’
Thinking about it now, my current appearance was far from ideal.
First, I should stop by the boarding house, clean myself up, then head out to meet her for dinner.
***
The boarding house after a long absence.
Passing through the entrance into the living room, I immediately ran into senior Olga emerging from the bathroom.
It had been a while since I’d seen her, and she was wearing an elaborate black lingerie set.
When choosing clothes, Professor Olga always picked comfortable ones, but she had an abundance of flashy lingerie.
‘Her hips are insane.’
The rounded curves leading to her sturdy thighs were works of art on their own.
If I could, I would have loved to touch them just once…
‘But I’d be beaten, right?’
Even against a Barbarian woman, it would hurt a lot. So I just swallowed hard while gazing at them.
“Have the new students gone to the Worghol Mountains this year too?”
Professor Olga asked with a carefree face.
“Ah, yes.”
When I answered, something felt off, and I tilted my head.
Could it be…
“…Did you guys keep reporting the same exam every year?”
“That’s right. It’s like a freshman initiation.”
“If you knew, you could have said something…”
Feeling wronged, I spoke up, and Professor Olga shook her head.
“That would ruin the proper exam. And even if I wanted to tell you, I couldn’t.”
“Why?”
“Because the Cradle has placed a curse that prevents the test contents from being revealed between seniors and juniors.”
“A curse? On all the students?”
“The Cradle is obsessive about strange things. I bet even your first-years are bound by it.”
“I don’t remember… Could such a thing even be done without consent in the first place?”
“You did consent.”
“…When?”
“At the entrance ceremony, when they made us swear during some speech or other?”
Now that I thought about it, that was true.
“But why…?”
“I didn’t know either, but apparently it’s a necromantic oath. Swearing there means you agree to pretty much anything the Cradle does.”
This is insane.
“You’re scamming the students!”
“What scam… Don’t worry so much. It’s just a necromantic oath; it doesn’t force you to do anything unreasonable.”
It didn’t provide much comfort.
‘If only I hadn’t known…’
I was about to grow even more suspicious of the Cradle from hearing unnecessary stories, but only when Professor Olga explained that those who graduated, dropped out, or were expelled would be freed from the oath could I finally sigh in relief.
***
After a thorough shower and changing clothes, it was evening.
It was nice to eat the meal Sienna noona had prepared after a long time, but I had missed Casher far too long.
I wanted to check on my childhood friend’s well-being and head to her house with the intention of eating dinner together.
The path was familiar after so many trips.
‘She should be home. I’ll have dinner at the restaurant Yuli recommended…’
Imagining a cozy evening with my childhood friend after a long time, my steps quickened for a moment.
“…Huh?”
I froze in place.
The familiar house of my childhood friend came into view in the distance.
In front of it, Casher was being hugged by a tall man.
My mind went blank.
‘Why him…?’
The tall man with broad shoulders embracing Casher’s slender waist.
What on earth was going on?
The answer came in the following actions, which were both intimate and cruel.
“Gail…”
Casher’s lips parted as she called out the opponent’s name.
Even from afar, Casher’s face—eyes glistening with moisture and breathing ragged—was crystal clear.
She lifted her chin, eyes half-lidded.
And
“Mmmh… haah… chwoooh…♡”
As if waiting, their lips began a kiss thick with lust.
“Haah, clack… heup♡”
With lips sealed tightly as if devouring each other, their tongues intertwined without hesitation, the sight etched vividly into my mind.
“Haah— clack… ♡ heup… smooch♡”
Between their lips that refused to part, the intense breathing that would embarrass anyone leaked out.
Completely absorbed in each other, ignoring the whole world, there was no hesitation or clumsiness between them.
Their kisses were dense and harmonious, as if they had already done this many times before.
“Haah, haah— chwoooh…♡”
Casher clung to Gail’s neck and deepened the kiss.
She lifted one thigh slightly and clung to his body, rubbing against him as if seeking full-body contact.
Thud, thud, thud!
My heart pounded violently in protest at the unfamiliar sight.
Even with my eyes bloodshot, I couldn’t tear my gaze away from them.
‘Fuck…’
I didn’t voice the curses rising in my throat.
I couldn’t express this emotion with just that.
“……!!”
My eyelids trembled.
Because Gail’s arm, which had been around her waist, slid down and grabbed her plump, developed buttock with a large hand.
Startled!
Casher’s body trembled, and her cat tail, covered in red fur, stood straight up.
Seeing that, I felt a pang of jealousy.
I wondered if she would slap that bastard’s cheek for groping her so lewdly.
“Mmgh… clack♡ ugh…♡”
…Of course, such a miraculous twist never happened.
Casher showed me a side I hadn’t imagined.
Instead of being hurt by his touch, she arched her back and began swaying her hips gently.
The moment her swaying red tail wrapped gently around Gail’s wrist,
The image of her in my future blueprint from long ago was completely blacked out.
“…”
A hollow feeling of loss spread near my chest, as if my heart had shriveled.
My legs trembled as if I might collapse at any moment, but I desperately turned around and staggered down the darkening alley, fleeing from the pressure crushing my shoulders.