Captured by Deception

Jeong In-ah couldn't get her bearings amid the scene unfolding before her eyes. It was as if a chunk of time had simply vanished—when she opened her eyes, the landscape had completely changed. Her body felt drained of strength. A cold sensation gripped her wrists, and when she looked down, she saw both hands bound in handcuffs.

"……."

Raising her head, she spotted Do Seon-woo, and beside him stood Kang Dae-man, caked in mud. The sight of the two brought fragmented memories flooding back. While roaming in search of tokens, she'd run into Do Seon-woo covered in blood. He'd said he'd gotten injured fighting Kang Dae-man and that he was forfeiting the exam midway, then clung to her. Jeong In-ah hadn't been able to push him away, letting him act spoiled. After that... nothing.

"You... fought him......?"

Jeong In-ah said, glancing back and forth between Kang Dae-man and Do Seon-woo. Kang Dae-man shot Do Seon-woo a look like he'd never heard such a thing. Do Seon-woo averted his gaze, bowing his head with an awkward expression. The mood was tense, but no matter how she looked at it, it didn't seem like the two had fought.

Missing memories. A situation that contradicted what Do Seon-woo had said. Waking up to find herself taken hostage. The implications were clear.

"You...!"

Jeong In-ah's eyes widened as she spoke in a trembling voice. He'd played on her sympathy with lies to close the distance, knocked her out, and captured her as a hostage in that moment of vulnerability. She didn't know how he'd taken her consciousness—maybe a strike to a pressure point, or some clever use of blessings. Do Seon-woo could have pulled off any method.

"You tricked me!"

Do Seon-woo flinched at her accusation, dropping his gaze to the ground. Jeong In-ah glared at him, her face full of betrayal.

"I trusted you...!"

"……."

Do Seon-woo kept his head lowered. Those who didn't know the situation just stared blankly at the bickering pair, while Han Su-ryeon snickered softly, watching the drama with evident amusement.

After a brief silence, Do Seon-woo lifted his head as if he'd made up his mind.

"S-So... um......"

"S-So, what? Spit it out properly!"

"......You should've trusted someone worth trusting!"

"What? Ha, what the hell...!"

Jeong In-ah repeated "what" several times in sheer disbelief, too stunned to even finish her sentences.

Do Seon-woo fully turned his back on her and scanned the surroundings, seemingly checking on his teammates. Soon enough, he casually launched into a strategy meeting. Jeong In-ah continued to glare at him resentfully, but he didn't spare her a single glance. This was still the exam, and while he'd said he was forfeiting midway, he hadn't actually done so. Do Seon-woo had simply lied strategically—there was nothing wrong with that. Still, Jeong In-ah resented him, and in a way, she even felt a pang of sadness. He'd definitely promised her, of all people, that he wouldn't lie.

On that night when the stars densely filled the sky, on a quiet bench at school where no one passed by.

"From what I heard, it sounds like Do Seon-woo was in the wrong, right?"

Someone chimed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in. The voice dripped with mischief. Jeong In-ah, who had been staring bitterly at the ground, looked up. It was Han Su-ryeon speaking. She too had been captured as a hostage, just like Jeong In-ah.

"No, getting tricked was the mistake."

Without a word from Jeong In-ah, Seong Ha-yeon cut in from the side. Jeong In-ah still said nothing. Instead, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Han Su-ryeon got indignant on her behalf.

"Why are you talking like that? How is getting tricked a mistake?"

"Believing someone else's words during an exam is just plain stupid."

"Hey, a cleric lying in the first place is what's wrong! And these two aren't just 'someone else' anyway."

"If they're not 'someone else,' then what are they?"

"They're not, so... uh......"

Han Su-ryeon glanced at Jeong In-ah. She seemed indifferent. Probably too dazed to think straight. Yet her eyes remained fixed on Do Seon-woo. Han Su-ryeon hesitated, lips twitching, then let out a deep sigh.

"Anyway, they're more than just strangers."

"Do they have that kind of relationship?"

"Yeah. Like family, or... lovers, something like that?"

Seong Ha-yeon bit her lower lip.

"......Family are still technically strangers, aren't they?"

"What? How are family strangers? Then are your friends strangers too?"

"No...... It's just so obvious, it's ridiculous."

"It's not obvious...... But why's your face like that?"

"Don't worry about it, it's always like this....... Anyway, friends are obviously—"

Han Su-ryeon and Seong Ha-yeon's debate on "what constitutes a stranger" dragged on. Jeong In-ah tuned it out. She had no energy for such pointless chatter. She felt mentally and physically exhausted. A headache throbbed too. Above all, the shock of betrayal hit hardest.

Once the meeting ended, Do ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Seon-woo approached Jeong In-ah and abruptly stuck out his hand. She stared blankly at it. A hand scarred and battered, one finger grotesquely twisted from being broken.

"What, calling a truce?"

Jeong In-ah snapped curtly on purpose. For her, it was like giving him an opening. Do Seon-woo's lie was definitely wrong, but she'd been at fault too for taking the enemy's words at face value during the exam. If he apologized now, she'd accept gladly.

"Nah, gimme your jacket."

Do Seon-woo nodded toward the coat draped over her and said. Jeong In-ah's expression hardened coldly.

"......Oh. Fine."

"Sulking?"

"Nope. Not at all."

"Cool. Whatever."

Do Seon-woo shrugged, took the jacket, and put it on. Shameless from words to actions. Jeong In-ah could only glare resentfully at his retreating back. She didn't even want to talk to him anymore.

Legba and Granbwa bickered on, but I ignored them. I hadn't apologized to Jeong In-ah because I needed to show the team I could separate personal feelings from duty. Apologizing over something I hadn't even done wrong would undermine that. A leader who couldn't distinguish public from private wouldn't earn trust—in fact, it might breed resentment. Outside the exam, Jeong In-ah was a friend, but inside, she was a rival. I had to remember that clearly, and make sure the team did too.

"Which team do we negotiate with first?"

Kang Dae-man asked as we moved. I glanced back at the hostages and teammates. Unlikely as it was, I'd assigned one teammate per hostage to escort them, just in case of escape attempts. Han Su-ryeon and the two nameless hostages followed quietly, but Seong Ha-yeon and Jeong In-ah trailed with obvious displeasure. Jeong In-ah especially glared at me openly.

"......Priest class first."

Seong Ha-yeon and Jeong In-ah had high hostage value. With time, that value would drop, so hitting the priest class first for maximum tokens was smartest. Seeing Jeong In-ah handcuffed and glaring made my conscience twinge a bit too.

"Got it. I'll request the negotiation then."

"Yeah. You remember the plan?"

"Of course."

Kang Dae-man fiddled with his smartwatch as he spoke. The negotiation process was straightforward. First, request via smartwatch to the desired team. If accepted, it sets a midpoint based on locations. Head there and negotiate. No new captures during or for 10 minutes after—probably to prevent ambushes mid-talk. Though you could just wipe them out post-negotiation and cuff them after the timer. Not sure if the faculty overlooked it or left it intentionally as strategy bait.

"Uh, D-Do, Do Seon-woo!"

One teammate called urgently then. The one I'd assigned to escort Seong Ha-yeon. Panic laced his voice. She was pale as a ghost, breathing raggedly. Her face was always ghostly white, but this looked bad.

"What's wrong?"

I approached her. She raised her cuffed hands and spoke.

"Th-This."

"What, the cuffs?"

"Please... unlock one side at least. Can't... breathe......"

Her eyes were glassy, dry lips quivering. Breaths uneven, words halting. Skin not just pale but bluish. Looked like a trauma to restraints. That explained her whining ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠earlier.

"Kang Dae-man, key."

"Got it. Hang on...... Damn touch screens......"

Kang Dae-man struggled with his watch, thick fingers fumbling. He squinted at the screen, sighed in defeat, and pulled a physical key from his pocket, handing it over.

"Sorry. Negotiation request's glitching."

"Take your time. Get someone else if needed."

"Nah, I wanna do it. Just tricky......"

He resumed fiddling clumsily. I nodded and inserted the key into Seong Ha-yeon's cuff.

Click.

One side unlocked. She looked up at me, feigning surprise.

"You really unlocked it?"

"One side."

I grabbed the freed cuff and tugged. She stumbled toward me weakly. Blinking in confusion, she peered up.

"I'll hold the unlocked side."

"......What is this? Like walking a dog!"

"Hate it? Keep both on then."

"Just unlock both."

"And let you run?"

"I won't."

"How do I know? Shut up and follow."

Only after my sharp tone did she go quiet. She glared hostilely, but at least she wasn't collapsing anymore. Good sign she had energy left to glare.

"Do Seon-woo!"

Kang Dae-man called then.

"Request sent. Now we wait, huh?"

"What? Why?"

He frowned at his watch. Eyebrows twitching like he'd seen something weird. At first, I thought he'd messed up—requested the paladin class by mistake or picked the wrong team.

"......What the? They accepted instantly, like they were waiting."

Good, not that. But "like they were waiting" stuck with me. Kang Dae-man continued gravely.

"Negotiation point's right here too. No need to move. Something's off......"

He looked up. I followed his gaze. Far off, a man slicked back his rain-soaked blond hair, approaching with menacing strides.

Ma Yu-hyeon. Alone, but his gait oozed confident leisure. As if he'd known we'd request negotiation exactly here, right now.

(To be continued in the next chapter)