In One's True Form -6-
Drip. Red blood falls to the ground. The pain in his abdomen, which should have been keenly felt, scattered between his tightly shut eyes, and the bursting injustice dissipated into the night breeze.
Mihail slowly lifted his heavy eyelids. Red hair. Black butler’s uniform. Broad shoulders blocking his entire view. Ricardo’s unique cologne scent tickled the tip of Mihail’s nose, greeting him.
“I was worried.”
Ricardo’s low voice rang out briefly, checking on him. Without asking a single question, he had simply caught the blade barehanded and stood there like a rock.
Mihail spoke in a trembling voice. Before he could even react to the quest completion notice, Ricardo had grabbed the blade with his bare hand. “How...”
“How? Secret girl sent me a telepathic plea for help.” Ricardo stepped in front of the flustered Mihail, addressing the man before them in a dark tone. “Don’t we still have business, you and I?”
“...”
“We could talk all night and it wouldn’t be enough.”
The chill in Ricardo’s voice drew a laugh from Yung. Even though his tone was flat, it set every nerve in Yung’s body on edge. Each syllable felt like a needle piercing his skin, and Yung shook his head with a burst of laughter.
“Pfft... hahaha! Ha... I picked the wrong day for this. Didn’t expect a bodyguard.”
“I think I picked the right day.”
“Haa...”
Yung cut off his sticky laugh and raised his head. His sharply honed gaze met Ricardo’s in the air and held.
“Just dropping by to say hi today. Wanted to make sure you hadn’t forgotten me. That kid’s pretty famous, after all. Just reminding you there’s someone like me out there.”
“Do you greet people with knife swings?”
“Heh heh... Fair point.”
Mihail’s hands grew ice-cold at the coldest tone from Ricardo he’d ever heard.
“...”
Yung gave an awkward laugh and slowly backed away. “I was gonna turn that little brat into an idiot... Make him clueless, calling ‘Daddy, Daddy’ until—bam!”
“You’ve got rotten tastes. Makes me wanna kill you.”
“...Maybe I should just do it right now.”
Yung stared coldly at Mihail, who was hiding behind Ricardo’s back, flashing a regretful smile—as if he’d really do it if he could. Ricardo responded with a small smile.
“Think you can?”
“...”
The red aura extended, tightening around Yung’s throat. Despite the ominous red aura stretching out like an open gate to the underworld, Yung showed no sign of backing down easily, still clutching his dagger.
“Everyone gets careless. Me, you—”
“...”
“This old man’s got some skills, y’know.”
Ricardo let out an awkward laugh and released the hand gripping the dagger.
“Just kidding.”
He could kill him easily. Neutralize his black magic without issue. But...
[Restrictions in Place]
Mihail's mental state is highly unstable.
The longer you spend with 'Yung,' the more the restrictions will waver.
If you kill 'Yung' yourself, Mihail's awakening will be delayed.
God doesn't want that.
Why make them meet, then keep flip-flopping like this? Ricardo muttered a few irreverent words toward whatever god was watching from somewhere, then withdrew the aura aimed at Yung, who was licking his dry lips.
“Guess today’s not the day.”
“...Nearly died there.”
“Leave before you change your mind.”
“Yeah...”
Yung vanished into the darkness, bidding farewell to Mihail, who glared at him murderously. “See ya later, kid.”
Ricardo returned the gesture. “Next time, I won’t let you go easy.”
“I don’t wanna see you again either.”
With that, Yung was gone.
*
The alley fell into heavy silence. Mihail hung his head, staring at Ricardo’s bleeding hand. He didn’t know what to say. He should thank him, obviously, but the words wouldn’t come.
Ricardo silently wiped the blood from his hand. He pressed a handkerchief from his jacket’s inner pocket against his palm, nodded, and walked slowly toward Mihail.
“You okay?”
“...”
“Not hurt?”
“...”
Mihail swallowed the questions bubbling up inside him along with the night air. He had so much he wanted to ask. Starting with why he’d helped, up to “you okay?”—he tried to bury them in his chest, but one question blocked his throat, forcing him to swallow dryly again.
Why.
Why do this? Ricardo had no connection to him. No different from a stranger. Why go this far?
Mihail clenched his fists, swallowing the rising doubts.
This isn’t you.
The woman who’d been a nuisance to a stranger was the “me” Ricardo saw now. Not a deep relation, not a friend—just a “stranger,” nothing more or less. Why step in?
He could just close his eyes tight, turn away, and no one would know. No one to resent.
But.
Why help me?
If it was the Ricardo he remembered. The one who avoided losses and chased gains. The academy thug who only showed that side. He should be cold, dismissive. Naturally.
Why...?
Trying to play the hero?
Mihail spat out the doubt he’d harbored. He couldn’t resolve it without an answer.
“Why...”
The suspicions he’d nursed until now began to stir like a faint pulse.
“Why did you save me...?”
“...Ah.”
“You said you don’t help unless there’s no loss. So why save me?”
Because that’s how Ricardo was. That’s why other students hated him. Mihail, judging by appearances, clenched his fists and questioned the misunderstanding.
“You’re not that kind of person.”
“...”
“You don’t help strangers or ask if they’re okay.”
“...”
“So why act like a good guy?”
“Why... why...?”
Ricardo let out a hollow laugh and faced Mihail. “Because you’re pretty.”
“...”
“I’m pretty biased toward girls anyway.”
Mihail clenched his fists and shot back. “What’s pretty about me?”
“...”
“Dull, can’t even dress up—what’s pretty?”
“...”
“Not pretty at all. I know it looking in the mirror. No charm, ugly. You think so too. Dull, fierce, manly.”
Mihail balled his fists and yelled at Ricardo. “Don’t lie!”
Ricardo chuckled softly and shook his head. “What can I do? My eyes say you’re pretty.”
Mihail stared in disbelief and said to Ricardo, what a weirdo. “You really a thug?”
“...”
“The academy rampaging thug? This feels like a different person.”
Ricardo smiled faintly again. “I’m immature.”
“...”
“Back then, I thought it was the best way. If I was the bad guy, others would like each other more.”
Ricardo crouched in front of Mihail, tying the loose laces on his sneakers, speaking softly. “And it kinda worked.”
Mihail squeezed his eyes shut and said to Ricardo, “I still don’t like you.”
“That’s too cheeky for a student to her teacher.”
“I still don’t like you.”
“...”
Mihail clenched his fists tight and spoke to Ricardo as he stood. “Haa... Misa.”
“Yes...?”
“My name.”
“...”
Call me Misa. Ricardo smiled faintly and nodded. “Pretty name.”
*
Back in the dorm. Mihail lay on his bed, covering his tired eyes. His mind was a mess, his body exhausted. He avoided the blinding moonlight.
So many thoughts. Why had he given his name? Had he told him about “Misa”? His emotional choice left Mihail sighing deeply.
“Haa...”
I was worried.
He hates me, so why say that? And if it’s sincere, what then?
Covering his eyes with his hand, Mihail murmured today’s feelings in a small voice. “I don’t know.”
He didn’t know what kind of person Ricardo was. Good guy. Nice guy. Bad guy. So different from the academy version. Mihail rubbed his face and sighed deeply. Which was the real him?
One thing was clear: his view of Ricardo had shifted a bit. From worst to slightly less worst.
Mihail punched the bed at his own thoughts about Ricardo. “Annoying.”
As tangled thoughts and questions kept him awake...
Ding.
The cool chime waved hello in Mihail’s weary ears.
Would you like to receive your quest reward?
Mihail nodded in response.
And then.
He heard the truth he’d longed for.
In One's True Form
If you.
The things that happened because of you.
The day it all ends as one person’s responsibility.
You wouldn’t be able to bear it.
A cold wind blew.