Run Like Hell

"Relax."

In the back seat of the limousine, I looked at Han Soeun sitting beside me, fidgeting with her hands, and spoke. She'd been swallowing dryly and glancing out the window since we left. It wasn't unreasonable for her to be scared—a girl who'd spent her days hiding in the back rooms of a club had suddenly been thrown into an academy packed with South Korea's top elites.

"I'm not asking you to do anything special. Just attend the classes, eat your meals, and stay next to me." I reached out as I spoke indifferently. Her uniform ribbon was crooked.

"Ah..." Han Soeun flinched when my hand touched her. I paid it no mind and straightened the ribbon's knot neatly, then brushed the dust off her collar with a few light flicks.

"The uniform suits you." It wasn't empty praise. The deep navy blazer of Daeseong Academy matched her pale skin perfectly. She looked exactly like a refined young lady from a prestigious family—impossible to connect to the shabby girl from yesterday.

"Th-thank you." Han Soeun's face flushed like a ripe peach. She cradled the ribbon I'd touched as if it were something precious. "Because Master chose it for me."

"The housekeeper bought it."

"Even so." She smiled shyly. Her eyes sparkled so brightly it felt almost burdensome. It was a relief that her mental state seemed to have recovered somewhat, but the way she looked at me was less like a dog gazing at its owner and more like a devotee staring at their cult leader.

Well, at least she won't betray me.

The car came to a stop.

"Let's get out. Want to go separately, or together?"

"T-together! Let's go together!" Han Soeun clutched my sleeve tightly, looking desperate enough to die if left alone. I let out a small laugh and opened the door.

As expected, all eyes converged on us the moment we reached the main gate. The instant I stepped out, followed by Han Soeun still gripping my sleeve and exiting behind me—

"Whoa, isn't that Lee Dohyun?"

"Who's the girl next to him? A girl?"

"Holy shit, they're going to school together? They got out of the same car."

The whispers rolled in like a wave. Naturally. It was probably the first time since the academy's founding that the 'Mad Dog' Lee Dohyun had shown up with a woman—especially one this beautiful.

Han Soeun shrank back and hid behind me. I deliberately slowed my steps to match her pace.

"Head up. Did you commit a crime or something?"

"No, it's not that..."

"You're standing next to me. There's nothing to feel small about. Walk with confidence."

At my words, Han Soeun bit her lip tightly, then slowly lifted her head. Yes, just like that. If she was my party member, she couldn't afford to cower anywhere. I had to build up her self-esteem if she was going to grow into an S-Class mage.

We walked through the barrage of stares all the way to the classroom. It felt like stepping on a red carpet.

In Class A, instructor Kang Cheolmin was tapping the attendance sheet, setting the mood.

"Alright, settle down. We have a transfer student today."

I sat crookedly in my assigned seat and watched. Han Soeun stood in front of the lectern.

"H-hello." Her voice was tiny from nerves. The male students stirred.

"Wow, she's seriously pretty."

"What's her name?"

"Where'd she transfer from?"

Han Soeun wrote her three-syllable name on the blackboard, bowed, and then it was time for seat assignment. Just as Kang Cheolmin was about to point to an empty desk, Han Soeun moved first. Without the slightest hesitation, she walked straight to the empty seat in the very back row, right in the section next to mine. Her path screamed 'I'm sitting next to Lee Dohyun' to anyone watching.

"Oh, you're sitting there?" Kang Cheolmin looked flustered, but Han Soeun had already set her bag down and was smiling brightly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in my direction.

This kid really is like glue. The corner of my mouth rose without me realizing it.

But then. A chilling aura emanated from the back of the person sitting diagonally in front of me. Seo Yoona. She didn't even turn her head, staring fixedly at the blackboard. Yet her hand gripped her sword sheath instead of a pen—tight enough for her knuckles to turn white.

Why is the atmosphere like this?

Ah, right. From Seo Yoona's perspective this must seem absurd. Yesterday I handed her a hundred million won and said "Become mine (investment target)," and now a day later I show up with another woman.

I need to explain things properly so she doesn't misunderstand.

I decided I'd introduce the two of them during break time. We were one team, after all. Until we secured a tanker, the two of them would need to coordinate.

It happened the moment the break bell rang. I pretended to be asleep at my desk while observing. As expected, students swarmed toward Han Soeun.

"Hi? Where are you from?"

"Do you know Lee Dohyun? You came together earlier, right?"

Han Soeun mumbled awkwardly, looking troubled. Then someone cut through the crowd. It was Seo Yoona. Students parted like the Red Sea as she approached. Thanks to yesterday's feat of sending Park Chansu flying, everyone was intimidated by her.

Seo Yoona stopped in front of Han Soeun's desk. A confrontation between two beauties. The classroom atmosphere turned icy in an instant.

"With Senior Lee Dohyun..." Seo Yoona spoke. Her voice was low and cold. "What is your relationship?"

A direct fastball. Very like a swordsman.

Han Soeun blinked once, then answered with her signature innocent expression.

"We're like family."

Family? Well, we did live in the same house, so it wasn't wrong. But the nuance was a bit strange.

"Family?" Seo Yoona's eyebrow twitched.

"Yes. Master took me in. He feeds me, clothes me..."

The students around them gasped, covering their mouths with "Whoa..." Seo Yoona's face hardened until it looked like stone.

"Took you in?"

"Yes. To me, Master is my... everything."

Han Soeun drove the point home like a nail. Her eyes gleamed faintly toward Seo Yoona. It wasn't simple innocence. Those eyes carried a woman's instinctive territorial warning: So don't touch her. This one is mine.

Seo Yoona let out a hollow laugh.

"Ha." She tapped the sword at her waist. "Seems like you're misunderstanding something."

Seo Yoona leaned over Han Soeun's desk, lowering her upper body. She spoke as if whispering in her ear, yet clearly enough for the entire classroom to hear.

"A stray puppy and the knight the master chose are two different things."

"......"

"The seat beside him isn't for a pet that wags its tail. Only someone with the 'power' to protect him can stand there."

The atmosphere grew dangerous. Worried this might actually end in a sword fight, I ruffled my hair and lifted my head.

"It's noisy."

I deliberately spoke in a half-awake voice. Both pairs of eyes snapped toward me simultaneously.

"Senior!"

"Master!"

The murderous glares turned as docile as lambs the moment they landed on me. I yawned and stood up.

"Have you two already said hello?" I stepped between them, pretending I had no idea what was going on. Then I pulled something from my pocket. A top-grade mana recovery potion. Five million won per bottle.

"Here." I placed one in each of their hands.

"Uh...?"

"Why this..."

"There's practical training this afternoon. Drink them." I tossed the words out casually. "Don't get hurt. If either of you gets injured, it's my loss."

It was the truth. Medical bills, loss of fighting strength. These were kids I'd invested heavily in—if they got so much as a scratch, it would rip my heart out.

But contrary to my intention, the two women's reactions burned hot. Han Soeun clutched the bottle to her chest with a deeply moved expression. As expected of Master. He told me not to get hurt... he's worried about me.

Seo Yoona gripped the bottle tightly, eyes filled with resolve. He's even paying attention to my physical condition. It means I should prove myself at peak performance.

I patted both their shoulders lightly.

"Get along. You're both my precious partners."

This was perfect mediation. I'd clearly set the boundary by calling them partners and given them instructions as their leader to stay on good terms.

"Yes, Master. I'll keep it in mind." Han Soeun answered with a bright smile.

"Understood. I won't disappoint you." Seo Yoona nodded with solemn determination.

Invisible sparks flew between them. But I interpreted it as healthy competition and returned to my seat satisfied.

Good. The mood is solid.

Lunch passed, and the long-awaited afternoon practical training began. The location was the [Seventh Training Ground] on the mountain behind the school. It was an artificial gate inhabited by low-level demons ranging from F-Class to E-Class. The perfect spot to test the new students.

Students gathered in front of the gate, buzzing. Instructor Kang Cheolmin was explaining the rules.

"Teams will be four people per group. However, we'll specially allow free team formation this time."

The moment the words left his mouth, both Han Soeun and Seo Yoona moved to my sides at once.

"Master, with me..."

"Senior, let me..."

Their words overlapped. They glared at each other.

"Hey, I spoke first, didn't I?"

"That's funny. I'm closer."

Childish. So childish. I chuckled and beckoned to both of them.

"Why fight? Both of you can come. We need one more person anyway... whoever, it doesn't matter."

In the end, our group ended up as me, Seo Yoona, Han Soeun, and one male extra student who got dragged in. Instead of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠looking happy to be sandwiched between two beauties, the guy wore the expression of someone suffocating under the murderous atmosphere.

The gate opened and we stepped into the blue mist. The interior was a forest. Thick trees and humid air.

"Grrr..." Goblins sprang out from the shadows. Low-level demons with green skin and crude weapons.

"They're here!" The extra male student raised his shield nervously. But he never got the chance to act.

Clang—! Seo Yoona shot forward first. Her sword, Cry Edge, traced a blue arc. Slice. With a single strike, the heads of three goblins flew into the air at once.

"Whoa..." Clean. No wasted movement. Seo Yoona shook off her spotless blade and looked back at me.

"I've handled them, Senior." Eyes begging for praise. If she had a tail, it would be wagging. I gave her a thumbs-up. The corner of her mouth twitched upward.

That was when it happened. Whoosh! A massive blaze erupted on my opposite side. It was Han Soeun. The 'Fireball' launched from her fingertips exploded in the middle of a goblin pack.

Boom! It wasn't a normal fireball—it had the explosive force of a grenade. Five goblins were turned to charcoal without even time to scream.

"Oh my, my hand slipped." Han Soeun covered her mouth and laughed elegantly. Then she looked at me with sparkling eyes. "I handled them too, Master. Clean, right?"

This was... a massacre. Far beyond freshman level. While the other groups were struggling just to take down a single goblin, our team was advancing at LTE speeds.

The two women swept through the demons as if competing. There was no need for me to lift a finger. I simply walked with my hands behind my back like I was taking a leisurely stroll.

Comfortable. Nice. This was what riding the bus felt like.

I hummed as I walked along the forest path. But something felt wrong. The deeper we went into the woods, the more the air changed. The humidity was excessively high. And from somewhere came the fishy smell of water.

Water smell? The Seventh Training Ground was mountainous terrain. There were valleys, but it shouldn't smell this salty. It was like the ocean, or a swamp.

I stopped walking. I recalled the original story. Ruler of the Tower, Volume 1, the freshman training episode. Originally an Orc Warrior should have appeared here as the boss, and the protagonist should have ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠barely defeated it to draw attention. But the presence I felt now wasn't from an orc...?

"Master? What's wrong?" Han Soeun, who had been walking ahead, stopped. Seo Yoona lowered her sword and scanned the surroundings warily.

"Stay quiet a moment."

I looked down at the ground. The soil that should have been solid was soggy. Water pooled in our footprints. Black water. And then—

"Crazy."

The curse slipped out automatically. B-Class? A B-Class gate mutation in a freshman training ground. This was a massacre scenario. It hadn't been in the original story. Had my interference caused a butterfly effect?

Rumble—! The ground shook. Trees were ripped out by the roots as black water gushed up like a fountain.

"Kyaa!" Han Soeun screamed and ran toward me. Seo Yoona stepped in front of me, drawing her sword.

"Senior! Please step back!"

From within the black swamp, a massive shadow rose. A body the size of a house. Slick scales. Eight red eyes.

Hydra. A high-ranking demon known as the disaster of swamp zones. Not something first-years could handle. Even active hunters needed a full party to barely take one down.

"Damn it." I bit my lip. I'd tried to ride the bus comfortably and ended up on the express train to hell. This was too much for Seo Yoona and Han Soeun ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠alone. They still hadn't fully grown. We could be wiped out here.

I rummaged in my pocket. I had brought an artifact for emergencies, but using it might expose my identity. Still, this wasn't the time to worry about that.

"Girls." I grabbed both their shoulders. I tried not to let them notice how badly my hands were shaking.

"Run like hell."